Summary of Catherine Merridale's Ivan's War

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 When people think they are going to have to fight a war, they start to imagine what it will be like. However, these images are not meant to be taken literally. They are meant to foster a confident, even optimistic, mood when times are tough. #2 Efim Dzigan’s film struck a chord with Soviet audiences. It was not about the war, but faith. The film’s action opened in a fairground in Moscow, where the Kremlin towers were visible in the distance. The city was full of jollity, with ice cream vendors and young people strolling about. #3 The invasion takes place at night, and the border guards hold the aggressor at bay. The Soviet planes destroy enemy aircraft on the ground and fly home without a single loss. #4 The film ends in Berlin, where Soviet planes are flying in formation like wild geese. They are not dropping bombs; their payload is leaflets calling on the population to put down their arms and join the international proletarian socialist revolution.