My Life in the Red Army Fred Virski 9781543043389 Books
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My Life in the Red Army is the true-life account of 19-year old Polish citizen Fred Virski, who was drafted into the Red Army of the Soviet Union in 1938. The book chronicles Virski's experiences as a soldier in the Ukraine and Central Asia, describing the hardships, his comrades-in-arms, the food, clothing, and interactions with officers and the NKVD (secret police). When war with Germany breaks-out, Virski witnesses scenes of brutality and is caught in fierce fighting, where he is wounded and hospitalized. Following his recovery, he eventually makes his way back to his native Poland. My Life in the Red Army is impressive for its straightforward style tinged with a sense of humor, despite the author's difficult, often dangerous situation.
My Life in the Red Army Fred Virski 9781543043389 Books
As a student of the Russo German War, I read everything I can on the subject. I've probably read close to 100 books in total. I generally enjoyed reading this book, and I certainly thought I'd be reading something I'd consider 100% factual. However, as someone who looks at facts carefully, I sadly have to consider "My life in the Red Army" to be largely a work of fiction.An example of this would be the author's description of the First Battle of Rostov. It was not in line with historical facts. Every account of the battle I have read did not have the Russian's counterattacking across the Don River to liberate the city, but had Timoshenko's offensive (which he briefly mentions) from the north causing Von Rundstedt to hastily evacuate Rostov. If Fred's account is true, it is different than any other I have read. Then he discusses traveling on a new motorcycle that the Germans seem to have left in the city. He rode it in the vanguard of the army to the large city of Taganrog, which he claimed was captured by the Russians, and then 20 kilometers westward. He then states he secured a 3 day pass to visit the city with a friend in the beginning of December, 1941. He described the city in great detail and also discusses in detail the hanging of his friend's aunt in the city for sheltering a wounded German soldier.
Unfortunately, the Germans captured Taganrog in October 17, 1941, and did not leave the city until August 30, 1943. The front line remained east of the city. I've since double and triple-checked this. Since Taganrog is a city of about a quarter million people, there is ample documentation about the occupation. The events as described in the book simply could not have happened. I could mention many other stories he relates (allowing him to enter an operating room with his pistol?) which had me scratching my head as to how they could be true, but I think the above illustrates my point. After that, I took everything I read with a large grain of salt.
If you want to read a good yarn, I'd recommend the book, but not if you are concerned with historical accuracy.
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Tags : My Life in the Red Army [Fred Virski] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. <b>My Life in the Red Army</b> is the true-life account of 19-year old Polish citizen Fred Virski, who was drafted into the Red Army of the Soviet Union in 1938. The book chronicles Virski's experiences as a soldier in the Ukraine and Central Asia,Fred Virski,My Life in the Red Army,CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform,1543043380,Military,BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY Military,Biography & Autobiography,BiographyAutobiography
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My Life in the Red Army Fred Virski 9781543043389 Books Reviews
I must say this was a fast-paced read that held my interest throughout. However, after awhile I became skeptical that it was actually true. Too many times Fred ran into old comrades just at the right time in the middle of nowhere, and too many times he squeaked out of incredibly difficult situations, even while badly wounded. Fred must have been a hunk, as the several love descriptions happen like something out of a James Bond novel. The events described here could have happened, but for them all to happen to one single soldier belies credibility. All-in-all, an enjoyable and suspenseful read, but I would classify it as an adventure novel.
But the author does not have any motive other than to tell his story of surviving in the Russian Army right after the German invasion of Russia in 1941. Fellow soldiers ,of whom he thought were killed or captured in the initial German victories, reappear at just the moment he needs them (or their skills) to survive. This book is hard to put down once started.
I really like first-hand accounts from the Red Army side because it seems there are so few compared to first-hand Nazi/German accounts, at least in English and/or on . I thought this to be an exciting and very realistic account, based on other Eastern Front works I've read. I don't understand what basis other reviewers question the veracity of this account, so unless there is anything specifically cited, I would ignore those bad reviews. While I have no hard stats to back this up, anecdotally the reviewing community generally seems to be more sympathetic to the Germans. Perhaps this is why?
The book was a good read but it seemed a bit too fantastic to be true. The events all described in the book are believable, if only one or two where to happen to an individual.
I suspect that the author embellished and incorporated other stories into his work. Multiple people go on leave without being given permission and nothing comes of it. Multiple people pretend to have amnesia. The author gives himself a promotion, and it sticks. There are other examples of things which are on the edge of believably.
The author also has no love for the Russians and has no problem showing it. So embellishments could therefore be included as a way to make the Russians look incompetent. Then again the Soviets weren't the most competent people around, so it could all be true.
Anyway, it was a good book, but I'd recommend reading it with a bit of skepticism.
This is only my second 5 star rating of book reviews. The beginning of the book was confusing as it abruptly starts with the author in the"Russian" half of occupied Poland. The book is exciting from beginning to end. Not a lot of battle stories but very vivid in his description of survival and trying to escape back to his own countrymen, not from the German army, but from the allied Russians themselves.
During World War II a popular character in Russian literature was Vasili Tyorkin, the creation of Aleksandr Tvardovsky. Tyorkin was the subject of an epic long-running poem about a Russian soldier who gets himself in and out of seemingly impossible situations with endearing humor. Fred Virski reminded me of Tyorkin. A Pole who is drafted into the Russian Army, Virski finds himself in one predicament after another, some hilarious, some horrific, in which he somehow emerges relatively unscathed. He is wounded twice; he earns a Medal of Valor, only to have it taken away for insubordination; he witnesses (and barely survives) atrocities committed by both the Germans and the Soviets; he is branded a deserter; and he falls in love with at least three women he encounters in his journey. Virski writes elegantly; the pages fly past. A remarkable, frank account that captures both the utter incompetence of the Russian Army and the incredible patriotism of the Russian people the Germans could not vanquish.
As a student of the Russo German War, I read everything I can on the subject. I've probably read close to 100 books in total. I generally enjoyed reading this book, and I certainly thought I'd be reading something I'd consider 100% factual. However, as someone who looks at facts carefully, I sadly have to consider "My life in the Red Army" to be largely a work of fiction.
An example of this would be the author's description of the First Battle of Rostov. It was not in line with historical facts. Every account of the battle I have read did not have the Russian's counterattacking across the Don River to liberate the city, but had Timoshenko's offensive (which he briefly mentions) from the north causing Von Rundstedt to hastily evacuate Rostov. If Fred's account is true, it is different than any other I have read. Then he discusses traveling on a new motorcycle that the Germans seem to have left in the city. He rode it in the vanguard of the army to the large city of Taganrog, which he claimed was captured by the Russians, and then 20 kilometers westward. He then states he secured a 3 day pass to visit the city with a friend in the beginning of December, 1941. He described the city in great detail and also discusses in detail the hanging of his friend's aunt in the city for sheltering a wounded German soldier.
Unfortunately, the Germans captured Taganrog in October 17, 1941, and did not leave the city until August 30, 1943. The front line remained east of the city. I've since double and triple-checked this. Since Taganrog is a city of about a quarter million people, there is ample documentation about the occupation. The events as described in the book simply could not have happened. I could mention many other stories he relates (allowing him to enter an operating room with his pistol?) which had me scratching my head as to how they could be true, but I think the above illustrates my point. After that, I took everything I read with a large grain of salt.
If you want to read a good yarn, I'd recommend the book, but not if you are concerned with historical accuracy.
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