The Histories say the Russians needed them
I can imagine the wild leftwing history you are referring to
dont forget the soviets were the progressives of their day
Several Histories. From several sources. Why did the German Invasion fail? They had superior tactics, weapons, and training. They could have, should have won. The flaw was that they were operating on a number of erroneous assumptions.
First. The numbers of soldiers they were facing. Second the willingness to fight to the end of those soldiers. Third, the ability of the Soviets to endure and continue fighting. Fourth, the women.
There were others. But those assumptions were the death of the greatest Army of the Era. Well trained and equipped soldiers. Competently commanded with revolutionary tactics.
It is interesting to note that even at the end, when Germany was putting schoolboys in uniform and sending them out to fight, they never used the women. They felt as you did and lost a huge opportunity to survive. 12 year old boys were fine. Adult women were not.
But men. Manly men. Those are what we want. Men like the Spartans. Perfect examples of courage and physical fitness. Of course the Spartans had enforced homosexuality. But we will pretend that is not the point.
en.m.wikipedia.org
The Guards bomber regiment. They were called the Night Witches. The Germans hated them.
These women flying old planes would start their attack run by cutting the engine off. They glided in silently and only restarted the engine after dropping their bombs. This gave the Germans no warning.
If the engine did not start. They died. If the Germans got them they died. The planes were slow.
There are other examples in history. Since it was not covered in Junior High you never bothered to learn it.