the soviet partisan movement 1941-1944 by edgar m. howell

More documents

Recommendations

Info

EARLY RUSSIAN RESISTANCE AND GERMAN COUNTERMEASURES 47 Party organizations in order to be able to expand the partisan movement in the occupied territories and incite the people there to greater heights in undermining the enemy effort. 20 Establishment of Partisan Combat Battalions and Diversionary Units On 10 July the Partisan Movement was officially organized and placed under the control of the Tenth Department of the Political Administration of the Army, a portion of Mechlis' command as chief of the Main Administration of the Political Propaganda of the Red Army, 21 which in turn was under the direct control of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. Great emphasis was continually placed on the need to bring all the irregular units under the central control of Moscow at the earliest possible date. Almost immediately the effect of this centralized control was perceptible. On 11 July 22 Mechlis issued to the ranking political officers of all the army fronts and, apparently, to the Central Committee of the Communist Party in all the Soviet Republics endangered by the Germans detailed orders to form partisan units. 23 These political leaders were directed to organize irregular groups in "the main zone of operations . . . where the principal units of the enemy troops [were] located." Depending on their commitment these groups were to be divided into partisan combat battalions 24 and diversionary units. The combat battalions were to be well armed and of sufficient strength for offensive action. Comprising from 75 to 150 men, they were to be 20 Directive of the People's Commisar for Army Matters, 20 Jul 41 (signed by Stalin and Mechlis), in Wehrmacht propaganda files. Ausland Abwehr, Nr. 03443/41 geh. 23.1X.41. OKW 688. 21 Shigunov Interrogation, 14 Apr 42. EAP 3-a-1 1/2 (C ) , p. 175842. Shigunov was an NKVD agent captured by the Germans. "Political Report of the Administration of the Political Propaganda of the Northwest Front," in Anl. z. KTB. 1, H. Geb. Nord, 21. 111-19.X.41. 14768/5. 22 This date is rather arbitrarily taken. On 10 Jul the partisan movement came under Mechlis' control; on 15 Jul the chief of the Administration of the Political Propaganda of the Northwest Front, Brigade-Commissar Rjabtschi, reported to Moscow that he had put such an order into effect on 13 Jul. See: "Political Report of the Administration of the Political Propaganda of the Northwest Front," in Anl.z. KTB. 1, H. Geb. Nord, 21. III-19.X.41. 14768/5. Rjabtschi passed this order on to his command on 20 Jul. See: "Instructions for the Organization and Activity of the Partisan Units and Diversionary Groups," 20 Jul 41 (signed by Rjabtschi) in OKH GenStdH, O.Q. IV-Abt. Fde.H. (11) Nr. 1600.41, 31.VIII.41, to H. Gr. Sued, and annex Merkblatt ueber Organisation und Taetigkeit der Partisanen-Abteilungen und Diversiongruppen, Uebersetzung ausdem Russischen, in Heeres Gruppe Sued, Ic, Russland 20. VIII.-9.XI.41. 1541 7/6. 23 See leaflet distributed to partisans by the People's Commissars, White Russia, and the Central Committee X of the Communist Party in White Russia in Anl. z. KTB 2, 1.IX.-7.XI.41., Korueck 553. 20383/8. This leaflet is undated, but its content indicates that it was distributed soon after Stalin's radio proclamation. 24 The German translation of the Russian phrase is Kampfabteilung, 'literally "combat battalion."
48 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT divided into 2 to 3 companies and the companies into 2 to 3 platoons. The normal combat unit was to be the company or the platoon. Generally they were to operate only at night and from ambush. Their mission was to attack troop columns and assemblies, motorized infantry, camps, transports of fuel and ammunition, headquarters, air bases, and railroad trains previously halted by rail demolitions. They were to operate in regions where the terrain was broken enough or the cover was heavy enough to afford concealment for their movements and bases. They were to act only along the principal communication axes of the enemy. It was considered desirable that there be at least one combat unit per rayon. 25 In addition to the combat battalions, diversionary units of from 30 to 50 men each were to be organized in each rayon. These units were to consist of from 5 to 8 groups of 3 to 10 men each. They were to be so organized that the individuals comprising one group would not be acquainted with those of another. The small units were to be concentrated into a larger organization only to control their activity and to facilitate the formation of new groups in the rayon. Their fundamental mission was sabotage, cutting telephone lines, firing fuel and ammunition dumps, raiload demolition, and attacks on individual or small groups of enemy vehicles. 26 In all areas still occupied by the Red Army, the local headquarters of the NKVD and NKGB (People's Commissariat for State Security) were directed to organize annihilation battalions to combat enemy air landings. In the case of a withdrawal by the Red Army, these annihilation battalions were to allow the German attack to pass over them and then. operate as partisan units in the enemy rear. 27 Local Partisan Units A similar order was passed down through the People's Commissars and the Central Committees of the Communist Party in the Soviet Republics that lay in the path of the German attack to all local administrative headquarters, both urban and rural. Partisan units were ordered formed in all industrial plants, in the transportation system, and in the state and collective farms. These were to be volunteer units, formed of men, women, and youths physically capable of serving. Organizational wise, they were to be set up along the same lines as the Soviet local 25 Rayon-a Soviet political and administrative subdivision similar to the American county. 26 Instructions for the Organization and Activity of the Partisan Units and Diversionary Groups," 20 Jul 41 (signed by Rjabtschi) in OKH Gen.St.d.H., O.Q. IV-- Abt. Fde.H. (II) Nr. 1600.41, 31.VIII.41, to H. Gr. Sued, and annex Merkblatt ueber Organisation und Taetigkeit der Partisanen-Abteilungen und Diversiongruppen, Uebersetzung aus dem Russischen, in Heeres Gruppe Sued, Ic, Russland 20.VIII.- 9.XI.41, 15417/6. 27 Ibid.
Page 2:
F I N L A N D Kholrn MOSCOW S. R. A
Page 6 and 7:
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY WASHINGTON 2
Page 9:
PREFACE The purpose of this text is
Page 12 and 13: viii PART TWO . 1941-1942: THE PERI
Page 14 and 15: x PART THREE. 1943-1944: THE PERIOD
Page 16 and 17: 2 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT Euro
Page 18 and 19: 4 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT Whit
Page 20 and 21: 6 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT mile
Page 22 and 23: Map 3. Period of German Offensives,
Page 24 and 25: PREINVASION PLANNING 9 Still doubti
Page 26 and 27: PREINVASION PLANNING 11 Chart 1 - O
Page 28 and 29: PREINVASION PLANNING 13 visions wer
Page 30 and 31: PREINVASION PLANNING 15 limited obj
Page 32 and 33: PREINVASION PLANNING 17 and philoso
Page 34 and 35: PREINVASION PLANNING 19 district Ko
Page 36 and 37: PREINVASION PLANNING 21 torates, on
Page 38 and 39: PREINVASION PLANNING 23 world revol
Page 40 and 41: PREINVASION PLANNING 25 sions, of w
Page 42 and 43: GERMAN OPERATIONS TO THE STALINGRAD
Page 58 and 59: EARLY RUSSIAN RESISTANCE AND GERMAN
Page 77 and 78: CHAPTER 5 GERMAN OCCUPATION POLICIE
Page 79 and 80: GERMAN OCCUPATION POLICIES IN OPERA
Page 113 and 114:
Chapter 6 THE OCCUPATION FALTERS
Page 115 and 116:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 99 The commo
Page 117 and 118:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 101 lective
Page 119 and 120:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 103 Religion
Page 121 and 122:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 105 was the
Page 123 and 124:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 107 The Forc
Page 125 and 126:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 109 As the p
Page 127 and 128:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 111 This gro
Page 129 and 130:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 113 . The Pa
Page 131 and 132:
THE OCCUPATION FALTERS 115 tected b
Page 133 and 134:
THE GERMANS CHANGE THEIR TACTICS 11
Page 135 and 136:
Page 137 and 138:
Page 139 and 140:
F N L A N O Map 4. Period of Soviet
Page 141 and 142:
124 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT th
Page 143 and 144:
126 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT be
Page 145 and 146:
128 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT wa
Page 147 and 148:
130 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT fo
Page 149 and 150:
132 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT ti
Page 151 and 152:
Page 153 and 154:
136 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT fu
Page 155 and 156:
138 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT ci
Page 157 and 158:
Chart 3 ORGANIZATIOUIF A PARTISAN B
Page 159 and 160:
THE PARTISAN MOVEMENT REACHES MATUR
Page 161 and 162:
Page 163 and 164:
Page 165 and 166:
CHAPTER 10 THE PARTISANS AND THE C
Page 167 and 168:
THE PARTISANS AND THE CAMPAIGN OF 1
Page 169 and 170:
Page 171 and 172:
Page 173 and 174:
Page 177 and 178:
Page 179 and 180:
Page 182 and 183:
PARTISAN CONCENTRATIONS IN SECTOR O
Page 184 and 185:
162 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT no
Page 186 and 187:
164 on the rail lines of the centra
Page 188 and 189:
166 Soviet propaganda aimed at the
Page 190 and 191:
168 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT li
Page 192:
170 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT si
Page 196 and 197:
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
THE DECISIVE MONTHS: JANUARY—JUNE
Page 208 and 209:
THE DECISIVE MONTHS: JANUARY-JUNE 1
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
15 Anl. 43 z. KTB, H. Gr. Nord. 14.
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
Page 221:
ARMY GROUP CENTER REAR AREA' WINTER
Page 224 and 225:
196 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT Th
Page 226 and 227:
Page 228 and 229:
200 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT of
Page 230 and 231:
202 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT su
Page 232 and 233:
204 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT Ge
Page 234 and 235:
206 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT at
Page 236 and 237:
208 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT ar
Page 238 and 239:
210 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT we
Page 240 and 241:
212 THE SOVIET PARTISAN MOVEMENT me
Page 243 and 244:
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE The Soviet Pa
Page 245:
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 217 United Sta
show all

the soviet partisan movement 1941-1944 by edgar m. howell

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?