56th Army (Soviet Union)

56th Army
Active	October 1941 - November 1943
Country	Soviet Union
Allegiance	Red Army
Branch	Infantry
Type	Combined Arms
Size	Army

The 56th Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army that was created in 1941, and then disbanded to create the second formation of the Separate Coastal Army in 1943. The 56th Army was employed by the Soviets in the struggle against Germany during World War II.

History

The 56th Army was formed in October 1941 and subordinated to the North Caucasus Military District.^[1] Subordinated to the Southern Front (Soviet Union) in December 1941, the 56th Army was made up of the following units, as well as five regiments of artillery and a rocket-launcher regiment.

31st Rifle Division 335th Rifle Division 337th Rifle Division 341st Rifle Division 353rd Rifle Division

11th Rifle Brigade 13th Rifle Brigade 16th Rifle Brigade 78th Rifle Brigade 33rd NKVD Motorized Rifle Regiment

62nd Cavalry Division 64th Cavalry Division 70th Cavalry Division "NO" Cavalry Division 54th Tank Brigade 8th Tank Battalion

In January 1942 the army comprised the 31, 106, 343, 347 сд, 13, 16 сбр, Ростовский осп (б/н), and the 62, 64, 70 Cavalry Divisions.^[2]

Among prominent actions, the 56th Army fought during the successful Soviet liberation of Rostov in late 1941 and spearheaded the amphibious landings in the Crimea in late 1943. The 56th Army was disbanded in November 1943 to create the second formation of the Separate Coastal Army.^[3]

Commanders

• 10.41 - 12.41 F. N. Remezov
• 12.41 - 07.42 V. V. Tsyganov
• 07.42 - 01.43 A. I. Ryzhov
• 01.43 - 10.43 A. A. Grechko
• 10.43 - 11.43 K. S. Melnik

Notes

1. Glantz, p. 58
2. General Staff, Combat composition of the Soviet Army, via Soldat.ru, January 1942.
3. Glantz, p. 58

References

• David Glantz, Companion to Colussus Reborn, University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 2005

Further reading

• Keith Bonn, Slaughterhouse: The Handbook of the Eastern Front, Aberjona Press, Bedford, PA, 2005
• V.I. Feskov et al., The Soviet Army in the Period of the Cold War, Tomsk University Press, 2004
• Jean-Luc Marchand, Order of Battle Soviet Army World War 2, 24 volumes, The Nafziger Collection
• Samuel J. Newland and Clayton K. S. Chun, The European Campaign: Its Origins and Conduct, U.S. Army War College SSI, Carlisle, PA, 2011