Stalin's Eagles is the most complete and detailed book ever published on the Soviet aces. All of the great names are here: Kozhedub, Pokryshkin, Rechkalov, Koldunov, Popkov and numerous others whose thrilling exploits were an inspiration to their comrades, and who handily outscored the top American and British aces. Hundreds of portraits illuminate the lives of many aces, most unknown to western readers, and the desperate struggles of these outstanding fighter pilots who in the end were to make the skies above Eastern Europe their fiefdom. The history of the Soviet fighter command in World War II began in tragedy with the slaughter of inexperienced squadrons by the triumphant Luftwaffe. Read here of their dramatic recovery and the terrible losses of the Luftwaffe at the hands of Russian elite pilots as they were winning complete supremacy in the air. In almost four years of continuous action, the Soviet air forces were credited with destroying over 43,000 enemy aircraft in aerial combat producing some 800 aces with 15 or more kills. Illustrated with over 300 photographs, many taken from the personal collections of veteran pilots, and supplemented by exhaustive statistical information this unique record represents a major research effort and will prove fascinating to all who have an interest in the history of aerial warfare. For the first time the deeds and feats of the Shturmovik aces - the tank hunters and assault aircraft of the Soviet Air Force - are recorded in detail, and an entire chapter presents the history of all Soviet fighter units. Little known in the West, Soviet pilots flew over Korea and many achieved ace status - all are named here with details of their careers and aerial victories. Forewords are by twice hero of the Soviet Union V.I. Popkov, himself an ace with 41 kills in World War II and three more in Korea, and Gnther Rall, number three ace of all time with 275 aerial victories. 470 + b/w photographs

In 1942, General de Gaulle agreed to send French pilots to fight alongside the Red Air Force against the Germans on the Eastern Front. On 1 September 1942, the Groupe de Chasse III or 3rd Fighter Group 'Normandie' was created, equipped with Yak-3 fighter aircraft. On 5 April 1943, pilots Preziosi and Durand shared the unit's first 'kill'. Over the next two years, the group became the most highly decorated fighter unit ever to fly for France, and the second highest scoring fighter air group of the Soviet Air Force. Such was their notoriety that in May 1943 an order was signed by the German General Keitel stating that all 'Normandie' pilots were to be shot if captured. The 'Normandie' Group took an active part in the air support of the epic Battle of Kursk and in 1944 Stalin added 'Niemen' to their title in recognition of the help they rendered to the Soviet Army in crossing this river. The first of the Western Allies to capture and occupy German territory, 'Normandie-Niemen' clashed with the crack German fighter group JG51 Molders in the air battle over Konigsberg in March 1945. By the war's end the Group had racked up an impressive 273 confirmed victories and another 36 probables.

Surprisingly little known, the Polish-Soviet War of 1919-20 was to change the course of twentieth-century history. In White Eagle, Red Star, Norman Davies gives a full account of the War, with its dramatic climax in August 1920 when the Red Army - sure of victory and pledged to carry the Revolution across Europe to 'water our horses on the Rhine' - was crushed by a devastating Polish attack. Since known as the 'miracle on the Vistula', it remains one of the most decisive battles of the Western world. Drawing on both Polish and Russian sources, Norman Davies illustrates the narrative with documentary material which hitherto has not been readily available and shows how the War was far more an 'episode' in East European affairs, but largely determined the course of European history for the next twenty years or more.

World War II is nearly over. For the Russians, the enemy is no longer Nazi Germany, but the American behemoth that threatens to topple the Communist revolution. Deep within the walls of the Kremlin, Stalin’s top man hatches a brilliant plan that will alter the course of postwar history—and it’s all based on a deception as simple as the shell game. Five years later, an atomic bomb detonates deep within the borders of the Soviet Union, stunning the experts who had predicted that Russian science could not produce such a devastating weapon for at least another generation. The Red Eagles traces the adventures of two spies, Jack Kuznetsky and Amy Brandon, as they track down the most deadly force in the world while hiding their true allegiances and intentions from their compatriots. They are the “red” eagles, sent to America by one of its enemies to steal the greatest secret of all: the key to producing the atomic bomb. Critically acclaimed spy thriller writer David Downing draws fascinating portrayals of Stalin and Hitler as they determine the fate of the world, drawing us at breakneck speed from the Kremlin to Manhattan and Washington to Cuba and New Zealand.

During Stalin’s lifetime the crimes of his regime were literally unspeakable. More than fifty years after his death, Russia is still coming to terms with Stalinism and the people’s own role in the abuses of the era. During the decades of official silence that preceded the advent of glasnost, Russian writers raised troubling questions about guilt, responsibility, and the possibility of absolution. Through the subtle vehicle of satire, they explored the roots and legacy of Stalinism in forms ranging from humorous mockery to vitriolic diatribe. Examining works from the 1917 Revolution to the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Karen L. Ryan reveals how satirical treatments of Stalin often emphasize his otherness, distancing him from Russian culture. Some satirists portray Stalin as a madman. Others show him as feminized, animal-like, monstrous, or diabolical. Stalin has also appeared as the unquiet dead, a spirit that keeps returning to haunt the collective memory of the nation. While many writers seem anxious to exorcise Stalin from the body politic, for others he illuminates the self in disturbing ways. To what degree Stalin was and is “in us” is a central question of all these works. Although less visible than public trials, policy shifts, or statements of apology, Russian satire has subtly yet insistently participated in the protracted process of de-Stalinization.

Taking the Soviet collapse - the most cataclysmic event of the recent past - as a case study, this text engages students in the exercise of historical analysis, interpretation and explanation. In exploring the question posed by the title, the author introduces and applies such organizing concepts as great power conflict, imperial decline, revolution, ethnic conflict, colonialism, economic development, totalitarian ideology, and transition to democracy in a most accessible way. Questions and controversies, and extracts from documentary and literary sources, anchor the text at key points. This book is intended for use in history and political science courses on the Soviet Union or more generally on the 20th century.

Love story as Casablanca, but in the Cold War, Eagles Over Berlin is taking place during the blockade of Berlin. In 1945, the Americans arrived as enemies in Berlin, but three years later, they became the hope of two and half million Berliners by stopping the Soviet expansionism with the implementation of a large scale airlift. In war-torn Germany, John - American pilot and Esther - holocaust survivor meet and fall in love in the turmoil of history. From the Oval Office, to Stalin's study, through plane crashes in Soviet territory we follow the events of the airlift. Soviet spies and secret negotiations lead to the lifting of the blockade, but the victory tragically separates John and Esther. By a twist of destiny, they will meet again forty years later, in 1989. When the Berlin Wall comes down, they will understand the purpose of their lives.