How WWII began 1941 1945 briefly. Years of the Great Patriotic War

Looking back, these events seem to be centuries old. Life is in full swing around, everyone is fussing, in a hurry, and sometimes even the events of a year ago have no meaning and are ingloriously covered with dust in memory. But humanity has no moral right to forget the 1418 days of the Great Patriotic War. Chronicles of the war 1941-1945. - this is just a small echo of that time, a good reminder to the modern generation that war has never brought anything good to anyone.

Causes of the war

Like any armed confrontation, the reasons for the outbreak of the war were very banal. The chronicle of the Great 1941-1945 states that the battle began because Adolf Hitler wanted to lead Germany to world domination: to seize all countries and create a state with pure races.

Years later he invades the territory of Poland, then goes to Czechoslovakia, conquers more new territories, and then violates the peace treaty concluded on August 23, 1939 with the USSR. Intoxicated by his first successes and victories, he developed the Barbarossa plan, according to which he was supposed to capture the Soviet Union in a short time. But it was not there. From this moment begins a four-year chronicle of the events of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945).

1941st. Start

In June the war began. During this month, five defense fronts were formed, each of which was responsible for its own territory:

Northern front. Defended Hanko (from 22.06 to 02.12) and the Arctic (from 29.07 to 10.10).
Northwestern Front. Immediately after the attack, he began to carry out the Baltic strategic defensive operation (06.22-09.07).
Western Front. The Bialystok-Minsk battle took place here (06.22-07.09).
Southwestern front. The Lviv-Chernivtsi defensive operation was launched (06.22-06.07).
Southern front. Founded 25.07.

In July, defensive operations continued on the Northern Front. On the Northwestern Front, the Leningrad defensive operation began (from 10.07 to 30.09). At the same time, the Battle of Smolensk begins on the Western Front (10.07-10.09). On July 24, the Central Front was founded and took part in the Battle of Smolensk. On the 30th the Reserve Front was formed. The Kiev defensive operation began in the South-West (07.07-26.09). The Tiraspol-Melitopol defensive operation begins on the Southern Front (07.27-28.09).

In August the battles continue. The forces of the Reserve Front join the Battle of Smolensk. On the 14th, the Bryansk Front was founded, and the city was defended in the Odessa defensive region (05.08-16.10). On August 23, the Transcaucasian Front is formed, two days later the Iranian operation begins.

Entries for September in documentary chronicles of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) indicate that most defensive battles have ended. The forces of the Soviet Union changed their location and began new offensive operations: Sumy-Kharkov and Donbass.

In October, the Sinyavskaya and Strelninsk-Peterhof operations were carried out on the Leningrad Front, and the Tikhvin defensive operation began (from October 16 to November 18). On the 17th, the Kalinin defensive front was formed, and the defensive operation of the same name began. On the 10th, the Reserve Front ceased to exist. The Tula defensive operation began on the Bryansk Front (10.24-05.12). Crimean troops began a defensive operation and entered the battle for Sevastopol (10.10.1941-09.07.1942).

In November, the Tikhvin offensive operation began, which ended by the end of the year. The battles went on with varying degrees of success. On December 5, the Kalinin offensive operation began, and on the 6th, the Klin-Solnechnaya and Tula offensive operations began. On December 17, the Volkhov Front was formed. The Bryansk Front was formed again, and the Kerch landing operation began in the Transcaucasus (December 26). The defense of Sevastopol continued.

1942 - a brief military chronicle of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945)

On January 1, 1942, an anti-German bloc was formed, which included 226 countries. Meanwhile, on January 2, the city of Maloyaroslavets was liberated, on the 3rd, near the city of Sukhinichi, the Russian army defeated the Germans, and on January 7, German shock groups were defeated near Moscow.

New offensive operations begin. On January 20, Mozhaisk was completely liberated. At the beginning of February, the entire Moscow region was liberated from the Germans. Soviet troops advanced 250 km in the Vitebsk direction. On March 5, long-range aviation was created. On May 8, the German offensive in Crimea begins. Fighting is underway near Kharkov, and on June 28 a large-scale offensive by German troops begins. The forces were mainly directed to the Volga and the Caucasus.

On July 17, the legendary Battle of Stalingrad begins, which is mentioned in all chronicles of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 (photos of the confrontation are attached). On August 25, a state of siege was introduced in Stalingrad. On September 13, fighting begins at Mamayev Kurgan. November 19 The Red Army begins an offensive operation near Stalingrad. On December 3, a group of German troops was defeated in the Shiripin area. On December 31, troops of the Stalingrad Front liberated the city of Elista.

1943

This year has become a turning point. On January 1, the Rostov offensive operation began. The cities of Mozdok, Malgobek, and Nalchik were liberated, and Operation Iskra began on January 12. The military personnel who took part in it must have been in Leningrad. Five days later, the city of Velikiye Luki was liberated. On January 18, it was possible to establish contact with Leningrad. On January 19, an offensive operation began on the Voronezh Front and managed to defeat a large enemy military group. On January 20, enemy troops were defeated near the city of Velikoluksk. On January 21, Stavropol was liberated.

On January 31, German troops surrender at Stalingrad. On February 2, it was possible to liquidate the army at Stalingrad (almost 300 thousand fascists). On February 8, Kursk was liberated, and on the 9th, Belgorod. The Soviet army advanced towards Minsk.

Krasnodar liberated; 14th - Rostov-on-Don, Voroshilovgrad and Krasnodon; On February 16, Kharkov was liberated. On March 3, Rzhevsk was liberated, on March 6, Gzhatsk, and on March 12, the Germans abandoned their positions in Vyazma. On March 29, the Soviet flotilla caused significant damage to the German fleet off the coast of Norway.

On May 3, the Soviet army won the air battle, and on July 5, the legendary Battle of Kursk began. It ended on August 22, during the battle 30 German divisions were defeated. By the end of the year, successful offensive operations were carried out, one after another, the cities of the Soviet Union were liberated from the invaders. fails.

1944

According to the chronicle of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), the war took a turn favorable for the USSR. Offensive operations began on all fronts. Ten so-called Stalinist strikes helped completely liberate the territory of the USSR; military operations were now carried out in Europe.

Way to victory

The German command understands that it cannot seize the strategic initiative and begins to take defensive positions in order to preserve at least those territories that they managed to capture. But every day they had to retreat further and further.

On April 16, 1945, Soviet troops surround Berlin. The Nazi army is defeated. April 30 Hitler commits suicide. On May 7, Germany announced its surrender to the Western Allied forces, and on May 9, it capitulated to the Soviet Union.

In the chronicles (1941-1945), the war is presented to the reader as a list of dates and events. But we must not forget that behind every date there are hidden human destinies: unfulfilled hopes, unfulfilled promises and unlived lives.

The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) is one of the most important events in the history of the Russian people, leaving an indelible mark on the soul of every person. In a seemingly short four years, almost 100 million human lives were lost, more than one and a half thousand cities and towns were destroyed, more than 30 thousand industrial enterprises and at least 60 thousand kilometers of roads were disabled. Our state was experiencing a severe shock, which is difficult to comprehend even now, in peacetime. What was the war of 1941-1945 like? What stages can be distinguished during combat operations? And what are the consequences of this terrible event? In this article we will try to find answers to all these questions.

The Second World War

The Soviet Union was not the first to be attacked by fascist troops. Everyone knows that the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 began only 1.5 years after the start of the world war. So what events started this terrible war, and what military actions were organized by Nazi Germany?

First of all, it is worth mentioning the fact that on August 23, 1939, a non-aggression pact was signed between Germany and the USSR. Along with it, some secret protocols were signed regarding the interests of the USSR and Germany, including the division of Polish territories. Thus, Germany, which had the goal of attacking Poland, protected itself from retaliatory steps by the Soviet leadership and actually made the USSR an accomplice in the division of Poland.

So, on September 1, 39 of the 20th century, fascist invaders attacked Poland. Polish troops did not offer adequate resistance, and already on September 17, the troops of the Soviet Union entered the lands of Eastern Poland. As a result of this, the territories of Western Ukraine and Belarus were annexed to the territory of the Soviet state. On September 28 of the same year, Ribbentrop and V.M. Molotov concluded a treaty of friendship and borders.

Germany failed to achieve the planned blitzkrieg, or lightning-fast outcome of the war. Military operations on the Western Front until May 10, 1940 are called the “strange war”, since no events occurred during this period of time.

Only in the spring of 1940 did Hitler resume his offensive and capture Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. The operation to capture England “Sea Lion” was unsuccessful, and then the “Barbarossa” plan for the USSR was adopted - a plan for the start of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945).

Preparing the USSR for war

Despite the non-aggression pact concluded in 1939, Stalin understood that the USSR would in any case be drawn into a world war. Therefore, the Soviet Union adopted a five-year plan to prepare for it, implemented in the period from 1938 to 1942.

The primary task in preparation for the war of 1941-1945 was the strengthening of the military-industrial complex and the development of heavy industry. Therefore, during this period, numerous thermal and hydroelectric power stations were built (including on the Volga and Kama), coal mines and mines were developed, and oil production increased. Also, great importance was given to the construction of railways and transport hubs.

The construction of backup enterprises was carried out in the eastern part of the country. And costs for the defense industry have increased several times. At this time, new models of military equipment and weapons were also released.

An equally important task was preparing the population for war. The work week now consisted of seven eight-hour days. The size of the Red Army was significantly increased due to the introduction of compulsory military service from the age of 18. It was mandatory for workers to receive special education; Criminal liability was introduced for violations of discipline.

However, the actual results did not correspond to those planned by the management, and only in the spring of 1941 an 11-12-hour working day was introduced for workers. And on June 21, 1941 I.V. Stalin gave the order to put the troops on combat readiness, but the order reached the border guards too late.

USSR entry into the war

At dawn on June 22, 1941, fascist troops attacked the Soviet Union without declaring war, and from that moment the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 began.

At noon of the same day, Vyacheslav Molotov spoke on the radio, announcing to Soviet citizens the beginning of the war and the need to resist the enemy. The next day the Top Headquarters was created. High Command, and on June 30 - State. The Defense Committee, which actually received all the power. I.V. became the Chairman of the Committee and Commander-in-Chief. Stalin.

Now let's move on to a brief description of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

Plan Barbarossa

Hitler's Barbarossa plan was as follows: it envisioned the rapid defeat of the Soviet Union with the help of three groups of the German army. The first of them (northern) would attack Leningrad, the second (central) would attack Moscow, and the third (southern) would attack Kyiv. Hitler planned to complete the entire offensive in 6 weeks and reach the Volga strip of Arkhangelsk-Astrakhan. However, the confident rebuff of the Soviet troops did not allow him to carry out a “lightning war.”

Considering the forces of the parties in the war of 1941-1945, we can say that the USSR, although slightly, was inferior to the German army. Germany and its allies had 190 divisions, while the Soviet Union had only 170. 48 thousand German artillery were fielded against 47 thousand Soviet artillery. The size of the opposing armies in both cases was approximately 6 million people. But in terms of the number of tanks and aircraft, the USSR significantly exceeded Germany (in total 17.7 thousand versus 9.3 thousand).

In the early stages of the war, the USSR suffered setbacks due to incorrectly chosen war tactics. Initially, the Soviet leadership planned to wage war on foreign territory, not allowing fascist troops into the territory of the Soviet Union. However, such plans were not successful. Already in July 1941, six Soviet republics were occupied, and the Red Army lost more than 100 of its divisions. However, Germany also suffered considerable losses: in the first weeks of the war, the enemy lost 100 thousand people and 40% of tanks.

The dynamic resistance of the troops of the Soviet Union led to the breakdown of Hitler's plan for a lightning war. During the Battle of Smolensk (10.07 - 10.09 1945), German troops needed to go on the defensive. In September 1941, the heroic defense of the city of Sevastopol began. But the enemy's main attention was concentrated on the capital of the Soviet Union. Then preparations began for an attack on Moscow and a plan to capture it - Operation Typhoon.

The Battle of Moscow is considered one of the most important events of the Russian war of 1941-1945. Only stubborn resistance and courage of Soviet soldiers allowed the USSR to survive this difficult battle.

On September 30, 1941, German troops launched Operation Typhoon and began an attack on Moscow. The offensive started successfully for them. The fascist invaders managed to break through the defenses of the USSR, as a result of which, encircling the armies near Vyazma and Bryansk, they captured more than 650 thousand Soviet soldiers. The Red Army suffered significant losses. In October-November 1941, battles took place only 70-100 km from Moscow, which was extremely dangerous for the capital. On October 20, a state of siege was introduced in Moscow.

From the beginning of the battle for the capital, G.K. was appointed commander-in-chief on the Western Front. Zhukov, however, he managed to stop the German advance only by the beginning of November. On November 7, a parade was held on the capital's Red Square, from which the soldiers immediately went to the front.

In mid-November the German offensive began again. During the defense of the capital, the 316th Infantry Division of General I.V. Panfilov, who at the beginning of the offensive repelled several tank attacks from the aggressor.

On December 5-6, the troops of the Soviet Union, having received reinforcements from the Eastern Front, launched a counteroffensive, which marked the transition to a new stage of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. During the counteroffensive, the troops of the Soviet Union defeated almost 40 German divisions. Now the fascist troops were “thrown back” 100-250 km from the capital.

The victory of the USSR significantly influenced the spirit of the soldiers and the entire Russian people. The defeat of Germany made it possible for other countries to begin forming an anti-Hitler coalition of states.

The successes of the Soviet troops made a deep impression on the state leaders. I.V. Stalin began to count on a speedy end to the war of 1941-1945. He believed that in the spring of 1942 Germany would repeat an attempt to attack Moscow, so he ordered the main forces of the army to be concentrated on the Western Front. However, Hitler thought differently and was preparing a large-scale offensive in the southern direction.

But before the start of the offensive, Germany planned to capture Crimea and some cities of the Ukrainian Republic. Thus, Soviet troops were defeated on the Kerch Peninsula, and on July 4, 1942 the city of Sevastopol had to be abandoned. Then Kharkov, Donbass and Rostov-on-Don fell; a direct threat to Stalingrad was created. Stalin, who realized his miscalculations too late, issued the order “Not a step back!” on July 28, forming barrage detachments for unstable divisions.

Until November 18, 1942, the residents of Stalingrad heroically defended their city. Only on November 19 did the USSR troops launch a counteroffensive.

Soviet troops organized three operations: “Uranus” (11/19/1942 - 02/2/1943), “Saturn” (12/16/30/1942) and “Ring” (11/10/1942 - 02/2/1943). What was each of them?

The Uranus plan envisaged the encirclement of fascist troops from three fronts: the Stalingrad front (commander - Eremenko), the Don Front (Rokossovsky) and the Southwestern Front (Vatutin). Soviet troops planned to meet on November 23 in the city of Kalach-on-Don and give the Germans an organized battle.

Operation Little Saturn was aimed at protecting oil fields located in the Caucasus. Operation Ring in February 1943 was the final plan of the Soviet command. Soviet troops were supposed to close a “ring” around the enemy army and defeat his forces.

As a result, on February 2, 1943, the enemy group surrounded by USSR troops surrendered. The commander-in-chief of the German army, Friedrich Paulus, was also captured. The victory at Stalingrad led to a radical change in the history of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Now the strategic initiative was in the hands of the Red Army.

The next most important stage of the war was the Battle of Kursk, which lasted from July 5 to August 23, 1943. The German command adopted the “Citadel” plan, aimed at encircling and defeating the Soviet army on the Kursk Bulge.

In response to the enemy’s plan, the Soviet command planned two operations, and it was supposed to begin with active defense, and then bring down all the forces of the main and reserve troops on the Germans.

Operation Kutuzov was a plan to attack German troops from the north (the city of Orel). Sokolovsky was appointed commander of the Western Front, Rokossovsky of the Central Front, and Popov of the Bryansk Front. Already on July 5, Rokossovsky struck the first blow against the enemy army, beating his attack by only a few minutes.

On July 12, the troops of the Soviet Union launched a counteroffensive, marking a turning point in the Battle of Kursk. On August 5, Belgorod and Orel were liberated by the Red Army. From August 3 to 23, Soviet troops carried out an operation to completely defeat the enemy - “Commander Rumyantsev” (commanders - Konev and Vatutin). It represented a Soviet offensive in the Belgorod and Kharkov area. The enemy suffered another defeat, losing more than 500 thousand soldiers.

The Red Army troops managed to liberate Kharkov, Donbass, Bryansk and Smolensk in a short period of time. In November 1943, the siege of Kyiv was lifted. The war of 1941-1945 was nearing its end.

Defense of Leningrad

One of the most terrible and heroic pages of the Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and our entire history is the selfless defense of Leningrad.

The siege of Leningrad began in September 1941, when the city was cut off from food sources. Its most terrible period was the very cold winter of 1941-1942. The only way to salvation was the Road of Life, which was laid on the ice of Lake Ladoga. At the initial stage of the blockade (until May 1942), under constant enemy bombing, Soviet troops managed to deliver more than 250 thousand tons of food to Leningrad and evacuate about 1 million people.

For a better understanding of the hardships the residents of Leningrad suffered, we recommend watching this video.

Only in January 1943 the enemy blockade was partially broken, and the supply of food, medicine, and weapons to the city began. A year later, in January 1944, the blockade of Leningrad was completely lifted.

Plan "Bagration"

From June 23 to August 29, 1944, USSR troops carried out the main operation on the Belarusian front. It was one of the largest in the entire Great Patriotic War (WWII) of 1941-1945.

The goal of Operation Bagration was the final destruction of the enemy army and the liberation of Soviet territories from fascist invaders. Fascist troops in the areas of individual cities were defeated. Belarus, Lithuania and part of Poland were liberated from the enemy.

The Soviet command planned to begin liberating the peoples of European states from German troops.

Conferences

On November 28, 1943, a conference was held in Tehran, which brought together the leaders of the Big Three countries - Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. The conference set dates for the opening of the Second Front in Normandy and confirmed the Soviet Union's commitment to enter the war with Japan after the final liberation of Europe and defeat the Japanese army.

The next conference was held on February 4-11, 1944 in Yalta (Crimea). The leaders of the three states discussed the conditions of occupation and demilitarization of Germany, held negotiations on the convening of the founding UN conference and the adoption of the Declaration of a Liberated Europe.

The Potsdam Conference took place on July 17, 1945. The leader of the USA was Truman, and K. Attlee spoke on behalf of Great Britain (from July 28). At the conference, new borders in Europe were discussed, and a decision was made on the size of reparations from Germany in favor of the USSR. At the same time, already at the Potsdam Conference, the preconditions for the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union were outlined.

End of World War II

According to the requirements discussed at conferences with representatives of the Big Three countries, on August 8, 1945, the USSR declared war on Japan. The USSR Army dealt a powerful blow to the Kwantung Army.

In less than three weeks, Soviet troops under the leadership of Marshal Vasilevsky managed to defeat the main forces of the Japanese army. On September 2, 1945, the Instrument of Surrender of Japan was signed on the American ship Missouri. The Second World War has ended.

Consequences

The consequences of the war of 1941-1945 are extremely diverse. Firstly, the military forces of the aggressors were defeated. The defeat of Germany and its allies meant the collapse of dictatorial regimes in Europe.

The Soviet Union ended the war as one of the two superpowers (along with the United States), and the Soviet army was recognized as the most powerful in the entire world.

In addition to the positive results, there were also incredible losses. The Soviet Union lost approximately 70 million people in the war. The state's economy was at a very low level. Major cities of the USSR suffered terrible losses, taking the strongest blows from the enemy. The USSR was faced with the task of restoring and confirming its status as the world's greatest superpower.

It is difficult to give a definite answer to the question: “What was the war of 1941-1945?” The main task of the Russian people is to never forget about the greatest exploits of our ancestors and to celebrate with pride and “with tears in our eyes” the main holiday for Russia - Victory Day.

A few minutes later, Hitler's hordes invaded the USSR. Simultaneously with the invasion of ground forces, hundreds of enemy aircraft began to bomb airfields, naval bases, communication centers and lines, railway stations, military camps and other military installations. Many Soviet cities were subjected to massive air raids: Libau, Riga, Kaunas, Minsk, Smolensk, Kiev, Zhitomir, Sevastopol, etc. Enemy aircraft operated in the entire western border strip - from the Gulf of Finland to the Black Sea. First of all, it sought to destroy the fighter aircraft of the border military districts at the airfields. As a result of sudden air strikes, the enemy managed to knock out a significant part of the fighter aircraft, mainly new designs, which greatly facilitated the fight for fascist German aviation for air supremacy.
Thus, Hitler’s Germany, treacherously violating the non-aggression pact concluded in 1939, suddenly attacked our Motherland. Together with it, the armed forces of Finland, Romania, Italy, Slovakia, Finland, Spain, Bulgaria and Hungary began fighting against the Soviet Army. The predatory attack of Hitlerite Germany on the USSR became a fait accompli. However, those people who were not directly exposed to the first blows of the enemy and did not receive combat orders from higher headquarters did not yet believe that the war had begun. And it is no coincidence that, having received the first reports from border posts about an enemy invasion, some commanders gave instructions to the troops not to cross the border and not to open fire on enemy aircraft. But this did not last long. Soviet troops began to rapidly advance to the border to meet the invading enemy. Soon, together with the border guards, they entered into battle with the enemy.

The fighting on the ground and in the air became extremely intense. Fierce and bloody battles unfolded along the entire front. Despite the incredibly difficult situation in which Soviet soldiers, officers and generals had to fight from the very first hours of the war, they showed great courage and massive heroism.

The military-political goals of the Soviet Union in the war with Nazi Germany were defined in the directive of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR and the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks dated June 29, 1941. The goal of the Great Patriotic War against the fascist invaders was not only to eliminate the danger hanging over our country, but also assistance to all the peoples of Europe groaning under the yoke of German imperialism.
The situation for the Soviet Army in the first days of the war was difficult. Due to the delay in taking measures to bring the troops of the border military districts into combat readiness, our formations were not deployed in a timely manner to repel the aggressor's attack, they entered the battle separately, in parts, and as a result often suffered failures. Advancing along various routes to the front line and meeting the enemy, they fought against him in separate areas. Therefore, the defensive actions of the Soviet troops were of a focal nature. Since there was no continuous front, enemy formations, especially tank units, had the opportunity to strike on the flanks and from the rear. Under these conditions, Soviet troops had to fight surrounded and retreat to the rear lines.

The enemy occupied a significant part of the country, advanced up to 300-600 km, losing 100 thousand people killed, almost 40% of tanks and 950 aircraft. Our losses were even more horrific. Border battles and the initial period of the war (until mid-July) generally led to the defeat of the Red Army. She lost 850 thousand people killed and wounded, 9.5 thousand guns, St. 6 thousand tanks, approx. 3.5 thousand aircraft; approx. captured. 1 million people. On June 23, the Headquarters of the High Command was created (from August 8 - the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command). All power was concentrated in the State Defense Committee (GKO), created on June 30. On August 8, J.V. Stalin became the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. The main military events of the summer-autumn campaign of 1941 were the Battle of Smolensk, the defense of Leningrad and the beginning of its blockade, the military disaster of Soviet troops in Ukraine, the defense of Odessa, the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol, the loss of Donbass, the defensive period of the Battle of Moscow. The Red Army retreated 850-1200 km, but the enemy was stopped in the main directions near Leningrad, Moscow and Rostov and went on the defensive. The winter campaign of 1941-42 began with a counter-offensive of Soviet troops in the western strategic direction. During it, a counteroffensive near Moscow, the Lyuban, Rzhevsko-Vyazemskaya, Barvenkovsko-Lozovskaya and Kerch-Feodosia landing operations were carried out. Soviet troops removed the threat to Moscow and the North. Caucasus, eased the situation in Leningrad, completely or partially liberated the territory of 10 regions, as well as St. 60 cities. The blitzkrieg strategy collapsed. It was destroyed approx. 50 enemy divisions.

The enemy established an occupation regime on the occupied territory of the USSR. The territories of the Byelorussian SSR, Ukrainian SSR, Estonian SSR, Latvian SSR, Lithuanian SSR, and 13 regions of the RSFSR were subject to German occupation. Moldova and some areas of the south of the Ukrainian SSR (Transnistria) were included in Romania, part of the Karelo-Finnish SSR was occupied by Finnish troops.
More than ten million Soviet citizens became victims of the occupiers.
As the Russian historian G. A. Bordyugov points out, in the affairs of the Extraordinary State Commission “to establish and investigate the atrocities of the Nazi invaders and their accomplices” (June 1941 - December 1944), 54,784 acts of atrocities against civilians in the occupied Soviet Union were recorded. territories. Among them are crimes such as “the use of civilians during hostilities, the forced mobilization of civilians, the shooting of civilians and the destruction of their homes, rape, the hunt for people - slaves for German industry.”

In the summer-autumn campaign of 1942, Soviet troops had an unrealistic task: to completely defeat the enemy and liberate the entire territory of the country. The main military events unfolded in the southwestern direction: the defeat of the Crimean Front, the military disaster of Soviet troops in the Kharkov operation, the Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad, Donbass, Stalingrad defensive operations, the battle in the North. Caucasus. In the northwestern direction, the Red Army carried out the Demyansk and Rzhev-Sychevsk offensive operations. The enemy advanced 500-650 km, reached the Volga, and captured part of the passes of the Main Caucasus Range. The territory was occupied, where before the war 42% of the population lived, 1/3 of the gross output was produced, and more than 45% of the sown areas were located. The economy was put on a war footing. A large number of enterprises were relocated to the eastern regions of the country (2,593 in the second half of 1941 alone, including 1,523 large ones), and 2.3 million heads of livestock were exported. In the first half of 1942, 10 thousand aircraft, 11 thousand tanks, approx. 54 thousand guns. In the 2nd half of the year, their production increased by more than 1.5 times. Soviet-British agreement of July 12, 1941, Moscow Conference of representatives of the USSR, USA and Great Britain (September 29 - October 1, 1941), Declaration of 26 states of January 1, 1942 on the military alliance of countries that fought against fascism, Soviet-American agreement of June 11, 1942 formed the core of the anti-Hitler coalition.

In the winter campaign of 1942-43, the main military events were the Stalingrad and North Caucasus offensive operations and the breaking of the blockade of Leningrad. The Red Army advanced 600-700 km westward, liberating the territory of St. 480 km2, defeated 100 divisions (40% of the enemy forces on the Soviet-German front). Favorable conditions were created to complete the Allied offensive in the North. Africa, Sicily and South. Italy. In the summer-autumn campaign of 1943, the decisive event was the Battle of Kursk. The partisans played an important role (Operation Rail War). During the battle for the Dnieper, 38 thousand settlements were liberated, including 160 cities; With the capture of strategic bridgeheads on the Dnieper, conditions were created for an offensive in Belarus. In the Battle of the Dnieper, the partisans carried out Operation Concert to destroy enemy communications. The Smolensk and Bryansk offensive operations were carried out in other directions. The Red Army fought up to 500-1300 km and defeated 218 divisions. An important stage in the development of international and inter-allied relations was the Tehran Conference (November 28 - December 1, 1943).

During the winter campaign of 1943-44, the Red Army carried out an offensive in Ukraine (10 simultaneous and sequential front-line operations united by a common plan), completed the defeat of Army Group South, reached the border with Romania and transferred hostilities to its territory.

Almost simultaneously, the Leningrad-Novgorod offensive operation unfolded; Leningrad was finally released. As a result of the Crimean operation, Crimea was liberated. Soviet troops advanced 250-450 km westward and liberated approx. 300 thousand km2 of territory reached the state border with Czechoslovakia. In June 1944, the Allies opened the 2nd Front in France, which worsened the military-political situation in Germany. During the summer-autumn campaign of 1944, Soviet troops carried out the Belarusian, Lvov-Sandomierz, East Carpathian, Iasi-Kishinev, Baltic, Debrecen, East Carpathian, Belgrade, partially Budapest and Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive operations. The liberation of Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic states (except for some regions of Latvia), partially of Czechoslovakia was completed, Romania and Hungary were forced to capitulate and entered the war against Germany, the Soviet Arctic and the northern regions of Norway were liberated from the occupiers. On February 4-11, 1945, the Crimean Conference of the leaders of the USSR, Great Britain and the USA took place in Yalta.

The 1945 campaign in Europe included the East Prussian, Vistula-Oder, completion of Budapest, East Pomeranian, Lower Silesian, Upper Silesian, Western Carpathian, Vienna and Berlin operations, which ended with the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. After the Berlin operation, Soviet troops, together with the 2nd army of the Polish Army, the 1st and 4th Romanian armies and the 1st Czechoslovak corps, carried out the Prague operation. On June 24, the Victory Parade took place in Moscow. At the Berlin Conference of the leaders of the three great powers, which took place in July-August, an agreement was reached on issues of post-war peace in Europe. On August 9, 1945, the USSR, fulfilling its allied obligations, began military operations against Japan.

During the Manchurian operation, Soviet troops defeated the Kwantung Army and liberated South. Sakhalin and Kuril Islands. On September 2, 1945, Japan signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender. On the Soviet-German front, 607 enemy divisions were defeated and captured, and 75% of their military equipment was destroyed. According to various sources, Wehrmacht losses ranged from 6 million to 13.7 million people. The USSR lost approx. 27 million people, including 11.3 million people at the front, 4-5 million partisans, many people died in the occupied territory and in the rear of the country. There were approx. in fascist captivity. 6 million people. Material damage amounted to 679 billion rubles. In a difficult, bloody war, the Soviet people made a decisive contribution to the liberation of the peoples of Europe from the fascist yoke. Victory Day (May 9) is celebrated annually as a national holiday and a day of remembrance for those killed.

Bordyugov G. A. The Wehrmacht and the Red Army: on the question of the nature of crimes against the civilian population. Report at the International Scientific Conference “The Experience of World Wars in the History of Russia”, September 11, 2005, Chelyabinsk.
Anfilov V.A. The beginning of the Great Patriotic War (June 22 - mid-July 1941). Military historical essay. - M.: Voenizdat, 1962.
http://cccp.narod.ru/work/enciklop/vov_01.html.

The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) is a war between the USSR and Germany within the Second World War, which ended with the victory of the Soviet Union over the Nazis and the capture of Berlin. The Great Patriotic War became one of the final stages of the Second World War.

Causes of the Great Patriotic War

After defeat in the First World War, Germany was left in an extremely difficult economic and political situation, however, after Hitler came to power and carried out reforms, the country was able to increase its military power and stabilize the economy. Hitler did not accept the results of the First World War and wanted to take revenge, thereby leading Germany to world domination. As a result of his military campaigns, in 1939 Germany invaded Poland and then Czechoslovakia. A new war has begun.

Hitler's army rapidly conquered new territories, but until a certain point, there was a non-aggression peace treaty between Germany and the USSR, signed by Hitler and Stalin. However, two years after the start of World War II, Hitler violated the non-aggression agreement - his command developed the Barbarossa plan, which envisaged a rapid German attack on the USSR and the seizure of territories within two months. In case of victory, Hitler would have the opportunity to start a war with the United States, and he would also have access to new territories and trade routes.

Contrary to expectations, the unexpected attack on Russia did not produce results - the Russian army turned out to be much better equipped than Hitler expected and offered significant resistance. The campaign, designed to last several months, turned into a protracted war, which later became known as the Great Patriotic War.

Main periods of the Great Patriotic War

The initial period of the war (June 22, 1941 - November 18, 1942). On June 22, Germany invaded the territory of the USSR and by the end of the year was able to conquer Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Moldova and Belarus - troops moved inland to capture Moscow. Russian troops suffered huge losses, the inhabitants of the country in the occupied territories ended up in German captivity and were driven into slavery in Germany. However, despite the fact that the Soviet army was losing, it still managed to stop the Germans on the approach to Leningrad (the city was besieged), Moscow and Novgorod. Plan Barbarossa did not produce the desired results, and battles for these cities continued until 1942.
The period of radical change (1942-1943) On November 19, 1942, the counter-offensive of Soviet troops began, which produced significant results - one German and four allied armies were destroyed. The Soviet army continued its offensive in all directions, they managed to defeat several armies, begin pursuing the Germans and push the front line back towards the west. Thanks to the build-up of military resources (the military industry worked in a special regime), the Soviet army was significantly superior to the German one and could now not only resist, but also dictate its terms in the war. The USSR army turned from a defensive one into an attacking one.
The third period of the war (1943-1945). Despite the fact that Germany managed to significantly increase the power of its army, it was still inferior to the Soviet one, and the USSR continued to play a leading offensive role in the war effort. The Soviet army continued to advance towards Berlin, recapturing the captured territories. Leningrad was retaken, and by 1944, Soviet troops were moving towards Poland and then Germany. On May 8, Berlin was captured and German troops declared unconditional surrender.

Major battles of the Great Patriotic War

Defense of the Arctic (June 29, 1941 - November 1, 1944);
Battle of Moscow (September 30, 1941 - April 20, 1942);
Siege of Leningrad (September 8, 1941 - January 27, 1944);
Battle of Rzhev (January 8, 1942 - March 31, 1943);
Battle of Stalingrad (July 17, 1942 - February 2, 1943);
Battle for the Caucasus (July 25, 1942 - October 9, 1943);
Battle of Kursk (July 5 - August 23, 1943);
Battle for Right Bank Ukraine (December 24, 1943 - April 17, 1944);
Belarusian operation (June 23 - August 29, 1944);
Baltic operation (September 14 - November 24, 1944);
Budapest operation (October 29, 1944 - February 13, 1945);
Vistula-Oder operation (January 12 - February 3, 1945);
East Prussian operation (January 13 - April 25, 1945);
Battle of Berlin (April 16 - May 8, 1945).

Results and significance of the Great Patriotic War

The main significance of the Great Patriotic War was that it finally broke the German army, not giving Hitler the opportunity to continue his struggle for world domination. The war became a turning point during the Second World War and, in fact, its completion.

However, the victory was difficult for the USSR. The country's economy was in a special regime throughout the war, factories worked mainly for the military industry, so after the war they had to face a severe crisis. Many factories were destroyed, most of the male population died, people were starving and could not work. The country was in a difficult state, and it took many years for it to recover.

But, despite the fact that the USSR was in a deep crisis, the country turned into a superpower, its political influence on the world stage increased sharply, the Union became one of the largest and most influential states, on a par with the USA and Great Britain.

World War II began on September 1, 1939. It's official. Unofficially, it began a little earlier - from the time of the Anschluss of Germany and Austria, the annexation by Germany of the Czech Republic, Moravia and the Sudetenland. It began when Adolf Hitler came up with the idea of restoring the Great Reich - the Reich within the borders of the shameful Treaty of Versailles. But, since few of those living then could believe that war would come to their home, it never occurred to anyone to call it a world war. It looked only like small territorial claims and “restoration of historical justice.” Indeed, in the annexed regions and countries that were previously part of Greater Germany, many German citizens lived.

Six months later, in June 1940, the USSR authorities, having quite treacherously established state elections in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, forced the governments of the Baltic countries to resign, and uncontested elections were held at gunpoint, in which the communists expectedly won, since other parties were allowed to vote were not. Then, the “elected” parliaments declared these countries socialist and sent a petition to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to join.

And then, in June 1940, Hitler ordered preparations to begin for an attack on the USSR. The formation of the blitzkrieg plan “Operation Barbarossa” began.

This redivision of the world and spheres of influence was only a partial implementation of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact concluded between Germany and its allies and the USSR on August 23, 1939.

Beginning of the Great Patriotic War

For citizens of the Soviet Union, the war began treacherously - at dawn on June 22, when the small border river Bug and other territories were crossed by a fascist armada.

It would seem that nothing foreshadowed war. Yes, Soviet intelligence officers working in Germany, Japan, and other countries sent dispatches that war with Germany was inevitable. They, often at the cost of their own lives, managed to find out both the date and time. Yes, six months before the designated date and especially closer to it, the penetration of saboteurs and sabotage groups into Soviet territories intensified. But... Comrade Stalin, whose faith in himself as the Supreme and unsurpassed ruler on one sixth of the land was so enormous and unshakable that at best these intelligence officers simply remained alive and worked on, and at worst they were declared enemies of the people and liquidated.

Stalin's faith was based both on the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and on Hitler's personal promise. He could not imagine that someone could deceive him and outplay him.

Therefore, despite the fact that on the part of the Soviet Union regular units were gathered on the western borders, ostensibly to increase combat readiness and planned military exercises, and in the newly annexed western territories of the USSR from June 13 to 14, an operation was carried out to evict and clean up the “social -alien element" deep into the country, the Red Army was not prepared at the beginning of the aggression. The military units received an order not to succumb to provocations. Commanding personnel in large numbers, from senior to junior commanders of the Red Army, were sent on leave. Perhaps because Stalin himself expected to start a war, but later: at the end of July - beginning of August 1941.

History does not know the subjunctive mood. That's why what happened happened: in the early evening of June 21, German troops received the signal "Dortmund", which meant the planned attack for the next day. And on a fine summer morning, Germany, without declaring war, with the support of its allies, invaded the Soviet Union and struck a powerful blow along the entire length of its western borders, from three sides - with parts of three armies: “North”, “Center” and “South”. In the very first days, most of the Red Army's ammunition, ground military equipment and aircraft were destroyed. Peaceful cities, guilty only of the fact that strategically important ports and airfields were located on their territories - Odessa, Sevastopol, Kiev, Minsk, Riga, Smolensk and other settlements - were subjected to massive bombing.

By mid-July, German troops captured Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, a significant part of Ukraine, Moldova and Estonia. They destroyed most of the Red Army troops on the Western Front.

But then “something went wrong...” - the activation of Soviet aviation on the Finnish border and in the Arctic, a counterattack by mechanized corps on the Southwestern Front, stopped the Nazi offensive. By the end of July - beginning of August, Soviet troops learned not only to retreat, but also to defend themselves and resist the aggressor. And, although this was only the very, very beginning and four more terrible years would pass until the end of the Second World War, but even then, defending and holding Kiev and Minsk, Sevastopol and Smolensk with their last strength, the Red Army troops felt that they could win , ruining Hitler’s plans for the lightning seizure of Soviet territories.