Publisher Description

In this absorbing new history of the 'Galicia' Division, David McCormack debunks many of the myths that have resulted in enduring controversies amongst the public, the mainstream media, academics, and politicians. 'The Galicia Division 1943-45 : Just Ordinary Soldiers?' provides an objective appraisal of the Ukrainian volunteers and conscripts that have been described as both heroes and villains in equal measure. What were the circumstances that led thousands of Ukrainians to volunteer to fight in Hitler's crusade against Bolshevism in 1943? Why did coercion replace incentivisation as a means of recruitment in 1944? Why was a decision made by the British authorities to ignore Stalin's demands for the repatriation of the division in 1945? Did the long established German military doctrine of 'absolute destruction' provide the foundations for accusations of war crimes against the division? How can the recent fetishisation of the division by Ukrainian nationalists be explained?

Author Biography

David McCormack had a long career in health and social care before enrolling as a mature student at the University of Salford in 2006. He graduated with first-class honours in contemporary military and international history in 2009 and the following year was awarded a post graduate diploma in museum management. Since then, David has worked as a private tutor and as a battlefield/historical guide with a number of tour operators. David is married, and since 2017 has lived in Bournemouth, Dorset.

Table of Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements; Glossary of German Ranks; Ukrainian Political and Military Resistance Movements; Introduction; 1 Casting Long Shadows: German Military Culture and the Practices of War 1870–1945;2 The Wild East: The Massacre of Jews in L'viv and the Crushing of Ukrainian Nationalist Aspirations in Galicia; 3 A Matter of Expediency: The Formation of the Galician Division; 4 'Brother Against Brother': Anti-Partisan Operations in the Lublin District of the Generalgouvernement ; 5 A Baptism of Fire: The Battle of Brody; 6 Learning to Eat Soup With a Knife: The Role of the Galician Division in the Suppression of the Slovak National Uprising; 7 A Deadly Embrace: Fighting Tito's Partisans in Slovenia; 8 Holding the Line: The Stabilisation of the Front in Austria; 9 An Uncertain Future: Capitulation and Internment; 10 Guilty by Association?: The Galician Division's Trial by the Media; Epilogue; Bibliography.

Long Description

In this absorbing new history of the 'Galicia' Division, David McCormack debunks many of the myths that have resulted in enduring controversies amongst the public, the mainstream media, academics, and politicians. 'The Galicia Division 1943-45 : Just Ordinary Soldiers?' provides an objective appraisal of the Ukrainian volunteers and conscripts that have been described as both heroes and villains in equal measure. What were the circumstances that led thousands of Ukrainians to volunteer to fight in Hitler's crusade against Bolshevism in 1943? Why did coercion replace incentivisation as a means of recruitment in 1944? Why was a decision made by the British authorities to ignore Stalin's demands for the repatriation of the division in 1945? Did the long established German military doctrine of 'absolute destruction' provide the foundations for accusations of war crimes against the division? How can the recent fetishisation of the division by Ukrainian nationalists be explained?

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