3rd Shock Army

The Third Shock Army (Russian: "Третья ударная армия") Was a field army of Red Army created during the WWII and hasted the flag of the Soviet Union in the Reichstag. Formation

The Army had developed from the 60th Army ( 1st formation), which was formed in the Moscow Military District in November 1941. Initially there was the 60th Army in the 334th, 336th , 348ste , 352nd , 358ste , 360ste RDS and the 11th Cavalry Division. The Shock Army was the task of the Left Volga of Unza Kosmodemiansk to strengthen assigned.

The 60th Army was transformed into the Third Shock Army December 25 1941, Commanded by Lieutenant General M.A. Poerjakev. On January 1 1942 Army was the 23th, 33th and 257th Rifle Divisions , 20th , 27th , 31st , 42nd , 45th and 54th Independent Rifle Divisions , a number of artillery pieces and some other units. The Shock Army was special because it had its own aircraft, according to the vision of the proposed operational doctrine , including: 163rd fighter aviation regiment (Yak -1) 728ste hunter Aviation Regiment (I-16) , 128th Regiment short -range bomber (Pe-2) 621ste Aviation Regiment (R -5) and 663ste Aviation Regiment (Po-2). In early April however, this was reduced to a light - bomber regiment (twelve Po - 2s) and three fighter regiments of twelve I- 16s in total.

Campaign
It was originally part of the Moscow Defence Zone Reservists of the Supreme High Commander ( RVGK ). " Third Shock ' was soon moved to the Northwest Front (From 27 December 1941 ) as part of the Moscow counteroffensive . The cases were not helped by the lack of resources, compounded by terrible communication, the assault troops were no decent meal before the offensive by food shortages.

Despite the offensive began after a few days to roll (Toropets Kholm - operation) Third approached Shock Kholm, but was dangerous separated from its neighbor, the Fourth Shock Army. By mid- January, Third Shock Kholm surrounded and had its first road between the units and Kholm Toropets cut. Kholm itself was surrounded on January 22, but not taken up May 5. With some success in prospect, Stalin broadened the objectives of the operation and conducted with a Stavka Shock Third Directive , as part of the larger operation , to Velikie Luki and from there to Vitebsk , and Smolensk Orsja. Two days later, Third Shock of the North - Western Front to Kalinin Front transferred. However, there were fewer troops available for the great tasks that Stalin had. The Army did not go beyond Velikie Luki (but not the village had taken) by curing German resistance and shortages of food, fuel and ammunition. Velikie Luki was eventually captured by the Kalinin Front on January 17, 1943.

The Armies next big venture was as part of the Mist-Gorodokoffensief in October / November 1943. Haze was at the beginning of the offensive taken on October 6. Kalinin Front was renamed the Baltic Front on October 13 1943, and used under Jerjomenko two armies on the left flank, the 43th and 49th , to the attention of the Germans to divert the bulk of the Front. The Third and Fourth Armies against the Shock oncentrated near Nebula. This would allow the Soviets both sides of the routes to the back of Army North dominate major railway crossings cut.

After Staroroessa Novorzjev - offensive ( February 1944), the army following an attack of the Second Front Baltic offensive in July 1944 - the Dvina Rezjitsa - offensive. It began on July 10, on July 12 Third Shock Army had reached the Velikaya River , the bridges captured despite the explosive charges that the Germans had laid out and flanked the Idritsa. Idritsa was released the same day. Five days later, the Army released Sebezh after a long flanking movement. Rezjitsa ( now Rezekne, Latvia) Was captured on July 27, 1944, by the 10th Army Guard. The Second Baltic Front was now in central Latvia, on August 1 and the army marched back to the Third Shock mission to the south Loeban and more to the south of Madon, but after the Soviet troops Krustpils conquered followed some heavy fighting with little success. On August 19 Third Shock forced a corridor on a tributary of the Dvina River The Ogre. However, when it had to fend off a strong German attack launched by three divisions with air support. Langzamaan moved the Soviets to Riga, but the emphasis was now on the south made and Second Baltic Front completed early October a supporting role opposite Bagramjans First Baltic Front , which rapidly to the Baltic coast moved to the remaining link between the German troops in East Prussia and in Latvia and Estonia to be cut loose. Riga fell on October 13 and the remaining German troops in the area were rounded up in Kurland area.

Third Shock then took part in the blockade of the isolated Courland area. The first Soviet attacks started on October 16. By the end of October showed that despite some small successes, there is little hope of a complete success. The Army went south. Shock was the third part of the First Belarussian Front on December 31, 1943. Shock was third in the second echelon of the Warsaw - Poznan top operation, a strategic offensive. Third Shock fell under the direction of Poznan Shukhov First Belarusian Front. Then took part in the Vistula-Oder offensive between January 12 and February 3 1945.

While the Army during Eastern Pomerania Offensive quickly Poland manouvreerde in March 1945, it freed a number of cities : Catch Erin (now Vengozjino) and Labes (now Łobez). Did it with the troops of the First Tank Army Guard on March 3 and Frayenvalde ( now Khotsivel, Poland) and Regenvalde ( now Resko , Poland) on March 4. That same day in cooperation with the Polish First Army and the Soviet First Tank Army Guard entered Third Shock Dramburg ( now Dravsko - Pomorske, Poland). A day later entered Gjoeltsov Third Shock ( Goltsjevo now) and on March 6 Kammin (now Kamen Pomorski) .Third Shock entered in Sjtepenitts ( now Stepnitsa, Poland) on March 7 and freed Gollnov ( now Golenjoev ) together with the Second Guard Tank Army.

The Army was in the second echelon of the First Belarussian Front in Battle of Berlin.

In April 1945 Third Shock ( stationed in Stendal) continues as part of the First Belarussian Front, the following major component formations and units : The Army took over on April 23, 1945 Pankow in a suburb of Berlin. A week later, two regiments of 150th Rifle Division, 79th Rifle Corps is responsible for organizing the flags of the Soviet Union the Reichstag on April 30 1945, One known and one where a Victory Banner was on " 150th Rifle, Order Kutoezov second class, " Idritskaja 'Division , 79th Rifle Corps , 3rd Shock Army , 1st Belorussian Front. A future commander of the Army, V.I. Varennikov , has also talked about the command guard of honor the "Victory Flag ". The end of the service of the Army came to the end of the battle for Berlin May 8 1945.
 * 7th Rifle Corps ( 146th, 265ste , 364ste Rifle Division)
 * 9th Tank Corps ( 23th, 95th , 108th tank and motor rifle brigades 8th )
 * 12th Guard Rifle Corps (23rd Wait, Wait 52nd , 33th Rifle Divisions )
 * 79th Rifle Corps (150th, 171st, 207th Rifle Divisions )
 * Independent 1455ste mechanized assault artillery regiment
 * Independent 1508ste mechanized assault artillery regiment