10 Stalinist strikes, or the Campaign of 1944

10 Stalinist strikes, or the campaign of 1944 - this is how the series of successful offensive operations of the Soviet Army was described after the radical change in 1943. What were these blows? Why is their value so high? What role did the Kiev offensive play in this period? We will try to answer these and other questions below.

Was there an alternative outcome of the events of 1944?

In 1944 it was clear that this was the time of decisive battles and that the winner would be determined right now. It was also obvious that the USSR, after a radical breakthrough (the beginning of which was the Kiev offensive operation), was confidently advancing and causing considerable trouble to the German troops on the Eastern Front.

Theoretically, Hitler could ask for peace, and not from Western countries, but from the Soviet Union. The West did not need Germany, which was broken by the war, but the USSR could fend off Hitler's surrender with serious benefits. Of course, in this situation the Fuhrer would not survive, so he chose the tactics of dragging out the war, expecting that all will be resolved by political factors. One such factor could be, for example, a split among the opposing countries. The problem was that Hitler could not provoke this split, because of which the tactics of dragging out the war looks rather unreasonable today. Another factor that would justify a protracted company could be the development of a "superweapon". 10 Stalinist strikes clearly showed that it would be wiser to sign the capitulation and not to bring the situation on the front to such a lamentable state. But we will consider in more detail.

10 Stalinist blows - 10 tactical and strategic victories of the Soviet Union

Start. The first blow (January 1944) - the displacement of the Germans in the Baltic countries.

The German defense at Leningrad was already broken at that time, and the enemy was forced to conduct military operations in the conditions of a stretched flank, interrupted communications and an unreliable ally in the person of Finland.

After that, negotiations began on peace with the active assistance of Roosevelt, who threatened to break off diplomatic relations with Finland. A little later, the Union withdrew all the terms of the preliminary negotiations, thus depriving the Finnish government of the possibility of balancing between "two chairs." Against Hitler, who even as an ally directly threatened the Finns with occupation, the USSR looked much more preferable. Next we will consider all 10 Stalin's blows. The table is presented below:

Korsun-Shevchenko's offensive operation

Its peculiarity is that the first thing was the Odessa-Vilnius railway, which served as the main communication between parts of the German army. Germany stood the strategy of tough defense. In practice, this meant that the Soviet Army attacked where it was convenient, thanks to the considerable length of the front line and the numerical superiority.

Liberation of Crimea

Despite the prevailing opinion that Stalin thoughtlessly sent soldiers to death, as a result of the Crimean operation, the losses of the enemy far exceeded the loss of the Union. It's all about the order given by Stalin - not to "waste" human resources.

As a result, the Germans were literally crushed by artillery fire and massive firings from the air.

Karelia: the fourth blow

During the liberation of Karelia and Petrozavodsk, the Finns were thrown back into the depths. The Union Army stopped in June. Weapons in order to defeat the enemy, it was enough, and the negotiation process was in full swing, but the forces were more necessary in other positions.

Operation Bagration

Western historians call it simply - the destruction of the army "Center." At the same time, as a result of the operation, the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic was liberated , and an outlet was made to the Vistula, where part of the allied at that time Poland was liberated. Also, an outlet was made to the Niemen, with the subsequent liberation of part of the Lithuanian Soviet Republic. It is also important that in the course of the same operation, the Neman was forced to cross, as a result of which the Soviet army actually came to the borders of Germany.

Operation in Ukraine

This blow solved not only local but also global tasks through pressure on the center, without which it is impossible to make a breakthrough on the flanks. In addition, it was necessary to solve the problem with mobile German units, since the enemy was already beginning the withdrawal of troops.

As a result, the German army was defeated near Lviv, and Soviet troops were given the opportunity not only to liberate Western Ukraine, but also to cross the Vistula.

Iasi-Kishinev operation

In the same, in 1944, was carried out and the Iasi-Kishinev operation, as a result of which the liberation of Moldova occurred. In addition, managed to withdraw from the war, Romania, which was an ally of Hitler. The leadership of the country declared war on both Germany and Hungary.

The eighth in a row was the liberation of the Baltic countries, and the ninth - Hungary. Tenth strike - Norway. Soviet troops deprived Germany of non-freezing ports and raw materials. In addition, the army of the USSR entered the state border along its entire perimeter. Thus began the liberation of the countries seized by Germany.

So we reviewed 10 Stalin's blows briefly, clearly and on business.