• deranger@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Enemy at the Gates is a decent flick, but it’s pretty inaccurate. I wouldn’t be citing it as a source on what actually happened on the eastern front.

    • Pons_Aelius@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I was replying to a comet about a movie, so I replied with one. I also linked order 227, which is accurate.

      If you have a link that you feel is more accurate please post it.

      • deranger@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I’m not disputing the content of order 227, I’m disputing the historical accuracy of the film. Yes, they did have supply issues, penal battalions, and blocking units in the Soviet army, but not like it was depicted in the film.

        All in all, the most likely way that a soldier or officer would interact with a barrier troop was not through being cut down by a Maxim, but through arrest and drumhead court martial. Especially in the case of the NKVD detachments, they wouldn’t be set up right at the line of battle, but some ways to the rear, where they would apprehend retreaters, run a quick show “trial”, execute a few to make an example, and sentence considerably more to serve time in a penal unit.

        https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/3pcjfv/comment/cw54qf3/?context=3