In 1942, the United States had hardly stepped into World War II. The Soviet Union, on the other hand, was getting beat up pretty badly by the Germans. The Nazis were moving hard and fast through Russia, pushing the Red Army further and further back. But one battle showed the that the Soviets were not …
Tag: Eastern Front
The Unconquered People of the Soviet Union
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(Soviet Poster Calling the People of the Occupied Territories to Arms) The German advance was lightning quick in the early days of Operation Barbarossa. The Soviets troops, completely unprepared, were unable to hold on to territory and fell back toward the Russian border, leaving tens of thousands of soldiers behind in the panic. They took … Continue reading →
Persecution in Russia
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Jewish persecution is most typically associated with the Holocaust, but Soviets were brutally victimized as well. The Nazi party wished to push eastward in order to fulfill their dream of Lebensraum, or living space, and forced millions into labor and POW camps in the process. “German treatment of Soviet POWs differed dramatically from German policy … Continue reading Persecution in Russia
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)
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!
