Partisan's Companion: Deadly Techniques of Soviet Freedom Fights During World War II Paperback – January 1, 2005

If you are looking for a basic survival or guerilla-warfare manual, this may not be the best, most straight-forward option given it's age. But as a wonderful slice of a primary historic resource, written during the dark early days of the USSR's Great Patriotic Struggle, it's a real gem of a book, a must read for any WW2 history buff. This is the translated manual issued to partisan commanders that were literally parachuted (or stuck) behind enemy lines, giving the commander all of the basic knowledge he needs to lead an effective band of resistance against the Nazis occupying western Russia just after Operation Barbarossa had reached it's zenith. Once you get past the usual Soviet propaganda at the beginning of the book, it settles down into a very useful how-to manual, giving you instructions on how to best hit back at the Nazis, how to use and maintain the various weapons that may be at your disposal (their's AND the German's), and how to survive in the wilderness by your own means as you continue to be a thorn in the side of the Nazi occupiers. Some would argue that many of these techniques are just as applicable now, although in hindsight, it's clearly obvious that many of the preferred targets for these partisans (phone lines, train tracks and tressles, etc.) would no longer be pertinent in a modern-day occupation (I guess by the North Koreans, if you believe the "Red Dawn" remake scenario). But it's still a very interesting read, and I find myself re-reading it often as I work on my Russian/Soviet history timelines and videos. And it's the perfect little gift for that Comrade you love so much LOL

I purchased this book because I wanted to learn about the way the partisans fought behind the German lines on the Eastern Front during WW2. Lots of them would have been soldiers who'd been cut off or escaped during Barbarossa. Others would have been ordinary civilians, peasants who joined in the fight against the Nazi invader. Jews had their own brigades, like the famous Bielski brothers who combined rescue with warfare. They all had to learn a special new set of skills and survival techniques.Stalin quickly recognised the value of these guerilla bands and so lots of resources were put their way to help them harass the Germans who hated them bitterly, including this little gem of a book. It's a field manual written in a surprisingly intimate and chatty style as it genuinely tries to provide all sorts of practical advice from weapons to explosives to surviving in harsh terrain and performing first aid. The books tone reminded me that all the people involved in that titanic conflict were ordinary human beings, trying to defend their Motherland against a brutal invasion.I would recommend this book to anyone who is, like me, a WW2 history buff, and has a special interest in the war on the Eastern Front which has always, in my opinion, been a neglected area.

I've enjoyed studying military history, especially unconvential warfare, since I was a kid. I saw this advertised in the Paladin Press and it piqued my curiosity so I looked it up on Amazon (at a lower price). Although some of the techniques illustrated were a bit dated it is nevertheless an interesting insight into the Soviet mindset regarding guerrilla warfare during World War II. Boobytraps, disrupting enemy communications, improvised pyrotechnics, first aid, camoflage, tactics, and much more are here clearly illustrated page after page, kind of like an instructional comic book for freedom fighters.If you want to get in touch with your inner partisan this small book is for you.

While dated it can provide a solid insight into the state of guerrilla warfare during WW2. Some of the sections aren't really relevant anymore due to the age of the book, that is unless you're looking for DP-28 machinegun instructions. For the pricepoint its a good book to toss on your shelf.

Dated information in some extent - but then dated concepts may all that one ends up with in certain situations. VG for the collector and okay for one who may find a need for it sometime (just like older books of the same ilk).

Just what I was looking for.

A very informative book!

The bookbuilds on the citizen's training from the young to the old. Every Great Patriot should own one.

This is a faithful reproduction of some war time literature of the sort that's become popular more recently like  The British Home Guard Pocket-Book  or  The Home Guard Manual  and in many respects it is a similar book to each of these, although its content means that it would resemble some of the SOE productions like  The Secret Agent's Pocket Manual: 1939-1945  or  Guerrilla Warfare (Penguin Special) .The content consists of a great many line drawings like that on the cover, some scratchy reproductions of schematics of grenades or weapons and other illustrations (singles, campfire construction etc.), the written content is broken into short passages, paragraphs and is divided between bold type set and regular type, there is also a political orientation in the introduction and a publisher's preface (these are reproduced from the original and are not facsimile copy, probably because the original was not in english).The book's contents break down as follows: The Tactics of Partisan Warfare; Weapons (including chapters on Mosin Nagant, TZ-8 and TOZ-9, Tokarev Rifle, Handgrenades, 1940 PPD, 1941 PPSh Submachine Gun, DP Light Machine Gun, Model 1938 and 1940 Company Mortars); Hand-To-Hand Combat; Destroy Enemy Tanks!; Sapper Work; Patrolling; Reconnaissance; Camouflage; Land Navigation; How to Render First Aid; Life in the Snow; Fighting on Skis; How to Preserve Foodstuffs.Of its kind this is one of the better examples of war time partisan or fighting literature there is, it certainly doesnt pull any punches and some of the content is pretty gritty (such as a picture depicting a German soldier on a motor bike driving into a wire strung across a road at head height), infact it is a mix of this and boys own scouting guy. It is mainly of historical value although there is a publisher's warning that it is only intended for academic and historical research before their preface just to make the point. The introduction itself, the only real political content in the book is interesting but of the old fashioned gramaphone "socialist motherland needs fighters" variety. The British Home Guard Pocket-BookThe Home Guard ManualThe Secret Agent's Pocket Manual: 1939-1945Guerrilla Warfare (Penguin Special)

As a Soviet reenactor, this kind of book instantly appeals. It's even made me consider setting up an Eastern Front partisan unit!

100%