During WW2, the Russians were decimated by the German Blitzkrieg and were in full retreat. When the Russians finally started their drive to push the Germans back, did the Russians, short of weapons, send waves of unarmed soldiers into German machine gun fire? Was this the only case that this has happened or did the Russians make a habit of using this tactic?

I don’t know if the is an easy or quick answer to your question, what is apparent the Russian staff officers were not overly concerned over casualties, Antony Beevor notes in his Book "Berlin" that they referred to battle loses as “broken matches.” What also is clear is the Russian recruit was very poorly trained indeed. And left to survive on his wits and luck of the first engagements he was involved in.

There are a number of publications that may help you in answering this question they are “Tank Rider” the account of a memoir of Evgeni Bessonov Red Army officer who served up until 1945 ,

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tank-Rider-Into-Reich-Army/dp/1853675547/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224689495&sr=8-1

My Just war which is the Memoir of Gabriel Temkin an Polish Jew serving with the Red Army
http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Just-War-Memoir-Soldier/dp/0891416455/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224689533&sr=1-1

Hope that helps you in some way

Regards,

Jerry

Some of these should help get you started.

For the motherland? Stalingrad.
German vs. Russian infantry
THE DEFEAT OF THE WEHRMACHT IN RUSSIA: A “DEEP PENETRATION” ANAYLSIS
How was it that russia defeated the worlds strongest military at the time ( germany )
Kursk (by popular demand!)

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"Like so many of our people, we have now had a personal experience of German barbarity which only strengthens the resolution of all of us to fight through to final victory."-King George VI
"Casualties many; Percentage of dead not known; Combat efficiency; we are winning."-Colonel David M. Shoup-Saipan

The Russian tactics improved with experience. Within months of Barbarossa, Zhukov ordered an immediate change in tactics. Infantry was to only attack with air and/or artillery support. The tanks would now attack on the flanks instead of head on.

The first such change was noted in Guderian's diary, in which he wrote.... "The Russians are learning".

The waves of Russians were sent in for the sole reason of slowing the German advance in order to reinforce their lines and their defences. Unfortunately such mesures had to be taken in order to prevent cities like Moscow and Leningrad from falling.

All the best.

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The war against Russia will be such that it cannot be conducted in a knightly fashion. This struggle is one of ideologies and racial differences and will have to be conducted with unprecedented, unmerciful and unrelenting harshness. -Adolf Hitler

A few more.

Kursk Mine/Countermine operations

"Cavalry in Mass"

NIGHT COMBAT BY RUSSIAN CAVALRY

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For the first time I have seen "History" at close quarters,and I know that its actual process is very different from what is presented to Posterity. - WWI General Max Hoffman.