1942. Landing operation in the Demyansk cauldron. An extremely dramatic and little-studied page in the history of the Great Patriotic War. The lion's share of documents on this operation are still stored under the heading “Sov. Secret." The Germans and Americans are interested in this landing operation, but we are silent. Only search engines, trying to understand the affairs of bygone days, “iron” the Demyansk forests and swamps in the fall, and the archives in the winter. Being in those most difficult conditions, the paratroopers did everything that could be done. Terrible trials befell these 18–19 year old boys, most of whom remained 18–19 year olds forever. So they still lie in the Demyansk forests and swamps, where they were overtaken by an enemy bullet or shrapnel, where their comrades left them, covered with snow... Why were they able to fulfill their duty, but we cannot? Why did they save their country, their loved ones, but we can’t? After all, they were eighteen! They are half my age. Or three times older?