RED ARMY's TANK STRENGTH IN 1935

The russian tank strength in 1935, is not 100% accurate, although the German intelligence had estimated some 3.000 to 10.000 vehicles. A number of German sources, including Handbuch der neuzeitlichen Wehrwissenschaft and Wissen and Wehr, put the strength of the Soviet Tank Corps in 1935 at 10.000 machines. This number was also quoted by Guderian. These estimates came from the tank parks and the Germans believed that Russia had 25 mechanized brigades. According to a Japanese source, the RED ARMY had 15 large and 50 smaller tank formations. It is known for sure that the RED ARMY on January 1st 1934, had 2 Mechanized Corps, 6 Mechanized Brigades, 6 Tank Regiments, 23 Tank Battalions and 37 Independent tankette companies among the infantry divisions. The cavalry had 14 Mechanized Regiments and 5 Mechanized Divisions to its disposal.

The Mechanized strength of the RED ARMY can be broken down as follows: 1.000 ARMOURED CARS (60.000hp) 1.500 SPECIALIZED TRACTORS (120.000hp) 100 HEAVY TANKS (75.000hp) 1.000 MEDIUM TANKS (400.000hp) 4.000 LIGHT TANKS (320.000hp) 6.000 TANKETTES (240.000hp)

The RED ARMY had by that time an enourmous transport park totalling over 10.000.000hp; under the Five-Year Plans 1.904 tractor stations had been set up, making a total at the end of 1935 of 4.350. The Germans accounted some 100.000 lorries and 150.000 military tractors.

GUDERIAN wrote the following;

"THE RUSSIANS HAVE THE BEST FOREIGN MODELS FOR ORDINARY COMMERCIAL MOTORS AND ALSO FOR TANKS. THEY HAVE BOUGHT FORD, CARDEN-LOYD, VICKERS, RENAULT AND CHRISTIE PATENTS AND ADAPTED THEM TO THEIR OWN PURPOSES. THEY HAVE PRODUCED THEIR BEST AND MOST MODERN MOTOR VEHICLES IN MASSES, THEY HAVE TRAINED THEIR TROOPS EXCELLENTLY TO THE PERFORMANCE OF THESE TROOPS. THE CAVALRY ARM OF BUDENNY OF 1920 HAS DEVELOPED INTO THE TANK CORPS OF VOROSHILOV OF 1935..."

(He wrote this in Wehrmacht's MILIT�R-WOCHENBLATT in 1935.)

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