Artillery became a decisive force in the 19th century and entered full power in World War II. Despite the sharp increase in the combat capabilities of tanks and aircraft, without massive artillery support, serious operations were unthinkable. The author writes about the "brilliance and poverty" of Soviet artillery, about its use in the terrible 1941, in the great confrontation during the defense of Stalingrad, in the battle of Kursk and in the final battles near Budapest and Koenigsberg, the throw on Berlin and the last assault on the enemy citadel.