They shot at their own: 5 common misconceptions about the Red Army during the Second World War

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

In the war and after it, it is customary to compose legends, distort or conceal the truth. Of course, after so many years, many events and facts of those terrible days are forever lost, but not everything is forgotten. During World War II, many stupid legends were invented about the Red Army, which is high time to destroy, or at least some of them.

1. One rifle for three

A very popular myth that in a war Soviet soldiers were thoughtlessly thrown into the offensive unarmed. In fact, the Red Army was fully equipped with small arms. Yes, they often fought with an old Mosin rifle, but there were also Tokarev's self-loading SVTs. Machine guns - yes, there was not enough, and there were problems with cartridges, but in general the army was well armed. Most likely, this myth came from the divisions of the people's militia, which suffered huge losses, but not from a lack of weapons, but from insufficient training.

2. With checkers on tanks

A very widespread myth according to which the soldiers of the Red Army rushed with sabers at tanks in an attempt to stop them. After that, the truth was so distorted that in many sources it was asserted that the cavalrymen went to the German armored vehicles, armed only with sticks and bayonets. In their descriptions, pseudo-historians and propagandists wanted to portray Russian soldiers as savages who did not know the basic basics of warfare. In reality, a bayonet on a stick is nothing more than an impromptu mine seeker, which was often used during the war.

3. It is forbidden to defend

Many sources cite the ban on defensive measures as the main reason for the defeat of the Red Army in 1941. Allegedly, the military leadership issued decrees prohibiting digging trenches and trenches - in the attack, and only in the attack. In reality, the trenches that were used during the First World War were considered ineffective. According to Novate.ru, it was at the beginning of World War II that the classic technology of trench equipment was developed, which is still used today. The Germans were advancing swiftly, so the Red Army did not have time to dig even a quarter of what it was supposed to.

4. They shot at their own

The myth that Soviet soldiers were forced to fight by shooting retreating machine guns was invented by opponents of the Great Victory. To make the theory convincing, these actions were attributed to special units of the NKVD and even confirmed by photographs. The photographs show Soviet machine gunners who shoot their own fleeing soldiers. In fact, such detachments really existed and they were engaged in nothing more than protecting the rear. In addition, do not forget about the technique of firing machine guns with hinged fire. With an incorrectly set sight, there really was a chance to "cover" our own people, but it was rather an exception to the rule.

5. All prisoners after their release were sent to the GULAG

Another widespread legend says that all those who were released or even escaped from captivity were sent to the Gulag and shot there. To put it mildly, these "facts" have nothing to do with reality. Of course, all those freed from enemy captivity were thoroughly tested. There was a great risk of the introduction of scouts and saboteurs into the ranks of the Red Army. The check usually lasted two months, and after that the soldier was restored to service in the previous rank. There was, of course, a small percentage of those arrested, but even they, in most cases, were sent not to the Gulag, but to ordinary workers' battalions.