The 2nd Shock Army (Russian: 2-я Ударная армия) was a field army of the Soviet Union during the Second World War. This type of formation was created in accordance with prewar doctrine that called for Shock Armies 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.[1] However, as the war went on, Shock Armies lost this specific role and reverted, in general, to ordinary frontline formations.
The 2nd Shock Army was formed from the Volkhov Front's 26th Army in December 1941 and initially consisted of the 327th Rifle Division and eight separate rifle brigades. During the Lyuban offensive operation in early 1942, the 2nd Shock Army broke through German lines, was cut off from reinforcement along the Volkhov River by a German counter-attack, and was not permitted to retreat. When the order for retreat finally came in, the 2nd was destroyed trying to escape. This happened again during the Sinyavino offensive in October 1942, in which the survivors of the 2nd Shock Army had to return to the Front's HQ for resupply and manpower to rebuild the Army.
By 1944, and during its participation in the Battle of Narva, the 2nd Shock Army consisted of five rifle divisions (11th, 43rd Rifle Division, 90th Rifle Division, 131st, and 196th) along with 600 artillery pieces, a tank brigade, another tank regiment, two SPG regiments, and masses of ammunition and supplies.[2]
After the war ended, the 2nd Shock Army remained in northeastern Germany (with its HQ at Schwerin) until January 1946, after which it returned to the USSR, where its HQ was reorganized as the HQ of the Arkhangel'sk Military District. It was composed of three rifle corps by this time (9 divisions). After the 2nd Shock Army was re-designated HQ Arkhangelsk MD's 116th Rifle Corps, its component units were spread among other districts. The 109th Rifle Corps (101st Guards, 46th and 372nd rifle divisions) went to the North Caucasus Military District, and the 134th Rifle Corps (102nd Guards, 90th and 272nd rifle divisions) went to the Voronezh Region.
Military history
In January 1942 the Volkhov Front commander, Meretskov, had to request that the Army’s commander, General Lieutenant Sokolov, a former NKVD commissar, be relieved, as he was absolutely incompetent. Command was handed over to the former commander of 52nd Army, General Lieutenant Klykov.[3] Later that same month the 2nd Shock Army was launched against Lyuban, but its offensive saw the Army isolated, under a new commander, General Lieutenant A. A. Vlasov.
On 7 January 1942, Vlasov's army had spearheaded the Lyuban offensive operation to break the Leningrad encirclement. Planned as a combined operation between the Volkhov and Leningrad Fronts on a 30 km (19 mi) frontage, other armies of the Leningrad Front (including the 54th) were supposed to participate at scheduled intervals in this operation. Crossing the Volkhov River, Vlasov's army was successful in breaking through the German 18th Army's lines and penetrated 70–74 km deep inside the German rear area.[4] The other armies (Volkhov Front's 4th, 52nd, and 59th Armies, 13th Cavalry Corps, and 4th and 6th Guards Rifle Corps), however, failed to provide the required support, and Vlasov's army became stranded. Permission to retreat was refused. With the counter-offensive in May 1942, the Second Shock Army was finally allowed to retreat, but by now, too weakened, it was virtually annihilated during the final breakout at Myasnoi Bor.[5] Vlasov was taken prisoner by the Wehrmacht troops on 6 July 1942.[6] He later raised a legion of Russians who fought alongside the German forces.
Meeting of the 2nd Shock Army and the 67th Army in January 1943 during Operation Iskra
The terrain in which the 2nd Shock Army fought in the 1944 Battle of Narva.
2nd Shock Army again suffered severe losses during the Sinyavino operation from 19 August – 20 October 1942.[7] Again, the remnants were returned to the Front reserves for rebuilding.
In January 1943 it took part in the offensive which aimed to raise the siege of Leningrad, Operation Iskra. The Stavka then intervened in Leningrad Front offensive planning during September 1943, changing the plan so that 2nd Shock Army would attack from the Oranienbaum bridgehead. The offensive, under a newly appointed commander, General I.I. Fedyuninskii, begun on 14 January, took part in breaking the almost 900-day siege of Leningrad, and pushed west to the outskirts of Narva, resulting in the Battle of Narva.
The 2nd Shock Army struggled to take Narva and German positions further west of the city until September 1944, when deep exploitation by Soviet forces in the Baltic States forced a German retreat through Estonia. As a result of the strategic Soviet victory in this region, the 2nd Shock Army was moved south and assigned to the 2nd Belorussian Front. As part of the 2nd Belorussian Front, the 2nd Shock Army fought across Poland and northeastern Germany, with its route of march taking it north of Warsaw and Stettin. In late March, the army helped capture Danzig.[8] On 1 May 1945, the 2nd Shock Army took Stralsund on the Baltic Coast, ending the war there and on the island of Rügen.
^Erickson, Road to Stalingrad, 2003, p.352. See also p.381, where Erickson describes 2 Shock after this operation as 'an army brought back from the dead.'
Keith E. Bonn, Slaughterhouse: The Handbook of the Eastern Front, Aberjona Press, Bedford, PA, 2005
Feskov, The Soviet Army in the Period of the Cold War, Tomsk, 2004
May 17, 2023
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The 2nd Shock Army Russian 2 ya Udarnaya armiya was a field army of the Soviet Union during the Second World War This type of formation was created in accordance with prewar doctrine that called for Shock Armies 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 1 However as the war went on Shock Armies lost this specific role and reverted in general to ordinary frontline formations 2nd Shock ArmyActive1941 1946Country Soviet UnionBranchRegular ArmyTypeShock troopsSizeVaried throughout the yearsPart ofMilitary DistrictEngagementsSiege of LeningradBattle of NarvaVistula Oder offensiveCommandersNotablecommandersAndrei VlasovIvan Fedyuninsky Contents 1 Formation 2 Military history 3 Disbandment 4 Commanders 5 Sources and referencesFormation EditThe 2nd Shock Army was formed from the Volkhov Front s 26th Army in December 1941 and initially consisted of the 327th Rifle Division and eight separate rifle brigades During the Lyuban offensive operation in early 1942 the 2nd Shock Army broke through German lines was cut off from reinforcement along the Volkhov River by a German counter attack and was not permitted to retreat When the order for retreat finally came in the 2nd was destroyed trying to escape This happened again during the Sinyavino offensive in October 1942 in which the survivors of the 2nd Shock Army had to return to the Front s HQ for resupply and manpower to rebuild the Army By 1944 and during its participation in the Battle of Narva the 2nd Shock Army consisted of five rifle divisions 11th 43rd Rifle Division 90th Rifle Division 131st and 196th along with 600 artillery pieces a tank brigade another tank regiment two SPG regiments and masses of ammunition and supplies 2 After the war ended the 2nd Shock Army remained in northeastern Germany with its HQ at Schwerin until January 1946 after which it returned to the USSR where its HQ was reorganized as the HQ of the Arkhangel sk Military District It was composed of three rifle corps by this time 9 divisions After the 2nd Shock Army was re designated HQ Arkhangelsk MD s 116th Rifle Corps its component units were spread among other districts The 109th Rifle Corps 101st Guards 46th and 372nd rifle divisions went to the North Caucasus Military District and the 134th Rifle Corps 102nd Guards 90th and 272nd rifle divisions went to the Voronezh Region Military history EditIn January 1942 the Volkhov Front commander Meretskov had to request that the Army s commander General Lieutenant Sokolov a former NKVD commissar be relieved as he was absolutely incompetent Command was handed over to the former commander of 52nd Army General Lieutenant Klykov 3 Later that same month the 2nd Shock Army was launched against Lyuban but its offensive saw the Army isolated under a new commander General Lieutenant A A Vlasov On 7 January 1942 Vlasov s army had spearheaded the Lyuban offensive operation to break the Leningrad encirclement Planned as a combined operation between the Volkhov and Leningrad Fronts on a 30 km 19 mi frontage other armies of the Leningrad Front including the 54th were supposed to participate at scheduled intervals in this operation Crossing the Volkhov River Vlasov s army was successful in breaking through the German 18th Army s lines and penetrated 70 74 km deep inside the German rear area 4 The other armies Volkhov Front s 4th 52nd and 59th Armies 13th Cavalry Corps and 4th and 6th Guards Rifle Corps however failed to provide the required support and Vlasov s army became stranded Permission to retreat was refused With the counter offensive in May 1942 the Second Shock Army was finally allowed to retreat but by now too weakened it was virtually annihilated during the final breakout at Myasnoi Bor 5 Vlasov was taken prisoner by the Wehrmacht troops on 6 July 1942 6 He later raised a legion of Russians who fought alongside the German forces Meeting of the 2nd Shock Army and the 67th Army in January 1943 during Operation Iskra The terrain in which the 2nd Shock Army fought in the 1944 Battle of Narva 2nd Shock Army again suffered severe losses during the Sinyavino operation from 19 August 20 October 1942 7 Again the remnants were returned to the Front reserves for rebuilding In January 1943 it took part in the offensive which aimed to raise the siege of Leningrad Operation Iskra The Stavka then intervened in Leningrad Front offensive planning during September 1943 changing the plan so that 2nd Shock Army would attack from the Oranienbaum bridgehead The offensive under a newly appointed commander General I I Fedyuninskii begun on 14 January took part in breaking the almost 900 day siege of Leningrad and pushed west to the outskirts of Narva resulting in the Battle of Narva The 2nd Shock Army struggled to take Narva and German positions further west of the city until September 1944 when deep exploitation by Soviet forces in the Baltic States forced a German retreat through Estonia As a result of the strategic Soviet victory in this region the 2nd Shock Army was moved south and assigned to the 2nd Belorussian Front As part of the 2nd Belorussian Front the 2nd Shock Army fought across Poland and northeastern Germany with its route of march taking it north of Warsaw and Stettin In late March the army helped capture Danzig 8 On 1 May 1945 the 2nd Shock Army took Stralsund on the Baltic Coast ending the war there and on the island of Rugen Disbandment EditFollowing the end of the war the army was withdrawn to Arkhangelsk and redesignated as the Arkhangelsk Military District In June the army was reformed in Goldberg East Germany and in August moved to Schwerin where it was disbanded in January 1946 9 Commanders EditLieutenant General Grigory Grigorievich Sokolov from 12 25 1941 to 01 10 1942 Lieutenant General Nikolai Klykov from January 10 1942 to April 16 1942 Lieutenant General Andrey Vlasov from 04 16 1942 to 07 01 1942 later commander of the pro Nazi Russian Liberation Army Lieutenant General Nikolai Klykov from 07 24 1942 to 12 12 1942 Lieutenant General Vladimir Zakharovich Romanovsky from 12 02 1942 to 12 23 1943 Lieutenant General Ivan Fedyuninsky from 12 24 1943 to 04 1946 commander during the Battle of Narva from October 1944 Colonel General Sources and references Edit Keith Bonn ed Slaughterhouse p 306 John Erickson The Road to Berlin Weidenfeld amp Nicolson London 1982 p 170 Erickson Road to Stalingrad 2003 Cassel edition p 300 Meretskov On the service of the nation Ch 6 Erickson Road to Stalingrad 2003 p 352 See also p 381 where Erickson describes 2 Shock after this operation as an army brought back from the dead Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn The Gulag Archipelago Harper amp Row Publ New York 1973 p 252 253 Dates are taken from David Glantz The Soviet German War 1941 1945 Myths and Realities A Survey Essay p 40 Beevor Antony 2003 04 29 The Fall of Berlin 1945 Penguin ISBN 9781101175286 2nd Shock Army www ww2 dk Retrieved 2021 09 15 Keith E Bonn Slaughterhouse The Handbook of the Eastern Front Aberjona Press Bedford PA 2005 Feskov The Soviet Army in the Period of the Cold War Tomsk 2004 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2nd Shock Army amp oldid 1087147471, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
