Soviet Military

East Germany: The History and Legacy of the Soviet Satellite State Established after World War II examines the controversial country and its place in the Cold War. The history of East Germany was a remarkable one, from its chaotic origins through its ossification as a Stalinist regime, until the country collapsed with the Berlin Wall. Not only is Germany still marked by the division, but the old frontier still represents different expectations, social conditions, and worldviews.

During the 1950s, the big fear was nuclear war. From the Soviet Union's perspective, having a communist stronghold so close to the American border was a dream come true. By the early 1960s, there was a strong undercurrent of tension between the Americans and the Soviets. Aside from the disastrous loss of life and dignity at the Bay of Pigs, something else happened. The line was firmly drawn in the sand. The world was on the brink of nuclear war.

The purpose of this book is not to point out the faults that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Rather, it is to provide historical facts that will lead to an understanding of what and what not to do in order to thrive as a country. History is not just about dates, names, and events. It is also about truths and the stories of those who lived it.

Shortly after World War II, Congress' House Committee on Un-American Activities began investigating Americans across the country for suspected ties to communism. Among the people called before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, none are as controversial as Alger Hiss.

Though Germany was technically Russia’s ally, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin had no delusions that they were friends. Instead, he used this time to build up his forces for what he saw as an inevitable invasion.

In the predawn darkness of June 22, 1941, three million men waited along a front stretching from the Baltic coast of Poland to the Balkans. Ahead of them lay the Soviet Union, its border guarded by millions of Red Army troops. This massive gathering of Wehrmacht soldiers from Adolf Hitler's Third Reich and his allied states stood poised to carry out Operation Barbarossa, Hitler's surprise attack against the country of his putative ally, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin.

From the early fall of 1941 until the winter of 1944, the Soviet city of Leningrad (today’s St. Petersburg) was almost completely surrounded by the forces of Nazi Germany and Finland. Though the siege lasted just under 900 days, to the citizens of the Soviet Union (and Russia today), this event is referred to as the “900-Day Siege”. The losses in Leningrad (both civilian and military) amounted to over one million deaths, according to American military historian David Glantz. If you want to discover the captivating history of the Siege of Leningrad, buy this book today.

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. In the time since the end of the war, the world has become familiar with the number of deaths sustained by the Soviet Union (also known as the USSR) during the conflict - 20 million. And that’s likely low, given the size of the country, census-taking at the time, and the damage done to the bureaucracy of the country.