On the Eastern Front

"I bow low before all veterans of Great Patriotic War."
- Russian President Vladimir Putin

Russia today celebrates the 60th anniversary of VE Day and the end to what they refer to as the "Great Patriotic War."

I have to admit I might be biased from serving in the Cold War Era Armed Forces, but I never could tell if Russia was really an Ally or if we just shared a common enemy... maybe that's a question best left to Duncan to answer.

EDIT: Read this article on the U of A site today, made me think of this post of course. It addresses the quagmire of the Eastern front battles. It's brief, but read if you are interested: Understanding the Great Patriotic War.