Savenkov E. I. The use of tank forces during the Great Patriotic War...

Vestnik of Orenburg State Pedagogical University. Electronic Scientific Journal. 2022. № 1 (41). P. 126—138

HISTORICAL SCIENCES

UDC 94(470)“1941/45”

Savenkov Eldar Igorevich, Postgraduate student
Saratov State University

THE USE OF TANK FORCES DURING THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR: ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE 51^st TANK BRIGADE IN THE KORSUN-SHEVCHENKO OPERATION

Abstract

The article attempts to examine in detail the participation of the 51^st tank Brigade of the Saratov formation in the Korsun-Shevchenko operation. The combat activity of the 51^st tank Brigade on the territory of Right-Bank Ukraine from January 27 to February 18, 1944 is analyzed, as well as the characteristics of the tank crews of the Red Army, the logistics and experience of its use are given. The source base of the study was the documents of the Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the memoirs of a direct participant in the events — A. P. Shvebig. The article concludes that despite the fact that the brigade was staffed and had the necessary equipment for combat operations, the haste of preparing the operation, the sudden onset of mudslides, had a negative impact on the course of hostilities. During the Korsun-Shevchenko operation, the brigade took part in such types of combat as counterattack, defense of settlements, organization of tank ambushes and offensive. As a result, the tankmen gained invaluable experience, which was analyzed and used in the future.

Key words

Great Patriotic War, military everyday life, Korsun-Shevchenko operation, 2^nd tank army, 3d guard’s tank corps, 51^st tank brigade (Saratov formation), tankmen, tank.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32516/2303-9922.2022.41.11

The full text of the article PDF (Russian)

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Bibliography link to this article:

Savenkov E. I. The use of tank forces during the Great Patriotic War: on the example of the 51st tank brigade in the Korsun-Shevchenko operation. Vestnik of Orenburg State Pedagogical University. Electronic Scientific Journal, 2022, no. 1 (41), pp. 126—138. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32516/2303-9922.2022.41.11.