LIBERATORS: The Soldiers of the Red Army

Before the war, the popularity of tankers could be compared only fighter pilots. The formidable fighting machine tank, with its speed, power and impenetrable armor, was creating an aura of masculinity and invincibility. However, the war for tankers and their equipment was much more serious challenge than had been expected. By late autumn 1941, over half of the tanks on the Red Army, were lost. Tankers lacked combat experience, their armor did not withstand the impact, and a large number of tanks were simply thrown out of fuel, ammunition, or due to breakdowns. Only at the end of December 1942, when evacuated to the Urals industry began to produce new machines. Various models of tanks, especially the famous T-34-85, became the pride of the Soviet Armed Forces. But the main characters of the episode - the tankers. Their story - about the course of the battle and moments of rest, about the intricacies of life and participation in the Battle of Kursk, in the battle of Prokhorovka.

In June 1944, the Red Army was preparing to battle for Belarus. Troops moved to the borders of a future offensive by night. Along with tanks cavalry corps went ahead. Despite the fact that the army was advancing to "motor age" the Red Army still maintained cavalry corps. They were used in conjunction with armored units, motorized infantry and aircraft. Soviet cavalry proved that they were still indispensable and could operate effectively in a modern war. If the tank armies were the main body of the Red Army, the cavalry was its long sword. Red Army cavalry Cossacks General Dovatora share memories of their combat routine in military service. Talk about learning the intricacies of the troopers, how to saddle up in arms, how to handle horses, how to cut his sword.

It was spring 1943. Soviet troops seized a bridgehead on the "Malaya Zemlya" in Novorossiysk. In the Caucasus, the Red Army is moving forward with confidence, ready to break through the "Blue Line", a powerful system of German fortifications in the lower reaches of the Kuban. In future operations specific role are the Soviet fighter pilots. They had to put an end to the domination of the German air force in the skies of Kuban. Before the war, the popularity of the pilots might compare only cinema actors in the Soviet Union. Youth literally were torn to conquer the sky in the flying clubs. The number of air forces grew. But the first strike of German planes June 22, 1941 the majority of Soviet airfields and aircraft were put out of action. Pilots lacked not only planes, but also the experience of air combat.

Winged infantry, new arm of the Air Forces of the USSR, was born in 1930. The world's first airborne unit was established in the Leningrad Military District, and consisted of 480 skydivers from 18 aircraft. Before the war, the country already possessed 5 Airborne Corps, in which about 50,000 soldiers served. Real baptism paratroopers took in early 1942, taking part in an operation to Pulkovo airport. On the night of February 23, 7 thousand paratroopers had to grab the railroad Vyaz'ma-Kirov and exit to Vyazma Dorogobuzh, Yukhnova. Soldiers learn to fold a parachute and jump from a plane, overcoming fear and mastering emergency situations that arose in the air. Similarly paratroopers engaged in physical training, studied martial arts, mastered the art of using cold steel and small arms. Real trooper was able to do everything and shoot any weapon - whether native or German MP PCA.In the autumn of 1943 the Red Army had to go to cross the Dnieper.Preparing it, artillery moved up.

Beginning of 1943, Leningradites experienced the second winter of the siege. In order to restore land communication with Leningrad the Soviet command was preparing an operation "Spark". Scheduling of operations and the breakthrough would have been impossible without the active work of the division and regimental artillery and aerial reconnaissance. It became one of the scouts missions to break the blockade. Everyone could not become a scout. Volunteer training lasted from weeks to months, and only after that they went on a mission. To oversee the defense of the enemy, the forefront of infantry units were equipped with a network of observation points, where scouts watched the terrain shifts, recording every detail. Before the advent of reconnaissance mission came the order to get information on the German defenses in the hallway on a plot of 12 km, called "bottle neck".

In 1941-42 the main anti-tank gun of the Soviet army was 45mm gun model 1937, which soldiers called the "sorokopyatki." Later in the army came the famous "Katyusha". Anti-gunners and howitzer batteries, anti-aircraft gunner and "Katyusha" was to play a decisive role in the Battle of Stalingrad.The purpose of the summer campaign of the German command extended to the shores of the Caspian Sea and was to seize the oil fields of Baku and Grozny. In this operation, the sixth army under Paulus played an important role - to cover the flank of groups aiming to seize oil and Don steppes exit to Stalingrad. Artillery is often called "the god of war." Powerful artillery preparation was laying before the onset of the German positions, and allowed Soviet troops with fewer losses to move forward. Knowing that standing behind its artillery, infantry could feel confident in the face of enemy tanks.

By the summer of 1942, German troops reached the foothills of the Greater Caucasus Range. Mountain division "Edelweiss" was bursting through the passes in the Caucasus. Here in the mountains, among glaciers, cliffs and canyons, drama developed with special events. And their main heroes were Soviet mountain troops. August 21, 1942 German climbers on Elbrus hoisted Nazi flags. The Red Army began to create extra military training points of mountain training. Skills of movement mastered in the mountains, the soldiers learned the subtleties of crossing mountain rivers. Soldiers learned to navigate the slopes on skis, rush in the chain, to fire from any position. Particular attention was paid to arms shooters. One of them, mortar, was indispensable in mountain conditions. 1943.

In early April 1945, the Red Army was on the verge of Berlin. In a straight line to the capital of Germany remained sixty kilometers. But everyone - from ordinary soldiers to commanders - understood that passing this distance will not be easy. Liberators had the hottest and most major battle in world history - Berlin battle. 3.5 million people from both sides come together to fight fascism in the den. Zhukov offers direct brunt of the shortest distance - through Zelovskie height, forming a barrier to the escape of the German group. A major role in the battle, as well as throughout the war, was to play by a Soviet infantry. Experienced, having passed through the war veterans and young soldiers who had just arrived at the front. Infantry first rose against the enemy, taking defense. Infantry liberated the city, villages and hence it infantrymen carried on their shoulders the main burden of the war: the severity of the early years of captivity, the ambiance and the joy of the offensive.

October 16, 1944 Red Army 9th "Sappers" noticed that they have crossed the Soviet border and stepped into German territory. In Eastern Prussia shoulder to shoulder with the infantry and tank crews were soldiers and officers of the engineering troops who helped storm the enemy positions, roads, render ineffective minefields, build the crossing, bridges and airfields. Awaiting them was a huge amount of hazardous waterways, through which the Germans had destroyed bridges. Sappers were to conduct engineering and reconnaissance in the rivers, finding fords, through which the T-34 could cross. Liberators went to Konigsberg. The city, blocked from the north, east and south, the north-west was held by German troops on the Samland Peninsula. Strengthening Konigsberg consisted of external and internal zones of defense. Forts erected as early as the mid-nineteenth century by German engineers were turned into a truly impregnable fortress. Front line of defense entirely covered by minefields.

Having fought almost 800 kilometers, the summer of 1944 the Red Army was in Poland on the banks of the Vistula. They managed to capture and hold on the west bank of the river Pulavsky, Magnushevsky and Sandomierz bridgehead. Throughout the autumn and early winter, the Red Army has accumulated strength for the next throw - the Oder. Breaking the resistance of the Wehrmacht was not possible without the participation of attack aircraft that would support the advance of tanks and infantry. Ground attack aircraft - it is well armored aircraft armed with powerful cannons, machine guns, equipped with bombs and rockets. Such specialized aircraft later called IL-2, appeared at designer Sergei Ilyushin in the late '30s. IL-2 was destined to become the most massive attack aircraft of World War II and, moreover, the most massive combat aircraft in the history. At first, the Il-2 does not provide for air gunner. Therefore, the German fighters could attack with impunity behind Soviet planes.

Beginning of 1943. Red Army is in the offensive, trying to get out to the Sea of ​​Azov. The Marines had become one of the main characters of future battles and liberation of Novorossiysk, and then the Crimea. Soviet Marines in beginning of the Second World War had virtually no history. Only in 1940, the Baltic Fleet was formed one separate brigade of marines. Mass formation and training of new airborne units began with the outbreak of war. Sailor paratroopers trained in climbing, throwing grenades out of any situation, from the sound of shooting. Learned quickly to dig in, walk on the gravel blindfolded without looking to disassemble and assemble any firearm. The usual paratrooper weapon was automatic and semi-automatic rifle PCA Tokarev SVT-40. They are studied throwing knives, mining and demining skills in first aid. Marine Brigade are hastily created on the Black Sea, Northern and Pacific fleets. In the autumn 41th Red Army are supplemented by twenty-five marine brigade.

During the war, the city of Murmansk became an important port which was supplied goods and weapons from allied countries - Britain and the United States. Here based Northern Fleet. Sailors of transport fleet, warships and aircraft were doing everything possible to convoys - a special form of transport ships and escort ships - to reach the port of destination. In the struggle for delivery to the Soviet Union of essential goods the vast Norwegian and Barents seas great battle was unfolded. Her protagonists were sailors and airmen of Soviet Northern Fleet and the allies. Delivery of goods from the U.S. and the UK took place in three main ways. The shortest and most dangerous of them was way over the north direction - from the ports of Iceland and Scotland to Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. The first Arctic convoy, received the name of "Dervish" came to Arkhangelsk August 31, 1941 without losses.