Voennyi Sbornik

4-13

Authors: Aleksandr A. Cherkasov, Michal Šmigeľ, Vladimir G. Ivantsov, Aleksandr A. Ryabtsev, Violetta S. Molchanova

The article uses archival documents found in regional and local archives to examine the internal organisation of Russian forts during the Caucasus War. The authors have also analysed Russian and international historiography on this issue. The article focuses on safety rules, behaviour as well as leisure activities within fortifications.

19-32

Authors: Vladimir I. Afanasenko

Extensive work was carried out in order to train military experts within all combat forces and branches of the armed forces on the eve of and in the initial period of the Great Patriotic War in the North Caucasus military district and in other military districts across the USSR. A unique way of preparing youth for professional military service was developed through specialised artillery, aviation and naval schools within the system of the People’s Commissariat of Education in the USSR, the RSFSR, the Ukrainian SSR, Georgian SSR and Armenian SSR. Due to the beginning of the Second World War, the creation of a significant amount of new units and the deployment of the Peasants’ and Workers’ Red Army in accordance with the war establishment, there was an exponential increase in the need for commanding personnel in the lowest tier at the platoon – battery – flight – naval crew level. The system of training new military personnel that existed during peacetime underwent significant changes, primarily within the timelines afforded to training as well as the share of theory and practice time within the education process. Within the crisis situation of the first part of the war, military students together with their teachers would often be used as “emergency fire brigades” and sent to the most dangerous locations as part of consolidated cadet squadrons. In the southern wing of the Soviet-German front, cadets from military schools were used en masse in October and November of 1941 during the battles for Rostov-on-Don, in July and August of 1942 at the great bend of the Don in the preliminary stages of the Battle of Stalingrad as well as in the defensive period in the battle for the Caucasus.

41-50

Authors: Evgeny F. Krinko

In the middle of October in 1941, the Soviet leadership made a decision to create a system of defensive structures on the Don that were meant to halt the advance of the Wehrmacht to the south. Towards the end of autumn and in the winter of 1941-1942, tens of thousands of deminers and mobilised citizens from the region erected the Don and the Stalingrad defensive lines as well as the Rostov defensive district. However, during the spring flooding of 1942, the Don flooded a significant part of the unfinished Red Army fortifications. In July of 1942, many of the defensive structures were not restored while some still remained flooded. As a result, Soviet troops had to retaliate against the enemy’s oncoming tank and mechanised divisions in unfinished defensive lines without even having enough simple field fortifications. The efforts of tens of thousands of citizens and military construction workers ended up mostly in vain, while the enemy was able to quickly break through the Soviet defences and head for the Caucasus.

57-62

Authors: Nicholas W. Mitiukov

The article examines the history of the creation, the construction, the service as well as the design features of large Swedish and Norwegian monitors, which had independent naval policies even though they were part of a single nation. The key technical innovations that were utilised by the manufacturers are examined from a military and technical standpoint.

64-73

Authors: Vladimir I. Afanasenko

In 1942-1943, the southern wing of the Soviet-German front saw frequent changes in front and army commanders. Over a hundred displacements, appointments, and transfers within a few months. What were the causes behind this commander “leapfrog”? This article examines the operative-strategic level issues related to the quality of WPRA generalship. Through the biographies of 43 WPRA generals who were in command of the armies and fronts in the battles in the big bend of the River Don in 1942-1943, their professional education, combat experience from World War I (1914-1918) and the Civil War (1917-1921), the article investigates the issues related to the formation of Soviet generalship in the most critical, turning-point period of the Great Patriotic War in the most important sector of the Soviet-German front. For comparison, the author also furnishes data on their opponents – German generals and field-marshals – in this very sector of their uncompromising showdown.

95-102

Authors: Kent R. Crawford, Nicholas W. Mitiukov

During the Second World War, the course of the naval conflict in the Mediterranean can be reduced to battles between the British and Italian fleets. Three years of operations against the Royal Navy only produced one more or less significant victory for the Italians, who enjoyed a considerable numerical superiority in this, their main theatre of operations, while the priority for Britain was minor or even third-hand! And most of the engagements, as a rule, ended with the Italian forces retiring as fast as possible.

126-133

Authors: Il'ya A. Kovalev

This article reconstructs the story of military service by members of the Russian Imperial House serving with field troops on the front line based on published and unpublished archive information, memoirs of White emigrants, and publications of veteran emigration associations.

146-150

Authors: Roman V. Lapshin

The paper presents a biography of the Japanese cruiser «Niitaka», an active participant in the Russian-Japanese war. There was reconstructed the end of her career, the death of a typhoon in August 1922.

163-168

Authors: Amiran T. Urushadze

This article examines two works by D.A. Milyutin. These works are dedicated to the Caucasian War but were written at different times. In analyzing the works, we can trace the formation of D.A. Milyutin’s strategic views of the issue of “conciliating the Caucasus”. The writings examined are explored in the context of the circumstances that led to their creation and against the background of the development of the author’s career.

4-12

Authors: Nicholas W. Mitiukov

The question about the influence of Isaac Peral submarine at the global shipbuilding is showed. A brief history of the creation and testing of the submarine, as well as its technical specifications is provided. There are given a bibliographic review of Soviet and Spanish sources. It is shown that the opinion of Spanish authors about the importance of a submarine often tends to be exaggerated. Soviet authors are on the focus on the Soviet ideological, in the assessment of the boat is also biased. The findings show that the decision not to accept the Spanish Ministry for service Peral's submarine due to unresolved technical problems that prevent its full operational use, including limited autonomy and seaworthiness. There is given a list for the first time applied innovation.

18-26

Authors: Vladimir I. Afanasenko

Few tank fights took place at the southern flank of Soviet-German front. They can be compared to tank fight at Prokhorovka on 12-13 July, 1943. The article tells about the three fights at Prokhorovka in July of nineteen forty two.

41-47

Authors: Jesus Maria Medel Soteras

Spain was in deep economic crisis after the Civil War. It resulted in limitation of money, allocated for customs fleet renewal. As a result, Spanish customs officers were forced to use motor boats and ships, taken away from smugglers. In total 15 units were introduced into the fleet use. The terms of their acquisition and brief story are the subject of research.