Katyn Massacre

by Louis FitzGibbon

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0552104558
• ISBN13: 9780552104555
• Release Date: December 1977
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 2.30 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Contains Unique Information, and Names of All Identified Katyn Victims

This British author criticizes the British government for its spirit of appeasement towards the Soviets, one that has long outlived WWII-related necessities. (Review based upon 1971 edition). He also has a good grasp of Polish history. For instance, he quotes Ulster historian Lecky, who referred to the 18th-century Partitions of Poland as "the worst international crime that had been committed up to that date." (p. 192). While dismissing Stalin's silly and transparent mendacity about the Polish officers having all escaped to Manchuria, he nevertheless notes: "During the second world war, Poles have achieved a certain measure of renown for their skill in slipping across frontiers, for moving about in enemy-occupied territory, and for escaping from prisons and camps." (p. 171). This work includes the 1950 proclamation by General Wladyslaw Anders on the 10th anniversary of the Katyn Massacre. (p. 185-on). Interestingly, Stalin's daughter, Svetlana Alleluyeva, recognized the fact that Katyn was the deed of the Soviets. (p. 184). This book is unusual in that it provides a lot of descriptive statistics on the crime. The dimensions of the graves are given (p. 141), as are the number of victims according to ranks of all identified military personnel among the murdered (pp. 15-16, p. 138). It is obvious that there were many educated people of all kinds among the victims, including university professors. Poland clearly was deprived of the cream of her society. Approximately 70% of the 4,130 exhumed Katyn victims were identified by name (p. 182), and these names are listed. (pp. 214-276).