The Sino-Soviet Border War of 1969 - Two Book Review

One of the joys of perusing through Helion & Co's @war back catalogue is that you get to find publications on some pretty obscure conflicts. Whilst I knew the 1969 Border War had happened, my knowledge about it was very limited. At the recent Border Reiver show, I managed to turn up and have a chat with the chaps on the stand as well as pick up a few books, including this lovely two-parter by Dmitry Ryabushkin and Harold Orenstein. 

Volume one sets the up necessary background and the first battle of the conflict. You first get a potted history of the region and the political machinations that occurred between the Russian Empire/Soviet Union and China. What then follows is a description of the build up to the initial clashes before the authors take us through the battle of Damansky Island in painstaking detail. This is necessary as both the Soviet Union and the People's republic of China were extremely focussed on propaganda and it has been with some difficulty (and the receipt threats) that the most accurate account the author can convey has been written. Never underestimate the power of the state to try to control its own history, a warning that should be obvious even to the most laissez faire of people today. You can almost hear the (modern day) cry of "fake news" echoing through the "reports" of events. Volume two concludes the account of the conflict with a very detailed description of the confrontation at Lake Zhalanashkol and the general aftermath, where both sides took count of their actions.

It must be said that the sheer volume of contemporary imagery that has been included here is much to the author's credit, and whilst reader discretion is advised (war is never clean and you will see the consequences of combat), these merely emphasise the brutality of the fighting. It is also important to note that wherever possible, the authors have included the names of those killed, providing recognition of the men who died in the service of their respective countries.

As is the usual for Helion&Co publications, there are plenty of maps and artwork, all to the usual high standards, and combined, these two volumes form an in-depth introduction to one of the less well known conflicts of the Cold War period. Detailed bibliographies are included, as are prodigious notes to details in the text, and it is plain to see that a lot of effort has been put into these works. Aside from the historical angle, these two volumes will also give you everything you need to know if you wish to re-enact the conflict on the table. 

You can buy these rather superb volumes directly from the publisher here or keep an eye on their social media channels (at the bottom right of the page displayed by that link) to see which shows they're attending.