Deep Battle: The Soviet Answer to the Blitzkrieg

Summary

This script delves into the history and evolution of the Soviet 'Deep Battle' doctrine, which emphasized coordinated, multi-echelon offensives to break through enemy lines. From its roots in the 19th century to the challenges faced during World War II, the narrative explores the tactical brilliance and setbacks of this military strategy. Highlighting key figures like Tukhachevsky and Zhukov, it examines how political purges and the Great Purge impacted the doctrine's application, leading to its eventual decline and the shift towards more conventional warfare tactics.

Takeaways

• 😀 Blitzkrieg, often attributed to Germany in World War II, was more a propaganda term than an actual tactical approach.
• 🏰 The actual German military doctrine was 'combined arms warfare' or 'Blitzkrieg' in German, emphasizing speed and maneuverability but not being exclusive to Germany.
• 📚 Russian and later Soviet military theory developed around the concept of 'Deep Battle' (Globoboy Borba), focusing on attacking the enemy's combat order throughout the entire depth of their positions.
• 🤴 Influenced by historical figures like General Prince Mikhail Kutuzov, Russian military doctrine varied between defensive strategic approaches and offensive operations.
• 🛡️ The Red Army's P-36 regulation manual detailed the 'Deep Battle' doctrine, organizing forces into four echelons for a coordinated offensive.
• 🚂 The Spanish Civil War provided early testing grounds for Soviet armored units, revealing the need for better coordination and understanding of tank usage.
• 🛑 Joseph Stalin's Great Purge significantly impacted the Red Army, executing many high-ranking officers and leading to the suppression of the 'Deep Battle' doctrine.
• 🔄 Despite initial setbacks and the influence of the purges, the Red Army revisited and adapted 'Deep Battle' principles, especially during World War II.
• 🎖️ Marshals like Georgy Zhukov and Yakov Fedorenko played crucial roles in the refinement and application of 'Deep Battle' tactics, leading to significant victories.
• 🌏 Post-World War II, the doctrine of 'Deep Battle' became less relevant due to the nature of warfare shifting towards nuclear capabilities and asymmetric conflicts.
• 🛑 The modern Russian Federation's military struggles with coordination in multi-domain operations, a key component of the 'Deep Battle' doctrine, affecting its performance in recent conflicts.

Q & A

What was the significance of the term 'Blitzkrieg' during World War II?

The term 'Blitzkrieg' was a propaganda term used to describe the rapid and overwhelming nature of the early German military campaigns, rather than a specific tactical approach. It was characterized by the concentrated use of tank units, speed, and maneuverability.

What was the German military doctrine referred to as 'war of movement' or 'Bewegungskrieg'?

The 'war of movement' or 'Bewegungskrieg' was the German approach to combined arms warfare, emphasizing the coordinated use of different military arms and a deep thrust towards enemy command centers.

How did the Russian and later Soviet military doctrine differ from the German approach during World War II?

The Russian and later Soviet doctrine, known as 'deep battle' or 'glubokaya taktika', focused on conducting combined armed efforts to attack the enemy's combat order throughout the entire depth of their positions, not just the front lines.

What were the two extreme visions of military doctrine in 19th century Russia?

The two extreme visions were represented by General Prince Mikhail Kutuzov, who advocated a defensive strategic approach using time and patience, and General Alexander Suvorov, who emphasized offensive operations with speed and surprise.

What was the impact of the Spanish Civil War on the development of Soviet military doctrine?

The Spanish Civil War provided an opportunity for the Red Army to test its military theories in a real situation. However, the lack of coordination and infantry support during the conflict led to the conclusion that large independent armored units were ineffective, and tanks should be used in an infantry support role.

What were the consequences of the Great Purge on the Soviet military?

The Great Purge led to the arrest or execution of a significant number of senior military officers, including Marshal Tukhachevsky, resulting in the loss of invaluable experience and talent. This severely impacted the development and implementation of military doctrine, including the deep battle strategy.

How did the Red Army's performance in the Winter War against Finland affect its military doctrine?

The Red Army's poor performance in the Winter War, characterized by slow advances and high casualties, led to the disbanding of mechanized corps and the distribution of tanks in smaller regiments for infantry support, moving away from the deep battle principles.

What was the significance of Marshal Zhukov's actions during the Battle of Khalkhin Gol?

Marshal Zhukov's successful use of a cohesive tank unit to encircle and destroy two Japanese divisions demonstrated the potential of deep battle principles, even though this application received little attention at the time.

How did the Soviet Union's military doctrine evolve during World War II?

During World War II, the Soviet military doctrine evolved to re-embrace the principles of deep battle, with independent tank formations and coordinated offensives playing a crucial role in major operations such as the Battle of Stalingrad and Operation Bagration.

What factors contributed to the decline of the deep battle doctrine after World War II?

The decline of the deep battle doctrine was influenced by the shift towards nuclear deterrence during the Cold War and the move towards asymmetric warfare in conflicts like the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the Russian Federation's involvement in Ukraine.