Sevastopoli

by Leo Tolstoy

"Sevastopoli" by graf Leo Tolstoy is a collection of three short stories published in 1855. Based on Tolstoy's firsthand experiences during the Siege of Sevastopol in Crimea, these sketches document the realities of war through vivid scenes of military life, makeshift hospitals, and battlefield psychology. The stories explore themes of heroism, vanity, and the senselessness of warfare, following Russian forces from the brutal details of combat to their eventual defeat and withdrawal. Tolstoy declares that truth itself is the only hero.