Discussion - Week Three - Europe Central - p. 222 - 327

[Jim]

This discussion covers Untouched –thru- Breakout, pg. 222 - 327

[LindaH]

Each pair of chapters up to Breakout represents two sides, USSR and Germany, but in Breakout these two sides are represented in a single chapter...and in a single man. Vlasov as Soviet commander and Vlasov as German commander share so many similarities, including this: they are both "deserted" in a sense by their leader, i.e. Stalin, Hitler. Vollmann seems to be making a statement here. I ask myself, What impact does engagement in Vlasov's survival have on me, the reader?

[Zadignose]

I certainly liked the whole treatment of Vlasov, the way he is sort of broken down in stages so that he can rationalize his defection. I alternately sympathized with him and stood skeptically apart from him. He was able to be deluded, and to delude himself, to the point that he created new ideological justifications to align with his own self-preservation motives. In a way it made sense, and in a way it made him a bigger rat.

Meanwhile... I've lost a little sense of what comes before what, but I think we've so far omitted to talk much about Roman... I might need to go through some notes...

[LindaH]

Zadignose, It's interesting you see Vlasov "rationalizing". I hadn't considered this. I just found him a sympathetic character in the book, and this was after feeling neutral or repelled by everyone who came before. Vlasov's first "turn" (to the Germans) seemed ok in context, since he was trying to stay alive. Now I see that I may have been rationalizing for him. Since he was so informed on military matters, I thought of those stages you mention as stuff Vlasov knew. I can see now how they could also be steps in Vlasov's thinking.

[LindaH]

Rationalization is a theme throughout Europe Central...and to think I almost missed the four stages Vollmann spells out...yikes! This is why I joined BP. Okay, here is my distillation: (pp 267-269).
Stage 1--belief in a logical solution, even if a "near-miracle" is required. "...he [Vlasov] continued in all good faith..."
Stage 2--confrontation with outrageous assaults, survival tactics. "...but he'd lost confidence..."
Stage 3--recognition of inherent futility. "What was the use..."
Stage 4--realization that a logical response is absurd. "...any attempt...was absurd."

Throughout this "development" of Vlasov's thinking, he feels guilt. He hasn't carried out orders. What trumps this failure seems to be "...madness beyond cruelty." (Stalin). Isn't this his ultimate rationalization? Then his capture by the Germans. "I need to save what can be saved." Hasn't he gone back to Stage 1?

This time though, Vlasov gets to hang onto his logic,and through argument, nurtured by the Germans, he is able to adopt an anti-Bolshevik stance.

Which puts him right back in his "...sweltering conceptual prison..." We always knew he would be shot, but he still has to acknowledge the Fuhrer's madness.

Vollmann is taking the reader through a lot of agonizingly uncomfortable rationalization territory. Who among the best Russians and Germans can hang onto their "immaculateness"?

[mkfs]

Breakout is definitely the most interesting chapter in Europe Central so far.

I agree with Zadignose here. Vlasov is disillusioned with Stalin, and deludes himself that the Germans will be better. This is influenced by the German brainwashing, of course: treating him as a hero, proving that German atrocities were actually perpetrated by Russians, and so forth.

Vlasov falls for it, enjoys the glory and recognition that he believes the Germans are giving him (when, ultimately, they are simply using him as another propaganda tool). Then, when he becomes disillusioned with the Germans, he starts to tell himself that it makes no difference, as long as he can secure his own safety (which the Czechs refused to guarantee).