'300 Nazis fell by your gun': Most successful female sniper in history

By Harsh Thakor* 

"Miss Pavlichenko’s well known to fame, 

Russia’s your country, fighting is your game. 

The whole world will always love you for all time to come, 

Three hundred Nazis fell by your gun." 

— from Woody Guthrie's “Miss Pavlichenko"

Lyudmila Pavlichenko stands as a monumental figure of valor and expertise among female snipers in combat. Her name endures, etched in the annals of military history, as one of the most heroic female soldiers to ever set foot on the battlefield. A key player in the Soviet Red Army's success during the Great Patriotic War, Pavlichenko is honored this year on the 50th anniversary of her passing on October 10. 

Her wartime memoir, "Lady Death: The Memoirs of Stalin’s Sniper", serves as an exceptional testament to her experiences. Born in 1916 in Belaya Tserkov, a significant Ukrainian city south of Kiev, Pavlichenko exhibited a competitive spirit from a young age—particularly in challenging boys to demonstrate that girls could be equal, if not superior. 

After moving to Kiev, she enrolled in a sharpshooter class, earning both a Sharpshooter Badge and a marksman certificate. She later took a job at an arms plant while studying history at Kiev University, aspiring to become a teacher. Athletic and skilled with a rifle, she balanced her academic pursuits with sniper training. 

In June 1941, with the onset of Hitler's Operation Barbarossa and the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Pavlichenko, just 24 years old, hurried to enlist at the Odessa recruiting office. Despite attempts to steer her toward a nursing role, she remained steadfast in her desire to join the infantry. Facing a severe shortage of weapons, she often found herself armed only with a frag grenade. 

In her memoir, she expressed the frustration of watching the chaos of battle with just a single grenade at hand. After proving her exceptional skills by taking out two Romanian soldiers from a Soviet-held position, she was integrated into the Red Army’s 25th Rifle Division as a sniper, becoming one of approximately 2,000 female Soviet snipers, of whom only 500 would survive the war.

 Over the course of two and a half months during the Siege of Odessa, Pavlichenko racked up an astonishing 187 confirmed kills and earned a promotion to Senior Sergeant. When the Romanian Army captured Odessa in October 1941, she and her unit retreated to Sevastopol, where she fought valiantly during the Siege of Sevastopol for eight grueling months, increasing her kill count to 257 and achieving the rank of lieutenant. As her tally of confirmed kills grew, so did the intensity and peril of her missions, including encounters with enemy snipers. 

Pavlichenko emerged victorious in every duel, including one that lasted three days. However, in June 1942, she sustained severe facial wounds from a mortar blast. Understanding her significance to the war effort, Soviet high command withdrew her from the front lines for her safety. By then, her record stood at an impressive 309 confirmed kills.

 Earning the nickname "Lady Death," Pavlichenko became a well-known figure within the German Army, which tried both to bribe and threaten her. Messages broadcast over loudspeakers included offers of chocolates and a rank as a German officer, alongside grim threats of dismemberment. 

Unfazed, Pavlichenko expressed her delight at the enemy's acknowledgment of her prowess. After recovering from her injuries, she did not return to combat but shifted to a role in propaganda. In late 1942, she arrived in Washington, D.C., as a decorated Soviet lieutenant on a mission to seek American support for a second front in Europe. 

The Red Army was facing severe losses, and Stalin sought to divert German forces further east. Pavlichenko became the first Soviet citizen to be welcomed at the White House, where she met First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, forming a lifelong bond. Roosevelt later invited Pavlichenko to tour the United States, where she shared her experiences as a combat woman. 

At just 25 years old, having undergone four wounds in battle and with no knowledge of English, Pavlichenko embarked on a national speaking tour, urging Americans to rally for support in the war. Despite her impressive credentials, the media often focused on her appearance, with the "New York Times" referring to her as a "Girl Sniper" and commenting on her attire. In response to being asked about makeup regulations in combat, she retorted, “Who had time to think of her shiny nose when there is a battle going on?” 

Gradually, she earned respect for her rebuttals and her courageous narrative, as evidenced by her declaration in Chicago: “Gentlemen, I am 25 years old and I have killed 309 fascist occupants by now. Don’t you think, gentlemen, that you have been hiding behind my back for too long?” Her words resonated powerfully with the crowd. 

Throughout her tour, she commended the Soviet military's lack of racial segregation and gender equality, inspiring even American singer Woody Guthrie to write a song about her in 1942 titled "Miss Pavlichenko." 

Her journey continued across Canada and Great Britain in support of an Allied front. Upon her return to the Soviet Union, she was promoted to major and awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest military honor in the country, along with two Orders of Lenin. 

Pavlichenko never returned to combat but dedicated herself to training fellow snipers until the war ended in 1945. She completed her studies at Kiev University and became a historian. Tragically, she battled PTSD and depression for many years and passed away on October 10, 1974, following a stroke. In her honor, two commemorative Soviet postage stamps were issued—one in 1943, after her triumphs, and another in 1976, following her death. 

Today, Lyudmila Pavlichenko is celebrated as a military hero in Russia and is remembered as the most successful female sniper in history. 

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*Freelance journalist