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2nd Guards Tank Army (Soviet Union)
Encyclopedia
The Second Tank Army of the Red Army
was formed in January - February, 1943 on the basis of the 3rd Reserve Army of the Bryansk Front
.
Originally the Army comprised 11th and 16th Tank Corps, 60th, 112th and 194th Rifle Divisions, the 11th Guards Separate tank brigade, 115th Rifle Brigade, the 28th ski brigade and other units.
and as part of Central Front in February - March took part in offensive operation on the direction of Bryansk
; in July - August - took part in the Orel strategic offensive operation - Operation Kutuzov
- within the Kromy’-Orel offensive operation
and the Chernigov-Pripyat offensive operation (26.08-30.09.1943) operations.
In the beginning of September 1943 the Army was redeployed to the Stavka
VGK reserve, and in the middle of January 1944 joined the 1st Ukrainian Front
and remained in its structure until the end of January when it participated in repulsing counter-strokes of the German forces in the direction of Vinnitsa; in February the army participated in the south-west in the area of the cities of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky operation.
As part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, and from the middle of June 1944 within the 1st Belorussian Front
, the Army participated in the Uman-Botoshany offensive, Lublin - Brest, Warsaw-Poznan offensive, the East Pomeranian Offensive
, the Seelow-Berlin offensive operation
and the Battle for Berlin
operations.
, while Semyon Bogdanov was awarded the HSU's Gold Star twice.
Tank Army, was located with the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
with the staff in Fuerstenberg. However the only wartime formation that continued to serve with the Army was the 16th Guard TD (the former 9th Guards Tank Corps). Although up to the 1970s it had retained of its wartime units - 12th Guards Tank Division (the former 12th Tank Corps) and 35th Motor Rifle Division (former 1st Mechanised Corps
), without considering those formations that joined the Army as early as 1946. The three last wartime divisions were replaced at the end of the 1970s - the 94th Guards, 21st and 207th Motorised Rifle Divisions.
in the Volga Military District in 1993, and converted from a tank formation to a combined-arms army that same year, referred to as 2nd Guards Red Banner Army. It holds the Fighting Banner of the 2nd Guards Tank Army in storage. It was allocated the 16th and 90th Guards Tank Division
s for some years before being disbanded in 1998. 16th Guards Tank Division was reduced to a weapons and equipment storage base in March 1997.
The Army was reformed in 2001 from the former Volga MD headquarters and now consists of the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division
and the 201st Motor Rifle Division.
In 2006 the Army conducted a large Command-Staff exercise "Southern Shield - 2006" that included a call up of some 4-5,000 reservists. The exercise proved successful and confirmed the Army's readiness status., including that of two component divisions which conducted a tactical exercise within the scope of the "Southern Shield - 2006". The tactical exercise was again conducted in 2007 by the 27th Motor Rifle Division. This division, and several other Army sub-units are today entirely staffed by service personnel serving under professional contracts.
A former commander of the 2nd Guards Tank Army, General of Army Nikolay Makarov, is today Chief of Material of the Armed Forces, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation.
The Army's current commander is General-Major Oleg Leont'evich Makarevich (former Chief of Staff, 22nd Guards Army, Moscow Military District).
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
was formed in January - February, 1943 on the basis of the 3rd Reserve Army of the Bryansk Front
Bryansk Front
The Bryansk Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during the Second World War.General Andrei Yeremenko was designated commander of the Front when it first formed in mid-late August 1941, comprising, in Erickson's words, 'on paper two armies, 50th and 13th, with eight rifle divisions each, three...
.
Originally the Army comprised 11th and 16th Tank Corps, 60th, 112th and 194th Rifle Divisions, the 11th Guards Separate tank brigade, 115th Rifle Brigade, the 28th ski brigade and other units.
Combat history
In the middle of February the army joined the Soviet Central FrontSoviet Central Front
The Central Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during the Second World War.The Central Front describes either of two distinct organizations during the war...
and as part of Central Front in February - March took part in offensive operation on the direction of Bryansk
Bryansk
Bryansk is a city and the administrative center of Bryansk Oblast, Russia, located southwest of Moscow. Population: -History:The first written mention of Bryansk was in 1146, in the Hypatian Codex, as Debryansk...
; in July - August - took part in the Orel strategic offensive operation - Operation Kutuzov
Operation Kutuzov
Operation Kutuzov was a military operation by the Red Army in its fight against the German Wehrmacht during World War II. It was named after Mikhail Illarionovich Kutuzov, the Tsarist General credited with saving Russia from defeat during the invasion by Napoleon in 1812.The Operation began on 12...
- within the Kromy’-Orel offensive operation
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
and the Chernigov-Pripyat offensive operation (26.08-30.09.1943) operations.
In the beginning of September 1943 the Army was redeployed to the Stavka
Stavka
Stavka was the term used to refer to a command element of the armed forces from the time of the Kievan Rus′, more formally during the history of Imperial Russia as administrative staff and General Headquarters during late 19th Century Imperial Russian armed forces and those of the Soviet Union...
VGK reserve, and in the middle of January 1944 joined the 1st Ukrainian Front
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
and remained in its structure until the end of January when it participated in repulsing counter-strokes of the German forces in the direction of Vinnitsa; in February the army participated in the south-west in the area of the cities of Korsun-Shevchenkovsky operation.
As part of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, and from the middle of June 1944 within the 1st Belorussian Front
1st Belorussian Front
The 1st Belorussian Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during World War II...
, the Army participated in the Uman-Botoshany offensive, Lublin - Brest, Warsaw-Poznan offensive, the East Pomeranian Offensive
East Pomeranian Offensive
The East Pomeranian Strategic Offensive operation was an offensive by the Red Army in its fight against the German Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front...
, the Seelow-Berlin offensive operation
Battle of the Seelow Heights
The Battle of the Seelow Heights , was a part of the Seelow-Berlin Offensive Operation ; one of the last assaults on large entrenched defensive positions of World War II. It was fought over three days, from 16–19 April 1945...
and the Battle for Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
operations.
Combat awards
For services in combat operations listed above the Army became the 2nd Guards Tank Army in November 1944 and almost all of its formations and units received combat awards, with the majority of sub-units awarded honourable names commemorating operations they distinguished themselves in. Over 103,000 soldiers of the army were awarded awards and medals, 221 of them being awarded the decoration of the Hero of the Soviet UnionHero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
, while Semyon Bogdanov was awarded the HSU's Gold Star twice.
Post-war service
After the war ended the Army, now named Second Guards Red BannerRed Banner
Red Banner was a symbol of the USSR associated with the Soviet state flag.Military units, institutions and organizations awarded with the Order of the Red Banner are referred to with the honorific title "of the Red Banner" Red Banner was a symbol of the USSR associated with the Soviet state...
Tank Army, was located with the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
Group of Soviet Forces in Germany
The Group of Soviet Forces in Germany , also known as the Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany and the Western Group of Forces were the troops of the Soviet Army in East Germany....
with the staff in Fuerstenberg. However the only wartime formation that continued to serve with the Army was the 16th Guard TD (the former 9th Guards Tank Corps). Although up to the 1970s it had retained of its wartime units - 12th Guards Tank Division (the former 12th Tank Corps) and 35th Motor Rifle Division (former 1st Mechanised Corps
Mechanized Corps (Soviet)
A mechanised corps was a Soviet armoured formation used prior to the beginning of World War II.- Pre-war development of Soviet mechanised forces :...
), without considering those formations that joined the Army as early as 1946. The three last wartime divisions were replaced at the end of the 1970s - the 94th Guards, 21st and 207th Motorised Rifle Divisions.
Post-Cold War service
The Army was withdrawn to SamaraSamara, Russia
Samara , is the sixth largest city in Russia. It is situated in the southeastern part of European Russia at the confluence of the Volga and Samara Rivers. Samara is the administrative center of Samara Oblast. Population: . The metropolitan area of Samara-Tolyatti-Syzran within Samara Oblast...
in the Volga Military District in 1993, and converted from a tank formation to a combined-arms army that same year, referred to as 2nd Guards Red Banner Army. It holds the Fighting Banner of the 2nd Guards Tank Army in storage. It was allocated the 16th and 90th Guards Tank Division
90th Guards Tank Division
The 90th Guards Tank Division was a division of the Soviet Army, and then of the Russian Ground Forces. It was first activated in 1932 as the 82nd Rifle Division. In 1939 it was renamed the 82nd Motorized Rifle Division, and the same year took part in the Battle of Khalkin Gol. It was renamed the...
s for some years before being disbanded in 1998. 16th Guards Tank Division was reduced to a weapons and equipment storage base in March 1997.
The Army was reformed in 2001 from the former Volga MD headquarters and now consists of the 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division
27th Guards Rifle Division
The 27th Guards Rifle Division was a Red Army rifle division in World War II which later became a Soviet Army motor rifle division.The division draws its history from the 75th Naval Rifle Brigade formed in the end of 1941. As part of the 3rd Shock Army, Kalinin Front in 1942 the brigade...
and the 201st Motor Rifle Division.
In 2006 the Army conducted a large Command-Staff exercise "Southern Shield - 2006" that included a call up of some 4-5,000 reservists. The exercise proved successful and confirmed the Army's readiness status., including that of two component divisions which conducted a tactical exercise within the scope of the "Southern Shield - 2006". The tactical exercise was again conducted in 2007 by the 27th Motor Rifle Division. This division, and several other Army sub-units are today entirely staffed by service personnel serving under professional contracts.
A former commander of the 2nd Guards Tank Army, General of Army Nikolay Makarov, is today Chief of Material of the Armed Forces, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation.
The Army's current commander is General-Major Oleg Leont'evich Makarevich (former Chief of Staff, 22nd Guards Army, Moscow Military District).
Wartime Commanders
- Lieutenant-general Prokofiy Logvinovich Romanenko (January - February 1943)
- Lieutenant-general Alexey Grigorevich Rodin (February - September 1943)
- Lieutenant-general/Colonel-general Semyon Ilich Bogdanov (September 1943 - July 1944 and January - May 1945)
- Major-general Alexey Ivanovich Radzievsky (July 1944 - January 1945)
Sources and references
- Feskov et al., 'The Soviet Army in the period of the Cold War', TomskTomskTomsk is a city and the administrative center of Tomsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Tom River. One of the oldest towns in Siberia, Tomsk celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2004...
University Publishing House, 2004 - http://samsv.narod.ru/