The heroic defense of Smolensk briefly. The meaning of the battle of Smolensk lies in the fact that the meaning of the battle of Smolensk

In June-July 1941, the Nazi troops completely captured the border areas and continued to advance along the entire front line. The Red Army was not ready for defensive battles. The Soviet troops suffered significant losses, far exceeding those of the enemy. The first weeks of the war passed in accordance with the Barbarossa plan, developed at the headquarters of the Wehrmacht and providing for the rapid defeat of the Soviet Union. Nazi troops entered the operational space and, having captured the border areas, confidently moved towards Moscow. To achieve success, the German command concentrated 29 divisions, more than 1000 tanks, more than 6000 artillery pieces and more than 1 thousand aircraft in the Moscow direction.

The battle of Smolensk was the first serious defensive operation carried out by the Soviet army. The maps of the battle show that the city was of great strategic importance. Since the beginning of the war, Smolensk has been a significant rear of the Red Army. On July 8, in connection with the possible occupation of the city, the Regional Evacuation Committee was created. Under the leadership of this organization, the civilian population, raw materials, equipment, cattle and valuable property were transported to the rear of the country.

The quick surrender of Smolensk could lead to a swift German advance on Moscow and the capture of the capital. The battle of Smolensk was carefully prepared by the military specialists of the USSR and included a whole range of defensive and offensive operations. The purpose of the battle was to stop the advance of the German army towards Moscow.

The fascist German army was faced with the task of encircling the Soviet units defending the line of the Western Dvina and the Dnieper with the forces of Army Group Center, and then capturing the Orsha, Smolensk, Vitebsk region and continuing the attack on Moscow. But for the first time in the history of World War II, the enemy army was forced to fight on the defensive. The fascist German command abandoned the previously planned use of part of the troops for an attack on Leningrad. In September 1941, the failure of the Blitzkrieg tactics became apparent. The Soviet General Staff received additional time needed to prepare the defense of Moscow.

On the eve of the Smolensk battle

At the end of June 1941, strategic reserve troops were sent to defend the line from Kraslava to Loev. Also, militia fighters took part in the hostilities. More than 3 thousand Smolensk joined the destruction battalions and people's squads, the purpose of which was to fight enemy paratroopers penetrating into the Soviet rear.

From the very first days of the war, the construction of fortifications on the banks of the Dnieper and other strategically important areas began. Defense lines were built around Smolensk and other cities. In those areas where there was a threat of a breakthrough of tanks, ambushes of anti-tank defense groups were created. The local population took an active part in the work. Often had to work under artillery fire. In the period from July to September, more than 80 airfields, more than 100 runways and 4 defensive lines were built, with a total length of 1500 km.

At the end of July, the Central and Reserve Fronts were hastily created to defend the Smolensk direction. But not all units of the reserve managed to arrive at the front in time. Of the 48 divisions, only 37 were able to take up positions by the start of hostilities due to the rapid advance of the enemy. In addition, despite the measures taken, the positions of the Soviet troops were not well fortified and the Red Army had to operate on a wide front. Each division had a section 25-30 km wide. In connection with this circumstance, the Wehrmacht generals planned to win an easy victory near Smolensk and start moving towards Moscow in the summer.

The German Army Group Center, which included two armies and two tank groups, opposed the Red Army. Field Marshal F. Bock commanded the enemy troops. The German headquarters planned to break through the Soviet line of defense in three sectors and surround the Soviet units, force them to surrender. Before the troops of the "North" and "Center" groups, the command set the task of encircling the Polotsk-Nevelsk group, consisting of units of the 22nd Army. The main enemy forces were to resist the Smolensk and Mogilev groups of the Red Army.

The Battle of Smolensk lasted from July 10 to September 10, 1941. Powerful tank groups and mobile motorized rifle formations of the Nazi army reached the banks of the Dnieper and Western Dvina and launched an offensive on the central sector of the front. Before the start of the battle of forces, the enemy had a significant advantage in equipment and manpower, despite the fact that part of the Wehrmacht 150 km. The fighting took place in the area from Idritsa and Velikiye Luki in the north to Novgorod-Seversky in the south.

On the first line of defense, 24 Soviet divisions out of 37 that arrived at the front were located. The Soviet soldiers no longer had enough time to build fortifications. Thus began the Battle of Smolensk - the first significant operation of the Red Army in the Great Patriotic War.

The first stage of the Smolensk battle

Conventionally, 4 stages of the Smolensk battle are distinguished. Each stage is distinguished by the special nature of the battles and the tasks facing the warring armies.

In the period from 10 to 20 July, German troops went on the offensive. The enemy broke through the defenses on the Western Front in the area of ​​Mogilev and Vitebsk. The advance detachments of the enemy advanced almost 200 km. The tank group under the command of Heinz Guderian crossed the Dnieper, north and south of Mogilev. The city was surrounded by tank and motorized infantry troops of the enemy.

The fighting was especially fierce in the northeastern sector of the front. The 3rd Panzer Group Goth, with the support of the 16th Army in the Vitebsk region, defeated the 19th Army, commanded by Lieutenant General I.S. Konev. The 57th motorized corps of the enemy defeated the Soviet troops near Nevel. Part of the German units launched an offensive to the east.

Soviet soldiers hardly repelled the powerful attacks of the enemy. Immediately the enemy made significant progress: Nevel was captured on the northern sector of the front. Then the Soviet troops were forced to leave Polotsk. On July 13, the Germans occupied Demidov and Velizh. On July 16, the fascist German army defeated the 25th Corps and occupied Yartsevo, a settlement near Smolensk. At the same time, the commander of the 25th Corps, Major General S. M. Chestokhvalov, was captured.

In the southern sector, Guderian's tank group captured convenient bridgeheads for the assault on Smolensk. On July 17, the Soviet tank corps made an attempt to push the enemy back, but failed. From June 10 to June 16, the encirclement of Mogilev took place.

On June 12, the German tank division of Lieutenant General Model began to move towards the city along the Bobruisk highway, but in the Buinichi area it encountered resistance from the Soviet troops. As a result of a long heavy battle, the enemy was forced to retreat. Soviet fighters destroyed 39 enemy tanks and armored vehicles, they themselves also suffered heavy losses, but did not retreat. The next day, the battle resumed, and the Germans were again driven back.

On July 14, the enemy bypassed Mogilev and captured Chausy. 6 Soviet rifle divisions under the command of Lieutenant General F.N. Remezov were surrounded. The city was completely blocked, but the enemy had to postpone the assault due to the advance of the Soviet army on Bobruisk.

On July 17, the assault on Mogilev began with the forces of Army Group Center. In the plans of the Soviet command, Mogilev was given great importance, so an order was sent from the Headquarters to fight for the city to the last. Street fighting began.

German tank units bypassed Mogilev and captured Yelnya. On July 15, the defense of Smolensk began, which lasted 2 weeks.

On July 16, the Soviet units located in Smolensk were surrounded. Marshal Timoshenko gave an order in which he emphasized that the city should not be surrendered to the enemy in any case. Bridges across the Dnieper were blown up. The defenders stubbornly repulsed the enemy's attempts to force the Dnieper. Communication with the rear was maintained only through the swampy terrain in the Solovyevo area. The Soviet command for a long time did not leave hope to recapture the city.

In order to capture Smolensk as soon as possible, the Germans transferred the 17th Panzer Division from Orsha. In turn, the Soviet command, in order to withdraw troops from the Smolensk "boiler", sent Major General K.K. Rokossovsky to the headquarters of the Western Front. Under his leadership, a counteroffensive was carried out on Smolensk. The group under the command of Rokossovsky managed to recapture the crossings across the Dnieper from the enemy, through which the withdrawal of the defenders of Smolensk from the encirclement began.

Some areas of the city changed hands several times. Fierce battles were fought for every quarter, for every building. The city cemetery changed hands several times. During the battles for Smolensk, both sides suffered significant losses. Indicative is the fact that in just a month only in the 17th German Panzer Division, due to wounds, three commanders were replaced.

The successes of the Soviet army at the first stage of the battle of Smolensk include an attack on Bobruisk. The main forces of the 21st Army, consisting of 3 rifle divisions, went on the offensive in the area of ​​​​Rogachev and Zhlobin and occupied these settlements on the very first day. The 66th Rifle Corps, acting in concert with the main forces, crossed the Dnieper near Streshin. Having made the transition through the swampy terrain, the Soviet troops entered Parichi and took control of the crossing over the Berezina. On July 17, the offensive was stopped. The enemy, having a significant superiority in manpower and equipment, pushed the Soviet units back to the Dnieper. The Red Army managed to retain Rogachev and Zhlobin.

On July 19, the German army occupied Velikie Luki, but on August 21 it was forced to leave the city. The enemy advance has stopped.

Second stage of the battle

The second stage of the Smolensk battle lasted from July 21 to August 7. The Soviet army received significant reinforcements. From the troops of the Front of the reserve armies, operational army groups were created. From the areas of Bely, Yartsev and Roslavl, Soviet troops launched strikes in the direction of Smolensk. The goal of the Soviet troops was to push the enemy back from positions north and south of the city and join forces with the encircled troops.

The main fighting took place in the Yelnya region and in the interfluve of the Dnieper and Berezina. The Soviet troops failed to win, but the enemy, who suffered heavy losses, was forced to go on the defensive. The Germans lost almost 50% of the personnel of the tank units of Army Group Center. The loss of infantry units amounted to about 20% of the wounded and killed.

At the second stage of the operation, it was possible to wrest from the encirclement parts of the 16th and 20th armies, blocked by the Germans near Mogilev. However, the offensive of the Soviet troops did not achieve its goal. The operational army groups were poorly prepared and not strong enough to counteract the reinforced Nazi army. On July 26, Soviet troops left Mogilev, and on July 28 - Smolensk. The actions of 2 rifle and 1 tank divisions of K. K. Rokossovsky contributed to the release of the defenders of Smolensk from the encirclement.

The second stage of the Smolensk battle was also marked by the appointment of a new commander, Georgy Zhukov, who led the defense of the Reserve and Bryansk fronts, created on August 1, 1941.

Third stage

The third stage of the battle of Smolensk lasted from 8 to 21 August. The main battles took place on the Bryansk Front formed on August 16. Lieutenant General A. I. Eremenko was appointed commander of the front.

On August 8, a new offensive of the Nazi troops began. The Red Army units were forced to retreat to the south and southeast. The enemy managed to advance 130-140 km and reach Gomel. There was a threat of defeating the rear and flank of the Southwestern Front.

On July 19, fascist German tank units occupied Yelnya. A ledge was formed that posed a threat to units of the Red Army in the Vyazma direction. Soviet troops repeatedly tried to knock out the enemy and level the front line. The Germans had to replace the tank units with infantry and go on the defensive. The first attacks of the Soviet troops near Yelnya were unsuccessful.

Fourth stage

At the fourth stage of the battle, the fascist German command, after the capture of Smolensk, decided to redirect part of the forces, including the 2nd and 3rd tank groups, to reinforce Army Group North, which was leading the attack on Leningrad. And also reinforcements were provided to Army Group South, which until mid-September carried out the siege of Kyiv. Adolf Hitler insisted on merging Army Group Center with the troops fighting in the south. He believed that the capture of the Crimea and the strategically important industrial regions of Ukraine should have become a priority for the army. As a result of Hitler's order, the further attack on Moscow was carried out by the forces of only infantry divisions.

On August 8, the Dukhovshchinskaya offensive operation began. The 19th Army, Lieutenant General I. S. Konev and the 30th Army, Major General V. A. Khomenko, played a decisive role in the offensive. On the first day, Soviet troops managed to advance only 8-10 km, but the combined actions of the armies contributed to the exit from the encirclement of a group of troops retreating from Grodno.

On August 15, the armies operating in Dukhovshchina received reinforcements. On August 21-22, the enemy tank units made an attempt to counterattack the Soviet troops in the area of ​​​​the villages of Zadnaya and Potelitsa, but were repulsed and suffered heavy losses. According to various reports, anti-tank defense units destroyed about 80 German tanks. As a result of the Dukhovshchina operation, Soviet troops managed to liberate the settlements of Baturino and Yartsevo.

On September 1, the Red Army resumed the offensive near Smolensk, but its actions were not developed.

On September 8, the Yelninskaya operation ended. The enemy suffered significant losses and was forced to go on the defensive at the borders of the Ustrom and Stryan rivers. The capture of the Yelninsky ledge is considered the first significant offensive operation of the Soviet army in the Great Patriotic War.

In the period from 29 to 4 September, the forces of the Soviet Air Force carried out an air operation in the front line, which did not give the expected result due to insufficient coordination of the actions of aviation and ground forces. On September 10, Soviet troops were ordered to go on the defensive.

The results of the Smolensk battle

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the Smolensk battle. The "blitzkrieg" tactics developed at the headquarters of the Wehrmacht failed. The result of the stubborn battles of the Smolensk battle in 1941 was the delay in the advance of the Nazi armies to Moscow. During the two months of the Smolensk battle, the enemy advanced only 150-200 km towards Moscow, while in the first weeks of the offensive the Germans traveled about 600 km. Already in July 1941, the enemy had to use half of the strategic reserve.

The USSR managed to mobilize internal reserves and prepare for the battle near Moscow. Ordinary fighters and military leaders gained valuable experience in offensive battles. The first victories in the Elninsk and Dukhovshchinsky operations raised the morale of the Soviet people in all sectors of the front and in the rear.

However, the tasks assigned to the Soviet troops were not fulfilled. Despite heavy losses, the enemy was not defeated and continued to move towards the capital. The reasons for the failures of the Red Army are the following circumstances:

• counterattacks against enemy armies were often carried out without the necessary preparation;
• the command did not always take into account the weaknesses of the enemy;
• there was no intelligence data;
• armies were not always supplied with ammunition and food in a timely manner.

According to statistical studies, the losses of the armed forces of the Soviet Union amounted to more than 450 thousand people killed and more than 250 thousand wounded. A significant number of Soviet servicemen were captured by the enemy. And also the Red Army lost 1348 tanks, 9290 guns and mortars, 903 aircraft. The total losses of the enemy exceeded 500 thousand people.

Based on the results of the battle, the most distinguished units were awarded the title of Guards. The commander of the 19th Army, I.S. Konev, was promoted to colonel general and appointed commander of the Western Front. Many fighters and officers were awarded military distinctions. 14 people became Heroes of the Soviet Union. The names of the heroes of the Smolensk battle and the partisans are included in the lists kept in the city museum.

During the fighting, which lasted for 2 months, Smolensk and other nearby cities suffered significant damage. On the night of June 28-29, the Nazis launched airstrikes on Smolensk, Vyazma and Roslavl. As a result of the bombing, almost the entire center of Smolensk burned out, almost 600 houses were destroyed. On July 29, the city was captured by the Germans, who established a brutal occupation regime. In the vicinity of Smolensk, the Nazis built several concentration camps, where they killed more than 100 thousand prisoners of war and civilians. Over 80 thousand residents of the city were driven away for forced labor in Germany.

The battle of Smolensk (July 10 - September 10, 1941) is a complex of defensive and offensive measures of the USSR army against the German army during the Great Patriotic War on the territory of Smolensk and its immediate suburbs.

The battle of Smolensk is not a single battle, but a whole complex of several defensive and offensive operations on the territory of the Western Front. In the course of hostilities, not only Smolensk itself suffered, but also other cities surrounding it. The concept of "Battle of Smolensk" usually includes the following operations:

• Defense of Polotsk;
• Defense of Smolensk;
• Bobruisk battle;
• Defense of Mogilev;
• Gomel defensive operation;
• Elninskaya operation;
• Dukhovshchinskaya operation;
• Roslavl-Novozybkovskaya operation;
• Velikolukskoe battle.

The main goal of the Smolensk battle is to prevent the enemy (German troops) from breaking through to the Moscow strategic direction, thereby preventing the Nazis from approaching the capital.

Reasons for the battle of Smolensk

In July 1941, the German command set a task for its army - to surround the Soviet troops that were defending the borders of the Western Dvina and Dnieper, as well as to capture the cities of Vitebsk, Orsha and Smolensk in order to open the way for the troops to Moscow. To accomplish the task, the Center group was formed, which included several German armies, Field Marshal T. Von Bock became the commander-in-chief.

Preparation for the battle of Smolensk

The Soviet command, having learned about the plans of the enemy, began to develop its own defensive operation in order to detain the German troops and prevent them from reaching Moscow. To do this, at the end of June, several Soviet armies were located on the middle reaches of the Dnieper and Dvina, which were later included in the Western Front under the command of Marshal S.K. Timoshenko. Unfortunately, by the beginning of the attack by the German troops, not all divisions managed to take their positions, which led to a serious gap in the Soviet defense. The density of troops was extremely low, which could have a negative impact on the further course of the battles. German troops also reached Smolensk not at full strength, some of them were detained in Belarus, however, despite this, by the time the operation began, the German group "Cent" had more than four times superiority over the Soviet troops of the Western Front. In addition, the Germans were more well prepared technically.

The course of the Smolensk battle

On July 10, 1941, the German offensive began on the right wing and in the center of the Western Front. A group consisting of 13 infantry, 9 tank and 7 motorized divisions was able to break through the Soviet defenses as soon as possible and move towards Mogilev. Soon the city was surrounded, Orsha was captured, and part of Smolensk, Yelnya and Krichev were also captured. Part of the Soviet army ended up in a German encirclement near Smolensk.

On July 21, Soviet troops received long-awaited reinforcements and a counteroffensive was launched in the direction of Smolensk. A number of Soviet troops attacked the German headquarters, a fierce battle began. Despite the fact that it was not possible to defeat the Germans, the centralized offensive of the fascist troops was nevertheless broken, and the troops were forced to switch to defensive tactics instead of offensive ones. Several Soviet armies during this period were combined to create a more effective offensive campaign.

On August 8, the Germans again went on the offensive in the region of the Central and Bryansk fronts. The offensive was designed to secure their own army from the Soviet threat and re-open the opportunity for an offensive. The Soviet army retreated, but this was only a strategic move, designed to strengthen the army and bring up new forces. After the reorganization, on August 17, Soviet troops again attacked the Germans, as a result of which the German army was again pushed back and suffered significant losses.

Battles with varying success for one side or another continued for some time, the German army was losing soldiers and its advantage, even despite small victories. As a result, on September 8, Soviet troops managed to completely eliminate the German offensive and secure Smolensk and the surrounding areas, opening the way to Moscow.

The results of the Smolensk battle

Despite the numerical superiority of the German army and the lack of strength among the Soviet soldiers, the USSR still managed, albeit at the cost of significant losses, to recapture Smolensk and frustrate the further plans of the German command. The Smolensk operation was extremely important for the further course of the war, since the Germans lost the possibility of a direct attack on Moscow, and were forced to turn from attackers into defenders. The swift plan to capture the USSR was thwarted once again.

Thanks to the victory at Smolensk, the Soviet command was able to buy a little more time in order to more thoroughly prepare Moscow for the defense, which was just a matter of time.

The battle of Smolensk in 1941 lasted 2 months (from July 10 to September 10) and became a great achievement in the fight against the fascist occupation. A complex of operations for the offensive and defense of four fronts made it possible to destroy the plans and take time from the army of the Nazi invaders.

Stages, goals of the battle

A large number of German troops surrounded Smolensk, as well as the nearest cities to it. But the Soviet Army managed to gather all its forces and organize the Western Front. Several battles were fought during the defensive operation.

The main clashes took place near Bobruisk, Velikoluksky, Gomel, Dukhovshchinsk, Yelninsk, Mogilev, Polotsk, Smolensk, Roslavl-Novozybkov. The purpose of the whole complex of operations was not to let the enemy go further to Moscow, to give the Soviet army the opportunity to prepare, to organize its defense.

Reasons, preparation

The reasons that served to organize defensive measures were the fact that the German command ordered its army to break through the Western Front at any cost for further rapid advance towards Moscow. From several large armies, a group called "Center" was created, led by Field Marshal Von Bock.

The Soviet command, having revealed Hitler's plans, issued a decree on the preparation of defensive and offensive measures to protect the path to Moscow and push the Germans away from the front line and Smolensk. S. K. Timoshenko was appointed commander of the Western Front, composed of several armies.

The course of the operation, the results

The German army was four times larger than the Soviet one, possessed a large set of equipment, modern weapons, this allowed it to occupy Smolensk for some time. Despite all the obstacles, the task of not letting the enemy go further was completed. Having received reinforcements, the USSR army launched a counteroffensive, which came as a complete surprise to the enemy.

From the moment of the counter-offensive of the Soviet troops, the Germans were forced to turn from the attackers into the defenders. The subsequent reorganization of the USSR army made it possible to create a powerful front. The battles lasted a long time and with varying success, the winners were either one or the other, but in the end the fascist threat in the direction of Moscow and Smolensk was eliminated.

The border location of Smolensk more than once made this city one of the first to take the blow of enemy armies that were rushing into the center of Russia. At the same time, as we know from history, there were quite a lot of wars on the western borders of the Russian state. For this reason, the history of Smolensk has a large number of glorious battle pages.

So in 1941, it was precisely at the walls of Smolensk that Hitler's hopes for a blitzkrieg against the USSR were buried. Having got bogged down in the battle of Smolensk for 2 months, the troops of Army Group Center lost time and strength, which the Germans lacked in the future.

The battle that unfolded near the walls of Smolensk, in the city itself and at a distance from it, went down in the history of the Great Patriotic War as the Battle of Smolensk in 1941. The battle of Smolensk is a whole complex of offensive and defensive operations of the troops of the Western, Central, Reserve and Bryansk fronts against the Nazi invaders (mainly the Army Group Center). The battle lasted from July 10 to September 10. The battle took place on a vast territory: 600-650 km along the front (from Velikie Luki and Idritsa in the north to Loev and Novgorod-Seversky in the south) and 200-250 km in depth.

In July 1941, the German command set the Army Group Center (from 51 to 62.5 divisions at different times, commanded by Field Marshal F. Bock) the task of encircling and destroying the Red Army troops, who were defending along the Western Dvina and Dnieper. The troops of the Army Group "Center" were to capture the cities of Vitebsk, Orsha and Smolensk, thereby opening the way for a further attack on Moscow.

Since the end of June, the Soviet High Command began to concentrate a large mass of troops of the 2nd strategic echelon along the middle reaches of the Dnieper and Western Dvina with the task of occupying the line: Kraslava, Polotsk UR, Vitebsk, Orsha, r. Dnieper to Loev. The troops were supposed to prevent the Germans from breaking through to the central industrial region of the country and to the capital. In depth, at 210-240 km. east of the main line of defense of the Soviet troops on the front from Nelidovo to the area north of Bryansk, the deployment of the 24th and 28th armies (19 divisions) took place. The 16th Army (6 divisions) was deployed directly in the Smolensk region.

On July 10, 1941, the 13th, 19th, 20th, 21st I, 22nd Army (a total of 37 divisions). At the same time, by the beginning of the Smolensk battle, only 24 divisions of Soviet troops managed to arrive at the front from Sebezh to Rechitsa.

At this time, formations of the 2nd and 3rd German tank groups managed to reach the line of the Dnieper and Western Dvina rivers, and the infantry divisions of the 16th German Army, part of the Army Group North, managed to reach the area from Idritsa to Drissa. The 2nd and 9th German field armies of the Center group (more than 30 divisions) were detained by battles on the territory of Belarus and lagged behind the advanced mobile formations by 120-150 km. By the time the battle began in the directions of the main attacks, the Germans managed to create superiority in personnel and military equipment.

The battle of Smolensk in 1941 can be conditionally divided into 4 stages.

Stage 1 of the battle (July 10 - July 20)

At this time, Soviet troops repelled enemy attacks in the center and on the right wing of the Western Front. The 3rd tank group of Germans under the command of Hoth, with the support of the infantry of the 16th field army, was able to dismember the 22nd Soviet army and break the resistance of the 19th army in the Vitebsk region. The Germans captured Polotsk, Nevel, Velizh (July 13), Demidov (July 13) and Dukhovshchina. After that, the remnants of the 22nd Army took up defensive positions on the Lovat River, holding the city of Velikie Luki, and the 19th Army fought back to Smolensk, where, together with units of the 16th Army, they fought for the city.

At the same time, the German 2nd Panzer Group under the command of Guderian completed the encirclement of Soviet troops in the Mogilev region with part of its forces, and captured Orsha with the main forces, partially Smolensk (July 16), Yelnya (July 19) and Krichev. Parts of the 16th and 20th armies were surrounded, part of the forces of the 13th army continued to hold Mogilev, and part retreated across the Sozh River. All this time, the 21st Army was advancing, liberated the cities of Zhlobin and Rogachev, and, advancing on Bobruisk and Vykhov, pinned down the main forces of the 2nd German field army.

2nd stage of the battle (July 21 - August 7)

The troops of the Western Front received reinforcements and proceeded to offensive operations in the area of ​​Bely, Yartsevo, Roslavl with a general direction to Smolensk, and in the south, in the zone of action of the 21st Army, a cavalry group (3 cavalry divisions) began to advance on the flank and rear of the main forces of the German group armies "Center". At this time, the delayed forces of the 9th and 2nd German field armies entered the battle. On July 24, units of the 21st and 13th armies were merged into the Central Front (front commander, Colonel-General F.I. Kuznetsov).

In the course of heavy and stubborn battles, Soviet troops thwarted the offensive of German tank groups, helped units of the 16th and 20th Army fight out of the encirclement beyond the Dnieper, and on July 30 forced Army Group Center on the entire front to go on the defensive. At the same time, the High Command created a new Reserve Front, commanded by General of the Army G.K. Zhukov.

3rd stage (August 8 - August 21)

The main hostilities moved south of the city to the zone, first of the Central, and later of the Bryansk Front, which was created on August 16, Lieutenant General A. I. Eremenko was appointed commander of the front. Here, starting from August 8, Soviet troops repelled the attacks of the 2nd German Army and the 2nd Panzer Group, which, instead of attacking the capital of the USSR, were forced to confront the threat of Soviet units from the south. By August 21, the Germans managed to advance 120-140 km with battles, reaching the line of Gomel, Starodub and wedge between the formations of the Bryansk and Central Fronts.

Due to the threat of a possible encirclement, by decision of the Stavka on August 19, the troops of the Central Front, as well as the troops of the Southwestern Front operating south of them, retreated across the Dnieper River. At the same time, the armies of the Central Front were transferred to the Bryansk Front. And the troops of the Western Front, the 24th and 43rd armies of the Reserve Front on August 17 began to launch counterattacks in the areas of Yelnya and Yartsevo, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy.

4th stage of the battle (August 22 - September 10)

At this time, the troops of the Bryansk Front continued to fight with the 2nd German Army and the 2nd Panzer Group. At the same time, a massive air strike was carried out against the 2nd tank group using the available long-range bomber aircraft. In total, 460 Soviet aircraft participated in the air raids, but they failed to disrupt the offensive of the 2nd Panzer Group in the south. On the right wing of the Western Front, the Germans delivered a powerful tank attack in the defense zone of the 22nd Army and on August 29 captured the city of Toropets. At the same time, the 29th and 22nd armies retreated across the Western Dvina River.

On September 1, the Soviet 16th, 19th, 20th and 30th armies went on the offensive, but did not achieve much success. At the same time, the 24th and 43rd armies of the Reserve Front were able to eliminate the dangerous enemy ledge in the Yelnya area. On September 10, 1941, the troops of the 3rd Soviet fronts received an order to go on the defensive, this date is considered the official date for the end of the Smolensk battle.

Defense of Smolensk

Recently, more and more often in many historical works, which are mostly written off from sources of Western historiography, it is said without any explanation that the Red Army left Smolensk on July 16, 1941. At the same time, the exit of German troops to Smolensk and their entry into the city is by no means identical to its capture. Throughout the day on July 16, the Germans, overcoming the resistance of the Soviet troops and suffering significant losses, fought their way to the center of Smolensk.

By order of the commandant of the city, Colonel P.F. Malyshev, on July 17, sappers blew up bridges across the Dnieper. At the same time, attempts by units from the German 29th Motorized Division to cross the river were repulsed by Soviet units. On July 17-18, there were fierce street battles in the city itself, during which some areas of the city changed hands several times.

At this time, the German command continued to build up forces in the Smolensk region. The 17th Panzer Division of Guderian's 2nd Panzer Group was transferred here from Orsha. At the time of the attack on the Soviet Union, the division was commanded by Lieutenant General Hans-Jurgen von Arnim, but on June 27, during the battle on the outskirts of Shklov, he was seriously wounded and was able to return to command of the division only on July 19.

The general's successors were much less fortunate. The first of them, Major General Johann Shtrikh, was killed in the battle near Orsha on July 7, and the next division commander, Major General Karl Ritter von Weber, was seriously wounded by shrapnel on July 18 in the battle for the southern part of Smolensk, on July 20 he died in the hospital. This fact alone refutes the myth of the small losses of the Wehrmacht in the battles of 1941 - in just a month of fighting, only 3 commanders were knocked out of action in one tank division.

Increasing efforts, the Germans by the morning of July 19 still managed to capture the right-bank part of Smolensk. From the front, the Soviet units, located in the Smolensk "cauldron", pressed the units of the 5th Army Corps, which was advancing along the Vitebsk-Smolensk highway. On July 17, this corps captured Liozno, and on July 20, after a fierce battle, it occupied Rudnya.

However, the Soviet units were not going to leave the city. During July 22-23, fierce battles continued in Smolensk, Soviet troops carried out successful counterattacks, freeing quarter after quarter. At the same time, the Germans stubbornly defended themselves, using flamethrower tanks in battle, which spewed out streaks of flame up to 60 meters long. German aircraft hung continuously in the sky above the Soviet units.

Very strong battles unfolded for the city cemetery, which the units of the 152nd Infantry Division occupied twice (previously, the cemetery was occupied three times by soldiers of the 129th Infantry Division). The battles for the city cemetery and any stone building in Smolensk were stubborn and tense, often turning into hand-to-hand combat, which almost always ended in victory for the Soviet soldiers. The intensity of the fighting in the city was so high that the Germans did not have time to carry away the seriously wounded and killed from the battlefield.

At that moment, a fresh German 8th Army Corps came to the city, which allowed the Nazis to significantly reduce the size of the Smolensk "boiler". In all 3 Soviet divisions that participated in the defense of the city, by this time 200-300 soldiers remained in the ranks, ammunition was running out, and food had completely come to an end. At that moment, the consolidated group under the command of Rokossovsky managed to recapture Yartsevo from the enemy and restore lost control over the crossings across the Dnieper in the area of ​​​​Ratchino and Solovyov. This fact made it possible to begin the withdrawal of formations of the 16th and 19th Soviet armies from the encirclement.

The last units of the 16th Army left Smolensk only on the night of July 29, 1941. All of them left the city with the exception of one battalion from the 152nd Infantry Division, commanded by the senior political instructor Turovsky. This battalion was supposed to cover the withdrawal of the main forces of the Soviet troops from the city and, by their active actions, simulate the presence in Smolensk of the bulk of the troops. In the future, the remnants of this battalion switched to conducting partisan operations.

Results of the battle

During the Battle of Smolensk, the troops showed mass heroism and unprecedented stamina. Thousands of soldiers and officers were awarded orders and medals, 14 people became Heroes of the Soviet Union. The population of the city and the region also provided invaluable assistance to the Soviet troops. About 300,000 residents of the Smolensk region worked on the creation of defensive positions on the Western Front alone. In addition, 26 fighter battalions and militia brigades were formed from among the volunteers in the Smolensk region.

Also near Smolensk, the guard was revived. At the final stage of the battle during the liquidation of the Yelnin ledge, the Soviet guard was born. The first four rifle divisions (100th, 127th, 153rd, 161st), which especially distinguished themselves in battles with the Nazi invaders, were awarded the title of "Guards". This title has become a pride for all soldiers and officers of the Red Army. In the future, all parts of the active army tried to earn this title.

The battle of Smolensk in July-September 1941 was an important stage in the disruption of the German blitzkrieg plan against the USSR. With their heroic actions and at the cost of great sacrifices, the Soviet units stopped the Army Group Center and forced it to go on the defensive in the Moscow direction at the end of July 1941. The Soviet troops managed to tie down the main forces of the 3rd Panzer Group, which was planned to be used to attack Leningrad. As early as July 1941, the fascist German command had to use half of its own strategic reserve (10.5 out of 24 divisions) to reinforce its Army Group Center.

It is worth noting that the price paid by the parties in the battle of Smolensk was quite high. Soviet irretrievable losses amounted to 468.171 people, sanitary - 273.803 people. German losses were also significant. According to them, by the end of August 1941, only the tank and motorized divisions had lost half of their materiel and personnel, and the total losses amounted to about 500 thousand people. In the battle of Smolensk, the soldiers of the Red Army managed to gain that experience, without which it was very difficult to fight against a strong and organized enemy.

Battle of Smolensk - defensive and offensive actions July 10 - September 10, 1941 at the first stage of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. against the German troops of Army Group Center.

In the central direction, the German command (Field Marshal F. Bock) set a strategic task in July 1941 - to surround the Soviet troops and open their way to Moscow. To repulse the enemy, the Headquarters of the High Command of the Armed Forces of the USSR concentrated from the end of June most of the troops of the 2nd strategic echelon along the middle course of the Western. Dvina and Dnieper with the task of preventing the enemy from breaking through to the center, regions of the country and to Moscow.

The German army began the offensive in the Smolensk direction, having a significant advantage over the troops of the Western. front (Marshal S. K. Timoshenko) in manpower, artillery and other military equipment. As a result of the stubborn resistance of the soldiers of the Red Army, military operations developed with varying success. On July 10-20, the 16th, 20th and 22nd Soviet armies were surrounded, but the troops of the Western. front, having received reinforcements, thwarted the German offensive, helped these armies get out of the encirclement and forced the enemy to go on the defensive. In August, the center of hostilities shifted to the Center strip. (Colonel General F. I. Kuznetsov) and Bryansk (Lieutenant General A. I. Eremenko) fronts, whose forces were torn apart by the enemy and were forced to withdraw beyond the Dnieper due to the threat of encirclement. However, on August 17, the troops of the Zap. front, the 24th and 43rd armies of the Reserve Front (General of the Army G.K. Zhukov) went on the offensive and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy in the area of ​​Yartsevo and Yelnya. Under new blows from the German armies at the end of August, the troops of the Western, Reserve and Bryansk fronts were forced on September 10 to go on the defensive.

The battle of Smolensk was an important stage in the disruption of Hitler's plan for a lightning war against the USSR (see "Barbarossa" plan), although Smolensk was taken by the Germans on July 16-29. However, with heroic resistance and at the cost of heavy losses, the Red Army exhausted the enemy (10.5 divisions out of 24) and forced him to suspend the offensive in the center towards Moscow and in the northwest towards Leningrad.

Orlov A.S., Georgiev N.G., Georgiev V.A. Historical dictionary. 2nd ed. M., 2012, p. 473.

Battle of Smolensk (Great Patriotic War, 1941-1945). Fighting in the Smolensk region between Soviet and German troops July 10 - September 10, 1941

On July 10, Army Group Center (Field Marshal F. Bock) launched an offensive against the Western Front (Marshal S.K. Timoshenko). The Germans had a twofold superiority in manpower and fourfold in tanks. Using tank pincers, the German command achieved a new major success.

By July 16, the 2nd Panzer Group of the Germans (General X. Guderian), having advanced 100-150 km, broke into Smolensk from the south. At the same time, the 3rd Panzer Group (General G. Goth) advanced east to Yartsev and, turning south, connected to the west of Smolensk with the advanced units of the 2nd Panzer Group. As a result, the 16th (General M.F. Lukin) and 20th (General P.A. Kurochkin) armies were surrounded to the north of the city. In the "bag" was, according to German data, 180 thousand people. However, the encircled troops did not lay down their arms and fought for another ten days, including in Smolensk itself.

To strengthen the Smolensk direction at the end of July, the Central (General F.I. Kuznetsov) and Reserve (General G.K. Zhukov) fronts were formed. In order to liberate the encircled troops, from July 21 to August 7, the Soviet command launched a series of strong counterattacks from the Bely, Yartsev and Roslavl regions in converging directions to Smolensk. In the southern direction of the Western Front, in the region of Gomel and Bobruisk, the 21st Army (General V.I. Kuznetsov) conducted successful offensive operations, pinning down the forces of three German corps.

The Germans, at the cost of enormous efforts, held the front and prevented the Soviet troops from breaking through to Smolensk. And yet, some units managed to break out of the encirclement. Having suffered heavy losses in these battles (250 thousand people), the Germans were unable to continue the offensive. By the end of July, Army Group Center lost up to 20% of infantry personnel and up to 50% of tank equipment. On July 30, for the first time since the beginning of the war against the USSR, German troops received an order to go on the defensive in the Smolensk direction. The final liquidation of the troops encircled near Smolensk was completed on August 5.

During this period, for the first time, serious disagreements arose in the top leadership of Germany. The command of the ground forces was in favor of continuing the offensive against the capital of the USSR. However, Hitler, who did not achieve a quick breakthrough to Moscow through Smolensk, decided to stop the offensive in the central direction and turn part of the forces of Army Group Center to the Left-Bank Ukraine (see Kiev operation II). According to the new Nazi plan, part of the forces of Army Group Center (2nd Army and 2nd Panzer Group), operating in the Moscow direction, were to turn south in order to encircle the troops of the Southwestern Front in Left-Bank Ukraine.

In August, the main fighting moved south of Smolensk, where the Central and Bryansk (General A.I. Eremenko) fronts held back the German onslaught on Ukraine. But they could not hold back the tank formations of General Guderian. Having broken through the positions of the Bryansk Front, German tanks rushed to the expanses of the Left-Bank Ukraine. Near Smolensk, the battles went on with varying success. In early September, Soviet troops delivered a counterattack to the Germans near Yelnya - this is one of the first successful offensive operations of the Red Army (see Yelnya). But the Soviet troops did not succeed in exploiting their success and hitting the rear of the German units, rushing from the north to Ukraine. On September 10, the Red Army went on the defensive in the Smolensk direction.

The battle for Smolensk contrasted sharply with the June catastrophe of the Red Army in Belorussia. If in the first two weeks of the war the Army Group Center advanced 500-600 km, then in the next two months - only 150-200 km. This once again demonstrated that the Germans failed to encircle and destroy the main forces of the Red Army west of the Dnieper in accordance with the Barbarossa plan. The plans of the German command have changed. He had to abandon the rapid capture of Moscow and look for new solutions.

“It became quite obvious that the way of warfare and the morale of the enemy, as well as the geographical conditions of this country, were completely different from those that the Germans had met in previous “lightning wars”, which led to successes that astonished the whole world, ”- wrote the Chief of the General Staff of the Ground Forces Germany, General F. Halder. According to a number of German military leaders, the delay near Smolensk had a negative impact on the entire further course of the German struggle against the USSR. The losses of the Red Army in the battle of Smolensk amounted to about 760 thousand people. (of which more than a third were prisoners). 1348 tanks, 9290 guns and mortars, 903 aircraft.

Used materials of the book: Nikolai Shefov. Russian battles. Military History Library. M., 2002.