Alexander Matrosov

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Illustration of Alexander Matrosov
Illustration of Alexander Matrosov
Monument To Alexander Matrosov
Monument To Alexander Matrosov

Alexander Matveyevich Matrosov (Александр Матвеевич Матросов) (1924-1943) was a famous Soviet infantry soldier during World War II.

According to Soviet propaganda, on 22 February 1943, in the battle for the village of Chernushki near Pskov, Matrosov threw himself onto a German pill-box, blocking the machine-gun with his own body, to allow his unit to advance. For his self-sacrifice in battle, Matrosov was posthumously awarded the distinction Hero of the Soviet Union. In fact, Matrosov had been dragged in front of the post by the Germans when he tried to push down the barrel of the gun after having crawled up above hole; [1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ M. J. Broekmeyer, Stalin, the Russians, and Their War: 1941-1945, Univ of Wisconsin Press, 2004, ISBN 0299195945, Google Print, p.206

[edit] External links