First of all, I'm not a historian. If I err, please correct me soonest.
Americans, British, Soviets...and the French were on the same side. The Soviet losses were enormous...don't even want to go there. Millions? Millions. Either a disregard for life, or a necessity, depending on who you ask.
After living in the former soviet union since 1992 as an American in 4 different countries, and speaking Russian fluently, I've heard some anecdotes...but the one that stands out most vividly is the tale of how the USSR helped to hold off the Germans from reaching Volgograd, or Stalingrad. My bodyguard, Vasya+ in 2001 told me..."they (the Germans) set up "zota"... these well-protected holes in the ground with cement cover over them used to protect a position and prohibit advance of the Russians. In the holes were Germans with guns and a shitload of ammo. And the soviets needed to get past these "zotas."
"So how did they do it?" I asked.
They sent huge numbers of infantry to be killed in front of the "zotas,"...hundreds, thousands...until the bodies piled up and blocked the shooting range of those Germans inside the zotas...then they walked on top of the bodies and engaged the Germans.
The Russians also used "zota." They would take prisoners from jail and shackle them inside a zota, leaving them a gun and a bunch of ammo...sometimes they would leave them a few liters of vodka.
no more comment
No comments:
Post a Comment