Data

The new data, derived from archival documents of the former Soviet government, cover the ground and air weapons supplied to the Soviet Army during World War II. They are broadly consistent with the much more aggregated figures published in the 1970s and early 1980s, but throw additional light on the volume of wartime munitions output in three main respects. First, individual models of weapon are identified in great detail, allowing much finer judgement of the changing assortment. Where previously we knew series only for ‘bombers’, or for ‘medium and large calibre guns’, we now have data by model and calibre. Second, the range of weapons covered is wider than before, extending in particular to the significant and hitherto neglected category of small arms ammunition. Third, the new data show the whole period from 1 January 1941, to 30 September 1945, in quarterly detail.

A summary of the new data appears in tables 4.2 (annual series) and B.1 (quarterly series), in the form of selected physical aggregates. Table 4.2 suggested that Soviet war production peaked in 1943 or 1944 (1942 in the case of small arms), at which point the increase over 1940 in physical units produced was two or three times (small arms and ammunition), four times (combat aircraft, and also artillery shells), or eight to ten times (guns and tanks). Table B.1 adds to this picture in two significant regards.