Battle for Moscow

The battle for Moscow in 1941 in the history of the confrontation of the USSR against Germany has a special significance. According to the researchers, the battle is characterized by the complexity, intensity and scope of military operations. The battle for Moscow lasted more than six months. The length of the front, on which the battle was fought - about two thousand kilometers. In military operations, more than 2.8 million servicemen, 21,000 mortars and guns, about 2,000 units of tank vehicles, and more than 1.6 thousand units of aviation were involved on both sides.

In the autumn of 1941 the Soviet Union was in a very complicated and dangerous military situation. The strategic initiative was in the hands of the German troops, but at the same time in the battles with the Soviet Army the main intentions of the Wehrmacht were broken. It was not possible to break through to the capital of Army Group Center. According to the German command, the blockade of Leningrad, as well as the successes that were achieved in Ukraine, created favorable conditions for the offensive.

The battle for Moscow began on September 30. This offensive on the capital of the Soviet Union by the German command was being prepared as a final for all the campaigns. The Germans gave the name of this operation "Typhoon". Apparently, they did not suppose any resistance and confrontation against the crushing fascist hurricane.

The battle for Moscow took place with the numerical superiority of the German troops. However, despite this, the Russian troops were able to adequately withstand the enemy.

The German government planned to occupy the capital of the Soviet Union before the onset of cold weather. Support by large forces of aviation allowed the Germans to break through the front, encircling the six Russian armies in the Vyazma and Bryansk regions. According to German data, 663 thousand people were taken prisoner. Applying tank connections, the German army within ten days advanced almost 250 kilometers and reached the line Kalinin (Tver) - Mozhaisk - Kaluga.

By October 30, the invaders occupied the Kalinin-Tula line. The German command began to pull up reserves and began regrouping forces. At the same time, blows were planned from the flanks in order to encircle the capital of the Soviet Union.

The new offensive of the German army began on November 16. However, on the first day she met the fierce resistance of Soviet soldiers. Over the next three weeks, the German army advanced only 50-80 kilometers, without achieving decisive success.

The Germans were the closest to the Germans near the village of Kryukovo, which is located 23 kilometers north-west of the city. In the period from November 16 to December 5, in the battle, the German army lost 153,000 people wounded, killed, frost-bitten.

The end of November - the beginning of December was marked by several counter-attacks, including along with the arriving reserves from the east of the country. Since December 5, the battle for Moscow has turned into an offensive. Being in the numerical minority, Soviet soldiers were distinguished by a more persistent fighting spirit, a firm desire to defeat the enemy and defend the capital of their homeland.

At the same time, the German army was in crisis conditions associated with the collapse of their hopes for an easy victory, as well as a battle in the harsh, unusual climates for them. Soviet troops were able to push the invaders 200 kilometers away, but they could not completely defeat them.

The fiercest were fighting in the Vyazma and Rzhev areas. There the battles began there from February to April 1942. The battle for the capital on April 20 ended.

The battle for Moscow, briefly, dispelled the view that Hitler's army was invincible. This victory was the first large-scale defeat of the German army and meant the failure of all its plans for a "light, lightning war", as well as the failure of the foreign policy program of the German government.