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'''Viktor Suvorov''' ({{lang-ru|Ви́ктор Суво́ров}}) is the [[pen name]] for '''Vladimir Bogdanovich Rezun''' ({{lang-ru|Влади́мир Богда́нович Резу́н}}, {{lang-uk|Volodymyr Bohdanovych Rizun, Володимир Богданович Різун}}) (born April 20, 1947 in [[Primorsky Krai]]), a former Soviet and now British writer of Russian and Ukrainian descent who writes primarily in Russian, as well as a former [[GRU|Soviet military intelligence]] spy who defected to the UK. Suvorov made his name writing books about history of [[World War II]], the [[Soviet Army]], [[GRU]], and [[Spetsnaz]].
'''Viktor Suvorov''' ({{lang-ru|Ви́ктор Суво́ров}}) is the [[pen name]] for '''Vladimir Bogdanovich Rezun''' ({{lang-ru|Влади́мир Богда́нович Резу́н}}, {{lang-uk|Volodymyr Bohdanovych Rizun, Володимир Богданович Різун}}) (born April 20, 1947 in [[Primorsky Krai]]), a former Soviet and now British writer of Russian and Ukrainian descent who writes primarily in Russian, as well as a former [[GRU|Soviet military intelligence]] spy who defected to the UK. Suvorov made his name writing books about history of the [[Soviet Army]], [[GRU]], and [[Spetsnaz]], but it was the ''Icebreaker'' about role of the [[Soviet Union]] in [[World War II]] that spurred considerable debate and controversy.


==Biography==
==Biography==
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{{Main|Soviet offensive plans controversy}}
{{Main|Soviet offensive plans controversy}}


Suvorov wrote many books about about the outbreak of the Nazi-Soviet War in 1941 and circumstances that led to it. The first such work was ''[[Icebreaker (Suvorov)|Icebreaker]]'', with many others to follow. Suvorov's most provocative idea was that [[Stalin]] had planned to use [[Nazi Germany]] as a proxy (the “Icebreaker”) against the West. For this reason Stalin had provided significant material and political support to [[Adolf Hitler]], and at the same time was preparing the [[Red Army]] to “liberate” the whole of [[Europe]] from Nazi occupation. Suvorov argued that Hitler had lost [[World War II]] from the very moment he attacked [[Poland]], because not only was he going to war with the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]], it was only a matter of time before the [[Soviet Union]] would attack him from his rear at the most appropriate moment. This left Hitler with no other choice but to launch [[Operation Barbarossa|a preemptive strike on the Soviet Union]] while Stalin's forces had redeployed from a defensive to an offensive posture, providing Hitler with an important initial tactical advantage. But this was strategically hopeless since the [[Germans]] now had to fight on two fronts, a mistake Hitler himself had identified as Germany's undoing in the previous war. In the end therefore, Stalin was able to achieve some of his objectives by establishing Communist regimes in [[Eastern Europe]], [[China]], and [[North Korea]]. According to Suvorov, this made Stalin the primary winner of World War II.
Suvorov wrote many books about about the outbreak of the Nazi-Soviet War in 1941 and circumstances that led to it. The first such work was ''[[Icebreaker (Suvorov)|Icebreaker]]'', with many others to follow. Suvorov's provocative idea is that [[Joseph Stalin]] originally planned to use [[Nazi Germany]] as a proxy (the “Icebreaker”) against the West. For this reason Stalin provided material and political support to [[Adolf Hitler]], while at the same time preparing his [[Red Army]] for an offensive against Nazi Germany and further against the entire Western Europe. Suvorov argued that Hitler had no choice but to direct a unexpected preemptive strike at the Soviet Union, what we know today as [[Operation Barbarossa]]. In the end, Stalin was able to achieve some of his objectives by establishing Communist regimes in [[Eastern Europe]] and [[Asia]]. However this victory according to Suvorov was unsatisfying to Stalin, as he intended to bring Soviet domination to the whole Europe.

Suvorov's assertions remain a matter of debate among historians, and the final result of the debate is not yet clear. See [[Soviet offensive plans controversy]] for details on the debate.
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In some countries, particularly in Russia, Germany and Israel, Suvorov's controversial theses have jumped the bounds of academic discourse and captured the public imagination.<ref name="undricks">Teddy J. Uldricks. The Icebreaker Controversy: Did Stalin Plan to Attack Hitler? ''Slavic Review'', Vol. 58, No. 3 (Autumn, 1999), pp. 626-643</ref>


=== Fictional books ===
=== Fictional books ===

Revision as of 10:17, 6 July 2011

Vladimir Bogdanovich Rezun
Notable worksAquarium, Icebreaker

Viktor Suvorov (Russian: Ви́ктор Суво́ров) is the pen name for Vladimir Bogdanovich Rezun (Russian: Влади́мир Богда́нович Резу́н, Ukrainian: Volodymyr Bohdanovych Rizun, Володимир Богданович Різун) (born April 20, 1947 in Primorsky Krai), a former Soviet and now British writer of Russian and Ukrainian descent who writes primarily in Russian, as well as a former Soviet military intelligence spy who defected to the UK. Suvorov made his name writing books about history of the Soviet Army, GRU, and Spetsnaz, but it was the Icebreaker about role of the Soviet Union in World War II that spurred considerable debate and controversy.

Biography

Suvorov began his service in the Soviet Army's 41st Guards Tank Division,[1] and worked in Soviet military intelligence[citation needed] (GRU) before defecting to the United Kingdom in 1978, where he worked as an intelligence analyst and lecturer. At the time he was working in Geneva, Switzerland under United Nations cover. Rezun was smuggled out of the country to England with his wife and two young children. A career soldier, he had participated in the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and had later supervised the training of the elite Spetsnaz special forces. He had also undertaken missions in Munich, Rome, Basel, Amsterdam, Vienna and Hamburg.[2]

Publications and ideas

Books about the Cold War era

Suvorov has written several books about his Soviet Army experiences and also joined the team led by the British General Sir John Hackett in writing the book The Third World War: The Untold Story.[3] Published in 1982, this book was the sequel to the 1978 original The Third World War,[4] in which Hackett and his team had speculated about the possible course of a Soviet/NATO war in Germany.

Suvorov made his name writing books about the contemporary Soviet Army, GRU, and Spetsnaz (Soviet Army's special forces). His publications included Aquarium, GRU, and The Liberators.

Historical works about the World War II

Main article: Soviet offensive plans controversy

Suvorov wrote many books about about the outbreak of the Nazi-Soviet War in 1941 and circumstances that led to it. The first such work was Icebreaker, with many others to follow. Suvorov's provocative idea is that Joseph Stalin originally planned to use Nazi Germany as a proxy (the “Icebreaker”) against the West. For this reason Stalin provided material and political support to Adolf Hitler, while at the same time preparing his Red Army for an offensive against Nazi Germany and further against the entire Western Europe. Suvorov argued that Hitler had no choice but to direct a unexpected preemptive strike at the Soviet Union, what we know today as Operation Barbarossa. In the end, Stalin was able to achieve some of his objectives by establishing Communist regimes in Eastern Europe and Asia. However this victory according to Suvorov was unsatisfying to Stalin, as he intended to bring Soviet domination to the whole Europe.

Suvorov's assertions remain a matter of debate among historians, and the final result of the debate is not yet clear. See Soviet offensive plans controversy for details on the debate.

In some countries, particularly in Russia, Germany and Israel, Suvorov's controversial theses have jumped the bounds of academic discourse and captured the public imagination.[5]

Fictional books

Suvorov wrote some fiction set in World War II era in the Soviet Union.

See also

Bibliography

Books by Viktor Suvorov

About Cold War era Soviet Union

The series about the outbreak of the Nazi-Soviet War

About the Soviet historical figures

  • Shadow of Victory (Тень победы), questions the image of Georgy Zhukov. The first book of trilogy with the same name.
  • I Take My Words Back (Беру Свои Слова Обратно), questions the image of Georgy Zhukov. The second book of "Shadow of Victory" trilogy.
  • Cleansing (Очищение). Why did Stalin behead his army?, Moscow, 2002, ISBN 5-17-009254-7

Fiction

References

  1. ^ Isby, D.C., Ten million bayonets: inside the armies of the Soviet Union, Arms and Armour Press, London, 1988 p.15, Isby
  2. ^ Sir Dick Franks. Saboteur with the Special Operations Executive who went on to become Chief of MI6 during the Cold War – Obituary, published by Daily Telegraph on October 19, 2008
  3. ^ The Third World War: The Untold Story ISBN 0-283-98863-0
  4. ^ The Third World War ISBN 0-425-04477-7
  5. ^ Teddy J. Uldricks. The Icebreaker Controversy: Did Stalin Plan to Attack Hitler? Slavic Review, Vol. 58, No. 3 (Autumn, 1999), pp. 626-643

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