German snipers aces of the second world. Women snipers - the best marksmen of the Second World War

Highly qualified snipers were worth their weight in gold during World War II. Fighting on the Eastern Front, the Soviets positioned their snipers as experienced marksmen, noticeably dominant in many ways. The Soviet Union was the only one that trained snipers for ten years, preparing for war. Their superiority is confirmed by their "death lists" Experienced snipers killed many people and, of course, were of great value. For example, Vasily Zaitsev killed 225 enemy soldiers during the Battle of Stalingrad.

Maxim Alexandrovich Passar(1923-1943) - Soviet, during the Great Patriotic War, destroyed 237 enemy soldiers and officers.
In February 1942, he volunteered for the front. In May 1942, he underwent sniper training in parts of the North-Western Front. Destroyed 21 Wehrmacht soldiers. Joined the CPSU (b).
From July 1942 he served in the 117th Infantry Regiment of the 23rd Infantry Division, which fought as part of the 21st Army of the Stalingrad Front and the 65th Army of the Don Front.
He was one of the most effective snipers of the Battle of Stalingrad, during which he destroyed more than two hundred enemy soldiers and officers. For the liquidation of M. A. Passar by the German command, a reward of 100 thousand Reichsmarks was appointed.

He made a great contribution to the development of the sniper movement in the Red Army, took an active part in the practical training of shooters. The snipers of the 117th Infantry Regiment trained by him destroyed 775 Germans. His speeches on the tactics of conducting sniper combat were repeatedly published in the large-circulation newspaper of the 23rd Infantry Division.
On December 8, 1942, M.A. Passar received a shell shock, but remained in the ranks.

On January 22, 1943, in a battle near the village of Peschanka, Gorodishchensky District, Stalingrad Region, he ensured the success of the offensive of the regiment's units, which was stopped by enemy flank machine-gun fire from camouflaged fortified positions. Covertly approaching at a distance of about 100 meters, Senior Sergeant Passar destroyed the calculations of two heavy machine guns, which decided the outcome of the attack, during which the sniper died.
M. A. Passar was buried in a mass grave on the Square of the Fallen Fighters of the working settlement of Gorodishche, Volgograd Region.

Mikhail Ilyich Surkov(1921-1953) - participant of the Great Patriotic War, sniper of the 1st battalion of the 39th rifle regiment of the 4th rifle division of the 12th army, foreman.
Before the war, he lived in the village of Bolshaya Salyr, now the Achinsk district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Was a taiga hunter.
In the Red Army since 1941 - drafted by Achinsky (in the award list - Atchevsky) RVC. Candidate for the CPSU(b) since 1942. At the end of the war, he was transferred to the rear to train snipers.
After the war, Mikhail Ilyich returned to his native village. Died in 1953.

The best Soviet sniper of the Great Patriotic War, the number of enemies killed according to Soviet sources is 702. A number of Western historians question this figure, believing that it was fabricated by Soviet propaganda in order to level the result of the Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä, which he achieved during the Soviet-Finnish wars of 1939-1940. However, Simo Häyhä became known in the USSR only after 1990.

Natalya Venediktovna Kovshova(November 26, 1920 - August 14, 1942) - Hero of the Soviet Union, sniper during the Great Patriotic War.

Natalya Venediktovna Kovshova was born on November 26, 1920 in Ufa. Subsequently, the family moved to Moscow. In 1940 she graduated from Moscow school No. 281 in Ulansky Lane (now No. 1284) and went to work in the Orgaviaprom aviation industry organization trust, established in the late autumn of that year. Worked as a Human Resources Inspector. In 1941 she was preparing to enter the Moscow Aviation Institute. With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, she volunteered for the Red Army. Graduated from sniper courses. At the front since October 1941.
In the battle near Moscow, she fought in the ranks of the 3rd Moscow Communist Rifle Division. (The division was formed on the critical days for Moscow in the fall of 1941 from volunteer battalions, which included students, professors, elderly workers, and schoolchildren). Since January 1942, a sniper in the 528th Infantry Regiment (130th Infantry Division, 1st Shock Army, Northwestern Front). On the personal account of the sniper Kovshova 167 exterminated fascist soldiers and officers. (According to the testimony of her fellow soldier Georgy Balovnev, at least 200; the award sheet specifically mentions that among the targets hit by Kovshova were "cuckoos" - enemy snipers and enemy machine-gun crew). During the service, she taught the fighters the skill of marksmanship.

On August 14, 1942, near the village of Sutoki in the Parfinsky district of the Novgorod region, together with her friend Maria Polivanova, she entered the battle with the Nazis. In an unequal battle, both were wounded, but did not stop the fight. Having shot the entire stock of cartridges, they blew themselves up with grenades along with the enemy soldiers surrounding them.
She was buried in the village of Korovitchino, Starorussky district, Novgorod region. At the Novodevichy cemetery in the grave of her father - a cenotaph.
The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded posthumously on February 14, 1943 (together with M. S. Polivanova) for the dedication and heroism shown in battle.

Zhambyl Esheevich Tulaev(May 2 (15), 1905, Tagarkhai ulus now Tunkinsky district, Buryatia - January 17, 1961) - participant in the Great Patriotic War, sniper of the 580th Infantry Regiment of the 188th Infantry Division of the 27th Army of the North-Western Front, foreman

Born on May 2 (15), 1905 in the Tagarkhay ulus, now the village of Tunkinsky district of Buryatia, into a peasant family. Buryat. Graduated from 4 classes. Lived in the city of Irkutsk. Worked as the head of the container base. In the Red Army since 1942. In the army since March 1942. Member of the CPSU (b) since 1942. Sniper of the 580th Infantry Regiment (188th Infantry Division, 27th Army, Northwestern Front), Sergeant Major Zhambyl Tulaev, from May to November 1942, exterminated two hundred and sixty-two Nazis. Carried out training for the front of three dozen snipers.
By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 14, 1943, for the exemplary performance of the combat missions of the command on the front of the struggle against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time, foreman Tulaev Zhambyl Yesheevich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 847).
Since 1946, Lieutenant Zh. E. Tulaev has been in reserve. He returned to his native Buryatia. He worked as the chairman of the collective farm, the secretary of the local village council. He died on January 17, 1961.

Ivan Mikhailovich Sidorenko September 12, 1919, the village of Chantsovo, Smolensk province - February 19, 1994, Kizlyar - a Soviet sniper who destroyed about 500 enemy soldiers and officers during the Great Patriotic War. The hero of the USSR

Member of the Great Patriotic War since November 1941. He fought in the 4th shock army of the Kalinin Front. Was a mortar. In the winter counter-offensive of 1942, the mortar company of Lieutenant Sidorenko fought from the Ostashkovsky bridgehead to the city of Velizh, Smolensk region. Here Ivan Sidorenko became a sniper. In battles with the Nazi invaders, he was seriously wounded three times, but each time he returned to duty.
Assistant Chief of Staff of the 1122nd Rifle Regiment (334th Rifle Division, 4th Shock Army, 1st Baltic Front), Captain Ivan Sidorenko distinguished himself as the organizer of the sniper movement. By 1944, he destroyed about 500 Nazis from a sniper rifle.

Ivan Sidorenko trained more than 250 snipers for the front, most of whom were awarded orders and medals.
By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 4, 1944, for the exemplary performance of the combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time, Captain Sidorenko Ivan Mikhailovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal "(No. 3688).
I. M. Sidorenko completed his military career in Estonia. At the end of 1944, the command sent him to the preparatory courses of the military academy. But he did not have to study: old wounds opened up, and Ivan Sidorenko had to go to the hospital for a long time.
Since 1946, Major I. M. Sidorenko has been in reserve. Lived in the city of Korkino, Chelyabinsk region. He worked as a foreman in a mine. Then he worked in various cities of the Soviet Union. Since 1974 he lived in the city of Kizlyar (Dagestan), where he died on February 19, 1994.

Fedor Matveevich Okhlopkov(March 2, 1908, Krest-Khaldzhay village, Bayagantaisky ulus, Yakutsk region, Russian Empire - May 28, 1968, Krest-Khaldzhay village, Tomponsky district, YASSR), RSFSR, USSR - sniper of the 234th rifle regiment, Hero of the Soviet Union .

Born March 2, 1908 in the village of Krest-Khaldzhay (now located in the Tomponsky ulus of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)) in the family of a poor peasant. Yakut. Primary education. He worked as a hauler of gold-bearing rocks at the Orochon mine in the Aldan region, and before the war as a hunter-fisherman, a machine operator in his native village.
In the Red Army since September 1941. Since December 12 of the same year at the front. He was a machine gunner, squad leader of a company of machine gunners of the 1243rd Infantry Regiment of the 375th Division of the 30th Army, and from October 1942 - a sniper of the 234th Infantry Regiment of the 179th Division. By June 23, 1944, Sergeant Okhlopkov destroyed 429 Nazi soldiers and officers from a sniper rifle. Was wounded 12 times.
June 24, 1945 participated in the Victory Parade over Nazi Germany on Red Square in Moscow.
The title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin were awarded only in 1965.

Demobilized after the war. He returned to his homeland. From 1945 to 1949 - head of the military department of the Tattinsky RK CPSU. On February 10, 1946, he was elected a deputy of the Council of Nationalities of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. From 1949 to 1951 he was the director of the Tattinskaya procurement office for the extraction and procurement of furs. From 1951 to 1954, he was the manager of the Tattinskaya regional office of the Yakut meat trust. In 1954-1960 he was a collective farmer, a state farm worker. Since 1960 - retired. Died May 28, 1968. He was buried in the cemetery of his native village.

It should be noted that in the list of the 200 best snipers of the Second World War there are 192 Soviet snipers, the first twenty snipers of the Red Army destroyed about 8400 enemy soldiers and officers, and about 25500 on the account of the first hundred. Thanks to our grandfathers for the Victory!

Well-trained snipers have always been valued in all the armies of the world, but the importance of snipers increased especially during the Second World War. The results of this war showed that the snipers of the Red Army turned out to be the most prepared and effective in their overwhelming majority. Soviet sniper fighters in many respects were noticeably superior to the snipers of the German Wehrmacht and not only them.

And this was not surprising, it turns out that the Soviet Union was almost the only country in the world where training in shooting was put on stream, they practically covered wide sections of the population throughout the country, they trained citizens in shooting in peacetime, as part of pre-conscription training , the older generation probably still remembers the sign "Voroshilovsky shooter".

Soviet snipers practice ambush

The high quality of this training was soon tested by the war, during which Soviet snipers showed all their skills, this skill is confirmed by the so-called sniper "death lists", from which it is clear that only the first ten Soviet snipers destroyed (according to confirmed data) 4200 soldiers and officers, and the first twenty - 7400, the Germans did not have such dozens and twenty.

Despite the heaviest defeats of the first months of the war, the training of the best shooters in units and formations of the front line continued at an accelerated pace and did not stop for a minute. The training of snipers, in addition, was carried out in reserve training units and in short courses directly in the combat formations of the troops.

However, the military command understood the need for centralized training of "super accurate shooters." As early as September 18, 1941, a decree was issued on universal compulsory military training for citizens of the USSR, which made it possible to organize military training for the population on the job. The training program was designed for 110 hours. In addition to other military specialties (machine gunner, mortar, signalman), the study also went along the line of sniping.

Cadets of the school of snipers at a practical lesson

Nevertheless, it was extremely difficult to train snipers in such a short time, so it was soon decided to open special "schools for excellent sniper training" (SHOSSP) at the military districts. The training went on for 3-4 months already with a break from production. The Moscow Military District alone had three such schools. OSOAVIAKhIM sniper instructors were involved as teachers, which, as in peacetime, continued to train sniper personnel in their schools.

In addition, it was decided to organize a centralized training of highly qualified snipers with instructor skills. For this, on March 20, 1942, a school of sniper instructors was established in Veshnyaki near Moscow.

Snipers of the Red Army take a position

Our opponents of the Germans also had special sniper schools, but the Germans did not have such a wide coverage and such a serious approach to the training of snipers, and they ended up far behind the Red Army in sniper business.

During the Second World War, much attention was paid to sniper business in the troops of the anti-Hitler coalition, however, the results of the Anglo-American snipers were much more modest than those of the Russians, Germans and Finns. The most trained snipers among the allies were mainly from the British, American snipers mainly distinguished themselves in battles with the Japanese in the Pacific.

Sniper work was difficult and dangerous, for hours, or even days, the fighters had to lie in the snow or swamp, in constant tension and attention, the equipment of the Soviet sniper during the Great Patriotic War was rather stingy. In addition to an optical sight for monitoring targets, they had a variety of field glasses (usually 6x and 8x) and TR and TR-8 trench periscopes.

For self-defense in close combat, the sniper often took several hand grenades, a pistol and a knife with him on a mission. If a sniper group was ambushed, then the weapons were also supplemented with a PPSh or PPS submachine gun. Throughout the war and after it, until the adoption of the SVD (in 1963), the standard sniper rifle in our army remained a mod. 1891/30 with a PU sight.

Unknown Soviet female snipers at the dugout. On overcoats sergeant's shoulder straps, in the hands of a Mosin rifle with a PU optical sight (Short Sight)

In total, from 1941 to 1945, 53.195 sniper rifles of the 1891/30 model were produced in the USSR. and 48,992 SVT sniper rifles. For wartime, this is a rather large figure, but if you look at the real number of professional snipers trained during the same time and make an allowance for the natural loss of weapons during hostilities, it becomes clear that all front-line "super sharp shooters" simply could not be provided with special sniper weapons.

By the middle of 1942, Soviet snipers were actively working on all fronts of the Great Patriotic War, they unleashed real sniper terror against the German troops, our snipers had a huge moral impact on enemy soldiers, and this is understandable why, since our snipers shot enemy soldiers almost daily and almost on a daily basis.

The most famous Soviet sniper, of course, is the Hero of Stalingrad Vasily Zaitsev, who destroyed 242 German soldiers and officers, including the head of the Berlin sniper school, Major Konings. In total, Zaitsev's group destroyed 1,126 enemy servicemen in four months of fighting. Zaitsev's comrades-in-arms were Nikolai Ilyin, who had 496 Germans on his account, Pyotr Goncharov - 380, Viktor Medvedev - 342.

It should be noted that the main merit of Zaitsev is not so much in his personal combat account, but in the fact that he became a key figure in the deployment of a sniper movement among the ruins of Stalingrad, naturally, the whole of the then Soviet agitprop worked for Zaitsev’s group, so he and all of us sign.

Soviet sniper V.A. Sidorov at a firing position in August 1941. The Red Army soldier is armed with a Mosin sniper rifle with a PE optical sight of the 1931 model, it is also worth noting the SSh-36 "Halking helmet" helmet (Steel helmet 1936)

And the main record holder for the destruction of enemy soldiers according to the "death list" was sniper Mikhail Ilyich Surkov (4th rifle division), on his account 702 enemy soldiers and officers were killed, then in the top ten they go by the number of enemy soldiers killed:

- Vladimir Gavrilovich Salbiev (71st Guards SD and 95th Guards SD) - 601 people.
- Vasily Shalvovich Kvachantiradze (259 s.p.) - 534 people.
- Akhat Abdulkhakovich Akhmetyanov (260 joint ventures) - 502 people.
- Ivan Mikhailovich Sidorenko (1122 s.p.) - 500 people. + 1 tank, 3 tractors
- Nikolai Yakovlevich Ilyin (50th Guards Rifle Regiment) - 494 people.
- Ivan Nikolaevich Kulbertinov (23 separate ski brigades; 7 Guards airborne troops - des.p.) - 487 people.
- Vladimir Nikolayevich Pchelintsev (11 s.br.) - 456 people (including 14 snipers)
- Nikolai Evdokimovich Kazyuk - 446 members.
- Petr Alekseevich Goncharov (44th Guards Rifle Regiment) - 441 people.

In total, there are 17 Soviet snipers, whose account of destroyed enemy soldiers exceeds 400 people. Over 300 destroyed enemy soldiers were recorded at the expense of 25 Soviet snipers, 36 Soviet snipers destroyed more than 200 enemy soldiers.

The best of the enemy snipers are considered: the Finnish sniper Simo Hayha is the fifth in the general list, he has over 500 killed enemy soldiers on his account, of the Wehrmacht snipers the most productive is the twenty-seventh in the general list of Matthias Hetzenauer, he has 345 killed enemy soldiers and Sepp Allerberg on his account his account is 257 enemy soldiers and officers.

According to some researchers, the real accounts of many Soviet snipers are actually higher than the confirmed ones. So, for example, Fedor Okhlopkov, a sniper of 259 s.p., according to some reports, in total destroyed more than 1000 (!) Germans, using a machine gun as well, but on his official combat account he recorded only 429 destroyed enemy soldiers, probably the situation on the battlefield did not always make it possible to calculate their results more accurately.

In the diaries and letters found in the dead soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht, there are such phrases: “ A Russian sniper is something very terrible, you can’t hide from him anywhere! You can't raise your head in the trenches. The slightest indiscretion - and you will immediately get a bullet between the eyes ... Russian snipers lie in one place for hours in ambush and take aim at anyone who shows up. Only in the dark can you feel safe».

But it turns out that the Germans also could not feel safe in the dark. So, the sniper of the 1st Guards Artillery Regiment, Ivan Kalashnikov (it turns out that there were also snipers in the artillery) out of 350 destroyed soldiers 45 Nazis destroyed at night - this shooter truly had cat's eyesight!

By 1943, there were already more than 1,000 women among Soviet snipers, during the war they counted more than 12,000 killed Nazis, the best of the female snipers is considered to be Lyudmila Mikhailovna Pavlyuchenko, a sniper of 54 s.p., during the war she managed to destroy 309 enemy soldiers of them 36 were themselves snipers.

Soviet sniper Sergeant Tsyrendashi Dorzhiev from the 202nd Infantry Division in a firing position. Leningrad front. The combat score of Ts. Dorzhiev (Buryat by nationality) before his death in January 1943 amounted to 270 destroyed enemy soldiers and officers.

Adopted by the Red Army in 1942, the “Combat Charter of the Infantry” defined the range of combat missions solved by snipers at the front as follows: “ Destruction of snipers, officers, observers, gun and machine-gun crews (especially flanking and dagger crews), crews of stopped tanks, low-flying enemy aircraft, and in general all important targets that appear for a short time and quickly disappear ... The sniper must also be able to show with a tracer bullet and in other ways infantry, artillery, mortars and anti-tank rifles important targets that are not vulnerable to a bullet: tanks, bunkers (DZOT), guns».

And the Soviet snipers clearly carried out all these tasks assigned to them. Thus, a sniper, Marine Philipp Yakovlevich Rubakho (393rd Separate Battalion Marine Infantry) destroyed 346 enemy soldiers, 1 tank and disabled the garrisons of 8 enemy bunkers. Sniper 849 s.p. Ivan Abdulov destroyed 298 German soldiers, 5 of them were snipers themselves, plus the brave fighter also destroyed two enemy tanks with grenades. Sniper 283 Gv.s.p. Anatoly Kozlenkov, in addition to the 194 people he killed. enemy soldiers, knocked out 2 tanks with grenades, and destroyed 3 armored personnel carriers of the Germans.

And there are many such examples, our snipers even managed to knock out German planes, as it is known that the sniper of the 82nd Infantry Division Mikhail Lysov in October 1941 shot down a Yu-87 dive bomber from an automatic rifle with a sniper scope. Unfortunately, there is no data on the number of infantrymen killed by him, and the sniper of the 796th Infantry Division, Sergeant Major Antonov Vasily Antonovich, shot down a Yu-88 twin-engine bomber with 4 shots from a rifle near Voronezh in July 1942! There is also no data on the number of infantrymen killed by him.

Sniper of the 203rd Infantry Division (3rd Ukrainian Front) Senior Sergeant Ivan Petrovich Merkulov at the firing position. In March 1944, Ivan Merkulov was awarded the highest award - the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, during the war years the sniper destroyed more than 144 enemy soldiers and officers.

Even Hitler's generals died from the fire of Soviet snipers, so on account of the sniper Semyon Nomokonov, among the 367 German soldiers and officers he destroyed, one was in the rank of General of the Wehrmacht. On account of the sniper 14 s.p. NKVD troops Yevgeny Nikolaev also recorded a German general.

There were even snipers specifically designed to deal with enemy snipers, so the sniper 81 Gv.s.p. Vasily Golosov destroyed 422 enemy soldiers in total, 70 of them were snipers themselves.

A special practice of using snipers existed at that time in the NKVD troops. After training and special training, the "super-sharp shooters" went on combat training to the active army. Such sniper teams usually numbered from 20 to 40 people, the duration of a business trip was from 10 days to a month. Thus, a significant part of the personnel not only received special training, but also underwent a run-in in real front-line conditions. For example, in the 23rd division of the NKVD troops for the protection of railways, 7283 snipers were trained during the war years.

Snipers of the division of Senior Lieutenant F.D. Lunin conduct salvo fire on enemy aircraft.

In the memorandum "On the combat activities of snipers of the NKVD troops of the USSR for the protection of important industrial enterprises for the period from October 1, 1942 to December 31, 1943" says: "... Over the past period, parts of the troops have been practicing in the combat formations of the active Red Army, some of them 2-3 times. As a result of combat work, 39,745 enemy soldiers and officers were destroyed by snipers of the troops. In addition, an enemy plane was shot down and 10 stereo tubes and periscopes were destroyed. Losses of our snipers: 68 people were killed, 112 people were wounded».

In total, during the years of the war, a total of 428,335 excellent snipers were trained - this is a huge figure, in no army in the world there was such mass training of snipers, which significantly strengthened the combat formations of rifle units.
In addition, 9534 highly qualified snipers were trained in training formations of central subordination.

I would especially like to remember and note Lieutenant General G.F. Morozov, it was he who made a great contribution to the organization of centralized training of sniper personnel, it was he who, heading one of the departments of the General Staff, accumulated and analyzed the combat experience of Soviet snipers throughout the war.

In total, during the war years, 87 snipers became Heroes of the Soviet Union, and 39 became full holders of the Order of Glory..

Female snipers of the 3rd Shock Army, 1st Belorussian Front. From left to right:
1st row from the viewer - Guard Senior Sergeant V.N. Stepanova (on her account - 20 enemies), Guard Senior Sergeant Yu.P. Belousova (80 enemies), senior sergeant A.E. Vinogradov (83 enemies);
2nd row - guards junior lieutenant E.K. Zhibovskaya (24 enemies), senior sergeant K.F. Marinkina (79 enemies), Guard Senior Sergeant O.S. Marienkina (70 enemies);
3rd row - guards junior lieutenant N.P. Belobrova (70 enemies), Guard Lieutenant N.A. Lobkovskaya (89 enemies), guard junior lieutenant V.I. Artamonov (89 enemies), senior sergeant M.G. Zubchenko (83 enemies);
4th row - guards sergeant N.P. Obukhovskaya (64 enemies), Guard Sergeant A.R. Belyakova (24 enemies).

Sniper Roza Shanina with his rifle. Roza Shanina in the active troops since April 2, 1944. On account of 54 confirmed destroyed soldiers and officers, including 12 snipers. Cavalier of the Orders of Glory 2nd and 3rd degree. Killed in action on January 28, 1945, 3 km southeast of the village of Ilmsdorf, Rihau district, East Prussia.

Hero of the Soviet Union, sniper of the 25th Chapaev division Lyudmila Mikhailovna Pavlichenko (1916-1974). Destroyed over 300 fascist soldiers and officers.

Soviet sniper Maxim Aleksandrovich Passar. Ethnic Nanai, sniper of the 71st Guards Rifle Division, destroyed over 230 Nazis. He died on January 17, 1943 in a battle near the village of Peschanka, Gorodishchensky district. On February 16, 2010, by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 199, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation.

The best snipers of World War II. German, Soviet, Finnish arrows played a rather important role in wartime. And in this review, an attempt will be made to consider those that have become the most effective.

The emergence of sniper art

Starting from the moment when personal weapons appeared in the armies, which made it possible to hit the enemy at long distances, well-aimed shooters began to be singled out from the soldiers. Subsequently, separate divisions of rangers began to form from them. As a result, a separate type of light infantry was formed. The main tasks that the soldiers received included the destruction of the officers of the enemy troops, as well as the demoralization of the enemy due to marksmanship at considerable distances. To do this, the shooters were armed with special rifles.

In the XIX century there was a modernization of weapons. Changed, respectively, and tactics. This was facilitated by the emergence of an optical sight. During the First World War, snipers were part of a separate cohort of saboteurs. Their goal was to quickly and effectively defeat a living enemy force. At the very beginning of the war, snipers were mainly used by the Germans. However, over time, special schools began to appear in other countries. In the context of protracted conflicts, this "profession" has become quite in demand.

Finnish snipers

In the period from 1939 to 1940 Finnish shooters were regarded as the best. The snipers of World War II learned a lot thanks to them. Finnish shooters were nicknamed "cuckoos". The reason for this was that they used special "nests" in the trees. This feature was distinctive for the Finns, although trees were used for this purpose in almost all countries.

So who exactly are the best snipers of World War II indebted to? The most famous "cuckoo" was considered Simo Heihe. It was nicknamed the "white death". The number of confirmed murders committed by him exceeded the mark of 500 liquidated soldiers of the Red Army. In some sources, his indicators were equal to 700. He received a rather severe wound. But Simo was able to recover. He died in 2002.

Propaganda played its part

The best snipers of the Second World War, namely their achievements, were actively used in propaganda. Quite often it happened that the personalities of the shooters began to grow into legends.

The famous domestic sniper Vasily Zaitsev was able to destroy about 240 enemy soldiers. This figure was average for effective shooters of that war. But due to propaganda, he was made the most famous Red Army sniper. At the present stage, historians seriously doubt the existence of Major Koenig, Zaitsev's main opponent in Stalingrad. The main merits of the domestic shooter include the development of a training program for snipers. He personally took part in their preparation. In addition, he formed a full-fledged sniper school. Its graduates were called "bunnies".

Top scoring shooters

Who are they, the best snipers of World War II? The names of the most productive shooters should be known. In the first position is Mikhail Surkov. They destroyed about 702 enemy soldiers. Following him on the list is Ivan Sidorov. He destroyed 500 soldiers. Nikolay Ilyin is in the third position. They killed 497 enemy soldiers. With a mark of 489 killed, Ivan Kulbertinov follows him.

The best snipers of the USSR of World War II were not only men. In those years, women also actively joined the ranks of the Red Army. Some of them later became quite effective shooters. About 12 thousand enemy soldiers were destroyed by Soviet women. And the most productive was Lyudmila Pavlichenkova, on whose account there were 309 killed soldiers.

The best snipers of the USSR in World War II, of which there were quite a lot, have a large number of effective shots in their account. About fifteen arrows destroyed more than 400 soldiers. 25 snipers killed over 300 enemy soldiers. 36 shooters destroyed more than 200 Germans.

There is little information about enemy shooters

The most productive, most likely, was Matthias Hetzenauer. They destroyed about 345 soldiers. The third sniper who was awarded the order was Josef Olerberg. He left memoirs, in which quite a lot was written about the activities of the German shooters during the war. The sniper himself killed about 257 soldiers.

sniper terror

It should be noted that in Normandy in 1944 there was a landing of the Anglo-American allies. And it was in this place that the best snipers of the Second World War were located at that time. German arrows killed many soldiers. And their performance was facilitated by the terrain, which was simply replete with shrubs. The British and Americans in Normandy faced real sniper terror. Only after that did the allied forces think about training specialized shooters who could work with an optical sight. However, the war has already come to an end. Therefore, the snipers of America and England were never able to set records.

Thus, the Finnish "cuckoos" taught a good lesson in their time. Thanks to them, the best snipers of World War II served in the Red Army.

Women fought alongside men

Since ancient times, it has developed so that men are involved in the war. However, in 1941, when the Germans attacked our country, the whole people began to defend it. Holding weapons in their hands, being at the machines and on the collective farm fields, Soviet people fought against fascism - men, women, old people and children. And they were able to win.

There is a lot of information in the annals about women who received military awards. And the best snipers of the war were also present among them. Our girls were able to destroy more than 12 thousand enemy soldiers. Six of them received the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union. And one girl became a full cavalier of the soldier's Order of Glory.

Legend Girl

As mentioned above, the famous sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenkova destroyed about 309 soldiers. Of these, 36 were enemy shooters. In other words, she alone was able to destroy almost an entire battalion. Based on her exploits, a film called "The Battle for Sevastopol" was made. The girl went to the front voluntarily in 1941. She took part in the defense of Sevastopol and Odessa.

In June 1942, the girl was wounded. After that, she no longer took part in the hostilities. The wounded Lyudmila was carried from the battlefield by Alexei Kitsenko, with whom she fell in love. They decided to file a marriage registration report. However, the happiness did not last too long. In March 1942, the lieutenant was seriously wounded and died in the arms of his wife.

In the same year, Lyudmila joined the delegation of Soviet youth and left for America. There she made a splash. After returning, Lyudmila became an instructor at a sniper school. Under her leadership, several dozen good shooters were trained. Here they were - the best snipers of the USSR in World War II.

Establishment of a special school

Perhaps, Lyudmila's experience was the reason that the country's leadership began to teach shooting art to girls. Courses were specially formed in which girls were in no way inferior to men. Later, it was decided to reorganize these courses into the Central Women's School of Sniper Training. In other countries, only men were snipers. In World War II, girls were not taught this art professionally. And only in the Soviet Union did they comprehend this science and fight on an equal footing with men.

The cruel attitude was towards the girls from the enemies

In addition to a rifle, a sapper shovel and binoculars, women took grenades with them. One was intended for the enemy, and the other for himself. Everyone knew that German soldiers treated snipers cruelly. In 1944, the Nazis managed to capture the domestic sniper Tatyana Baramzina. When our soldiers discovered her, they could only recognize her by her hair and uniforms. The enemy soldiers stabbed the body with daggers, cut out the breasts, gouged out the eyes. They stuck a bayonet in the stomach. In addition, the Nazis shot the girl at close range with an anti-tank rifle. Of the 1885 graduates of the school of snipers, about 185 girls could not survive to the Victory. They tried to save them, they did not throw them on particularly difficult tasks. But still, the glare of optical sights in the sun often gave out shooters, who were then found by enemy soldiers.

Only time has changed attitudes towards female shooters

Girls - the best snipers of World War II, whose photos can be seen in this review, experienced a terrible thing at one time. And when they returned home, they were sometimes met with contempt. Unfortunately, in the rear, a special attitude was formed towards the girls. Many of them were unfairly called field wives. Hence the contemptuous glances that were awarded to female snipers.

For a long time they did not tell anyone that they were at war. They hid their awards. And only after 20 years the attitude towards them began to change. And it was at this time that the girls began to open up, talking about their many exploits.

Conclusion

In this review, an attempt was made to describe those snipers who became the most productive during the entire time that World War II was going on. There are enough of them. But it should be noted that not all shooters are known. Some tried to spread as little as possible about their exploits.

The emergence of sniper art

In the XIX century there was a modernization of weapons. Changed, respectively, and tactics. This was facilitated by the emergence during the First World War, snipers were part of a separate cohort of saboteurs. Their goal was to quickly and effectively defeat a living enemy force. At the very beginning of the war, snipers were mainly used by the Germans. However, over time, special schools began to appear in other countries. In the context of protracted conflicts, this "profession" has become quite in demand.

Finnish snipers

Propaganda played its part

The best snipers of the Second World War, namely their achievements, were actively used in propaganda. Quite often it happened that the personalities of the shooters began to grow into legends.

The famous domestic sniper was able to destroy about 240 enemy soldiers. This figure was average for effective shooters of that war. But due to propaganda, he was made the most famous Red Army sniper. At the present stage, historians seriously doubt the existence of Major Koenig, Zaitsev's main opponent in Stalingrad. The main merits of the domestic shooter include the development of a training program for snipers. He personally took part in their preparation. In addition, he formed a full-fledged sniper school. Its graduates were called "bunnies".

Top scoring shooters

The best snipers of the USSR of World War II were not only men. In those years, women also actively joined the ranks of the Red Army. Some of them later became quite effective shooters. about 12 thousand enemy soldiers were destroyed. And the most productive was Lyudmila Pavlichenkova, on whose account there were 309 killed soldiers.

There is little information about enemy shooters

There is not so much information about "colleagues" from the enemy side. This is due to the fact that no one tried to boast of their exploits. Therefore, the best German snipers of the Second World War in ranks and names are practically not known. We can only say for sure about those shooters who were awarded the Knight's Iron Crosses. It happened in 1945. One of them was Friedrich Payne. They killed about 200 enemy soldiers. The most productive, most likely, was Matthias Hetzenauer. They destroyed about 345 soldiers. The third sniper who was awarded the order was Josef Olerberg. He left memoirs, in which quite a lot was written about the activities of the German shooters during the war. The sniper himself killed about 257 soldiers.

sniper terror

Thus, the Finnish "cuckoos" taught a good lesson in their time. Thanks to them, the best snipers of World War II served in the Red Army.

Women fought alongside men

There is a lot of information in the annals about women who received And the best snipers of the war were also present among them. Our girls were able to destroy more than 12 thousand enemy soldiers. Six of them received a high rank And one girl became a full cavalier of a soldier

Legend Girl

Establishment of a special school

The cruel attitude was towards the girls from the enemies

Only time has changed attitudes towards female shooters

Conclusion

Many soldiers and officers of the Red Army became heroes of the Great Patriotic War. It is perhaps difficult to single out military specialties that would stand out in particular when awarding military awards. Among the famous Heroes of the Soviet Union there are sappers, tankers, pilots, sailors, infantrymen and military doctors.

But I would like to highlight one military specialty, which occupies a special place in the category of feat. These are snipers.

A sniper is a specially trained soldier who is fluent in the art of marksmanship, camouflage and observation, hitting targets with the first shot. Its task is to defeat the command and liaison staff, the destruction of camouflaged single targets.

At the front, when special military units (companies, regiments, divisions) oppose the enemy, the sniper is an independent combat unit.

We will tell you about sniper heroes who have made a significant contribution to the common cause of victory. You can read about female snipers who participated in the Great Patriotic War in ours.

1. Passar Maxim Alexandrovich (08/30/1923 - 01/22/1943)

A participant in the Great Patriotic War, a Soviet sniper, during the fighting destroyed 237 enemy soldiers and officers. Most of the enemies were eliminated by him during the Battle of Stalingrad. For the destruction of Passar, the German command appointed a reward of 100 thousand Reichsmarks. Hero of the Russian Federation (posthumously).

2. Surkov Mikhail Ilyich (1921-1953)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, sniper of the 1st battalion of the 39th rifle regiment of the 4th rifle division of the 12th army, foreman, holder of the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Red Star.

3. Kovshova Natalia Venediktovna (11/26/1920 - 08/14/1942)

Participant of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union.

On the personal account of the sniper Kovshova 167 killed fascist soldiers and officers. During the service, she taught the fighters the skill of marksmanship. On August 14, 1942, near the village of Sutoki, Novgorod Region, she died in an unequal battle with the Nazis.

4. Tulaev Zhambyl Yesheevich (02 (15). 05.1905 - 01.17.1961)

Member of the Great Patriotic War. The hero of the USSR.

Sniper of the 580th Infantry Regiment of the 188th Infantry Division of the 27th Army of the North-Western Front. Foreman Zhambyl Tulaev from May to November 1942 exterminated 262 Nazis. Prepared more than 30 snipers for the front.

5. Sidorenko Ivan Mikhailovich (09/12/1919 - 02/19/1994)

Captain Ivan Sidorenko, assistant chief of staff of the 1122nd Rifle Regiment, distinguished himself as the organizer of the sniper movement. By 1944, he personally destroyed about 500 Nazis from a sniper rifle.

Ivan Sidorenko trained more than 250 snipers for the front, most of whom were awarded orders and medals.

6. Okhlopkov Fedor Matveevich (03/02/1908 - 05/28/1968)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union.

By June 23, 1944, Sergeant Okhlopkov destroyed 429 Nazi soldiers and officers from a sniper rifle. Was wounded 12 times. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin were awarded only in 1965.

7. Aliya Nurmukhambetovna Moldagulova (10/25/1925 - 01/14/1944)

Participant of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously), corporal.

Sniper of the 54th Separate Rifle Brigade of the 22nd Army of the 2nd Baltic Front. Corporal Moldagulova for the first 2 months of participation in the battles destroyed several dozen enemies. On January 14, 1944, she took part in the battle for the village of Kazachikha, Pskov Region, and led the fighters into the attack. Breaking into the enemy's defenses, she destroyed several soldiers and officers from a machine gun. She died in this battle.

8. Budenkov Mikhail Ivanovich (05.12.1919 - 02.08.1995)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union, senior lieutenant.

By September 1944, Guard Senior Sergeant Mikhail Budenkov was a sniper in the 59th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 21st Guards Rifle Division of the 3rd Shock Army of the 2nd Baltic Front. By that time, he had 437 enemy soldiers and officers destroyed by sniper fire. He entered the top ten snipers of the Great Patriotic War.

9. Etobaev Arseny Mikhailovich (09/15/1903- 1987)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, the Civil War of 1917-1922 and the conflict on the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1929. Cavalier of the Order of Lenin and the Order of the Red Star, full cavalier of the Order of the Patriotic War.

The sniper destroyed 356 German invaders and shot down two planes.

10. Salbiev Vladimir Gavrilovich (1916- 1996)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, twice holder of the Orders of the Red Banner and the Order of the Patriotic War II degree.

Salbiev's sniper account has 601 enemy soldiers and officers killed.

11. Pchelintsev Vladimir Nikolaevich (30.08.1919- 27.07.1997)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, sniper of the 11th Infantry Brigade of the 8th Army of the Leningrad Front, Hero of the Soviet Union, Sgt.

One of the most effective snipers of World War II. Destroyed 456 enemy soldiers, non-commissioned officers and officers.

12. Kvachantiradze Vasily Shalvovich (1907- 1950)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union, foreman.

Sniper of the 259th Infantry Regiment of the 179th Infantry Division of the 43rd Army of the 1st Baltic Front.

One of the most productive snipers of the Great Patriotic War. Destroyed 534 enemy soldiers and officers.

13. Goncharov Pyotr Alekseevich (01/15/1903- 31.01.1944)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union, senior sergeant of the guard.

On his sniper account, more than 380 enemy soldiers and officers were killed. He died on January 31, 1944, when breaking through the enemy defenses near the village of Vodiane.

14. Galushkin Nikolai Ivanovich (07/01/1917- 22.01.2007)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Russian Federation, lieutenant.

He served in the 49th Infantry Regiment of the 50th Infantry Division. According to reports, he destroyed 418 German soldiers and officers, including 17 snipers, and also trained 148 fighters in sniper business. After the war, he was active in military-patriotic work.

Member of the Great Patriotic War, commander of the sniper company of the 81st Guards Rifle Regiment, guard lieutenant.

By the end of June 1943, already the commander of a sniper company, Golosov personally destroyed about 420 Nazis, including 70 snipers. In his company, he trained 170 snipers, who in total destroyed more than 3,500 fascists.

He died on August 16, 1943 in the midst of the fighting for the village of Dolgenkoe, Izyumsky district, Kharkov region.

16. Nomokonov Semyon Danilovich (08/12/1900 - 07/15/1973)

Member of the Great Patriotic War and the Soviet-Japanese War, twice holder of the Order of the Red Star, the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner.

During the Great Patriotic War, he destroyed 360 German soldiers and officers, including one major general. During the Soviet-Japanese War, he destroyed 8 soldiers and officers of the Kwantung Army. The total confirmed score is 368 enemy soldiers and officers.

17. Ilyin Nikolai Yakovlevich (1922 - 08/04/1943)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union, foreman, deputy political instructor.

In total, the sniper accounted for 494 killed enemies. On August 4, 1943, in a battle near the village of Yastrebovo, Nikolai Ilyin died, struck down by a machine-gun burst.

18. Antonov Ivan Petrovich (07/07/1920 - 03/22/1989)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, shooter of the 160th separate rifle company of the Leningrad naval base of the Baltic Fleet, sailor, Hero of the Soviet Union.

Ivan Antonov became one of the pioneers of the sniper movement in the Baltic.

From December 28, 1941 to November 10, 1942, he destroyed 302 Nazis and taught the art of marksmanship to the enemy 80 snipers.

19. Dyachenko Fedor Trofimovich (06/16/1917 - 08/08/1995)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union, major.

By February 1944, Dyachenko destroyed 425 enemy soldiers and officers, including several snipers, with sniper fire.

20. Idrisov Abuhaji (Abukhazhi) (05/17/1918- 22.10.1983)

Member of the Great Patriotic War, sniper of the 1232nd Infantry Regiment of the 370th Infantry Division, senior sergeant, Hero of the Soviet Union.

By March 1944, he already had 349 destroyed Nazis on his account, and he was introduced to the title of Hero. In one of the battles in April 1944, Idrisov was wounded by a fragment of a mine that exploded nearby, he was covered with earth. Comrades dug him up and sent him to the hospital.

total:0
In contact with 0
Google+ 0
OK 0
Facebook 0