Russian WW2 interesting stats and facts

We did have at one point interesting discussions on how many tanks were caught in the mud during the Spring awakening March 1945.

In Charles Messenger´s Hitler Gladiator Sepp Dietrich says:

" Now 132 tanks were sunk in the mud and fifteen Royal Tigers were sunk up to their turrets."

 

The Finnish president´s ( during WW2 ) Risto Ryti´s diary being published at the moment
( earlier was not the "right " time )

According to the diary, Hitler had told Finnish leaders about his plans for crushing Leningrad.
"St. Petersburg would be totally destroyed, and not just St. Petersburg, but also Moscow. As long as these large cities exist, peaceful conditions would not be possible in the east. St. Petersburg has been - and still is - a misfortune for Finland."

http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Wartime+diaries+of+President+Risto+Ryti+to+be+released/1135218337864

 

Katjusha!

 

Another "ultramodern" Finnish vehicle for Winter War warfare...

 

Is that a Finnish Fast Attack Ski-mobile?
It appears to have a 9 cylinder radial engine in the after section. Does it power a propellor or a track?

 

What is it used for ? The engine would make too much noise for recon work and it does not appear to have armor and it is not big enough to transport many people or supplies.
Nice picture !

 

Reminds you of the mysterious motorised sleds the Russians used on Lake Ilmen....

 

I found this site on Russian snow mobiles with pictures.

http://www.battlefield.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=216&Itemid=116&lang=en

 

That's very interesting indeed, Ta152 - thanks for the link ! Previously, I'd only seen the photo of the destroyed Ilmen sleds in Carell's book.

 

Kai's latest brings two things to mind-
Kai should have some sort of special medal here. In my time on the forums (minus some "vacations" ) I've never seen anyone who can find stuff on the web like he can. Especially the more esoteric, interesting, and sometimes downright strange stuff. Excellent find, as usual.

I can see the value of those "sleds" for transportation usage- I guess. Wouldn't a light/obsolete tank be better though, simply towing supplies? I guess if the snow was too deep, the sleds would work, but still...

I'm also pretty skeptical about the combat usage- anyone ran across mention of these in any other sources? I've read of sled-type vehicles used for transport, but for combat??

I find this line- "They sneaked into the enemy's rear area both singly and in combat groups."- next to impossible to believe! I'd imagine those engines would make one hell of a racket. And over anything close to open (snowy) terrain, where sound carries very well- how would they sneak anywhere, let alone through enemy lines?

Again- intersting stuff as always, Kai.

 

Agreed, but don't forget that Kai spends at least 11 months of the year snowed-in in a timber hut somewhere north of the Arctic Circle..... Brrrrrrrrrrr !

 

Thanx for the kind words Gentlemen!

I suppose it was used for connection transport between islands when the sea was frozen and I wouldn´t wonder if it was actually Soviet origin.

Thanx also for the medal idea! However I consider it the best way to be thanked to hear that you guys get as much enjoyment of the findings as I do!

Anyway, quiet now or the polar bears find me!

 

Great Poster more please.

 

18 Apr 1944 Hitler bans export of arms to Finland, because Finland had tried to negotiate peace.

http://personal.inet.fi/private/hovi.pages/sa-int/hist.html

Reading from the diary of General Waldemar Erfurth, who was 41-44 in staff & liason positions in Finland, it is mentioned that Hitler banned all shipments to Finland after that date ( April 18th ) and also no fighters or bombers were sent to replace the lost ones. Also he was suggesting to withdraw all the German troops from Lapland in case the Finnish peace negotiations continue!

Also according to Erfurth, General Eduard Dietl advised Erfurth/Hitler not to trust the Finnish government or Mannerheim in the ongoing situation. So the situation was really getting hot between Finland and Germany until early June 1944 when the Red Army started its major offensive in Karelia and Hitler ordered the shipments to continue.

 

Last night watched a document on the bloody evacuation of Tallinn in Aug 1941. The Germans and Finns managed to mine the see through which the convoy had to go. Also bombers and artillery took part in this battle. Within 48 hours over 50 ships sunk and some 16,000 people drowned. The German reconnaissance plane informed that all they could see was corpses and smoke covering the see...

The Juminda mind field!



http://users.tkk.fi/~jaromaa/Navygallery/Background/Wartime/Tallinn-evac.htm

 

That must have been Stalin's order 226, since 227 wasn't until 7/28/42.
Not one boat back!
The difference between this and scuttleing his fleet would have been what?
and I thought the Murmansk convoy thing was bad, PQ-17.
Running a narrow minefield at nite...good idea, if your in the last boat. The other ones can use their hulls to sweep the mines, and then sink to get out of the way.

 

One of my first postings...still very interesting !

http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,0_014139109X,00.html

From the Robin Cross´ Kursk:

"Up to the summer of 1943 Russian infantry formations were expected to manage on their initial ammunition issue ( boekompletky )which lasted about ten days. Little or no thought was given to further supply as it was Red Army practice to let these formations fight themselves into the ground before rebuilding them again from scratch.Thus in a high-intensity battle it was calculated that infantry formations would not last beyond their initial allocation of ammunition."

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And a very nice day to you,too....

 

Wouldn't it be interesting to find corroboration elsewhere? Or at least sources for the statement?

 

Stumbling Colossus: The Red Army on the Eve of World War (Modern War Studies )
by David M. Glantz

http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/glastu.html


David Glantz claims that in 1941 the Red Army was poorly trained, inadequately equipped, ineptly organized, and consequently incapable of engaging in large-scale military campaigns.

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http://stonebooks.com/archives/980531.shtml

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Units on the front-line were short of ammo, fuel and key equipment. ( this one from the Amazon.com site of Stumbling Colossus )

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Glantz´ Colossus reborn (2005) might help find answers after 1942?

 

I admit without any qualms that the logistical element could be 'weak'. Another thing is to say it would be a matter of policy to provide one load of ammunition only with no thought of ressupply because a number of days later the unit would be dead anyway. This is the corroboration I would like to see, that this was policy.