The liberation of Warsaw. Medal "For the liberation of Warsaw"

During the Great Patriotic War, there were many events that were truly crucial for the entire history of this period. Some of them are known to everyone, as, for example, the blockade of Stalingrad, and some live in the memory of participants and researchers of this historical period. Anyway, the importance of this time is undeniable. As a result of the Great Patriotic War, the world was liberated from the German-fascist threat. Along with the exploits of the fighters in the early stages of the war, the events of the last stage of the conflict played an important role. The situation, formed in 1944-1945, showed the irreversibility of the loss of the German army. However, during her retreat, the military commanders of Germany quite strongly and roughly "snapped". At that moment it was necessary to measure the forces so that the retreat did not turn into a monstrous counterattack. Thus, after the events on the Kursk Bulge, Soviet military leaders begin the gradual repulsion of enemy forces deep into Europe. At the very approaches to the source of Nazism, Germany, there were extremely important historical clashes between the Soviet Army and the German. Below we will talk about clashes near the Polish capital - Warsaw.

The Warsaw Battle of 1944

Many identify the events that occurred in mid-1944, with the moment when the Soviet troops liberated Warsaw. It should be remembered that these events occurred at completely different times, which many people do not even know about. The Warsaw operation of 1944 was carried out not in the city itself, but in close proximity to it. It should also be noted that the operation took place with the aim of further attacking the city itself. In other words, the Battle of Warsaw in 1944 was carried out with the goal of providing the necessary conditions for further offensive and ousting of the enemy. The liberation of Warsaw during this operation was not foreseen.

The essence of the 1944 operation

Soviet commanders set themselves the task of destroying enemy fortifications on the outskirts of the capital of Poland. The operation itself took place from July 25 to August 5, 1944. Near the Vistula River there were heavy tank battles, which are often compared to the Battle of Prokhorov. The Soviet troops received support from the formed militia detachments of the Army Krajowa. Despite the numerical superiority of the Soviet Army, the goals were never achieved. To date, there are several reasons for the defeat of Soviet troops in that battle:

• Lack of mutual understanding between the Polish and Soviet command, as well as Stalin's ambitions for influence in Poland.
• Relative "fatigue" of the Soviet Army after a series of exhausting operations before the events of 1944.

Although the goals were not achieved, the army of the USSR was firmly entrenched on the approaches to Warsaw, which was a great risk for the Wehrmacht troops. Already in January 1945 the Soviet Army renewed its forces and launched a new full-scale offensive.

Events preceding the liberation of Warsaw

The liberation of Warsaw was a goal that had to be achieved during the Warsaw-Poznan operation. They tried to postpone it in every possible way, since German forces from the East were transferred here. In addition, it was the final stage of the war. The liberation of Warsaw would open a direct road to Berlin. Thus, the actions of the command should have been accurate and thought out. The date of the operation was January 20, but the defeat of the American army in the Ardennes played against Soviet strategists. The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, on January 6, 1945, asked Stalin in every possible way to bring the moment of the offensive in the Vistula-Oder direction closer. Therefore, on January 12, a large-scale offensive began to be prepared, one of the goals of which was the liberation of Warsaw. How did the events develop?

The liberation of Warsaw (1945). First day

How it all began? The liberation of Warsaw from the fascists began on January 14, 1945. The first day was marked by the crossing of the Vistula and the advance into the depth of the strengthening of the enemy. It was already stated earlier that the positions of the Germans were very well fortified on the outskirts of Warsaw. Therefore, the actions of the Soviet Army were as cautious as possible. During the offensive on the first day of the operation, the 8th Guards Army and the 5th Shock Army advanced 12 kilometers into the depths of the fortifications of the Germans. The Vistula was forced by the 61st Army. The offensive was swift and harsh, which entailed the retreat of the Germans deep into their positions, closer to the city.

The second day of liberation of Warsaw

The 47th Army threw the enemy over the Vistula River on 15 January. At the same time, the 2nd Guards Tank Army cut off the approach to Warsaw near the village of Sochacheva. Thus, the German troops were surrounded. It can not be said that the Soviet Army approached Warsaw, but a considerable territory was isolated. The Germans did not know how to get out of the environment, so they resorted to cunning. They drove about 300 civilians into the church and threatened to kill everyone if the enemy continued the offensive. In order to avoid risking the lives of civilians, an operation was organized on the night of 15 to 16 January, during which the hostages were released.

The final stage of the operation

On the morning of January 16, an offensive began in all directions to Warsaw. In just one day, such villages as Hooves, Piaski, Opach and others were liberated. For the 9th German Army this was just a shocking day. Almost all the strengthened positions of the Germans around the city were crushed, and communication with the outside world ceased. Nothing hindered the Soviet forces from seizing the capital of such a country as Poland. Warsaw was a few kilometers away. At dawn on January 17, the USSR troops occupied the highways leading to the city. By noon, fierce fighting began in the city, which took place on the streets of Tamka and Marshall. At 1400 hours on January 17, 1945, the provisional government in Lublin received a telegram about the city being taken. This event meant that under the control of the Soviet troops all of Poland. Warsaw became the starting point for further advancement to Berlin. On the day of liberation all over Warsaw rallies were held in honor of the great liberators - Soviet soldiers.

Medal

This feat could not be simply forgotten, so the government of the USSR decided to perpetuate and reward all participants in the liberation of Warsaw. To this end, the medal "For the Liberation of Warsaw" was established . The project of the medal was developed by the artist Kuritsyna. The award was given to all who distinguished themselves during the operation to liberate the city. The medal is worn on the left side of the chest after the sign "For the Liberation of Belgrade". The award pours out of brass. Its diameter is 32 millimeters. An inscription is engraved on the front part of the medal. On the reverse side you can find the engraving of the date and year. The liberation of Warsaw, thus, ended favorably for the USSR, and many received the described medal.

Conclusion

We considered one of the most striking and important events of the final stage of the Great Patriotic War. The liberation of Warsaw (1945) gave the Soviet Army the opportunity to advance further to the West in order to destroy the source of Nazism in the world that was in Berlin.