One of the significant events of the Great Patriotic War is a battle in 1941 for Kiev.The defense of the city lasted from July to September and has claimed many lives.The documents of this event is called the Kiev strategic defensive operation.
Despite the heroism of the Soviet soldiers and local residents, there has been a lot of strategic blunders.Subsequently, they have led to tragic events, for which hundreds of thousands of people had to pay with his life.
beginning of the end for the first time Kiev was attacked early in the war.It was June 22, 1941, German bombers took off at dawn on him their bombs.Thus began the Great Patriotic War.Less than a month later the Germans will approach close to the city.
From airstrike hit railway station building, an aircraft factory, a military airfield and others, including residential houses.Most people do not even realize that the war began.For them, it was the regular exercises, which have been intensively carried out by Soviet troops for over a year.
Since that time the city began to prepare for defense.This created a line of defense of Kiev, which is a strip of 200 bunkers.In front of them were built trenches against tanks and infantry.Near the city was set up another line of bunkers and trenches.All these works are carried out more than 160 thousand people of Kiev, and residents of nearby villages.
June 23 in the city opened items mobilization.It was intended to 200 thousand people, or a fifth of the inhabitants of Kiev.According to eyewitnesses, the young people tried to get to the front to fight the Germans.This patriotism was broken multiple denunciations and repression that took place in the 30s, and again resumed because of the war.
beginning of the Kiev defensive operation is considered to be on July 11 when the forces of the Wehrmacht came to the river Irpen.It was located 15 kilometers west of the city.Operation lasted 70 days.
members events
In order to sort out who carried out offensive against the city, and who carried out the defense of Kiev, it is necessary to look at the table.
| aggressors | side defense | |
| State | Germany | USSR |
| Name troops | Wehrmacht | Red Army |
| Groups troops participating | Army "South", "Center", 2nd Panzer | South-Western Front, Pinsk Flotilla, field armies |
| Command | Field Marshal Rundstedt | Colonel General Kirponos, Rear Adm Rogachev, Marshal of the USSR Semyon Budyonny |
plans of Germany in July 1941
Germancommand expected to seize the Donbass and the Crimea before the onset of winter.It was also important to capture Leningrad association with the Finnish troops.To carry out this purpose they could prevent the heroic defense of Kiev.
According to one of the directives, Hitler ordered that the south-eastern section was not just taken.The most important task was to prevent the withdrawal of large forces of the enemy in depth, but to destroy them even on the west bank of the Dnieper.
fighting in July and August: the disastrous decision
the west of Kiev was the army, "South".South-west front to oppose it, which is superior to the enemy in the number of soldiers and technical equipment.But felt a significant lack of experience.In the Soviet Army commanders did not have the initiative, and the Germans and skillfully maneuvered perfectly surrounded by the enemy.
With fighting to evacuate the population.However, it was disorganized.Often, the authorities took out their families with lots of luggage, which greatly angered ordinary citizens.For this purpose, even the used trucks that lacked at the front.
briefly helped to stabilize the situation heroically attack the army of General Vlasov.August 10, thanks to him, was released a suburb of Kiev.It is up to the German Fuhrer rabies angry that August 8 was set up to hold the parade on Khreshchatyk.However, the success of the Red Army did not last long.
plans for Germany in August
heroic defense of Kiev forced the German command to change their plans.Hitler believed that much more important to capture Moscow not as thought Franz Halder and southern territories of the USSR.Before winter, Hitler wanted to take over the Crimea, coal and industrial region of Donbass, as well as ways to block the delivery of oil from the Caucasus to the Soviet troops.
addition Halder, with the decision of Hitler did not agree, and Heinz Guderian.He personally tried to convince the Fuhrer did not stop the attack on Moscow, but his arguments did not affect the decision of Chief of the Wehrmacht.Thus, part of the group "Center" were moved to the south on August 24 and the attack on Moscow halted.
plans of the USSR in August
Stalin feared for Moscow.He knew that soon will take a military action that direction.This is also confirmed by the investigation.As of early August, German troops were to attack Moscow via Bryansk.
But Stalin did not know that Hitler decides to dramatically change their plans and send additional forces to the south.
fighting in late August: belated retreat
August 21, Hitler signed the directive.It has had a decisive influence on the subsequent course of the war.It was the fact that the main forces of the Wehrmacht suffered a blow from Moscow to the south, that is to Kiev, the Crimea and the Donbass.
Despite the fact that there was both a military and civil defense of Kiev, the situation has become catastrophic.This command is not allowed to take the capital, fearing the reaction of Stalin, which is forbidden to do.
a result of South-west front was completely surrounded by Germans.On the night of September 18, Moscow decided to withdraw.But time has been lost, as a result, not all units were able to get out of the ring.About 700 thousand soldiers were captured and killed.The same fate befell the General Kirponos, as well as 800 officers and generals who led the front.
Defense Kiev had failed.Soviet troops were retreating in a hurry all the time to undermine all four bridges across the Dnieper.At the same time on them at this point were civilians and military personnel.It was put out of action the city power plant, water supply.In the water were thrown thousands of sacks of food.All these actions have doomed the remaining population (about 400 thousand) on the survival of the hungry in the occupied city.
Germans entered the city on September 19.The next day began shooting Jews, thousands of local residents began to export to work in Germany.This went on for three years.
results and consequences of the operation
territorial defense of Kiev was unable to resist the forces of the Wehrmacht.The defeat was a heavy blow to the Soviet army.In addition to the huge number of human lives have been lost over 4 thousand guns, mortars, tanks, planes.
unsuccessful defense of Kiev Wehrmacht opened the way to the east.Further events unfolded with lightning speed.The Germans conquered more and more territory.
Timeline capturing the eastern and southern lands:
- October 8 - Sea of Azov;
- October 16 - Odessa region;
- October 17 - Donbass;
- October 25 - Kharkov;
- November 2 - Crimea (Sevastopol was in the blockade).
was in the bloody defeat of the few positive aspects.First of all German troops, redeployed from Moscow, have enabled the Soviet command to prepare for its defense.It was also suspended an offensive on Leningrad to create around him a tight ring.Thus, the Kiev defensive operation leaves no time for the Germans to capture Moscow.
