Some facts about the Great Patriotic War are becoming known only in our days. In the Tver region, historians and local historians claim: the battles for Rzhev, called “battles of local significance” in official documents, were in fact one of the largest operations in the entire history of the war. This is confirmed by the results of excavations.
The ground here is literally strewn with the remains of soldiers. A section of the front three hundred kilometers long is like a huge mass grave. And 62 years later, search engines find dozens of dead here almost every day. “Quite nearby, in this little forest, we raised 84 fighters. Three chains of fighters. That is, in ranks, as they walked, they remained lying,” says Tatyana Kukharenko, head of the Ugra search detachment.
Findings by search engines in the Tver region may serve as a basis for taking a different look at the history of the Great Patriotic War. Excavations show that the scale of the battles for Rzhev was much greater than previously thought. The battles that took place on these fields in 1942-1943 are listed in the archives as “battles of local significance.” And now both search engines and historians agree that, in fact, this was the second battle for Moscow. And the bloodiest in the history of mankind. For 17 months, Soviet troops continuously attacked, trying to push the Nazis further to the West. Almost one and a half million of our soldiers paid for the victory, here near Rzhev. This is more than in the battles for Stalingrad.
Official military history in Soviet time I couldn’t accept this version. Our offensive was unsuccessful, and failures were not recognized as heroism. In textbooks, even such a name - the Battle of Rzhev - still does not exist.
The liberators of Rzhev, less than two dozen of them remain in the city itself, do not agree with this. Nurse Faina Sobolevskaya - she was 17 years old in 1942 - never saw so many wounded again: “We didn’t have to sleep. When the fighting was going on, we didn’t sleep at all. We fell off our feet, until we lost consciousness. The wounded are countless. We have forests There weren’t enough tents, but also dugouts and sheds.”
Scientists will argue for a long time about the scale of losses. At the Rzhev memorial complex, meanwhile, thousands of soldiers are buried every year. “There must be an understanding that these are not bones after all, but these are people whom relatives are still looking for,” says the head of the Rzhev city public organization"Search Center" Sergey Petukhov.
Most of those killed near Rzhev are nameless. But today searchers found a medallion, the inscription on which they were able to read. Red Army soldier Fedot Pchelkin was in some ways luckier than his colleagues - now the Kursk region will be informed that in 1942 he did not go missing, but died with a weapon in his hands.
75 years ago, on August 23, 1943, the victory of the Red Army ended Battle of Kursk, which lasted almost 50 days. Losses Soviet troops are estimated at 863.3 thousand people. About this and other major battles and operations of 1941-1945 - in the Kommersant collection.
Photo archive of Ogonyok magazine
Total duration: 202 days
Soviet losses: 1.8 million people
457.1 thousand people
At the defensive stage, which lasted until December 5, 1941, Soviet troops stopped the advance of the main German group, Army Group Center, and thwarted the plan for the lightning capture of the Soviet Union. A mass evacuation was carried out, and about 200 factories were relocated. During the counteroffensive (December 5, 1941 - January 7, 1942), the Red Army inflicted its first defeat on the Germans and seized the strategic initiative. During the offensive, which lasted until April 20, 1942, Soviet troops advanced 250 km from Moscow and enveloped the German group on both sides. 16 German divisions and one brigade were put out of action. The German troops were able to avoid complete defeat only as a result of the transfer of 12 divisions and two security brigades from Western Europe.
G. Zelma / Photo archive of Ogonyok magazine
Total duration: 200 days
Soviet losses: 1.1 million people
Losses of German troops and allies: 850 thousand people
It consisted of defensive (from July 17 to November 18) and offensive (from November 18, 1942 to February 2, 1943) stages. By the end of August, over 100 thousand residents were evacuated from the city. Before the offensive, German troops carried out massive air bombardment, turning the city center into ruins. On September 13, the Germans entered Stalingrad and by the end of the defensive phase they managed to break into five districts of the city, and completely capture one. Based on the results of the offensive stage, the Red Army managed to push the enemy back from the Volga and Don by 200 km. Soviet troops destroyed 34 German divisions and three brigades. The victory at Stalingrad marked the beginning of a radical change in the war. In this confrontation, the Red Army seized the strategic initiative and held it until the end of the war.
Wikipedia
Total duration: 119 days
Soviet losses: 1.2 million people
Losses of German troops and allies: 400 thousand people
Consisted of two offensive operations. At the first stage (until September 26), Soviet troops broke through the enemy’s defenses, liberated part of the territory of Ukraine and a number of major cities- Sumy, Chernigov, Poltava. During the second operation (from September 26 to December 20), the Dnieper was crossed and Kyiv was liberated. Soviet troops completed the liberation of Left Bank Ukraine in the lower reaches of the Dnieper, blocked the Crimean group of German troops from land and captured a bridgehead on the western bank of the Dnieper up to 400 km along the front and up to 100 km in depth, creating favorable conditions for an attack on Right Bank Ukraine. Most the hard part operation was the crossing of the Dnieper, which, for lack of required quantity standard watercraft, was carried out using improvised objects - rafts from logs, fishing boats, etc.
Photo archive of Ogonyok magazine
Total duration: 49 days
Soviet losses: 863.3 thousand people
Losses of German troops and allies: 500 thousand people
From July 5 to July 23, troops of the Central and Voronezh Fronts stopped the offensive of the strike groups German army. For the first time during the war, the depth of frontal defense reached 70 km, tank defense - 35 km. On July 12, in the Prokhorovka area, the largest tank battle in history took place, during which up to 1.5 thousand tanks came together on both sides. During the counteroffensive (July 12 - August 18), Soviet troops advanced 150 km, liberating Oryol. During the subsequent offensive (from August 3 to August 23), they advanced another 140 km, defeating the Belgorod-Kharkov enemy group. Soviet troops defeated 30 enemy infantry and seven tank divisions and liberated the Kharkov industrial region, the cities of Belgorod and Kharkov. Favorable conditions were created for the liberation of Left Bank Ukraine.
RIA News
Total duration: 115 days
Soviet losses: 1.1 million people
Losses of German troops and allies: 250 thousand people
It was a system of ten front-line operations, interconnected in time and direction of attacks. The width of the front was almost 1.4 thousand km. As a result of the operation, the entire southern wing of Germany's eastern front was destroyed; the German command was forced to transfer 34 divisions and four brigades from the western front. Soviet troops advanced 450 km, reached the foothills of the Carpathians and cut the German front in the south. The Red Army liberated the territory of Right Bank Ukraine and advanced to the approaches to Southern Poland and Czechoslovakia. During the offensive, Soviet troops crossed such large water obstacles as Ingulets, Southern Bug, and Dniester. Having crossed the Prut River, the Red Army entered Romania. For the first time during the war years fighting were moved outside the Soviet Union.
S. Korotkov / Photo archive of Ogonyok magazine
Total duration: 67 days
Soviet losses: 765.8 thousand people
Losses of German troops and allies: 409 thousand people
At the first stage (June 23 - July 4), Soviet troops broke through the strategic front of the German defense, surrounded and destroyed the flank groups. At the second stage (July 5 - August 29), Army Group Center was completely defeated, destroying 17 divisions and three brigades. 50 German divisions lost more than half of their strength. Soviet troops advanced in a zone of 1.1 thousand km along the front and advanced 600 km. The Byelorussian SSR, parts of the Lithuanian and Latvian SSR, and the eastern regions of Poland were liberated. Conditions were provided for striking in East Prussia and in the Lvov-Sandomierz direction. Army Group Center found itself isolated in the Baltic states. To stabilize the front line, the German command was forced to transfer 46 divisions and four brigades to Belarus.
A. Shaikhet / Photo archive of Ogonyok magazine
Total duration: 102 days
Soviet losses: 584.7 thousand people
Losses of German troops and allies: 487.3 thousand people
It was carried out by troops of three fronts, long-range aviation and the Baltic Fleet. During the operation, Soviet troops liberated East Prussia and Northern Poland and reached the Baltic Sea. The Red Army defeated 25 German divisions, and 12 divisions suffered heavy losses. Much time was spent destroying isolated German groups, since the fleet was unable to completely blockade them from the sea. Navy Germany lost its most important bases, ports and harbors, which sharply worsened the supply of the German Courland group. In the battles for Königsberg on April 6–9, the French air regiment “Normandy-Niemen” of the anti-fascist organization “Free France” fought on the side of the Soviet troops. During the operation, favorable conditions were created for the elimination of the East Pomeranian group.
M. Savin / Photo archive of Ogonyok magazine
Total duration: 62 days
Soviet losses: 759.9 thousand people
Losses of German troops and allies: 250 thousand people
At the first stage (until July 20), the Germans were able to significantly advance across the territory of the USSR. At the second stage (July 21 - August 22), Soviet troops carried out a counteroffensive, as a result of which the Germans suffered heavy losses and went on the defensive. In the final stage of the battle (from August 22), Soviet troops attempted to carry out a large offensive, but they managed to advance only a few kilometers, after which they went on the defensive and were forced to retreat. In the Battle of Smolensk, the Red Army used rocket launchers for the first time. During the battle, Soviet troops thwarted the German command's plan for a non-stop attack on Moscow - a blitzkrieg. Following the results of the Battle of Smolensk, several divisions were awarded the title of Guards for the first time by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR.
Photo archive of Ogonyok magazine
Total duration: 441 days
Soviet losses: 593.9 thousand people
Losses of German troops and allies: 281 thousand people
During the defensive stage (July 25 - December 31, 1942), Soviet troops left the regions of the North Caucasus and retreated to the passes of the Main Caucasus Range and the Terek River (the Red Army retreated 800 km). However, the plan of the German command to seize the oil regions of the Caucasus and drag Turkey into the war against the USSR was not realized. During the counteroffensive that followed (January 1 - February 4, 1943), Soviet troops defeated the German Army Group A and reached the approaches to Rostov and the Kuban River line. However, they were unable to destroy the German group. At the final stage, Soviet troops were liberated from occupation Stavropol region, Checheno-Ingush, North Ossetian and Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics, Rostov region And Krasnodar region, reached the coast of the Kerch Strait.
RIA News
Total duration: 81 days
Soviet losses: 700.5 thousand people
Losses of German troops and allies: 128.6 thousand people
During the fighting, Soviet troops abandoned Kyiv and a number of regions of Left Bank Ukraine. The troops of the Southern Front between the Dniester and Southern Bug rivers were surrounded by German troops and destroyed. Soviet troops launched counterattacks, but were unable to seize the strategic initiative. In open battle, the Germans were never able to capture the city, but as a result of offensive operations and the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Kyiv, they advanced 600 km across the territory of the Soviet Union. Long-term defense of the troops of the Southwestern Front and major losses The German Army Group South forced the German command to strengthen this grouping at the expense of the troops of Army Group Center, advancing in the main Moscow direction, which contributed to the breakdown of the blitzkrieg. The defeat of the Southwestern Front opened the way for the enemy to Donbass.
The following works were used in preparing the material:It's sad, but war has always been and is the most powerful engine in human history. It is difficult to judge whether it is good or bad; huge losses of people have always been replaced by progress in science and culture, in the economy or industry. During the entire existence of mankind on earth, you can hardly count a couple of centuries when everyone lived in peace and harmony. Absolutely every battle changed the course of the entire history of mankind and left its imprint on the faces of its witnesses. And not on this list the most famous wars, there are simply those that you need to know and remember always.
It is considered the last naval battle in the history of antiquity. The troops of Octavian Augustus and Mark Antony fought in this battle. The confrontation in 31 BC near Cape Actium is subsidized. Historians say that Octavian's victory played a huge role in the history of Rome and put an end to such a long civil war. Unable to survive his loss, Mark Antony soon committed suicide.
The famous battle between Greek and Persian troops took place on September 12, 490 BC near the tiny town of Marathon near Athens. The Persian ruler Darius madly wanted to subjugate all the cities of Greece. The disobedience of the inhabitants seriously angered the ruler, and he sent an army of 26,000 soldiers against them. Imagine his surprise that the Greek army, consisting of only 10,000 thousand people, withstood the onslaught and, in addition, completely defeated the enemy army. It seems that everything is as always, war is like war, and probably this battle remained only in the records of several historians, if not for the messenger. Having won the battle, the Greeks sent a messenger with good news. The messenger ran without stopping for more than 42 km. Arriving in the city, he proclaimed victory and unfortunately it was his last words. Since then, the battle not only began to be called a marathon, but also the distance of 42 km 195 meters became an indispensable length for athletics.
A naval battle between the Persians and Greeks took place in 480 BC near the island of Salamis. According to historical data, the Greek fleet consisted of 380 ships and could not in any way surpass the power of the 1000 ships of the Persian warriors, however, thanks to the unsurpassed command of Eurybiades, it was the Greeks who won the battle. It has been historically proven that the victory of Greece turned the entire course of events in the Greco-Persian civil strife.
This battle is popularly referred to as the “Battle of Tours.” The battle took place in 732 between the Frankish kingdom and Aquitaine, in the territory of the city of Tours. As a result of the battle, the troops of the Frankish kingdom won and thereby put an end to Islam on the territory of their state. It is believed that it was this victory that gave further development all of Christianity.
The most famous, sung in many works and films. The battle of the Novgorod Republic and the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality against the Livonian and Teutonic Orders. Historians suggest that the day of the battle was April 5, 1242. The battle gained its fame thanks to the brave knights who broke through the ice and went under the water in their full uniform. The result of the war was the signing of a peace treaty between the Teutonic Order and Novgorod.
On September 8, 1380, a battle took place on the Kulikovo field, which became the main stage in the creation Russian state. The battle took place between the Moscow, Smolensk and Nizhny Novgorod principalities against the Horde of Mamai. In the battle, Russian troops suffered colossal losses in people, but, despite everything, they destroyed the enemy army forever. As time passed, many historians began to argue that it was this battle that became the “point of no return” for the pagan nomads.
The well-known battle of three emperors: Napoleon 1 and allies Frederick 1 (Austrian Empire) and Alexander 1 (Russian Empire). The battle took place on December 2, 1805 near Austerlitz. Despite the huge superiority in strength of the allied sides, Russia and Austria were defeated in the battle. Brilliant strategy and battle tactics brought Napoleon triumphant victory and glory.
The second major battle against Napoleon took place on June 18, 1815. France was opposed by the allied empire represented by Great Britain, the Netherlands, Hanover, Prussia, Nassau and Brunswick-Lüneburg. This was another attempt by Napoleon to prove his autocracy, but to his great surprise, Napoleon did not show the same brilliant strategy as at the Battle of Austerlitz and lost the battle. To date, historians have been able to accurately describe the entire course of the battle, and several films have even been made dedicated to the momentous Battle of Waterloo.
You might be interested:
|
|
Every victory comes at a heavy price. The website of the magazine “Military History Monthly” collected five large-scale battles of all times, which were more than paid for with the blood of tens of thousands of soldiers, the number of which is amazing.
Much of a soldier's life is spent waiting and preparing for war. When the moment comes to take action, everything happens bloody, confusing and extremely quickly.
Often combat operations do not gain large-scale momentum: a firefight, a reconnaissance patrol, a random encounter with the enemy in the dark.
In other cases, fear will destroy an army, causing strong men to flee the perceived threat of death before either side begins to suffer serious casualties.
And finally, battles that exceed normal expectations in terms of death and destruction. These are exactly the case when neither side is ready to surrender, or - as is often the case - the overall strategy is such that it leaves no hope for the enemy to escape.
1. Battle of Stalingrad, 1942-1943
Opponents: Nazi Germany vs. USSR
Losses: Germany 841,000; Soviet Union 1 130 000
Total: 1,971,000
Result: Victory of the USSR
German offensive began with a devastating series of Luftwaffe raids that left much of Stalingrad in ruins.
But the bombing did not completely destroy the urban landscape. As they advanced, the German army became embroiled in brutal street fighting with Soviet forces.
Although the Germans took control of more than 90% of the city, Wehrmacht forces were unable to dislodge the remaining stubborn Soviet soldiers. Cold weather set in, and in November 1942 the Red Army launched a double attack on the German 6th Army in Stalingrad.
The flanks collapsed, and the 6th Army was surrounded both by the Red Army and by the harsh Russian winter. Hunger, cold and sporadic attacks by Soviet troops began to take their toll. But Hitler did not allow the 6th Army to retreat.
By February 1943, after a failed German breakout when food supply lines were cut, the 6th Army was defeated.
Opponents: France vs. Austria, Prussia and Russia
Casualties: 30,000 French, 54,000 Allied
Total: 84000
Result: Victory of K forcescoalition
The Battle of Leipzig was the largest and most severe defeat suffered by Napoleon, and biggest battle in Europe before the outbreak of the First World War.
Faced with attacks from all sides, the French army performed surprisingly well, keeping their attackers at bay for over nine hours before they began to be outnumbered.
Realizing his inevitable defeat, Napoleon began to withdraw his troops in an orderly manner across the only remaining bridge. The bridge was blown up too early.
More than 20,000 French soldiers were thrown into the water and drowned while trying to cross the river. The defeat opened the door to France for Allied forces.
Opponents: Britain vs Germany
Losses: Britain 60,000, Germany 8,000
Total: 68,000
Result: Inconclusive
The British Army suffered the bloodiest day in its history on initial stage a battle that will last for several months.
More than a million people were killed as a result of the hostilities, and the original military tactical situation remained largely unchanged.
The plan was to wear down the German defenses with artillery bombardment to the point that the attacking British and French forces could simply move in and occupy the opposing trenches. But the shelling did not bring the expected destructive consequences.
As soon as the soldiers left the trenches, the Germans opened fire with machine guns. Poorly coordinated artillery often covered its own advancing infantry with fire or was often left without cover.
As darkness fell, despite the massive loss of life, only a few targets were occupied. Attacks continued in this manner until October 1916.
Opponents: Rome vs Carthage
Losses: 10,000 Carthaginians, 50,000 Romans
Total: 60,000
Result: Carthaginian victory
The Carthaginian general Hannibal led his army through the Alps and defeated two Roman armies at Trebia and Lake Trasimene, seeking to engage the Romans in a final decisive battle.
The Romans massed their heavy infantry in the center, hoping to break through the middle of the Carthaginian army. Hannibal, in anticipation of the central Roman attack, deployed best troops on the flanks of his army.
As the center of the Carthaginian forces collapsed, the Carthaginian sides closed in on the Roman flanks. The mass of legionnaires in the back ranks forced the first ranks to move forward uncontrollably, not knowing that they were driving themselves into a trap.
Eventually, the Carthaginian cavalry arrived and closed the gap, thus completely encircling the Roman army. In close combat, the legionnaires, unable to escape, were forced to fight to the death. As a result of the battle, 50 thousand Roman citizens and two consuls were killed.
Opponents: Union Army vs. Confederate Forces
Losses: Union - 23,000; Confederates – 23,000
Total: 46,000
Result: victory for the Union army
Throughout human history, various political entities have resolved disputes using force. The development of military affairs contributed to the fact that in each subsequent era people died on the battlefields. more people than the previous one. The bloodiest battles in history took place in the 19th and 20th centuries. Each of them claimed tens of thousands of lives.
Read also:
The battle of Stalingrad is considered the bloodiest and longest in human history. It lasted about two hundred days. The losses of the parties, including killed and wounded, amounted to various estimates: from 1.5 to 3 million people. The Battle of Stalingrad became one of the decisive episodes of the Second World War, after which the Red Army launched a counteroffensive on all fronts.
Although the forces of the USSR and allies managed to finally defeat Nazism only two years after the victory at Stalingrad, it was the Battle of Stalingrad that became the turning point of World War II. Held in big city The battle was also a major humanitarian disaster: before the defense of Stalingrad began, the civilian population was not completely evacuated. An insignificant part civilians The city survived a 200-day battle.
The Battle of Verdun is the most famous episode of the First World War. She was passing from February to December 1916 between the troops of France and Germany. Each side tried unsuccessfully to break through the enemy's defenses and launch a decisive offensive. During the nine months of battle, the front line remained virtually unchanged. Neither side achieved a strategic advantage. It was no coincidence that contemporaries called the Battle of Verdun a “meat grinder.” 305,000 soldiers and officers on both sides lost their lives in a futile confrontation. Total losses sides, including those killed and wounded, amounted to more than a million people.
From a military point of view, the Battle of Verdun was an important milestone: for the first time in history, attack aircraft were systematically used, and cars were used to quickly regroup troops.
Simultaneously with the Battle of Verdun, the Anglo-French coalition launched an operation in another sector of the Western Front. English paratroopers landed on the coast of the French region of Pas-de-Calais, who, together with the French army, were to strike German positions and force the enemy to flee. Only on the first day of the campaign, July 1, 1916 The English landing lost 60,000 people. The operation, planned as a lightning operation, dragged on for five months. The number of divisions participating in the battle increased from 33 to 149. Large tank units were used for the first time at the Battle of the Somme. During the battle, the sides lost about 600 thousand people killed, and the total battle losses amounted to more than a million people.
IN December 1937 Japanese occupation forces carried out offensive operation to capture Nanjing, then the capital of the Republic of China. By December 7, the Chinese government had evacuated the capital's institutions from the city and completed the organization of defense. The defense of the former capital lasted less than two weeks. On December 13, Japanese troops took control of Nanjing and began an operation directed against the civilian population. Over the next two weeks, Japanese soldiers exacted revenge on Chinese civilians for their earlier resistance to the Chinese army. By the end of December, between 200 and 500 thousand civilians, including women and children, had been killed. The losses of the Japanese military near Nanjing amounted to no more than 8 thousand people. In China and Taiwan, the victims of the Nanjing Massacre are commemorated at annual state mourning events.
