Soviet destruction battalion 1941
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The destruction battalion (Russian: истребительный батальон) was the type of Soviet para-military units, which were being created in the territories near the frontline during the Summer 1941, with chief mission of bringing out the "scorched earth" directive, issued by Soviet authorities on June 28, 1941 to deny the Germans any immediate economic benefit from the areas they would soon occupy. They also made a habit of destroying the habitation, material goods and summarily executing families of fascists. The decisions on starting the forming of the battalions were made on July 2, 1941 by USSR Communist authorities and on July 6, 1941 by the Belarusian Soviet and Communist authorities.
The destruction battalions were formed from the volunteers out of those not covered by mobilisation, and augmented by personnel considered ideologically solid, like members of Komsomol and kolkhoz managers. The battalions were commanded by NKVD officers or Communist head managers of the Rayon/Raysovet (districts) committees level.
During July 1941, 1755 destruction battalions were created in all territories near the frontline, comprising about 328 thousand personnel.
During July-August 1941 in BSSR, chiefly in Vitsyebsk, Homyel, Polesye, Mahilyow provinces, 78 such battalions were created, comprising more than 13 thousand personnel. Part of those were later transformed into the Soviet partisan units.
The crimes committed by those battalions both during and after the German-Soviet war were numerous[1] in the Baltic states, much historical research has already been done on the topic. For example, in summer 1941, as the German forces were approaching, the destruction battalion troops terrorised the local population of Estonia, murdering and torturing hundreds of innocent people[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Stephane Courtois; Werth, Nicolas; Panne, Jean-Louis; Paczkowski, Andrzej; Bartosek, Karel; Margolin, Jean-Louis & Kramer, Mark (1999). The Black Book of Communism: Crimes, Terror, Repression. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-07608-7.[unreliable source?]
- ^ Tavaline stalinism (Usual Stalinism) by Mart Laar in Postimees 16.08.2007. Available at http://www.postimees.ee/160807/esileht/arvamus/277366.php
[edit] Sources
- Гісторыя Беларусі: У 6 т. Т. 5. Беларусь у 1917—1945. — Мн. : Экаперспектыва, 2006. — 613 с.; іл. ISBN 985-469-149-7. p.482.
- Мірановіч Яўген. Найноўшая гісторыя Беларусі. — СПб. : Неўскі прасцяг, 2003. — 243 с. ; іл. ISBN 5-94716-032-3. pp.126—130.
- Вялікая Айчынная вайна савецкага народа (у кантэксце Другой сусветнай вайны). — Мн. : Экаперспектыва, 2005. — 279 с. ISBN 985-469-150-0. p.100.
