"Stalin Organs:" The Soviet "Katyusha" Rocket Artillery System

First being used mere weeks after Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941, the "Katyusha" Multiple-Rocket Launcher (MRL) system became a famous symbol of Soviet firepower. Effective against massed targets, the Katyusha was especially devastating to enemy morale. It was also a relatively simple weapon, capable of being installed on virtually all kinds of vehicles. In this episode, we will go over some of the multiple Katyusha variants, the system's advantages, and disadvantages. We will also briefly go over its importance to the Soviet central command, which in October 1941 issued a directive on how to use the weapon effectively.

Intro song credit: "Katyusha" by Varvara Katyusha rocket sound: "Stalin's organ - BM 13" YouTube video by Mikele2200 Thumbnail photo: BM-13-16 launcher on Palace Square in St. Petersburg by Christian Basar, 2016