Vlasov's forgotten army

Or he did what was necessary to keep a large minority of those 1.5 million men who had surrendered while under his command, alive, to live to the end of the the war and beyond.

Many of those POWs were the sons of White Russians, Imperialists, Kulaks and other ethnics who had no love for the madman either.

For the benefit of those who can't read the article, this is the summary of why its author believes Vlasov remained loyal to the USSR:

Distinguished as a general in 1941-42.
Never sought to surrender but rather strived to save his men and reach the guerilla when surrounded under Leningrad; was betrayed by liberated Soviet civilians.
Had mysterious connections to double agents in the POW camp, and through them, to the German officers that plotted to assassinate Hitler.
Deeply impressed Goebbels with his character.
Prior to the War, was engaged in a delicate subversive mission to China and befriended Chay Kan Shek (Mao's opponent 10 yers later, -- what is the modern way to spell that name?).
Had an anti-Stalin, but Leninist, pro-original Communism political line, not unlike, half a century later, Gorbachev's, perhaps in order to attract pro-Soviet elements in the Camp, but to appear a genuine side-switcher to the Nazis.
Never fought the Red Army, but did fight the Wehrmacht in the few instanced he fought anyone at all (also explained in the head article).
When re-joined the Red Army was received with honors.
Conviction of treason and execution possibly the work of mid-level functionaries in the GRU, whom Vlasov had alienated with his steadfastness during active combat.

The author admits that none of this is proof.

More, from another article on the same site:

Vlasov's relatives were not persecuted, at least not severely persecuted, following his conviction. Customarily, the family of a traitor would end up in the Gulag as well.
People present at his supposed hanging swore another man was hanged. Vlasov was very tall; the execurted man was short.
Vlasov had been reportedly seen alive in the Far East, playing accordion at a talent show, by a former home boy friend. When the friend cried out to him, the accordionist abruptly stopped the performance and disappeared.

The pity is that the Soviets treated all "liberated" POW's as though they were "Vlassovites." It wasn't much of a liberation.

That's not true. While I don't question the majority of liberated POW's were sent to the gulag not all were sent. My wife's father was captured by the Germans at Stalingrad, and was a POW until he was liberated by the Americans. When he returned to Stalingrad after the war he never had a problem. No, he was not a communist.

I got a letter from Kyiv with something on this subject:

V voskresen'e Den' Pobedy. A u nas eshche est' veterany povstancheskoy armii, kotorye vo vremya voyny voevali i protiv sovetskoy armii, i protiv Gitlera. Tak mezhdu nimi takaya 'voyna' razrazilas', uzhas. Povstantsy pretenduyut na vosstanovlenii spravedlivosti i priznat' ikh zashchitnikami i veteranami voyny za samostiynu Ukrainu, a te krichat, chto oni zashchitniki. Yushchenko pytalsya ikh pomerit', no, uvy. A vchera po teleku pokazyvali Sloveniyu, tak tam tozhe est' takie, kotorye shli za kommunistami, a drugie za monarkhiyu. I tozhe sporyat za vosstanovlenie zvanie veteranov. Ya posmotrela na ehtikh bozhikh oduvanchikov i dumayu, zahem im vse ehto? Ostalos' zhit'-to maksimum dva dnya, a oni eshche voyut za kakuyu-to svoyu pravdu. A mozhet ehto ikh i derzhit?
"Sunday is Victory Day. We still have veterans of the insurgent army, which during the war warred both against the Soviet Army and against Hitler. Between them a "war" has broken out, it's terrible. The rebels demand restoration of justice and to be recognized as defenders of the Ukraine and veterans of the war, while the others shout that they are the defenders. Yushchenko tried to calm them down, but in vain. Yesterday on TV they showed Slovenia, there were also those who followed the Communists and those for the monarchy. And they also argue for the restoration of the title of veteran. I watched on these devine dandelions and I thought, why do they need all this? They've got a maximum of two days left to live, but still they fight for some kind of truth. Perhaps that's all that keeps them going?"

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