The USSR in the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War: periodization, main battles. the decisive contribution of the Soviet Union to the defeat of fascism. The most important battles of World War II Battles of World War II

I propose to plunge a little into history and analyze the hand-to-hand combat of the Second World War. Why were they even needed in the era of automatic weapons? Or were all military tactics based on them? Did you practice any styles at that time or just beat each other up as best you could? I will try to answer these and some other questions.

First, until the end of World War II, none of the participating countries had an army fully equipped with automatic weapons. They fought as best they could. Even now, with missiles, lasers and computers, hand-to-hand combat is given special importance in the training of military personnel. The same Americans first bomb and then land ground troops. They definitely need hand-to-hand combat skills. Someone could survive on earth. By the way, sports such as sambo and jiu-jitsu became in demand precisely during the Second World War.

80% of the world's population participated in World War II. Many had no weapons at all, they fought with shovels. And with such means you can’t kill anyone without hand-to-hand combat skills. Our soldiers did not use a Mosin automatic rifle, for example. While you are reloading, the German is already running towards you. Hand-to-hand combat took place everywhere in World War II.

Yes, at least they could just run out of cartridges. Most of the combatants did not know any style, bayonet-knife in hand and forward. Fists and teeth were used.

Even though most fighters were not specifically trained in hand-to-hand combat, progressive armies still prepared their soldiers for face-to-face combat (especially the SS).

We must not forget that hand-to-hand combat in World War II was the only way to eliminate an opponent for partisans who did not have weapons. For example, it was necessary to blow up a bridge, and to do this, quietly remove the guards.

ON THE QUESTION ABOUT HAND-HAND COMBAT

The issue of hand-to-hand combat and, in particular, the use of the bayonet was repeatedly discussed in the press. At the same time, two directions emerged during the discussion. Some believe that the bayonet has lost its meaning and therefore one should not pay much attention to teaching bayonet actions. Others believe it is necessary to increase attention to training in hand-to-hand combat, including bayonet combat, as an important means of suppressing and destroying the enemy.

In the article “On Close Combat,” Major Malinin writes: “In the last war, hand-to-hand combat, when fighters
acted with cold steel was a very rare occurrence. It occurred relatively often during battles in major populated areas, in the forest, and in other cases this battle was expressed mainly only in the use of grenades." Lieutenant Colonel V. Gankevich in the article "Training of an infantry fighter" ("Red Star" dated January 1, 1940), agreeing with Major Kalinin, adds: " The experience of the Patriotic War confirmed that the old heavy rifle with a long bayonet was becoming obsolete, giving way to a rapid-firing machine gun. A machine gunner, as a rule, does not accept hand-to-hand combat. He is able to destroy his enemy with a short burst from any position, being in a trench, on a tree, in the attic of a building, while maintaining freedom of maneuver. Thus, the close combat distance for an infantryman is now determined not by the length of the bayonet, as it was before, but by the distance of an aimed shot from a machine gun." Lieutenant Colonel A. Gerasimenko has a different opinion. He wrote in the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper:

“The widespread use of light infantry weapons leads some officers to believe that, as a result, the importance of the bayonet in close combat is reduced.” Considering such views erroneous, the author argues that the bayonet and bladed weapons in general are indispensable in the hands of a brave, well-trained fighter. “Suppose,” he writes, “that in conditions of poor visibility (at night and fog) a search is carried out with the aim of capturing the “tongue”. In such cases, the matter is usually resolved by using a bayonet or a knife-dagger. There are many examples when our intelligence officers,
those who acted, in order to avoid noise, only with these weapons, destroyed field guards, captured prisoners, including officers." In the article "The Main Thing in Infantry Tactical Training" ("Red Star", 1946, 63)
Lieutenant General Gerasimov writes: “From a distance of 40-50 meters, the attacking infantry ceases fire in order to reach the enemy trenches with one decisive throw. From a distance of 20-25 meters, it uses hand grenades thrown while running. Then comes a point-blank shot and defeats the enemy with cold weapons." If we compare these statements with the provisions of our regulations: “The infantry is strong with its fire, combined with a forward movement, completed by a decisive bayonet strike,” then it becomes clear that in modern warfare the bayonet has by no means lost its importance. This is also evidenced by the materials we collected.

We decided to interview as many participants as possible in the Great Patriotic War who took part in attacks that ended in hand-to-hand combat. This work took us a year of time, but it was completely worth it. Instead of abstract reasoning, we received factual material from people who were directly involved in both the attack and the hand-to-hand combat. A total of 2018 people were interviewed in units: 648 officers (32.1%), 966 sergeants (47.8%) and 404 privates (20.1%). Of these, 1,990 people (98.6%) took part in the attacks.

Among the respondents: 22 sappers, 92 motorized riflemen, 313 tankmen, 364 artillerymen, 1,199 riflemen.

These 1,990 people went on the attack a total of 7,754 times, i.e., each on average 4 times. In addition, they had to see attacks from other units 415 times, i.e., also an average of 4 attacks, and repel enemy attacks.

These numbers (more than 16,000) indicate that attack is the most frequent and decisive action for achieving success in modern combat and that attack training must be carried out in all branches of the military.

Of the 1,990 people who participated in the attacks, 883 people used hand-to-hand combat, i.e. 44%.

During hand-to-hand combat they used:

bayonet injections m-399, butt strikes - 390, injections with repulsion of the enemy's weapon - 11, knife-dagger strikes - 116, small shovel - 96, large shovel - 53.

These data show that the attacks actually ended in hand-to-hand combat and that it was necessary to use not only a bayonet, butt and dagger knife, but small and large sapper shovels. At the same time, a rifle with a bayonet was used in hand-to-hand combat much more often than all other means.

Hand-to-hand fights took place: in the field (1410 cases), in wooded areas (11,185 cases) in populated areas
points (196 cases) and less often in other conditions.

Thus, when preparing for an attack, one should not lose sight of the special training of troops for hand-to-hand combat
in various conditions.

The following data is also interesting: out of 1,282 attacks, the enemy accepted (allowed for hand-to-hand combat) 372 (29%), and in 910 cases (71%) evaded hand-to-hand combat. Thus, it becomes obvious that our units strive to bring the attack to hand-to-hand combat (and not to “the distance of an aimed shot from a machine gun,” as Lieutenant Colonel V. Gankevich believes). Along with this, the data obtained confirms the tenacity of our troops in defense.

The comrades we interviewed noted 9,405 cases of enemy attacks (including 1,025 cases of him launching a counterattack). At the same time, the use of hand grenades was noted in 1,134 cases (69%), bayonets - in 270 cases (16%),
other means, including improvised means - in 134 cases (15%).

Thus, it becomes obvious that hand-to-hand combat is a very important means of developing the moral and volitional qualities of soldiers, sergeants and officers necessary in battle.

No less interesting is the question of hand-to-hand combat in reconnaissance.

According to the same survey, 822 intelligence officers used the following hand-to-hand combat techniques with groups of the enemy or with individual soldiers: blows with a knife-dagger (182 cases), bayonet thrusts (92 cases), blows with a butt (86 cases), fighting one against several ( 61 cases), blows with a small shovel (48 cases), blows with other available means (34 cases), martial arts (18 cases), other techniques (57 cases).

The given figures indicate the peculiarity and specificity of actions in reconnaissance: in the first place here is a knife-dagger, and then come other means and methods of hand-to-hand combat. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct special training for intelligence officers. Of course, the data of the survey we conducted cannot serve as the basis for any final conclusions, especially since only 2,018 people were surveyed, but, comparing the data obtained with the requirements of our charters, as well as with the opinion of many generals and front-line officers expressed On the pages of the military press, we can draw the following conclusions: Modern hand-to-hand combat also includes bayonet combat. Hand-to-hand combat can occur in all cases of combat activity of troops, so it should become the subject of deeper study and improvement. In addition to its military-applied significance, hand-to-hand combat must be considered as an important means of developing moral, volitional and other qualities necessary in battle. Hand-to-hand combat training must be introduced in all branches of the military.

Major battles of World War II, which were of great importance for the history of the USSR, are:

The Battle of Stalingrad July 17, 1942 - February 2, 1943, which marked a radical turning point in the war;

Battle of Kursk July 5 - August 23, 1943, during which the largest tank battle of World War II took place - near the village of Prokhorovka;

The Battle of Berlin - which led to the surrender of Germany.

But events important for the course of World War II took place not only on the fronts of the USSR. Among the operations carried out by the Allies, it is worth especially noting: the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, which caused the United States to enter World War II; opening of the second front and landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944; application nuclear weapons 6 and 9 August 1945 to strike Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The end date of World War II was September 2, 1945. Japan signed the act of surrender only after the defeat of the Kwantung Army by Soviet troops. The battles of World War II, according to rough estimates, claimed 65 million people on both sides. The Soviet Union suffered the greatest losses in World War II - 27 million citizens of the country died. It was he who took the brunt of the blow. This figure is also approximate and, according to some researchers, underestimated. It was the stubborn resistance of the Red Army that became the main cause of the defeat of the Reich.

Results of World War II

Results The Second World War horrified everyone. Military actions have brought the very existence of civilization to the brink. During the Nuremberg and Tokyo trials, fascist ideology was condemned, and many war criminals were punished. In order to prevent similar possibilities of a new world war in the future, at the Yalta Conference in 1945 it was decided to create the United Nations Organization (UN), which still exists today. The results of the nuclear bombing of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the signing of pacts on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and a ban on their production and use. It must be said that the consequences of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are still felt today.

The economic consequences of World War II were also serious. For Western European countries it turned into a real economic disaster. The influence of Western European countries has decreased significantly. At the same time, the United States managed to maintain and strengthen its position.

Significance of World War II

Meaning World War II was huge for the Soviet Union. The defeat of the Nazis determined the future history of the country. As a result of the conclusion of the peace treaties that followed the defeat of Germany, the USSR noticeably expanded its borders. At the same time, the totalitarian system was strengthened in the Union. Communist regimes were established in some European countries. Victory in the war did not save the USSR from the mass repressions that followed in the 50s.

The most brutal and destructive conflict in human history was the Second World War. Only during this war were nuclear weapons used. 61 states took part in the Second World War. It began on September 1, 1939 and ended on September 2, 1945.

The causes of World War II are quite varied. But, first of all, these are territorial disputes caused by the results of the First World War and a serious imbalance of power in the world. The Versailles Treaty of England, France and the USA, concluded on extremely unfavorable terms for the losing side (Turkey and Germany), led to a constant increase in tension in the world. But the so-called policy of appeasing the aggressor, adopted by England and France in the 1030s, led to the strengthening of Germany's military power and led to the start of active military operations.

The anti-Hitler coalition included: the USSR, England, France, the USA, China (the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek), Yugoslavia, Greece, Mexico and so on. On the side of Nazi Germany, the following countries took part in the Second World War: Japan, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Albania, Finland, China (leadership of Wang Jingwei), Iran, Finland and other states. Many powers, without taking part in active hostilities, helped with the supply of necessary medicines, food and other resources.

Here are the main stages of the Second World War, which researchers highlight today.

This bloody conflict began on September 1, 1939. Germany and its allies carried out a European blitzkrieg.
The second stage of the war began on June 22, 1941 and lasted until mid-November of the following 1942. Germany attacks the USSR, but Barbarossa's plan fails.
The next period in the chronology of the Second World War was the period from the second half of November 1942 to the end of 1943. At this time, Germany is gradually losing strategic initiative. At the Tehran Conference, which was attended by Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill (late 1943), a decision was made to open a second front.
The fourth stage, which began at the end of 1943, ended with the capture of Berlin and the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany on May 9, 1945.
The final stage of the war lasted from May 10, 1945 to September 2 of the same year. It was during this period that the United States used nuclear weapons. Military operations took place on Far East and in Southeast Asia.

The beginning of the Second World War of 1939 - 1945 occurred on September 1. The Wehrmacht launched an unexpected large-scale aggression directed against Poland. France, England and some other states declared war on Germany. But, nevertheless, no real help was provided. By September 28, Poland was completely under German rule. On the same day, a peace treaty was concluded between Germany and the USSR. Nazi Germany thus provided itself with a fairly reliable rear. This made it possible to begin preparations for war with France. By June 22, 1940, France was captured. Now nothing stopped Germany from starting serious preparation to military actions directed against the USSR. Even then, the plan for a lightning war against the USSR, “Barbarossa,” was approved.

It should be noted that on the eve of World War II, the USSR received intelligence information about preparations for the invasion. But Stalin, believing that Hitler would not dare to attack so early, never gave the order to put the border units on combat readiness.

The actions that took place between June 22, 1941 and May 9, 1945 are of particular importance. This period is known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. Many of the most important battles and events of World War II took place on the territory modern Russia, Ukraine, Belarus.

By 1941, the USSR was a state with a rapidly developing industry, primarily heavy and defense. Much attention was also paid to science. Discipline on collective farms and in production was as strict as possible. A whole network of military schools and academies was created in order to fill the ranks of officers, more than 80% of whom had been repressed by that time. But these personnel could not receive full training in a short time.

For the world and Russian history The main battles of the Second World War are of great importance.

September 30, 1941 - April 20, 1942 - the first victory of the Red Army - the Battle of Moscow.
July 17, 1942 - February 2, 1943 - a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War, the Battle of Stalingrad.
July 5 – August 23, 1943 – Battle of Kursk. During this period, the largest tank battle of World War II took place - near Prokhorovka.
April 25 – May 2, 1945 – the Battle of Berlin and the subsequent surrender of Nazi Germany in World War II.

Events that had a serious impact on the course of the war occurred not only on the fronts of the USSR. Thus, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 led to the US entry into the war. It is worth noting the landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944, after the opening of the second front, and the US use of nuclear weapons to strike Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

September 2, 1945 marked the end of World War II. After the Kwantung Army of Japan was defeated by the USSR, an act of surrender was signed. The battles and battles of World War II claimed at least 65 million lives. The USSR suffered the greatest losses in World War II, taking the brunt of Hitler's army. At least 27 million citizens died. But only the resistance of the Red Army made it possible to stop the powerful military machine of the Reich.

These terrible results of the Second World War could not help but horrify the world. For the first time, war threatened the existence of human civilization. Many war criminals were punished during the Tokyo and Nuremberg trials. The ideology of fascism was condemned. In 1945, at a conference in Yalta, a decision was made to create the UN (United Nations). The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the consequences of which are still felt today, ultimately led to the signing of several pacts on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The economic consequences of the Second World War are also obvious. In many countries of Western Europe, this war provoked a decline in the economic sphere. Their influence has declined while the authority and influence of the United States has grown. The significance of the Second World War for the USSR is enormous. As a result, the Soviet Union significantly expanded its borders and strengthened the totalitarian system. Friendly communist regimes were established in many European countries.

Periodization of the war:

I period June 22, 1941 - November 18, 1941 During this period, Germany had complete control of the strategic initiative. Unable to seize the initiative, the Red Army was forced only to react to enemy actions. The period was characterized by a chain of major defeats and large human and territorial losses of the USSR.

II period November 19, 1941 - December 1943. Throughout its entire duration, there was an intense struggle for strategic initiative. It passed from the Red Army to the Wehrmacht and back. The transition occurred when the offensive capabilities of one of the parties were exhausted, the enemy’s plans were forestalled, or the initiative was transferred to the enemy for political reasons. After the failure of the German summer offensive of 1943 near Kursk, the strategic initiative finally passed to the Red Army.

III period January 1944 - May 1945 - the final stage of the war: the defeat of the army and the collapse of the ruling regimes of the aggressor states. The period of liberation of the territory of the USSR, the countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe from the aggressor and the surrender of Nazi Germany.

Main battles

Decisive contribution of the USSR

USSR victory over Nazi Germany had world-historical significance. It influenced the entire post-war development of mankind. Humanity was freed from the threat of fascist enslavement. Reactionary regimes fell in a number of European and Asian countries. The positions of democratic, peace-loving forces have strengthened. The world has collapsed colonial system. The role of the USSR in the international arena has increased significantly, and the world has actually become bipolar. In April 1945, the United Nations (UN) was created. The USSR received three places in it - for the RSFSR, Ukraine and Belarus, i.e. those republics that suffered the greatest human casualties and material losses. A number of countries in Eastern Europe (GDR, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, Albania, Yugoslavia) embarked on the path of building socialism.

The results of the war were summed up at the Potsdam (Berlin) conference of the leaders of the USSR, USA and Great Britain in the summer of 1945. Issues of the post-war structure of Germany occupied a central place in the work of the conference. All decisions on this issue can be reduced to three “Ds”: demilitarization, denazization (denazification), democratization. Germany was divided by the Allies into four occupation zones: British, American, Soviet and French. The USSR's demand for German reparations in the amount of 10 billion dollars was recognized as legal. They had to come in the form of the export of goods and capital, the use of human power.

Part passed to the USSR East Prussia with the city of Koenigsberg (now the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation). For the USSR's consent to take part in the war with Japan, the allies agreed to the annexation of the Kuril Islands and Southern Sakhalin to the USSR.

At the end of 1945, the Nuremberg trials began - the trial of the political and military leaders of Nazi Germany. They were charged with organizing and carrying out a conspiracy against peace and humanity. Thousands of documentary evidence about the atrocities of the Nazis were examined at the trial. The main culprits were sentenced to death penalty, the rest - to life imprisonment.

Just in case:

Tehran Conference 1943 - took place on November 28 - December 1 in Tehran (Iran). This is a conference of the leaders of the three powers allied in World War II: the USSR, the USA and Great Britain, consisting of: Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR I.V. Stalin, US President F.D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister W. Churchill. The main content of the conference was the consideration and coordination of military issues. The Declaration on joint actions in the war against Germany and on post-war cooperation of the three powers was adopted and the issue of opening a second front in Europe no later than May 1, 1944 was resolved. The Declaration on Iran was also adopted, in which the governments of the USSR, USA and Great Britain declared their desire to preserve the complete independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iran. The Tehran Conference played a major role in strengthening the anti-Hitler coalition during World War II.

Yalta (Crimean) conference 1945 - was held on February 4 - 11 in Yalta (Crimea, USSR) in the same composition with the participation of ministers of foreign affairs, chiefs of staff, etc.

Potsdam (Berlin) Conference 1945 - took place July 17 - August 2 in Potsdam (a suburb of Berlin, Germany). Participants included Stalin, US President G. Truman, and Churchill, who was replaced by K. Attlee on July 28.

Second world war was carried out on the territory of 40 countries, 72 states took part in it. In 1941, Germany had the strongest army in the world, but several critical battles led to the Third Reich's defeat.

Battle of Moscow (blitzkrieg failure)

The Battle of Moscow showed that the German blitzkrieg failed. In total, more than 7 million people took part in this battle. This is more than the Berlin operation, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest battle of World War II, and more than the enemy forces on the western front after the Normandy landings.

The Battle of Moscow was the only major battle of World War II that was lost by the Wehrmacht despite its overall numerical superiority over the enemy.

Moscow was defended “by the whole world.” Thus, the feat of the senior groom of the village of Lishnyagi, Serebryano-Prudsky district, Ivan Petrovich Ivanov, remained in history, who on December 11, 1941 repeated the feat of Ivan Susanin, leading a German convoy of 40 vehicles into the deep ravine “Belgorod Pines”.

The victory over the enemy was also helped by a simple teacher from Krasnaya Polyana, Elena Gorokhova, who informed the Red Army command about the redeployment of German units with long-range artillery batteries.

As a result of the counter-offensive near Moscow and the general offensive, German units were thrown back 100-250 km. The Tula, Ryazan and Moscow regions, and many areas of the Kalinin, Smolensk and Oryol regions were completely liberated.

General Günther Blumentritt wrote: “It was now important for German political leaders to understand that the days of the blitzkrieg were a thing of the past. We were confronted by an army whose fighting qualities were far superior to all other armies we had ever encountered on the battlefield. But it should be said that the German army also demonstrated high moral fortitude in overcoming all the disasters and dangers that befell it.”

Battle of Stalingrad (radical turning point)

The Battle of Stalingrad was the main turning point of World War II. The Soviet military command made it clear: there is no land beyond the Volga. The assessments of this battle and the losses that Stalingrad suffered from foreign historians are interesting.

The book “Operation Survive,” published in 1949 and written by the famous American publicist Hessler, who is difficult to suspect of a pro-Russian position, stated: “According to the very realistic scientist Dr. Philip Morrison, it would take at least 1,000 atomic bombs to harm Russia the damage caused during the Stalingrad campaign alone... This is significantly more than the number of bombs that we accumulated after four years of tireless efforts.”

The Battle of Stalingrad was a fight for survival.

The beginning was made on August 23, 1942, when German aircraft carried out a massive bombing of the city. 40,000 people died. This exceeds the official figures for the Allied air raid on Dresden in February 1945 (25,000 casualties).

In Stalingrad, the Red Army used revolutionary innovations of psychological pressure on the enemy. From the loudspeakers installed at the front line, favorite hits of German music were heard, which were interrupted by messages about the victories of the Red Army in sections of the Stalingrad Front. The most effective means of psychological pressure was the monotonous beat of the metronome, which was interrupted after 7 beats by a commentary on German: “Every 7 seconds one dies at the front german soldier" At the end of a series of 10-20 “timer reports,” a tango sounded from the loudspeakers.

During the Stalingrad operation, the Red Army managed to create the so-called “Stalingrad cauldron”. On November 23, 1942, the troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts closed the encirclement ring, which contained almost 300,000 enemy forces.

In Stalingrad, one of Hitler’s “favorites,” Marshal Paulus, was captured and became a field marshal during the Battle of Stalingrad. By the beginning of 1943, Paulus's 6th Army was a pitiful sight. On January 8, the Soviet military command addressed the German military leader with an ultimatum: if he does not surrender by 10 o’clock the next day, all the Germans in the “cauldron” will be destroyed. Paulus did not react to the ultimatum. On January 31 he was captured. Subsequently, he became one of the USSR's allies in the Cold War propaganda war.

In early February 1943, units and formations of the 4th Luftwaffe Air Fleet received the password “Orlog”. It meant that the 6th Army no longer existed, and the Battle of Stalingrad ended in the defeat of Germany.

Battle of Kursk (transition of initiative to the Red Army)

The victory in the battles on the Kursk Bulge was of cardinal importance due to a number of factors. After Stalingrad, the Wehrmacht had another chance to change the situation on the Eastern Front in its favor; Hitler had high hopes for Operation Citadel and stated that “The victory at Kursk should serve as a torch for the whole world.”

The Soviet command also understood the importance of these battles. It was important for the Red Army to prove that it could win victories not only during winter campaigns, but also in summer, so not only the military, but also the civilian population invested in the victory at Kursk. In record time, in 32 days, a railway was built connecting Rzhava and Stary Oskol, called the “road of courage.” Thousands of people worked day and night on its construction.

The turning point in the Battle of Kursk was the Battle of Prokhorovka. The largest tank battle in history, over 1,500 tanks.

Memories of that battle still boggle the mind. It was real hell.

The commander of the tank brigade, Grigory Penezhko, who received the Hero of the Soviet Union for this battle, recalls: “We lost the sense of time, did not feel thirst, heat, or even blows in the cramped cabin of the tank. One thought, one desire - while you are alive, beat the enemy. Our tankers, who got out of their wrecked vehicles, searched the field for enemy crews, who were also left without equipment, and beat them with pistols, grappling hand-to-hand...”

After Prokhorovka, our troops launched a decisive offensive. Operations “Kutuzov” and “Rumyantsev” allowed the liberation of Belgorod and Orel, and Kharkov was liberated on August 23.

Oil is called the “blood of war.” From the very beginning of the war, one of the general routes of the German offensive was directed towards the Baku oil fields. Controlling them was a priority for the Third Reich.
The Battle of the Caucasus was marked air battles in the skies over Kuban, which became one of the largest air battles of World War II. For the first time in history, Soviet pilots imposed their will on the Luftwaffe and actively interfered with and opposed the Germans in carrying out their combat missions. From May 26 to June 7, the Red Army Air Force conducted 845 sorties against Nazi airfields in Anapa, Kerch, Saki, Sarabuz and Taman. In total, during the battles in the skies of Kuban, Soviet aviation carried out about 35 thousand sorties.

It was for the battles over Kuban that Alexander Pokryshkin, the future three-time Hero of the Soviet Union and an air marshal, was awarded the first Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

On September 9, 1943, the last operation of the battle for the Caucasus began - Novorossiysk-Taman. Within a month, German troops on the Taman Peninsula were defeated. As a result of the offensive, the cities of Novorossiysk and Anapa were liberated, and the preconditions were created for a landing operation in Crimea. In honor of the liberation of the Taman Peninsula on October 9, 1943, a salute of 20 salvoes from 224 guns was given in Moscow.

Operation of the Ardennes (disruption of the “last blitzkrieg” of the Wehrmacht)

The Battle of the Bulge is called “the last blitzkrieg of the Wehrmacht.” This was the last attempt of the Third Reich to turn the tide on the Western Front. The operation was commanded by Field Marshal V. Model, who ordered it to begin on the morning of December 16, 1944; by December 25, the Germans had advanced 90 km deep into the enemy’s defenses.

However, the Germans did not know that the Allied defenses were deliberately weakened so that when the Germans broke through to the West 100 kilometers, they would be surrounded and attacked from the flanks. The Wehrmacht did not foresee this maneuver.
The Allies knew about the Ardennes operation in advance, since they could read the German Ultra codes. In addition, aerial reconnaissance reported on the movements of German troops.

Despite the fact that the Allies initially had the initiative, the Germans were well prepared for the Ardennes. The timing of the offensive was chosen to ensure that Allied aircraft could not provide air support. The Germans also resorted to a trick: everyone who knew English language, dressed in American uniforms and, under the leadership of Otto Skorzeny, created assault troops from them so that they would sow panic in the American rear.
Some of the Panthers were disguised as American tanks; they had bulwarks attached, muzzle brakes were removed from the guns, the turrets were covered with sheet metal, and large white stars were painted on the armor.

With the beginning of the offensive, the “false panthers” rushed to the rear of the American troops, but the Germans’ cunning was “seen through” due to stupidity. One of the Germans asked for gas and said “petroleum” instead of “gas”. The Americans didn't say that. The saboteurs were discovered, and their cars were burned with bazookas.

In American historiography, the Battle of the Bulge is called the Battle of the Bulge. By January 29, the Allies completed the operation and began the invasion of Germany.

The Wehrmacht lost more than a third of its armored vehicles in the battles, and almost all the aircraft (including jets) participating in the operation used up fuel and ammunition. The only “profit” for Germany from the Ardennes operation was that it delayed the Allied offensive on the Rhine for six weeks: it had to be postponed to January 29, 1945.