Based on an incredible breadth of first-hand testimony, this is a unique
collection of eyewitness accounts from World War I and II.
John Walter draws on meticulous research and the reminiscences of more
than fifty snipers, tracing their journeys from recruitment and
selection through training, combat and its aftermath to reveal a
surprising commonality of experience, even across nationalities.
Laying bare the triumphs and brutalities of sniping, the personalities
and psychologies of those who found themselves doing it and considering
the immediate implications on both the sniper and the wider theater of
war, this is a fascinating, detailed insight into frontline combat and
the experience of sharpshooting in its historical context.
The book is appended with the complete diary of Russian sniper Roza
Shanina, who is still celebrated today for her remarkable shooting
accuracy and astonishing bravery. Her diary offers a rare insight into
the complexities of what it was to be both a sniper and a woman on the
frontline.