You can learn about how the defense of the Caucasus took place during the years of World War II from numerous historical sources. This page of the military history of Russia is considered one of the most important, significant, worth it to be proud of. According to many, every student studying the history of his state, as well as any adult, should know about the heroism of his compatriots, shown when the enemy wanted to subjugate the difficult mountainous Caucasian region.
From the very beginning
The defense of the Caucasus began during the years of World War II on July 25, 1942. This day is the start of a significant battle. As many researchers of the events of those times believe, it should rightfully be considered one of the most dramatic for the entire period of battles with the aggressor. The Germans, supported by the Romanian army, met from the very first steps in the face of the defenders of the Caucasus fierce resistance. The battle began near the villages of Kushchevskaya, Shkurinskaya. Here they managed to detain the enemy for three days. On the second of August 1942, an attack took place, which then will be entered into the annals of the world chronicles of battles in details and details. The Cossack corps fell to carry out a climax attack. Riding war horses, Russian soldiers rushed to defend the Fatherland. Since at that moment the Germans were marching, they simply did not have the opportunity to seriously strike back.
The defense of the Caucasus in 1942, which began with an attack near Kushchevskaya, is known for the fact that the aggressor's first line faltered almost immediately. The collision took place directly on the page itself. During this tense moment, the site changed its master three times. Especially important is the personal feat of Nedorubov. This Cossack forever inscribed his name in the history of his middle name, since he and his son chose a very good position near the embankment and fired at the enemy. On his account - several dozen soldiers of the aggressor. Everything was used: weapons, grenades. In the future, the Cossack will be called a hero of the USSR. He is one of those five who became the full St. George Knight, and later - the hero of the state.
Lieutenant Zubkov
Under his command there was a battery, also distinguished during the defense of the Caucasus in 1942. The Germans, having an impressive numerical advantage, by September 11 captured most of the territory of Novorossiysk. Both the port part and the main settlement were constantly fired upon by Soviet soldiers. Among all the batteries, one of the most distinguished results was the one commanded by Zubkov. This battery is fixed at number 394. It had four guns with a caliber of 100 mm. The battery was located on Cape Penai. When it was just installed, it was believed that the guns would reflect possible naval aggression. It was only in 1942 that it became clear that warriors in this position could repulse attackers on the ground.
During the period of the defense of the Caucasus, 691 firing was organized. In total, the soldiers sent about 12 thousand warheads towards the enemy. The aggressor was well aware that such a confrontation significantly undermines its capabilities, which is why Zubkov’s battery was regularly attacked by artillery and air equipment of German troops. Massive attacks caused large losses, but the defenders of the Motherland did not give up, although the guns were seriously damaged. The trunks changed, supplied new armor shields - and continued to stand against the enemy, not for life, but for death. The feat of this unbroken battery is recorded in domestic annals. So that everyone could feel the spirit of heroism in the place where Russian soldiers showed it, in 1975, they installed a memorial museum complex and a memorial there.
"Katyusha" in the mountains
During the Second World War, the defense of the Caucasus was carried out in all the relief conditions of this difficult region. It is known that it was then for the first time in the entire period of the war that the M-8s were used to fight the enemy in the mountains. Relatively lightweight collapsible units could be delivered if the soldiers had a fairly limited area. At the same time, firepower was more than decent. For a certain point in time, the system provided the launch of eight 82 mm caliber warheads. For the first time, M-8s began to be actively produced in the Sochi workshop, located on the Riviera sanatorium.
February 4, the first such "Katyusha" were used in the fight against the attacker. It all started with the landing. The event took place near Novorossiysk. In the future, this site will be called Small Earth, it will become an important bridgehead of the military. Seiner "Mackerel", built by domestic engineers, had twelve powerful units for conducting artillery shelling. Such a set of Katyushas literally allowed to sweep the first line of the German army opposing the Soviet paratroopers.
PPSh-41
A unique unit that was used only here played its role in the defense of the Caucasus. In no other sectors of the front did similar technologies appear and appear. A small gun got its name in honor of George Shpagin. Responsibility for the manufacture of machinery power powers entrusted to the Baku plant. Units were made only in the first half of 1942. The machine gun had a sector sight, it provided sufficient firepower at a distance of half a kilometer from the installation point. Disk stores were not mutually interchangeable, for each unit they had to be individually customized.
A characteristic identifying feature of this small arms used in the defense of the Caucasus is the “FD” print on the barrel casing. According to modern historians, a total of several tens of thousands of copies were made. They were used only during hostilities in the Caucasus region. No additional studies of the Second World War provide information on the further use of technology. One of the instances subsequently was found almost at the very top of Elbrus - near the "Shelter 11". It was used by the company Grigoryants defending this position. In September 1942, these heroes sacrificed their lives, but did not give up and did not retreat, dying one after another for their native lands.
Malgobek side
Like many other territories of the front, the Caucasus were no exception in the aspect of the use of tank technology. The territories on which the defense of the Caucasus took place were extremely large in terms of quadrature, so the vehicles lacked the ability to move. Among the particularly successful examples of waging such battles, there are past in the Malgobek direction. Their feature was the predominant number of aggressors, while Soviet soldiers were relatively few. However, this did not confuse the authorities and the rank and file of the 52nd tank brigade. The soldiers entered the battle in September 1942 and successfully fought with the enemy the following month.
The Germans planned a breakthrough on September 12th. On this day, a massive advance of tanks began. In total, 120 huge cars advanced from the side of the aggressor. The Soviet defenders, having lost a large number of equipment and people, did not retreat, so the enemy was forced to withdraw. The brigade repelled the attack under the command of Petrov. In total, 14 enemy vehicles were destroyed in the first battle. Further, the army unit proved to be no less valiant, successfully fighting with significantly more attacking attackers. The main tactic was the organization of ambushes. Equally important is successful interaction with infantry companies and artillery crews.
Kuban air pool
The defense of the Caucasus during the years of World War II did not proceed in all respects similarly to other fronts. For example, it is known that by the spring of 1943 it was mostly quiet along the front lines, but the Kuban air territories became an area of fierce military conflict. The most difficult were the fights near Myskhako. No less significant are the collisions near the Crimean village, Moldavan, Kiev. Opponents lost equipment and the military, but for the Soviet soldiers the victims were not in vain. Though having lost their lives, the fighters were able to break the aggressor. Soviet aircraft in the southern region finally took advantage of themselves, although from the very beginning of hostilities the enemy had it.
The military merits of the defenders of the homeland were marked by awards of various varieties. The medal "For the Defense of the Caucasus" was awarded to Pokryshkin. He was also awarded the Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union, celebrating the amazing successes and achievements of a soldier who defended important parts of the country. In the future he will be awarded such a Star twice more. Ultimately, Pokryshkin received the rank of Air Marshal.
September 1943
The defense of the North Caucasus, which began in 1942, ended in early autumn of next year. The last battle is dated September 9th. It was then that the operation began, covering Novorossiysk, Taman. The whole month was enough to completely defeat the aggressor, based on the Taman Peninsula. Offensive measures allowed to release Anapa from the hands of the enemy and return Novorossiysk to the allied fighters. Then all the basic conditions for the Crimean operation were laid. Thanks to the valor of the defenders of the Caucasus, this operation ended more than successfully. The authorities staged a celebration in honor of the victory of September 9th. In the metropolitan area gave a salute. A total of 224 guns took part, of which two dozen salvos were fired.
Success and more
The Caucasian defensive and offensive operation is regarded by historians as a complex military phenomenon that can be divided into two main blocks. In July-December 1942, the defense of the Caucasus pursued the main goal of resisting the conditions of exceptional superiority of the aggressor. At first, the initiative belonged to the Germans. Their offensive is believed to have ended with the last December day of 1942. Only after that the Soviet fighters were able to give an adequate rebuff.
The counterattack lasted until the autumn of 1943. At first, the aggressor actively conquered new Kuban lands, attacked and captured the North Caucasus regions, but a serious turn in the situation was explained by the Battle of Stalingrad. The victory of the Soviet soldiers on this site forced the Germans to retreat somewhat. The authorities of the aggressor army feared being surrounded by defenders of the patronymic. In 1943, the army command of the allied power, which had previously gathered to block the enemy in the Kuban lands, was forced to admit: the plan failed because the enemy was relocated to the Crimean region.
About the background
To understand why this is how the defense of the Caucasus began in July-December 1942, we should turn to the moments that preceded the military events in this region. Even in the summer of 1942, the allied army in the south received heavy damage while fighting in the lands of Kharkov. The enemy army command perfectly understood the current state of affairs, and therefore realized how important it was to take advantage of a temporary advantageous change in the situation. The moment was rated as the most successful for the Caucasian breakthrough. A short offensive march allowed us to conquer several significant settlements. The Germans occupied Rostov-on-Don. From this moment, the road to the Caucasus was considered free.
For the aggressor army, in short, the defense of the Caucasus was more than expected. For the enemy government, the territories were of strategic importance, and the Soviet managers perfectly understood the situation. As much as it was important for the aggressor to seize new lands, it was just as important for the defender to defend them, no matter what the sacrifice was for. The allied power possessed considerable oil reserves, the bulk of which was stored in the Caucasus region. The capture of these bases gave Hitler new chances to win. An equally significant aspect is the affiliation of the Kuban and Caucasian territories to the main suppliers of grain and other products that provided the whole country. Food was necessary not only for the defenders, but also for the attackers, so the mastery of new territories could solve the problem of army support for the invasion. The increased probability of victory for the attackers was explained by the fact that a rather large percentage of the inhabitants of the Caucasian region disapproved of the power of the Soviets and did not want to submit to the country's centralized government.
Terms and conditions
The dates of the defense of the Caucasus are written in bloody numbers in Russian military history. This is due to the difficulty of ensuring supplies to the region. There was no adequate connection. Rostov-on-Don belonged to the aggressor, so access to the Caucasian lands was carried out only by sea. An alternative was the railway in the Stalingrad direction. The task of the advancing was the exclusion of these paths. To succeed, the aggressor authorities sent fighters to Stalingrad. As you know from any history textbook, a bloody, very difficult battle broke out in which the defenders of the Motherland were able to defeat the attackers.
When they later assessed the conditions under which the defense of the Caucasus proceeded during the Great Patriotic War, they noted that the battle of Stalingrad largely set the tone for what was happening. The defeat of the aggressor’s troops under the walls of this city was not just a failure, a loss of soldiers and equipment. At the same time, the army of the allied power received new opportunities and means, advantages. From that moment, a turning point in the war began. The new stage was characterized by great success of the defenders, while for the aggressor every new step was given with great difficulty and loss. It was clear: the further the attack goes deeper, the harder it will be to organize and support it.
About Dates: First Event Block
In July-December 1942, the defense of the Caucasus was not as successful as the Soviet sovereign managers would have liked. The Germans were actively advancing in all parts of the region, capturing more and more settlements. On August 3, Sevastopol surrendered to the aggressor, four days later - Armavir, and by the tenth the attackers entered Maykop territory. The next fell Elista, Krasnodar. It took the aggressor only two days. By August 21, the advancing flag was hoisted on Elbrus. On the 25th, Molzdok came under the control of the attackers, and by September 11th - part of Novorossiysk. The offensive stopped in the first autumn month of 1942 near Malgobek.
In those days, it was clear that the heroic defense of the Caucasus, despite the abundance of victims, was not going as well as necessary and important for the country as a whole. The aggressor reached the Terek and stopped in the foothills of the main mountain range of the region. However, it was here that he was expected by a particularly furious rebuff of the defenders, so the losses were estimated as unpredictably large. This did not prevent the enemy from capturing many settlements. Despite impressive successes, Hitler was unhappy: his plan of attack could not be implemented, Transcaucasia did not obey, because the soldiers simply did not reach this part of the country, having suffered innumerable losses on the approaches to the main ridge. The aggressor believed that Turkish troops would come to his aid, but the country's authorities were indecisive, not taking any action.
Development of events
Familiar to many of our contemporaries in the photo medals for the defense of the Caucasus were given for a reason. The battles in this region were really fierce. According to modern historians, evaluating what was happening in those days, the aggressor had excellent chances to win. The reason for the defeat was the main mistake made by the German government. Hitler believed that Stalingrad was the key point to be captured at all costs. Such attention to this settlement and the forces that were thrown into military operations under it undermined army capabilities. When the year 1943 began, it became clear: now the numerical superiority is on the side of the defenders. Firepower also dominated the allied power.
From that moment, the prospects of a counteroffensive became visible. Thus began the period, which in modern history is called the second step in protecting the region. Many familiar to our compatriots in the photo medals for the defense of the Caucasus were awarded to soldiers who showed themselves well in this second block of protective measures. First, the allied power conquered Kalmyk lands, Ingush and Chechen, then successfully occupied North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkarian regions, territories near Rostov, Stavropol, Cherkessk. The following were the autonomous okrugs of Adygea and Karachaevsky. The authorities of the state returned the Maykop oil bases to their control. . , .
According to analysts, the defense of the Caucasian lands plays an extremely significant role in the counterattack on the entire front of the battle. The southern positions of the Soviet army became much stronger, the fleet again returned to the control of the power. The importance of naval aviation in the defense of the Caucasus cannot be underestimated. The defense of this region allowed the Allied rulers to regain air bases. The strategic importance of the Caucasian lands cannot be overestimated. Without a successful counterattack in this region, it was simply impossible to talk about any victory over the aggressor.
The consequences of the battles were both positive and negative. After the return of land under their control, the Soviet authorities began to look for those responsible. The local population has been the victim of unfair allegations of support for the attackers. Many were exiled to Siberia.
We know and remember
To know more about what was happening at the front in those days, anyone can read books on the analysis of events in detail and in detail. One of the most important and interesting is considered published by Grechko. The name of the work is “Defense of the Caucasus”. Surprisingly, little has been written about the feat of heroes who defended the main mountainous parts of the country. The books of Gusev, Gneushev, Poputko seem to be curious. The first published his creation under the heading "From Elbrus to Antarctica." The other two co-wrote The Secret of the Marukh Pass. In the last work, one can see numerous memoirs of those who actually participated in the Caucasian battles. From here you can find out what those awarded for the defense of the Caucasus remember. Creation attracted the attention of the masses. A movement began throughout the country to create monuments, organize rallies, and erect obelisks dedicated to the victims of that tragic period in the military history of the allied power.
Among our contemporaries, it’s best to imagine the difficulties faced by the defenders of the Caucasus, climbers who regularly ascend these mountains. The feat of the 46th and 37th armies looks significant. At their expense, the position of the aggressor was practically hopeless, regarded by the enemy authorities as a disaster. It was the efforts of the soldiers of these armies that the passes cleared of the enemy. If the orders for the defense of the Caucasus were placed only by the elected, noted by the Soviet regime, then the people's memory preserves the feat of all the army men who laid down their lives on the passes. A museum monument was erected in their honor. A lively section of the road from Dombai to Cherkessk was chosen for him. A lot of tourists pass by here every day, and even one look at the monument reminds everyone about the feats that were accomplished in those days. The museum was erected near the village of Ordzhonikidzevsky.
About the monument
The memorial complex - several objects put on both sides of the highway. The museum is built of reinforced concrete elements, has the appearance of a pillbox. The diameter of the structure is 11 m, the object is five meters high. Nearby is a mass grave. On the opposite side of the road, ten-meter steles look at the museum. An eternal flame is established between him. Another burns at the grave of warriors.
To connect the stelae and the museum, gouges are arranged. They were erected as a symbol of the military feat of people who sacrificed their lives in order not to let the enemy go deeper into the Caucasian lands. Inside you can see the exposition dedicated to high-altitude combat sites. The complex was opened in early November 1968. The authorship of the monument belongs to Chikovani, Davitaia. The sculptor invited Kaladze.
About the award
A decree on the award of medals was issued in the spring of 1944. We decided to reward everyone who directly defended the territory. Total awarded - about 870 thousand. This is not only the soldiers of various units of the army, but also the townsfolk who took part in the defense of the region. Medal - a brass disk a little more than 3 cm in diameter. One of the sides is decorated with engraving depicting Elbrus and oil derricks. Foreground - moving tanks. In the sky you can see small planes. Framing - a wreath of flowers and vines. Above is written "For the Defense of the Caucasus." A little higher is engraved with the symbol of the country - the star. Below you can read on the tape "USSR". It also depicts a sickle, a hammer. The turnover is also decorated with a sickle, a hammer, there is a text “For Our Soviet Motherland”. All letters are voluminous. There is a ring, eyelet. The tape is silk. Width - 2.4 cm. Color - olive. In the center there is a pair of white two-millimeter zones, along the edges there is a thin blue border. The medal was thought out by Moskalev. The same artist is the author of many other Soviet medals. The award must be worn on the left chest.
As mentioned above, the total awarded about 870 thousand. Some were given the medal twice. This honor was given to those who showed special perseverance in the battles for the region. And today, the list of winners is becoming more and more as new information is restored. All names are listed in military orders.