Commandos from the Sea: Soviet Naval Spetsnaz in World War II (Naval Institute Special Warfare) [Hardcover]

Yurly Fedorovich Strekhnin (Author), Yuriy F. Strekhnin (Author), James F. Gebhardt (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Naval Institute Special Warfare | Publication Date: October 1996

The story of the Eastern Bloc's toughest, best-trained commandos.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Russian

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: US Naval Institute Press; First edition (October 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557508321
• ISBN-13: 978-1557508324
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #783,200 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything you wanted to know about WWII Soviet commandos, June 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Commandos from the Sea: Soviet Naval Spetsnaz in World War II (Naval Institute Special Warfare) (Hardcover)

This is a pretty good book since it provides a good description of what Soviet commandos actually did during World War II. If you can get by some of the European-style bravado and the Communist titles, such as Hero of the Army, and that sort of thing, the book is worth reading and provides valuable insight into the work of these people.

Essentially, this book covers the Soviet commandos (all sailors) on the Danube River in areas largely occupied by the retreating Germans and in the Crimea area during the time the Germans held control there.

The book is broken up into short "adventures" or missions, each of which is exciting enough to keep the reader glued to the pages. Some of the missions are incredible but yet believable since they do make sense. What these commandos do, or did, is somewhat like the work of U.S. Navy Seals.

The book is a translation, so it does have a stilted tone to it; however, the narrations are so well done descriptively, that you get the impression it must be a beautiful work in Russian. And it probably is.

The book is easy reading, very revealing, and exciting. The characters are very real and act in a Euro-macho manner, making the reader chuckle at times at their naivete.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Commandos from the Sea, January 19, 2007

By 

Eric Hansen (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Commandos from the Sea: Soviet Naval Spetsnaz in World War II (Naval Institute Special Warfare) (Hardcover)

Uniquely detailed and accurate insight into the operations of the scouts of the black sea fleet and the Danube flotilla. Invaluable for those interested in the subject.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a bad book but rather dry...., September 8, 2011

By 

Kiwi (Mississauga, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Commandos from the Sea: Soviet Naval Spetsnaz in World War II (Naval Institute Special Warfare) (Hardcover)

ThorBjorn, agree with your review here - it covers the scouts of the black sea fleet and the Danube flotilla rather dryly. I liked Blood on the Shores rather better. The translator, James F. Gebhardt, also wrote a really good short book on the Soviet attack into northern Norway at the end of WW2 - The Petsamo-Kirkenes Operation: Soviet Breakthrough and Pursuit in the Arctic, October 1944 as well as having translated numerous other books from Russian.

Cheers.......Cankiwi