The B altic operation is a military battle that took place in the autumn of 1944 in the B altic. The result of the operation, which is also called the Eighth Strike of Stalin, was the liberation of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia from German troops. Today we will get acquainted with the history of this operation, its defendants, causes and consequences.
General characteristics
The B altics played a special role in the plans of the military-political leaders of the Third Reich. By controlling it, the Nazis were able to control the main part of the B altic Sea and maintain contact with the Scandinavian countries. In addition, the B altic region was a major German supply base. Estonian enterprises annually gave the Third Reich about 500 thousand tons of oil products. In addition, Germany received huge amounts of food and agricultural raw materials from the B altic states. Also, do not lose sight of the fact that the Germans planned to evict the indigenous population from the B altic states and populate it with their fellow citizens. Thus, the loss of this region was a serious blow to the Third Reich.
B altic operationbegan on September 14, 1944 and lasted until November 22 of the same year. Its goal was the defeat of the Nazi troops, as well as the liberation of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. In addition to the Germans, the Red Army was opposed by local collaborators. Their main number (87 thousand) was part of the Latvian Legion. Of course, they could not offer proper resistance to the Soviet troops. Another 28 thousand people were part of the Latvian Schutzmannschaft battalions.
The battle consisted of four major operations: Riga, Tallinn, Memel and Moonsund. In total, it dragged on for 71 days. The front was about 1000 km wide and about 400 km deep. As a result of the battle, Army Group North was defeated, and the three B altic republics were completely liberated from the invaders.
Backstory
The Red Army was preparing a large-scale offensive on the territory of the B altic States during the Fifth Stalinist strike - the Belarusian operation. In the summer of 1944, Soviet troops managed to liberate the most important territories of the B altic direction and prepare the foundation for a major offensive. By the end of the summer, the main number of defensive lines of the Nazis in the B altic collapsed. In some directions, the USSR troops advanced 200 km. The operations carried out in the summer fettered significant German forces, which made it possible for the Belorussian Front to finally defeat Army Group Center and break through to Eastern Poland. Coming to the approaches to Riga, the Soviet troops had all the conditions for the successful liberation of the B altic states.
Offensive plan
In the directive of the Supreme High Command, the Soviet troops (three B altic Fronts, the Leningrad Front and the Red Banner B altic Fleet) were tasked with dismembering and breaking up Army Group North, while freeing the territory of the B altic states. The B altic fronts attacked the Germans in the direction of Riga, and the Leningrad front went to Tallinn. The most important attack was a strike in the direction of Riga, as it was supposed to lead to the liberation of Riga - a large industrial and political center, a junction of sea and land communications throughout the B altics.
In addition, the Leningrad Front and the B altic Fleet were tasked with the destruction of the Narva Task Force. Having recaptured Tartu, the troops of the Leningrad Front were to go to Tallinn and open access to the eastern shore of the B altic Sea. The B altic Front was tasked to support the coastal flank of the Leningrad troops, as well as to prevent the arrival of German reinforcements and their evacuation.
The troops of the B altic front were supposed to start their offensive on September 5-7, and the Leningrad front on September 15. However, due to difficulties during the preparation for the strategic offensive operation, its start had to be postponed for a week. During this time, Soviet troops carried out reconnaissance work, brought weapons and food, and sappers completed the construction of the planned roads.
Side Forces
In total, the Soviet army participating in the B altic operation had about 1.5 million soldiers, more than 3 thousand armored vehicles, about 17thousand guns and mortars, and more than 2.5 thousand aircraft. 12 armies took part in the battle, that is, almost the entire composition of the four fronts of the Red Army. In addition, the offensive was supported by the B altic ships.
As for the German troops, by the beginning of September 1944, Army Group North, led by Ferdinand Schörner, consisted of 3 tank companies and task force Narva. In total, she had 730 thousand soldiers, 1.2 thousand armored vehicles, 7 thousand guns and mortars and about 400 aircraft. It is interesting to note that there were two divisions of Latvians in the Army Group North, representing the interests of the so-called "Latvian Legion".
Training the Germans
By the beginning of the B altic operation, the German troops were engulfed from the south side and pressed to the sea. Nevertheless, thanks to the B altic foothold, the Nazis could inflict a flank attack on the Soviet troops. Therefore, instead of leaving the B altic states, the Germans decided to stabilize the fronts there, build additional defensive lines and call for reinforcements.
A group consisting of five tank divisions was responsible for the Riga direction. It was believed that the Riga fortification area would be insurmountable for the Soviet troops. In the Narva direction, the defense was also very serious - three defensive lines with a depth of about 30 km. To make it difficult for the B altic ships to approach, the Germans set up many barriers in the Gulf of Finland and mined both fairways along its banks.
In August atThe B altics were transferred by several divisions and a large amount of equipment from the "calm" sections of the front and Germany. The Germans had to spend a huge amount of resources to restore the combat capability of the North army group. The morale of the "defenders" of the B altic states was quite high. The troops were very disciplined and convinced that the turning point of the war would soon come. They were waiting for reinforcements in the form of young soldiers and believed in rumors about a miracle weapon.
Riga operation
The Riga operation began on September 14 and ended on October 22, 1944. The main goal of the operation was the liberation of Riga from the invaders, and then the whole of Latvia. On the part of the USSR, about 1.3 million soldiers were involved in the battle (119 rifle divisions, 1 mechanized and 6 tank corps, 11 tank brigades and 3 fortified areas). They were opposed by the 16th and 18th and part of the 3-1 army of the North group. The greatest success in this battle was achieved by the 1st B altic Front under the leadership of Ivan Bagramyan. From September 14 to 27, the Red Army carried out an offensive. Having reached the Sigulda line, which the Germans fortified and replenished with troops that retreated during the Tallinn operation, the USSR troops stopped. After careful preparation on October 15, the Red Army launched a swift offensive. As a result, on October 22, Soviet troops took Riga and most of Latvia.
Tallinn operation
The Tallinn operation took place from 17 to 26 September 1944. The objective of this campaign was the liberation of Estonia and, inin particular, its capital, the city of Tallinn. By the beginning of the battle, the second and eighth armies had a significant superiority in strength in relation to the German Narva group. According to the original plan, the forces of the 2nd shock army were to attack the Narva grouping from the rear, after which the assault on Tallinn would follow. The 8th Army was supposed to advance if the German troops retreated.
September 17, the 2nd shock army set off to carry out its task. She managed to break through an 18-kilometer gap in the enemy defenses near the Emajõgi River. Realizing the seriousness of the intentions of the Soviet troops, Narva decided to retreat. Literally the next day, independence was proclaimed in Tallinn. Power fell into the hands of the underground Estonian government headed by Otto Tief. Two banners were raised on the central city tower - Estonian and German. For several days, the newly-created government even tried to resist the advancing Soviet and retreating German troops.
On September 19, the 8th Army launched an attack. The next day, the city of Rakvere was liberated from the Nazi invaders, in which the troops of the 8th Army joined forces with the troops of the 2nd Army. On September 21, the Red Army liberated Tallinn, and five days later, all of Estonia (with the exception of a number of islands).
During the Tallinn operation, the B altic Fleet landed several of its units on the coast of Estonia and the adjacent islands. Thanks to the combined forces, the troops of the Third Reich were defeated in mainland Estonia in just 10 days. At the same time, over 30 thousand German soldiers tried, but neverwere able to break through to Riga. Some of them were taken prisoner, and some were destroyed. During the Tallinn operation, according to Soviet data, about 30 thousand German soldiers were killed, and about 15 thousand were taken prisoner. In addition, the Nazis lost 175 units of heavy equipment.
Moonzund operation
On September 27, 1994, Soviet troops launched the Moonsund operation, the task of which was to capture the Moonsund archipelago and liberate it from the invaders. The operation continued until November 24 of the same year. The indicated area was defended by the Germans by the 23rd Infantry Division and 4 security battalions. On the part of the USSR, parts of the Leningrad and B altic fronts were involved in the campaign. The main part of the islands of the archipelago was liberated quickly. Due to the fact that the Red Army chose unexpected points for landing its troops, the enemy did not have time to prepare a defense. Immediately after the liberation of one island, the landing force landed on another, which further disorientated the troops of the Third Reich. The only place where the Nazis were able to delay the advance of the Soviet troops was the Syrve peninsula of the island of Saaremaa, on the isthmus of which the Germans were able to hold out for a month and a half, pinning down the Soviet rifle corps.
Memel operation
This operation was carried out by the 1st B altic and part of the 3rd Belorussian Front from October 5 to October 22, 1944. The goal of the campaign was to cut off the armies of the North group from the eastern part of Prussia. When the first B altic Front under the leadership of the magnificent commander Ivan Bagramyan went toapproaches to Riga, he faced serious enemy resistance. As a result, it was decided to move the resistance to the Memel direction. In the area of the city of Siauliai, the forces of the B altic Front regrouped. According to the new plan of the Soviet command, the Red Army troops were to break through the defenses from the western and southwestern parts of Siauliai and reach the Palanga-Memel-Naman River line. The main blow fell on the Memel direction, and the auxiliary one fell on the Kelme-Tilsit direction.
The decision of the Soviet commanders was an absolute surprise for the Third Reich, which was counting on the resumption of offensives in the Riga direction. On the first day of the battle, the USSR troops broke through the defenses and deepened in different places at a distance of 7 to 17 kilometers. By October 6, all the troops that had been prepared in advance arrived on the battlefield, and on October 10, the Soviet army cut off the Germans from East Prussia. As a result, between the troops of the Third Reich, based in Courland and East Prussia, a tunnel of the Soviet army was formed, the width of which reached 50 kilometers. The enemy, of course, could not overcome this lane.
By October 22, the USSR army liberated almost the entire northern bank of the Neman River from the Germans. In Latvia, the enemy was driven out to the Courland Peninsula and reliably blocked. As a result of the Memel operation, the Red Army advanced 150 km, liberated more than 26 thousand km2 of territory and more than 30 settlements.
Further events
Defeat Army Group North,led by Ferdinand Schörner, it was quite heavy, nevertheless, 33 divisions remained in its composition. In the Courland cauldron, the Third Reich lost half a million soldiers and officers, as well as a huge amount of equipment and weapons. The German Courland group was blocked and pressed to the sea, between Liepaja and Tukums. She was doomed, since there was neither the strength nor the opportunity to break into East Prussia. Help was nowhere to be expected. The offensive of the Soviet troops in Central Europe was very swift. Leaving part of the equipment and supplies, the Kurland group could be evacuated across the sea, but the Germans refused such a decision.
The Soviet command did not set itself the task of destroying the helpless German grouping at any cost, which could no longer influence the battles of the final stage of the war. The third B altic front was disbanded, and the first and second were sent to Courland to complete what had been started. Due to the onset of winter and the geographical features of the Courland Peninsula (the predominance of swamps and forests), the destruction of the fascist group, which included Lithuanian collaborators, dragged on for a long time. The situation was complicated by the fact that the main forces of the B altic fronts (including the troops of General Baghramyan) were transferred to the main directions. Several hard assaults on the peninsula were unsuccessful. The Nazis fought to the death, and the Soviet units experienced a severe shortage of forces. In the end, the battles in the Kurland cauldron ended only on May 15, 1945.
Results
BAs a result of the B altic operation, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were liberated from the fascist invaders. The power of the Soviet Union was established in all the recaptured territories. The Wehrmacht lost its raw material base and strategic foothold, which it had for three years. The B altic Fleet had the opportunity to conduct operations on German communications, as well as cover ground forces from the Gulf of Riga and the Gulf of Finland. Having recaptured the coast of the B altic Sea during the B altic operation of 1944, the Soviet Army was able to attack the troops of the Third Reich, who had settled in East Prussia, from the flanks.
It is worth noting that the German occupation caused serious harm to the B altics. During the three years of Nazi domination, about 1.4 million civilians and prisoners of war were exterminated. The economy of the region, cities and towns suffered greatly. A lot of work had to be done to fully restore the B altics.
