Alexander WerthRecensioni

The author is qualified to write this book for he was born in St. Petersburg, escaped with his family during the revolution and lived in Russia from 1942-1948. Above all, he wishes to remind the current generation (book written in 1964) and future generations of Russia’s importance in defeating the Nazis (although he does say Stalin stated Russia could not win the war against the Nazis by herself). He wants to tell the story of the common people and not just military history. Author declares his book to be least of all a formal history of Russia’s part in WWII for it is not possible for such to be written by one man. The author, British war correspondent, a native Russian speaker, writes a balanced report of Russia’s part in the war. He was allowed unprecedented access to conflict zones and conducted interviews with thousands of individuals both civilian and soldiers. He doesn’t criticize the Red Army or Stalin or decisions made by the Soviet government; he lets the reader draw their own conclusions. The corpus of work he draws from for his bibliography is immense, wide ranging in scope, sequence, and authorship. It is quite likely the most accurate book on Russia’s part in WWII to ever emerge from the Soviet Union.

This is the first book I read focussed on the eastern front. It has always seemed to be an adequate exploration of the largest armed conflict on this planet.

Werth era tanto ruso como británico y actuó como corresponsal de guerra durante la IIGM. En este libro describe el transcurso de la guerra desde la perspectiva sovieta y es importante porque la destrucción de la Alemania nazi no se debió a UK o USA y menos a Francia, sino que fue una tarea casi exclusivamente rusa. Werth fue de los primeros corresponsales que presenció los campos de exterminios alemanes y sus reportes fueron silenciados en occidente pensando que se trataba de exageraciones soviéticas. Este libro es una gran narración de un testigo directo de la tragedia humana del 39 al 45.
Werth acompaña la narración de lo que vio con datos estadísticos, apuntes de prensa y conversaciones con líderes. Es el relato, de primera fuente, de la gesta rusa que permitió ganar la segunda guerra mundial.

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Not the usual essay, this is an quick book detailing a journalist's 4-day visit during the siege of Leningrad during World War II. Typical of the time period, the narrative reflects on Soviet glory, tireless workers, selfless warriors, and heroic children. A vivid storyline, with strong regard for the Stalinist period, which was then seen as a harbinger of good for the Russian people. Little did they know what was to come.

A first hand account of the siege of Leningrad - by a Russian-born British journalist with native Russian language. He knew the city well, having lived there from birth and throughout his childhood. He described the city and its inhabitants under siege in such rich language that it comes alive for the reader decades later. The many hardships suffered by the inhabitants are endured with an impressive level of stoicism. I've read other accounts of the siege, but Alexander Werth's account really makes it come alive.

Recommended.

Russia at War 1941-1945
Alexander Werth
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
I read this book many years ago, but have been sampling and browsing over the past two nights. I cannot decide if I want to give it away; I originally selected it to make room for more Folio volumes, but as I review the book, I think I will keep it. Werth was a correspondent during the Second World War, and his book has personal recollections, as well as an exhaustive history of the war. There are many quotes from reminiscences and contemporary news reports, and interesting maps.

An account of Russia's role in World War II written by a correspondent who actually lived in Russia during the war. Originally published in 1964 during the most frigid depths of the Cold War, and at a time when much of the information about this particular aspect of the war was locked down in Soviet secrecy, the sweeping account tells the story from a balanced, but clearly Russian viewpoint. This book is to the Russian role in World War II what William L. Shirer's, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich is to Germany's, and deserves serious if not equal praise.

A contemporary portrait of a man still in power.
Werth seems to have leftist sympathies- unusual in a Russian exile - and sees de Gaulle as a man who "learned" to be more radical as he grew older. Though he had a dodgy, at least semi Fascist past, he withdrew voluntarily from the remaining French colonies, established friendly relations with the Soviet Union, made overtures to China, and denounced American adventurism, condemning the Viet Nam war from the start.
De Gaulle also built up a nuclear arsenal, which Werth mentions but does not really discuss.
His focus is very much on international affairs and he says little about domestic or economic matters.
This volume ends with the Gaullists' poor showing in the Assembley elections of 1967. The chapter is headed "Accident or Disavowal". Events got exciting in the next few years with the "events" of May 1968 seeming to briefly to promise yet another French Revolution, but in fact resulting in a Bonapartist reaction which reversed the results of the 1967 election and seemed to make de Gaulle more powerful and secure than ever. But he over-reached himself, lost a referendum in 1969, resigned and died the following year.
Werth could not have written much of this as he himself died in 1969; but I must search out another author who can tell the tale.

2129 The Twilight of France 1933-1940, by Alexander Werth (read 15 Feb 1988) This is by a British journalist, and appears to be his writing based on his time in France during the period indicated. It is of course depressing, and since it was published in 1942 there is no postwar perspective and no research in archives. I don't know if it was worth reading, but it did give me a better idea of events before 1938. (1938 is when I became "aware" of the startling events unfolding in the world. I usually date my intelligible awareness from March 1938, when Hitler marched into Austria. Mar 7, 1936, is the really crucial event in Hitler's ascendancy in Europe--it is the day he marched into the Rhineland.)½