the summer of 1941 at the walls of Smolensk Hitler hopes to hold a brilliant blitzkrieg against the Soviet Union was destined to fail.Here, German troops belonging to the Army Group "Center", for 2 months bogged down in fighting with the Red Army, and thus lost not only time, but also the speed of progress and the forces that might need them in the future.
Battle of Smolensk in 1941 was a whole range of operations, both offensive and defensive.They spend part of the troops of the Central, Western, Bryansk and Reserve fronts against Nazi troops belonging to the Army Group "Center".Smolensk battle took place between 10 July and 10 September.Confrontation between the two warring parties held the vast territory covered about 650 kilometers of the front line and deepened by about 250 km.Then began a bloody great war.Battle of Smolensk, I must say, it played no role.
Plans Germans
It was the first year of the war.In July, the Nazi leadership has set the General Field Marshal Theodore von Bock, exercise command of the armies "Center", the most important task.She was surrounded and further destruction of the Soviet troops, to keep the defense on the rivers Dnieper and Western Dvina.In addition, the German forces had captured the city of Smolensk, Vitebsk and Orsha.This would allow them to open a direct way to a decisive offensive on Moscow.
Location of Soviet troops
the end of June the Soviet command began to rapidly increase the number of troops of the Red Army on the banks of the Western Dvina and Dnepr.The task was: to take Polotsk, Vitebsk, Orsha, Kraslava, the Dnieper River and secure the borders.Battle of Smolensk was aimed at in any case prevent the breakthrough of German troops in the central industrial areas of the country, as well as Moscow.At a depth of about 250 kilometers from the front line it was deployed 19 divisions.Smolensk also prepared to defend.
July 10 troops of the Western Front, commanded by Marshal Timoshenko, consisted of 5 armies (37 divisions).And that's not counting retreating from the territory of Western Belarus disparate parts of the Soviet troops.But by that time to the location had come only 24 divisions.
location and the number of German troops
Battle of Smolensk in 1941 was truly grand.This is evidenced by the number of troops who took part in it.While the build-up of the Soviet troops went, the German command and pulls together the main forces of its two tank groups in the area of the Western Dvina and Dnepr.At the same time infantry divisions of the 16th Army, which was part of the part of the "North", occupied the site from Drissa to Idritsa.
As for the two field armies belonging to the group "Center", which is more than 30 divisions, they are lagging behind the advanced connections for about 130-150 km.The reason for the delay became fierce fighting on the territory of Belarus.
At the time of the outbreak of hostilities the Germans managed to create a superiority in technology and manpower in the field direction of the main attacks.
Battle of Smolensk in 1941 accepted conditionally divided into 4 stages.Each of them is very important from the standpoint of stories.
first stage
It lasted from 10 to 20 July.Soviet soldiers at this time only reflect the increasing enemy blows that rained down on the right wing and the center of the Western Front.German Panzer Group German Gotha and the 16th Field Army, acting together, managed to dismember the 22 th and break the defense of the 19th Army, located in the district of Vitebsk.As a result of ongoing fighting the Nazis were able to seize Velizh, Polotsk, Nevel, Demidov and Dukhovshchina.
fails, parts of the Soviet 22th Army strengthened its position on the river Lovat.So they kept the Great Luke.Meanwhile, the 19th, leading the fighting, was forced to retreat to Smolensk.There, she, along with the 16th Army conducted defensive battles for the city.
Meanwhile the 2nd Panzer Group, commanded by Heinz Guderian, a part of his forces managed to encircle the Soviet troops near Mogilev.Basic as their power was thrown to the capture of Orsha, Smolensk, Krichev and Yelnya.Some parts of the Soviet troops were surrounded, others tried to keep Mogilev.Meanwhile, the 21-th army launched a successful offensive and liberated Rogachev and Zhlobin.After that, without stopping, he began to advance on Bobruisk and Bykhov.These actions, she pinned down large forces 2nd Field Army opponent.
second stage
This is the period from 21 July to 7 August.The Soviet army fought on the Western Front, received new reinforcements, and immediately went on the offensive in the area of human settlements Yartsevo, White and Roslavl.In southern cavalry group, consisting of three divisions, began its attack on the flank and tried to bypass the rear parts of the main forces of the enemy, in the group of armies "Center".Later, the Germans joined the stragglers connection.
July 24th 13th and 21th Army joined in the Central Front.Commander was appointed Colonel-General FI Kuznetsov.As a result of persistent and bloody fighting Soviet forces managed to thwart a planned attack enemy tank groups, and the 16-th and 20-th army fighting broke out of the encirclement.After 6 days, it was set up yet another front - the Reserve.Its commander was General Zhukov.
third stage
It lasted from 8 to 21 August.At this time, the fighting moved south of Smolensk to the Central, and later to the Bryansk Front.Last created on August 16.He was appointed to command of Lieutenant-General A. Eremenko.On August 8 the Red Army successfully repelled all attacks of the Germans and their tank group.Instead of stepping on Moscow, the Nazis were forced to confront the part of the Soviet troops that threatened them from the south.But despite this, the Germans still managed to move into the territory of about 120-150 km.They managed to drive a wedge between the two connections of the Central and Bryansk fronts.
There was a threat to the environment.Bids Decision of the South-Western and Central fronts August 19 were allocated for the Dnieper.The troops of the Western and Reserve, as well as 43th and 24th Army began to deliver powerful counterattacks against the enemy in the areas of Yartsevo and Yelnya.As a result, the Germans suffered huge losses.
fourth stage
final phase of the battle took place in the period from 22 August to 10 September.The second German army together with the tank group continued to fight against the Soviet troops on the Bryansk Front.At this time, the enemy tanks were subjected to constant massive air strikes.These air strikes involved more than 450 aircraft.But despite this, the onset of the tank to stop the group did not succeed.It dealt a powerful blow to the right wing of the Western Front.Thus, the Germans had occupied the city of Toropets.22 th and 29 th Army were forced to retreat for the Western Dvina.
September 1, Soviet troops were ordered to go on the offensive, but it was not very successful.It was only enough to eliminate a dangerous ledge Germans near Yelnya.And on September 10 offensive action has been decided to stop and go on the defensive.Thus ended the Battle of Smolensk in 1941.
Defense Smolensk
Some historians tend to believe that the Soviet troops left the city on 16 July.But evidence suggests that the Red Army defended Smolensk.This is evidenced by significant losses suffered by the Germans who sought to break through to the heart of the city and capture it.
to detain enemy troops on July 17, on the orders of Colonel P. Malyshev sappers had blown up the bridge over the Dnieper.During the two days were ongoing fierce street fighting, when many parts of the city a few times could move in one or the other hand.
Meanwhile, the Germans stepped up their military power, and the morning of 19 July, they still managed to capture some of Smolensk, located on the right bank of the river.But Soviet troops were not going to hand over the town to the enemy.Smolensk defensive battle lasted 22 and 23 July.During his Red Army carried out quite successful counterattacks and liberated street by street, block by block.In the battles for the city Nazis used flame-throwing tanks.This technique of blowing his huge band spewed flames up to 60 meters long.In addition, over the heads of the Soviet soldiers constantly flying German aircraft.
particularly fierce battles were fought over the city cemetery, as well as any of the stone buildings.Very often, they grew into melee, which usually ended with the victory of the Soviet side.The intensity of the fighting was so high that the Germans simply did not have time to make off their dead and wounded.
Of the three Soviet divisions that took part in the defense of Smolensk, in each there are not more than 250-300 soldiers, food and ammunition were all exhausted.Meanwhile, consolidated group led by Rokossovsky repulsed the Germans Settlement Yartsevo and seized the ferry across the Dnieper near Solovyov and Ratchino.It is possible to deduce from the action surrounding the 19th and 16th Soviet Army.
last part of the Red Army withdrew from Smolensk during the night of 28 to 29 of July.There was only one battalion.They led the Senior Political A. Turov.The purpose of this battalion is a cover withdrawal of the main forces of the Soviet troops from Smolensk, as well as an imitation of the presence in the city large military units.After completing the order, the survivors have moved to partisan operations.
Results
In 1941, only inflamed the Great Patriotic War.Smolensk battle commanders gave the Red Army the necessary military experience, without which it would be impossible to fight against such organized and powerful enemy.This confrontation, which lasted two months, was the main reason for the failure of Hitler's plan for a blitzkrieg against the Soviet Union.
value is difficult to overestimate the battle of Smolensk.Through superhuman efforts and heroic actions, as well as the cost of huge losses, the Red Army managed to stop the enemy and go to the defense of the approaches to Moscow.Soviet troops took the brunt of the German Panzer Group, which would apply to capture the second most important city of the Soviet Union - Leningrad.
Battle of Smolensk, photos of events which have survived, showed that a huge number of soldiers and officers gave their lives bravely and selflessly defended literally every inch of his native land.But do not forget about the civilians not only the city but also the area that provided invaluable assistance in the establishment of defensive positions.It employs about 300 thousand. Locals.In addition, they also took part in the fighting.In the Smolensk region in a short time it was formed more than 25 brigades and the battalions of destroyers.
