World Battlefronts: BATTLE OF RUSSIA: The Face of Disaster

Early one morning last week some 70 haggard German soldiers climbed out of a sand pit on the edge of Minsk's ancient Jewish cemetery, whose gravestones glared at them in silent reproach. The Red armies had overrun Minsk four days before, and were now rolling on far to the west, but the 70 Germans did not know that. They thought Minsk was still held by the Wehrmucht. When they started into the city, the Russian garrison mowed them down to the last man.

This ill-fated detachment had been sent out to reconnoiter for...

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