World War II saw a lot of atrocities. The Nazis in particular seemed to favor ill treatment of any person, citizen or soldier, that did not fit in their narrow view of the true and proper race. Although Jews are
Category: 7th Weekly Edition
The Turning Point
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•Above is a picture of the city of Stalingrad taken turing the battle. The Battle of Stalingrad is seen by many as the turning point of the Second World War, and for good reason. The battle was part of the Nazi offensive on the Eastern Front. Before the Soviet Union had won the battle, the Russians … Continue reading The Turning Point
Hit Me With Your Best Shot
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•Russian family life has had a turbulent past with differing levels of control by the government and this was no different during wartime. Traditional gender roles were challenged by wartime needs, passion was at an all time high because of the unknown nature of a war, and the aftermath left many children born out of… Continue reading Hit Me With Your Best Shot →
The Siege of Leningrad
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•Thought to be the largest loss of life in any modern city, the Siege of Leningrad was an incredibly devastating event for Russian society. Beginning in August of 1941, German Army Group North had begun to put Leningrad under siege
Order Up! #227, Please step forward! (and definitely not back)
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•Stalin’s Order No. 227 is infamous for the phrase “Not One Step Back!” and for beginning the catalytic events that ultimately changed the outcome of the war to the favor of the Soviet Union (USSR). Within the Order No. 227 there are direct orders from “The Supreme Command of the Red Army” to prevent and…
Women and Children First (Unless you’re a Soviet)
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•The Eastern front of the Soviet nation was quickly pushed back by advancing German forces. The Soviet military was able to fend off the first wave of attacks and held their ground long enough for key cities along the front to evacuate. The government understood that they could not hold the front and therefore in … Continue reading Women and Children First (Unless you’re a Soviet)
She Defends the Motherland
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•During Russia’s Great Patriotic War, films about the war effort dominated Russia’s film industry. With the majority of film production safely moved to Kazakhstan, the studios began to release war films to rally the Soviet people, and many of these focused on the partisan war effort. The role of women in the partisan war effort was […]
One Step Ahead
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•Soviet war time brought a unique artistic freedom to the Soviet film and cinema industry. During the war there were over 100 Soviet films produced and half of them had a plot surrounded around the war. The most interesting thing was how many films told the stories of the partisans. The role of women and […]
Back to the Famine
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•As we have learned, Soviet history is infamous for the many famines that wipe out huge chunks of their population and led to civil unrest. Thankfully, during WWII these famines were absent and this was crucial to the wartime success (Wheatcroft, 2012). Following the war, they were hit, once again, with another massive famine. […]
Not One Step Backwards!
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•Soviet victory in the epic Battle of Stalingrad was in part due to Joseph Stalin’s notorious Order No. 227, known as “Not One Step Backwards!” Officers who permitted their men to retreat without explicit orders were to be arrested and “treated as traitors,” while rank-and-file “panickers and cowards” were to be shot on the spot … More Not One Step Backwards!