9 May Victory Day in Russia.
And from a historical perspective does not mean anything to them, the victory over Nazi Germany in World War 2.
I've always been fascinated by the role that Russian women are in this epochal conflict. I've always heard different stories about the heroism and endurance they have demonstrated not only in supporting roles, but in actual combat.
When I think about that world, as now, it's hard for me to imagine what these women went through to defend their country. Because of this conflict, where more than 20 million Soviets were victims .. spared nothing and nothing was left of the table in the theater of operations.
While there are countless stories of heroism of women in this fight, here are some highlights to illustrate the magnitude of their contribution and sacrifice.
Review
Women play a major role in most of the armed forces of World War II. In most countries, although women tend to serve primarily in administrative, medical and supporting roles. But in the Soviet Union, women fought in large numbers in front line roles. More than 800 thousand women served their country in World War II, nearly 200,000 of them were decorated and 89 of them eventually received the highest award of the Soviet Union, Hero of the Soviet Union. They served as pilots, snipers, machine gunners, tank crew members and partisans, as well as in supporting roles. Very few of these women, however, have ever been an officer.
Lydia Litvyak
August 18, 1921 - August 1, 1943 (age 21)
Also known as Lydia Litviak or Lily Litviak, a woman fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II.
With 12 victories and two solo and four general, received 66 combat missions, it is one of two women in the world of fighter aces.
After Germany attacked the Soviet Union in June 1941 Litvyak tried to join the military side of aviation, but was rejected due to lack of experience. After deliberately exaggerates its pre-war flight time by 100 hours, she joined the all-female five hundred and eighty sixth Fighter Regiment (586 IAP), which was formed Raskovoy. She studied there in the Yak-1 aircraft.
She flew her first combat flights in the summer of 1942 in the Saratov region. In September, she was appointed, and Katya Budanov six other pilots and ground crew accompanying the female, four hundred thirty-seventh IAP, men's regiment fought at Stalingrad. She flew Lavochkin La-5 fighters and 13 September 1942, it brought down its first two aircraft over Stalingrad. First victory, won the second battle Litvyak was Junkers Ju 88 bomber that she helped her bring down the regimental commander.
A few minutes later she scored her first solo pilot to kill women, destroying the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2 "Gustav", piloted by 11-victory ace, three-time recipient of the Iron Cross, Staff Sergeant Erwin Meier from the second Staffel Jagdgeschwader of 53. Meyer parachute from his plane, was captured by Soviet troops and asked them to show Russian ace who outflown it.
When he was brought face Litvyak, he thought he made the butt of the Soviet anecdote. It was not until Litvyak described every move dogfight him in great detail, that he knew that he was beaten by a woman pilot.
On August 1, 1943, Lydia returned to her base of Krasny Luch in the Donbass, a convoy flying IL-2 Sturmovik. This was her fourth flight a day. As the Soviets returned to the base under the Eagle, a pair of fighter jets swooped on the Bf 109 Lydia, when she attacks a large group of German bombers.
Soviet pilot Ivan Borisenko recalls: "Lily just did not see the Messerschmitt 109 flying cover for the German bombers. A couple of them dived on it, and when she saw them, she turned to meet them. Then they all disappeared behind a cloud." Borisenko, participating in a dogfight, I saw it last time, breaking through the clouds, its Yak-1 heavy smoke, and after eight Me 109. Borisenko down to see if he could find her. No parachute was seen, and not an explosion, but she never returned from the mission.
Litvyak was 21 years old.
Rose Yegorovna Shanina
Born 1924 - January 28, 1945 (age 21)
It was a Soviet sniper during World War II. She was responsible for 54 confirmed kills, including 12 snipers the enemy during the Battle of Vilnius
After attending the training college teachers Arkhangelsk, she became a mentor in kindergarten. She then voluntarily joined the Universal Military Training, and later the Central Female Sniper Academy in Podolsk. June 22, 1943, Shanin joined the Red Army and on April 2, 1944 joined the 184th Infantry Division, where a single female sniper platoon was formed. She was awarded the Order of Glory on June 18 and again on September 22, 1944.
Once received the battalion commander's order to return immediately to the rear, Shanina replied: "I'll be back after the battle." Words later became the name of the book is returned from the battle Nikolay Zhuravlev. On December 12, 1944 Rosa was shot in the shoulder, and December 27, 1944 was awarded a medal for bravery in one of the first woman sniper
Shanina died in a battle of hamlet of Rikhau. Her diary and battle several letters have been published. Streets in Arkhangelsk and in the settlements and Shangaly Stroyevskoye were named in her honor.
Kate Budanov
1916 - July 19, 1943 (age 27)
Yekaterina Budanov any female fighter pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II. With 11 victories, she was one of two woman in the world fighter ace with Lydia Litvyak.
She was born into a peasant family in the village Konoplanka in the Smolensk region. Work in the aviation factory in Moscow, she became interested in aviation and went flying club, where she received her pilot training. She served as a flight instructor since 1937. She also participated in several parades, air, fly Single Yakovlev UT-1.
After Germany attacked the USSR in June 1941, she enlisted in the military aviation. She was charged with five hundred and eighty-six Fighter Regiment. This device consisted solely of women pilots. It flew its first combat missions in April 1942 in the Saratov region. In September, she was appointed, along with other women (among them, Lydia Litvyak), four hundred thirty-seventh IAP involved in fighting for Stalingrad. It soon became known for his aggressive attack and high-flying skills.
She flew Yak-1 fighters. On October 6 she was attacked by 13 Junkers Ju 88 bomber herself, knocked down his first plane. In November, it shot down two Bf 109 fighters and Ju 88. In the following months, she was enrolled in a few planes. In January 1943, she along with her friend Litvyak, was moved to the 73rd Guards Fighter Regiment, the 8th Air Force. Soon she got the right "to hunt solo." February 23, she was awarded the Order of the Red Star.
July 19, 1943 during a solo fight with three Bf-109, it shot down one, but was shot down and killed himself near the town of anthracite in the Luhansk region.
There are various data, such as for winning score Katya Budanov in various publications, with no official count. The most common quote 11 kills (6 men and 5 team kills). She was awarded the Red Star Order and the Order of the Patriotic War (twice). Although it was proposed, it was not awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union during the war. On October 1, 1993 she was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Russia.
Lyudmila Pavlichenko
July 12, 1916 - October 10, 1974 (age 58)
Ludmila was a Soviet sniper Pavlichenko during World War II, credited with 309 kills, and is regarded as the most successful female sniper in history.
In June 1941, a 24-year Pavlichenko was in her fourth year studying history at the Kiev University when Nazi Germany began its invasion of the Soviet Union. Paulichenka was one of the first round of the volunteers in the military, where she asked to join the infantry, and then she was assigned to 25th Infantry Division of the Red Army Pavlichenko had the choice to become a nurse, but he refused: "I went into the army, when a woman yet been taken. "
There she became one of 2,000 women snipers in the Red Army, of which about 500 ultimately survived the war. As a sniper, she made her first two kills near Belyaevka using the Mosin bolt action rifle with a PE 4-power field.
Private Pavlichenko fought for about two and a half months near Odessa, where she recorded 187 kills. When the Germans took control of Odessa, her unit was dismantled to be sent to Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula, where she fought for more than 8 months. In May 1942, Lieutenant Pavlichenko was named Southern Army Council for killing 257 German soldiers. Her total confirmed kills during World War II was 309, including 36 snipers of the enemy.
In June 1942, Pavlichenko was wounded by mortar fire. Because of its growing status, she was pulled out of the battle in less than a month after recovering from his wounds.
Pavlichenko was sent to Canada and the United States to visit and advertising became the first Soviet citizen to be accepted by the President of the United States, when Franklin Roosevelt welcomed her to the White House. Later, he was invited Pavlichenko Eleanor Roosevelt to tour America relating her experiences. The United States gave her a Colt automatic pistol, while in Canada, she was sighted before the hard drive, the latter of which is currently on display at the Central Museum of Armed Forces in Moscow.
After reaching the rank of Major, Pavlichenko never returned to combat but became an instructor and trained Soviet snipers until the war ended. In 1943 she was awarded the Gold Star of Hero of the Soviet Union, and was marked by the Soviet postage stamp.
The American folk musician Woody Guthrie recorded the song in 1946, entitled "Miss Pavlichenko" as a tribute to her record kill is believed to have been written at the end of 1942. It was released as part of the record Am.
Pavlichenko died October 10, 1974 at the age of 58 and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.
