On the 22nd June 1941, the might of the Nazi war machine launched Operation Barbarossa. It was a surprise attack, intended as a Blitzkrieg to quickly defeat the Soviet army and secure Lebensraum (living space) for Germany in the East.
Initially, the Red Army fell back in disarray for many reasons. Towns and cities fell quickly, with some Soviet military units putting up fierce resistance to the German onslaught in an almost futile attempt to buy time for a strategic withdrawal to regroup. History tells of previous attempts to invade Russia failing because of the massive distances involved, the resolve of the Russian soldier, and the harsh Russian winters.
In a small town in the direct path of the German advance, a small reserve unit commanded by a Russian Colonel prepared to defend the town after evacuating all civilians. The Colonel was the local school's headmaster, and his son was one of the soldiers -- as was his daughter Tatyana.
Tatyana was an exceptional shot with a rifle -- better than all the men in the unit. Promoted to Junior Lieutenant at a time before the Soviets officially recognised females in the military, Tatyana was tasked with taking out as many of the enemy as she could from her elevated position.
Twelve minutes.
That's all it took the Germans to take the town, wipe out all opposition and then execute those few who surrendered, including the elderly colonel who spoke fluent German and reminded the German commander of his obligations under the Geneva Convention.
There were two survivors - Tatyana and Konstantin, a reservist Captain who was the local tailor.
Tatyana was wounded in the battle, but Konstantin managed to drag her to safety in the forest and sewed her up.
The German advance continued, outstripping their supply lines with the ease and speed of their advance. It was believed that Moscow would fall in a matter of weeks.
They hadn't taken Tatyana and the resilience of a few bedraggled survivors into account
The Germans began to suffer casualties from an unknown enemy sniper who targeted officers and key personnel and then vanished into the wilds.
Her own people called her the Ghost - PRIZRAK, and so the name stuck as the Germans called her the same name, unaware for a long time that the Ghost was a girl.
A SS unit was detached and, under the command of Waffen SS-Sturmbannführer (SS-Major) Fredereich Steiner, was instructed to find and publicly execute the Ghost.
It proved to be a difficult task.
Genre: Historical
Initially, the Red Army fell back in disarray for many reasons. Towns and cities fell quickly, with some Soviet military units putting up fierce resistance to the German onslaught in an almost futile attempt to buy time for a strategic withdrawal to regroup. History tells of previous attempts to invade Russia failing because of the massive distances involved, the resolve of the Russian soldier, and the harsh Russian winters.
In a small town in the direct path of the German advance, a small reserve unit commanded by a Russian Colonel prepared to defend the town after evacuating all civilians. The Colonel was the local school's headmaster, and his son was one of the soldiers -- as was his daughter Tatyana.
Tatyana was an exceptional shot with a rifle -- better than all the men in the unit. Promoted to Junior Lieutenant at a time before the Soviets officially recognised females in the military, Tatyana was tasked with taking out as many of the enemy as she could from her elevated position.
Twelve minutes.
That's all it took the Germans to take the town, wipe out all opposition and then execute those few who surrendered, including the elderly colonel who spoke fluent German and reminded the German commander of his obligations under the Geneva Convention.
There were two survivors - Tatyana and Konstantin, a reservist Captain who was the local tailor.
Tatyana was wounded in the battle, but Konstantin managed to drag her to safety in the forest and sewed her up.
The German advance continued, outstripping their supply lines with the ease and speed of their advance. It was believed that Moscow would fall in a matter of weeks.
They hadn't taken Tatyana and the resilience of a few bedraggled survivors into account
The Germans began to suffer casualties from an unknown enemy sniper who targeted officers and key personnel and then vanished into the wilds.
Her own people called her the Ghost - PRIZRAK, and so the name stuck as the Germans called her the same name, unaware for a long time that the Ghost was a girl.
A SS unit was detached and, under the command of Waffen SS-Sturmbannführer (SS-Major) Fredereich Steiner, was instructed to find and publicly execute the Ghost.
It proved to be a difficult task.
Genre: Historical
Used availability for Tanya Allan's Retreat