Horse cavalry, like an insurance policy, is expensive but nice to have around when you really need it. In Russia, where horsemanship is part of the every-day life of many thousands of people, the Red Army is able to maintain one of the finest horse-mounted components in the world. Here is the doctrine with which Soviet cavalrymen rode to victory in World War II.

The Red Army, unlike the rest of the Allied powers, did not relegate the horse cavalry into the discard during World War II. Instead, Soviet Russia made effective use of its cavalry components, and even increased the number of horse cavalry units. The U.S.S.R. proved that the employment of horse cavalry as an independent striking force, and as a component of a cavalry-tank team, is clearly justified. The results obtained by Red Army cavalry units have proven the right of the almost legendary Cossack to remain part of the armed forces of the U.S.S.R. The lessons learned may well be studied by other countries.

Horse cavalry has always played a large part in Russian military campaigns. Russian cavalry forces have been known in every war in which Russia's troops have fought. During the reign of Czar Ivan the Terrible, a relatively small Cossack force under Ermak achieved the conquest and annexation of Siberia. The great distances, unmarked by roads, and the difficult terrain of that area were tailor-made for a cavalry operation.

Even to this day there large areas of flat plains and steppes in the U.S.S.R. that have only a limited network of roads. Easy traverse of these areas is feasible only to horses. Climatic conditions in Eastern Europe, especially during the spring thaws, place a very stringent limitation on all movement, except over first-class highways. Each spring the Ukraine, White Russia, and Eastern Poland become veritable seas of almost unbelievably deep mud. In consequence, cavalry has been an indispensable arm of the Red Army, even in this war of mechanized and motorized forces.

Since 1917, when the Red Army took over the forces of the Czar, the cavalry units of the Red Army have undergone many changes. Among other things, the over-all strength of the cavalry arm has been increased. During World War II, the Red Army had approximately 10 cavalry corps. Other changes have increased the fire power of cavalry units by adding mortars; more and heavier artillery, including self-propelled; more automatic weapons including submachine guns; and by making tank regiments an integral part of cavalry corps.

Further emphasis is placed on the Red Army evaluation of horse cavalry as a fighting arm by the establishment, since 1934, of 74 stud farms, geographically located to breed horses best suited to the locality. The farms are operated by the Red Army Remount Service.

Red Army cavalry organization differs considerably from the organization of U.S. cavalry units. Numerically, Red Army units are the smaller. A Soviet cavalry corps is roughly equal numerically to a reinforced U.S. horse cavalry division. Within the Red Army cavalry corps, also, are from two to four tank regiments as organic elements of the corps. The U.S.S.R. cavalry regiment is so designed as to provide a small and mobile striking force, heavily reinforced by supporting weapons. Numerically equal to less than half a Red Army infantry regiment, the U.S.S.R. cavalry regiment has almost as much fire power in supporting weapons.

In the cavalry corps, the artillery elements play no small part. The corps artillery commander has at his disposal five artillery regiments, armed with a variety of weapons. The type and relative numbers of artillery weapons are selected to achieve maximum flexibility and shock power without impairing the mobility of the corps. Including mortars and artillery of the cavalry divisions, the cavalry corps has nearly 350 pieces of artillery, plus several multiple rocket launchers. This is sufficient to throw, in a single salvo, a metal weight of more than 6 tons .

CAVALRY IN THE OFFENSE

Red Army doctrine stresses that cavalry should be used as an independent striking force; that cavalry is not a substitute for mechanized forces, but is a powerful force for operations where motorized units are handicapped by impassable terrain. By Red Army definition, cavalry is capable of taking part in every kind of engagement, and of carrying out actions of every type in cooperation with other arms; in addition to being able to operate independently.

Operating apart from other troops, horse cavalry attempts to strike the enemy flank or rear, to encircle and destroy the main body, and to cooperate generally with air forces, armored units, airborne units, and frontal assault groups. Other cavalry missions are large-scale raids, screening of troop movements of other arms, and counterattacks against the enemy flanks and far from concealed areas in the rear of a defensive position.

Cavalry can operate in very severe climatic conditions and over severely cut-up terrain. Over extremely difficult terrain, Red Army cavalry can average 5 miles per hour. Small units are unable to maintain continuous movement for long periods under combat conditions due to lack of organic transport and difficulty of resupply. Large units, however, with a sizeable supply train and an established resupply system, can operate for much longer periods and over long distances. One reinforced cavalry corps was given the mission of penetrating behind German lines and advancing for 60 miles parallel to the front and across the enemy lines of communication, thus effecting a junction with another cavalry corps in the area. The movement was entirely through forests and crosscountry in 2 feet of snow, with temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero. In 6 days, the corps traveled 55 miles and captured large supplies of enemy matériel.

Red Army conception of cavalry raids extends to larger operations, over a longer period of time, and with a larger body of troops than is normally considered as a raid by U.S. doctrine. One raid made during World War II included a whole corps and lasted for 135 days, much of the fighting being behind the enemy lines.

In the breakthrough, Red Army cavalry was a valuable asset to the pursuit. When an enemy rear guard attempted to hold up the pursuit, the cavalry was able to make wide flanking movements through swamps and other difficult terrain to strike the retreating enemy in the flanks and to set up road blocks. In addition, the Soviets believe cavalry is useful in attacking enemy artillery and salient terrain features to protect highways along which armor and self-propelled artillery can then advance more easily.

It is a Red Army practice to detach small cavalry units from the main body to reduce by-passed strongpoints. Here the cavalry attacks dismounted from all sides, supported by their mortars and machine guns. Generally these detached units are of sufficient strength to reduce the strongpoint quickly so that they can rejoin the main body of cavalry troops.

Cavalry is used by the U.S.S.R., in conjunction with other arms, in the same manner in which it is used by other armies. Cavalry is used for reconnaissance, counterreconnaissance, screening, and patrol missions. The Soviets make extensive use of night cavalry reconnaissance and raids, particularly during winter weather.

With infantry, Red Army cavalry is used to great advantage. While the infantry holds the enemy with a frontal attack, the entire mass of cavalry and tanks are thrown in on the enemy flank and rear.

The best time to commit a cavalry force, the Red Army believes, is when an initial penetration of enemy defenses has been made by a frontal or enveloping attack. At that time, when the enemy is bringing up his reserves and his defenses are in a fluid state, the enemy has not had time to consolidate and organize any strong defensive position, and cavalry will encounter conditions that are conducive to success.

CAVALRY IN DEFENSE

In defense, Red Army cavalry is used to cover the withdrawal and to protect the flanks and gaps between units. In extreme conditions, the cavalry troopers dismount and engage in defensive combat as infantry. Care is always taken to conceal horses in a defiladed area for safety and to facilitate withdrawal. In the defense of road blocks or tactically important terrain, the organic artillery and mortars are the basic defensive weapons upon which the Soviet cavalry relies.

TRAINING

Immediately after the Russian Civil War, the cavalry forces were led mostly by ex-Czarist officers who joined the Red Army. Then an officer cavalry school was established to develop cavalry officers of proletarian origin. This school later became the Buddennyi Red Army Cavalry Academy of Moscow, and is now the highest cavalry institute in the U.S.S.R. During the war there were nine cavalry officer training schools in operation.

Enlisted men and NCO's were trained in replacement cavalry regiments. There were 34 of these regiments during the war.

The cavalry courses at officers schools have ranged from 3 years in peacetime, prior to 1937, to 12 months during the war. Enlisted men serve 2 years in the cavalry army in peacetime. During the war, basic training for enlisted personnel lasted 8 months. During this time the enlisted man was trained in field tactics, individual weapons, elementary topography, care of horses and equipment.

CONCLUSION

The U.S.S.R., with vast distances and few roads, and with severe climatic conditions during much of the year, has used horse cavalry to great advantage during World War II.

By the results achieved, the Soviets have justified the use of cavalry, not as a substitute for armor and mechanized forces, but as an independent arm and as a supplement to armor and mechanized might in operations over severe terrain.

Russian cavalry has great power in supporting weapons. The organization is so designed as to provide a small and mobile striking force with adequate support of artillery, mortars, and automatic weapons. Cavalry and tanks have been combined into a smooth working and effective organization.

In World War II, as in most all of their other wars, the Russians were able to use large masses of horse cavalry, since much of the fighting took place within the borders or countries adjacent to their homeland. But over long distances, cavalry is not as economical. Transport of horses and equipment, especially ocean transport such as would have been necessary for the United States in the Pacific War, requires a large allotment of transportation facilities. In fact, the U.S. did maintain one horse cavalry regiment briefly in New Caledonia early in the war, but this unit was mounted on horses shipped from Australia. The unit existed as a horse-mounted organization only briefly, for it was eventually dismounted and sent into infantry action elsewhere in the Southwest Pacific. The only U.S. horse-mounted cavalry regiment to see action in World War II was the 26th Cavalry, a regiment of Philippine Scouts who covered the withdrawal of U.S. and Philippine forces to Bataan peninsula. This unit fought a classic cavalry rear-guard action from Lingayan to Bataan. Its mission was accomplished, although the regiment was virtually annihilated.



