to command the Wehrmacht mastery city on the Neva was not only an important military-strategic importance.In addition to capture the entire coast of the Gulf of Finland and the destruction of the Baltic Fleet also pursued far-reaching propaganda purposes.Fall of the cradle of the Revolution would cause irreparable moral damage the entire Soviet people and greatly undermine the morale of the armed forces.At the command of the Red Army was an alternative: to withdraw and surrender the city without a fight.In this case, the fate of the residents would be even more tragic.Hitler intended to erase the city to the ground in the literal sense of the word.
Leningrad was completely surrounded by German and Finnish troops September 8, 1941.The Siege of Leningrad lasted 872 days.In addition to military units of the army and navy, in the siege it turned out more than three million people - refugees from Leningrad and the Baltic states and neighboring regions.Leningrad during the blockade has lost more than 600 thousand. The civilian population, of which only three percent were killed by bombing and shelling, and the rest died of exhaustion and disease.It was evacuated more than half a million people.
attempts to break the blockade in 1942
Even in the darkest days of the war attempted to break the encirclement.In January 1942 the Soviet army launched an offensive to connect to the blockaded city 'mainland' 'near the village of Lubz.The next attempt was made in August - October, towards the village of Sinyavino and Mga station.These operations are to break the blockade of Leningrad failed.Although Sinyavinskaya offensive and failed, but this maneuver was thwarted another plan Wehrmacht to seize the city.
strategic prerequisites
defeat of Hitler's forces in the Volga River has radically changed the strategic balance of forces in favor of the Soviet army.Under these circumstances, the High Command has conceived to carry out the operation on the deprotected northern capital.Operational activities involving forces of the Leningrad, Volkhov fronts, the Baltic Fleet and the Ladoga flotilla received codenamed 'Sparkle'.To support the offensive on land had long-range aviation.The liberation of Leningrad from the blockade, though partial, was made possible by a major miscalculations of the German command.Hitler underestimated the importance of the rate of reserve accumulation.After fierce fighting in the Moscow area and the south of the country from the Army Group 'North' 'were withdrawn two armored divisions and a significant part of infantry units to partially offset the loss of the central group.By the beginning of 1943 in Leningrad at the invaders were not large mechanized units to counter a possible attack of the Soviet army.
Plans Bids
Operation "Iskra" was conceived by the fall of 1942.In late November, the headquarters of the Leningrad Front Headquarters suggested to prepare a new offensive and enemy of the ring to make a breakthrough on two fronts: Shlisselburgsky and Uritskom.High Command has decided to focus on one, the shortest in the area Sinyavino-Shlisselburg.
November 22 Command presented a plan of counter-action of concentrated forces of Leningrad and Volkhov fronts.The operation was approved, the preparation was given less than a month.It is very important to implement the planned offensive in the winter: spring swampland became impassable.Because of the thaw began in late December break the blockade was postponed for ten days.The code name of the operation was prompted by Stalin.Half a century ago, VI Ulyanov, creating a press organ of the Bolshevik Party, called the newspaper "Iskra" with the intent that the spark will kindle a flame of revolution.Stalin thus drew an analogy, assuming that the operational offensive maneuver will develop into a significant strategic success.General management was entrusted to Marshal Voroshilov.To coordinate action on the Volkhov Front was sent to Marshal Zhukov.
Training offensive
During December the troops prepared to fight hard.All units were staffed with personnel and equipment to one hundred percent, accumulated up to 5 rounds of ammunition for each unit of heavy weapons.Leningrad during the blockade was able to provide the front with all the necessary military equipment and small arms.And sew uniforms profile attracts not only businesses, but also citizens who had personal use sewing machines.In the rear of sappers have been strengthened existing bridges and built new ones.In order to approach the Neva it was built about 50 kilometers of roads.
Particular attention was paid to the preparation of men: they need to be taught to make war in the winter in the woods and attack the fortified area, equipped with strong points and pillboxes.In the rear of each compound were arranged polygons simulating conditions of the site of the alleged attack.To break through the fortifications of engineering created a special assault groups.Minefields were arranged passages.All commanders to commanders of the companies of inclusive were fitted with refined photographic maps and diagrams.Regrouping is produced exclusively at night or in bad weather.The activity of front-line intelligence.It has been well established location of enemy defenses.For commanders were arranged tabletop games.The final phase was to conduct live-fire exercises.Measures to disguise the spread of misinformation, as well as strict adherence to privacy have borne fruit.The enemy knew about the planned attack just a few days.Additional efforts dangerous direction the Germans did not have time.
alignment of forces
Formation of the Leningrad front in the 42nd, 55th, 67th Army kept the defense of the city from the inside south-eastern side of the ring on the line Uritsk - Kolpino, the right-bank territory of the Neva - to Ladoga.23th Army conducted defensive operations on the north side on the Karelian Isthmus.Force air force consisted of the 13th Air Army.Breakthrough blockade provided 222 tanks and 37 armored cars.Front Lieutenant-General Leonid Govorov.Infantry units with air support 14-th Air Army.In this area it was concentrated 217 tanks.He commanded the Volkhov Front Army General Meretskov.At the direction of the breakout from the reserves and using regrouping, achieved superiority of manpower in the four and a half times, the artillery - seven times, tanks - ten times, aviation - twice.The density of guns and mortars from the Leningrad amounted to 146 units per 1 km of the front.Also supporting artillery attack ships of the Baltic Fleet and the Ladoga flotilla (88 caliber guns from 100 to 406 mm) and aircraft fleet aircraft.
on the Volkhov direction guns density ranged from 101 to 356 units per kilometer.The total number of shock group from both sides reached 303 thousand soldiers and officers.The enemy besieging the city twenty-six divisions of the 18th Army (Army Group 'North') and the formation of the four Finnish divisions in the north. Our troops made a breakthrough of the blockade, had to attack the heavily fortified Schlisselburg-Sinyavino area, which was defended by five divisions, located seven hundredguns and mortars. Grouping Wehrmacht commanded by General H. Lindemann.
Battle Shlisselburgsky ledge
the night of 11 January 12 aircraft Volkhov Front and the 13th Air Army of the Leningrad Front was dealt a massive blow to bomb targets in a predetermined target area breakthrough. January 12 at half past nine in the morning began the artillery preparation. The shelling enemy positions lasted two hours and ten minutes. Half an hour before the attack gunships raided the fortified defenses and artillery batteries of the Germans. At 11.00 67th Army from the Neva River and the division of the second shockand eighth Army Volkhov Front launched an offensive.The attack was supported by artillery fire infantry to form a fire shaft depth of one kilometer.Wehrmacht troops resisted fiercely, Soviet infantry moved slowly and unevenly.
In two days of fighting between advancing distance groups reduced to two kilometers.Just six days later the advancing Soviet army formations able to connect in the area of workers' settlements number 1 and № 5. January 18 was released Shlisselburg (Petrokrepost) and cleared of the enemy, all adjacent to the shore of Lake Ladoga area.The width of the land corridor was on different sites from 8 to 10 kilometers.On the day of breaking the siege of Leningrad reliable land connection of the city with 'mainland' it was restored.United Group 2nd and 67th armies tried unsuccessfully to develop the success of the offensive and expand the bridgehead south.The Germans brought up their reserves.Since January 19, for ten days on dangerous sections of the German command it was transferred five divisions and a large number of artillery.The offensive in the area Sinyavino choked.In order to keep the conquered frontier troops went on the defensive.It began trench warfare.The official date of completion of the operation is January 30th.
Results offensive
As a result of the Soviet troops of the Wehrmacht were thrown from the shore of Lake Ladoga, but the city was still in the frontline.The breakthrough of the blockade during the operation '' Sparkle '' showed the maturity of the military high command thought.The defeat of the enemy force to thoroughly fortified area coordinated joint impact from the outside and the outside has become a precedent in the domestic art of war.The armed forces have a powerful experience of conducting offensive operations in a wooded area in the winter.Overcoming layered defense system opponent showed the need for a thorough planning of conducting artillery fire, as well as the operational movement of units in combat.
Losses parties
Just how bloody were the fights, according to casualty figures.67th and the 13th Army of the Leningrad Front lost in killed and wounded 41.2 thousand. People, including irrecoverable losses amounted to 12.4 thousand. People.Volkhov Front lost 73.9 and 21.5 thous., Respectively.It was destroyed seven enemy divisions.German losses amounted to more than 30 thousand. Man deadweight - 13 thousand. Man.In addition, as trophies of the Soviet army got about four guns and mortars, 178 machine guns, 5,000 rifles, a large quantity of ammunition, one hundred and fifty cars.It was captured by two new heavy tank T-VI "Tiger".
big victory
Operation '' Sparkle '' to break the blockade achieved the desired results.For seventeen days along the shore of Lake Ladoga were laid road and railway line length of thirty-three kilometers.February 7, Leningrad, the first train arrived.It has been restored to a steady supply of the city and military units, increased the supply of electricity.Resumed water supply.Significantly improved the situation of the civilian population, industrial enterprises, connections Front and the Baltic Fleet.In the following months of the year from Leningrad were evacuated to rear areas more than eight hundred thousand civilians.
liberation of Leningrad from the blockade in January 1943 was a key moment in the defense of the city.Soviet troops in this area finally seized the strategic initiative.It was eliminated risk of the connection of German and Finnish troops.January 18 - the day of breaking the siege of Leningrad - is over a critical period of isolation of the city.The successful completion of the operation was of great ideological significance for the people of the country.Not the most large-scale battle of the Second World War drew the attention of the political elite of the ocean.US President Theodore Roosevelt congratulated the Soviet leadership with the military success and sent a letter to the city, which has recognized the greatness of the feat, their indomitable fortitude and courage.
Museum of breaking the siege of Leningrad
Throughout the confrontation line memorials erected in memory of tragic and heroic events of those years.In 1985, at the Kirov district of the region near the village of Marino was opened diorama 'Break the Siege of Leningrad'.In this place on Jan. 12, 1943 units of the 67th Army crossed the Neva on the ice and broke through the enemy defenses.Diorama '' Break the Siege of Leningrad '' is a painting measuring 40 by 8 meters.On the canvas depicts the event of attack on German defenses.Before web substantive plan, the depth of 4 to 8 meters, recreates three-dimensional images of the fortified positions, trenches, military equipment.
Unity picturesque canvas composition and volume of design creates a stunning presence.On the banks of the Neva is a monument to '' break the blockade ''.The monument is a T-34 tank, mounted on a pedestal.Fighting machine like a rush to join up with the troops of the Volkhov Front.On the open area in front of the museum are also exposed the war machinery.
final lifting of the blockade of Leningrad.1944
complete lifting of the siege of the city was only a year as a result of large-scale Leningrad-Novgorod Offensive.The troops of the Volkhov, Leningrad and Baltic fronts defeated the main forces of the 18th Army of the Wehrmacht.January 27 was the official day of removing almost 900-day siege.A 1943rd was recorded in the historiography of the Great Patriotic War as the year of the breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad.
