Oriental Studies (Apr 2018)

The Role of Women’s Military Units of Air Defense Forces in the Battles for Caucasus and Stalingrad (1942-1943)

  • G. Kameneva

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8, no. 3
pp. 49 – 53

Abstract

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One of the massive women’s mobilizations was organized for the Air Defense Forces. The peak of women’s mobilizations in Air Defense Forces fell on difficult crucial years in the history of the war, e.g. 1942-1943. In this period several battles were simultaneously taking place on the South of Russia: battle of the Caucasus (July 25, 1942 - October 9, 1943) and battle of Stalingrad (July 17, 1942 - February 2, 1943). Women mobilized on the south of Russia, mainly served on the fronts of the North Caucasus (GFR), Transcaucasus (ZakF), Stalingrad (STF): in the military units of Krasnodar, Grozny, Transcaucasus, Rostov, Stalingrad, Astrakhan divisional air defense areas. During the war more than 20 million women from Southern Russia were mobilized. The total number of women from other parts of the country who joined the battles of the Caucasus and Stalingrad made up over 30 thousand. The proportion of female staff in air defense forces amounted to 20-40%. Separate air defense units predominantly consisted of female staff. According to the command estimations women were not inferior to men in professionalism, courage, discipline and effectively approved themselves during the defensive and offensive operations in the region. With the active support of the air defense units during the winter operations of 1942-1943 Soviet troops have marked the tipping point change in the course of the war, liberated a large area of the region from the occupiers. From March to October 1943 Soviet forces breached one of the most powerful enemy defense lines - Blue Line as well as won the biggest during the war air battle.

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