Why Stalin's Soldiers Fought: The Red Army's Military Effectiveness in World War II

Inept leadership, inefficient campaigning, and enormous losses would seem to spell military disaster. Yet despite these factors, the Soviet Union won its war against Nazi Germany thanks to what Roger Reese calls its "military effectiveness": its ability to put troops in the field even after previous forces had been decimated. Reese provides a close analysis of soldiers' experiences and attitudes concerning mobilization, motivation, and morale, illuminating the Soviets' remarkable ability to recruit and retain soldiers. He examines the various forms of voluntarism and motivations to serve and shows that many fought simply out of loyalty to the idea of historic Russia and hatred for the invading Germans. He also considers the role of political officers within the ranks and the importance of commanders who could inspire their troops. Ultimately, Reese puts a human face on the often anonymous Soviet soldiers to show that their patriotism was real and had much to do with the Red Army's ability to defeat the most powerful army the world had ever seen.