On June 22, 1941, at 4 o'clock in the morning, fascist Germany treacherously invaded the USSR without declaring war. This attack ended the chain of aggressive actions of Nazi Germany, which, thanks to the connivance and instigation of the Western powers, grossly violated elementary norms international law resorted to predatory seizures and monstrous atrocities in the occupied countries.
In accordance with the plan "Barbarossa" fascist offensive began on a broad front with several factions in various directions. The army was stationed in the north "Norway" advancing on Murmansk and Kandalaksha; from East Prussia an army group was advancing on the Baltic states and Leningrad "North"; most powerful army group "Centre" had the goal of defeating units of the Red Army in Belorussia, capturing Vitebsk-Smolensk and taking Moscow on the move; army group "South" was concentrated from Lublin to the mouth of the Danube and led the attack on Kyiv - Donbass. The plans of the Nazis boiled down to delivering a surprise strike in these areas, destroying border and military units, breaking through to the rear, capturing Moscow, Leningrad, Kyiv and the most important industrial centers. southern regions countries.
The command of the German army expected to end the war in 6-8 weeks.
190 enemy divisions, about 5.5 million soldiers, up to 50 thousand guns and mortars, 4300 tanks, almost 5 thousand aircraft and about 200 warships were thrown into the offensive against the Soviet Union.
The war began in exceptionally favorable conditions for Germany. Before the attack on the USSR, Germany captured almost all of Western Europe, whose economy worked for the Nazis. Therefore, Germany had a powerful material and technical base.
Germany's military products were supplied by 6500 largest enterprises countries Western Europe. More than 3 million foreign workers were involved in the military industry. In Western European countries, the Nazis looted a lot of weapons, military equipment, trucks, wagons and locomotives. The military and economic resources of Germany and its allies greatly exceeded those of the USSR. Germany fully mobilized its army, as well as the armies of its allies. Most of the German army was concentrated near the borders of the Soviet Union. In addition, imperialist Japan threatened an attack from the East, which diverted a significant part of the Soviet Armed Forces for defense. eastern borders countries. In the theses of the Central Committee of the CPSU "50 years of the Great October socialist revolution» an analysis of the reasons for the temporary failures of the Red Army in initial period war. They are connected with the fact that the Nazis used temporary advantages:
- the militarization of the economy and the whole life of Germany;
- lengthy preparations for a war of conquest and more than two years of experience in conducting military operations in the West;
- superiority in armament and the number of troops concentrated in advance in the border zones.
They had at their disposal the economic and military resources of almost all of Western Europe. The miscalculations made in determining the possible timing of an attack by Nazi Germany on our country and the related omissions in preparing to repulse the first blows played their role. There were reliable concentration data German troops near the borders of the USSR and the preparation of Germany for an attack on our country. However, the troops of the western military districts were not brought to a state of full combat readiness.
All these reasons put the Soviet country in a difficult position. However, the enormous difficulties of the initial period of the war did not break fighting spirit The Red Army did not shake the resilience of the Soviet people. From the first days of the attack, it became clear that the blitzkrieg plan had collapsed. Accustomed to easy wins over Western countries whose governments betrayed their people to be torn to pieces by the occupiers, the Nazis met stubborn resistance from the Soviet Armed Forces, border guards and the entire Soviet people. The war lasted 1418 days. Groups of border guards bravely fought on the border. The garrison covered itself with unfading glory Brest Fortress. The defense of the fortress was led by Captain I. N. Zubachev, regimental commissar E. M. Fomin, major P. M. Gavrilov and others. (In total, about 200 rams were made during the war years). On June 26, the crew of Captain N.F. Gastello (A.A. Burdenyuk, G.N. Skorobogaty, A.A. Kalinin) crashed into a column of enemy troops on a burning plane. Hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers from the first days of the war showed examples of courage and heroism.
Lasted two months Smolensk battle
. Born here near Smolensk soviet guard. The battle in the Smolensk region delayed the enemy advance until mid-September 1941.
During the Battle of Smolensk, the Red Army thwarted the plans of the enemy. Delaying the enemy advance central direction was the first strategic success of the Soviet troops.
The leading and directing force for the defense of the country and the preparation of destruction Nazi troops became the Communist Party. From the first days of the war, the Party took urgent measures to organize a rebuff to the aggressor, carried out a huge amount of work to restructure all work on a war footing, to turn the country into a single military camp.
“For a real war,” wrote V. I. Lenin, “a strong organized rear is necessary. The most best army, the people most devoted to the cause of the revolution will be immediately exterminated by the enemy if they are not sufficiently armed, supplied with food, and trained ”(V. I. Lenin, Poln. sobr. soch., vol. 35, p. 408).
These Leninist instructions formed the basis for organizing the struggle against the enemy. June 22, 1941 on behalf of the Soviet government with a message about a "robber" attack Nazi Germany and a call to fight the enemy was made on the radio by the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR V. M. Molotov. On the same day, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was adopted on the introduction of martial law on European territory USSR, as well as the Decree on the mobilization of a number of ages in 14 military districts. On June 23, the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR adopted a resolution on the tasks of party and Soviet organizations in war conditions. On June 24, the Evacuation Council was formed, and on June 27, by a decree of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR "On the procedure for the export and placement of human contingents and valuable property", the procedure for the evacuation of productive forces and the population in eastern regions. In the directive of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks and the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR of June 29, 1941 to party and Soviet organizations frontline areas were outlined critical tasks to mobilize all forces and means to defeat the enemy.
“... In the war with fascist Germany imposed on us,” this document said, “the question of life and death is being decided Soviet state about whether the peoples of the Soviet Union should be free or fall into enslavement. Central Committee and Soviet government urged to realize the depth of the danger, to reorganize all work on a military basis, to organize comprehensive assistance to the front, to increase the production of weapons, ammunition, tanks, aircraft in every possible way, in the event of a forced withdrawal of the Red Army, to export all valuable property, and what cannot be removed - to destroy, in the areas occupied by the enemy organize partisan detachments. On July 3, the main provisions of the directive were outlined in a radio speech by IV Stalin. The directive determined the nature of the war, the degree of threat and danger, set the tasks of turning the country into a single military camp, strengthening the Armed Forces in every possible way, restructuring the work of the rear on a military basis, and mobilizing all forces to repulse the enemy. On June 30, 1941, an emergency body was created to quickly mobilize all the forces and means of the country to repel and defeat the enemy - State Defense Committee (GKO) headed by I. V. Stalin. All power in the country, state, military and economic leadership was concentrated in the hands of the State Defense Committee. It united the activities of all state and military institutions, party, trade union and Komsomol organizations.
Under war conditions, the restructuring of the entire economy on a war footing was of paramount importance. approved at the end of June "Mobilization national economic plan for the III quarter of 1941", and on August 16 "The military economic plan for the IV quarter of 1941 and for 1942 for the regions of the Volga region, the Urals, Western Siberia, Kazakhstan and Central Asia ". In just five months of 1941, more than 1360 large military enterprises were relocated and about 10 million people were evacuated. Even according to bourgeois experts industry evacuation in the second half of 1941 and early 1942 and its deployment in the East should be considered among the most amazing feats of the peoples of the Soviet Union during the war. The evacuated Kramatorsk plant was launched 12 days after arriving at the site, Zaporozhye - after 20. By the end of 1941, the Urals produced 62% of iron and 50% of steel. In scope and significance, it was equal to the biggest battles wartime. perestroika National economy in a military way was completed by mid-1942.
The Party did a great deal of organizational work in the army. In accordance with the decision of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, on July 16, 1941, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a decree "On the reorganization of political propaganda bodies and the introduction of the institution of military commissars". From July 16 in the Army, and from July 20 to Navy introduced the institution of military commissars. During the second half of 1941, up to 1.5 million communists and more than 2 million Komsomol members were mobilized into the army (up to 40% of the total composition of the party was sent to active army). Prominent party leaders L. I. Brezhnev, A. A. Zhdanov, A. S. Shcherbakov, M. A. Suslov and others were sent to party work in the army.
August 8, 1941 Supreme Commander I. V. Stalin was appointed by all the Armed Forces of the USSR. In order to concentrate all the functions of managing military operations, the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief was formed. Hundreds of thousands of communists and Komsomol members went to the front. About 300 thousand of the best representatives of the working class and intelligentsia of Moscow and Leningrad joined the ranks of the people's militia.
Meanwhile, the enemy stubbornly rushed to Moscow, Leningrad, Kyiv, Odessa, Sevastopol and other important industrial centers countries. important place in the plans of fascist Germany, he relied on the international isolation of the USSR. However, from the very first days of the war, an anti-Hitler coalition began to take shape. Already on June 22, 1941, the British government announced its support for the USSR in the fight against fascism, and on July 12 signed an agreement on joint actions against Nazi Germany. On August 2, 1941, US President F. Roosevelt announced economic support for the Soviet Union. September 29, 1941 gathered in Moscow tri-power conference(USSR, USA and England), which developed a plan for Anglo-American assistance in the fight against the enemy. Hitler's calculation for the international isolation of the USSR failed. On January 1, 1942, a declaration of 26 states was signed in Washington anti-Hitler coalition about the use of all the resources of these countries for the struggle against the German bloc. However, the allies were in no hurry to provide effective assistance aimed at defeating fascism, trying to weaken the belligerents.
By October fascist german invaders, despite the heroic resistance of our troops, we managed to approach Moscow from three sides, while simultaneously launching an offensive on the Don, in the Crimea, near Leningrad. Heroically defended Odessa and Sevastopol. September 30, 1941 German command begins the first, and in November - the second general offensive against Moscow. The Nazis managed to occupy Klin, Yakhroma, Naro-Fominsk, Istra and other cities of the Moscow region. Soviet troops fought a heroic defense of the capital, showing examples of courage and heroism. The 316th rifle division of General Panfilov fought to the death in fierce battles. A partisan movement unfolded behind enemy lines. About 10 thousand partisans fought near Moscow alone. On December 5-6, 1941, Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive near Moscow. At the same time, offensive operations were launched in the Western, Kalinin and Southwestern fronts. The powerful offensive of the Soviet troops in the winter of 1941/42 drove the fascists back in a number of places at a distance of up to 400 km from the capital and was their first major defeat in the Second World War.
Main result Moscow battle consisted in the fact that the strategic initiative was wrested from the hands of the enemy and the blitzkrieg plan failed. The defeat of the Germans near Moscow was a decisive turn in the military operations of the Red Army and had big influence throughout the course of the war.
By the spring of 1942, the production of military products was established in the eastern regions of the country. By the middle of the year, most of the evacuated enterprises were deployed in new places. The transfer of the country's economy to a military footing was largely completed. In the rear - in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Siberia, the Urals - there were more than 10 thousand industrial construction projects.
Instead of men who went to the front, women and youth came to the machines. Despite the very difficult living conditions Soviet people worked selflessly to ensure victory at the front. They worked one and a half to two shifts to restore industry and supply the front with everything necessary. All-Union socialist competition developed widely, the winners of which were awarded Red Banner GKO. In 1942 agricultural workers organized overplanned crops for the defense fund. The collective farm peasantry supplied the front and rear with food and industrial raw materials.
The situation in the temporarily occupied regions of the country was exceptionally difficult. The Nazis plundered cities and villages, mocked the civilian population. At the enterprises, German officials were appointed to oversee the work. The best lands were selected for farms for German soldiers. In all occupied settlements, German garrisons were kept at the expense of the population. However, economic and social politics fascists, which they tried to carry out in the occupied territories, immediately failed. Soviet people, brought up on the ideas of the Communist Party, believed in victory Soviet country, did not succumb to Hitler's provocations and demagogy.
Winter offensive of the Red Army in 1941/42 dealt a powerful blow to fascist Germany, to its military machine, but the Nazi army was still strong. Soviet troops fought stubborn defensive battles.
In this situation, the nationwide struggle played an important role. Soviet people behind enemy lines, especially partisan movement.
Thousands of Soviet people went to partisan detachments. A partisan war developed widely in the Ukraine, in Belorussia and in the Smolensk region, in the Crimea and in a number of other places. In cities and villages temporarily occupied by the enemy, underground party and Komsomol organizations operated. In accordance with the resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks of July 18, 1941 No. "On the organization of the struggle in the rear German troops» 3500 were created partisan detachments and groups, 32 underground regional committees, 805 city committees and district party committees, 5429 primary party organizations, 10 regional, 210 inter-district city and 45 thousand primary Komsomol organizations. To coordinate the actions of partisan detachments and underground groups with units of the Red Army by decision of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks on May 30, 1942 at Headquarters Supreme High Command was created central headquarters partisan movement. Headquarters for the leadership of the partisan movement were formed in Belarus, Ukraine and other republics and regions occupied by the enemy.
After the defeat near Moscow and the winter offensive of our troops Hitler's command was preparing a new major offensive with the aim of capturing all the southern regions of the country (Crimea, North Caucasus, Don) up to the Volga, capturing Stalingrad and tearing Transcaucasia from the center of the country. This posed an exceptionally serious threat to our country.
By the summer of 1942, the international environment, characterized by the strengthening of the anti-Hitler coalition. In May - June 1942, agreements were signed between the USSR, Britain and the USA on an alliance in the war against Germany and on post-war cooperation. In particular, an agreement was reached on the opening in 1942 in Europe second front against Germany, which would have greatly accelerated the defeat of fascism. But the allies in every possible way delayed its opening. Taking advantage of this fascist command transferred divisions from the Western Front to the Eastern. By the spring of 1942, the Nazi army had 237 divisions, massive aviation, tanks, artillery and other types of equipment for a new offensive.
intensified Leningrad blockade, almost daily subjected to artillery fire. Captured in May Kerch Strait. On July 3, the High Command gave the order heroic defenders Sevastopol to leave the city after a 250-day defense, since it was not possible to keep the Crimea. As a result of the defeat of the Soviet troops in the area of Kharkov and the Don, the enemy reached the Volga. Created in July Stalingrad Front received heavy blows from the enemy. Retreating with heavy fighting, our troops inflicted huge damage adversary. In parallel, the fascist offensive was going on in the North Caucasus, where Stavropol, Krasnodar, Maykop were occupied. In the Mozdok area, the Nazi offensive was suspended.
The main battles unfolded on the Volga. The enemy sought to capture Stalingrad at any cost. The heroic defense of the city was one of the brightest pages Patriotic War. The working class, women, old people, teenagers - the entire population rose to the defense of Stalingrad. Despite the mortal danger, the workers of the tractor factory daily sent tanks to the front lines. In September, fighting broke out in the city for every street, for every house.
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The Great Patriotic War
Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 -
The liberation war of the Soviet people against Nazi Germany and its allies (Hungary, Italy, Romania, Finland); essential partWorld War 2 .
Germany began direct preparations for an attack on the USSR in 1940 (plan "Barbarossa "). Together with the European allies, Germany concentrated 191.5 divisions to attack the USSR; enemy forces numbered 5.5 million people, about 4.3 thousand tanks and assault guns, 47.2 thousand guns and mortars, about 5 thousand combat aircraft, 192 ships. Germany planned a "lightning war" ("blitzkrieg") against the USSR.
The efforts of the USSR in the 30s to create a system collective security were not successful. The non-aggression pact with Germany (August 1939) made it possible to delay the start of the war. However, the secret protocols signed at the same time, as well as at the conclusion in September 1939 of the friendship and border treaty with Germany, were incompatible with the norms of international law and undermined the prestige of the country. The country's defense capability was undermined by the socio-economic policy pursued by the totalitarian regime, mass repression, which also included military personnel, as well as major miscalculations in military development, in determining the probable timing of the start of the war, the main fault of which lies withI. V. Stalin and his immediate environment. By June 1941 the Red Army had 187 divisions; it included approx. 3 million people, more than 38 thousand guns and mortars, 13.1 thousand tanks, 8.7 thousand combat aircraft; in the Northern, Baltic and Black Sea Fleet there were 182 ships and 1.4 thousand combat aircraft. Soviet troops were not fully equipped personnel, tanks, aircraft, anti-aircraft weapons, vehicles, engineering equipment; troops and command staff had low level preparation.
June, 22 1941 Nazi Germany treacherously attacked the USSR.
strategic initiative and air supremacy. Border battles and the initial period of the war (until mid-July) generally led to the defeat of the Red Army. " src="scin/ref.gif" size="4" type="image">
the Headquarters of the High Command was created (since August 8 - the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command).military disaster Soviet troops in Ukraine, the defense of Odessa, the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol, the loss of Donbass, the defensive period of the Moscow battle. The enemy was stopped in the main directions near Leningrad, Moscow and Rostov and went on the defensive. " src="scin/ref.gif" size="1" type="image">
The winter campaign of 1941-42 began with a counteroffensive of the Soviet troops in the western strategic direction.
In the winter campaign of 1942-43, the main military events were the Stalingrad and North Caucasian offensive operations, the breaking of the blockade of Leningrad.
favorable conditions to complete the Allied offensive in North Africa, Sicily and Southern Italy. " src="scin/ref.gif" size="8" type="image">
In the summer-autumn campaign of 1943, the Battle of Kursk was the decisive event.
Important role partisans played (operation " src="scin/ref.gif" size="8" type="image">
An important stage in the development of international and inter-allied relations was Tehran conference (November 28 - the 1st of December 1943).
During the winter campaign of 1943-44, the Red Army carried out an offensive in Ukraine (10 simultaneous and consecutive front-line operations united by a common plan), completed the defeat of Army Group South, reached the border with Romania and transferred fighting to her territory. Leningrad was finally released. As a result Crimean operation liberated Crimea.
In June 1944, the Allies opened a 2nd front in France, which worsened Germany's military and political situation.
August 9 1945 The USSR, fulfilling allied obligations, began military operations against Japan. During Manchurian operation Soviet troops defeated Kwantung Army, freed South Sakhalin and Kurile Islands. September 2 1945 Japan signed the Act of Unconditional Surrender.
May 9, 1945 at 0:43 Moscow time, the act of unconditional surrender of Germany was signed.
For those who want to know more:
The main periods of the Great Patriotic War.
Plan
1. USSR on the eve of the war. Periodization of the Great Patriotic War.
2. The beginning of the Great Patriotic War: the causes of the military catastrophe in the initial period of the war.
3. A radical change in the war. Stalingrad and Kursk battles.
4. Victories of the Red Army at the final stage of the war (1944-1945).
5. Results and lessons of the Great Patriotic War.
Key Concepts and terms: war, revanchism, the policy of appeasement of the aggressor, the system of collective security, Munich agreement, Anschluss, fascism, Nazism, fascist aggression, anti-fascist coalition, « strange war», blitzkrieg, second front, partisan movement, lend-lease, strategic initiative, radical change
At dawn on June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union. On the German side were Romania, Hungary, Italy and Finland. The grouping of the aggressor's troops consisted of 5.5 million people, 190 divisions, 5,000 aircraft, about 4,000 tanks and self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS), 47,000 guns and mortars.
In accordance with the Barbarossa plan developed in 1940, Germany planned to the shortest time(in 6-10 weeks) to reach the line Arkhangelsk - Volga - Astrakhan. It was a setup for blitzkrieg - lightning war. Thus began the Great Patriotic War.
The main periods of the Great Patriotic War.
First period (June 22, 1941 - November 18, 1942) from the beginning of the war to the beginning of the offensive of the Soviet troops near Stalingrad. It was the most difficult period for the USSR.
Having created multiple superiority in people and military equipment in the main directions of the offensive, the German army has achieved significant success. By the end of November 1941, the Soviet troops, having retreated under the blows of superior enemy forces to Leningrad, Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, left the enemy vast territory, lost about 5 million people killed, missing and captured, most of the tanks and aircraft.
The main efforts of the Nazi troops in the fall of 1941 were aimed at capturing Moscow. The battle for Moscow lasted from September 30, 1941 to April 20, 1942. On December 5-6, 1941, the Red Army went on the offensive, the enemy's defense front was broken through. Fascist troops were pushed back from Moscow by 100-250 km. The plan to capture Moscow failed, lightning war did not take place in the east.
The victory near Moscow was of great international importance. Japan and Turkey refrained from entering the war against the USSR. The increased prestige of the USSR on the world stage contributed to the creation of an anti-Hitler coalition. However, in the summer of 1942, due to mistakes Soviet leadership(primarily Stalin) The Red Army suffered a number of major defeats in the North-West, near Kharkov and in the Crimea. German- fascist troops went to the Volga - Stalingrad and the Caucasus. The stubborn defense of the Soviet troops in these areas, as well as the transfer of the country's economy to a military footing, the creation of a well-coordinated military economy, the deployment of a partisan movement behind enemy lines prepared the necessary conditions for the transition of Soviet troops to the offensive.
Second period (November 19, 1942 - late 1943)- a turning point in the war. Having exhausted and bled the enemy in defensive battles, on November 19, 1942, Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive, surrounding 22 fascist divisions near Stalingrad, numbering more than 300 thousand people. On February 2, 1943, this grouping was liquidated. At the same time, enemy troops were expelled from the North Caucasus. By the summer of 1943, the Soviet-German front had stabilized.
Using the configuration of the front that was favorable for them, on July 5, 1943, the fascist troops went on the offensive near Kursk in order to regain the strategic initiative and encircle the Soviet grouping of troops on the Kursk Bulge. During fierce battles, the enemy offensive was stopped. On August 23, 1943, Soviet troops liberated Orel, Belgorod, Kharkov, reached the Dnieper, and on November 6, 1943, Kyiv was liberated.
During the summer-autumn offensive, half of the enemy divisions were defeated, and significant territories of the Soviet Union were liberated. Decay has begun fascist bloc, in 1943 Italy withdrew from the war.
1943 was a year of a radical change not only in the course of hostilities on the fronts, but also in work Soviet rear. Thanks to the selfless work of the home front, by the end of 1943, an economic victory over Germany was won. The military industry in 1943 gave the front 29.9 thousand aircraft, 24.1 thousand tanks, 130.3 thousand guns of all kinds. This was more than Germany produced in 1943. The Soviet Union in 1943 surpassed Germany in the production of the main types of military equipment and weapons.
Third period (late 1943 - May 8, 1945)- the final period of the Great Patriotic War. In 1944 Soviet economy reached the highest rise in all wartime. Successfully developed industry, transport, Agriculture. War production grew especially rapidly. The production of tanks and self-propelled guns in 1944 increased from 24,000 to 29,000 compared to 1943, and combat aircraft, from 30,000 to 33,000 units. From the beginning of the war to 1945, about 6 thousand enterprises were put into operation.
1944 was marked by the victories of the Soviet Armed Forces. The entire territory of the USSR was completely liberated from the fascist invaders. The Soviet Union came to the aid of the peoples of Europe - the Soviet Army liberated Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, fought its way to Norway. Romania and Bulgaria declared war on Germany. Finland left the war.
Successful offensive action The Soviet Army pushed the allies on June 6, 1944 to open a second front in Europe - Anglo-American troops under the command of General D. Eisenhower (1890-1969) landed in northern France, in Normandy. But the Soviet-German front still remained the main and most active front of World War II.
During the winter offensive of 1945, the Soviet Army pushed the enemy back more than 500 km. Poland, Hungary and Austria were almost completely liberated, East End Czechoslovakia. The Soviet Army reached the Oder (60 km from Berlin). April 25, 1945 happened historic meeting Soviet troops with American and British troops on the Elbe, in the Torgau region.
The fighting in Berlin was exceptionally fierce and stubborn. On April 30, the banner of Victory was hoisted over the Reichstag. On May 8, the act of unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany was signed. May 9th became Victory Day.
From July 17 to August 2, 1945 took place Third Conference of the Heads of Government of the USSR, USA and Great Britain in the suburbs of Berlin - Potsdam, which took important decisions on the post-war order of the world in Europe, the German problem and other issues. On June 24, 1945, the Victory Parade took place on Red Square in Moscow.
The victory of the USSR over Nazi Germany was not only political and military, but also economic. This is evidenced by the fact that in the period from July 1941 to August 1945, the USSR produced significantly more military equipment and weapons than in Germany. Here are the specific data (thousand pieces):
This economic victory in the war was made possible by the fact that the Soviet Union managed to create a better economic organization and achieve more effective use all its resources.
War with Japan. End of World War II. However, the end of hostilities in Europe did not mean the end of World War II. In accordance with the agreement in principle in Yalta (February 1945 G.) On August 8, 1945, the Soviet government declared war on Japan. Soviet troops launched offensive operations on a front stretching over 5,000 km. Geographic and climatic conditions in which the fighting took place were extremely complex. The advancing Soviet troops had to overcome the ridges of the Greater and Lesser Khingan and the East Manchurian mountains, deep and turbulent rivers, waterless deserts, and impenetrable forests. But despite these difficulties Japanese troops were destroyed.
In the course of stubborn fighting in 23 days, Soviet troops liberated Northeast China, North Korea, the southern part of Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands. 600 thousand enemy soldiers and officers were captured, captured a large number of weapons and military equipment. Under the blows of the armed forces of the USSR and its allies in the war (primarily the United States, England, China), Japan capitulated on September 2, 1945. Went to the Soviet Union southern part Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands.
United States, dropping 6 and 9 August atomic bombs Hiroshima and Nagasaki, marked the beginning of a new nuclear era.
Thus, the Great Patriotic War was an important integral part World War II. Soviet people and its Armed Forces bore the main burden of this war on their shoulders and achieved a historic victory over Nazi Germany and its allies. Members of the anti-Hitler coalition made their significant contribution to the victory over the forces of fascism and militarism. Main lesson World War II consists in the fact that the prevention of war requires the unity of action of peace-loving forces. In the period leading up to World War II, it could have been prevented. Many countries and public organizations tried to do this, but the unity of action was never achieved.
Questions for self-examination
1. Tell us about the main periods of the Great Patriotic War.
The opposition of the Russian people to the aggression of Germany and other countries seeking to establish a "new world order". This war became a battle between two opposing civilizations, in which the Western world set as its goal the complete destruction of Russia - the USSR as a state and nation, the seizure of a significant part of its territories and the formation of puppet regimes subject to Germany in the rest of its parts. The Judeo-Masonic regimes of the USA and England, who saw Hitler as an instrument for the implementation of their plans for world domination and the destruction of Russia, pushed Germany to war against Russia.
On June 22, 1941, the German armed forces, consisting of 103 divisions, including 10 tank divisions, invaded Russia. Total population they numbered five and a half million people, of which more than 900 thousand were military personnel of the Western allies of Germany - Italians, Spaniards, French, Dutch, Finns, Romanians, Hungarians, etc. This treacherous Western International was given 4300 tanks and assault guns, 4980 combat aircraft, 47,200 guns and mortars.
The Russian armed forces of five western border military districts and three fleets opposing the aggressor were twice as inferior to the enemy in manpower, and in the first echelon of our armies there were only 56 rifle and cavalry divisions who were hard to compete with tank corps Germans. The aggressor also had a great advantage in terms of artillery, tanks and aircraft of the latest designs.
Over 90% of opposing Germany by nationality Soviet army were Russians (Great Russians, Little Russians and Belarusians), why it can be called the Russian army without exaggeration, which does not in the least detract from the feasible contribution of other peoples of Russia in confronting the common enemy.
Treacherously, without declaring war, having concentrated overwhelming superiority on the direction of strikes, the aggressor broke through the defenses of the Russian troops, seized the strategic initiative and air supremacy. The enemy occupied a significant part of the country, moved inland up to 300 - 600 km.
On June 23, the Headquarters of the High Command was created (from August 6 - the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command). All power was concentrated in the created on June 30 State Committee Defense (GKO). Since August 8, I.V. Stalin became the Supreme Commander. He gathered around him the outstanding Russian commanders G. K. Zhukov, S. K. Timoshenko, B. M. Shaposhnikov, A. M. Vasilevsky, K. K. Rokossovsky, N. F. Vatutin, A. I. Eremenko, K. A. Meretskov, I. S. Konev, I. D. Chernyakhovsky and many others. In his public speeches, Stalin relies on the feeling of patriotism of the Russian people, urging them to follow the example of their heroic ancestors. 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 catastrophe of the Soviet troops in Ukraine, the defense of Odessa, the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol, the loss of Donbass, the defensive period of the Moscow battle. The Russian 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 counteroffensive by Russian troops in the western strategic direction. In the course of it, a counteroffensive was carried out near Moscow, the Luban, Rzhev-Vyazemskaya, Barvenkovsko-Lozovskaya and Kerch-Feodosiya landing operations. Russian troops removed the threat to Moscow and North Caucasus, facilitated the situation of Leningrad, completely or partially liberated the territory of 10 regions, as well as over 60 cities. The blitzkrieg strategy collapsed. About 50 enemy divisions were destroyed. Big role the patriotism of the Russian people, which was widely manifested from the first days of the war, played in the defeat of the enemy. thousands folk heroes, similar to A. Matrosov and 3. Kosmodemyanskaya, hundreds of thousands of partisans behind enemy lines in the first months greatly shook the morale of the aggressor.
In the summer-autumn campaign of 1942, the main military events unfolded in southwest direction: defeat Crimean Front, a military disaster of the Soviet troops in Kharkov operation, Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad, Donbass, Stalingrad defensive operations, battle in the North Caucasus. On the northwest direction The Russian army carried out the Demyansk and Rzhev-Sychev offensive operations. The enemy advanced 500 - 650 km, went to the Volga, captured part of the passes of the Main Caucasian Range. The territory was occupied, where before the war 42% of the population lived, a third of the gross output was produced, and more than 45% of the sown area was located. The economy was transferred to the war footing. A large number of enterprises were relocated to the eastern regions of the country (only in the second half of 1941 - 2,593, including 1,523 large ones), and 2.3 million heads of cattle were exported. In the first half of 1942, 10,000 aircraft, 11,000 tanks, approx. 54 thousand guns. In the 2nd half of the year, their output increased by more than 1.5 times.
In the winter campaign of 1942-43, the main military events were the Stalingrad and North Caucasian offensive operations, the breaking of the blockade of Leningrad. The Russian army advanced 600-700 km to the west, liberating a territory of over 480 thousand square meters. km, defeated 100 divisions (40% of the enemy forces on the Soviet-German front). In the summer-autumn campaign of 1943, the Battle of Kursk was the decisive event. The partisans played an important role (Operation " rail war"). During the battle for the Dnieper, 38 thousand people were liberated. settlements, including 160 cities; with the capture of strategic bridgeheads on the Dnieper, conditions were created for an offensive in Belarus. In the battle for 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 Russian army fought up to 500 - 1300 km, defeated 218 divisions.
During the winter campaign of 1943-44, the Russian army carried out an offensive in the Ukraine (10 simultaneous and consecutive front-line operations united by a common plan). She completed the defeat of Army Group South, went beyond the border with Romania and transferred the fighting 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. Russian troops advanced west by 250 - 450 km, liberated approx. 300 thousand sq. km of territory, went to state border with Czechoslovakia.
In June 1944, when the United States and Britain realized that Russia could win the war without their participation, they opened a 2nd front in France. This worsened the military-political position of Germany. In the summer-autumn campaign of 1944, Russian troops carried out the Belorussian, Lvov-Sandomierz, East Carpathian, Iasi-Kishinev, Baltic, Debrecen, East Carpathian, Belgrade, partly Budapest and Petsamo-Kirkenes offensive operations. The liberation of Belarus, Little Russia and the Baltic states (except for some regions of Latvia), partially Czechoslovakia was completed, Romania and Hungary were forced to surrender and entered the war against Germany, the Soviet Arctic and northern regions Norway.
The 1945 campaign in Europe included the East Prussian, Vistula-Oder, completion of the Budapest, East Pomeranian, Lower Silesian, Upper Silesian, West Carpathian, Vienna and Berlin operations, which ended unconditional surrender fascist Germany. After the Berlin operation, Russian 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.
The victory in the war greatly raised the spirit of the Russian people, contributed to the growth of its national consciousness and faith in own forces. As a result of the victory, Russia regained most of what was taken from her as a result of the revolution (except for Finland and Poland). The historical Russian lands in Galicia, Bukovina, Bessarabia, etc. returned to its composition. Most of the Russian people (including Little Russians and Belarusians) again became a single entity in one state, which created the preconditions for their unification in a single Church. The fulfillment of this historic task was the main positive outcome of the war. The victory of Russian arms created favorable conditions for Slavic unity. At some stage Slavic countries united with Russia in something like a fraternal federation. The peoples of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia realized for a certain period how important it was for the Slavic world to stick together in the fight against the West's encroachments on the Slavic lands.
At the initiative of Russia, Poland received Silesia and a significant part of East Prussia, from which the city of Konigsberg with its surrounding territory passed into the possession of the Russian state, and Czechoslovakia regained the Sudetenland occupied by Germany earlier.
The great mission to save humanity from the “new world order” was given to Russia at a huge price: the Russian people and the fraternal peoples of our Fatherland paid for this with the lives of 47 million people (including direct and indirect losses), of which approximately 37 million people were actually Russians (including Little Russians and Belarusians).
Most of all, it was not the military who directly participated in the hostilities that died, but civilians, the civilian population of our country. The irretrievable losses of the Russian army (killed, dead from wounds, missing, killed in captivity) amount to 8 million 668 thousand 400 people. The remaining 35 million are the lives of the civilian population. During the war years, about 25 million people were evacuated to the East. Approximately 80 million people, or about 40% of the population of our country, turned out to be in the territory occupied by Germany. All these people became "objects" of the implementation of the misanthropic program "Ost", were subjected to brutal repressions, died from the famine organized by the Germans. About 6 million people were driven into German slavery, many of them died from unbearable living conditions.
As a result of the war, the genetic fund of the most active and viable part of the population was significantly undermined, because in it, first of all, the strongest and most energetic members of society, capable of producing the most valuable offspring, perished. In addition, due to the fall in the birth rate, the country missed tens of millions of future citizens.
The enormous price of victory fell most heavily on the shoulders of the Russian people (including the Little Russians and Belarusians), because the main hostilities were fought on their ethnic territories, and it was to them that the enemy was especially cruel and merciless.
In addition to huge human losses, our country suffered colossal material damage. Not a single country in its entire history and in the Second World War had such losses and barbaric destruction from aggressors that fell on Great Russia. General material losses Russia in world prices amounted to more than a trillion dollars (US national income for several years).
At 4 o'clock in the morning on June 22, 1941, the troops of Nazi Germany (5.5 million people) crossed the borders of the Soviet Union, german planes(5 thousand) started bombing Soviet cities, military units and airfields. In Europe, by this time, the Second World War. At the first stage of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1942), the Red Army suffered one defeat after another, moving further and further into the interior of the country. About two million Soviet soldiers were captured or died. The reasons for the defeats were the unpreparedness of the army for war, serious miscalculations by the top leadership, the crimes of the Stalinist regime, and the suddenness of the attack. But even in these difficult months soviet soldiers fought heroically against the enemy. The defenders of the Brest Fortress held out for a whole month after the front line moved far to the east.At the end of 1941, the enemy stood a few dozen kilometers from Moscow, and Leningrad was completely surrounded. But german plan end the war in the fall was thwarted.
As a result of the counteroffensive of the Red Army near Moscow in December 1941, the Germans were driven back. Leningrad, which was under blockade, courageously held out - despite the fact that the most terrible blockade winter of 1941-42. Hundreds of thousands of Leningrad civilians perished from hunger and cold.
In the summer of 1942, the German offensive against Stalingrad began. For several months, selected units of the Wehrmacht stormed the city. Stalingrad was reduced to ruins, but the Soviet soldiers who fought for every house survived and went on the offensive. In the winter of 1942-1943, 22 German divisions were surrounded. There was a turning point in the war.
In the summer of 1943, the largest tank battle World War II, in which the Nazis lost about 350 tanks and 3.5 thousand killed. Under the blows of the Red Army, the German units began to retreat to the borders of the Soviet Union.
And in the German rear, a guerrilla war broke out. Enemy echelons flew downhill, detachments of punishers and traitor policemen were destroyed. The Nazis responded to the actions of the partisans with terror against the civilian population, but the outcome of the war was already a foregone conclusion.
By the summer of 1944, the Red Army liberated the territory of the Soviet Union and began to liberate European states captured by the Nazis. At the same time with Soviet Union the war against the Germans was waged by the allies in the anti-Hitler coalition - England, the USA and France. In the summer of 1944, the long-awaited second front was opened, which eased the position of the Red Army.
In the spring of 1945, Soviet and allied troops entered German territory. The final Berlin operation, wherein Soviet troops commanded by Marshal G.K. Zhukov.
The country paid a huge price for its victory: about 27 million people died, millions were left crippled and disabled, a third of national treasure. The victory in the Great Patriotic War is one of the brightest pages in the history of our country.
