What was life in the Red Army like for the ordinary soldier during the
Great Patriotic War, the fight between the Soviet Union and Germany on
the Eastern Front? How far is the common perception of Red Army heroism
and sacrifice borne out by historical reality? And what was the daily
experience of the individual soldier caught up in this immense and
ruthless conflict?
The 160 contemporary photographs from the Russian archives that have
been selected for this book give a striking insight into all sides of
wartime service for the Soviet soldier. The whole range of military
experience is portrayed here, from recruitment and the rigors of
training to transport, marching and the ordeal of combat.