Soldiers are not born（up and down）

Author: (Soviet) Konstantin Simonov / Zhao Guilian / Wan Lina / Wu Yanping
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Not Born a Soldier is the second part of a three-volume epic novel by Soviet writer Konstantin Simonov, depicting the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942–1943. The novel not only portrays the brutal scenes of war but also creates vivid images of Red Army soldiers. These soldiers were not born as soldiers; they moved from various fronts during peacetime to fight against the German fascists on the front lines. Through the baptism of battle, countless bloodshed, and sacrifices, they ultimately became an invincible army. On the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II, the "Rediscovering Classic War Literature" series introduced Soviet works, though they did not receive enough attention, they are still worth our attention. Konstantin Simonov, the Soviet writer known as the founder of "panoramic" novels, spent 15 years writing his war trilogy The Living and the Dead, Not Born a Soldier, and The Last Summer, depicting the entire process of the Soviet Union's war from 1941 to 1945. From the initial full-scale retreat of the Soviet Red Army to the victory of the Belarus liberation campaign in the summer of 1944, the trilogy not only showcases the cruelty of the front-line war but also reveals the hardships of life in the rear. It also genuinely portrays the emotional lives and psychological states of the protagonists during wartime. The Nobel laureate Mikhail Sholokhov's novel They Fought for Their Country is also highly noted in this series. Leonid Leonov, known as the "Russian Hero," wrote his autobiographical memoir One-Armed Sky, and the short report Dana, both of which are familiar to Chinese readers as heroic figures. This series records and presents the heroic and moving history and spirit of the Russian people and army, who fought tirelessly and ultimately achieved victory. It holds significant historical, artistic, and educational value for Chinese readers, especially the younger generation. Konstantin Simonov, the renowned Soviet writer hailed as the founder of "panoramic" novels, excels at depicting grand historical scenes and profound philosophical insights. This book is the second part of his trilogy The Living and the Dead, depicting the Soviet Red Army in the Battle of Stalingrad in 1943. The protagonists Shcherpilin, Sintsov, and others represent the fate of a group of people who suffered repression in the Soviet Union during the 1930s. Despite their unfair treatment, their patriotic spirit never wavered, and their conscience never faded. When their homeland was invaded by German fascists, they fought fearlessly on the front lines. The novel fully showcases the Soviet soldiers' unwavering belief in victory and their strong sense of responsibility to their motherland. The author created over 200 characters in the novel and narrated numerous real-life details of the war, many of which were based on his own experiences on the battlefield, making the novel vivid, realistic, and emotionally moving. Even more valuable is that the trilogy not only depicts the fate of people during the war but also, for the first time in Soviet literary history, touches on a series of sharp and realistic issues. As a result, the trilogy won the 1974 Lenin Prize.