The assault brigades of the Red Army. Stalin"s front -line special forces

The front -line special forces of Stalin, the shell infantry of the Red Army, Soviet cuirassiers - for most readers, even familiar with the history of the Great Patriotic War, these words will cause only bewilderment. So who are they, these soldiers in steel cuirasses? Their name is the assault engineer -bargids.
In the forefront of the attacking fighters of the Shisbr, enemy fire points suppressed and stormed the barricades on the streets of cities, pointed bridges under fire and risen concrete of enemy defense. The Hero of the Soviet Union General Galitsky, the head of the engineering forces of the 1st Ukrainian Front, recalled them: The personnel of the brigade are special sappers, attack aircraft with bulletproof vests, in steel helmets, all armed with machine guns. They are intended for fighting together with infantry and artillery. And in the closest interaction with them, they should participate in the breakthrough of defense: in the destruction of bunkers, bunks, machine -gun nests and the enemy’s NP ... The personnel of the brigade are tall and strong sappers -storms, which even uncomfortable steel bibs did not spoil - very, very very, very very, very very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very. It is impressive ... when there were not enough cartridges, butt knives and Finnish knives went into business. At 23 hours 50 minutes, the height completely became ours. After that, the enemy attacked her four times and rolled back the same number. Sapers-shockwoods did not give height ... "
created at the turning point of the war, the Soviet "shell infantry" rightfully earned the title of guard of engineering troops, "Golden Fund" of the reserve of the main command. The bright pages of the history of the Shisbr were battles for Koenigsberg, Poznan, Vienna, Berlin. The book of the military historian Nikolai Nikiforov first in all details tells about the contribution of the assault brigades to the victory in the Great Patriotic War, their tactics and weapons