| "I give snatches; I describe episodes; I | | | | eagerly provide. It is important to note that |
| make-as it were-snapshots in time; I reflect | | | | Broekmeyer did not intend to write a purely |
| personal recollections, thoughts, | | | | historical work enumerating bold facts, but |
| experiences, and views of specific | | | | rather portray war from the point of view of |
| individuals.." those are the words of Marius | | | | Soviet nation. No other people in the world |
| Broekmeyer the author of Stalin, the | | | | got to experience Nazism from their native |
| Russians, and Their War, 1941-1945. This line | | | | government; this emotional despair that was |
| represents the main idea of the book and its | | | | present throughout military years was hanging |
| thesis. The author is providing the reader | | | | over a huge country and caused more suffering |
| with authentic memoirs and thoughts of people | | | | than the Germans. |
| who lived through that horrible war and thus | | | | |
| he is taking the reader closer to the battle | | | | Unsystematic anthology of memoirs does not |
| field than ever. | | | | satisfy historical requirements and lacks a |
| | | | balanced and logical structure. This is a |
| This book was not written to show readers | | | | major weakness of the book, which however |
| specific battles or military engagements of | | | | does not make it less appealing in a sense of |
| the Soviet Union in WWII, but it was meant to | | | | genuine facts and their variety for those |
| be a mirror of feelings experienced by Soviet | | | | seeking opinions from "the other side". |
| people during long years of hunger and | | | | Although, as was already said, this works is |
| suffering. The author has collected more than | | | | short of perspective view and does not give |
| a thousand actual official records written by | | | | an explanation of how this Soviet war |
| almost five hundred persons in order to | | | | impacted the rest of the world, it does |
| illustrate as vividly as possible horrifying | | | | submerge the reader into the realm of fears |
| impact which war had on ordinary Soviet | | | | and hopelessness that were reality for |
| people. Obviously such approach makes the | | | | Soviets as a separate nation. The pages of |
| book more believable, as the author himself | | | | the book represent diary of a huge country in |
| is not a former Soviet Union citizen and thus | | | | struggle with the Germans as well as Soviet |
| cannot relate completely to their lives. | | | | doctrine. By writing in the language of |
| Therefore personal accounts of participants | | | | emotion the author omits many important |
| and also spectators, although all people were | | | | political facts that would be essential in a |
| a part of the bloody mess, give a more | | | | historical work. On the other hand, the |
| profound truthful and authentic idea of what | | | | possibility of seeing this war through eyes |
| was really happening behind the iron curtain. | | | | of witnesses leads to a more objective |
| | | | outlook on problems that Soviets were |
| The variety of viewpoints from people of | | | | experiencing. |
| different classes and occupations provides a | | | | |
| deeper understanding of situation during war | | | | The initial idea of the author to show how |
| period. The fact that Broekmeyer left | | | | horrible WWII was for the Soviet people is |
| collected data without almost any | | | | definitely well illustrated in the course of |
| interpretation offers a strong evidence and | | | | examination of first-hand accounts. On their |
| trustworthy source for investigation of war | | | | basis he proves that WWII in other counties |
| as the Soviets have seen it. The author | | | | was completely different from that same war |
| relies basically on this information entirely | | | | that was taking place on the territory of |
| and presents it to the reader in such a vague | | | | Eastern Europe. A great literary value of |
| state that the reader has to interpret data | | | | Stalin, the Russians, and Their War, |
| individually. Clearly this technique has | | | | 1941-1945 rests in the minds of common people |
| strong and week sides at the same time. | | | | as it was taken from real life. Historical |
| People who are unfamiliar with the history of | | | | events could only be guessed in personal |
| Soviet Union and war time would probably find | | | | tragic accounts but such was the ultimate |
| it difficult to understand such collection of | | | | goal of the book and the author did succeed |
| personal horrifying stories in terms of | | | | in portraying WWII in his unique way. |
| history that was being built at that time. | | | | |
| Readers will be able to only relate to the | | | | Jeff Stats is a writer at essay writing |
| emotional aspect of the book without support | | | | service Mindrelief.net. |
| of historical facts that the author does not | | | | |