In good works about the war, military battles and great battles are not only talented and truthfully described. Truly deep stories about the war, which are shown through the perception of them by man, whether it be Andrei Bolkonsky, Grigory Melekhov or Andrei Sokolov. How these people relate to war, what they think and do.
Roman A. Tolstoy's "War and Peace"
The book describes the Patriotic War of 1812, as well as the events preceding it: the secular life of Russian high society and military operations of 1805-1807.
One of the main characters of the book, Prince Andrei Bolkonsky. He is rich, superbly educated, an enviable groom. But social life is boring to him. He dreams of glory, no less than that of Napoleon, or Kutuzov. And so he wants to go to war to become famous.
But in the battle of Austerlitz, he realizes that war is a dirty and inhuman affair. The moment he was wounded, he lies on the ground, and looking at the high sky, he realizes how insignificant the glory of Kutuzov or Napoleon is.
The battle of Borodino was the culmination in the life of Andrei Bolkonsky. In this battle, he was mortally wounded in the head, and he suddenly realized that he did not hate the enemy, that compassion and love for all people were the main commandments that were worth living.
Roman Mikhail Sholokhov "Quiet Don"
The book describes the life of the Don Cossacks against the backdrop of the civil and World War I.
Since childhood, these people are used to working hard, growing bread, caring for horses. Revered elders in the family, respected traditions.
The First World War began and the Cossacks were urged to fight for Tsarist Russia. Atamans sent the best warriors. Grigory Melekhov - the main character in the book, also went to fight against the Germans.
A little later, a revolution took place in Russia, the tsarist regime was overthrown, and it became unclear who should be fought for. Gregory, along with other Cossacks, returned home. And in the village it’s restless: more and more different people come to it, and the “Bolsheviks” call them to fight against the power.
But in the same village there are Cossacks who like this power, because the "Bolsheviks" promise freedom, independence, and land.
There is a split among the Cossack clans. Some go to fight for the new "red" power, while others for royal power, for the "whites". And Grigory Melekhov, by virtue of circumstances, is first on one side of the warring, then on the other.
It comes to the fact that the brother is fighting against the brother, the son - against the father. And Gregory sincerely tries to figure out who is right. How to be and what to do. And after a while, becoming an outcast for everyone, he tries to escape in order to save his own life, as well as the life of his beloved woman.
The story of Vasil Bykov "Sotnikov"
During World War II, two soldiers of the Soviet army were captured. Both hated the Germans, but one of them, Sotnikov, tried, at the cost of his own life, to save the innocent villagers whom the Germans had sentenced to death for harboring partisans. And another fighter with the surname Rybak, decided to get out to the last.
He longed to live, and therefore agreed to cooperate with the Germans. When the convicts were brought to execution, Rybak put a noose around Sotnikov’s neck in front of the villagers and knocked out support from under his feet.
And after Fisherman was ordered to stand in line with the police together. He hates them as much as the rest of the Nazis. But he understands that there is no turning back. And the unfortunate man at a crossroads: either die now, or continue to kill people for whom he fought yesterday.
