New officers were also always chosen on loyalty over skill. As a consequence, all remaining officers were rather inexperienced, not formed properly or too scared for fear of reprisals, blindly following orders to the letter, never taking any personal initiative until official approval by Moscow. Almost three quarters of the most capable officers of all ranks were wiped out or exiled in Siberian camps, as well as engineers. But, starting in 1936, Stalin ordered a series of “great purges”, out of fear of a military coup. Before 1936, the Red Army displayed brilliant and innovative armored tactics, well trained crews and experienced officers. In 1939, the USSR had the biggest armored force in the world, numerically superior to all western powers combined. Success was visible each year in the Red Square, showing new tank models, with most of the development inspired by western technology. He ultimately succeeded, with brutal efficiency, while also turning the country into a police state and military camp in the process. After his death in January 1924, Stalin took his place and, after years of forced agrarian reforms, tried in the 1930s to raise the USSR to the level of the western industries. Despite some successes, White Russians (supported by Western Powers) were ultimately crushed by the Bolsheviks.Ī new regime, more radical, was now held in place by Lenin. At the end of the First World War, a new conflict was already emerging in Russia, the Civil War of 1919-1921. In October, an uprising in St Petersburg led to the overthrowing of the Tsar, and the rise, before the amazed and ashamed eyes of western nations, of the first communist regime ever. Despite the fact that communists were most active on the front, it was only after the arrival of Lenin, thanks to a special operation by the Germans, that the revolt spread.

In 1917, Tsarist Russia was strife with political agitation.

The Soviet 21st Tank Brigade’s Assault On Kalininįrom the ashes of the Civil War to a titanic armored force.

Effectiveness of Tactical Air Strikes in World War II – “Tank busting”.

1942 Combat Damage Analysis of the T-34 and T-70 tanks.

Twin-Turret BT Tank “BT-4” or “BT-VT” (Fake Tank).

T-26s with Kremlin Armory Cannons (Fake Tank).

Dyrenkovs Armored Tractors (D-10, D-11, D-14).

Grote’s 1,000 tonne Festungs Panzer ‘Fortress Tank’.

More than 150,000 armored vehicles by September 1945 Heavy Tanks Armored cars, light, medium & heavy tanks

Main battle tank of ww2 russian