Germany’s 1941 Operation Barbarossa hit the Soviet Union like a thunderbolt. The Nazi invasion hit the Soviet’s critical production areas-the Ukraine and Belarus. Trucks became a lesser priority behind tanks or planes. The later American Lend-Lease Agreement helped to reverse this problem.
How Did Lend Lease Help the Soviet Union?
America’s Lend Lease Program, enacted on March 11, 1941, came at nearly the right time for Russia. American industry ratcheted up quickly, with first deliveries arriving in October 1941. Transported by ship, ports of arrival included the Persian Gulf, Murmansk (Arctic Region), and Vladivostok. Everything from trains, food, boots, tanks, planes, and clothes got shipped, with the peak years being in 1942 and 1943.
Lend Lease first provided a stopgap as Soviet industry caught up. Trucks, in particular, were welcomed to cover wartime losses. American trucks proved more reliable, rugged, and better quality than Soviet designs. Also, American trucks could carry heavier loads. Soviet trucks used older designs, came with smaller, less reliable engines, and proved less adaptable than American designs.
Why Are Trucks So Critical in War?
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Sign up to our Free Weekly NewsletterAs the American General Pershing said, “Infantry fight battles, logistics wins wars,” so trucks are essential. While ships and trains carried the bulk of supplies for the war, rarely did either come close to the frontlines. Beginning in the Great War, trucks brought vital supplies on that final hop to the usually changing war zone.
War’s logistical challenges never end; they only change. Commercial truck companies built military trucks, especially American ones, and designed them to be utilitarian. Trucks enabled the Soviets to get needed materials quickly. American trucks took on the Eastern Front’s challenging terrain and poor roads during World War II. They helped keep the Red Army moving forward.
Which American Trucks Went to the Soviet Union?
The U.S. sent over 400,000 trucks and jeeps to Russia. However, the Russians preferred one truck, the Studebaker US6. The Studebaker US6 was a six-wheeled off-road truck designed for Lend Lease. This beast speedily became the Red Army’s favorite truck, called “Studer” by Russian troops. Out of 200,000 US6s made, about 152,000 went to the Soviets. Praised for its reliability and ability to run even in harsh conditions, the Red Army further tweaked the Studebaker. These tweaks included carrying more cargo or running on low-grade gas.
The United States sent along the next big Lend-Lease hauler, the GMC CCKW (Deuce and a Half), another 2.5-ton truck. Powered by a 91 horsepower six-cylinder, the Russians appreciated its durability and big payloads, sometimes over five tons on roads. The Soviets received some 47,000 out of a 500,000-production run by 1945. The Dodge WC Series, a 4×4 model, came along too. The Russians considered the Dodge useful but smaller; it only carried a ¾ ton load and received 25,000.
What Impact Did the Trucks Have on the Eastern Front?
The biggest strategic impact American trucks had came with their mobility. They gave the Red Army a hitherto unknown freedom of movement. Specific examples are the 1942 Battle of Stalingrad and 1944’s Operation Bagration. With this edge, the Soviets moved troops, supplies, and ammunition faster than the Wehrmacht could.
Also, the Russians modified Studebakers to fire the famous Katyusha rockets. The Russians mounted sixteen 5.2-inch rockets on the preferred Studebaker with its offroad toughness. With an almost five-mile range, four Studebakers could lay down fifty-six rockets. Being so mobile, the Studebakers could fire, scoot, rinse, and repeat, firing several miles away.
These trucks gave stellar performances in non-combat roles. Most of Lend Lease’s provisions came through the Persian Gulf and Murmansk (Arctic). Much traveled by train, yet truck semi-trailers were a common sight.
When Did American Trucks Become a Challenge?
Despite the advantages the Russians got over truck-starved Nazi Germany, their American trucks came with complications. First, the Eastern Front’s bleak winter conditions wore trucks down. They were not designed for such harshness, which complicated maintenance.
Other problems included cracked rubber engine parts and frozen fuel lines. Keeping a spare parts supply on hand never ended. Getting said parts from the U.S. to Russian battlefields meant long distances with little available. Soviet mechanics sourced local supplies to replace broken parts caused by use. Trucks later in the war broke down often due to inferior parts quality.
Running trucks require a lot of fuel, occasionally causing headaches. A typical Soviet offensive lasted. The mobility they provided gave the Russians a tactical edge. In 1945, a very pleased Stalin even sent a grateful letter to Studebaker praising the truck’s quality.
