One of the longest and most gripping books I ever read was William Craig’s Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad. There were two major takeaways for me from this classic work of non-fiction.
Growing up in the Cold War 1960s and ‘70s, I initially harbored disdain for the Soviets. When I finished the book, however, I was in awe of the courage shown by the Soviet men and women. Before World War II, Stalingrad numbered about half a million souls. By the end of the war, only about 10,000 civilians were left. Under indescribable conditions, soldiers and residents alike managed to repel the Nazi invaders.
My second takeaway—Stalin nearly masterminded the defeat of the Soviet Union singlehandedly by purging the Red Army in the 1930s. Paranoid and wanting completely subservient officers, Stalin eliminated most of the experienced generals. Obviously, this action came back to haunt him in World War II, and only the bravery of the Soviet people and the intervention of their Allies mitigated his appalling miscue.
Ninety years later in the United States, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has eliminated over a dozen highly experienced and qualified generals and admirals. It’s hard to ignore the parallels. Hopefully, the United States will not become entangled in a global war. But even if it doesn’t, it’s hard to imagine an efficiently run military without knowledgeable and independent leadership.
I’m Lori Drummond-Cherniwchan and that’s my perspective.
