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BOOK REVIEWS<br />
Aliev, for his part, does refer to sources that he used in his introduction (German Bundeswehr<br />
archives in Freiburg and Soviet recollections gathered in the 1950s by Sergei Smirnov as well<br />
as the report by the commander of the 45th Infantry Div entitled “Account of the taking of<br />
Brest-Litovsk”). By doing so, he is able to compare and confirm recollections and timelines<br />
using sources from the opposing camps.<br />
Source: Wikipedia<br />
A GI runs in the streets of Brest, 1944<br />
The efforts, names and valour of the warriors of Brest-Litovsk were unknown to the Soviet<br />
leadership for a long time, and it was not until the late 1950s that excavations of the fort<br />
recovered the final remains of many who had held out long after all hope had expired. For the<br />
Russians, Brest served as a shining example of courage and fidelity during a period of great<br />
loss and collapse.<br />
Stuart Britton undertook the translation of the original Russian transcript and did a remarkable<br />
job of not only reproducing the work in English but also ensuring that the “essence” of the<br />
narrative conveyed in the original work was maintained. The book is an excellent rendition of<br />
a little known battle that was literally a footnote in the massive campaign that was Barbarossa<br />
or the Great Patriotic War. It serves as an excellent example of the effect that inspired leadership<br />
at the lowest level can have on the outcome of a battle. Aliev has ensured through his efforts<br />
that the valour and sacrifice of both the defenders and the aggressors will not be forgotten.<br />
WWW.ARMY.FORCES.GC.CA/CAJ 131
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