World War II ( The Grear Patriotic War) in Russia | Page 4

Siege of Leningrad.
On the January 27th we celebrated one of the memorable events in the history of
Russia - the 70th anniversary of lifting of the siege of Leningrad. It`s a moving
occasion because almost every family in our country remembers the Great Patriotic
War and dates connected with different important events which took place during
it. As for Leningrad, those 900 days of blockade were really the days of pain, fear
and death. As Leningrad was surrounded with Nazi troops no one could leave or
enter its gaits. There was terrible lack of food, water and medicine. People suffered
from starvation and different illnesses. But they didn`t give up working and
struggling, they didn`t surrender. They showed a good example to all people in the
USSR. And today we remember those heroes who saved the city from Nazis; we
remember their patriotism and courage. So, that terrible page of Leningrad history
started in September, 1941. First of all, Nazis wanted to take the city by storm but
their plans failed as they met really stubborn resistance. The siege began when they
decided to form a ring around the city. Bombs and shells exploded in the streets,
air-raid sirens sounded over and over again. Houses were burning and this dance of
death had no end. People were dying from explosions, fragments of shells and
wounds. But they didn`t stop producing bullets and shells at the factories and those
supplies were taken to the front`s needs every day by trucks using the "Road of
Life" - the road which laid across the ice of Lake Ladoga. Those trucks were
bringing water and bread, as there were no more opportunities to give food to the
besieged city. To their way back they took supplies and people - first of all,
children. This way they saved a lot of citizens of Leningrad but, of course, not all.
And now, 70 years after the lifting of the blockade, we understand, how strong and
brave were those people who would better die but not surrender.