January 18, 1943 - the breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad. Complete liberation of Leningrad from the blockade

The great feat of Soviet people during the Second World War should not be forgotten by descendants. Millions of soldiers and civilians nearing the long-awaited victory at the cost of their lives, men, women and even children became a single weapon that was directed against fascism. The centers of partisan resistance, factories and factories, collective farms operated in the territories occupied by the enemy, the Germans failed to break the spirit of the defenders of the Motherland. A bright example of endurance in the history of the Great Patriotic War was the city-hero Leningrad.

Hitler's plan

The strategy of the fascists was to strike a sudden, lightning strike in directions that the Germans had chosen as priority. Three army groups had to capture Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev before the end of the fall. Hitler estimated the seizure of these settlements as a victory in the war. Fascist military analysts thus planned not only to "decapitate" Soviet troops, but also to break the morale of divisions departing to the rear, to undermine Soviet ideology. Moscow must be captured after victories in the north and south, regrouping and uniting the armies of the Wehrmacht were planned on the outskirts of the capital of the USSR.

Leningrad, according to Hitler, was a symbol of the power of the Soviets, "the cradle of the revolution," which is why it was to be completely destroyed along with the civilian population. In 1941, the city was an important strategic point, on its territory there were many engineering and electrotechnical plants. Due to the development of industry and science, Leningrad was a place of concentration of highly skilled engineering and technical personnel. A large number of educational institutions produced specialists for work in various sectors of the national economy. On the other hand, the city was territorially isolated and located at a great distance from sources of raw materials and energy. Hitler was helped also by the geographical position of Leningrad: its proximity to the borders of the country enabled the rapid encirclement and blockade. The territory of Finland served as a springboard for the basing of fascist aircraft in the preparatory phase of the invasion. In June 1941, the Finns enter the Second World War on the side of Hitler. A huge military and merchant fleet based at the time, based in the Baltic Sea, the Germans had to be neutralized and destroyed, and profitable sea routes used for their own military needs.

Environment

The defense of Leningrad began long before the encirclement of the city. The Germans were advancing swiftly, daily tank and motorized formations passed 30 kilometers deep into the USSR to the north. The creation of defensive lines was conducted in the Pskov and Luga directions. Soviet troops retreated with heavy losses, losing a large amount of equipment and leaving the enemy cities and fortified areas. Pskov was captured on July 9, the Nazis moved to the Leningrad region on the least short track. For several weeks their attack was delayed by the Luga fortified areas. They were built by experienced engineers and allowed the Soviet troops to restrain the enemy onslaught for a while. This delay greatly angered Hitler and made it possible to partially prepare Leningrad for the fascists' attack. In parallel with the Germans on June 29, 1941, the Finnish Army crossed the USSR border, the Karelian Isthmus was occupied for a long time. The Finns refused to participate in the attack on the city, but blocked a large number of transport routes linking the city to the "big earth". Complete liberation of Leningrad from the blockade in this direction occurred only in 1944, in the summer. After Hitler's personal visit to Army Group North and the regrouping of troops, the fascists broke the resistance of the Luga fortified area and launched a massive offensive. Novgorod, Chudovo were captured in August 1941. The dates of the siege of Leningrad, which were eaten in memory of many Soviet people, begin in September 1941. The capture of the Petrokrepost by the Nazis finally cuts the city from the land routes of communication with the country, this happened on September 8. The ring closed, but the defense of Leningrad continues.

Blockade

The attempt to capture Leningrad swiftly failed completely. Hitler can not pull off the forces from the encircled city and transfer to the central direction - to Moscow. Fast enough fascists were in the suburbs, but, having met a powerful resistance, they were forced to strengthen and prepare for protracted battles. September 13 in Leningrad arrived GK Zhukov. His main task was the defense of the city, Stalin at that time recognized the situation as almost hopeless and was ready to "surrender" it to the Germans. But with this outcome, the second capital of the state would be completely destroyed along with the entire population, which at that time was 3.1 million people. According to eyewitnesses, Zhukov was terrible in these September days, only his authority and iron will stopped panic among soldiers defending the city. The Germans were stopped, but kept Leningrad in a tight ring, which did not give the possibility of supplying a metropolis. Hitler decided not to risk his soldiers, he understood that city battles would destroy much of the northern army grouping. He ordered the mass extermination of the inhabitants of Leningrad. Regular shelling, bombardments from the air gradually destroyed the city's infrastructure, food stores, energy sources. Around the city, German fortifications were built, which excluded the possibility of evacuating civilians and supplying them with everything necessary. The possibility of surrendering Leningrad to Hitler was not of interest, his main goal was the destruction of this settlement. At the time of the formation of the blockade ring in the city there were many refugees from the Leningrad region and surrounding areas, only a small percentage of the population had evacuated. A lot of people gathered at the stations, trying to leave the besieged northern capital. A famine began among the population, which Hitler called his main ally in the capture of Leningrad.

Winter of 1941-42.

January 18, 1943 - the breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad. As far as this day was far from the autumn of the 41st! Massive shelling, food shortages led to massive loss of life. Already in November, the limits for the issuance of products on cards for the population and military personnel were curtailed. Delivery of all necessary was carried out through the air and through Lake Ladoga, which was shot through by fascists. People started hungry faints, the first deaths from exhaustion and the cases of cannibalism, which were punished by executions, were recorded.

With the arrival of the cold weather, the situation became much more complicated, the first, the harshest, winter came. The blockade of Leningrad, the "road of life" - these are concepts that are inseparable from each other. All engineering communications were disrupted in the city, there was no water, no heating, sewerage did not work, food supplies were running out, city transport was not functioning. Thanks to the qualified doctors who stayed in the city, they managed to avoid mass epidemics. Many people died on the street on their way home or to work, to carry on the sledges of deceased relatives to the cemetery, the majority of Leningraders did not have enough strength, so the corpses lay on the streets. Created sanitary brigades could not cope with so many deaths, not everyone could be buried.

The winter of 1941-42 was considerably colder than the average meteorological indicators, but it was Ladoga - the road of life. Under the constant fire of the occupiers, cars and wagons were traveling along the lake. In the city they carried food and necessary things, in the opposite direction - starved people. The children of the besieged Leningrad, who were evacuated across the ice to various parts of the country, still remember all the horrors of the freezing city.

On the product card, dependents (children and the elderly) who could not work, were given 125 grams of bread. Its composition varied depending on what was available to bakers: shakes from bags of corn groats, linseed and cotton cake, bran, wallpaper, etc. 10 to 50% of the ingredients in the flour were inedible , Cold and famine became synonymous with the concept of the "blockade of Leningrad".

The road of life that passed through Ladoga has saved many people. As soon as the ice cover gained strength, trucks began to move along it. In January 1942, the city authorities had the opportunity to open dining and dining facilities in factories and factories, the menus of which were specially designed for the depleted people. In hospitals and created children's homes give out enhanced nutrition, which helps to survive the terrible winter. Ladoga is the road of life, and this name, which the citizens of Leningrad gave to cross, is fully in line with the truth. Food and essential goods collected for the blockade, as for the front, the whole country.

The feat of the inhabitants

In the dense ring of enemies, fighting with cold, hunger and constant bombing, the Leningraders not only lived, but also worked to win. On the territory of the city the factories produced military products. The cultural life of the city did not freeze at the most difficult moments, unique works of art were created. Poems about the blockade of Leningrad can not be read without tears, they are written by the participants of those terrible events and reflect not only the pain and suffering of people, but also their desire for life, hatred of the enemy and fortitude of the spirit. The symphony of Shostakovich is imbued with the feelings and emotions of the Leningraders. The city partially operated libraries and some museums, in the zoo depleted people continued to care for un-evacuated animals.

Without heat, water and electricity, the workers stood by the machines, putting the remains of their vital forces into victory. Most men went to the front or defended the city, so women and teenagers worked at factories and factories. The transport system of the city was destroyed with massive shelling, so people went to work on foot for several kilometers, in a state of extreme exhaustion and in the absence of snow-cleared roads.

Complete liberation of Leningrad from the blockade was not seen by all of them, but their daily feat brought this moment closer. The water was taken from the Neva and the broken pipelines, the houses were heated with burzhujkami, burning in them the remains of furniture, chewing leather belts and wallpaper pasted with paste, but lived and resisted the enemy. Olga Berggolts wrote poems about the blockade of Leningrad, the lines of which became winged, they were carved on monuments dedicated to those terrible events. Her phrase "no one is forgotten and nothing is forgotten" today is of great importance for all not indifferent people.

Children

The worst part of any war is its indiscriminate choice of victims. Hundreds of thousands of children died in the occupied city, many died in the evacuation, but the remaining ones participated in the approach of victory along with adults. They stood at the machines, collecting shells and cartridges for the front, were on duty at night on the roofs of the houses, neutralizing the incendiary bombs that the Nazis threw on the city, raising the spirit of the soldiers holding the defense. The children of the besieged Leningrad became adults at the moment when the war came. Many teenagers fought in the regular parts of the Soviet Army. The hardest part was the smallest who lost all their relatives. For them, children's homes were created, where the elders helped the younger ones and supported them. A surprising fact is the creation during the blockade of the children's dance ensemble AE Obrant. The children were collected throughout the city, treated for exhaustion and started rehearsals. Over 3000 concerts during the blockade were given by this famous ensemble, he performed at the front lines, at factories and hospitals. The contribution of young artists to the victory was appreciated after the war: all the guys were awarded medals "For the Defense of Leningrad".

Operation Iskra

The liberation of Leningrad was a paramount task for the Soviet leadership, but there were no opportunities for offensive actions and resources in the spring of 1942. Attempts to break through the blockade were carried out in the fall of 1941, but they did not work. The German troops strengthened well enough and surpassed the Soviet Army in terms of armament. Hitler by the fall of 1942 significantly exhausted the resources of his armies and therefore made an attempt to capture Leningrad, which was to liberate the troops that are in the northern direction.

In September, the Germans began Operation Northern Lights, which failed due to a counterattack by Soviet troops seeking to lift the blockade. Leningrad 1943 was a well-fortified city, defensive structures were built by the citizens, but its defenders were significantly depleted, so the breakthrough of the blockade from the city side was impossible. However, the successes of the Soviet Army in other areas made it possible for the Soviet command to begin preparations for a new attack on the fortified areas of the fascists.

January 18, 1943, the breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad marked the beginning of the liberation of the city. The operation involved the military units of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts, they were supported by the Baltic Fleet and the Ladoga Flotilla. The training was conducted for a month. The operation "Iskra" was developed from December 1942, it provided for two phases, the main one of which was the breakthrough of the blockade. Further advancement of the army was to completely remove the encirclement from the city.

The beginning of the operation was scheduled for January 12, at which time the southern shore of Ladoga Lake was chained with solid ice, and the surrounding marshes were freezing to a depth sufficient to pass heavy equipment. The Shlisselburg ridge was securely fortified by the Germans due to the presence of bunkers, mine fields. The tank battalions and the mountain troop divisions did not lose their ability to resist after the massive artillery preparation of Soviet artillery. The battles took a protracted character, within six days the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts punched the enemy's defense, moving towards each other.

January 18, 1943 the breakthrough of the blockade of Leningrad was completed, the first part of the developed plan "Iskra" is completed. As a result, the surrounded grouping of German troops was ordered to leave the encirclement and connect with the main forces that occupied more favorable positions and were additionally manned and fortified. For residents of Leningrad, this date has become one of the main milestones in the history of the blockade. The corridor formed was no more than 10 km in width, but it gave the possibility to lay railroad tracks for the city's full supply.

Second phase

Hitler completely lost the initiative in the north. The Wehrmacht's divisions had a strong defensive position, but they could not take the rebellious city any more. The Soviet troops, having achieved their first success, planned to launch a large-scale offensive in the southern direction, which would completely remove the blockade of Leningrad and the region. In February, March and April 1943, forces of the Volkhov and Leningrad fronts made attempts to launch an attack on the Sinyavskaya enemy grouping, which were called Operation Polar Star. Unfortunately, they failed, there were many objective reasons that did not allow the army to develop an offensive. Firstly, the German grouping was significantly strengthened by tanks (in this direction the "tigers" were used for the first time), aviation and mountain-divisional divisions. Secondly, the line of defense created by that time by the fascists was very powerful: concrete bunkers, a large number of artillery. Third, the offensive had to be carried out in a territory with a complex terrain. The marshy terrain greatly hampered the movement of heavy guns and tanks. Fourthly, when analyzing the actions of the fronts, obvious errors of command were revealed, which led to great losses of equipment and people. But the beginning was laid. The liberation of Leningrad from the blockade became a matter of careful preparation and time.

The lifting of the blockade

The main dates of the siege of Leningrad are carved not only on the stones of memorials and monuments, but also in the heart of each of their participants. This victory was given by the great blood of Soviet soldiers and officers and by the millions of deaths of civilians. In 1943, the considerable successes of the Red Army along the entire length of the front line made it possible to prepare an offensive in the north-western direction. The German grouping created around Leningrad "Northern Wall" - a line of fortifications that could withstand and stop any offensive, but not the Soviet soldiers. The lifting of the siege of Leningrad on January 27, 1944 is a date that symbolizes victory. For this victory, much was done not only by the troops, but also by the Leningraders themselves.

Operation January Thunder began January 14, 1944, it involved three fronts (Volkhovsky, 2 nd Baltic, Leningrad), the Baltic Fleet, partisan formations (which are at that time sufficiently strong military units), the Ladoga Navy with the support of aviation. The offensive was developing rapidly, the fascist fortifications did not save Army Group North from the rout and the disgraceful retreat in the south-west direction. Hitler and could not understand the reason for the failure of such a powerful defense, and the German generals who fled the battlefield could not explain. On January 20, Novgorod and surrounding territories were liberated. The complete lifting of the blockade of Leningrad on January 27 was the occasion for a festive salute in a worn out but unconquered city.

Memory

The date of the liberation of Leningrad is a holiday for all residents of the once-united Country of Soviets. To argue about the significance of the first breakthrough or final release does not make sense, these events are equivalent. Hundreds of thousands of lives were saved, although it took twice as many to achieve this goal. The breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad that occurred on January 18, 1943, gave residents the opportunity to connect with the big land. The supply of the city with food, medicines, energy resources, and raw materials for the factories resumed. However, the main thing was that there was a chance to save many people. From the city evacuated children, wounded soldiers, starved to death, sick Leningraders and defenders of this city. 1944 brought complete lifting of the blockade, the Soviet army began its victorious march through the territory of the country, victory is close.

The defense of Leningrad is an immortal feat of millions of people, there is no justification for fascism, but there are no other examples of such fortitude and courage in history. 900 days of famine, unbearable work under bombardments and bombardments. Death went a step behind every inhabitant of the besieged Leningrad, but the city survived. Our contemporaries and descendants should not forget about the great feat of the Soviet people and its role in the fight against fascism. This will be a betrayal of all the victims: children, the elderly, women, men, soldiers. Hero-city Leningrad should be proud of its past and build the present independently of all renaming and attempts to distort the history of the great confrontation.