A Communist, a Patriot, a Soldier

Marshal of the Soviet Union Sergei Fyodorovich Akhromeyev was my friend. His death last week by his own hand was a tragedy that mirrors the convulsions racking the Soviet Union. He was a communist, a patriot and a soldier, and my guess is that he would have listed his affiliations in that order. His entire life was spent in the service of the motherland and the party, beginning in 1940 when he enlisted in the army. World War II left an indelible stamp on him. Close to 80% of Soviet men born in 1923, the year of his birth, did not...

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