A Dance With Death: Soviet Airwomen in World War II (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Noggle, a U.S. Women's Airforce Service Pilot during WWII, traveled to Russia several times between 1990 and 1992 to record the reminiscences of 69 Soviet women airforce veterans. Trained as combat pilots, mechanics, navigators and ground crews after Stalin ordered the formation of three all-female air regiments in 1941, their mission was primarily defensive. A number of them became aces-i.e., they shot down five or more enemy planes. This was the first instance of widespread employment of women in combat by a major power. The women talk about their reasons for joining, the extremely rigorous training and harsh living conditions, the way the Soviet military system dealt with them collectively and individually and the role they played in tactical operations. There is plenty of adventure, emotion and drama in these pages, and readers will note that the experiences of these women were hardly different from those of their male counterparts. Noggle writes movingly of the continuing friendships among the survivors (about 100 are still alive) and their twice-yearly meetings in Moscow for a vodka-fueled, sisterly celebration. Most moving of all: the noble photos taken by Noggle of these veterans in old age.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"... the compelling narratives in A Dance with Death are equally valuable as history and as testimony to the extraordinary performance of women under the greatest stress imaginable." - New York Times Book Review --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 318 pages
• Publisher: Texas A&M University Press; 1st edition (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 089096601X
• ISBN-13: 978-0890966013
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #137,540 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Veterans remember, May 13, 2000

By	Chapulina R (Tovarischi Imports, USA/RUS) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

In this excellent book, surviving Soviet veterans of World War ll are interviewed about their service in the Red Air Force. Not only pilots and navigators, but gunners and ground crew also, relate their experiences of what is commemorated in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. Ms. Noggles'recent photos (taken in the early 1990's) contrast poignantly with the black-and-white photos, taken over half a century ago, of the young airwomen in uniform. I highly recommend this book. Read about the courage and sacrifice of these aviators, and the horrific circumstances and conditions which they endured, and remember that these were perfectly ordinary young Soviet women. Some had personally experienced Stalinist oppression, but when their country's existence was threatened, they all voluntarily joined in her defense.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Testimonials of female Soviet combat pilot in WWII, March 22, 1998

By	Chris Mahan ([e-mail]) (Los Angeles, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This book touched me.

This book is well-written, informative, clear. These accounts of bravery are honest, heartfelt, and depict perfectly the little-known women who flew bomber and fighter combat mission against Luftwaffe aces. They overcame criticism and doubts by their superiors. They fought during terrible winters, suffocating summers, with bare necessities and strict military discipline. They lived, chatted, loved, and died, caught in the largest-scale military conflict in history, and survived, as heroes, as reminders to us all that under incredible odds and the most adverse circumstances, the human spirit rises to the occasion and overcomes.

I will read this book many times.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars very good book, October 31, 2001

By	zhenya (Los Angeles CA USA) - See all my reviews

I loved this book about the brave women who fought in world war 2. Not many people had known that women flew in combat so long ago. This book will make the readers see what it was like when everybody had to fight. These women are heroines. I like the photos of the women in their old age with all their medals. They look like anybodies Grandmother! I would be proud to know them. This book makes me feel like I do.