| NATO Map Symbols[1] |
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 -_Unspecified_or_Composite_All-Arms_(NATO_APP-6).svg) |
| a friendly front |
-_Unspecified_or_Composite_All-Arms_(NATO_APP-6A).svg) |
| a hostile front |
Afront (Russian:фронт,romanized: front) is a type ofmilitary formation that originates in theRussian Empire, and has been used by thePolish Army, theRed Army, theSoviet Army, andTurkey. It is roughly equivalent to anarmy group in the military of most other countries. It varies in size but in general contains three to fivearmies.[2] It should not be confused with the more general usage ofmilitary front, describing a geographic area in wartime.
After the outbreak of theFirst World War, theRussianGeneral Headquarters set up two Fronts:Northwestern Front, uniting forces deployed againstGerman Empire, andSouthwestern Front, uniting forces deployed againstAustria-Hungary.
In August 1915, Northwestern Front was split intoNorthern Front andWestern Front.
At the end of 1916Romanian Front was established, which also included remnants of the Romanian army.
In April 1917,Caucasus Front was established by the reorganization of theCaucasus Army.
The Soviet fronts were first raised during theRussian Civil War. They were wartime organizations only, in the peacetime the fronts were normally disbanded and their armies organized back intomilitarydistricts. Usually a single district formed a single front at the start of the hostilities, or when hostilities were anticipated. Some military districts could not form a front. Fronts were also formed during thePolish-Soviet War of 1920.[citation needed]
The main fronts during the Russian Civil War and Polish-Soviet War were :
Army groups differ from fronts in that aSoviet front typically had its own army-sized tactical fixed-wing aviation organization.[3] According to Sovietmilitary doctrine, theair army was directly subordinated to the front commander (typically a ground commander). The reform of 1935 established that in case of a war the peacetime military districts on the border would split upon mobilisation each into aFront Command (taking control of the district's peacetime military formations) and aMilitary District Command (which stayed behind with the mission of mobilising the reserve formations and putting them at the disposal of the Fronts as replacement troops).[citation needed] In that sense the Air Armies were under Air Force command in peacetime, but under the command of the Front HQs in wartime; and the Fronts were commanded by ground-forces generals. An entire Front might report either to theStavka or to atheatre of military operations (TVD). A Front was mobilised for a specific operation, after which it could be reformed and tasked with another operation (including a change of the Front's designation) or it could be disbanded - with its formations dispersed among the other active Fronts and its HQ reintegrated into its original Military District HQ.
Soviet and Russian military doctrine calls the different levels in the command chain (including the Fronts) "Organs of Military Control" (Russian:Органы военного управления).
| Level | Peacetime | Peacetime and wartime | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highest political control | Main Military Council (Russian:Главный военный совет РККА) | Stavka of the Supreme Main Command (Russian:Ставка верховного главнокомандования) | Exercises supreme party control over the armed forces. It could best be considered as the office for military matters of the head of state. DuringWorld War I this was theStavka of the Supreme Commander (Russian:Ставка Верховного Главнокомандующего) aidingTsar Nicholas II. DuringWorld War II this was theStavka of the Supreme Main Command (Russian:Ставка верховного главного командования) aidingJoseph Stalin, who took precedence over it afterthe launch of the German invasion into the Soviet Union. | |
| Highest military control | General Staff (Russian:Генеральный штаб РККА) | In wartime theGeneral Staff became a department of theStavka. | ||
| Strategical | Main Command of the Troops of a Strategic Direction (Russian:Главное командование войск направления) | The Main Command of the Troops of a Strategic Direction were organised in wartime in 1941 – 42, each to take control over several Fronts, Fleets, Separate Armies and / or Flotillas. In 1979 in the years of high confrontation between the countries of the Western liberal democracies and those of theSocialist Bloc the Main Commands of the Troops of a Strategic Directions were reinstated covertly:
| Main Command of the Troops of the North-Western Direction (Russian:Главное командование войск Северо-Западного направления). Existed between 10 July and 27 August 1941 under the command ofMarshal of the Soviet UnionKliment Voroshilov. It commanded the:
Main Command of the Troops of the Western Direction (Russian:Главное командование войск Западного направления). Existed between 10 July and 10 September 1941 under the command ofMarshal of the Soviet UnionSemyon Timoshenko. It commanded the:
Main Command of the Troops of the South-Western Direction (Russian:Главное командование войск Юго-Западного направления). Existed between 10 July 1941 and 21 June 1942 under the command of initiallyMarshal of the Soviet UnionSemyon Budyonny, since September 1941 ofMarshal of the Soviet UnionSemyon Timoshenko. It commanded the:
Main Command of the Troops of the North Caucasus Direction (Russian:Главное командование войск Северо-Кавказского направления). Existed between 21 April and 19 May 1942 under the command ofMarshal of the Soviet UnionSemyon Budyonny. It commanded the:
Main Command of the Soviet Troops in the Far East (Russian:Главное командование советских войск на Дальнем Востоке). Existed between 30 July and 17 December 1945 under the command ofMarshal of the Soviet UnionAleksandr Vasilevsky. It commanded the:
| |
| Operational-Strategical | Military district (Russian:Военный округ) | FRONT (Russian:Фронт) | The Military Districts were high military commands in charge of the combat readiness of troops, of training centers and schools, of support to the security services in cases of insurrections and of support to the population in case of disasters. Initially a distinction was made between border and internal (Russian:"приграничные" и "внутренние") MDs. With a decree of thePeople's Commissariat for Defence dated 17 May 1935 the border districts were further divided between first-line and second-line (Russian:"лобовые" и "тыловые", literally "head" and "rear") MDs. A provision was put in force, grouping a first-line district with two second-line districts, according to which in wartime the first-line MD would form a Frontal HQ and the rear districts would prepare replacements for it. This grouping was called a"Strategic Direction". Another decree of thePCD from 13 August 1940 introduced further changes in the war plans. The distinction between first- and second-line border districts was abolished. The 16 Military Districts were divided between 8 districts bordering potential enemy states, which would in case of a war form Frontal HQs and 8 internal MDs, which would form Separate Army commands. | |
| Operational-Strategical | None in peacetime | Separate Army (Russian:Отдельная армия) | ||
| Operational | Army (Russian:Армия) | |||
| Operational-Tactical | Separate Corps (Russian:Отдельный корпус) | |||
| Operational-Tactical | Corps | Corps (Russian:Корпус) | ||
| Tactical | Separate Division | Separate Division (Russian:Отдельная дивизия) | ||
| Tactical | Division | Division (Russian:Дивизия) | ||
| Tactical | (Separate) Brigade | (Separate) Brigade (Russian:(Отдельная) Бригада) |
The degree of change in the structure and performance of individual fronts can only be understood when seen in the context of thestrategic operations of the Red Army in World War II.
Soviet fronts in theEuropean Theatre during theSecond World War from 1941 to 1945:
| Formed from | FRONT (time period) | Commanders | Reformed into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | |||
| Baltic Special Military District | Northwestern Front (22.6.41. – 20.11.43.) | Fyodor Kuznetsov, | disbanded |
| Western Special Military District | Western Front (22.6.41. – 15.4.44.) | Dmitry Pavlov, | 3rd Belorussian Front |
| Kiev Special Military District | Southwestern Front (I) (21.6.41. – 12.7.42.) | Mikhail Kirponos, | split between the Southern Front and theStalingrad Front |
| Leningrad Military District | Northern Front (24.6.41. – 26.8.41.) | Markian Popov | split between theLeningrad Front and theKarelian Front |
| mobilised peacetime formations of the Moscow Military District | Southern Front (I) (25.6.41. – 28.7.41.) | Ivan Tyulenev, | North Caucasian Front |
| NKVD troops transferred to the Army (theSTAVKA Reserve Armies Group) | Reserve Armies Front (14.7.41. – 29.7.41.) | Ivan Bogdanov (NKVD) | split between theWestern Front and the newly formedReserve Front |
| Moscow Military District | Mozhaysk Line of Defence Front (18 – 30.7.41.) | Pavel Artemyev (NKVD) | Reserve Front |
| Headquarters of the4th Army & Right wing ofWestern Front | Central Front (I) (26.7.41. – 25.8.41.) | Fyodor Kuznetsov, | heavy casualties inflicted by the main German spearhead, disbanded, whatwas left of theCentral Front was absorbed into theBryansk Front (I) |
| Reserve Armies Front | Reserve Front (I) (30.7.41. – 12.10.41.) | Georgy Zhukov, | merged with theWestern Front |
| 20th Rifle Corps and | Bryansk Front (I) (16.8.41. – 10.11.41.) | Andrey Yeryomenko, | disbanded |
| Transcaucasian Military District and Sevastopol Defensive Area | Transcaucasian Front (I) (23.8.41. – 30.12.41.) | Dmitry Timofeyevich Kozlov | Caucasian Front |
| Northern Front | Leningrad Front (27.8.41. – 24.7.45.) | Markian Popov, | Leningrad Military District |
| Northern Front | Karelian Front (1.9.41. – 15.11.44.) | Valerian Frolov, | disbanded after Finland exited the war, Front HQ used for the formation of thePrimorsky Group of Forces that would become the 1st Far Eastern Front for the liberation ofManchuria |
| Mozhaysk Line of Defence Front | Moscow Reserve Front (9.10.41. – 12.10.41.) | Pavel Artemyev (NKVD) | absorbed into theWestern Front |
| 22,29,30 and31st Armies of theWestern Front | Kalinin Front (19.10.41. – 20.10.43.) | Ivan Konev, | 1st Baltic Front |
| mobilised reserves of theMoscow Military District | Moscow Defence Zone (3.12.41. – 1.10.43.) | Pavel Artemyev (NKVD) | after the German advance was stopped and the threat to Moscow was evaded, it became a training command for conscripts, its HQ was used to reestablish the Belorussian Military District in October 1943 |
| left flank of theLeningrad Front andSTAVKA Reserve formations | Volkhov Front (I) (17.12.41. – 23.4.42.) | Kirill Meretskov | reintegrated into theLeningrad Front as its Volkhov Direction Army Group |
| Lt.-Gen. Kostenko's Task Group | Bryansk Front (II) (24.12.41. – 12.3.43.) | Yakov Cherevichenko, | Reserve Front (II.) |
| Transcaucasian Front | Caucasian Front (30.12.41. – 28.1.42.) | Dmitry Timofeyevich Kozlov | Crimean Frontand Transcaucasian Military District |
| 1942 | |||
| Caucasian Front | Crimean Front (28.1.42 – 19.5.42.) | Dmitry Timofeyevich Kozlov | after its destruction its remnants absorbed into theNorth Caucasian Front |
| Transcaucasian Military District re-mobilised after the destruction of theCrimean Front | Transcaucasian Front (II) (15.5.42. – 25.8.45.) | Ivan Tyulenev | Tbilisi Military District |
| remnants of theCrimean Front and theSouthern Front | North Caucasian Front (I) (20.5.42. – 3.9.42.) | Semyon Budyonny | Black Sea Army Group |
| Volkhov Direction Army Group of theLeningrad Front | Volkhov Front (II) (8.6.42. – 15.2.44.) | Kirill Meretskov | disbanded |
| part of theBryansk Front (II) | Voronezh Front (9.7.42. – 20.10.43.) | Filipp Golikov, | 1st Ukrainian Front |
| part of theSouthwestern Front (I) | Stalingrad Front (I) (12.7.42. – 30.9.42.) | Semyon Timoshenko, | Don Front |
| part of theStalingrad Front (I) | Southeastern Front (7.8.42. – 30.9.42.) | Andrey Yeryomenko | Stalingrad Front (II) |
| Stalingrad Front (I) | Don Front (30.9.42. – 15.2.43.) | Konstantin Rokossovsky | Central Front (II) |
| Southeastern Front | Stalingrad Front (II) (30.9.42. – 31.12.42.) | Andrey Yeryomenko | Southern Front(II) |
| reserve formations | Southwestern Front (II) (25.10.42. – 20.10.43.) | Nikolai Vatutin | 3rd Ukrainian Front |
| 1943 | |||
| Stalingrad Front (II) | Southern Front (II) (1.1.43. – 20.10.43.) | Andrey Yeryomenko, | 4th Ukrainian Front (I) |
| reserve formations | North Caucasian Front (II) (24.1.43. – 20.11.43.) | Ivan Maslennikov, | Separate Coastal Army |
| Don Front | Central Front (II) (15.2.43. – 20.10.43.) | Konstantin Rokossovsky | Belorussian Front (I) |
| Bryansk Front (II) | Reserve Front (II) (12.3.43. – 23.3.43.) | Max Reyter | Kursk Front |
| Reserve Front (II) | Kursk Front (23.3.43. – 27.3.43.) | Max Reyter | Oryol Front |
| Kursk Front | Oryol Front (27.3.43 – 28.3.43.) | Max Reyter | Bryansk Front (III) |
| Oryol Front | Bryansk Front (III) (28.3.43. – 10.10.43.) | Max Reyter, | Baltic Front |
| 41st Army | Reserve Front (III) (10.4.43. – 15.4.43.) | Markian Popov | Steppe Military District |
| Steppe Military District | Steppe Front (9.7.43. – 20.10.43.) | Ivan Konev | 2nd Ukrainian Front |
| Bryansk Front (III) | Baltic Front (15.10.43. – 20.10.43) | Markian Popov | 2nd Baltic Front |
| Kalinin Front | 1st Baltic Front (20.10.43. – 24.2.45.) | Andrey Yeryomenko, | Zemland Army Group under the3rd Baltic Front |
| Baltic Front | 2nd Baltic Front (20.10.43. – 9.2.45.) | Markian Popov, | absorbed into theLeningrad Front |
| Central Front (II) | Belorussian Front (I) (20.10.43. – 23.2.44.) | Konstantin Rokossovsky | 1st Belorussian Front (I) |
| Voronezh Front | 1st Ukrainian Front (20.10.43. – 10.6.45.) | Nikolai Vatutin, | Central Group of Forces |
| Steppe Front | 2nd Ukrainian Front (20.10.43. – 10.6.45.) | Ivan Konev, | Odessa Military District |
| Southwestern Front (II) | 3rd Ukrainian Front (20.10.43. – 15.6.45.) | Rodion Malinovsky, | Southern Group of Forces |
| Southern Front | 4th Ukrainian Front (I) (20.10.43. – 15.5.44.) | Fyodor Tolbukhin | disbanded, formations transferred toSTAVKA Reserve |
| 1944 | |||
| Belorussian Front (I) | 1st Belorussian Front (I) (24.2.44. – 5.4.44.) | Konstantin Rokossovsky | Belorussian Front (II) |
| Northwestern Front | 2nd Belorussian Front (I) (24.2.44. – 5.4.44.) | Pavel Kurochkin | absorbed intoBelorussian Front (II) |
| 1st Belorussian Front (I) | Belorussian Front (II) (6.4.44. – 16.4.44.) | Konstantin Rokossovsky | 1st Belorussian Front (II) |
| Belorussian Front (II) | 1st Belorussian Front (II) (16.4.44. – 10.6.45.) | Konstantin Rokossovsky, | Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany |
| left flank of theLeningrad Front | 3rd Baltic Front (21.4.44. – 16.10.44.) | Ivan Maslennikov, | disbanded, formations split betweenSTAVKA Reserve,Leningrad Front, 1st Baltic Front and 2nd Baltic Front |
| 10th Army | 2nd Belorussian Front (II) (24.4.44. – 10.6.45.) | Ivan Yefimovich Petrov, | Northern Group of Forces |
| Western Front | 3rd Belorussian Front (24.4.44. – 15.8.45.) | Ivan Chernyakhovsky, | Baranovichy Military District |
| formations fromSTAVKA Reserve | 4th Ukrainian Front (II) (5.8.44. – 31.7.45.) | Fyodor Tolbukhin, | Carpathian Military District |
| Notes: | (I), (II) and (III) represents the time the designation was used. | ||
For constituent armies seeList of Soviet armies.
The Soviet Army maintained contingencies for establishing fronts in the event of war. During theCold War, fronts and their staffs becamegroups of Soviet forces in theWarsaw Pact organization.[citation needed] The front was to be the highest operational command during wartime. Though there was no front ever established during peacetime the basic building blocks were maintained the established Military Districts. A front generally comprised 3–4 Combined Arms Armies and 1–2 Tank Armies though there was no set organization.[6]
A number of fronts were created by theSecond Polish Republic from 1918 to 1939, among them being thePolish Southern Front. Seepl:Kategoria:Fronty polskie. In addition, the creation of a Polish Front was considered to group the First and Second Armies of thePolish Armed Forces in the East in 1944, and during the Warsaw Pact period, a Polish Front was created, seemingly as a mobilization-only organization.