Analysis and summary of the "Hot Snow" Bondarev

Soviet writer Yuri Bondarev belongs to the glorious galaxy of war veterans who survived the war, reflected its essence in bright and integral novels. The authors took their characters from real life. And the events that we perceive peacefully from the book pages quietly, for them happened firsthand. The summary of "Hot snow", for example, is the horror of bombing, and the whistle of stray bullets, and frontal tank and infantry attacks. Even now, reading about this, an ordinary peaceful person plunges into the abyss of the gloomy and terrible events of that time.

Front-line writer

Bondarev is one of the recognized masters of this genre. When you read the works of such authors, one wonders the realism of the lines that reflect the various aspects of a difficult military life. After all, he himself went through a difficult front-line path, starting it at Stalingrad and finishing in Czechoslovakia. Therefore, novels and make such a strong impression. They amaze with the brightness and truthfulness of the plot.

One of the bright, emotional works that Bondarev created, "Hot Snow", just tells us about such simple, but immutable truths. The very title of the story speaks volumes. In nature, there is no hot snow, it melts under the sun's rays. However, in the work he is hot from the shed blood in heavy battles, from the number of bullets and splinters that fly into brave fighters, from the intolerable hatred of Soviet soldiers of any rank (from the rank and file to the marshal) to the German invaders. Bondarev created such an amazing image.

The war is not just a fight

The story "Hot Snow" (the summary, of course, does not convey all the liveliness of the style and tragedy of the plot) gives some answers to the moral and psychological literary lines begun in the author's earlier works, such as "Battalions Ask for Fire" and "The Last Salvoes."

Like no other, telling the cruel truth about that war, does not forget about the manifestation of ordinary human feelings and emotions Bondarev. "Hot snow" (the analysis of his images surprises by the lack of categoricalness) is just an example of such a combination of black and white. Despite the tragedy of military events, Bondarev makes it clear to the reader that even in war there are quite peaceful feelings of love, friendship, elementary human dislike, stupidity and betrayal.

Fierce fighting near Stalingrad

Retell the short content of "Hot Snow" is quite difficult. The action of the story takes place at Stalingrad, a city where the Red Army broke the back of the German Wehrmacht in fierce battles. A little to the south of the blocked 6th Army Paulus, the Soviet command creates a powerful line of defense. The artillery barrier and the infantry attached to it should stop the tank divisions of another "strategist" - Manstein, that are tearing to the rescue of Paulus.

As is known from the history of the Great Patriotic War, Paulus was the creator and inspirer of the infamous Barbarossa plan. And for understandable reasons Hitler could not allow an entire army, moreover, headed by one of the best theorists of the German General Staff, to be surrounded. Therefore, the enemy spared no effort and no means to penetrate for the 6th Army an operational passage from the encirclement created by the Soviet troops.

Bondarev wrote about these events. "Hot snow" tells about battles on a tiny patch of land, which, according to Soviet intelligence, has become "tank-dangerous". There must be a battle, which, perhaps, will decide the outcome of the battle on the Volga.

Lieutenants Drozdovsky and Kuznetsov

The task of blocking the tank columns of the enemy is given to the army under the command of Lieutenant-General Bessonov. It is in its composition includes the artillery unit described in the story, which is commanded by Lieutenant Drozdovsky. Even the brief content of "Hot snow" can not be left without a description of the image of a young commander who just received an officer's rank. It should be mentioned that Drozdovsky was in good standing even at the school. Disciplines were given easily, and his appearance and natural military bearing were amused by the sight of any combatant commander.

The school was located in Aktobe, where Drozdovsky went directly to the front. Along with him, another graduate of the Aktobe artillery school, Lieutenant Kuznetsov, was assigned to one unit. By coincidence, Kuznetsov received the platoon of the battery commanded by Lieutenant Drozdovsky. Surprised at the vicissitudes of military fate, Lieutenant Kuznetsov judged philosophically - the career is just beginning, and this is not his last destination. It would seem, what kind of career, when the war is around? But even such thoughts were visited by people who became prototypes of the heroes of the story "Hot Snow".

The summary should be supplemented by the fact that Drozdovsky immediately placed the dots over the "and": he was not going to recall the cadet time, where both lieutenants were equal. Here he is the battery commander, and Kuznetsov is his subordinate. At first he reacted calmly to such vital metamorphoses, Kuznetsov began to murmur softly. He does not like some of Drozdovsky's orders, but it is known that it is forbidden to discuss orders in the army, and therefore the young officer has to reconcile himself to the current state of affairs. Part of this irritation was aroused by the obvious attention to the commander of the medical order Zoya, who at heart liked Kuznetsov himself.

Multi-coat team

Focusing on the problems of his platoon, the young officer completely dissolves in them, studying the people he was to command. The people in the platoon of Kuznetsov got mixed up. What images did Bondarev describe? "Hot snow", the summary of which does not convey all the subtleties, describes in detail the stories of the fighters.

For example, Sergeant Ukhanov also studied at the Aktobe artillery school, but because of a stupid misunderstanding he did not receive an officer's rank. On his arrival in the unit, Drozdovsky began to treat him with a low regard, considering him unworthy of the title of Soviet commander. And Lieutenant Kuznetsov, on the contrary, perceived Ukhanov as an equal, perhaps because of petty vengeance to Drozdovsky, or perhaps because Ukhanov was indeed a good artilleryman.

Another subordinate Kuznetsov, Private Chibisov, had already a rather sad combat experience. Part where he served, was surrounded, and the soldier himself was captured. And his enthusiastic optimism was amused by the gunner Nechayev, a former sailor from Vladivostok.

Tank strike

While the battery moved to the appointed line, and its fighters got acquainted and rubbed against each other, strategically the situation on the front changed dramatically. This is how the events in the story "Hot Snow" develop. The summary of Manstein's operation for the release of the jammed in the environment of the 6th Army can be described as follows: a concentrated tank attack by the back of the two Soviet armies. The fascist command entrusted this task to Colonel-General Goth, the master of tank breakthroughs. The operation bore a loud name - "Winter storm".

The blow was unexpected and therefore quite successful. The tanks entered the butt of two armies and deepened into Soviet defensive systems for 15 km. General Bessonov receives a direct order to localize the breakthrough in order to prevent the tanks from escaping to operational scope. For this, the army of Bessonov is strengthened with a tank corps, letting the commander know that this is the last reserve of the Stavka.

The Last Frontier

The border to which Drozdovsky's battery was nominated was the last. It is here that the main events will occur, about which the work "Hot Snow" is written. Arriving at the place, the lieutenant receives an order to dig in and prepare to repel a possible tank attack.

The commander understands that Drozdovsky's reinforced battery is doomed. Settled by the more optimistic divisional commissioner Vesnin does not agree with the general. He believes that thanks to the high fighting spirit of the Soviet soldiers stand. Between the officers there is a dispute, as a result of which Vesnin is sent to the front to encourage the soldiers preparing for battle. The old general does not trust Vesnin very much, believing in his heart that he is superfluous at the KP. But he has no time to conduct a psychological analysis.

"Hot snow" continues with the fact that the battle on the battery began with a massive raid of bombers. The first time falling under bombs, most of the fighters are afraid, including Lieutenant Kuznetsov. However, pulling himself together, he realizes that this is only a prelude. Very soon he and Lieutenant Drozdovsky will have to apply all the knowledge that was given to them in the school, in practice.

Heroic efforts

Soon there were German tanks and self-propelled guns. Kuznetsov with his platoon bravely takes the fight. He is afraid of death, but at the same time he dislikes her. Even the short content of "Hot snow" allows us to understand the tragedy of the situation. Shells for the projectile fighter tanks sent to their enemies. However, the forces were not equal. After some time from the entire battery there was only one serviceable gun and a handful of fighters, among whom were both officers and Ukhanov.

Shells became less and less, and the soldiers began to use a bunch of anti-tank grenades. When attempting to undermine a German self-propelled gun, the young Sergunenkov perishes, fulfilling Drozdovsky's order. Kuznetsov, in the fever of battle, having thrown back the subordination, accuses him of the senseless death of the fighter. Drozdovsky himself takes a grenade, trying to prove that he is not a coward. However, Kuznetsov restrains him.

And even in conflict conflicts

What does Bondarev further write about? The "hot snow", the brief content of which we present in the article, continues with the breakthrough of German tanks through the battery of Drozdovsky. Bessonov, seeing the desperate situation of the entire division of Colonel Deev, is in no hurry to bring his tank reserve into battle. He does not know whether the Germans used their reserves.

And the battery was still fighting. Zoya's medical orderly is dying senselessly. This makes a very strong impression on Lieutenant Kuznetsov, and he again accuses Drozdovsky of the stupidity of his orders. And the surviving fighters try to get hold of ammunition on the battlefield. Lieutenants, using relative calm, organize assistance to the wounded and prepare for new battles.

Tank reserve

Just at this moment, the long-awaited reconnaissance returns, which confirms that the Germans have brought all the reserves into battle. The soldiers are sent to the observation post of General Bessonov. The commander, having received this information, orders to put into battle his last reserve - the tank corps. To speed up his exit, towards the unit, he sends Deeva, but he, having rushed at the German infantry, dies with a weapon in his hands.

The tank corps was a complete surprise to Goth, as a result of which the breakthrough of the German forces was localized. Moreover, Bessonov receives an order to develop success. The strategic plan was a success. The Germans pulled all the reserves to the place of operation "Winter Thunderstorm" and they were lost.

Awards for Heroes

Watching with his NP for a tank attack, Bessonov is surprised to notice a single gun, which also fires on German tanks. The general is shocked. Not believing his eyes, he gets all the awards from the safe and together with the adjutant goes to the position of the destroyed battery Drozdovsky. "Hot snow" - a novel about the unconditional masculinity and heroism of people. The fact that regardless of their regalia and ranks, a person must fulfill his duty, not caring about rewards, especially since they themselves find heroes.

Bessonov is struck by the fortitude of a handful of people. Their faces were smoked and burnt. Signs of distinction is not visible. The commandant silently took the orders of the Red Banner and distributed to all the survivors. Kuznetsov, Drozdovsky, Chibisov, Ukhanov and an unknown soldier received high awards.