Shock troops

Shock troops or assault troops are infantry formations and their supporting units, intended to lead an attack. Shock troop is a loose translation of the German word Stoßtruppen. The units which contain assault troops are typically organized for mobility, with the intention that they will penetrate through enemy defenses and attack into the enemy's vulnerable rear areas.

During World War I, in response to the deadlock of trench warfare faced by all combatants, the German army developed a new set of infantry tactics known as von Hutier tactics. The von Huitier tactics (infiltration tactics) called for special infantry assault units to be detached from the main lines and sent to infiltrate enemy lines, supported by shorter and sharper (than usual for WWI) artillery fire missions targeting both the enemy front and rear, bypassing and avoiding what enemy strongpoints they could, and engaging to their best advantage when and where they were forced to, leaving decisive engagement against bypassed units to following heavier infantry. The primary goal of these detached units was to infiltrate the enemy's lines and break his cohesiveness as much as possible. These formations became known as Stosstruppen, or shock troops, and the tactics which they pioneered would lay the basis of post-WWI infantry tactics, such as the development of fire teams.

During World War II the Red Army of the Soviet Union deployed many formations which contained the word shock in the title, for example many of the units which spearheaded the Soviet counterattacks on the Eastern Front from the Battle of Stalingrad to the Battle of Berlin were in Soviet Shock Armies. Soviet assaults which were expected to lead to very high casualties were often lead by penal battalions.

Although the term shock troop became popular in the 20th century, the concept is not a new one, see for example the use by Napoleonic era armies of the Forlorn hope. The strategic concepts behind the use of the term shock troops are still at the forefront of contemporary military thinking, for example, although the soldiers and airmen who are involved in such an attack are no longer known as shock troopers, shock and awe is a modern strategic implementation of von Hutier's ideas.

See also

• Stormtrooper
• Arditi