The Soviet soldier 1941-1945

The Soviet Soldier of World War Two







Eight million Soviet soldiers died on the Eastern front between 1941 and 1945. However, their history, uniforms and day to day plight remain mostly un-documented to this day. Many misconceptions prevail, most of them stemming from the ferocious Nazi propaganda of the times. In reality the Soviet soldier proved himself a resolute and well-equipped fighter. His uniform and equipment improved constantly during the Great Patriotic War, despite the shortcomings of a war-crippled economy.

There have been few books on the history and uniforms of the World War 2 Soviet Army. The interested reader will find here a coherent wealth of information on the Red Army’s organization and orders of battle, its uniforms and equipment, and its matériel (soft skinned vehicles, AFVs, Artillery, Signals...). The various guises of the Soviet soldier, from Barbarossa to the fall of Berlin, have been reproduced in color with more than 50 studio reconstructions of infantrymen, artillerymen, parachutists, tankmen, women soldiers, marines, commissars, etc.

A large variety of individual equipment, small arms, personal items, insignia and medals are illustrated in detail. The book also features hundreds of unpublished period photographs, many from the soldiers themselves.