History How good was the Red Army in 1945?

[Lord Sovereign]

As I understand it the Red Army (whilst never being quite as bad as some would think) was essentially an unstoppable war machine by the end of the war, filled to the brim with battle hardened soldiers using good kit. This is probably a result of Marshal Zhukov telling Stalin to piss off and let the military men do their job, but I am curious as to just how proficient the Communist tide was by the time Hitler put a gun in his mouth. I mean, any force that can grind the bulk of the Wehrmacht into paste can't be that shabby.

 

[Batrix2070]

As I understand it the Red Army (whilst never being quite as bad as some would think) was essentially an unstoppable war machine by the end of the war, filled to the brim with battle hardened soldiers using good kit. This is probably a result of Marshal Zhukov telling Stalin to piss off and let the military men do their job, but I am curious as to just how proficient the Communist tide was by the time Hitler put a gun in his mouth. I mean, any force that can grind the bulk of the Wehrmacht into paste can't be that shabby.

This machine in 45 was already a depleted system, more than half of the forces attacking Germany consisted not of Red Army Divisions but of Divisions of the future satellite states.
The second thing is that this machine was effective only thanks to the collective hatred of the Germans
Against the Allies it could simply break very quickly.
The Soviet Union was exhausted and the Soviet doctrine, although very effective, was also very murderous for the Soviets, although when it was designed it was not paid much attention because it was assumed that the place of killed Russians, Ukrainians and so on would be taken by Germans, Poles, French in the framework of spreading communism all over the world.

 

[Buba]

In 1945 the Red Army crushed the Heer with tech. Due to needless losses (Zhukov and human wave asaults come to mind) the manpower barrel was empty - hence few bayonets. Soviet TOE allowed for rifle battalions with 1/3rd few riflemen - but with full complement of automatic weapons and mortars (especially in heavy weapons coy).
The Wehrmacht was blasted to bits with arty and only then did the infantry and tanks move forward.
It was a veteran force with good/reasonable* kit but fragile.

* reasonable kit in quantity today beats all napkinwaffe wonder weapons every day ...

 

[Cherico]

The Russian soldier tends to be badass thel logistics, industry, and leadership behind him less so.

 

[Sailor.X]

If it wasn't for lend lease and US Aid. The Red Army would not had been able to kick the Nazis out of Russia.

 

[Buba]

If it wasn't for lend lease and US Aid. The Red Army would not had been able to kick the Nazis out of Russia.

Irrelevant for OP.

 

[Sailor.X]

Irrelevant for OP.

Very relevant since an Army can't fight without food and gear.

 

[WolfBear]

On Historum.com, Underlankers argues that the Red Army was already running on fumes in 1945 just like the 1918 German Army was in World War I:

Which Allied Country had most powerful military in WW2? | History For…

archived 27 May 2022 20:31:31 UTC

archive.ph

(Discussing a hypothetical World War III/Operation Unthinkable

Where I see it as a repetition of 1918: the Soviets would rip huge holes in the US and UK Armies, drive deep into the interior, end up ultimately pushed back in savagely costly pitched battles....and then the regime falls because it was already running on fumes and finally pushed itself too far just like the Provisional Government it toppled in 1918, neither learning nor understanding the lessons of how it came to power in the first place. Thus the USA wins by default and in all probability what comes after Stalin is less evil than his regime was, but then again, who would have predicted Nicholas the Bloody would end up replaced by nastier people himself?

And here is Anatoly Karlin's Comprehensive Military Power ranking for various countries in both 1940 and 1945, though I do believe that the 1945 French data is inaccurate since France still had its Free French military at that point in time:

CMP Update: World's Top 10 Militaries of 2021, by Anatoly Karlin - Th…

archived 2 Apr 2021 21:41:54 UTC

archive.ph

The series conveniently extends down to 1940 for the major combatant powers.

Here it is for 1940:

USA 0.35
USSR 1.02
China 0.11
France 1.09
Germany 1.88
UK 0.83
Japan 0.35
India 0.02

…and 1945:

USA 9.19
USSR 4.48
China 0.32
France 0.00
Germany 4.04
UK 2.22
Japan 1.29
India 0.11

Looks highly plausible, even if I do say so myself.

 

[ATP]

As I understand it the Red Army (whilst never being quite as bad as some would think) was essentially an unstoppable war machine by the end of the war, filled to the brim with battle hardened soldiers using good kit. This is probably a result of Marshal Zhukov telling Stalin to piss off and let the military men do their job, but I am curious as to just how proficient the Communist tide was by the time Hitler put a gun in his mouth. I mean, any force that can grind the bulk of the Wehrmacht into paste can't be that shabby.

They were giant - on USA legs.
75% of trucks was from USA,just like 50% of trains and part of ammo.Fuel for air forces was from USA,just like radars.
They need to more then 10.000 fresh truck to advance against germans.

Against USA?
1.if USA was smart and do not butcher soviet prisoners,they would mass surrender
2.Soviet air forces was so shitty,that germans used not only normal bombers,but Ju87 to attack them during day - when soviets have 10:1 numerical advantage.
Not mention,that their fighters was unable to target B.29 and barely capable of targeting B.17.They would be massacred,and american P.47 would drop napalm on soviet troops.

Soviets would advance into germany - and then collapse and their army caese to exist.
Not mention,that basically everybody except czech on soviet-occupied territories waited for anybody who would come and deliver them from soviets.They would support not only USA,but martians,too.

P.S 50% of soviet oil come from Baku,20% more from refineries near it.One B.17 visit,and there is no Baku,one week more,and others are gone,too.Now,all american need is widraw till soviets would be out of fuel - infrantry could use its legs,and artillery horses,but tanks and planes need fuel.