At first I didn't pay attention, but then it got bad... It was five o'clock before I got to the infirmary. The next day, they made a dressing... In general, there is nothing dangerous... May 15, 1942 The new year of 1942 inspired, awakened bright hopes of our people and strengthened the soldiers ' faith in victory. In early January, the troops of the Kalinin, Western, Southwestern and Bryansk fronts, operating in conditions of numerical superiority of the enemy, successfully completed the first major offensive operation during the Great Patriotic War. 11 thousand settlements were liberated and 38 German divisions were defeated. The enemy was driven back from Moscow for 100-250 km. Despite the difficult conditions, active military operations of the Soviet troops continued. This is evidenced by the letters of the dead front-line soldiers. "Hello, my dear mother and Polina... on January 19, I received my first baptism of fire in the battle for one of the villages in the Volokolamsk direction. The battle took place at night and lasted until 5 o'clock, after which the Germans were knocked out of the village and retreated. In the first battle, of course, it was a little scary. It is especially unpleasant when mines fly and explode and bullets fall into the snow near you. Well, that's nothing. You need to get used to everything. Well, that's all for now... Goodbye. I kiss you very hard... 22.1.42" On January 19, 1942, Red Army soldier Alexander Mikhailovich Sivichev received a baptism of fire, and on February 6 he died and was buried in the village of Bolshye Palatki, Smolensk region. "Dear father and mother,.. On April 16, we went on the offensive again... About 10 tanks supported us, but under heavy artillery fire and bogged down in the swamp, they moved very slowly. By evening, we had knocked the Germans out of the first bunkers. The fire continued unabated: machine-gun, artillery, mortar, bombing. I was leading the way with my guys. As soon as we burst into th ... Read more