The Stalin and Molotov Lines: Soviet Western Defences 1928-41 (Fortress)

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. COVER......Page 1 CONTENTS......Page 5 INTRODUCTION......Page 6 DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT......Page 8 The first building phase - war alarm......Page 10 The third building phase......Page 12 The Molotov Line......Page 14 The strategic level......Page 17 The tactical level......Page 19 A TOUR OF THE DEFENCES......Page 21 Machine-gun shelters......Page 23 Artillery bunkers......Page 26 Anti-tank gun shelters......Page 27 Tank turrets......Page 30 Mina......Page 31 Armoured turrets......Page 33 THE LIVING SITES......Page 34 Construction work on the Stalin Line......Page 35 Construction of the Molotov Line......Page 39 The workers......Page 41 Manning the defences......Page 42 OPERATIONAL HISTORY......Page 44 The Molotov Line......Page 47 The Stalin Line......Page 50 AFTERMATH......Page 55 Belarus......Page 58 Poland......Page 59 Russia......Page 60 General information......Page 61 BIBLIOGRAPHY......Page 63 GLOSSARY......Page 64 APPENDIX: RED ARMY ORDER OF BATTLE, 22 JUNE 1941......Page 65 INDEX......Page 66 COVER......Page 68 Military History - World War 2 COVER 1 CONTENTS 5 INTRODUCTION 6 CHRONOLOGY 8 DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 8 The Russian Civil War 10 The first building phase - war alarm 10 The second building phase 12 The third building phase 12 The Molotov Line 14 THE PRINCIPLES OF DEFENCE 17 The strategic level 17 The operational level 19 The tactical level 19 A TOUR OF THE DEFENCES 21 Machine-gun shelters 23 Artillery bunkers 26 Anti-tank gun shelters 27 Tank turrets 30 Mina 31 Armoured turrets 33 Passive defences 34 THE LIVING SITES 34 Construction work on the Stalin Line 35 Construction of the Molotov Line 39 The workers 41 The engineers 42 Manning the defences 42 OPERATIONAL HISTORY 44 The Molotov Line 47 The Stalin Line 50 AFTERMATH 55 THE SITES TODAY 58 Belarus 58 Poland 59 Russia 60 Ukraine 61 General information 61 BIBLIOGRAPHY 63 GLOSSARY 64 APPENDIX: RED ARMY ORDER OF BATTLE, 22 JUNE 1941 65 INDEX 66 COVER 68 ISBN-13:,978-184603-192-2 ISBN-13: 978-184603-192-2 In the years following the Civil War, plans were drawn up to build a major set of fortifications along the Russian western border. Work began in 1926, leading to a front that stretched over 2,000km from the Baltic to the Black Sea. By the time of the outbreak of World War II, the defences of the Stalin Line, as it was known, were largely complete – but were also now too far behind the new Soviet border to be of any use in potential offensives. Stalin took steps to create a new defensive line inside Poland, which came to be known by the name of the Soviet Foreign Minister, Molotov. This book details the development of these lines, and the fighting that took place around them in 1941.