RED ASSAULT-SOVIET AIRBORNE FORCES, 1930-1941 Delai:3 semaines HEL110

In the 1930s, Red Army Command maintained what was often an offensive doctrine. The plan was to fight a bloodless victory on foreign ground. An offensive by the Worker's and Peasant's Red Army was to unfold as per the classic Blitzkrieg-it was with good reason tha some of the higher-ranking commanders had studied at the German General Headquarters Academy. Furthermore, all the technical achievements of the period were taken into account. The assault would begin with air strikes from strategic aviation : armadas of huge bombers would attack key targets deep inside enemy territory. At the same time enormous numbers of airborne troops would capture bridges, and roads, and take communications, and transport links out of action. Heralded by a powerful artillery attack, supported by tactical aviation the tanks, armoured vehicles, and trucks carrying motorised infantry would avance.

There was a basis for such optimistic forecasts. Since the soviets were in possession of such a quantitative, and qualitative advantage (and this was certainly the case) they were definitely able to advance. I, the USSR aviation was undergoing development ahead of schedule, as were armoured tank technology, airborne assault troops, and chemical weapons. If the Soviets had tanks, aircraft and chemical weapons, albeit in small quantities, any potential enemies would possess them too. The airborne assault troops however were a distinctly Soviet innovation. In this respect it was the Soviets that held an unquestionable advantage. It was here that the first groups of airborne paratroopers were dropped, and the first tanks and guns were dropped from the skies. The Red Army was conducting mass airborne assault operations during the course of exercises when no other nation on Earth had airborne assault troops.