Map of central Poland with the Siege of Warsaw (upper middle). Situation after September 14, 1939 - the map also gives information on placement and movement of some Soviet troops

The Soviet order of battle for the invasion of Poland in 1939 details the major combat units arrayed for the Soviet surprise attack on Poland on September 17, 1939. As a result of joining battle after the Germans had already launched their invasion, the Soviets, prepared for battle in secrecy, met comparatively limited resistance. Several skirmishes between the German and Soviet forces did occur, but neither government was prepared for starting a larger conflict, and these were soon referred to as "misunderstandings".[1]

Like the Germans, the Soviets employed two primary offensive axes, each managed by a Front. Each Front commander had at his disposal a mobile group of forces created from cavalry and mechanised troops; a precursor of the cavalry-mechanised groups of the Second World War.

The effects of the purge are visible in the ranks of the commanders in the order of battle, with only one Army commander serving in the appropriate rank of Komandarm, in this case 2nd Class (Komandarm 2nd rank, Russian: командарм 2 ранга), the rest serving in being Corps (Komcor) and Divisional (Komdiv) Commander rank (Russian: комкор, комдив)

Belorussian Front

Komandarm 2nd rank Mikhail Kovalyov

Ukrainian Front

Covered southern sector of Polish front
Komandarm 1st rank Semyon Timoshenko
Chief of Staff Kombrig Nikolai Vatutin

See also

War and campaign articles
World War II
Invasion of Poland
Other forces in the Polish Campaign
German order of battle for Operation Fall Weiss
Polish army order of battle in 1939

Notes

  1. ↑ According to narod.ru, the 3rd Army also included the 150th Rifle Division (in Odessa Military District as third echelon)
  2. ↑ Staging area in and around the city of Lepiel
  3. ↑ Transferred from the Kalinin Military District
  4. ↑ BT tanks
  5. ↑ 237 BT tanks
  6. ↑ 58 T-28 and 20 BT-7 tanks
  7. ↑ 142 T-26 tanks
  8. ↑ From 28 September; initially part of Twelfth Army
  9. ↑ T-26 tanks
  10. ↑ BT tanks
  11. ↑ Subordinated to Twelfth Army
  12. ↑ BT and T-38 tanks

References

Sources

  • Meltyukhov M.I., Soviet-Polish wars. Military-political confrontation 1918-1939, Moscow, Veche, 2001. (Russian: Мельтюхов М.И. Советско-польские войны. Военно-политическое противостояние 1918-1939 гг. — М.: Вече, 2001.)
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