Aside from battles such as Verdun and The Somme of the First World War, few occurrences in human history have come close to equaling the brutality and utter disregard for human life as displayed by the Eastern Front during WWII. Germany’s invasion, Operation Barbarossa, began on June 22, 1941, when hundreds of thousands of German […]
Week 8 Posts
Student Curriculum
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In 1946, new rules were added to the Russian school system for both the students and the teachers, including strict punishments for little things such as taking a longer lunch break than given. Being perfectly behaved children was now a high expectation of … Continue reading →
Soaring Above the Glass Ceiling
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While the Soviet Union still lagged behind Western nations in areas like technology and industry during World War II, their advances in gender equality were internationally innovative. The female call to civil and national duty was fulfilled in flight, surpassing conventional positions in fields, factories, and homes. The army included 800,000 women, but the Soviet Union was the first…
I Don’t Like You, but I Like What You Do
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For a long time, the Russians viewed Germans and the Slavic minorities in their country as an issue, especially during World War II. However, this enmity towards the Germans always existed, Stalin just used the war as an excuse to “cleanse” Russia of the perceived filth, claiming that the Germans had infiltrated Russia with spies. […]
Not One Step Back
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As the Nazi war machine continued to dominate in World War II the Soviet Union’s forces were getting pushed farther and farther back. Hope began to dwindle down as the German forces continued to win decisive victories over the Soviets. As Hitler’s confidence grew, so did his ego. Instead of focusing his army to […]
The Hunt For Food
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In September 1941, the city of Leningrad was under seize by the German which lasted until January 1944. According to one Leningrader’s diary, “We have returned to prehistoric times: life has been reduced to one thing — the hunt for food.” Upon seizing the city, the Army Group North under General Ritter von Leeb severed […]
“Not One Step Back”
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Wave after wave of German soldiers crashed against the city of Stalingrad, and wave after wave they were stopped by the immovable cliff wall that was the soldiers and people of the city of Stalingrad. The Battle of Stalingrad was … Continue reading →
The battle of Kursk
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The battle of Kursk was the largest tank battle of World War Two and marks a turning point for the war where the Nazis were dealt a major defeat, and the Red Army triumphed. The battle of Kursk was initiated by the Nazi aggressors in their eastern front campaign, the Red Army staged one of […]
For the Motherland?
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Women made great strides toward equality in the first twenty four years of the Soviet regime. They gained the right to divorce, to own property, and to work outside of the home. However, these gains did not mean instant equality. … Continue reading →
Promoting Patriotism
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The role of nationalism during World War 2 was vital to the success of the Soviet Union. Due to the fact that war was seen as a national struggle and the protection of Russia was everyone’s goal the war effort … Continue reading →