During the Great Patriotic War, there were many events that were truly a turning point for the entire history of this period. Some of them are known to everyone, such as the blockade of Stalingrad, and some live in the memory of the participants and researchers of this historical period. One way or another, the importance of this time is undeniable. As a result of the Great Patriotic War, the world was liberated from the Nazi threat. Along with the exploits of the soldiers in the early stages of the war, the events of the last stage of the conflict played an important role. The situation that took shape in 1944-1945 showed the irreversibility of the loss of the German army. However, during her retreat, the German military leaders “snarled” quite strongly and rudely. At this moment, it was necessary to measure forces so that the retreat would not turn into a monstrous counterattack. Thus, after the events on the Kursk Bulge, Soviet military leaders begin to gradually push the enemy troops deep into Europe.
On the very approaches to the source of Nazism, Germany, there were extremely important historical skirmishes betweenSoviet Army and German. Below we will talk about the clashes near the Polish capital - Warsaw.
Battle of Warsaw 1944
Many identify the events that happened in the middle of 1944 with the moment when Warsaw was liberated by the Soviet troops. It should be remembered that these events took place at completely different times, which many 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 in order to provide the necessary conditions for a further offensive and pushing the enemy back. The liberation of Warsaw during this operation was not envisaged.
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. Heavy tank battles took place near the Vistula River, which are often compared with the Battle of Prokhorov. Soviet troops received support from the formed militia units of the Home Army. Despite the numerical superiority on the part of the Soviet Army, the goals were never achieved. To date, there are several reasons for the defeat of the USSR troops in that battle:
- The lack of understanding between the Polish and Soviet command, as well as Stalin's ambitions for influence inPoland.
- The relative "fatigue" of the Soviet Army after a series of exhausting operations before the events of 1944.
Although the goals were not achieved, the USSR army firmly fortified on the outskirts of Warsaw, which carried 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 leading up to the liberation of Warsaw
The liberation of Warsaw was one of the goals 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 had to be accurate and thoughtful. The date of the operation was January 20, but the defeat of the American army in the Ardennes played against the Soviet strategists. On January 6, 1945, the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Winston Churchill, asked Stalin in every possible way to bring the moment of the offensive in the Vistula-Oder direction closer. Therefore, already on January 12, a large-scale offensive began to be prepared, one of the goals of which was the liberation of Warsaw. How did events develop further?
Liberation of Warsaw (1945). First day
How did it all start? The liberation of Warsaw from the Nazis began on January 14, 1945. The first day was marked by the crossing of the Vistula and the advance deep into the enemy fortifications. It was previously indicated that the positions of the Germans were very good.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 deep into the German fortifications. The Vistula was forced by the 61st Army. The offensive was swift and hard, which led to the retreat of the Germans deep into their positions, closer to the city.
Second day of the liberation of Warsaw
The 47th Army drove the enemy back across the Vistula River on January 15th. At the same time, the 2nd Guards Tank Army cut off the approach to Warsaw near the village of Sokhachev. Thus, the German troops were surrounded. It cannot be said that the Soviet Army came close to Warsaw, but a significant territory was isolated. The Germans did not know how to get out of the encirclement, so they resorted to tricks. They drove about 300 civilians into the church and threatened to kill everyone if the enemy continued the offensive. In order not to risk the lives of civilians, an operation was organized on the night of January 15-16, during which the hostages were released.
The final stage of the operation
On the morning of January 16, an offensive begins in all directions towards Warsaw. In just one day, such villages as Kopyty, Pyaski, Opach and others were liberated. For the 9th German army, it was just a dumbfounding day. Almost all the fortified positions of the Germans around the city were defeated, and communication with the outside world ceased. Nothing interfered with the Sovietforces to capture the capital of a country like Poland. Warsaw was a few kilometers away. At dawn on January 17, Soviet troops occupied the highways leading to the city. By noon, fierce battles began in the city, which took place on the streets of Tamka and Marshalavskaya. At 2 pm on January 17, 1945, the provisional government in Lublin received a telegram stating that the city had been taken. This event meant that all of Poland was under the control of Soviet troops. Warsaw became the starting point for further advancement towards Berlin. On the day of liberation, rallies were held throughout Warsaw in honor of the great liberators - Soviet soldiers.
Medal
This feat could not simply be forgotten, so the government of the USSR decided to immortalize and reward all the participants in the liberation of Warsaw. For this purpose, the medal "For the Liberation of Warsaw" was established. The project of the medal was developed by the artist Kuritsyna. The award was received by all those who distinguished themselves during the operation to liberate the city. The medal is worn on the left side of the chest after the badge "For the Liberation of Belgrade". The award is poured from brass. Its diameter is 32 mm. The inscription is engraved on the front of the medal. On the reverse side, you can find an engraving of the date and year. The liberation of Warsaw thus ended favorably for the USSR, and many received the described medal.
Conclusion
We examined one of the most striking and important events of the final stage of the Great Patriotic War. The liberation of Warsaw (1945) gaveThe Soviet Army was able to move further to the West in order to destroy the source of Nazism in the world, which was in Berlin.
