History Literature / RedArmy

* TheCavalryArrivesLate: A fast-moving, hard-hitting U.S. counteroffensive begins to turn the tide of the war on day 3 ... only to see [[spoiler: West Germany surrender to the Soviets on the same day to avoid further devestation and the risk of nuclear weapons being used on their soil.]]

* AmericaSavesTheDay: [[spoiler: Averted]]

A 1989 novel by Ralph Peters, often counted among the techno-thriller genre thanks to its subject matter -- a Soviet invasion of Western Europe. Unlike other techno-thrillers, however, Peters wrote the entire story from the Soviet point of view, and has the Soviets actually ''win''.

As the story opens, WorldWarIII has already started (Peters never does mention what started it) and the Red Army under [[OfficerAndAGentleman General Malinsky]] is about to attack across the plains of northern Germany. What follows is the offensive operation that NATO so feared during the UsefulNotes/ColdWar; the mechanized Soviet armies split the alliance's front and pour across northern Germany too fast for their squabbling high command to react in a timely fashion before it's too late.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: To humanise this cataclysm, the author has us experience it alongside dozens of the individuals caught up in it. And you know what? It works.

Like ''Literature/RedStormRising'', it’s a highly educational read, and is surprisingly easy going since Peters avoids geeky details (he talks about 'tanks' and 'anti-air units' instead of 'T-80s' and 'ZSU-23-4s') and focuses squarely on the characters, every one of whom is properly fleshed-out and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, it had the misfortune to be released at the end of the Cold War and thus for many became HilariousInHindsight when the mighty [[UsefulNotes/SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]] [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp broke up]] and the UsefulNotes/GulfWar occured. The use of outdated, export-quality equipment by Iraqi forces in the latter 'proved' to many that the USSR's emphasis on planning and organisation would have counted for nothing in the face of NATO's marginally-superior weaponry [[note]] Ignoring the massive organisational advantage of the U.N. forces over Iraqi ones in that conflict, not to mention the air superiority and element of strategic surprise caused by the U.N. forces' unexpected armoured-mechanised thrust through southern Iraq to encircle Iraqi forces in Kuwait - rather than a frontal attack that restricted the fighting to within Kuwait as the Iraqis had expected[[/note]], and Peters was accused of overhyping the USSR's capabilities.

* WorldWarThree

* GeneralRipper: Malinsky starts sounding like one when he [[spoiler:justifies his decision to actively ignore NATO military units which have retreated into West German cities. In his eyes, they are now the Soviet Army's "hostages", to be traded one nuke at a time if the Western Allies nuclearize the battlefield.]]

* ShownTheirWork: Peters was one of the few in the West to actually ''know'' and not have a stereotyped view of the Soviet military system, compared to other authors.

* BatmanGambit: Malinsky’s whole plan revolves around the knowledge of how each of his opponents will react to invasion.

Like ''Literature/RedStormRising'', it’s a highly educational read, and is surprisingly easy going since Peters avoids geeky details (he talks about 'tanks' and 'anti-air units' instead of 'T-80s' and 'ZSU-23-4s') and focuses squarely on the characters, every one of whom is properly fleshed-out and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, it had the misfortune to be released at the end of the Cold War and thus for many became HilariousInHindsight when the mighty [[SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]] [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp broke up]] and the UsefulNotes/GulfWar occured. The use of outdated, export-quality equipment by Iraqi forces in the latter 'proved' to many that the USSR's emphasis on planning and organisation would have counted for nothing in the face of NATO's marginally-superior weaponry [[note]] Ignoring the massive organisational advantage of the U.N. forces over Iraqi ones in that conflict, not to mention the air superiority and element of strategic surprise caused by the U.N. forces' unexpected armoured-mechanised thrust through southern Iraq to encircle Iraqi forces in Kuwait - rather than a frontal attack that restricted the fighting to within Kuwait as the Iraqis had expected[[/note]], and Peters was accused of overhyping the USSR's capabilities.

** Peter's does not hold the West Germans in a positive light. He makes numerous references to them being the weak link in NATO.

* FriendOrFoe: [[spoiler:This is how Trimenko gets killed. His anti-aircraft units mistook his helicopter for an enemy, not helped that his pilot flew higher than normal to avoid striking power lines.]]

** Part of Soviet information warfare campaign is the destruction of the town of Lüneburg. The army commander whose operating sector the town is within doesn't agree with its destruction--neither are the pilots assigned to bomb it.

** Tanks are the main striking force of the Red Army. Particularly true of the Starukhin's army facing the British. [[spoiler:Not that it helps him much, anyhow, as the British--thanks to their head-start in commencing engineering work--manage to set up defense line after defense line in rapid succession without becoming completely disorganized, until [[TheHero Bezarin]] manages flank and rout the remaining elements of the core British armored division and [[TheCavalry link up with an air assault bridgehead]].]]

** Combat also breaks out in the many towns. Hamlen in particular turns into a bloody quagmire for both Soviet and British.

** [[spoiler:Even more painful as this is how the Malinsky's son dies. He is embarrassed by a bad case of the shits, and chooses a spot far away from his command post to relieve himself. His father promises his battalion top priority on air support. The Soviet pilots visually identify the green flares of the command post and get vague directions from the air controller to hit the far treeline.]]

* CavalryRefusal: Type B. The attack helicopters assigned to support Gordunov's air assault battalion pull off earlier than he expected, which promptly reminds him of a similar incident in Afghanistan where his company was ripped apart by a dushman ambush

* DrivenToSuicide: [[spoiler:Levin.]]

* XanatosSpeedChess: Heavily shown. Essentially the entire Soviet war plan rests not on NATO making giant mistakes, but being too slow in recognizing and reacting to developments at the operational level.

* MillionMookMarch: ''Comprehensively'' averted. The NATO armies are expecting a ZergRush: the battle plan they get is an astute, intricate and strenuously thought-out [[ThePlan plan]]. And it all happens very, very fast.

* TankGoodness: Both heavily displayed, and somewhat averted:

* SovietInvasionOfAfghanistan: Many of the story's characters previously served in Afghanistan.

As the story opens, WorldWarIII has already started (Peters never does mention what started it) and the Red Army under [[OfficerAndAGentleman General Malinsky]] is about to attack across the plains of northern Germany. What follows is the offensive operation that NATO so feared during the ColdWar; the mechanized Soviet armies split the alliance's front and pour across northern Germany too fast for their squabbling high command to react in a timely fashion before it's too late.

* TheDeadliestMushroom: Although no nuclear weapons are ever detonated, Malinsky has plans to use them if he has to. Chillingly, horrifyingly sensible plans.

Like ''Literature/RedStormRising'', it’s a highly educational read, and is surprisingly easy going since Peters avoids geeky details (he talks about 'tanks' and 'anti-air units' instead of 'T-80s' and 'ZSU-23-4s') and focuses squarely on the characters, every one of whom is properly fleshed-out and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, it had the misfortune to be released at the end of the Cold War and thus for many became HilariousInHindsight when the mighty [[SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]] [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp broke up]] and the UsefulNotes/GulfWar occured. The use of outdated, export-quality equipment by Iraqi forces in the latter 'proved' to many that the USSR's emphasis on planning and organisation would have counted for nothing in the face of NATO's marginally-superior weaponry [[note]] Ignoring the massive organisational advantage of the U.N. forces over Iraqi ones in that conflict, not to mention the air superiority and element of strategic suprise caused by the U.N. forces' unexpected armoured-mechanised thrust through southern Iraq to encirlce Iraqi forces in Kuwait - rather than a frontal attack that restricted the fighting to within Kuwait as the Iraqis had expected[[/note]], and Peters was accused of overhyping the USSR's capabilities.

Peters acknowledges in his afterword that his novel potrayed a 'best case' scenario for the Soviets which showcased their strengths (careful, skillfull planning) and NATO's weaknesses (reliance on improvisation, severe internal divisions). He's also said that he wrote the novel in part because all the famous World War III technothrillers of the time potrayed best-case scenarios for NATO in which Soviet forces were forced to improvise and fight in unusual situations (only to be thwarted by small bands of intrepid spies/heroes). In this respect it is arguably 'harder' fiction than the latter, as it portrays a mundane/typical WWIII scenario rather than an exciting/fantastic one.

Like ''Literature/RedStormRising'', it’s a highly educational read, and is surprisingly easy going since Peters avoids geeky details (he talks about 'tanks' and 'anti-air units' instead of 'T-80s' and 'ZSU-23-4s') and focuses squarely on the characters, every one of whom is properly fleshed-out and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, it had the misfortune to be released at the end of the Cold War and thus for many became HilariousInHindsight when the mighty [[SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]] [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp broke up]] and the GulfWar occured. The use of outdated, export-quality equipment by Iraqi forces in the latter 'proved' to many that the USSR's emphasis on planning and organisation would have counted for nothing in the face of NATO's marginally-superior weaponry [[note]] Ignoring the massive organisational advantage of the U.N. forces over Iraqi ones in that conflict, not to mention the air superiority and element of strategic suprise caused by the U.N. forces' unexpected armoured-mechanised thrust through southern Iraq to encirlce Iraqi forces in Kuwait - rather than a frontal attack that restricted the fighting to within Kuwait as the Iraqis had expected[[/note]], and Peters was accused of overhyping the USSR's capabilities.

As the story opens, WorldWarIII has already started (Peters never does mention what started it) and the Red Army under [[OfficerAndAGentleman General Malinsky]] is about to attack across the plains of northern Germany. What follows is the offensive operation that NATO so feared during the ColdWar; the mechanized Soviet armies split the alliance's front and pour across Germany too fast for their shocked high command to react.

** Averted, in that tank battalion commander Bezarin overcomes the qualitative inferiority of his tanks (and salvages his superior's idiotic battle plan) with a bit of improvisation and a deadly precise understanding of how to use terrain in modern warfare, showing that it's not the guns or armor on the tanks that count, but the soldiers commanding them.

Like ''RedStormRising'', it’s a highly educational read, and is surprisingly easy going since Peters avoids geeky details (he talks about 'tanks' and 'anti-air units' instead of 'T-80s' and 'ZSU-23-4s') and focuses squarely on the characters, every one of whom is properly fleshed-out and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, it had the misfortune to be released at the end of the Cold War and thus for many became HilariousInHindsight when the mighty [[SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]] [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp broke up]] and the GulfWar occured. The use of outdated, export-quality equipment by Iraqi forces in the latter 'proved' to many that the USSR's emphasis on planning and organisation would have counted for nothing in the face of NATO's marginally-superior weaponry [[note]] Ignoring the massive organisational advantage of the U.N. forces over Iraqi ones in that conflict, not to mention the air superiority and element of strategic suprise caused by the U.N. forces' unexpected armoured-mechanised thrust through southern Iraq to encirlce Iraqi forces in Kuwait - rather than a frontal attack that restricted the fighting to within Kuwait as the Iraqis had expected[[/note]], and Peters was accused of overhyping the USSR's capabilities.

Peters acknowledges in his afterword that his novel potrayed a 'best case' scenario for the Soviets which showcased their strengths (careful, skillfull planning) and NATO's weaknesses (reliance on improvisation, severe internal divisions). He's also said that he wrote the novel in part because all the famous World War III technothrillers of the time potrayed best-case scenarios for NATO in which the Soviet forces were forced to improvise and fight in unusual situations (only to be thwarted by small bands of intrepid spies/heroes). In this respect it is arguably 'harder' fiction than the latter, as it portrays a mundane/typical WWIII scenario rather than an exciting/fantastic one.

Peters acknowledges in his afterword that his novel potrayed a 'best case' scenario for the Soviets which showcased their strengths (simple but brilliant plans) and NATO's weaknesses (reliance on improvisation, severe internal divisions). He's also said that he wrote the novel in part because all the famous World War III technothrillers of the time potrayed best-case scenarios for NATO in which the Soviet forces were forced to improvise and fight in unusual situations (only to be thwarted by small bands of intrepid spies/heroes). In this respect it is arguably 'harder' fiction than the latter, as it portrays a mundane/typical WWIII scenario rather than an exciting/fantastic one.

Like ''RedStormRising'', it’s a highly educational read, and is surprisingly easy going since Peters avoids geeky details (he talks about 'tanks' and 'anti-air units' instead of 'T-80s' and 'ZSU-23-4s') and focuses squarely on the characters, every one of whom is properly fleshed-out and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, it had the misfortune to be released at the end of the Cold War and thus for many became HilariousInHindsight when the mighty [[SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]] [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp broke up]] and the GulfWar occured. The use of outdated, export-quality equipment by Iraqi forces in the latter 'proved' to many that the USSR's emphasis on planning and organisation would have counted for nothing in the face of NATO's marginally-superior weaponry [[note]] Ignoring the massive organisational advantage of the U.N. forces over Iraqi ones in that conflict, not to mention the air superiority and element of strategic suprise caused by the U.N. forces' surprise-thrust through southern Iraq to encirlce Iraqi forces in Kuwait - rather than a frontal attack that restricted the fighting to within Kuwait as the Iraqis had expected[[/note]], and Peters was accused of overhyping the USSR's capabilities.

Like ''RedStormRising'', it’s a highly educational read, and is surprisingly easy going since Peters avoids geeky details (he talks about 'tanks' and 'anti-air units' instead of 'T-80s' and 'ZSU-23-4s') and focuses squarely on the characters, every one of whom is properly fleshed-out and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, it had the misfortune to be released at the end of the Cold War and thus for many became HilariousInHindsight when the mighty [[SovietRussiaUkraineAndSoOn Soviet Union]] [[TheGreatPoliticsMessUp broke up]] and the GulfWar occured. The use of outdated, export-quality equipment by Iraqi forces in the latter 'proved' to many that the USSR's emphasis on planning and organisation would have counted for nothing in the face of NATO's marginally-superior weaponry, and Peters was accused of overhyping the USSR's capabilities.