The Red Army of the Great Patriotic War 1941–45

Osprey Men-At-Arms Series 216

The Red Army of the Great Patriotic War 1941–45, Osprey Men-At-Arms Series 216.

The German invasion in 1941 led to a series of staggering defeats for the Russians. In the first five months of fighting, the Soviets lost about four million men, amounting to 80 per cent of the total strength of the ground forces at the time of the outbreak of the war. Yet the Red Army managed to hold on. The Soviets had been steadily growing throughout in capability and effectiveness, and after the smashing of the German offensive at the battle of the Kursk salient, they were never again seriously checked, advancing to the ruins of Berlin itself. This title examines the organisation, equipment and uniforms of the Red Army of the Great Patriotic War.

Contents

  • Title: The Red Army of the Great Patriotic War 1941–45
  • Period: World War Two, 1941–1945
  • Type: Uniform Guide
  • Author: Steven Zaloga
  • Illustrator: Ron Volstad
  • Format: 48-page book
  • Language: English
  • Publisher: Osprey Publishing, London, England
  • ISBN: 0850459397
  • Published: 1989

Chapters

  1. The Red Army in 1941
  2. Organisation of the Soviet Armed Forces: The Rifle Forces
  3. Red Army Cavalry
  4. Tank and Mechanised Forces
  5. Other Combat Branches
    • The Artillery
    • Naval Infantry
    • NKVD Security Forces
  6. Red Army Uniforms
  7. The Plates
    • Soviet Rank Insignia
    • The Defence of the Brest Fortress, 1941
      • Lieutenant, NKVD Border Troops
      • Senior Battalion Kommisar, Red Army
      • Red Army rifleman
    • The Defence of Leningrad, 1941–42
      • Sergeant, Red Army Rifle Corps
      • Lieutenant, Red Army Medical Branch
      • Naval Infantryman, Baltic Fleet
    • The Defence of Moscow, 1941–42
      • Sergeant-Major, Red Army Rifle Corps
      • Red Army rifleman with mine dog
      • Tank crewman, 1st Moscow Mot. Rifle Div.
    • The Battle for Stalingrad, 1942–43
      • Red Army, anti-tank rifleman
      • Red Army rifleman
      • Senior sergeant, Red Army Tank Forces
    • Red Army Cossack Cavalry
      • Captain, Kuban Cossacks
      • Officer, Kuban Cossacks, winter dress
      • Lieutenant, Terek Cossacks, field dress
    • The Battle of Kursk, 1943
      • Red Army tank crewman
      • Red Army sniper
      • Lieutenant, Red Army Rifle Forces
    • Operation Bagration, 1944
      • Red Army razvedchik scout
      • Sergeant, Red Army Traffic Control
      • Red Army sniper
    • The Battle for Berlin, 1945
      • Red Army, anti-tank grenadier
      • Junior Lt., Red Army Artillery
      • NKVD Internal Security Officer

Steven Zaloga’s book on the Red Army of the Great Patriotic War is an excellent resource for wargamers and figure painters interested in the Soviet Army of World War Two. Ron Volstad’s superb illustrations show the uniforms, insignia, weapons, and equipment of the major troop types of the soviet army. There are high-quality black-and-white photos of soviet troops which may inspire diorama builders to recreate the scene in miniature.

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