Enemy at the Gates....
Okay, I just want to preface this post with a couple of brief remarks. I do not claim to be a history professor or even an expert. Some of what I have written below may be slightly inaccurate, over simplified, or incomplete. As I'm very interested in the subject, I'm always happy to receive more accurate information, but please be kind. :-) Lastly, there isn't anything in this post that's humorous, the content is fairly dry, straightforward, and serious. I'm a student of history because the popular version we receive at home is usually but a fraction of the story. We regularly miss out on very significant events, normally because of the people they effect. Without direct and simple ties to the U.S., these events don't stand a chance. Again, I'm speaking generally, of course there are those of you who are either enthusiasts, went to better schools, or majored in the subject. You may not find this column interesting. The experience was quite powerful for me, and I've done nothing to temper my emotions or my increased admiration for the Russian people, and Belarussians in particular. I like to give the good guys their due, so deal with it. Onward.....
A popular movie starring Jude Law and Ed Harris and unfortunately for many Americans probably represents the full extent of their knowledge of Russia's experience in World War II. Okay, maybe that's a little too harsh, but if Jay Leno's man-on-the-street interviews are any indication....Ask almost any American how Russia was able to defeat Germany and inevitably the answer is: winter. Bad move, especially if you happen to be in Minsk at the time.
I had the good fortune to be able to visit the Minsk WWII museum with Viktor today. Viktor is obviously a student of history and he was good enough to translate most of the exhibits contained in the 3 floors and explain the detail and significance of key periods.
Russia was attacked during the period of the non-aggression treaty with Germany. Apparently, as part of his political brinksmanship, Stalin had a strict policy against mobilization, as he believed that this would provoke the Germans into an offensive. He pursued this policy up until the last moment such that when Germany did launch its very large and brilliantly planned attack, Russia was caught flat-footed and she paid dearly. Hundreds of thousands were killed and cities overrun quickly. The Russian defense was quite disorganized and the initial strategy was simply to overwhelm the invading force with numbers. Poorly trained and equipped, wave after wave of Russian soldiers hopelessly attacked.
In our history studies, we are generally exposed to the extensive French resistance (which as certainly important and impressive), but how many of us learn about the Russian underground (or guerilla) organization? The conditions under which these people operated were unbelievably harsh. The size of the movement and cross section of citizenry who participated was impressively large. Perhaps most important, the relative effect they had on the outcome of the war would seem to be far more profound. The Russian resistance was the unintended creation of the Nazi's themselves. The policy of scorched earth whereby the German army purposefully destroyed entire civilian populations caused the Russian people to organize and take up arms. Initially disorganized, large groups of civilians moved into the extensive woods for cover. They fashioned small, low profile cabin-like structures to live in. Using any materials they could scrounge together, they built weapons with which to fight. The most impactful sustained campaign was the concentrated destruction of rail lines. After the Germans were able to storm through Minsk and several other cities, they established supply lines as the army moved quickly toward Moscow. The guerilla brigades fashioned homemade explosives powerful enough to remove just enough track to derail a train. They did so with undaunting persistence, so much so that several divisions from the German front lines had to be detached to the rear to deal with the menace. As time progressed, the Russian leadership recognized the power of the citizen army and began to support them with supplies via air drop and organization by the introduction of trained military officers. The weaponry increased in sophistication, most amazingly by fabrication. They had hand tools, manual lathes, and some presses to work with, but the hardware they produced is amazing: tire puncture spikes a la James Bond, knives, anti-tank guns, and field artillery.
Most impressive, however, is the range of people who willingly participated in an activity that would most likely cost them their lives. The Nazi's applied tactics first used by Germany in WW I. When a German soldier was killed by the resistance, the occupying force would round up 10 civilians and publicly execute them, most often by hanging. Prior to execution, the condemned were marched through town with signage hung from their necks that translated into something close to "I am being executed for shooting at Germans" (that's about the translation I got from Viktor in any case). The hanging scenes are gruesome, the bodies left on display for upwards of two weeks as a warning to those who would dare to resist their invaders. Despite this, an amazing cross section of able bodied people decided to fight, probably recognizing their demise as inevitable without action. Women, children, and men of all ages participated in large numbers. The most impactful imagery for me was a photo of a famous woman who was apparently one of the most effective individuals of all (see picture above). Some photos just immediately evoke emotion, I'm not exactly sure why, there were plenty of other photos depicting intense scenes, this one just captivated and crushed me simultaneously.
Minsk, along with many other cities in the former Soviet Union, were completely leveled, twice. Once when the Germans invaded, and again when the Russian army chased them out of the country. You can tell which cities were completely destroyed by the width of their streets as they took the opportunity to widen them during reconstruction. Minsk has modern, wide roadways whereas Moscow still has a preponderance of the narrow streets designed for horse drawn carriages. Minsk is still being rebuilt. The opera house was, before the war, the highest building in the city. The Russians removed the tower prior to the arrival of the German invading force knowing that it would serve as an ideal gun emplacement. I'm hoping that the reconstruction includes the reintroduction of that tower.
In any case, I should stop rambling now. Just remember that it wasn't winter, it was the undying spirit of a courageous people that was able to overcome a more organized, better prepared, and ruthless enemy.
Okay, I just want to preface this post with a couple of brief remarks. I do not claim to be a history professor or even an expert. Some of what I have written below may be slightly inaccurate, over simplified, or incomplete. As I'm very interested in the subject, I'm always happy to receive more accurate information, but please be kind. :-) Lastly, there isn't anything in this post that's humorous, the content is fairly dry, straightforward, and serious. I'm a student of history because the popular version we receive at home is usually but a fraction of the story. We regularly miss out on very significant events, normally because of the people they effect. Without direct and simple ties to the U.S., these events don't stand a chance. Again, I'm speaking generally, of course there are those of you who are either enthusiasts, went to better schools, or majored in the subject. You may not find this column interesting. The experience was quite powerful for me, and I've done nothing to temper my emotions or my increased admiration for the Russian people, and Belarussians in particular. I like to give the good guys their due, so deal with it. Onward.....
A popular movie starring Jude Law and Ed Harris and unfortunately for many Americans probably represents the full extent of their knowledge of Russia's experience in World War II. Okay, maybe that's a little too harsh, but if Jay Leno's man-on-the-street interviews are any indication....Ask almost any American how Russia was able to defeat Germany and inevitably the answer is: winter. Bad move, especially if you happen to be in Minsk at the time.
I had the good fortune to be able to visit the Minsk WWII museum with Viktor today. Viktor is obviously a student of history and he was good enough to translate most of the exhibits contained in the 3 floors and explain the detail and significance of key periods.
Russia was attacked during the period of the non-aggression treaty with Germany. Apparently, as part of his political brinksmanship, Stalin had a strict policy against mobilization, as he believed that this would provoke the Germans into an offensive. He pursued this policy up until the last moment such that when Germany did launch its very large and brilliantly planned attack, Russia was caught flat-footed and she paid dearly. Hundreds of thousands were killed and cities overrun quickly. The Russian defense was quite disorganized and the initial strategy was simply to overwhelm the invading force with numbers. Poorly trained and equipped, wave after wave of Russian soldiers hopelessly attacked.
In our history studies, we are generally exposed to the extensive French resistance (which as certainly important and impressive), but how many of us learn about the Russian underground (or guerilla) organization? The conditions under which these people operated were unbelievably harsh. The size of the movement and cross section of citizenry who participated was impressively large. Perhaps most important, the relative effect they had on the outcome of the war would seem to be far more profound. The Russian resistance was the unintended creation of the Nazi's themselves. The policy of scorched earth whereby the German army purposefully destroyed entire civilian populations caused the Russian people to organize and take up arms. Initially disorganized, large groups of civilians moved into the extensive woods for cover. They fashioned small, low profile cabin-like structures to live in. Using any materials they could scrounge together, they built weapons with which to fight. The most impactful sustained campaign was the concentrated destruction of rail lines. After the Germans were able to storm through Minsk and several other cities, they established supply lines as the army moved quickly toward Moscow. The guerilla brigades fashioned homemade explosives powerful enough to remove just enough track to derail a train. They did so with undaunting persistence, so much so that several divisions from the German front lines had to be detached to the rear to deal with the menace. As time progressed, the Russian leadership recognized the power of the citizen army and began to support them with supplies via air drop and organization by the introduction of trained military officers. The weaponry increased in sophistication, most amazingly by fabrication. They had hand tools, manual lathes, and some presses to work with, but the hardware they produced is amazing: tire puncture spikes a la James Bond, knives, anti-tank guns, and field artillery.
Most impressive, however, is the range of people who willingly participated in an activity that would most likely cost them their lives. The Nazi's applied tactics first used by Germany in WW I. When a German soldier was killed by the resistance, the occupying force would round up 10 civilians and publicly execute them, most often by hanging. Prior to execution, the condemned were marched through town with signage hung from their necks that translated into something close to "I am being executed for shooting at Germans" (that's about the translation I got from Viktor in any case). The hanging scenes are gruesome, the bodies left on display for upwards of two weeks as a warning to those who would dare to resist their invaders. Despite this, an amazing cross section of able bodied people decided to fight, probably recognizing their demise as inevitable without action. Women, children, and men of all ages participated in large numbers. The most impactful imagery for me was a photo of a famous woman who was apparently one of the most effective individuals of all (see picture above). Some photos just immediately evoke emotion, I'm not exactly sure why, there were plenty of other photos depicting intense scenes, this one just captivated and crushed me simultaneously.
Minsk, along with many other cities in the former Soviet Union, were completely leveled, twice. Once when the Germans invaded, and again when the Russian army chased them out of the country. You can tell which cities were completely destroyed by the width of their streets as they took the opportunity to widen them during reconstruction. Minsk has modern, wide roadways whereas Moscow still has a preponderance of the narrow streets designed for horse drawn carriages. Minsk is still being rebuilt. The opera house was, before the war, the highest building in the city. The Russians removed the tower prior to the arrival of the German invading force knowing that it would serve as an ideal gun emplacement. I'm hoping that the reconstruction includes the reintroduction of that tower.
In any case, I should stop rambling now. Just remember that it wasn't winter, it was the undying spirit of a courageous people that was able to overcome a more organized, better prepared, and ruthless enemy.
posted by Jaybeau at
8:39 AM
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