| Myths and Legends of the Eastern Front: Reassessing the Great Patriotic War Contributor(s): Sokolov, Boris (Author), Harrison, Richard W. (Translator) |
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ISBN: 1526742268 ISBN-13: 9781526742261 Publisher: Pen & Sword Military OUR PRICE: $31.46 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: November 2019 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Military - World War Ii - History | Russia & The Former Soviet Union |
| Physical Information: 1.3" H x 6.3" W x 9.4" (1.60 lbs) 400 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1940's - Cultural Region - Russia |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: The memory of the Second World War on the Eastern Front - still referred to in modern Russia as the Great Patriotic War - is an essential element of Russian identity and history, as alive today as it was in Stalin's time. It is represented as a defining episode, a positive historical myth that sustains the Russian national idea and unites the majority of Russian citizens. As a result, as Boris Sokolov shows in this powerful and thought-provoking study, the heroic and tragic side of the war is highlighted while the dark side - the incompetent, negligent and even criminal way the war was run - is overlooked. Although almost eighty years have passed since the defeat of Nazi Germany, he demonstrates that many of the fabrications put forward during the war and immediately afterwards persist into the present day. In a sequence of incisive chapters he uncovers the truth about famous wartime episodes that have been consistently misrepresented. His bold reinterpretation should go some way towards dispelling the enduring myths about the Great Patriotic War. It is necessary reading for anyone who is keen to understand how it continues to be misrepresented in Russia today. |
Contributor Bio(s): Sokolov, Boris: - Dr. Boris Sokolov is a prolific author and a member of PEN International, which celebrates literature and promotes freedom of expression. In 2008, he was forced to resign from his post at the Russian State Social University after publishing an article about the Russian-Georgian War. His work has focused on WW2 and biographies of prominent military and political leaders.Harrison, Richard: - Richard W. Harrison earned his Undergraduate and Master's degrees from Georgetown University, where he specialized in Russian Area Studies. He later earned his doctorate in War Studies from King's College London. He also was an exchange student in the former Soviet Union and spent several years living and working in post-communist Russia. He has taught Russian History and Military History at the US Military Academy at West Point. Dr Harrison lives with his family near Carlisle, Pennsylvania. |