Soviet 76th "K. Y. Voroshilov" Division

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76th "K. E. Voroshilov" Division
Soviet Armenian artillerymen Aramais Sarkisyan was posthumously recognized as a Hero of the Soviet Union after he was killed in fighting during the Belorussian Offensive in June 1944.
Active	September 5, 1922–1945
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Infantry
Type	Rifle Division
Role	Tactical attack and defense combat operations
Garrison/HQ	Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia
Colors	Red
Battles/wars	First Battle of Kharkov, Battle of Stalingrad, Operation Uranus, Battle of Kursk, Belorussian Offensive, Battle of the Baltic (1944)
Decorations	Order of the Red Banner (1937), Red Army Guard (November 23, 1942), Order of Lenin (June 19, 1943)
Battle honours	K. Y. Voroshilov, Vitebsk, 51st Red Guards Division

The Soviet 76^th "K. E. Voroshilov" Division (Armenian: 76-րդ Կ. Է. Վորոշիլով դիվիզիա) known also as the 76^th Armenian Mountain Division, was a Soviet infantry fighting unit of the Red Army that fought on the Eastern Front during the Second World War. The 76^th was made up primarily of Armenians from the newly established Soviet Socialist Republic of Armenia but also included recruits from several different nationalities. The division was officially created on September 5, 1922 at the near end of the Russian military conquests of the southern Caucasus republics, which had Sovietized the democratic republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia two years earlier.

Contents 1 Establishment 2 The Second World War 2.1 Iran 2.2 Ukraine, Stalingrad, Don: 1942 2.3 Stalingrad, Kursk, the Baltic: 1943-1945 3 References

[edit] Establishment

The 76^th was initially formed as a brigade sized unit and led by several non-Armenian commanders including Major Generals S. V. Chernikov, E. F. Pryakhin, K. E. Goryunov, N. E. Kaladzen, N. T. Tavarkeeladzen (the latter two ethnic Georgians), Colonel G. G. Voronin, and subordinate commanders A. P. Melik-Shahnazaryan, H. T. Atoyan (the last two being Armenians). It published several military newspapers and newsletters, including The Red Soldier and The Red Fighting Man in the Armenian language and the Voroshilovets (in Russian: Ворошиловец) in Russian named after Soviet Central Committee member and later Marshal of the Soviet Union, Kliment Voroshilov.

In 1935, the division was officially named after Voroshilov and two years later was decorated with the Order of the Red Banner. In 1938, the division was brought up to full size and stationed in the Armenian SSR. Attempts by the Soviet High Command to change the number, alter the division's military traditions, and even the decorations it had been bestowed upon were met with protestations by the commanders who successfully argued in favor of retaining them.

[edit] The Second World War

[edit] Iran

In the summer of 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union and drove spearheads into the large landmass of Russia and the Ukraine on three fronts. The southernmost sought to invade the Caucasus in hopes for capturing vital petroleum fields and reserves in Baku, Azerbaijan. By autumn, the German Wehrmacht had pushed far into the regions and was nearing the outlet of the northern Caucasus. Bordering Armenia and Azerbaijan was the country of Iran, led by Reza Shah Pahlavi. The western Allied Powers, including the United States and Great Britain, expressed fear that if German forces were successful in capturing Baku, Iran, which was harboring pro-Axis sympathies would thereafter join them. A decision was made and agreed to by the Allies to invade the country and thus, prevent it from doing so. The 76^th Division, as part of the 47^th Soviet Red Army, was one of the units ordered to invade Iran and did so in August, crossing the Araks River and entering through the border town of Julfa, Nakhichevan and finally establishing control in the northern Iranian city of Tabriz.

[edit] Ukraine, Stalingrad, Don: 1942

Iran largely relented to British and Soviet forces, freeing the division to be sent back northwards to the Ukraine in September as part of the 38^th Red Army. It took part in major fighting in Poltava, Kharkov and Volchansk during the First Battle of Kharkov. In February 1942, the division advanced westward and was reassigned and integrated into the 21^st Red Army. In May 1942, the Voroshilov division took part in the attack and recapturing of the Ukrainian city of Belgorod.

With the capture of several other cities, it moved up north and crossed the Donets river, confronting the entrenched German Army Group South. Despite suffering heavy casualties, the division was able to cross the riverbank, and in effect retake the towns of Grasovka, Nekhotevka, Shameeno and Arkhangelskoye. In June 1942, it took part with the 21^st Army to halt two splintering counter-offensives in Surkovo, Yam and Pesyanoye. In July 1942, the division was sent to Stalingrad. After taking part in fighting there until October, it was ordered to sever Army Group South's supply lines in Russia, near the Don River. It decimated the German force holding and protecting Kletskaya, a key industrial city with numerous metal works factories. For it, the division was promoted to Guards (Советская Гвардия) status on November 23, 1942 and became known as the 51^st Guards Division.

[edit] Stalingrad, Kursk, the Baltic: 1943-1945

In November 1942, the division was sent back to Stalingrad where it helped encircle and trap the attacking German 6th and 4th Panzer Armies during Operation Uranus. For its participation in the battle of Stalingrad, the unit was decorated with the Order of Lenin. In the summer of 1943, it was sent to complement tanks and other armored vehicles during the Battle of Kursk in the Ukraine, once again retaking the cities of Belgorod and Bogodouqovye. From Kursk, the division was sent northward to push back German Army Groups Center and North. Under the command of General Ivan Bagramyan, the 1^st Baltic Front commander, it liberated the Belorussian cities of Vitebsk and Polotski. Continuing its advance to the west, the 51^st Guards Division took part in pushing Army Group North out of the former Soviet republics the Soviet Union had annexed in 1940, Latvia and Lithuania.

Its sacrifice and courage in recapturing Vitebsk were recognized as it was bestowed with the honorary title of Vitebskyan in October 1944. One of the division's artillerymen Aramais Sarkisyan was killed in combat in Belorussia on June 25, 1944 and was recognized as a Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest honorary title for individuals in the Soviet Union. In the Latvian province of the Courland peninsula was the final bastion of Army Group Courland. Despite repeated attempts to take the region, the German units resisted and successfully fended off Red Army offensives. In May 1945, the 51^st Division was sent to Courland where it managed to isolate the forces remaining at the peninsula. On May 8, 1945 the remainder the garrison surrendered. The 51^st division passed through approximately 7,000 kilometers of former Soviet territory and liberated over 600 towns and cities from the Axis occupying forces. Twenty-one men in the division were recognized as Heroes of the Soviet Union.

[edit] References