Memory. Sanl, Vols. 1 and 2. WWII Fatal Casualties of Soviet Military Servicemen from the Kalmyk ASSR: A Statistical Analysis by Time, Places of Birth and Conscription

Abstract

Introduction. The article deals with statistical analysis of the data borrowed from volumes  1 and 2 of the edition titled ‘Memory. Sanl’. The volumes publish annotated lists of 22.9 thousand Red Army servicemen in the category of fatal casualties (KIAs, DOWs and MIAs) from the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945, and most of the latter had been conscripted in the Kalmyk ASSR. Goals. The article compiles a database of Red Army conscripts from the Kalmyk ASSR further categorized as ‘fatal casualties’ (from the abovementioned edition) and attempts a statistical analysis by year of birth, place (district) of birth, date and place (military commissariat) of conscription. Materials and methods. The main research source is the annotated list of Red Army’s casualties published in volumes 1 and 2 of ‘Memory. Sanl’. The author employs a wide range of scientific methods, both general scientific and historical ones. The need for statistical analysis results in the wide use of statistical and extrapolation methods. Results. The work shows that both the volumes contain quite a number of repetitions; there are also errors, inaccuracies, discrepancies. There is also simultaneous use of outdated and modern names of geographical objects. Therefore, the present compiled and corrected database contains a significant portion of statistical data categorized in terms of a variety parameters, and further use of the latter will contribute to the research of a collective portrait of Red Army servicemen conscripted in the Kalmyk ASSR during the Great Patriotic War.