Defeat

"Defeat" (1926) — an autobiographical novel by Alexander Alexandrovich Fadeev (1901-1956), one of the most famous works dedicated to the Civil War in Russia, in which the writer sought to demonstrate the spirit of the time through the example of the everyday life of a red partisan squad. The novel is a naturalistic sketch of one of the episodes of the war, depicting these events as accurately as possible, without concealment or propaganda. The book tells about the people who fought on the side of the Soviet authority, shows the sacrifices they had to make, and explains why these particular individuals ultimately emerged victorious. The author condemns cowardice, selfishness, and arrogance, which separate a person from the collective and lead to their final moral decay. Fadeev's novel urges reflection on humility in the face of difficulties and the heavy trials that must be endured through unity: people need to stick together and fight for a common cause.