2006-12-19 00:42:26 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
The NKVD evolved into the KGB, but I do not recall the translation of the initials.
2006-12-19 00:45:54 · answer #1 · answered by danl747 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The NKVD was the Soviet equivalent of the CIA, but even that term is misleading in many regards. During WWII, the NKVD operated whole army units that were not just 'field units' but were actually 'frontline combat units'.
The NKVD remained, just as the Waffen SS units in Germany during the same time frame, the 'best of the best' were considered to be Stalin's most reliable units. There were many reasons for the need of these units in the battles of WWII. Primary among those reasons was the fact that most Soviet units were not reliable and 'broke' all too often when sustaining losses assaulting German units.
The Germans had a saying "Never let Ivan dig in"... and would frequently counter-attack as soon as the Soviets began to halt. Even towards the very end of the war, Soviet units were very vulnerable to local German counterattacks and often lost more men and equipment than the original assault.
The one unit type that Stalin could always depend upon not to 'break and run' were his NKVD units, some full Corps by the end of the war. A Corps was comprised of 3-5 Divisions each having as many as 10,000 to 14,000 men and women.
Even so, the German Army had only one soldier with which to stop as many as 20 Soviet attackers and quite often succeeded.
The final war count at the end of WWII was 1.5 million German dead -vs.- 27 million Soviet war dead. The Germans simply ran out of men, especially fighting on as many as three fronts at the same time....
2006-12-19 01:29:09 · answer #2 · answered by wolf560 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The NKVD was part of the KGB, 'Secret Police' similar to East Germany's 'Stasi'. the initials stood for: Naro:dnõi Komissaria:t Vnutrennih Del.
The NKVD is best known for the Main Directorate for State Security (GUGB), which succeeded the Bolshevik OGPU and the Cheka as the secret police agency of the Soviet Union. Many consider the NKVD to be a criminal organization, mostly for the activities of GUGB officers and investigators, as well as supporting NKVD troops and Gulag guards. The NKVD was also responsible for administering Stalin's foreign intelligence service and overseas 'special operations'. These NKVD sub-branches were reponsible for the recruitment of spies and gathering of political, military, and economic intelligences from other countries, the liquidation of political enemies residing outside the Soviet Union, subversion of foreign governments, and enforcing Stalinist policy within Communist Party movements in other countries.
In addition to its state security and police functions, however, some of its departments handled other matters, such as transport, fire guards, border guard (NKVD Border Troops), etc., the tasks that were traditionally assigned to the Ministry of the Interior (MVD).
2006-12-19 00:55:32 · answer #3 · answered by Rich K 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ministry of State Security. It was the successor to the Checka. In the late 1940's I believe was renamed KGB. The NKVD was charged with internal/external security of the Soviet Union.
2006-12-19 00:46:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
State Security - the predeccessor to the KGB.
2006-12-19 02:55:11 · answer #5 · answered by gryffindorgrad91 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Internal spies in the USSR.
2006-12-19 06:21:19 · answer #6 · answered by Sunshine Suzy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ministry of the interior of the former Soviet Union.
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2006-12-19 00:57:10 · answer #7 · answered by Amir 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋