Avenging Angels: Young Women of the Soviet Union’s WWII Sniper Corps

When we think of women in wartime, especially during World War II, we’re trained to think of secretaries and factory workers, seamstresses and support staff. But that’s only part of the story. In Russia, as the country lost millions of sons battling the Nazi threat, the country turned to their daughters next, enlisting them in the fight. And some of those young women became members of an elite all-female sniper unit, one that helped turn the tide.

Avenging Angels details the incredible story of Russia’s female sniper brigades, from the harsh training and hard living they endured to the myriad accomplishments, medals, and triumphs that they won with guile, skill, and dedication.

Vinogradova not only pored over numerous sources but tracked down and interviewed surviving members of the sniper unit in order to tell their story properly. And what a story it is. War has rarely felt so visceral, so dirty and desperate, cold and suffocating, as it does in these pages.

Their tragedies and losses were heartbreaking, but their stories are inspiring. Avenging Angels sheds light on a period of history that has been ignored for far too long.