There is much written and published about World War II, but there is
not much material for English teachers to use in the classroom. In this publication we
introduce a course compiled by Moscow teacher Elena Zubets. The course consists of texts
and teaching materials devoted to the main events of WWII. We have selected two units from
the forthcoming book: “The Great Patriotic War” (see pp. 19-30 of this issue) and
“The Banner of Victory over Berlin” (see the upcoming issue). We hope this material
will be interesting and useful for study in your English classrooms on the eve of the 60th
Anniversary of the Great Victory.
To the 60th Anniversary of the Great Victory*
FROM VICTORY TO VICTORY
The Background
World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in
the history of t
World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the
history of the world, involving a great majority of the world’s nations, being
fought simultaneously in several major theatres, and costing tens of millions of
lives. The war was fought between two groups of powers: the alliance of the British
Commonwealth*, the United States, the Soviet Union*, China, and the governments-in-exile
of France, Poland, and other occupied European countries, collectively known as the
Allies* (later, the United Nations*); and the alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan and
their allies, collectively known as the Axis*.
Most of the fighting occurred in the European theatre in and around Europe,
and in the Pacific theatre in the Pacific Ocean and East Asia.
The German invasion of Poland on September 1, 1939 is the most common date for the start
of World War II. Others cite the Japanese invasion of China on July 7, 1937 as the
war’s beginning, or even the 1931 Japanese incursion into Manchuria*.
The war ended in Europe with the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945, but continued
in Asia and the Pacific until the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki* and
the subsequent Japanese surrender on September 2, 1945.
VOCABULARY:
extensive масштабный, обширный
costly требующий больших материальных затрат
involve вовлекать
simultaneously одновременно
alliance союз
government-in-exile правительство в изгнании
occur происходить
European theatre европейский театр военных действий
Pacific theatre тихоокеанский театр военных
действий
cite ссылаться на
incursion вторжение, внезапное нападение
surrender капитуляция
nuclear атомный
subsequent последующий
ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Consult the dictionary and explain the difference between: a civil war; a patriotic
war; a world war.
II. Recall your lessons of history and name the wars in the 19th–20th centuries that
Russia participated in. Speak about the aims, countries involved, and alliances. Mention
the results for Russia, subsequent to those wars.
III. Answer the questions to the text:
1. How many power blocs took part in World War II?
2. What were the names of those blocs?
3. In what theatres did most of the fighting occur?
4. What date is considered to be the beginning of World War II, and its end? Are the
dates unanimously agreed on?
IV. Complete the sentences in accordance with historic truth. These five sentences can
help you to retell the text. You may add or omit something if necessary, but first put the
sentences in the correct order.
_ The war was fought simultaneously…between…
_ World War II was the most…
_ The most common date for the start of World War II…
_ The war ended with … on… and the subsequent… on…
_ The great majority of the world’s nations were…
THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR
The German Invasion
Stalin* had been warned from his agents in Germany and Japan of the imminent
invasion of the Nazi, but he refused to believe that Hitler* would break the
German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact* signed in August 1939 by Molotov* and
Ribbentrop*. The country was stunned by the Nazi invasion at 4 a.m. on June 22,
1941, without declaring war.
As a result the Nazi armed forces crossed the border of the Soviet Union and the massive
opening artillery bombardment in the early hours of Sunday caught the people, the
Army and the government completely by surprise. The invading force consisted of 5.5
million officers and soldiers, about 4,300 tanks, 5,000 combat aircrafts, and
47,260 guns and mortars. The length of the Soviet – German front was 6,000 km.
The War, called the Great Patriotic War, which really was intense for our country, broke
out.
In the first weeks of the war over 1000 Soviet aircrafts were destroyed on the ground;
whole armies were encircled and captured; peaceful towns, cities and
villages were razed to the ground.
The loss of life and territory were tremendous. The Nazis quickly advanced
deep into Soviet territory. Hitler boasted that he would smash the Soviet Union in 5–6
weeks. The Germans hurried to capture the Soviet capital before the advent of winter.
VOCABULARY:
imminent близкий, неминуемый
invasion вторжение
sign подписывать
be stunned by] быть оглушенным
catch by surprise захватить врасплох
combat aircraft боевой самолет
mortar] миномет
encircle окружать
capture захватывать
raze to the ground сравнять с землей
loss потери
tremendous огромный
advance наступать, продвигаться вперед
advent of winter приход зимы
ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Read and translate the text.
II. Answer the questions:
1. Who warned Stalin of the imminent invasion of the Nazi?
2. Why did Stalin refuse to believe the information?
3. When was Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed?
4. What kind of Pact was it?
5. Why was the country stunned by the Nazi invasion?
6. When did the Great Patriotic War break out?
7. Why did the Nazi armed forces catch the Red Army completely by surprise?
8. What were our losses in the first weeks of the war? Why were they so tremendous?
9. Why did the Germans hurry to capture Moscow before the advent of winter?
III. Underline the sentences which carry the most important facts in every paragraph,
just to summarize the information: one sentence in the first, two in the second and three
in the third paragraph.
IV. Well done! Have you got the same? Sure! Compare the results.
1. The country was stunned by the Nazi invasion at 4 a.m. on June 22, 1941, without
declaring war. 2. As a result the Nazi armed forces crossed the border of the Soviet Union
and the massive opening artillery bombardment in the early hours of Sunday caught the Red
Army completely by surprise. 3. The War, called the Great Patriotic War, which really was
intense for our country, broke out. 4. The Nazis quickly advanced deep into Soviet
territory. 5. Hitler boasted that he would smash the Soviet Union in 5–6 weeks. 6. The
Germans hurried to capture the Soviet capital before the advent of winter.
V. Now edit this text. Delete words or even parts of sentences, which do not carry the
factual material. You can even change the structure of the sentences, or add important
words if necessary. But! Leave the main facts intact!
VI. Good work! Count the words in your summary. (Don’t leave out articles and
prepositions.) I have got – 69! What about you?
1. On June 22, 1941, (at 4 a.m.), the Nazi invaded the Soviet Union without declaring
war. 2. The Nazi armed forces crossed the border of the Soviet Union and caught the Red
Army (completely) by surprise. 3. The Great Patriotic War broke out. 4. Hitler boasted
that he would smash the Soviet Union in 5 – 6 weeks. 5. The Germans hurried to capture
the Soviet capital before the advent of winter.
VII. This is the gist of the text – the skeleton of it. Now it is rather easy to
render the information. Go ahead!
Check your memory.
WHO’s WHO and WHAT’s WHAT:
- The Commonwealth of Nations is a voluntary association of
independent sovereign states, mostly formed by the United Kingdom and its former colonies.
It was formerly known as the British Commonwealth (or British Commonwealth of
Nations). The Commonwealth is the Russian Empire’s successon. The Statute of
Westminster of 1931 recognised and formalised the independence of the self-governing
colonies and dominions and eventually established an association of free and equal states,
based on common allegiance to the British Crown – Британское
Содружество Наций.
- The Soviet Union (the USSR – the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) – the
successor to the Russian Empire, formed on December 30, 1922. It consisted of 15 Soviet
Socialist Republics. By December 1991 it virtually “ceased to exist as a geopolitical
reality” – Союз Советских Социалистических
республик.
- Allies – the term which usually denotes the countries that fought
together against the Central Powers in World War I and against the Axis powers in World
War II. The term is generally used in the generic sense of “all who opposed the
enemy”. – Союзники по антигитлеровской коалиции.
- The United Nations (UN) is an international organization of nation-states, based
on the sovereign equality of its members. Under its charter, the UN was established “to
maintain international peace and security”; “to develop friendly relations among
nations”; and “to achieve international cooperation in solving economic, social,
cultural, or humanitarian problems” and in “encouraging respect for human rights and
for fundamental freedoms.” Delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco on April 25,
1945, for what was officially known as the United Nations Conference on International
Organization. During a two-month period, they completed a charter consisting of 111
articles. The charter was approved on June 25 and signed the next day; it became effective
on October 24, 1945, after ratification by a majority of the signatories –
Организация Объединенных Наций.
The Axis Powers is a term for the alliance of Germany, Italy,
Japan, and the other countries allied to them during World War II. The three major Axis
powers referred to themselves as the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis. The Axis powers were opposed
by the Allies – державы “оси Берлин – Рим”.
- Manchuria – at present it is the north-western part of China. –
Маньчжурия.
- Hiroshima and Nagasaki are the cities in Japan where on August 6 and 9
1945, the first atomic bombs were used against an enemy position by a U.S. Army Air Force
plane. In Hiroshima nearly 130,000 people were killed, injured, or missing and over
177,000 were made homeless. About one-third of Nagasaki was destroyed, and some 66,000
people were killed, injured or missing. – Хиросима и Нагасаки.
- Joseph Stalin (1879–1953), was the secretary – general of the Communist Party
of the Soviet Union and the premier of the Soviet state in 1922–1953. – Иосиф
Сталин.
- Adolf Hitler (1889–1945), was the leader of the National Socialist
(Nazi) party from 1920 and chancellor of Germany in 1933–1945. He is known as one of the
20th century’s most powerful dictators, who converted Germany into a fully militarised
society and launched World War II. – Адольф Гитлер.
- The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, The German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact
also known as the Hitler-Stalin Pact or Nazi-Soviet Pact, was a
non-aggression treaty between Germany and Russia, or more precisely between the Soviet
Union and the Third Reich. It was signed in Moscow on August 23, 1939, by the Soviet
foreign minister Vyacheslav Molotov and the German foreign minister Joachim von
Ribbentrop. The non-aggression treaty lasted until Operation Barbarossa of June 22, 1941,
when Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union. – Пакт
Молотова-Риббентропа.
- Molotov Vyacheslav Mikhaylovich (1890–1986), a Soviet statesman and diplomat,
the prime minister of the Soviet Union (1930–1941), the foreign minister (1939–1949,
1953–1956) who was the major spokesman for the Soviet Union at Allied conferences during
and immediately after World War II. – Вячеслав Михайлович
Молотов.
- Joachim von Ribbentrop (1893–1946), a German diplomat who served as an
ambassador to Britain in 1936-38, and was a foreign minister in 1938–1945. Ribbentrop
negotiated the system of alliances between Germany, Italy, and Japan known as the
Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis, as well as the German-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact of 1939. In June
1945, after the defeat and surrender of the German armies, he was arrested by the British
troops and brought to trial at Nuremberg with the other major National Socialist leaders.
He was convicted in 1946 of war crimes, and of crimes against humanity, and was hanged.
– Иоахим фон Риббентроп.
“Brothers and Sisters! I Turn to You, My Friends…”
 Not
until July 3, did Stalin address the nation by radio, in a speech that began:
“Brothers and sisters! I turn to you, my friends <...> Our troops are
fighting heroically against an enemy, armed to the teeth with tanks and aircraft.
Overcoming numerous difficulties, the Red Army and the Red Navy are sacrificially
fighting for every inch of Soviet soil.” He appealed directly
to Russian patriotism and religion. A call was made for the defence of the Motherland.
Listening to the loud-speaker. 1941.
 In response to
the appeal people rose to defend their country. They understood it was a question of life
and death. On the very first day of the war tens of thousands of men lined up at
the recruiting centres. Young and aged made the same demand: to be sent to the front
as quickly as possible. Regiments and divisions of civilian volunteers were
formed and general mobilization was carried out. The whole country was transformed
into a single armed camp.
One of many wartime placards.
VOCABULARY:
troops войска
numerous многочисленный
Navy Военно-морской флот
sacrificially самоотверженно
inch дюйм (= 2,5 см.)
soil земля
appeal обращаться
in response в ответ
line up выстраиваться в очередь
recruiting centre призывной пункт
demand требовать
regiment полк
division дивизия
civilian volunteers добровольцы из гражданского
населения
general mobilization всеобщая мобилизация
ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Complete the sentences with the missing words; derive necessary parts of speech
from the verbs given in the box.
to appeal, to fight, to defend, to transform, to
demand, to address, to respond |
1. On July 3, Stalin __________ the nation by radio.
2. The Red Army and Red Navy ___________ sacrificially for every inch of Soviet soil.
3. Stalin’s ____________ was addressed directly to Russian patriotism and religion.
4. In __________ to the appeal people rose for the ___________ of their country.
5. Young and aged __________ to be sent to the front.
6. The whole country _____ into a single armed camp.
II. Arrange the following sentences according to their logical order.
_ Tens of thousands of men lined up at the recruiting centres.
_ He appealed directly to Russian patriotism and religion.
_ The whole country was transformed into a single armed camp.
_ On July 3, Stalin addressed the nation by radio with a speech.
_ General mobilization was carried out.
_ A call was made for the defence of the Motherland.
_ Young and aged made the same demand: to be sent to the front.
III. Now you see that these 7 sentences are the gist of the text “Brothers and
sisters!” You can reproduce it without fail.
IV. Look at the photos. Give them titles. Describe them, using the information and the
vocabulary of the issue.
to carry out general mobilization, a recruiting
centre, to line up, in response, the appeal, numerous, the defence of the Motherland, to
make the demand, as quickly as possible, to be sent to the front, to form regiments and
divisions, volunteers, to transform into a single armed camp |
1.
2.
V. Write a composition: “They made a step to eternity…”
The Defence of Moscow
Antitank barricades in the streets of Moscow. December 1941.
Part I
German forces quickly advanced deep into Soviet territory using Blitzkrieg* tactics. In
1941 Soviet equipment was inferior in quality to that of the Germans
and there were shortages of rifles, machine guns, heavy artillery and transport.
Soviet tanks were not as well armed and few Soviet planes and tanks were equipped with
radios. But there were deeper reasons for the initial retreat of the army: a desperate
shortage of officers and trained personnel.
Armoured units racing forward trapped and destroyed the Soviet troops. While the
German Army Group North moved towards Leningrad, and Army Group South went on to conquer
the Ukraine, Army Group Centre was to advance towards Moscow, in various respects the
heart of the Soviet Union.
The Soviet defence conditions were catastrophic, and the casualties were enormous.
In early August 1941 the Germans captured the city of Smolensk, an important stronghold
on the road to Moscow. On October 2, 1941, Army Group Centre under Fedor von Bock* launched
its attack against Moscow itself, code-named “Operation Typhoon”.
The Soviet forces of the Western Front, Reserve Front, Bryansk Front and Kalinin
Front, defending the Moscow area, suffered heavy casualties but kept fighting fiercely.
On October 10, Georgi Zhukov* took charge of the Western Front and the defence of
Moscow.
VOCABULARY:
Give the definition of the words in the left column. Translate into Russian if
necessary.
1. enormous a movement away from the enemy after a defeat in battle;
2. equipment a lack of something;
3. inferior to catch someone by forcing them into a place from which they cannot
escape;
4. a shortage all the special tools that one needs for a particular activity;
5. initial not good or less good in quality;
6. a retreat done with a lot of energy and strong feelings, sometimes violently;
7. desperate extremely large in size or in amount;
8. personnel to start a carefully planned military activity;
9. to trap a military force in addition to the usual army;
10. casualty an area where there is a lot of support;
11. a stronghold happening at the beginning; first
12. to launch the people in the military;
13. reserve to take control of a situation or a group of people, to take
responsibility;
14. fiercely someone who is hurt or killed in a battle;
15. to take needing or wanting something charge of very much.
ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Read and translate the first part of the text.
II. Give it a title.
III. These four passages of Part I explain the reasons for the initial retreat of the
Soviet army. Speak about them, use the words and word combinations from the text instead
of the italics:
_ One of the deep reasons for the initial retreat of the army was lack of
trained people in the army.
_ Georgi Zhukov took responsibility for the Western Front and the defence
of Moscow.
_ Soviet defence conditions were catastrophic, and the losses were extremely
large in number.
_ The Soviet forces suffered heavy casualties but went on fighting violently.
_ In 1941 Soviet equipment was worse than that of the Germans.
_ Army Group Centre started its attack against Moscow, code-named
“Operation Typhoon”.
_ The Army did not have enough arms.
IV. These seven sentences can help you to retell the text. You may add or omit
something if necessary, but first arrange the sentences in their logical order and then
retell the text.
Part II
November, 7, 1941. On the Red Square.
The city of Moscow now started to be the target of German air raids.
Four hundred and fifty thousand Muscovites were mobilized to dig trenches and build
barricades in the city streets even in the proximity of the Kremlin itself.
On October 16, a decree on the evacuation of the government nearly caused panic, streets
were choked with refugees and soot from burning archives. The
Soviet government was evacuated east to the city of Kuybyshev, (modern-day Samara), yet
Stalin remained in Moscow.
To set an example of determination for the soldiers and increasingly despairing
civilians, Stalin ordered the traditional military parade on the 7th of November, commemorating
the anniversary of the Revolution, to be conducted on Red Square, in spite of the danger
of German bombardment. The troops paraded along the Kremlin and then marched directly to
the battlefront, which was reinforced by fresh divisions from Siberia, equipped for
winter warfare.
The defence on the approaches to Moscow grew increasingly desperate. Thousands of recruits
and volunteers, even women’s battalions were sent into German machine-gun fire.
Over forty partisan detachments operated in the Moscow Region. By November 27, the
Germans had finally advanced to the eastern-most positions they would reach. Some advance
forces came within sight of the towers of the Kremlin, 27 km away from Moscow at their
closest point, before Soviet defenders drove them off.
Digging trenches on the approaches to Moscow.
VOCABULARY:
target цель, мишень
air raid воздушный налет
trench траншея, окоп
in the proximity of вблизи от
choke заполнять
refugee беженец
soot копоть
archives архив
determination решительность
increasingly все более и более
despair приходить в отчаянье
civilians гражданское население
commemorating в ознаменование
reinforce усиливать, укреплять
warfare ведение войны
recruit призывник, новобранец
volunteer доброволец
detachment отряд
ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Read the second part of the text.
II. Give it a title.
III. Answer the questions:
1. Why were thousands of Muscovites mobilized to dig trenches and build barricades even
in the proximity of the Kremlin?
2. Why did a decree on the evacuation of the government nearly caused panic?
3. What was the main reason for Stalin to remain in Moscow?
4. Who took part in the traditional military parade on November 7, 1941 conducted on
Red Square?
5. What was that parade aimed at?
6. What were the eastern-most positions the Nazis reached before the defenders of
Moscow drove them off?
IV. Look at the photos. Describe them. The following words will help you.
| in the proximity of, to be mobilized, to dig trenches, to build
barricades, determination, on the approaches to, to grow increasingly desperate,
civilians, an air raid, a target |
1.
- I think the photo was taken…(when, where, describe the details. You can even make
out the number of the tram)
- It is late autumn, because… (the ground, the clothes of the women)
- The women and … are sent …(to do what, why)
- They seem to have been working for many days because…(the trench, a heap of sacks,
the hands)
- They try not to lose courage and fall into despair because…(the expression on the
faces)
- The women work …(how)
- They understand that …
- The children …(what are they doing here)
2.
V. Now try to compress the information of part II. For this purpose:
- read each sentence again;
- decide whether the information each sentence carries is new and important or simply adds
some details to the main facts;
E.g. On October 16, a decree on the evacuation of the government nearly caused
panic; the streets were choked with refugees and soot from burning archives. The Soviet
government was evacuated east to the city of Kuybyshev, (modern-day Samara), yet Stalin
remained in Moscow. – In conformity with a decree on the evacuation the Soviet
government was evacuated to the city of Kuybyshev (modern-day Samara), yet Stalin remained
in Moscow.
- mark out the core sentences;
- study the word stock of each sentence, cross out the supporting words and leave in it
only the notional words, thus you have the skeleton of the sentence;
E.g. To set an example of determination for the soldiers and increasingly despairing
civilians, Stalin ordered the traditional military parade on 7 November, commemorating the
anniversary of the Revolution, to be conducted on Red Square, in spite of the danger of
German bombardment. – To set an example of determination Stalin ordered the
traditional military parade on 7 November, to be conducted on Red Square.
- simplify the grammar of the sentence;
E.g. The city now started to be the target of German air raids. – The city
became the target of German air raids.
- arrange the sentences in a logical order and …your retelling is ready.
VI. Retell the text. Your retelling can consist of 7 – 8 sentences. But! Make use of
the active words in your retelling.
Part III
 Meanwhile,
German progress was already slowing. The Germans had been almost paralysed when the autumn
rains set in, turning roads into stretches of mud. When the frost set in early November,
the Germans could use the roads again, but faced the problem of not being equipped for
winter warfare, as Hitler had anticipated a quick victory in the summer. Warm
clothing and white camouflage suits were lacking, and more and more tanks and other
vehicles were immobilised as temperatures dropped below zero degrees.
Indeed, the winter of 1941–1942 was unusually cold even by Russian standards.
A crushing blow on the enemy was inflicted on December 6, 1941. The Soviet troops
launched a counter-offensive. As a result of violent battles the Germans were thrown back
from 150 to 400 kilometres to the west. The operations of the Soviet troops were commanded
by G.K. Zhukov, I.S. Konev*, K.K. Rokossovsky*, and other talented generals.
VOCABULARY:
anticipate предвкушать
camouflage маскировка
lack smth испытывать недостаток
vehicle средство передвижения
immobilise быть неподвижным
wounded раненый
inflict наносить
ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Read the third part of the text.
II. Give it a title.
III. Answer the questions:
1. What were the reasons for the Germans to slow their progress?
2. What stopped Hitler’s plans of a quick victory?
3. Why were the Germans not equipped for winter warfare?
4. When did the Soviet troops launch a counter-offensive?
5. What were the results of the violent battles of the Soviet troops with the Germans
in December 1941?
IV. Complete the sentences:
_ As a result of violent battles…
_ German progress was already slowing down because…
_ The Soviet troops inflicted…and launched…
V. If you have completed the sentences correctly, you have got the gist of Part III in
front of you. Reproduce the information but don’t forget to arrange the sentences in
their logical order.
Part IV
 The
news of the victory in Moscow thrilled the whole world. The German momentum
was lost and Hitlerites failed to break down the resistance of the defenders of Moscow.
The Nazis did not take into consideration the patriotism and self-sacrifice
of the Soviet people. They underestimated the fighting ability of the Soviet armed
forces. The rout of the Nazis in the battle of Moscow was their first major defeat
in the Second World War. That victory was a turning point of world historic importance. The
myth of the invincibility of Hitler’s army was shattered. The Nazis had been
halted. Hitler’s plan of a blitzkrieg against the USSR had failed. The Germans
stabilised their front by spring 1942 but plans to launch another offensive against Moscow
were discarded.
VOCABULARY:
thrill сильно взволновать
momentum (pl.momenta) импульс, движущая сила
take into consideration брать во внимание
self-sacrifice самопожертвова-ние
underestimate [ўцnderўetImeIt] недооценить
rout разгром, поражение
myth of invincibility миф о непобедимости
shatter разбить вдребезги
discard отказаться
ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Read the fourth part of the text.
II. Give it a title.
III. Answer the questions:
1. Why did the news of the victory in Moscow thrill the whole world?
2. Why was the rout of the Nazis in the battle of Moscow so important?
3. What traits of Russian people did the Nazis fail to take into consideration?
4. What were the results of the victory in Moscow?
WHO’s WHO and WHAT’s WHAT:
We will never forget…
SUPPLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES
ASSIGNMENTS:
I. Translate into English using your active vocabulary.
casualties, to shatter, to underestimate, the exploit,
every inch of native soil, self-sacrificially, tremendous, shoulder to shoulder, in the
proximity of, the myth of invincibility |
В параде 7 ноября 1941 года принимало
участие 28 тысяч солдат и офицеров. После парада
многие из них сразу были отправлены на фронт,
который находился в непосредственной близи от
столицы. Защитники Москвы самоотверженно боролись
за каждую пядь родной земли. Потери были
огромные, но именно в битвах под Москвой миф о
непобедимости Фашистской Германии был
развеян.
С каждым годом ветеранов остается все меньше и
меньше.
7 ноября 2004 года 102 участника того исторического
парада прошли по Красной площади. Самому
старшему – 89 лет.
Бок о бок с ветеранами прошли юные
барабанщики и учащиеся военных школ и колледжей
Москвы. Всего в праздничном параде, посвященном
60-летию победы в битве под Москвой, участвовало
1200 человек.
Со дня Великой победы прошло 60 лет. Жизнь
изменилась, сменились поколения. Но мы не имеем
права недооценивать подвиг этих людей.
Память и уважение к ним должны навсегда остаться
в наших сердцах.
II. Read and make a literary translation of the text.
It was in front of Moscow that the term Panfilovec was coined. Violent battles raged
30 km. from Moscow. On one of the sectors, near the Dubosekovo railway junction 50 Nazi
tanks attacked a trench held by 28 guardsmen of General Panfilov’s 8th Guards Division.
Retreat was impossible. It was then, that Vasily Klochkov, the leader of the guardsmen,
told his comrades: “Russia is a big country but we have nowhere to retreat to. Behind us
is Moscow.” They accepted the battle and defended their positions to the death. The
battle lasted for four hours. By the end of the battle14 enemy tanks had been destroyed.
Only a handful of heavily wounded Soviet soldiers survived the carnage; large numbers of
German soldiers were killed as well, but the Nazi advance had been blocked. The story of
the 28 Panfilov guardsmen spread around the world. But who were these men – the soldiers
from Panfilov division, which was formed in far-off Kazakhstan, and were the
representatives of all the nationalities of our Motherland? They fought together defending
Moscow so valiantly that they became an eternal symbol of heroism and the greatest example
of multinational brotherhood for future generations to follow.
General I.V. Panfilov 1941
(first from the left).
PROJECT WORK
Do the Project work together with your friend and learn more about the exploits of the
28 guardsmen or General Panfilov himself, who was killed by a fragment of a mine on
November 19, 1941.Your booklet may be the first contribution to the school museum.
- read the book about the great battle, General Panfilov and his 8th Guard Division.
(Александр Бек Волоколамское шоссе)
- there is a song in Russian about these heroes, ask your parents to help you to find it.
It is really a folk song, which used to be sung in all the pioneer camps; (…их
было только 28, а за спиной была Москва)
- read more about General Panfilov and his Division;
- find the names of the heroes, read about them;
- go on an excursion to the famous monument in Volokolamsk Highway in the outskirts of
Moscow, and/or to the monument of 7 soldiers near the village of Kryukovo; (try to find
one more song, devoted to the exploit of these 7 soldiers: “У деревни
Крюково”)
- lay flowers at the monuments and take pictures;
- translate the material into English;
- arrange the material in a booklet; don’t forget to write what the exploits of these
heroes made you think about;
- put your booklet on display in your school museum, or your classroom;
- share the information with your friends, veterans, parents, junior pupils of your
school.
“Your Name Is Unknown, Your Feat Immortal”
For the heroism of the city’s defenders, Moscow was awarded the title Hero
City in 1965, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
On November 3, 1966 a memorial “the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier” was unveiled
at the Kremlin wall inside the gates of the Alexander Gardens. Its eternal flame was
kindled from the Field of Mars in St. Petersburg. Beneath the granite plinth topped
by a giant helmet and furled banner lie the remains of a nameless soldier disinterred from
the mass grave of those who died halting the Nazi advance at Kilometer 41 on the Leningrad
highway. The inscription on the momument reads: “Your name is unknown, your feat
immortal”. Nearby is a line of blocks containing earth from the “Hero Cities” of
Leningrad, Kiev, Volgograd, Sevastopol, Minsk, Smolensk, Odessa, Novorossisk, Tula,
Murmansk, Kerch and the Brest Fortress. It is a place of nation-wide worship and respect
visited by veterans, parents with children, newlyweds, foreign guests and VIPs. People lay
flowers, stand in silence, pray and pay tribute to all those who gave their lives in the
carnage.
I. Read the text and try to answer the questions:
1. Have you ever thought of the cost of the great victory of the Red Army?
2. Are veterans paid tribute to in Russia?
3. Can we repay the heroes for this feat?
4. What must the government do to cherish the memory of the fallen and to pay tribute
to the living?
5. Is it only the duty of the government?
II. Tell the class about other memorial places in Moscow (in your city) which
commemorate the exploits of the Russian Soldier.
TOPIC
Part I
World War II was the most extensive and costly armed conflict in the history
of the world. The war was fought simultaneously in several major theatres, between two
groups of powers. The most common date for the start of World War II is September 1, 1939.
The war ended with the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945 and the subsequent Japanese
surrender on September 2, 1945.
At 4 a.m. on June 22, 1941, without declaring war, the Nazi armed forces crossed the
border of the Soviet Union. The country was stunned by the Nazi invasion. The War, called
the Great Patriotic War, which really was Great for our country, broke out. The Nazis were
quickly advancing deep into Soviet territory. Hitler boasted that he would smash the
Soviet Union in 5–6 weeks.
On July 3, Stalin addressed the nation by radio with a speech. He appealed to Russian
patriotism and religion. A call was made for the defence of the Motherland. Tens of
thousands of men lined up at the recruiting centres. Young and aged made the same demand:
to be sent to the front. General mobilization was carried out. The whole country was
transformed into a single armed camp.
The Germans hurried to capture the Soviet capital before the advent of winter. Moscow now
started to become the target of German air raids. Muscovites were mobilized to dig
trenches and build barricades in the city streets even in the proximity of the Kremlin
itself.
The defence on the approaches to Moscow grew increasingly desperate. Thousands of recruits
and volunteers, even women’s battalions were sent into German machine-gun fire. Over
forty partisan detachments operated in the Moscow Region.
The Soviet troops inflicted a crushing blow at the enemy on December 6, 1941and launched a
counter-offensive. As a result of violent battles the Germans were thrown back from 150 to
400 kilometres to the west.
That victory was a turning point of world historic importance. The myth of the
invincibility of Hitler’s army was shattered.
By Elena Zubets, Moscow
to be continued
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