stringtranslate.com

Czechoslovak People's Army

CSPA tank parade in Prague on Victory Day, 9 May 1985.

The Czechoslovak People's Army (Czech: Československá lidová armáda, Slovak: Československá ľudová armáda, ČSLA) was the armed forces of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (KSČ) and the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1954[1] until 1989. From 1955 it was a member force of the Warsaw Pact. On 14 March 1990 the Army's name was officially reverted back to the Czechoslovak Army removing the adjective "People's" from the name. The Czechoslovak Army was split into the Army of the Czech Republic and the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia on 1 January 1993.

Transition to Communist rule

On 25 May 1945 the Provisional organization of the Czechoslovak armed forces was approved, according to which there was a reorganization of the Czechoslovak army. Soldiers who had fought against Nazism on all fronts of World War II gradually returned. The territory of Czechoslovakia was divided into four military areas in which emerged gradually over 16 infantry divisions, which complemented the Tank Corps and Artillery Division. The Czechoslovak I Corps which had served under Soviet control became the 1st Czechoslovak Army, before becoming the 1st Military Area.[2] Initial optimism about the plans to rebuild the army was replaced by disillusionment, stemming from a broken post-war economy and the lack of human and material resources. The Czechoslovak Army after the war was commissioned to expel Germans and Hungarians, and was also involved in helping the national economy. In addition, units of the National Security Corps participated in the fighting against the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists.

After 1948, when the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia took power, there were significant changes in the military. More than half of the officers began to experience persecution as well as soldiers, and many were forced to leave. The political processes focused mainly on soldiers who fought in World War II in Western Europe, but paradoxically there was also persecution of soldiers fighting the war on the Eastern Front. The army came fully under the power of the Communist Party and in 1950 there was a major reorganization of the Soviet model, and the military areas were disbanded. In 1951 there was signed between Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union the Agreement on the manner and terms of settlement for the supplied equipment and material provided by the USSR loan of almost 44 million rubles for the purchase of military equipment, especially aircraft and radars. There has been an increase in proliferation and increasing the number of servicemen of the army, which since 1953 reached over 300,000.

The final Report of the Commission of Inquiry of the Federal Assembly for clarification of events of 17 November 1989 characterized the Czechoslovak People's Army as follows: "... the Czechoslovak Army, next to the SNB (the people's police force) and LM (the paramilitary workers militia), was understood as one of the direct power tools designed for control over society and for the immediate management of internal political problems; the Communist Party by means of a vast staff of the Main Political Administration (HPS) of ČSLA penetrated as far as into the lowest units and in this way virtually ensured its absolute influence on the Army."[3] During the Velvet Revolution, Communist Minister of National Defence Milán Václavík proposed to use the army against demonstrators, but his suggestion was not heeded.[3]

Components

The ČSLA was composed of Ground Forces, Air Forces and Air Defence Forces and Border Guard under the direction of the General Staff.

Ground Forces

Of the approximately 201,000 personnel on active duty in the ČSLA in 1987, about 145,000, or about 72 percent, served in the ground forces (commonly referred to as the army). About 100,000 of these were conscripts.[4] There were two military districts, Western and Eastern. A 1989 listing of forces shows two Czechoslovak armies in the west, the 1st Army at Příbram with one tank division and three motor rifle divisions, the 4th Army at Písek with two tank divisions and two motor rifle divisions. In the Eastern Military District, there were two tank divisions, the 13th and 14th, with a supervisory headquarters at Trenčín in the Slovak part of the country.[5]

Czechoslovak military doctrine prescribed large tank columns spearheading infantry assaults. While the armoured columns secured objectives, the infantry would provide close support with mortars, snipers, anti-tank guns and medium artillery. The majority of the soldiers in the Ground Forces were recruited through conscription, compulsory military service of 24 months for all males between 18 and 27.

Medal of Honor - ČESKOSLOVENSKÁ LIDOVÁ ARMÁDA.

Air Force

The Air and Air Defence Forces of the CPA celebrated 17 September 1944, as the birth date of their force.[6] On that date, a fighter regiment, manned by Czechoslovak personnel, the cs:První československý samostatný stíhací letecký pluk - 1st Czechoslovak Independent Fighter Aviation Regiment - flew out for Slovak soil to take part in the Slovak National Uprising.[7] This first regiment grew into the 1st Czechoslovak Mixed Air Division, which fought with the Soviets. Yet it was only six years after the war, in 1951, when Czechoslovak units began receiving aircraft - jet fighters - to create a combat capability.

The Czechoslovak Air Force was fully equipped with supersonic jet fighters, attack helicopters, air defence systems and electronic tracking equipment.

Air Defence Forces

The Army's air defence (PVOS, Protivzdušná obrana státu) had anti-aircraft missile units, fighter interceptor aircraft and radar and direction-finding units, known, in accordance with Soviet terminology, as radio-technical units.

Border Guard

Pohraniční Stráž, Pohraničná stráž (English: Border guard ) was estabilished in 1950s after the Second World War. However, it was part of the army only until 1977, when it was subordinated to the federal ministry of Interior. It was the smallest branch of the Czechoslovak peoples army with nearly 17 000 soldiers and stuff members by 1951.[8] Their main task was to guard and patrol all borders of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. The most guarded borders were Austrian and West German borders.[9]

Means of higher military education

Characteristics

One of the official marches of the ČSLA was the March of the Submachine Gunners ("Pochod samopalníků") by Jan Fadrhons.

Czechoslovak soldiers in semi-dress uniform.

Appearance

Organs of the military press

Cultural and propaganda institutions

The band served as one of the ideological tools of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia from the 1950s until November 1989.[13]

Holidays and celebrations

The ČSLA had the following professional holidays:

During the period of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic, regular Victory Day Parades were held by the Czechoslovak People's Army in Letná. The first parade took place in 1951 and, since, they were held every five years on 9 May up until 1990. The parade also marked the Prague uprising. The last of these parades took place in 1985.[14][15] Kde domov můj and Nad Tatrou sa blýska (the Czechoslovakian national anthem) were performed by the massed bands on parade before being followed by the State Anthem of the Soviet Union. Parades were also held in Bratislava as well.

Equipment

Small Arms

Ground Forces

Elena Báčová with the ground crew in front of the ČSLA Air Force MiG-15 aircraft..

Air and Air Defence Forces

Czechoslovak T-55A tanks heading to the border excercise, estimated 1960s/1970s.

Artillery

Rocket systems

Towed artillery

Self-propelled artillery

Mortars

Air defense

Mobile missile

Mobile self-propelled AA guns
Towed anti-aircraft gun

Ranks of the Czechoslovak People's Army

Enlisted and non-commissioned officers

Warrant officers

Officers

See also

References

  1. ^ Burian, Michal; Rýc, Jiří (2007). Historie spojovacího vojska [History of [Czechoslovak] Signal Corps] (in Czech). Prague: Ministerstvo obrany – Agentura vojenských informací a služeb. p. 148. ISBN 978-80-7278-414-1.
  2. ^ Valka.cz, Vojenska-oblast-1 1945–1950 Archived 11 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine, accessed July 2013.
  3. ^ a b Final report of the inquiry commission of the Federal Assembly to clarify the events of 17 November 1989, Part IV. – Czechoslovak People's Army, [cit. 28 October 2009]. Available online.
  4. ^ Library of Congress Country Study: Czechoslovakia, Ground Forces, 1987
  5. ^ Orbat.com, Warsaw Pact Order of Battle 1989 Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, retrieved 2 June 2010
  6. ^ Lewis 1982, p. 142.
  7. ^ Fajtl, F. První doma ("First at home"), Naše vojsko, Prague, 1980, 291 pp. (in Czech)
  8. ^ Vaněk, Pavel (2008). Pohraniční stráž a pokusy o přechd státní hranice v letech 1951-1955. Praha: Ústav pro studium totalitních režimů. ISBN 978-80-87211-08-3.
  9. ^ R.F.K. "Železná opona - RetroMánia". www.retromania.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  10. ^ "History of Faculty - Information about Faculty". www.unob.cz. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  11. ^ "Polní stejnokroj vz. 60 : Československo / ČR (CZK/CZE)". Valka.cz (in Czech). 23 February 2006. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  12. ^ https://www.vhu.cz/exhibit/05-pohranicni-straz/
  13. ^ www.webtodate.cz, WebContentManagementSystem: Macron Software | WebToDate. "Ústřední hudba slaví 70. Její hudba rozechvívá lidská srdce i opravdové mosty". www.acr.army.cz (in Czech). Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Prague Experienced a Military Parade After 23 Years". Lidovky.cz (in Czech). 28 October 2008. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  15. ^ Adamičková, Naďa; Königová, Marie (21 September 2016). "A Spectacular Military Parade Should Roar Through Prague". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  16. ^ Lohse, Alexandra (15 October 2021), "Introduction", Prevail until the Bitter End, Cornell University Press, pp. 1–15, ISBN 978-1-5017-5939-0, retrieved 18 July 2024
  17. ^ "UK vz. 59 : Czech Republic / Czechoslovakia (CZE)". Armedconflicts.com. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Mosin Nagant Master Model Reference". web.archive.org. 16 July 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  19. ^ "SADJ Identification Series: The RPG ID Guide – Small Arms Defense Journal".
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k International Institute for Strategic Studies (1991). The military balance. 1991-1992. London: Brassey's. p. 87. ISBN 978-0080413259.
  21. ^ "Stredný tank T-55AM2K | Vojenský historický ústav (VHÚ)". www.vhu.sk. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  22. ^ "TSD-152 – ISU-152 in Czechoslovak Service | For the Record". 19 March 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  23. ^ "What was the yearly number of MiG-15's produced?". Aviation Stack Exchange. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  24. ^ "The MiG-15: The Plane that Made MiG". Pickled Wings. 9 June 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  25. ^ https://www.vhu.cz/exhibit/takticke-rakety-scud-b-na-prehlidce-na-letenske-plani/
  26. ^ "9K52 LUNA-M :: Modely vojenskej techniky povojnovej čs. armády a ČSĽA od roku 1945 do roku 1990". modelycsla.webnode.sk. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  27. ^ "D-30 (2A18)". avtoexport.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  28. ^ https://ebadatelnavhm.vhu.sk/item/5/12
  29. ^ a b Jane's Armour and Artillery 1997-98 ISBN 0-7106-1542-6
  30. ^ "Balkánska Gvozdika | Vojenský historický ústav (VHÚ)". www.vhu.sk. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  31. ^ "Mortar 120 mm PRAM L, type 82 | Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic". www.army.cz. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  32. ^ "CZK - vz. 52 (82mm minomet) : Československo / ČR / SR (CZK/CZE/SVK)". Valka.cz (in Czech). 27 February 2005. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  33. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (1991). The military balance. 1991-1992. London: Brassey's. ISBN 978-0080413259.
  34. ^ Cullen & Foss 1992, pp. 134−136.
  35. ^ a b Cullen, Tony; Foss, C.F. (1 March 1992). Jane's Land-based Air Defence 1992-93 (5 ed.). Jane's Information Group. pp. 257–261. ISBN 978-0710609793.
  36. ^ "Praga M53/59". War Thunder - Official Forum. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  37. ^ Foss, B.A.; Johansen, T.A. (April 1992). "An Integrated Approach to On-line Fault Detection and Diagnosis - Including Artificial Neural Networks with Local Basis-Functions". IFAC Proceedings Volumes. 25 (4): 207–212. doi:10.1016/s1474-6670(17)50242-6. ISSN 1474-6670.

External links