1st Shock Army

1st Shock Army
Active	1941–1945
Country	USSR
Allegiance	Soviet Union
Branch	Regular Army
Type	Shock troops
Size	Varied in the Years
Part of	Military District
Engagements	Tartu Offensive Battle of Moscow Leningrad–Novgorod Offensive Riga Offensive Courland Encirclement

The1st Shock Army(Russian:1-я ударная армия) was afield armyestablished by theSoviet Union'sRed ArmyduringWorld War II. The 1st Shock Army was created in late 1941 and fought in the northern areas of Russia and theBaltic Statesuntil the surrender ofGermanyin 1945. The Army was created in accordance with prewar doctrine that called forShockArmies to 'overcome difficult defensive dispositions in order to create a tactical penetration of sufficient breadth and depth to permit the commitment of mobile formations for deeper exploitation.'However, as the war went on, Shock Armies lost this specific role and reverted, in general, to ordinary frontline formations.

History

The 1st Shock Army was formed as part of theReserve of the Supreme High Command(RVGK, theStavkareserve) at Zagorsk (nowSergiyev Posad) in theMoscow Military Districtin November 1941. Taking part in theBattle of Moscowin December 1941, on 1 December the Army consisted of the133rd Rifle Division,29th, 44th, 47th, 50th, 55th, 56th, 71st, and84th Rifle Brigades,17th Cavalry Division,two tank battalions, an artillery regiment of the Stavka reserve, and other support units.All the rifle brigades were formed from the naval personnel of thePacific Fleet.

1st Shock Army was then airlifted toStaraya Russaand fought atDemyanskin 1942. Fighting in the north-central areas of the front, the 1st Shock Army again fought near Staraya Russa in 1944. From 1942 through 1944, the army took part in many attacks such as theLeningrad–Novgorod,Pskov-Ostrov,Tartu,andRigaoffensives. Fighting through the Baltic States, the 1st Shock Army finished the war as part of theCourland Group of Forcesthat had trapped the GermanArmy Group Kurlandin the northern reaches ofLatvia.

In January 1945, the 1st Shock Army comprised the 112th Rifle Corps (44th,98th Rifle Divisions), 119th Rifle Corps (53rd Guards,374th,376th Rifle Divisions), the377th Rifle Division,and the 118th and 155th Fortified Regions.

108th, 7th, 119th, and 123rd Rifle Corps all fought the Germans around Staroselye in April.This offensive was part of maintaining pressure on theCourland Pocket.

In May 1945, the 1st Shock Army commanded fourRifle Corps:the1st(306th,344th,and357th Rifle Divisions),8th Estonian(7thand249th Estonian Rifle Divisions),119th(201st,360thand374th Rifle Divisions),and123rd(21st Guardsand376th Rifle Divisions), totaling ten rifle divisions. The 1st Shock Army had by that point been strongly reinforced with three artillery divisions, a corps artillery brigade, a tank brigade, and seven regiments of tanks and assault guns.

1st Shock Army was disbanded by being redesignated HeadquartersTurkestan Military Districton 9 July 1945.

Second World War commanders

• Nov 1941 to May 1942: Lieutenant GeneralV. I. Kuznetsov
• May 1942 to Nov 1942: Lieutenant GeneralVladimir Zakharovich Romanovsky
• Nov 1942 to Feb 1943: Lieutenant GeneralVasili Morozov
• Feb 1943 to Apr 1944: Lieutenant GeneralGennady Korotkov
• Apr 1944 to May 1944: Colonel GeneralN. E. Chibisov
• May 1944 to Jan 1945: Lieutenant GeneralNikanor Zakhvatayev
• Feb 1945 to May 1945: Lieutenant General Vladimir N. Razuvaev

References

• Bonn, Keith E. (ed.)Slaughterhouse.Bedford: Aberjona Press, 2005.ISBN0-9717650-9-X.
• Glantz, David M.Companion to Colossus Reborn.Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2005.ISBN0-7006-1359-5.
• Poirier, Robert G., and Conner, Albert Z.The Red Army Order of Battle in the Great Patriotic War.Novato: Presidio Press, 1985.ISBN0-89141-237-9.

Further reading

• Berdnikov, Grigory (1985).Первая ударная. Боевой путь 1-й ударной армии в Великой Отечественной войне[1st Shock: The Combat Route of the 1st Shock Army in the Great Patriotic War] (in Russian). Moscow: Voenizdat.