Dialog?

This is coolbert:

As was mentioned in the previous blog entry, the U.S. DID provide large amounts of warmaking supplies to the Soviet Union all during World War Two [WW2].

These warmaking supplies WERE vital to the Soviet Union. Especially during the early part of Soviet involvement during WW2. For instance, the Red Army, lacking in artillery, mounted mortars on the backs of American supplied Studebaker trucks. These mortars, via the trucks, could be rapidly deployed where ever needed. Acted in lieu of artillery, and effectively so.

In an effort to properly assess Soviet needs, and to expedite the entire transfer process of warmaking supplies in an efficient manner, American officers attempted by a variety of means to determine Soviet material requirements.

These attempts, surprisingly so, were quite often met by hostility, ambiguous, misleading, or downright deceitful answers, or just plain silence on the part of Soviet officials.

This MUST have very exasperating to the well-meaning American officers. After all, the Americans HAD to have felt that the Soviet response, for what ever reason, was only a hindrance. [the thought on the part of the American officers must have been, “if you are drowning, and someone tosses you a rope, you don’t complain that the rope is dirty!!"].

A typical exchange between an American officer and his Soviet counter-part might very well go like this: [In this case discussing the Soviet anti-tank gun requirements. The U.S. WAS supplying anti-tank guns to the Soviets].

American: “How many anti-tank guns are found in a Soviet infantry division?”

Soviet: “It all depends!!”

American: “Well, then, how many anti-tank guns are found in a Soviet army?”

Soviet: “It all depends!!”

American: “Well, then, how many anti-tank guns are found in a Soviet front??”

Soviet: “It all depends!!”

American: “I have a hard time determining your requirements based upon your answers!!”

Soviet: “Just send us as many anti-tank guns as you can!!”

[Under the Soviet organization, an army consisted of usually four divisions, and a front, the highest wartime echelon employed by the Red Army, consisted usually of four armies.]

The Soviet officer, answering as he did, was NOT being entirely untruthful, NOR was he being entirely truthful either.

During PEACETIME, a Red Army division DID, according to TO&E, have a fixed number of anti-tank guns [probably during WW2 a division would possess a battalion of eighteen anti-tank guns].

However it was also true, that during WARTIME, while actual COMBAT operations were occurring, a division might very well have many more than the standard eighteen anti-tank guns found within that division during PEACETIME. Anti-tank guns were allocated from Front to Army to Division, depending upon the mission of that division and the combat commanders conception of how the battle would develop.

Were Stalin’s boys being deceitful?? NOT exactly. But they were not being entirely truthful either!!

And this is how the Soviets treated an ally??!!

coolbert.