It's been more than 70 years from the time when the Soviet forces finally managed to lift the blockade of Leningrad, which lasted nearly 900 long and dreadful days and nights.Nazi troops surrounded the second largest city in the Soviet Union in September 1941.But, despite the many fierce battles, constant shelling and bombing, the most important cultural, commercial and political center of the Soviet state was able to withstand the incredible pressure of the enemy.
After that, the German command decided to take the northern capital in the ring.And no matter how hard it was to the city and the soldiers of the Red Army, but they still cost superhuman effort approaching, as best they could, that day of complete liberation from the Nazi blockade of Leningrad.Unfortunately, not all lived up to this significant date.
first blockade winter
necessary to say at once that in the siege of Leningrad was attended not only the German troops.By this a hand and the Finnish Army, Navy, and Italian, and Spanish "Blue Division", and volunteers from many European countries.The city was almost completely cut off from the rest of the country.During the siege, the main artery that supplies its people with food during the cold season, was the road of life.So called path that ran across the ice of Lake Ladoga.Citizens have suffered incredible hardship, and so it went until, until the day of complete liberation from the Nazi blockade of Leningrad.
ice road, but could not fully cover all the needs of such a large city.As a result, Leningrad lost, according to various estimates, from several hundred thousand to half a million of its inhabitants.The vast majority of people died of starvation and hypothermia caused by the acute shortage of food and fuel.The first blockade winter of 1941-1942 was the most severe, so the main loss came exactly on time.Subsequently, supply improved slightly, and the townspeople managed to organize farms, after which the number of deaths decreased significantly.
Documentary evidence
Unfortunately, many residents did not wait for the time when the day came a full lifting of the blockade of Leningrad.This page is a World War II one of the most terrible and heroic in the history of the country.One needs only to recall the tragic Entries schoolgirl Tanya Savicheva.There are only nine pages, six of which are devoted to the death of her native people - brothers, sisters, mother, grandmother and two uncles.
Indeed, almost all members of the family died in the first winter of the siege, from December 1941 to May 1942.The very same girl was rescued and evacuated to the mainland.But as health-Thani was thoroughly undermined by malnutrition, many months, she died two years later.She then was only 14 years old.
Finally came the day a full lifting of the blockade of Leningrad.As it turned out later, Tanya still wrong.Her older brother and sister survived, thanks to them about her diary became world.These records have become a symbol of the terrible siege.At the Nuremberg trials Tanya's diary was presented as evidence of the inhuman and brutal fascist regime.
road victory
In January 1943 the Red Army, made an incredible effort and putting on the battlefield large number of its soldiers conducted an operation codenamed "Spark".During her troops Volkhov and Leningrad fronts managed to break through the German defense.As a result, paved narrow corridor runs along Lake Ladoga.According to him, and was restored land connection the besieged city with the mainland.
on this site in a short time paved automobile road and railway line, which were called "Dear victory."After that, the country had the opportunity to organize the supply of the city of food and fuel, as well as the evacuation of most civilian population, especially women and children.But this did not end the blockade of Leningrad.Day of liberation of the city will come only after a year.
turning point in
In 1943, the Red Army held a number of important strategic operations.These include the Battle of Stalingrad, the battle on the Orel-Kursk, in the Donbas and the Dnieper.As a result, by 1944 there was a very favorable situation, which greatly hasten the day of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade.January 27 it will happen, but until the fascist forces still pose a serious threat.The Wehrmacht has not lost its combat capability, as evidenced by their ongoing combat operations.Under his supervision it was still large parts of the territory of the USSR.
By the time the second front in Western Europe has not yet opened, and it was into the hands of Nazi Germany, as allowed Hitler to concentrate all their fighting power in the east.Those military operations that were conducted in Italy, did not have serious consequences and has virtually no impact on the Wehrmacht.Therefore, the day of complete liberation from the Nazi blockade of Leningrad was constantly postponed.
plans to liberate the city
At the end of 1943. The rate has decided to develop a series of blows to the enemy troops.Planned offensive from Leningrad to the Black Sea, with special emphasis on the flanks of the Soviet-German front.
First of all, it was necessary to break up a group of armies "North", the city of Leningrad to release and liberate the Baltic countries.On the southern direction was required to clear the fascist forces not only Crimea, but the Right-Bank Ukraine, and then go out to the border of the Soviet Union.
day of complete liberation of Leningrad from the blockade is approaching, as they could, the soldiers of the 2nd Baltic, Volkhov and Leningrad fronts, as well as soldiers of the Baltic Fleet.
battle for Northern capital
offensive began on January 14.On Oranienbaum beachhead went on the attack 2nd shock, and the next day - and the 42th Army of the Leningrad Front.Immediately I joined them and Volkhov.I must say that the enemy troops were well-organized line of defense, and at the same time offered stubborn resistance.Also at the rate of onset of the Red Army impacted marshy woodland.In addition, the January thaw suddenly began maneuvering prevented armored vehicles.
Five days after the start of the Soviet offensive failed to release the Red Village and Ropsha.By this time, Peterhof, Strelna fascist group was surrounded and partially destroyed and its remains - dropped from the besieged city for 25 km.Under the threat turned out to be the same, and Mga connection, but in time the Germans withdrew their troops.The day of complete liberation from the Nazi blockade of Leningrad (1944) is rapidly approaching.Meanwhile, the Red Army drove the invaders from other cities.
Liberation Novgorod
It happened on January 20.It is worth noting that before the war Novgorod was quite a major cultural, scientific and industrial center.It is hard to imagine, but in one of the most ancient Russian cities survived no more than 40 buildings.Not spared the Nazis and the great monuments of ancient art and architecture.Were completely destroyed churches Peter and Paul in Kozhevniki and Savior on Ilyina.From them there were only charred skeletons of walls.Nicholas and Saint Sophia Cathedral partially destroyed and looted.Novgorod Kremlin is also very hurt.
seems that the reason for the tremendous destruction in the city could be a plan of the German military and political leadership.It said that the Novgorod land subject to move the East Prussian colonists, so here tried to destroy all evidence of the historical and cultural presence of the Russian people.Even a monument dedicated to the Millennium of Russia, has been dismantled.The Germans were going to put it to the smelter.
guerrilla movement
Ten days after the liberation of Novgorod Soviet troops managed to repel the Germans Slutsk, Pushkin and Krasnogvardeisk, coming at the same time the line in the lower reaches of the river Luga.There, they took several bridgeheads.At the same time active and Soviet guerrilla groups operating in those regions.To fight them, the German command threw a battalion from each of the existing field divisions, as well as individual security divisions.In response, the central headquarters of the partisan struck a series of blows to the rear of the fascist troops.
Liberation of the Northern capital
Finally, came the day the long-awaited lifting of the blockade of Leningrad (1944).January 27 local radio read out the text of the order of the Leningrad Front fighters.It was reported that the blockade is removed completely.Then tens of thousands miraculously surviving inhabitants and its defenders rushed onto the streets.
Exactly at 20:00 was made 24 volleys of 324 guns, which were accompanied by fireworks and the illumination of the antiaircraft searchlights.In Moscow, too, were the solemn artillery salutes and fireworks.Interestingly, for the city on the Neva we made the only exception during the war.The rest of the fireworks were launched only in Moscow.
further advance
Despite the fact that the day of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade finally came, the Red Army continued to attack the retreating German troops on the Luga, Narva and Gdovskii directions.The Germans responded with desperate counterattacks.Sometimes they were able to take in the environment, some units of the Red Army.February 4, Soviet troops liberated Gdov, bringing out to the Lake Peipsi.February 15 they were able to break through the defensive line Luga.
a result of the operations of our troops destroyed the defense of long-term fascist invaders and drove to the Baltic States.Heavy fighting continued until March, but still, the Red Army was never able to release when Narva.Volkhov Front was disbanded and its troops were transferred to one part - Leningrad, and the other - the 2nd Baltic.
With the onset of spring 1944, Soviet troops reached the heavily fortified German lines "Panther".But nearly two months of continuous and intense fighting, the Red Army suffered huge losses in equipment and manpower.And it is in a catastrophic shortage of ammunition!Therefore Bet decided to transfer troops to defensive mode.
Memorial Day
in 1995 adopted a federal law, according to which is celebrated on January 27 - the Day of Military Glory in Russia (Day of breaking the blockade of Leningrad).In 2013, the president signed a new document on that date.It has been amended on a new name: the Day of Military Glory was renamed the Day of the complete liberation of the Nazi blockade of Leningrad.
January 27 - it is a symbol of courage, tremendous hardship, sacrifice and heroism as the Soviet soldiers, and ordinary citizens.Hundreds of thousands of people who fought for Leningrad, were awarded various governmental awards.486 people have been wearing the highest rank of the Hero of the Soviet Union, with eight of them - twice.
Military Myths
Despite the fact that as long as there have been these tragic events, it has been more than 70 years, the theme of the blockade of the northern capital is still hotly debated.Some political scientists and historians have speculated that if the totalitarian regime of Stalin allowed then to surrender the city by the German and Finnish troops, it could have avoided such undue sacrifice on the part of civilians, and 27 January - the day of the complete liberation of Leningrad - would not be so sadin the history of the country.
saying this, people forget that the Northern capital was the most important military and strategic object.Its fall would certainly caused irreparable consequences may affect the outcome of the war.The fact that Leningrad held around itself a considerable force of the enemy, which is a group of armies "North".After capturing the city, the German troops could be deployed to storm Moscow or conquest of the Caucasus.In addition, in this situation it was necessary to take into account the moral factor, since the loss of Leningrad would greatly undermine the morale of not only the Soviet people, but the Red Army as a whole.
plans for Germany and its allies
Hitler's leadership is not just counting on the capture of a major military, political and industrial center of the Soviet Union, which is a city on the Neva.It is planned to completely destroy Leningrad.And proof of this is recorded in his diary, made by the Chief of Army Staff Franz Halder Germany.It said that Hitler issued an unambiguous decision as to Moscow and Leningrad, which is the need to "equalize them with the earth."These cities with a large number of the population and contain the Germans were not going to feed.
Besides Finland claimed the entire Leningrad region, and Hitler promised to give her as soon devastate the area.They also believed that the occupation of the city with a huge number of the population is disadvantageous to them, since such a large food stocks they have.From this the conclusion that the "civilized Europeans", with which Germans and Finns were considered, offers a completely destroy a Soviet city, and its people starve to death.
Whatever it was, but the great victory has been won, and this holiday, the Day of lifting of the blockade of Leningrad (1944, January 27), there is, and people remember the sacrifices suffered by the country in an attack by the fascist GermanInvaders and their allies.
