Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

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decaro
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Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

Post by decaro »

from the Libertarian Republic:

"Russia has fired the longtime director of its state archives, less than a year after he made the uncomfortable revelation that the story of some of the country’s greatest World War II heroes was simply a newspaper-concocted fiction.

"The story of Panfilov’s 28 Guardsmen is the stuff of Russian legend. According to the traditional narrative, during the desperate battle before the gates of Moscow, 28 men in Gen. Ivan Panfilov’s 316th Rifle Division were attacked by a staggering 54 German tanks, but instead of retreating, fought to the bitter end, destroying 18 tanks and inflicting hundreds of casualties on the German army.

"After their exploits appeared in the official Red Army newspaper, the 28 Guardsmen became national heroes. All 28 were posthumously named Heroes of the Soviet Union (the USSR’s equivalent to the Medal of Honor), streets are named in their honor, and there’s even a big-budget film coming out this summer about the battle, produced with the backing of Russia’s culture ministry.

"Unfortunately, the tale is almost entirely fabricated, and the Soviet government knew almost from the beginning. A secret government report finished in 1948 concluded that the soldiers’ deeds were a concoction of a newspaper reporter and were 'a pure fantasy.' In fact, several of the men who supposedly numbered among the 28 fallen heroes were found to still be alive, and one had even been arrested and charged with treason for surrendering to the Germans and then serving in the German military police.

"But after the report was delivered to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, its findings were suppressed and the original narrative about the 28 Guardsmen remained the official one...."

http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/russi ... as-a-myth/
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JEB Davis
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RE: Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

Post by JEB Davis »

This is not surprising, is it?

It would also not be surprising to find the same kind of stuff dug up for any other nation.
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RE: Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

Post by decaro »

ORIGINAL: JEB Davis

This is not surprising, is it?

It would also not be surprising to find the same kind of stuff dug up for any other nation.

Actually, I would be surprised to find a fabrication just as big lasting that long for any other nation.
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RE: Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

Post by Ostwindflak »

Not that I am a fan of the Soviets, but it is a bit disheartening to read about fabrication on heroic tales. On the flip side I can understand why they did it. Desperate times called for desperate measures and people needed hope, something to latch onto as an example and the Soviet leaders gave them that.
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RE: Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

Post by demyansk »

Sounds true to me especially after just finishing two books recently on Model and Stahel's Kiev 1941. I don't believe the Germans even had that many tanks in physical action (in one location) if it was around November and December. Plus, that many taken out of action.
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RE: Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

Post by radic202 »

So now I wonder how "fabricated" Vasyliev the Sniper exploits in Stalingrad is or was????
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RE: Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

Post by Orm »

ORIGINAL: radic202

So now I wonder how "fabricated" Vasyliev the Sniper exploits in Stalingrad is or was????
I recall reading a analysis that concluded that most of it was 'fabricated'. However, I am not sure how accurate that analysis were. [8|]
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Orm
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RE: Greatest USSR heroes a myth!

Post by Orm »

ORIGINAL: Joe D.

from the Libertarian Republic:

"Russia has fired the longtime director of its state archives, less than a year after he made the uncomfortable revelation that the story of some of the country’s greatest World War II heroes was simply a newspaper-concocted fiction.

"The story of Panfilov’s 28 Guardsmen is the stuff of Russian legend. According to the traditional narrative, during the desperate battle before the gates of Moscow, 28 men in Gen. Ivan Panfilov’s 316th Rifle Division were attacked by a staggering 54 German tanks, but instead of retreating, fought to the bitter end, destroying 18 tanks and inflicting hundreds of casualties on the German army.

"After their exploits appeared in the official Red Army newspaper, the 28 Guardsmen became national heroes. All 28 were posthumously named Heroes of the Soviet Union (the USSR’s equivalent to the Medal of Honor), streets are named in their honor, and there’s even a big-budget film coming out this summer about the battle, produced with the backing of Russia’s culture ministry.

"Unfortunately, the tale is almost entirely fabricated, and the Soviet government knew almost from the beginning. A secret government report finished in 1948 concluded that the soldiers’ deeds were a concoction of a newspaper reporter and were 'a pure fantasy.' In fact, several of the men who supposedly numbered among the 28 fallen heroes were found to still be alive, and one had even been arrested and charged with treason for surrendering to the Germans and then serving in the German military police.

"But after the report was delivered to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, its findings were suppressed and the original narrative about the 28 Guardsmen remained the official one...."

http://thelibertarianrepublic.com/russi ... as-a-myth/
Thank you for sharing. [:)]

I must confess that I am surprised by this news. Not that the story was fabricated but rather that it was revealed that it was fabricated.
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