Soviet forces impressed men from territory they recaptured. Those additions increased recorded strength, but sending untrained men directly into front-line units exposed them to severe danger. Their treatment varied between platoons and companies according to the quality of local leadership. Prolonged combat could remove ineffective officers and NCOs while also killing capable leaders. A larger manpower total therefore concealed differences in training, experience, and the leadership available to protect and employ new recruits.
Notable Point · 2:27:48-2:29:18
Untrained recruits raised paper strength without equal capability
Impressing local men could increase Soviet unit strength on paper while leaving training and small-unit leadership inadequate.