Soviet veterans of World War II. The national movement in the authoritarian state, 1941-1991. Edge M.

Among the tragic consequences of the war with Nazi Germany - colossal human casualties and destruction - the Soviet Union had to face the problem of helping millions of injured and crippled people who returned from the front to civilian life. The book of Mark Edge traces the history of veterans of the Great Patriotic War from the first post -war years to the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

The historian shows how, within the framework of the Soviet regime, the folk movement of the former front -line soldiers arose and developed, the purpose of which was to achieve recognition of their merits to the country and rights to various privileges. To do this, they had to overcome the well -known resistance from the state, which was in no hurry to recognize them as a separate social group, suspected political illness and did not want to bear the costs of providing veterans with special status. The author sets himself the task of demonstrating, as in 1978, contrary to the resistance of official institutions and the strengthening cult of war, the former front -line soldiers still managed to achieve the desired.

Mark Edge - historian, specialist in the Soviet Union, Professor of the University of Melbourne.