NKVD blocking detachments a la 'Enema at the Gates' did not happen. At Stalingrad some retreating soldiers were shot by NKVD a distance from the lines - most were imprisoned or sent back to the lines.
Yes. As said, it happend that soldiers have been exectued in the field. But it was never used as "tactic" or something like that.
And another fact, I find strange, that makes even smile. If the red army was that bad equiped with amunition and weapons, that not every soldier could have a rifle, they still have enough time and material to waste amunition on "own" soldiers ?
Zhukov, has been known for his hard line, even against own soldiers. So far I have read, he was known for shoting a german soldier, during an inquiry and own soldiers for cowardize. If that is true, I can not tell, but when I think about shukovs, explosive temper, at least shoting a prisoned german, could be very possible.
And no doubts here. The Red army, was and russian army today IS a hard place, from their training and combat. The moral standarts are different also are the people and soldiers. Wars from Russia (soviet union in past) have been fought "usualy" harder and more cruel between the 2 sides. From a "western" view point. It can happen, that single actions during combat and training are, more or lessfaster overlooked. That is true. And I know this from russian friends, which live here cause they DO NOT want to do military service in their own country, not with people there knowing about their german roots. Anyway. Its also something that happens in other armies as well. Doesnt mean though, that is the "rule". But enough pointing with the finger to Red army/russian military ...
German Wehrmacht soldiers, wondered about the incredible russian discipline, endurance and coldness in relation to their defence. It was usual for the germans, that enemies leaved, abadoned or just handled over cities to them, to save the worthwhile objects, like architecture and also civilans. Paris was give to germans near almost without any shot. In the Soviet Union, they got surprized to have here a enemy, that would NOT leave a city and the military, that would not hesitate, to destroy any building or worthwhile object, to make a defence. Hard fightings like the Siege of Leningrad or the without any example urban combat in stalingrad make that clear to me. The more the germans conquered their way in to the east, the harder the defence and fighting was for them. Their have been deserters, and many of them might have been killed by the own officers. But as already mentioned, it is a "unwritten" rule in many armies to handle it that way during combat ... not just in the Red Army ...
