Quote Originally Posted by Watchman
Are you sure you're not confusing the Soviet "Guard" formations (a relatively late addition of around -43, AFAIK) with the NKVD, the armed forces of their interior ministry ? *Those* were the real political hardcases, tended to be the ones acting as "plug units" behind the regular troops and general MP duties, and apparently tended to be really tenacious fighters when it came down to it. Apparently they were even more prone to fighting to the last man (or woman, as the case might be; they apparently had all-female formations too) than the average Soviet grunt, which isn't actually that surprising given that AFAIK they were on the Germans' "shoot on sight" list along with the political officers of the regular troops...
Im talking about the mostly Siberian and Caucasian Soviet guards divisions.They never have had the admiration,what they deserve,It was Guards who were the core of attack at Stalingrad and Also the Russian Army reserve "Steppe",that turned the tide in Battle of Kursk.Maybe not very well educated people,but seemingly better material then Russian troops.I believe firsts of those formations appeared already in 1942.I would more likely compare NKVD to gestapo then SS.