The battle for Kharkov was a logical and very important result of the successful actions of Soviet troops on the Kursk Bulge. The last powerful attempt of the German counterattack was frustrated, and now the task was to quickly liberate the industrial regions of Ukraine, which could give a lot to the front.
Operation Tasks
The offensive on Kharkov had many tasks. The creation of a springboard for the further liberation of the Left-Bank Ukraine in general and the industrial Donbass in particular (the possibility of a flank strike) was considered the most important. It was also necessary to seize the transport infrastructure of the city (there was an airport and an aerodrome of the aircraft factory) and finally suppress further attempts by the Nazis to launch a counterattack by defeating their Kharkov group (significant in number and strength).
Why Kharkov?
In this connection, was the city attached such importance? The answer lies in the history of Kharkov, which since the XVIII century was the main center of economic and cultural life of Sloboda Ukraine. Already in the middle of the XIX century the city received a railway connection with Moscow. It was here that in 1805 the first real university of modern times began its work in Ukraine (medieval academies and Lviv University do not count in this regard), and then the Polytechnic Institute.
In the pre-war period, Kharkov was the largest machine-building center, it accounted for 40% of the products of this industry in Ukraine and 5% - throughout the country. Accordingly, there was a scientific and technological potential.
There were ideological reasons. It was in Kharkov in December 1917 that the Congress of Soviets was held, announcing the creation of the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. Until 1934, the city was the official capital of the Ukrainian SSR (stands for "Ukrainian Socialist Soviet Republic", and not as the post-war generation was used to; in the Ukrainian language there is a difference in abbreviations).
Background
Both the German and Soviet sides perfectly understood the significance of Kharkov. Therefore, the fate of the city during the war period was very difficult. The liberation of Kharkov in 1943 - this was the fourth battle in a row for the city. How did it all go? This will be discussed further.
October 24-25, 1941 the occupation of Kharkov by the Nazis was carried out. It cost them relatively little - the consequences of the recent encirclement and defeat near Kiev and the Uman Cauldron, where the losses of Soviet troops were considered to be hundreds of thousands, affected. The only thing left in the city were radio-controlled mines (some of the subsequent bombings turned out to be very successful), and a significant part of the industrial equipment was managed to be removed or destroyed.
But already in the late spring of 1942, the Soviet command made an attempt to recapture the city. The offensive was poorly prepared (in the absence of combat reserves), and the city again came under the control of the Red Army for only a few days. The operation lasted from May 12 to May 29 and ended with the encirclement of a significant group of Soviet troops and their complete defeat.
The third attempt was made in more favorable conditions. Even during the Battle of Stalingrad, parts of the South-Western Front launched offensive operations in the Donbass. After the surrender of the Paulus group, the Voronezh Front went on the offensive. In February, its units were taken by Kursk and Belgorod, and on the 16th they took over Kharkov.
Having plans for a large-scale counter-offensive operation (the Citadel, which put an end to the Kursk Bulge), the German leadership could not accept the loss of such an important transportation hub as Kharkov. March 15, 1943 by the forces of two SS divisions (and one should not think that they only knew how to shoot Jews and Khatyn to burn - parts of the SS were an elite in the Nazi army!) The city was again captured.
If the enemy does not give up ...
But in July, the plan of Hitler’s counterattack failed; the Soviet command was to develop success. The offensive on Kharkov was considered as crucial for the near future even before the end of the Battle of Kursk. When planning the upcoming liberation of Kharkov, the main question was discussed: whether to conduct an operation to encircle or destroy the enemy?
They decided to beat for destruction - the environment required a lot of time. Yes, it brilliantly succeeded near Stalingrad, but then, during the offensive battles, the Red Army again resorted to it only at the beginning of 1944, during the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky operation. At the same time, attacking Kharkov, the Soviet command even specially left a “corridor” for the Nazi troops to exit - it was easier to finish them in the field.
Now here - tomorrow there
In the summer of 1943, during the battles near Kursk, another interesting strategic trick was implemented, which became a kind of “trick” of the Red Army. It consisted of delivering sufficiently strong blows in different places of a sufficiently long section of the front. As a result, the enemy was forced to feverishly transfer their reserves over long distances. But he did not have time to do this, as the blow was dealt in another place, and in the first section the battles became protracted.
So it was in the battle of Kharkov. The activity of Soviet troops in the Donbass and at the northern tip of the Kursk Bulge forced the Nazis to transfer forces from near Kharkov there. It was possible to advance.
Forces of the parties
On the Soviet side, the troops of the Voronezh (commander — Army General Vatutin) and Stepnoy (commander — Colonel-General Konev) fronts operated. The command used the practice of reassigning parts of one front to another in order to use them more rationally. Coordination of actions in Kharkov, Oryol and Donetsk directions was carried out by Marshal Vasilevsky.
As part of the troops of the fronts, there were 5 guard armies (including 2 tank) and an air army. This shows how important the operation was. An unprecedentedly high concentration of equipment and artillery was created on the front section designated for the breakthrough, for which additional guns, self-propelled guns and T-34 and Kv-1 tanks were hurriedly sent. The artillery corps of the Bryansk Front was also transferred to the offensive area. 2 armies were in reserve Headquarters.
On the German side, the defense was held by the infantry and tank armies, as well as 14 infantry and 4 tank divisions. Later, after the start of the operation, the Nazis urgently transferred reinforcements from the Bryansk Front and Mius to the area of its conduct. Among these replenishment were such well-known parts as Totenkompf, Viking, Das Reich. Of the Nazi commanders who were involved in the battles near Kharkov, the most famous Field Marshal Manstein.
Commander from the past
The main part of the Kharkov strategic operation - the actual Belgorod-Kharkov offensive operation - received the conditional name - Operation "Commander Rumyantsev". During World War II, the USSR abandoned the previously widespread practice of completely distancing itself from the "imperial" past of the country. Now, in Russian history, examples have been sought that can inspire people to war and victory. The name of the operation to liberate Kharkov is from this area. The case is not the only one - the operation to liberate Belarus is known as the "Bagration", and shortly before the Kharkov events, the operation "Kutuzov" was carried out at the northern tip of the Kursk Bulge.
Go to Kharkov!
It sounds good, but it was impossible to do just that. The plan first envisaged covering the city with advancing units, liberating as large territories as possible south and north of Kharkov, and then capturing the former capital of Ukraine.
The name "Commander Rumyantsev" was applied precisely to the main part of the operation - the actual attack on Kharkov. The Belgorod-Kharkov operation began on August 3, 1943, and already on the same day 2 Hitler tank divisions were in the "cauldron" near Tomarovka. On the 5th of the part of the Steppe Front, they entered Belgorod with battle. Since the Eagle was occupied by the forces of the Bryansk Front on the same day, Moscow celebrated this double success with a festive salute. It was the first salute of victory during the Great Patriotic War.
On August 6, Operation "Commander Rumyantsev" was in full swing, Soviet tanks completed the elimination of the enemy in the Tomarovsky Cauldron and moved to Zolochev. They approached the city at night, and that was half the success. The tanks walked quietly, with their headlights off. When, having entered the sleepy city, they turned them on and squeezed out full speed, the surprise of the attack predetermined the success of the Belgorod-Kharkov operation. Further coverage of Kharkov continued with advancement to Bogodukhov and the start of battles for Akhtyrka.
At the same time, units of the South and Southwest Fronts launched offensive operations in the Donbas, moving towards the Voronezh front. This did not allow the Nazis to transfer reinforcements to Kharkov. On August 10, the Kharkov-Poltava railway line was taken under control. The Nazis tried to counterattack in the area of Bogodukhov and Akhtyrka (selected units of the SS participated), but the results of the counterattacks were tactical - they could not stop the Soviet offensive.
Red again
On August 13, the German defense line was breached directly near Kharkov. Three days later, the fighting was already on the outskirts of the city, but the Soviet units did not advance as fast as we would like - the German fortifications were very strong. In addition, the advance of the Voronezh front was delayed due to events near Akhtyrka. But on the 21st the front resumed the offensive, defeating the Akhtyr group, and on the 22nd the Germans began to withdraw their units from Kharkov.
The official day for the liberation of Kharkov is August 23, when the Soviet army took control of the main part of the city. However, the suppression of the resistance of certain groups of the enemy and the removal of the suburbs from him continued until the 30th. Full liberation of Kharkov from the Nazi invaders occurred on that day. On August 30, a liberation celebration was held in the city. One of the guests of honor was the future Secretary General N. S. Khrushchev.
Heroes of liberation
Since the Kharkov operation was attached great importance, the government did not stint the rewards of its participants. Several parts as an honorary title added the words "Belgorod" and "Kharkov" to their names. Soldiers and officers were given state decorations. But Kharkov itself was not awarded the title of a hero city. They say that Stalin abandoned this idea due to the fact that it was only possible to finally liberate the city from the fourth attempt.
The 183rd Infantry Division has the right to the title of “twice Kharkov”. It was the fighters of this unit who were the first to enter the main square of the city (named after Dzerzhinsky) on February 16 and August 23, 1943.
The Soviet Petlyakov attack aircraft and the legendary T-34 tanks proved to be excellent at the battle of Kharkov. Still - they were produced including specialists of the Kharkov Tractor Plant! Evacuated to Chelyabinsk, the plant began mass production of tanks just in 1943 (now it is the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant).
Everlasting memory
There is no war without loss, and the history of Kharkov confirms this. The city turned out to be a gloomy leader in this matter. The losses of Soviet troops under this city were the most significant for the entire Great Patriotic War. Of course, the total result of all four battles is implied. The liberation of the city and its environs cost more than 71 thousand lives.
But Kharkov survived, rebuilt and for a long time continued to work with his hands and head for the benefit of the common great Motherland ... And now this city still has chances ...