The 76-millimeter field gun was the Soviet artillery piece to go to from start to finish in World War II. On average Soviet forces had 24,700 76-millimeter field guns available for use at any one time. But that is an overall average, the yearly availability of the 76-millimeter field gun ranged from 9,500 in 1942 to 41,100 in 1944. The 76-millimeter gun was renowned for its design simplicity allowing greater numbers to be produced by a less skilled workforce.
Note 1: Availability does not equal number produced during the year. How to calculate: Number available on Jan1 of a given year = number available on Jan 1 of the preceding year + number received in the preceding year – number loss in the preceding year. See either ‘Data” or ‘Transposed Data” downloads below for actual data.
Note 2: 1941 Availability numbers are as of the eve of the German invasion, June 22, 1941. All other availability numbers were as of January 1 of each of the following years.
The Soviet Union had a large and diverse artillery arsenal during World War II. The exact numbers of artillery pieces available are difficult to determine, but here are some estimates:
Field Artillery
The Soviet Union had many field artillery pieces, including 76mm, 85mm, and 122mm (M-30 howitzer) guns, as well as 152mm and 203mm howitzers. It’s estimated that the Soviet Union manufactured just under 300,000 field artillery pieces during the war.
Anti-Tank Guns
The Soviet Union also had a significant number of anti-tank guns, including the 45mm, 57mm, and 76mm guns. These guns were highly effective against German tanks and played a crucial role in Soviet anti-tank defense.
Rocket Launchers
The Soviet Union developed several rocket launchers during the war, including the Katyusha rocket launcher. These launchers were highly effective against enemy troops and fortifications.
Heavy Artillery
The Soviet Union also had a significant number of heavy artillery pieces, including 152mm, 203mm, and 280mm guns. These guns were used for long-range bombardment and were highly effective against enemy fortifications and artillery positions.
Significant Soviet Artillery Usage
Battle of Stalingrad
One of the most significant uses of Soviet artillery during World War II was in the defense of Stalingrad during the Battle of Stalingrad. The Soviet Union used many artillery pieces, including the 122mm howitzer M-30, to defend the city from German forces. Soviet artillery played a crucial role in the defense of Stalingrad, particularly in the early stages of the battle when German forces were attempting to capture the city. The Soviet Union used a combination of artillery and other weapons to create a “kill zone” in front of the city, which made it difficult for German troops to advance.
The Soviet Union also used artillery to disrupt German supply lines and to target German artillery positions. This helped to weaken the German forces and to prevent them from launching a successful assault on the city.
Battle of Kursk
The largest massed use of Soviet artillery during World War II was at the Battle of Kursk in July-August 1943. The battle was fought between German and Soviet forces on the Eastern Front and was the largest tank battle in history. During the battle, the Soviet Union used a massive concentration of artillery, including over 20,000 guns and mortars. The Soviet Union used a combination of artillery and other weapons to create a defensive zone around the Kursk salient, which made it difficult for German tanks and infantry to penetrate.
The Battles of Seelow Heights and Berlin
The Battles of Seelow Heights and Berlin saw massive usage of Soviet artillery. Zhukov’s 1st Belorussian Front attacked the Seelow Heights, the last natural line of defense before Berlin. The 1st Belorussian Front had 908,000 men, 3,155 AFVs, 16,934 guns, and had stockpiled over 7 million rounds of artillery ammunition.
General Nikolai Bersarin, commanding the 5th Shock Army, later claimed that “…the Western Allies had dropped 65,000 tons of explosives on the city in the course of more than two years; whereas the Red Army had expended 40,000 tons in merely two weeks.” (1)
(1) Porter, David, “Seelow Heights and Berlin”, Miltary History, https://the-past.com/feature/seelow-heights-and-berlin/, accessed on March 17, 2023
The Soviet Union’s use of artillery played a crucial role in the battle, allowing Soviet forces to repel German attacks and to launch their own counterattacks. The artillery was highly effective in disrupting German tank formations and infantry positions and was used to create a “kill zone” in front of Soviet defensive positions.
Soviet Artillery Availability 1941-45 Chart Data
The above graph can be downloaded as an image.
To download the data shown below from which the graph was developed click on the icon below corresponding to you desired format. Note: to ensure all data is downloaded choose the ‘All’ selection in the Show Entries dropdown list. Otherwise only the data visible on the screen will download.
Source: “Soviet Causalities and Combat Losses in the Twentieth Century”, Greenhill Books, London, Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania, 1997, Table 95 Section II Artillery (selected data), Pages 250-251, Edited by Colonel General G.F. Krivosheev
Soviet Artillery Availability 1941-45 Data
Source: “Soviet Causalities and Combat Losses in the Twentieth Century”, Greenhill Books, London, Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania, 1997, Table 95 Section II Artillery (selected data), Pages 248-251, Edited by Colonel General G.F. Krivosheev
Soviet Artillery Availability 1941-45 Transposed Data
Source: “Soviet Causalities and Combat Losses in the Twentieth Century”, Greenhill Books, London, Stackpole Books, Pennsylvania, 1997, Table 95 Section II Artillery (selected data), Pages 248-251, Edited by Colonel General G.F. Krivosheev
Other Soviet Availability Data
Soviet Light Arms Availability 1941-45
Soviet Armored Vehicles Availability 1941-45
Soviet Naval Vessel Availability 1941-45
Soviet Military Aircraft Availability 1941-45
Soviet Motor Vehicle Availability 1941-45
Soviet Radio Sets Availability 1941-45
This website, ww2data.com, has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third party internet websites referenced. Nor does ww2data.com guarantee that any content on such websites are accurate or will remain accurate.
Leave a Reply