Soviets at D-Day

How possible would it be for the Soviet Union to participate in the landings at Normandy Beach or staging one of their own in another part of the German Reich?
 
The only way for the Soviets to get some sort of meaningful contribution at D-day would be to ship down from Murmansk, which wouldn't be the most worthwhile option. In fact, that's virtually out of the question, as Stalin would want everything he had focused on pushing westward, nor would the Soviets be able to provide things that would matter, such as battleships and elite infantry. Otherwise, the Soviets didn't have much in the way of naval force where it mattered to launch their own amphibious assault.
 
The Soviets actually have a decent fleet in the Arctic, under the protection of the allied fleet, it could probably do a semi-decent job.

The Soviet main problem is that they completely lack landing crafts and have very little larger troop transports too.

I could see them contributing a brigade of naval infantry (which they used around Murmansk against the Germans of the 20. Gebirgsarmee), which was landed sailors with infantry training and plenty of lend-lease arms for the second wave when the beaches were already secured.

The point goes beyond me thogh, as the allies did not lack men, more the ability to supply the landing. The Soviets are much more useful on the Eastern Front tying up and killing the main force of the Heer.
 
Well, in 1943, you need to get Finland and the Soviet Union to find some sort of peace, likely a white peace, pressured upon it by the Western Allies. Soviet Forces can then be diverted to Great Britain by the Murmansk route, while the majority of them are diverted south to the Eastern Front. Ther Americans will have to supply all the equipment for their operations being so far from the Motherland, but having an extra half million men landing in France would be useful. Of course, the political implications would be..........interesting, to say the least.
 
The Soviets made a GIANT contribution to the success of the invasion, although for their own military reasons. On June 22, they launched Operation Bagration, the largest Allied offensive of World War Two, with 2.3 million soldiers. The offensive crushed the German Army Group Centre, including Fourth Army, Third Panzer Army and Ninth Army. The result was to sharply limit the number of troops and tanks the Nazis could allocate to Normandy.

It would have been nice (for the Western Allies) if Operation Bagration had been launched the same day as D-Day but even if the Soviets had wanted to do so, they couldn't have--because of the uncertainty of the weather for a cross-channel invasion. If they had launched but the Western Allies had been forced to delay because of the weather, then the chances of success for Operation Bagration would have been lessened. Also, by waiting two weeks, they had the advantage of Nazi troops tied down on the Western front that couldn't be brought back to stop the Eastern front offensive. Another factor was deception--which the Soviet forces had become masters at. Uncertainly over the date of launch--or any kind of sudden delay--would have worked havoc with their deceptions.

For the Soviets to wait until after the Allies invaded may sound cold-blooded, but Operation Bagration was a bigger strategic factor in defeating Hitler at that point. Its success cost the Soviets a huge number of casualties, but it indirectly saved a huge number of Allied lives and shortened the war.
 
Last edited:
As an addition, Bagration's official launch date of June 22nd[1] was largely accidental. It was supposed too begin on June 20th, but logistical delays caused a schedule slip. Launching the operation any earlier was unfeasible because the Red Army had to do routine reorganization following the Crimean Offensive which ended in mid-May.

They also were preparing too launch two additional offensives, the Vyborg Operation (which ultimately caused the Finns too sue for peace) and the Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive (which finished kicking the Germans out from the Modern Ukraine (then part of Poland)).

[1]This is actually a little mis-leading, as the USSR launched a number of large-scale reconnaissance attacks on the 21st that proved to be so successful that they naturally developed into full-scale assaults by the 22nd.
 
Maybe the Soviets could send some troops from the Far-East, maybe 10,000 to 20,000 troops from the Pacific through Panama and into England, maybe with the use of American ships. Since the Soviets were neutral in the Pacific War, maybe they could cross without much damage. The Western Allies might supply the Soviets with landing craft.
 
It is possible though I am sure Stalin would have wanted to continue to push eastwards towards Berlin instead. Maybe a small token force as contribution to the D-Day invasion.
 
Can You Spare a Devision?

It is possible though I am sure Stalin would have wanted to continue to push eastwards towards Berlin instead. Maybe a small token force as contribution to the D-Day invasion.
I think not. At the time were were concerns that the Soviets would need supplys from other allies. If the west is sending things to them and the three major citys are battle zones I don't think they can space anything for d-day. Wasn't Stallen pushing for a second frount? Partly to relieve his forces.
 
Let's try to see it form the other point of view.
Once the beach are established, how much the russian division try to slow down the allied ones, in order to give the red army more time to grab territory?
 
Top