When the Wehrmacht rolled into the Soviet Union in World War II, it got more than it bargained for. Notwithstanding the Red Army's retreat, Soviet citizens fought fiercely against German occupiers, engaging in raids, sabotage, and intelligence gathering--largely without any oversight from Stalin and his iron-fisted rule.

Kenneth Slepyan provides an enlightening social and political history of the Soviet partisan movement, a people's army of irregulars fighting behind enemy lines. These insurgents included not only civilians-many of them women-but also stranded Red Army soldiers, national...

This volume in the Pages from History series explores the history of the Soviet Union from the eve of World War II through its collapse and the years of transition from socialism to capitalism. The Soviet Union and Russia, 1939-2015: A History in Documents not only details the political chronology of changes in Soviet leadership, but also devotes significant attention to the social, economic, and cultural dimensions of everyday Soviet life. It highlights actions and decisions of the Soviet leadership while addressing popular initiatives and responses that shaped the...