The Stalin And Molotov Lines: Soviet Western Defences 1928-41 (fortress)
by Neil Short /
2008 / English / PDF
17.3 MB Download
During the Russian Civil War, the Red Army created a series of
fortified areas, or ukreplinnyje rajony (UR), which were to be used
not only for defence but were also to act as staging points for
offensive operations. Following the end of the war these defences
were extended, creating a front that stretched over 2,000km from
the Baltic to the Black Sea, that consisted of more than 3,000
positions from forts to machine gun and antitank positions,
emplaced tank turrets, and observation and command positions. By
the outbreak of World War II, these defenses - known as the Stalin
Line - were largely complete.
During the Russian Civil War, the Red Army created a series of
fortified areas, or ukreplinnyje rajony (UR), which were to be used
not only for defence but were also to act as staging points for
offensive operations. Following the end of the war these defences
were extended, creating a front that stretched over 2,000km from
the Baltic to the Black Sea, that consisted of more than 3,000
positions from forts to machine gun and antitank positions,
emplaced tank turrets, and observation and command positions. By
the outbreak of World War II, these defenses - known as the Stalin
Line - were largely complete.
However, after the Soviet occupation of eastern Poland in October
1939 the Stalin Line was too far behind the new border to be of use
as a springboard for an offensive. So, a new set of defenses was
begun, named after the Soviet Foreign Minister, Molotov. Equipment
was stripped from the Stalin Line, but only 25 percent of the
positions had been completed by the time of the German invasion in
June 1941 and it proved no match for the Wehrmacht - positions were
mostly empty or simply bypassed during the advance. Illustrated
with cutaway artwork and rare photographs this book provides a
detailed examination of the development of these defensive lines,
and the fighting that took place around them in 1941, and is packed
with detail and information that is not readily available in the
English.
However, after the Soviet occupation of eastern Poland in October
1939 the Stalin Line was too far behind the new border to be of use
as a springboard for an offensive. So, a new set of defenses was
begun, named after the Soviet Foreign Minister, Molotov. Equipment
was stripped from the Stalin Line, but only 25 percent of the
positions had been completed by the time of the German invasion in
June 1941 and it proved no match for the Wehrmacht - positions were
mostly empty or simply bypassed during the advance. Illustrated
with cutaway artwork and rare photographs this book provides a
detailed examination of the development of these defensive lines,
and the fighting that took place around them in 1941, and is packed
with detail and information that is not readily available in the
English.