51st Soviet Army
The 51st Soviet Army formed on 14th August 1941, in Crimea, tasked with defending the peninsula against German advances. Colonel General Fyodor Kuznetsov led its initial forces, including rifle and cavalry divisions, but strategic missteps weakened defences. The army later fought in Stalingrad, Melitopol, and Courland, securing key victories.
Commanders
Colonel-General Fyodor Kuznetsov, Aug 1941 to Nov 1941
Colonel-General Fyodor Kuznetsov led Soviet forces, directing operations in Crimea and Stalingrad, shaping key battles. His leadership influenced Soviet victories, securing territorial control. He commanded the 51st Soviet Army, reinforcing defences and organizing counterattacks. His military career demonstrated tactical expertise, resilience, and adaptability, ensuring Soviet success against German forces during World War II.
Lieutenant-General Pavel Batov, Nov 1941 to Dec 1941
Lieutenant-General Pavel Batov guided Soviet forces, organizing assaults in Crimea and Stalingrad, shaping battle outcomes. His leadership strengthened Soviet defences, securing victories. He commanded the 51st Soviet Army, directing offensives and reinforcing strategic positions. His tactical decisions ensured battlefield success, demonstrating adaptability and resilience in warfare, contributing to Soviet dominance during World War II.
Lieutenant-General Vladimir Nikolaevich Lvov, Dec 1941 to May 1942
Lieutenant-General Vladimir Lvov commanded Soviet forces, directing pivotal maneuvers in Crimea and Stalingrad, shaping engagements. His expertise enabled Soviet territorial gains, securing victories. He led the 51st Soviet Army, reinforcing defences and launching offensives. His battlefield decisions disrupted enemy positions, ensuring Soviet military success through decisive engagements during critical campaigns in World War II.
Major-General Nikolai Kirichenko, May 1942 to June 1942
Major-General Nikolai Kirichenko led Soviet forces, overseeing defenses along the Azov Sea coast, ensuring resistance. His command shaped battlefield strategies, securing victories. He directed the 51st Army, reinforcing positions and launching offensives. His tactical expertise influenced Soviet territorial advances, ensuring control over vital locations during intense engagements across the Eastern Front.
Colonel Aleksei Mikhailovich Kuznetsov, Jun 1942 to July 1942
Colonel Aleksei Kuznetsov commanded Soviet forces, directing operations in Crimea and Stalingrad, shaping key battles. His leadership influenced Soviet victories, securing territorial control. He led the 51st Soviet Army, reinforcing defences and organizing counterattacks. His military career demonstrated tactical expertise, resilience, and adaptability, ensuring Soviet success against German forces during World War II.
Major-General Nikolai Trufanov, July 1942 to July 1942
Major-General Nikolai Trufanov guided Soviet forces, organizing assaults in Crimea and Stalingrad, shaping battle outcomes. His leadership strengthened Soviet defences, securing victories. He commanded the 51st Soviet Army, directing offensives and reinforcing strategic positions. His tactical decisions ensured battlefield success, demonstrating adaptability and resilience in warfare, contributing to Soviet dominance during World War II.
Major-General Trofim Kolomiets, July 1942 to Sept 1942
Major-General Trofim Kolomiets commanded Soviet forces, directing pivotal manoeuvres in Crimea and Stalingrad, shaping engagements. His expertise enabled Soviet territorial gains, securing victories. He led the 51st Soviet Army, reinforcing defences and launching offensives. His battlefield decisions disrupted enemy positions, ensuring Soviet military success through decisive engagements during critical campaigns in World War II.
Major-General Nikolai Trufanov, Oct 1942 to Feb 1943
Major-General Nikolai Trufanov guided Soviet forces, organizing assaults in Crimea and Stalingrad, shaping battle outcomes. His leadership strengthened Soviet defences, securing victories. He commanded the 51st Soviet Army, directing offensives and reinforcing strategic positions. His tactical decisions ensured battlefield success, demonstrating adaptability and resilience in warfare, contributing to Soviet dominance during World War II.
Lieutenant-General Georgy Zakharov, Feb 1943 to Jul 1943
Lieutenant-General Georgy Zakharov led Soviet forces, overseeing defenses along the Azov Sea coast, ensuring resistance. His command shaped battlefield strategies, securing victories. He directed the 51st Army, reinforcing positions and launching offensives. His tactical expertise influenced Soviet territorial advances, ensuring control over vital locations during intense engagements across the Eastern Front.
Lieutenant-General Yakov Kreizer, Aug 1943 to May 1945
Lieutenant-General Yakov Kreizer commanded Soviet forces, directing operations in Crimea and Stalingrad, shaping key battles. His leadership influenced Soviet victories, securing territorial control. He led the 51st Soviet Army, reinforcing defences and organizing counterattacks. His military career demonstrated tactical expertise, resilience, and adaptability, ensuring Soviet success against German forces during World War II.
Active
- August 1941 to 1945
Engagements
- Battle of the Kerch Peninsula
- Battle of Stalingrad
- Melitopol Offensive
- Courland Pocket
Army Composition
August 1941
- Rifle Divisions
- 106th Rifle Division
- 156th Rifle Division
- 271st Rifle Division
- 276th Rifle Division
- Cavalry Divisions
- 40th Cavalry Division
- 42nd Cavalry Division
- 48th Cavalry Division
- Militia Divisions
- 1st Militia Division
- 2nd Militia Division
- 3rd Militia Division
- 4th Militia Division
July 1942
- Rifle Divisions
- 91st Rifle Division
- 138th Rifle Division
- 157th Rifle Division
- 302nd Rifle Division
- Cavalry Divisions
- 110th Cavalry Division
- 115th Cavalry Division
October 1942
- Rifle Divisions
- 15th Guards Rifle Division
- 91st Rifle Division
- 126th Rifle Division
- 302nd Rifle Division
- Cavalry Divisions
- 4th Guards Cavalry Division
- Mechanized Corps
- 4th Mechanized Corps
- 13th Mechanized Corps
- Tank Corps
- 13th Tank Corps
November 1942
- Rifle Divisions
- 15th Guards Rifle Division
- 91st Rifle Division
- 126th Rifle Division
- 302nd Rifle Division
- Cavalry Divisions
- 4th Guards Cavalry Division
- Mechanized Corps
- 4th Mechanized Corps
- 13th Mechanized Corps
- Tank Corps
- 13th Tank Corps
December 1942
- Rifle Divisions
- 38th Rifle Division
- 91st Rifle Division
- 96th Rifle Division
- 126th Rifle Division
- 302nd Rifle Division
- Cavalry Divisions
- 4th Cavalry Corps
- 61st Cavalry Division
- 81st Cavalry Division
- 115th Cavalry Division
- Tank Corps
- 13th Tank Corps
- Fortified Region
- 76th Fortified Area
January 1944
- Rifle Divisions
- 10th Rifle Corps
- 216th Rifle Division
- 257th Rifle Division
- 263rd Rifle Division
- 346th Rifle Division
- 54th Rifle Corps
- 91st Rifle Division
- 126th Rifle Division
- 315th Rifle Division
- 55th Rifle Corps
- 87th Rifle Division
- 347th Rifle Division
- 387th Rifle Division
- Artillery
- 2nd Guards Breakthrough Artillery
April 1944
- Rifle Divisions
- 1st Guards Rifle Corps
- 33rd Guards Rifle Division
- 91st Rifle Division
- 346th Rifle Division
- 10th Rifle Corps
- 216th Rifle Division
- 257th Rifle Division
- 279th Rifle Division
- 63rd Rifle Corps
- 263rd Rifle Division
- 267th Rifle Division
- 417th Rifle Division
- 77th Rifle Division
July 1944
- Rifle Divisions
- 1st Guards Rifle Corps
- 267th Rifle Division
- 417th Rifle Division
October 1944
- Rifle Divisions
- 1st Guards Rifle Corps
- 10th Rifle Corps
- 77th Rifle Division
- 257th Rifle Division
- 83rd Rifle Corps
- 267th Rifle Division
- 417th Rifle Division
August 1944
- Rifle Divisions
- 25th Rifle Division
- 77th Rifle Division
- 91st Rifle Division
- 279th Rifle Division
History
The 51st Soviet Army defended Crimea in 1941, but German forces overwhelmed its positions, forcing a retreat to the Caucasus. It regrouped under Rodion Malinovsky, joining the Stalingrad Front. Where it played a crucial role in countering German offensives and securing Soviet victories. The army launched attacks during Operation Uranus, disrupting German relief efforts and contributing to the encirclement of Stalingrad.
After Stalingrad, the 51st Army fought in the Donbass, Melitopol, and Crimea, pushing German forces westward and securing strategic Soviet gains. It spearheaded offensives in Latvia and Lithuania, cutting off Army Group North and forcing German retreats. The army’s relentless assaults shaped Soviet advances, ensuring territorial control and weakening German resistance.
In 1944, the 51st Army reached Courland, trapping German forces and preventing their escape. It maintained pressure until the war’s end, securing Soviet dominance in the Baltic. The army’s decisive actions cemented its legacy as a formidable force in World War II.
Gallery
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