The great feat of Soviet people during the Second World War should not be forgotten by descendants. Millions of soldiers and civilians brought closer the long-awaited victory at the cost of their lives, men, women and even children became a single weapon that was directed against fascism. Partisan resistance centers, factories and factories, collective farms operated in the territories occupied by the enemy, the Germans failed to break the spirit of the defenders of the Motherland. A vivid example of resilience in the history of World War II was the hero city of Leningrad.
Hitler's plan
The strategy of the Nazis was to deliver a sudden, lightning strike in the areas that the Germans chose as priority. Three army groups until the end of autumn were to capture Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev. Hitler regarded the seizure of these settlements as a victory in the war. Fascist military analysts thus planned not only to “decapitate” the Soviet troops, but also to break the morale of the retreating divisions behind the rear and to undermine Soviet ideology. Moscow should be captured after victories in the north and south, the regrouping and connection of the armies of the Wehrmacht were planned on the approaches to the capital of the USSR.
Leningrad, according to Hitler, was a city-symbol of the power of the Soviets, the "cradle of the revolution", which is why it was subject to complete destruction along with the civilian population. In 1941, the city was an important strategic point, on its territory there were many machine-building and electrical plants. Due to the development of industry and science, Leningrad was a place of concentration of highly qualified engineering and technical personnel. A large number of educational institutions graduated specialists to work in various sectors of the national economy. On the other hand, the city was territorially isolated and was at a great distance from sources of raw materials and energy. Hitler was also helped by the geographical location of Leningrad: its proximity to the borders of the country made it possible to quickly encircle and block. The territory of Finland served as a springboard for the basing of fascist aviation in the preparatory phase of the invasion. In June 1941, the Finns entered the Second World War on the side of Hitler. The huge at that time military and merchant fleet, based in the Baltic Sea, the Germans needed to neutralize and destroy, and use the profitable sea routes for their own military needs.
Environment
The defense of Leningrad began long before the encirclement of the city. The Germans advanced swiftly, on the day tank and motorized formations traveled 30 km deep into the USSR in a northerly direction. The creation of defensive lines was carried out in the Pskov and Luga directions. Soviet troops retreated with heavy losses, losing a large amount of equipment and leaving the enemy cities and fortified areas. Pskov was captured on July 9, the Nazis moved to the Leningrad region along the least short route. For several weeks, their advance was delayed by the Luga fortified areas. They were built by experienced engineers and allowed the Soviet troops to restrain the enemy’s onslaught for some time. This delay greatly angered Hitler and made it possible to partially prepare Leningrad for the Nazi attack. In parallel with the Germans, on June 29, 1941, the Finnish army crossed the border of the USSR, the Karelian Isthmus was occupied for a long time. The Finns refused to participate in the attack on the city, but blocked a large number of transport routes connecting the city with the "big land". Full liberation of Leningrad from the blockade in this area occurred only in 1944, in the summer. After Hitler’s personal visit to Army Group North and the regrouping of troops, the Nazis broke the resistance of the Luga fortified area and launched a massive offensive. Novgorod, Chudovo were captured in August 1941. The dates of the siege of Leningrad, which were eaten in memory of many Soviet people, begin in September 1941. The Nazi capture of Petrokrepost finally cuts off the city from land routes of communication with the country, this happened on September 8. The ring has closed, but the defense of Leningrad continues.
Blockade
An attempt to quickly capture Leningrad failed completely. Hitler cannot draw forces away from the encircled city and transfer them to the central direction - to Moscow. Quickly enough, the Nazis found themselves in the suburbs, but, meeting strong resistance, they were forced to strengthen and prepare for protracted battles. On September 13, G.K. Zhukov arrived in Leningrad. His main task was to defend the city, Stalin at that time recognized the situation as almost hopeless and was ready to “surrender” it to the Germans. But with such an outcome, the second capital of the state would be completely destroyed along with the entire population, which at that time amounted to 3.1 million people. According to eyewitnesses, Zhukov in those September days was terrible, only his authority and iron will stopped the panic among the soldiers defending the city. The Germans were stopped, but kept Leningrad in a tight ring, which did not allow supplying the metropolis. Hitler decided not to risk his soldiers, he realized that urban fighting would destroy most of the northern army group. He ordered the mass extermination of Leningrad residents to begin. Regular shelling, bombing from the air gradually destroyed urban infrastructure, food depots, energy sources. Around the city were built German fortified areas, which excluded the possibility of evacuating civilians and supplying them with everything necessary. Hitler was not interested in the possibility of surrendering Leningrad; his main goal was the destruction of this settlement. At the time of the formation of the blockade ring, the city had many refugees from the Leningrad Region and the surrounding areas, only a small percentage of the population managed to evacuate. At the train stations, a large number of people gathered who tried to leave the besieged northern capital. Famine began among the population, which Hitler called his main ally in the capture of Leningrad.
Winter 1941-42
January 18, 1943 - a breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad. How far this day was from the fall of the 41st! Massive shelling, food shortages led to mass deaths. Already in November, the limits for the issuance of products on cards for the population and the military were cut. Delivery of all necessary was carried out by air and through Lake Ladoga, which was shot by the Nazis. People started hungry faints, the first deaths from exhaustion and cases of cannibalism, which were punishable by executions , were recorded.
With the advent of cold weather, the situation became much more complicated, the first, most severe, winter came. The blockade of Leningrad, the "road of life" - these are concepts that are inseparable from each other. In the city, all engineering communications were disrupted, there was no water, heating, the sewage system did not work, food supplies were running out, city transport did not function. Thanks to the qualified doctors who remained in the city, mass epidemics were avoided. Many people died on the street on their way home or to work; most of the Leningraders lacked the strength to take the deceased relatives to the cemetery on a sled, so corpses lay on the streets. The created sanitary brigades could not cope with so many deaths, not all were able to bury.
The winter of 1941-42 was much colder than the average meteorological indicators, but Ladoga was the way of life. Under the constant fire of the invaders, cars and carts rode along the lake. They brought food and necessary things to the city, in the opposite direction - people exhausted by hunger. The children of the besieged Leningrad, who were evacuated on ice to different parts of the country, still remember all the horrors of a freezing city.
According to the food card, dependents (children and the elderly) who could not work were given 125 grams of bread. Its composition changed depending on what was available at the bakers: shakes from bags with corn grits, linen and cotton cake, bran, wallpaper dust, etc. From 10 to 50% of the ingredients that were part of the flour were inedible , cold and hunger became synonymous with the concept of "blockade of Leningrad."
The road of life along Ladoga saved many people. As soon as the ice cover gained strength, trucks went along it. In January 1942, the city authorities had the opportunity to open canteens at enterprises and factories, the menu of which was compiled specifically for emaciated people. In hospitals and established orphanages, they provide enhanced nutrition, which helps to survive the terrible winter. Ladoga is the road of life, and this name, which was given to the crossing by Leningraders, is fully consistent with the truth. Food and essential goods were collected for the blockade, as well as for the front, the whole country.
Feat of the inhabitants
In a dense ring of enemies, fighting cold, hunger and constant bombing, Leningraders not only lived, but also worked to win. In the city, factories produced military products. The cultural life of the city in the most difficult moments did not freeze, unique works of art were created. Poems about the siege of Leningrad cannot be read without tears, they were written by participants in those terrible events and reflect not only the pain and suffering of people, but also their desire for life, hatred of the enemy and fortitude. Shostakovich’s symphony is saturated with the feelings and emotions of Leningraders. Libraries and some museums partially worked in the city, exhausted people continued to care for un evacuated animals in the zoo.
Without heat, water and electricity, the workers stood at the machines, putting the rest of their vitality into victory. Most of the men went to the front or defended the city, so women and teenagers worked in factories. The transport system of the city was destroyed during massive shelling, so people went to work on foot for several kilometers, in a state of extreme exhaustion and in the absence of roads cleared of snow.
Not all of them saw the complete liberation of Leningrad from the blockade, but their everyday feat brought this moment closer. Water was taken from the Neva and burst pipelines, houses were heated with potbelly stoves, burning the remnants of furniture, chewing leather belts and wallpaper glued with paste, but they lived and resisted the enemy. Olga Berggolts wrote poems about the blockade of Leningrad, the lines of which became winged, they were carved on monuments dedicated to those terrible events. Her phrase "no one is forgotten and nothing is forgotten" today is of great importance for all concerned people.
Children
The worst side of any war is its indiscriminate choice of victims. Hundreds of thousands of children died in the occupied city, many died in the evacuation, but the rest participated in the approach of victory along with adults. They stood at the machine tools, collecting shells and cartridges for the front line, were on duty at night on the roofs of the houses, defusing incendiary bombs that were dropped by the Nazis, raising the spirit of the soldiers holding the defenses. The children of the besieged Leningrad became adults at the moment the war came. Many teenagers fought in regular parts of the Soviet army. Most difficult was the smallest who lost all relatives. Orphanages were created for them, where the elders helped the younger ones and supported them. An amazing fact is the creation during the blockade of the children's dance ensemble A.E. Obranta. The children were gathered throughout the city, treated for exhaustion and began rehearsals. More than 3,000 concerts during the blockade were given by this famous ensemble, he performed at the forefront, in factories and in hospitals. The contribution of the young artists to the victory was appreciated after the war: all the guys were awarded the medals “For the Defense of Leningrad”.
Operation Spark
The liberation of Leningrad was a paramount task for the Soviet leadership, but there were no opportunities for offensive operations and resources in the spring of 1942. Attempts to break the blockade were carried out in the fall of the 41st year, but they did not give a result. German troops strengthened quite well and exceeded the Soviet army in terms of armament. Hitler by the fall of 1942 significantly depleted the resources of his armies and therefore made an attempt to capture Leningrad, which was to liberate the troops located in the north.
In September, the Germans launched Operation Aurora Borealis, which failed thanks to a counterattack by Soviet troops seeking to lift the blockade. Leningrad in 1943 was a well-fortified city, defensive structures were erected by the forces of the townspeople, but its defenders were significantly exhausted, so breaking the blockade from the city was impossible. However, the successes of the Soviet army in other areas made it possible for the Soviet command to start preparing a new attack on the Nazi fortified areas.
January 18, 1943 the breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad marked the beginning of the liberation of the city. The military units of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts participated in the operation, they were supported by the Baltic Fleet and the Ladoga Flotilla. Preparation was carried out for a month. Operation Spark has been developed since December 1942; it envisaged two stages, the main of which was the breaking of the blockade. Further advancement of the army was to completely remove the encirclement from the city.
The start of the operation was scheduled for January 12, at which time the southern shore of Lake Ladoga was solidified by ice, and the surrounding impenetrable swamps were frozen to a depth sufficient to pass heavy equipment. The Shlisselburg ledge was reliably fortified by the Germans due to the presence of bunkers, minefields. Tank battalions and mountain rifle divisions did not lose their ability to resist after a massive artillery bombardment of Soviet artillery. The fighting took a protracted character, for six days the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts penetrated the enemy’s defense, moving towards each other.
On January 18, 1943 the breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad was completed, the first part of the developed Iskra plan was completed. As a result, the encircled group of German troops received orders to leave the encirclement and join the main forces, which occupied more advantageous positions and were additionally manned and fortified. For residents of Leningrad, this date has become one of the milestones in the history of the blockade. The formed corridor was no more than 10 km wide, but it made it possible to lay railway tracks to fully supply the city.
Second phase
Hitler completely lost initiative in the north. Wehrmacht divisions had a strong defensive position, but could no longer take the rebellious city. The Soviet troops, having achieved their first success, planned to launch a large-scale offensive in the southern direction, which would completely lift the blockade of Leningrad and the region. In February, March and April 1943, the forces of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts made attempts to attack the enemy Sinyavskaya group, which were called Operation "Polar Star". Unfortunately, they failed, there were many objective reasons that did not allow the army to develop an offensive. Firstly, the German group was significantly strengthened by tanks (“tigers” were used for the first time in this direction), aviation and mountain rifle divisions. Secondly, the line of defense created by the Nazis at that time was very powerful: concrete bunkers, a large amount of artillery. Thirdly, the offensive had to be carried out in territories with difficult terrain. The marshland significantly impeded the movement of heavy guns and tanks. Fourth, in analyzing the actions of the fronts, obvious errors of command were revealed, which led to large losses of equipment and people. But a start has been made. The liberation of Leningrad from the blockade became a matter of careful preparation and time.
Lifting the blockade
The main dates of the siege of Leningrad are carved not only on the stones of memorials and monuments, but also in the heart of each of their participants. This victory was given by the great blood of Soviet soldiers and officers and the millions of deaths of civilians. In 1943, the significant successes of the Red Army along the entire length of the front line made it possible to prepare an offensive in the north-west direction. The German group created the Northern Wall around Leningrad - a line of fortifications that could withstand and stop any offensive, but not Soviet soldiers. The lifting of the siege of Leningrad on January 27, 1944 is a date that symbolizes victory. For this victory, much was done not only by the troops, but also by the Leningraders themselves.
Operation "January Thunder" began on January 14, 1944, it involved three fronts (Volkhovsky, 2nd Baltic, Leningrad), the Baltic Fleet, partisan formations (which at that time were quite strong military units), the Ladoga navy with the support of aviation. The offensive developed rapidly, fascist fortifications did not save Army Group North from defeat and a shameful retreat in the south-west direction. Hitler could not understand the reason for the failure of such a powerful defense, and the German generals who escaped from the battlefield could not explain. On January 20, Novgorod and the surrounding territories were liberated. The complete lifting of the siege of Leningrad on January 27 was the occasion for a fireworks display in the exhausted but unconquered city.
Memory
The date of the liberation of Leningrad is a holiday for all residents of the once united Country of Soviets. There is no point in arguing about the significance of the first breakthrough or final liberation; these events are equivalent. Hundreds of thousands of lives were saved, although it took twice as much to achieve this. The breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad on January 18, 1943 gave residents the opportunity to contact the mainland. The resumption of the city’s supply of food, medicine, energy, and raw materials for factories. However, the main thing was that there was a chance to save many people. Children, wounded soldiers, exhausted by hunger, sick Leningraders and defenders of this city were evacuated from the city. 1944 brought a complete lifting of the blockade, the Soviet army began its victorious march through the country, the victory is near.
The defense of Leningrad is an immortal feat of millions of people, there is no justification for fascism, but there are no other examples of such stamina and courage in history. 900 days of starvation, excessive work under shelling and bombing. Death went on the heels of every resident of the besieged Leningrad, but the city survived. Our contemporaries and descendants should not forget about the great feat of the Soviet people and their role in the fight against fascism. This will be a betrayal of all the dead: children, the elderly, women, men, soldiers. The hero city of Leningrad should be proud of its past and build the present, regardless of all renaming and attempts to distort the history of the great confrontation.