Early History - Automotive-Armored Tank
The young Soviet government, faced the deadly threat posed by international imperialism, created an efficient Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army to defend the revolutionary gains. It is noteworthy that from the first days of the Red Army in its composition were formed automotive parts, units and controls them. In view of the general economic situation in the country, the army was gradually accumulating experience and improved further increasing the power of applying avtobronevyh forces and arts management.
On February 13, 1918 (old style January 31) by order of the People's Commissariat for Military Affairs on the basis of the decision 2 All-Russian Congress of the armored car, which took place in late December 1917 in Petrograd, the Central Council was formed to manage all avtobronevymi forces of the RSFSR (Tsentrobron ). Initially, Tsentrobron directly subordinate to the People's Commissar for Military Affairs, has been managing only avtobronevymi parts (avtobroneotryadami) and from mid-April in his submission were given to all the Red Army armored trains.
On Tsentrobron was entrusted the solution of organizational and technical tasks for the production and restoration of damaged armor technology, the formation of the armor of the Red Army, to ensure their completion, and still supply military equipment, armor collection of the property and repair funds left over from the old army in the country. Also imposed were training commanders and junior specialists armor parts, training and control of the correct use of bronechastey fighting in the army. Tsentrobron managed to generate 12 armored trains and 26 Auto armor units [avtobroneotryadov], opened two bases on acquisition auto armor units and armor school, prepared the conditions for the deployment base for the formation of armored trains.
On August 30, 1918, Tsentrobroni was formed on the basis of Central armor Management (CBU), which became a part of the Main Military Engineering Management (GVIU) Red Army. A January 31, 1919 is already at the Central Control armor formed main armor Management (Glavbron) that six months was disbanded and its functions transferred in full to the Chief Military Engineering Management (GVIU).
The May 28, 1920 Order of the RVSR was enacted state auto tank squad [avtotankovom]. Therefore, this day can be considered a day of the birth of the Red Army's armored forces. May 16, 1921 the order number 974 RVSR established the Central Office chief of armored forces of the Red Army (consisting of - armored control, inspection, maintenance armor Council subcommittee and armor prombroni). August 31, 1922 Order RVSR #2062/393 of 08.31.1921, the armored forces to all parts of the states were established in peacetime, according to which the armored car units received considerable consolidation, and tank units are summarized in avtotankovom groups "B" and "M".
In the development of armored forces of the Republic actively participated GS Kotovsky, who headed the management of armor from 1920 until 1923 - until the date of its disbandment. On 19 August 1923, the armor Management, part of the Central Directorate of the Red Army chief of armored forces, was disbanded and all its functions once distributed between five different departments:
- manufacture and repair of armored vehicles were transferred to the jurisdiction of the 5th Division of the Office of the artillery of the Red Army;
- design of new machines was transferred to the section of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Red Army Ordnance Department;
- experimental work, manufacture and repair of machinery and tractors - Military-Technical Management Chief of the supply of the Red Army;
- control of combat training and combat readiness of units assigned to the inspection of armored forces, reporting directly to the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic;
- subordinate to the chief of artillery of the Red Army passed separate squadron of tanks, but in October 1924 the squadron was disbanded, and its base formed a separate tank regiment consisting of two battalions - Personnel and Training.
Strengthening the combat power and actively supplying the Red Army's military equipment is fully dependent on the state of the economy of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, in the mid 1920s in the USSR there were virtually no private cars. The country has operated mostly foreign-made cars and automobiles assembled from foreign components in the parts adapted for the enterprise.
The defense stated a requirement for the mass production of cars. To facilitate this process, the Government decided to use the technology to develop and manufacture cars of foreign companies, especially American ones. By 1929, the most common model in the Soviet Union was a "Ford" and the whole American cars accounted for one third of the park.
The lack of their own armored vehicles and hindered the development of armored forces. Thus, by 1927 the Red Army tank fleet was introduced only 90 machines trophy brands "Ricardo", "Taylor" and "Reno". To keep up with the technical equipment of the armies of the major capitalist countries, the Soviet Union was forced to take a course on the technical reconstruction of the Red Army, to equip its new models of equipment and weapons. The turn of 1920-1930s was the beginning of a new period in the construction of the Red Army and its mechanized forces.
On June 2, 1926 the Command of the Red Army and the leadership of the Chief of Military Industry Supreme Economic Council (GUVP Supreme Economic Council) adopted a 3-year program of tank. On July 18, 1928 the Revolutionary Military Council took as a basis for "System tanko-, tractor-, auto, bronevooruzheniya Red Army", compiled under the direction of Deputy Chief of Staff VK Triandafilova. It operated until the end of the 1930s in several successive editions of each five-year period.
On June 17, 1929 at the suggestion of the Revolutionary Military Council VK Triandafilova adopted a resolution, which read: "Taking into account that a new kind of weapon, as is the armor forces, poorly understood both in terms of its tactical application (for self and together with the infantry and cavalry), and in terms of the most profitable forms of organization, recognizing the need to organize in 1929-1930. permanent sample mechanized units." A month later, the document was approved by the Central Committee of the CPSU(b), it also stipulated the minimum program and the production of tanks during the First Five-Year Plan at 3.5 thousand.
On July 30th, 1928 People's Commissars adopted the first five-year plan for the development and reconstruction of the armed forces of the USSR in 1928 - 32 years. According to this, to the end of the period, scheduled for release 1075 tanks and form a further 3 new tank regiments. A year later, the five-year plan was revised upwards - and brought up to 5.5 thousand. Tanks. And in fact, by 1933 the industry has issued 7.5 thousand tanks.
In connection with the actual arrival of new technology armored troops underwent a radical reorganization. They were formed as a separate branch of service, and followed new organizational forms. The advent of large quantities of their own samples of armored vehicles allowed to proceed to a large-scale mechanization and motorisation of the Red Army and the establishment of new organizational structures.
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