" Victims of Yalta " by N. Tolstoy jr.

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Just sitting here, sewing a few buttons on and watching IE give me shit. Time to think while it all goes to pieces on me .....

 

I figure there's more than one of ye here can think beyond their BullX's. Anyone ever read " Victims of Yalta " ? Nicholai Tolstoy (The younger).

 

Comments? Views? Anything?

[lucky 578]

the only thing i could find about it was this.....

 

"In the book, "Victims of Yalta", Nicholai Tolstoy documents "Operation Keelhaul," the Allies' forced repatriation of two million Russians who were German slave labourers, prisoners of wars, or soldiers. These people were sent to the Gulag and liquidated"

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Good for you, Lucky. Well done for taking the time and interest I guess that does sort of smack of the core of the book. But, believe me; There's So Much More!

 

Just to expand this a little; I was once doing a boring job. I tended to read books in work time. I bought a whole Load of books and, believe it or not, centered on the Sword and Sorcery In Legend stuff. That led me to a Tolstoy Jr. book about " Arthur " (" Taliesen "). I enjoyed that so looked for more by the author. His only listed work was 'Yalta' and so I ordered it from this small book shop / News Agents.

 

When it arrived and I saw the guys on horse back, sabres drawn and Nazi 'Swastika' arm bands and 'German' helmets I shit out. I tried to tell the guy this wasn't my scene. He pointed out I'd Ordered the damn thing ..... Fair comment.

 

Turned out to be one of the most ..... what? ..... It turned out to be a book which taught me a lot. Opened my eyes. Told me about things I'd never learned in school. From my parants. From my peers. Shit people just don't know about - or choose not to talk about.

 

Some time later I mentioned it to an old friend of mine. Guy I knew well and could trust. He told me a story:

 

Seems his Brother In Law had been one of the British Troops commisioned to 'over see' the loading of the British 'White Russians' onto our Cattle Trucks. For expediant repatriation into the heart of Stalins Mother Russia. He was ordered to Stand By. Bayonet Fixed.

 

Know what? Our boys had to watch those sneaky Russians like hawks. Because what would happen first is that the man - the Father - of a Family group would sidle up to the 'Tommys' and offer any sort of bribe ye could think of - just to let them go. Let them sneak off, even under gun fire, and take their chances.

 

Of course, 'Orders Are Orders'. Those 'Russians' had to be boarded on those Cattle Trucks and shipped down to the docks.

 

Next thing our guys had to look out for was hidden - or improvised - weapons. Because, likely as not, our 'Cossack Rusky', given half the damn chance; Having failed with his plea to our lads Humanity (against Orders, 'mind) would stand there and slit the f*King throats of his own daughters, sons and wife. Then start hacking at himself.

 

Read that book. Find out Why they'd do that. Learn a little.

 

 

For the record: I have NO political standing. I'm Not out to make any 'Point' here. Fact that a bunch of 'Empowered Politicians' ganged up on Tolstoy, took him to court and bankrupted him in their efforts to get him to recind what he said about them means shit to me. They couldn't take every British 'Tommy' on that 'Escort Duty' to court. My mates Brother in Law confided in my mate. My mate confided in me; After I mentioned reading that book. That was nearly a decade and a half ago.

 

It still all plays on my mind so much that I bring it up now ~ quite spontaniously ~ here of all places. This Is " General Talk ". And " Victims of Yalta " (Nicholai Tolstoy) is a book Well worth the reading.

 

Trust me on this.

[pointer28 1]

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

I'll add that to my shopping list for the weeknd!!

 

Any more, let us know.

[mole trapper 1,693]

hi there,just looked it up on abe,theres a paperback copy going in the states 14 dollars so about 9 or 10 quid delivered to uk,think i might give it a whirl,been slacking on the reading front recently.

[Stabs 3]

I'll tell you one you might like Ditchy.....The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz....excellent book.

 

And The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer.....

 

Controversy surrounds both of them, but superb reads.

[Guest oneredtrim]

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Edited January 16, 2008 by oneredtrim

[Stabs 3]

Yeah, I don't think he admitted to it though mate

 

I think it turned out he re-enlisted or something like that and fought for the reds. Still, a good read all the same.

[Guest oneredtrim]

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Edited January 16, 2008 by oneredtrim

[Stabs 3]

Once that photo of him at Butlins Blackpool 1942 surfaced there was just no denying it

[logman 0]

Never thought a great deal of Junior, Tolstoy himself however, one of the greatest novelists of all time.

War and peace is one of the few "classics" that lives up to its name. Ibsen, another of my favourite literary Russians. The doll house is another"Classic"

Im fairly fond of the Russian "school" but dont really rate the latter Tolstoys(did the Jrs brother also write, i think?)

[Guest nitevision]

havent read that ditch,hope im not hijackin your thread,a few years ago i had plenty of time on my hands,about four years actualy,i rememberd a prog that was on called the monicled mutineer,bout some fella who in the 1st great war was a bit a lad,was somat to do with a spot of bother somewhere called the bullring,and training of squaddies,im sure i read a book on the fella that was non fiction an was a dam good read,cant for the life of me remember what it was called,anybody know [bANNED TEXT] iam talking about,weve had a bit of a bug in our house over crimbo,and iam now on my 3rd stella feeling like the bug is on its way back.

[Stabs 3]

I've read that book nitevision...it's called "The Monocled Mutineer"

 

It's about Percy Topliss and the mutiny that was suppressed behind the lines in 1917. The army strove to eradicate it from the records but it came out much later. Old Percy was royally f****d over and finally shot in Penrith I think. I've got the Paul McGann video of the series they made about it in the 's. I've got a copy of the book too if you want it mate.

 

Countryman....Ibsen was Norwegian, not Russian. My favourite author ever was a fellow Norwegian...Knut Hamsun. His novel "Growth of the Soil" is a masterpiece.

[Guest JOEB]

My goodness, this site is getting very cultured ........I am starting to feel very out of place

J

[Guest nitevision]

I've read that book nitevision...it's called "The Monocled Mutineer"

 

It's about Percy Topliss and the mutiny that was suppressed behind the lines in 1917. The army strove to eradicate it from the records but it came out much later. Old Percy was royally f****d over and finally shot in Penrith I think. I've got the Paul McGann video of the series they made about it in the 's. I've got a copy of the book too if you want it mate.

 

Countryman....Ibsen was Norwegian, not Russian. My favourite author ever was a fellow Norwegian...Knut Hamsun. His novel "Growth of the Soil" is a masterpiece.

stabs,well done mate,iv been wracking my brains to remember percys name,i will try to get my own copy,if i cant then i will be pm-ing you for a borrow.