The beginning of a radical fracture. Battle of Stalingrad

The victory near Moscow dispelled the myth of the invincibility of the German troops and buried the "blitzkrieg" plan. The peoples of the whole world have learned that the Red Army is capable of defeating the Wehrmacht. Turkey and Japan refrained from entering the war on the side of Nazi Germany and its allies. In the countries of Western Europe "strengthened the axis of anti-fascist resistance. The victory of the Red Army contributed to the strengthening anti-Hitler coalition.

Military operations in the winter - in the spring of 1941. Inspired by success, the Soviet leadership instructed the General Staff to develop a plan for a general offensive on all fronts - from Karelia to the Black Sea. January 5, 1942 at a meeting of the Supreme Headquarters)

Commander-in-Chief Stalin outlined his idea of the further conduct of hostilities. Its essence was to launch an offensive in three strategic directions and defeat the main enemy groupings already in 1942. The main blow was supposed to be delivered in the western direction against Army Group Center. The second most powerful strike was supposed to be delivered in the north-western direction. His goal was to defeat the troops of the Army Group "North" and lift the blockade of Leningrad. On the southbound it was supposed to defeat the German troops in the Donbass region and liberate the Crimea. This plan provided for the rapid defeat of the enemy and the liberation of a significant part of the country's territory from the invaders.

However, the main forces of the Wehrmacht had not yet been defeated. In January 1942, the German leadership took a number of emergency measures. A total mobilization was carried out. Significant forces were transferred to Russia from the occupied countries of Europe. Hitler demanded that his troops put up fierce resistance to the Russians.

In March 1942, it became clear that the command of the Red Army underestimated the strength of Germany. In April, the Soviet troops stopped) 1 and offensive operations and went over to the defensive on the lines reached.

Military operations in the summer of 1941 When planning military operations in the summer of 1942, the Soviet leadership believed that the enemy would again launch an offensive against Moscow. Large forces of the Red Army, including aviation and tank units, were concentrated around the capital. Subsequent events showed the fallacy of this decision.

At the end of April 1942, the offensive of the Red Army in the Crimea was stopped. Then the defense of the Soviet troops was broken through, and the Crimean front was defeated. Soviet troops, having suffered serious losses, were evacuated from the Crimea to the Taman Peninsula. On July 4, 1942, after a 250-day heroic defense, Sevastopol was abandoned.

In May 1942, near Leningrad, an attempt to break through the blockade ended unsuccessfully. The 2nd shock army of the Volkhov Front was surrounded and defeated.

At the same time, Soviet troops were surrounded, who launched an offensive near Kharkov. Only a few parts were able to escape from the "cauldron". The Red Army suffered heavy losses, the situation in the south changed in favor of the German troops. Developing the offensive, they again occupied the Donbas, recaptured Rostov. Important agricultural areas were occupied. The Germans went to the North Caucasus, made an attempt to block transport along the Volga.

Order of the People's Commissar of Defense Stalin No. 227. Military failures in the summer of 1942 had a negative impact on the defense capability of the Soviet troops. In the retreating units there were cases of violation of discipline, panic. Under these conditions, on July 28, 1942, Stalin, as People's Commissar for Defense, signed Order N!? 227, which received the unofficial name "Not a step back!". The order demanded that the fighters and commanders observe iron discipline. Commanders and political workers who violated discipline were sent to penal battalions, while ordinary soldiers and junior commanders were sent to penal companies. Penal companies and battalions were used on the most difficult sectors of the front. Penitentiaries who were wounded in battle were considered to have served their sentences. The army created special barrage detachments, which were located in the rear of unstable units. They were ordered in case of panic and disorderly retreat of units to shoot alarmists and cowards on the spot.

Along with disciplinary and repressive measures, incentives were also introduced. To reward distinguished officers and generals, the next day after order NQ 227, orders were established in honor of the great Russian commanders - Suvorov, Kutuzov and Alexander Nevsky. Somewhat earlier, in May 1942, the order was established. Patriotic War 1st and 2nd degree. Later, the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky and special naval orders Ushakov and Nakhimov. The highest military award was the Order of Victory, which was awarded to commanders for outstanding success in conducting major operations. To reward ordinary military personnel, a soldier's Order of Glory of three degrees was established, which became a certain likeness of the St. George Cross in the Russian pre-revolutionary army. faces, awarded with orders Glory of three degrees, equated to the Heroes of the Soviet Union.

A radical change in the course of the war (November 1942 - late 1943). In September 1942 the Soviet command began to develop a strategic offensive operation in the south. Two stages of the operation were envisaged: at the first it was supposed to encircle the German grouping in the Stalingrad region, and at the second - to destroy the encircled troops. To solve the assigned tasks, the forces of three fronts were involved: the South-Western (commander General N.F. Vatunin), Donskoy (commander General K.K. Rokossovsky) and Stalingrad (commander General A.I. Eremenko). By this time, as a result of bloody battles, the balance of forces on the Soviet-German front had changed in favor of the Red Army. The industry of the USSR, rebuilt in a military way, increased the production of military equipment.

The leadership of the operation was entrusted to the generals G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky. In the interests of the surprise of the counteroffensive, the strictest measures were taken to ensure the secrecy of its preparation. Powerful groupings were created in the directions of the main attacks.

The counteroffensive of the Soviet troops near Stalingrad began on November 19, 1942. The enemy's defense was broken through on the first day of the offensive. On November 23, the troops of the Southwestern and Stalingrad fronts in the area of the cities of Kalach and Sovetsky closed the ring around the German group of 330 thousand people.

In December, an attempt was made to break through the encirclement by forces of a grouping of German troops under the command of E. Manstein. She approached the encircled troops at a distance of 35-40 km, but could not break through the encirclement. The forces of the 2nd Guards Army R.Ya. Malinovsky, the enemy was defeated. On January 10, 1943, Soviet troops under the command of K.K. Rokossovsky attack or To eliminate the encircled German group. On January 31, the main forces of the encircled troops, together with the commander of Field Marshal F. Paulus, surrendered. On February 2, 1943, the remnants of the German troops capitulated. In total, during the strategic operation of the Soviet troops, 2 German, 2 Romanian and 1 Italian armies were defeated. Enemy losses near Stalingrad from November 1942 to February 1943 amounted to over 800 thousand people, about 2 thousand tanks and assault guns, over 3 thousand aircraft.

Three days of mourning has been declared in Germany. Faith in victory among a significant part of the population has noticeably wavered. Germany's allies - Italy, Romania, Hungary - began to think about peace.

The victory at Stalingrad marked the beginning of a radical change in the course of the Great Patriotic War and had a decisive influence on its further course. The Red Army seized the strategic initiative and held it until the complete victory over Germany and its allies.

Battle on the Kursk Bulge. As a result of the winter (1942/43) counteroffensive of the Red Army, the enemy was driven back from the North Caucasus and most of the Donbass. In the central direction, the troops of the Voronezh Front broke through the enemy defenses. The Red Army liberated Rzhev, Voronezh, Kursk.

The blockade of Leningrad was partially broken by the forces of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts. Along the southern shore of Lake Ladoga, a corridor 8-11 km wide was liberated from the enemy. The supply of the city was carried out through this corridor.

At the end of March 1943, a relative calm settled on the Soviet-German front. Both sides were preparing for a decisive battle.

During the summer campaign of 1943, the German command intended to take revenge for the defeat at Stalingrad and seize the initiative again. It was decided to conduct an offensive operation in the Kursk region. In this section, the front line had the character of a ledge, the so-called Kursk Bulge, which was turned towards the enemy. The German troops were tasked with encircling and destroying the Soviet troops stationed in the Kursk region. This operation was called "Citadel". By the beginning of July, powerful strike groups of the Wehrmacht were concentrated on the northern and southern flanks of the Kursk salient. They were based on formations equipped with heavy tanks.

The Soviet leadership managed to unravel the plans of the enemy. It was decided to organize an effective defense in depth, wear down the enemy and go on the counteroffensive. The headquarters concentrated large forces in the Kursk direction. The northern part of the arc was defended by the troops of the Central Front (commander K.K. Rokossovsky), the southern part - by the troops of the Voronezh Front (commander N.F. Vatutin).

The German offensive was to begin in the early morning of July 5, 1943. Learned from intelligence exact time the beginning of the German offensive, Soviet artillery an hour before it began, the German positions were subjected to powerful artillery fire. The enemy troops were disorganized, and the offensive had to be delayed in different sectors of the front for 2.5-3 hours.

It began with an artillery strike on Soviet positions. Under the cover of artillery, German tanks rushed to the attack. At the cost of huge losses on the northern flank of the arc, it was possible to advance 12 km. But, having suffered heavy losses in tanks and manpower, the German troops ran out of steam. On the southern flank, the German divisions advanced 30-35 km, but the Soviet troops were not defeated.

The critical moment came on 12 July. On this day, the troops of the Voronezh Front themselves launched a counteroffensive. In the area of the village of Prokhorovka, the largest tank battle of the war years unfolded. The 5th Guards Tank Army entered the battle against the 2nd SS Panzer Corps (Adolf Hitler and Reich divisions). About 1200 tanks and self-propelled guns participated in it from both sides. On a narrow section of the front, two tank avalanches collided. The battle was fierce. According to the recollections of the participants in the battle, the tankers fought to the death. Even the wrecked tanks continued to fire. Both sides suffered heavy losses. On July 13-15, the enemy continued to advance in separate directions, but in the period from July 12 to July 17, a decisive turning point occurred in the Battle of Kursk. On July 17, Hitler decided to interrupt Operation Citadel. On July 19, the withdrawal of German troops began. The plans of the German command failed.

The second stage of the Battle of Kursk - the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops in the Oryol direction - took place from July 12 to August 23, 1943. Orel was liberated on August 5. During the strategic offensive operation "Kutuzov" by August 18, Soviet troops defeated the enemy forces and advanced 150 km to the west. As a result, the situation on the central sector of the Soviet-German front changed in favor of the Red Army. For the Soviet troops, the prospect opened up to develop an offensive in the direction of Eastern Belarus.

Less well developed events on the southern flank. During the Belgorod-Kharkov offensive operation "Rumyantsev" from August 3 to 23, Soviet troops fought heavy battles with the enemy. Belgorod was liberated on August 5. By August 23, enemy resistance in this direction was broken. Kharkov was liberated, which changed hands four times during the war years. Soviet troops defeated a powerful enemy grouping and advanced into the depth of defense by about 150 km. Conditions were created for the liberation of the Left-Bank Ukraine and access to the Dnieper.

As a result of the Battle of Kursk, Germany's attempt to seize the initiative by conducting a major offensive operation was thwarted. Near Kursk, the best armored forces of Germany were defeated. Of the 30 divisions defeated, 7 were armored. Having suffered heavy losses, the enemy was forced to go on the defensive. The morale of the German troops was largely undermined, but Germany still had the strength and means to continue hostilities.

The Soviet troops also suffered huge losses, which even exceeded the losses of the German troops. There are several reasons for this. Among them - a more flexible and skillful control of the German troops. In the field of military equipment, the latest German tanks "Tigers" and "Ferdinands" had more powerful guns than the 76-mm gun of the Soviet T-34 tank. It was later reinforced.

The defeat of the Nazi troops near Kursk had military, political and diplomatic consequences. He influenced the course of not only the Great Patriotic War, but also the Second World War. In the Soviet Union, this victory contributed to the growth of the moral and political unity of the people and to raising the morale of the army. More than 100 thousand soldiers, officers and generals were awarded orders and medals. 180 people became Heroes of the Soviet Union. The struggle against the invaders in the occupied territory intensified.

The international prestige of the Soviet Union as a decisive force in the fight against fascism has grown. The victory at Kursk marked the beginning of the disintegration of the Nazi coalition. Germany's allies - Spain, Hungary, Finland - tried to reconsider their relationship with Germany. In Italy, hostilities unfolded. Anglo-American troops in August 1943 liberated Sicily and entered the Apennine Peninsula.

Results of the third year of the war. By the end of 1943, during the summer-autumn offensive, the Red Army liberated two-thirds of the territory occupied by the Germans. The morale of the Wehrmacht was undermined. The Red Army defeated 118 divisions - half of all Wehrmacht forces located on the Eastern Front. The enemy lost 3.2 thousand tanks, about 10 thousand aircraft.

As a result of the defeat on the Eastern Front, the position of Nazi Germany worsened. On September 8, 1943, Italy capitulated. The ruling circles of Romania, Hungary, and other allies of Germany have lost faith in victory.

The successful completion of the summer-autumn offensive of the Red Army created favorable conditions for the complete liberation of the territory of the USSR from fascist occupation.

The final period of the Great Patriotic War. Towards victory! By the beginning of 1944, the troops of Germany and its allies still held a significant part of the territory of the USSR. Although the blockade of Leningrad was partially broken, the enemy was still near the city on the Neva. Hitler's Germany still occupied almost all of Europe. However, the peoples of the world no longer doubted that Nazi Germany was doomed to defeat. BUT it was also clear that the enemy would resist to the end.

In 1944, Germany still had a significant military potential. The economy supplied the front with modern weapons. A total mobilization was carried out.

The Soviet command chose the tactics of consistently conducting combat operations in different sectors of the front. This tactic completely deprived the initiative of the German command.

The combat skill of the Red Army by this time had grown significantly. The will to win, hatred for the fascist invaders made her invincible.

near Leningrad and Novgorod. The first blow to the German troops in January 1944 was inflicted near Leningrad and Novgorod. The forces of the Leningrad (commander L.A. Govorov) and Volkhov (commander K.A. Meretskov) fronts, with the support of ships and aircraft of the Baltic Fleet, defeated the enemy. On January 27, the 900-day blockade of Leningrad ended.

The expulsion of fascist troops from the territory of the USSR. Liberation of the countries of South-Eastern and Central Europe. On July 13, the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, was liberated. The troops of the l-th Belorussian Front entered the territory of Poland. The Baltic grouping of German troops was dissected. On the southern flank in July - August, the troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front (commander I.S. Konev defeated the Northern Ukraine Army Group. On July 27, Lvov was liberated.

In August, the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts (commanders R.Ya. Malinovsky and F.I. Tolbukhin) defeated the German-Romanian troops in the area of the cities of Chisinau and Yass. During this operation, 22 divisions were liquidated. Soviet troops liberated Moldova and entered the territory of Romania. On August 31, Soviet troops entered Bucharest. In early September, the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front crossed the Bulgarian border. The pro-German government of Bulgaria was overthrown. As a result of the victory of the Red Army in the Balkans, Romania and Bulgaria joined the anti-Hitler coalition. The loss of the Romanian oilfields deprived Germany of fuel supplies for tanks and aircraft. The victory in the Balkans was a step towards the liberation of Yugoslavia, Greece and Albania.

The result of the summer (1944) offensive of the Red Army was a radical change in the military situation in favor of the Soviet Union, as well as the creation of conditions for the defeat of Germany and the liberation of the occupied European countries.

In the autumn of 1944, the Red Army carried out an offensive operation in the Baltic states against Army Group North. Estonia and most of Latvia were liberated. The Baltic grouping of German troops, consisting of 33 divisions, was surrounded and blockaded. However, as the Red Army approached the borders of Germany, the resistance of the fascist troops intensified.

As a result of offensive operations in 1944, the territory of the Soviet Union was almost completely liberated from the fascist occupiers, and the State border of the USSR was restored. Romania and Bulgaria, part of Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia were liberated from German troops. The former allies of Germany - Romania, Bulgaria, Italy and Finland - not only left the Nazi bloc, but also entered the war against Germany. The internal situation of Germany testified to its crisis state. After the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Hitler on July 20, 1944, repressions against all opponents of the regime intensified in the country.

In conditions when it became clear that the USSR was capable of independently defeating Germany and its allies, the governments of the United States and Britain intensified preparations for the opening of a second front in Western Europe. At dawn on June 6, 1944, an amphibious landing began on the coast of Normandy in France. The fighting took on a protracted character. The summer offensive of the Red Army did not allow the German command to transfer the necessary forces to the west. By the end of 1944, the Allied troops had liberated France, Belgium, Luxembourg and part of Holland. The German offensive in the Ardennes, launched on December 16, 1944, came as a complete surprise to the Allies. Only the lack of reserves did not allow the German command to build on the initial success.

To Berlin! The final operations of the Great Patriotic War. As a result of offensive operations in 1944, the Soviet army approached the borders of Germany and was preparing to deliver the last blows to the enemy.

In January 1945, the troops of the l-th Belorussian Front under the command of G.K. Zhukov liberated Warsaw and with a swift blow reached the Oder River. In February, the Budapest grouping of German troops was defeated. In the area of Lake Balaton, German troops attempted a counteroffensive, but were defeated. In April, the capital of Austria, Vienna, was liberated and the city of Konigsberg in East Prussia fell.

On April 16, the Berlin operation began. In the same month, the Allied troops in the anti-Hitler coalition met on the Elbe River. Two weeks later, Soviet soldiers hoisted the Red Banner over the Reichstag in Berlin.

On the morning of May 9, troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front entered Prague. On the night of May 8-9, 1945, in the Berlin suburb of Karlhost, representatives of the German command signed an act on unconditional surrender. The war in Europe is over.

The historical significance of the Victory. The price of the victory of the Soviet people. The merit of the Soviet Union and its armed forces before mankind lies in the fact that they made a decisive contribution to the defeat of German fascism and its allies. The Soviet Union blocked German fascism's path to world domination. The Eastern Front was the main front of World War II. On this front, the armed forces of fascist Germany lost more than two-thirds of their personnel, tanks, guns and aviation. On the Soviet-German front, 507 divisions of the Wehrmacht and 100 divisions of Germany's allies were defeated. And US and British troops destroyed 176 divisions.

The peoples of the USSR paid dearly for the Victory. According to the latest estimates, during the war years our army lost 11.944 million people. Of these, 6.885 million people were killed and died from wounds and diseases, 4.559 million people were captured or surrendered to the axis. On the way to the front, 500 thousand reservists who were drafted into the army, but not yet enrolled in the lists of active troops, died. 1.836 million people returned from captivity to their homeland. 939 thousand people (they were considered missing) were again drafted into the army. Thus, the total losses of our army amount to 9.168 million people. In total, the country lost 26 million 600 thousand citizens, of which 17.4 million civilians were killed or died. Yes, the price of Victory is bitter.

During the war years, fascist troops destroyed 1,710 cities, over 70 thousand, villages and villages, 32 thousand factories and factories, 65 thousand km of railway lines were destroyed. Huge cultural values - museums, libraries, historical monuments - were destroyed.

During the war years, Germany and its allies lost over 15 million people, 8.645 million of them on the Eastern Front.

US and British losses amounted to several hundred thousand people. In total, more than 50 million people died during the Second World War.

Russian history. XX - beginning of the XXI century. Grade 9 Volobuev Oleg Vladimirovich

§ 28

BATTLE OF STALINGRAD. On August 23, 1942, German tanks cut through the Stalingrad defenses and reached the Volga. At the same time, the main enemy forces went on the offensive. Aviation subjected the city to massive bombardments. The Germans broke into the city. For more than two months, fierce battles were fought around the clock for every street, house, every meter of land.

The Nazi command sought to take the city at any cost. The enemy advanced furiously. September 13, 14 and 15 became the hardest days for the Stalingraders. The enemy was getting closer and closer to the Volga. The turning point these days was created by the 13th Guards Division of General A. I. Rodimtsev. Having crossed the Volga, she attacked the enemy, who did not expect this blow. At the same time, aviation provided assistance to the Stalingraders. The enemy offensive was suspended.

The counteroffensive of the Soviet troops began on November 19, 1942 with a powerful blow to the flanks of the advancing enemy grouping. The enemy was demoralized and began to retreat rapidly. The simultaneous offensive of the fronts with the massive use of aviation, artillery and tanks allowed the Soviet troops to close the encirclement ring, in which the enemy grouping of 330 thousand people turned out to be. The enemy made an attempt to break through the blockade, sending 13 divisions for this under the command of one of his best generals, Field Marshal E. Manstein. But this attempt was thwarted.

In an effort to prevent bloodshed, the Soviet command offered to capitulate the enemy group surrounded in Stalingrad. When this did not follow, the troops of the Don Front began an operation to destroy it. On February 2, 1943, the defeat of a group of enemy troops was completed. Its commander, Field Marshal F. Paulus, together with the remnants of his army, surrendered.

lend-lease

The Battle of Stalingrad began on May 17, 1942 and ended on February 2, 1943. During these 200 days, the Nazis lost about 1.5 million people killed, wounded and captured. The Stalingrad operation was carried out by representatives of the Headquarters G.K. Zhukov, A.M. Vasilevsky, front commanders K.K. Rokossovsky, A.I. Eremenko, dozens of generals, hundreds of officers and hundreds of thousands of ordinary soldiers.

The operation near Stalingrad developed into a general strategic offensive, which continued until the end of March 1943.

The victory at Stalingrad put the beginning of a radical fracture during the Great Patriotic War and the entire Second World War.

HELP OF THE ALLIES. A certain help in providing the Red Army with equipment, weapons and food was supplies from the United States of America through lend-lease(a system for lending or leasing military equipment, weapons, ammunition, equipment, strategic raw materials and food to countries that were allies in the anti-Hitler coalition during World War II). The help of the allies was necessary, especially in the initial period of the war, until losses were made up in connection with the occupation by the enemy of a vast territory with the most important defense and industrial centers, and while the national economy was being reorganized on a war footing. But it amounted to only 4% of the volume of Soviet production, and a lot of money had to be paid for it.

Capitulation of German troops near Stalingrad. Field Marshal F. Paulus. January 31, 1943

Lend-Lease. Tank destined for shipment to the USSR

Another form of allied assistance to the Red Army was participation in hostilities against the Nazi troops of foreign units created on the territory of the Soviet Union. So, in 1943 - 1945. on the Soviet-German front, the French aviation regiment "Normandy - Neman" bravely fought, whose pilots shot down 273 enemy aircraft.

1943, February 2 - the day of the defeat of the Nazi troops by the Red Army in the Battle of Stalingrad

In the USSR, two armies of the Polish Army were created, which by May 1945 had about 400 thousand people in their ranks. Both armies participated in the liberation of Poland and the defeat of Nazi Germany. In February 1942, a separate Czechoslovak battalion began to form in the city of Buzuluk, which by the spring of 1944 was deployed into an army corps. Over 800 Czechs and Slovaks were awarded Soviet orders and medals, 7 of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Ruslanova Lidia Andreevna (1900 - 1973) - singer

CAMPS AND SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS. The first special settlers during the war years were Soviet Germans from the Volga region (more than 1 million people). They were accused of espionage, sabotage and forcibly relocated to other, in the opinion of the authorities, more “safe” regions. From able-bodied men and women over 16, labor armies were formed, which were widely used in the construction of new and reconstruction of old enterprises, mines, oil wells, power plants, etc.

Lemeshev Sergey Yakovlevich (1902 - 1977) - singer

The fate of the Soviet Germans was shared by other peoples. Chechens, Ingush, Karachays, Balkars were deported from the North Caucasus. The Kalmyks suffered the same fate. After the liberation of Crimea, the Tatars who inhabited it were sent into exile. All of them without exception were accused of collaborating with the invaders.

And during the war years, the network of Gulag camps continued to function in the rear areas. The Gulag industry, with its system of forced labor, acquired great importance with the outbreak of war: various metals that were essential for military production were mined by prisoners in the mines, gold from Kolyma PELO to pay for military supplies to the allies. In connection with the occupation of Donbass, coal mining in Vorkuta, Karaganda, and Kuzbass acquired exceptional importance. The prisoners built railways, mines, the Okha-Komsomolsk oil pipeline, felled the forest. Their working conditions were very difficult, but many were helped to survive by the consciousness that their contribution to the nationwide struggle against the enemy was significant and weighty.

special settlement

BATTLE OF KURSK. With the onset of spring, a relative calm set in on the vast Soviet-German front. Both sides were preparing for summer battles. German troops made up for losses, armed with new equipment: tanks such as "tiger" and "panther", assault guns "Ferdinand", modern aircraft.

By this time, the restructuring of Soviet industry on a military basis had been completed, which made it possible to create powerful tank and mechanized formations, entire aviation armies.

The attention of the command of both sides was increasingly riveted to the Kursk ledge, which was formed after the winter offensive of the Red Army in 1943. The German command, seeking to recapture the strategic initiative, decided to conduct a major offensive operation in the area of the Kursk ledge in the summer of 1943 in order to defeat the Soviet troops here, and then, building on success, create a threat to Moscow.

Kozlovsky Ivan Semenovich (1900 - 1993) - singer

Having information about the intentions of the enemy, the Soviet command decided to deliberately defend its troops near Kursk in order to meet the expected enemy offensive, and then go on the counteroffensive and finally defeat it.

Battle of Kursk. July 1943

The main hostilities began on 5 July. About 4 million soldiers and officers came together in a deadly battle from both sides. At first, the Germans wedged into the defense of the Soviet troops for 12 - 35 km. But with the transition to the counteroffensive of the Western, Bryansk and Central Fronts, and then the Voronezh and Steppe Fronts, the enemy was driven back 140-150 km.

The culmination of the battle was a grandiose battle in the Prokhorovka area of the Kursk region with the participation of 1200 tanks and self-propelled artillery guns.

Armored monsters shot at each other at close range, furiously went to ram. The July heat, the accumulation of gases from the shots choked the crews. The tankers of the wrecked vehicles entered into hand-to-hand combat. The unimaginable roar of thousands of engines and gun shots on the ground merged with the terrible rumble of hundreds of aircraft in the air. Heroism during the battle was massive. Over 100 thousand soldiers and officers were awarded orders and medals.

Maresyev Alexey Petrovich (1916 - 2003) - fighter pilot

During the Battle of Kursk, the enemy suffered heavy losses: over 500 thousand people, 3 thousand guns, 1500 tanks, 3700 aircraft. The cities of Orel, Belgorod, Kharkov were liberated.

Karmen Roman Lazarevich (1906 - 1978) - director and cameraman

The victory at Kursk was of great military and political significance. Hitler's last attempt to seize the strategic initiative in the war with the Soviet Union failed. If the Battle of Stalingrad marked the beginning of a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War, then the Battle of Kursk marked the final collapse of the offensive strategy of the Wehrmacht and became an important step in achieving a radical turning point in the war. The victory of the Red Army further raised the prestige of the Soviet Union as the decisive force opposing fascism. Hitler and his allies went on the defensive on all fronts of hostilities, not only with the USSR, but also in all theaters of the Second World War. As a result of the defeat of significant Wehrmacht forces on the Kursk Bulge, the beginning of the disintegration of the fascist bloc was laid - Italy withdrew from the war on the side of Germany, and the scale of the Resistance Movement in the occupied countries of Europe increased.

BATTLE FOR THE DNEPR. After the Battle of Kursk, in accordance with the plan of the Supreme High Command, in September-December 1943, Soviet troops launched a major offensive in order to reach the Dnieper and force it on the move on a wide front. By the beginning of hostilities for the Dnieper, in a strip more than 1,300 km wide, 2,633,000 people were concentrated (the Germans had 1,240,000), 51,200 guns and mortars (the Germans had 12,600), 2,400 tanks and self-propelled artillery mounts (the Germans had 2,100), 2850 combat aircraft (the Germans have 2100). Since the spring, the Hitlerite command began to build the Eastern Wall strategic defensive line along the Dnieper, therefore, despite the advantage of the Red Army in manpower and equipment, it was not easy to overcome it.

The combat operations of the fronts commanded by K. K. Rokossovsky, N. F. Vatutin, I. S. Konev, R. Ya. Malinovsky and F. I. Tolbukhin were coordinated by representatives of the Stavka G. K. Zhukov and A. M. Vasilevsky .

Simonov Konstantin Mikhailovich (1915 - 1979) - writer

The offensive was not carried out simultaneously. It included several major operations - Chernigov-Poltava, Donbass, Dnieper airborne, Kyiv and others, as a result of which the enemy troops were severely defeated, and the Dnieper was forced. Soviet soldiers crossed the river mainly at night, on rafts and fishing boats. On the opposite bank of the Dnieper, they captured bridgeheads. The courage and bravery of the soldiers were massive. 2438 soldiers, sergeants, officers and generals were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Major military-strategic and political results were achieved in the battle for the Dnieper. Left-bank and part of Right-bank Ukraine, Donbass, Kyiv, 38,000 settlements, including 160 cities, were cleared of invaders, and an area of 350 thousand km 2 was liberated. But the price of victory was enormous. The irretrievable losses of the Red Army amounted to 417,323 people.

In the battles near Kursk and on the Dnieper, a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War and in the entire Second World War was completed. The offensive strategy of Hitler and his allies failed.

Forcing the Dnieper. September 1943

"RAILWAR" AND PARTISAN RADIES. The nationwide struggle in the enemy's rear acquired a huge scope. By mid-1943, 250,000 partisans and underground fighters were fighting in the occupied territories. Entire partisan territories and districts were created.

Since the summer of 1943, a large-scale "rail war" has unfolded. Only Ukrainian partisans blew up more than 3,000 echelons by the end of the year - 2 times more than in the first half of the year. In total, according to the data of the German command, in the territory occupied by the Nazis in July 1943, 1560 trains and rails were blown up, in August - 2212, in September - 2 thousand.

Jalil (Zalilov) Musa Mustafovich (1906 - 1944) - poet

Guerrilla war. Blown up enemy train

The “rail war”, in addition to destroying manpower and equipment, seriously undermined the supply of fascist troops, diverted enemy forces to guard bridges, stations, and the railway track. Rails were missing. Compensating for their deficiency, the Nazis welded broken rails, removed them from the second tracks, and imported them from Poland and Germany.

Firmly entered into the practice of fighting the Nazis partisan raids - the movement of columns through the villages, villages, towns, small towns of the occupied territories. Moving, as a rule, at night, they destroyed the Germans, executed traitors. The detachments of S. A. Kovpak, A. N. Saburov, and A. F. Fedorov carried out such raids with particular success.

The Germans took the most brutal measures to destroy the partisans. Villages were burned (often together with the inhabitants), and not only members of the families of the partisans, but also their relatives and even neighbors were declared hostages. Persons suspected of having links with the partisans were ruthlessly destroyed. The areas of operation of partisan detachments often turned into dead zones. The population that survived the executions was taken to concentration camps. But even these measures could not stop the partisans. According to the statements of the Nazi generals, already in the autumn of 1942 partisan movement became a serious obstacle to the supply of the Eastern Front and the exploitation by the Germans of the occupied territory of the USSR.

Kovpak Sidor Artemyevich (1887 - 1967) - commander of a partisan unit

The partisan movement covered all the territories occupied by the enemy and numbered over 1 million 150 thousand people in its ranks. During the war years, more than 6,200 partisan detachments and underground groups operated behind enemy lines. The partisans destroyed 20 thousand German trains, tens of thousands of vehicles. As a result of sabotage and sabotage by the underground and partisans, the "contribution" of the occupied regions of the USSR to the German economy amounted to only a seventh of what Hitler received from France. The merits of partisans and underground workers were highly appreciated by the Motherland: 249 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 127 thousand were awarded the medal "Partisan of the Patriotic War."

Lavochkin Semyon Alekseevich (1900 - 1960) - aircraft designer

REAR - TO THE FRONT. Home front workers did everything to provide the front with weapons, ammunition, food. Their work brought amazing results. Already from the middle of 1942, the Urals produced 100% of heavy and 60% of medium tanks. The T-34 tank not only surpassed the German vehicles of this class, but also became the best tank of World War II. The main type of small arms was the PPSh assault rifle. The new Soviet planes Yak-3, Il-2, La-7, Tu-2 gradually gained advantages in the air, leading successful battles with the German Junkers and Messerschmitts. They successfully acted against tanks, vehicles, as well as enemy manpower.

Fighter La-5 FK

In the decisive sectors of the national economy, a movement of "two hundred" unfolded, fulfilling two norms per shift: one for themselves, the other for a comrade who had gone to the front. Komsomol-youth front-line brigades began to be created everywhere. Under the motto "In work, as in battle!" their members carried out the most important orders of the front.

It is difficult to measure the magnitude of the feat of the peasants. The front was provided with bread, regardless of any reasons. Even in 1943, when a drought struck many parts of the country, agriculture supplied the army and the population with food, and industry with raw materials. The nutrition of the population was poor. Food cards covered about 80 million Soviet people. The average worker received 600 grams of bread a day; 1800 g of meat, 400 g of fat, 1800 g of cereals and pasta, 600 g of sugar per month. Dependents received 400, 500, 200, 600 and 400 g respectively.

The Soviet people spared nothing for the sake of victory over the enemy. Voluntary assistance of the people to the front resulted in a patriotic movement to raise funds for the Red Army. During the war years, voluntary contributions from citizens to the Defense Fund amounted to 118.2 billion rubles, which was equal to the average annual expenditure for the needs of the army.

At the assembly of "flying tanks" - Il-2 attack aircraft (military factory workshop)

A huge contribution to the victory over the enemy was made by the creative intelligentsia, whose activities were filled with the high idea of \u200b\u200bdefending the Fatherland. S. Prokofiev and O. Bergholz, I. Kozlovsky and L. Ruslanova, M. Blanter and I. Isakovsky, A. Tvardovsky and V. Solovyov-Sedoy, hundreds of artists, poets and musicians carried patriotic music, words and songs to the masses of soldiers on the fronts. Throughout the war, filmmakers chronicled the heroic struggle of the Soviet people against the fascist invaders. The following films became classics of Russian cinema: “Secretary of the District Committee” by I. A. Pyryev, “She Defends the Motherland” by F. M. Ermler, “Two Soldiers” by L. D. Lukov and others. graphics: “Defense of Sevastopol” by A. A. Deineka, “The Fascist flew by” by A. A. Plastov, “Mother of the Partisan” by S. V. Gerasimov and others. music by A. V. Aleksandrov, text by S. V. Mikhalkov and G. A. El-Registan).

The labor feat of home front workers is highly appreciated. Over 16 million workers, including many teenagers, were awarded the medal "For Valiant Labor in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945."

Orlova Lyubov Petrovna (1902 - 1975) - actress

QUESTIONS AND TASKS

1. What is the military-strategic and political significance of the Battle of Stalingrad? Why is it called the beginning of a radical turning point in the war?

2. What assistance did the allies of the USSR provide in the fight against Nazi Germany?

3. In the battles near Kursk and on the Dnieper, a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War and throughout the Second World War was completed. What exactly did this manifest itself in?

4. What role did the "rail war" and partisan raids play in the war?

5. What was the heroism of the home front workers?

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Municipal Educational Institution "Ochkurovskaya School" of the Nikolaevsky Municipal District of the Volgograd Region Victory Lesson "The Beginning of a Radical Change in the Great Patriotic War" Prepared by the teacher primary school Nikishina Olga Ivanovna 2017 To the 72nd anniversary of the liberation of our Motherland from Nazi invaders. Purpose: to promote the formation of a sense of patriotism, pride in the past of their country. Tasks:  Creation of conditions for a deeper acquaintance of students with the main stages and events of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, its defenders and their exploits;  Tell students about the heroic pages of the Great Patriotic War, the liberation of our country from the fascist invaders;  To form ideas about military duty and loyalty to the Fatherland, to form the experience of the moral behavior of the individual, to stimulate interest in the history of one's country;  Develop information culture students;  Emotionally stimulate the patriotic feelings of pupils through familiarization with military traditions;  To instill in children love and respect for soldiers, partisans, underground workers, patriots who died defending the honor, freedom and independence of our Motherland, who saved the peoples of the world from enslavement;  To cultivate love for the native country, a sense of patriotism. Equipment: audio recordings with songs of the war years, children's drawings about the war, posters, an exhibition of books about the war, balloons, flowers, slides. Teacher: Dear children! We have gathered here today to reflect, to remember the terrible and at the same time full of courage and valor days of the Great Patriotic War! You and I are happy children, because we have a childhood, we have the opportunity to learn, communicate, make plans for the future. All this was not the case for children who lived more than 70 years ago. Their childhood was severely taken away from them, their life was determined by one war. They didn't have a choice. And the adults had no choice. Our entire Motherland had no other choice. Oral Journal (Slide No. 1) Today we will spend our journey in the form of an Oral Journal, that is, we will travel through the pages of history. Page 1: The beginning of the war (Slide number 2) War! There is no harsher word! War! There is no scarier word! And on the lips of everyone else, It can no longer be, and no! 1941 “A heavy roar hit the ground. The light went out instantly. The walls of the casemate shook. Stucco was falling from the ceiling. And through the deafening howl and roar, the rolling explosions of heavy shells broke through more and more clearly. Ran somewhere very close. - War! someone shouted. - This is war, comrades, war! …The outer door was blown away by the blast, and orange flashes of fires could be seen through it. The casemate trembled heavily. All around howled and groaned. And it was June 22, 1941 at 4:15 Moscow time. (song “Oh, roads” (music by A. Novikov, lyrics by L. Oshanin) For the first time during the months of the war, our Army retreated. By July 10, the Germans had already captured the Baltic states, Belarus, Moldova, most of Ukraine. In three weeks, our troops lost 3,500 aircraft, 6,000 tanks, more than 20,000 guns and mortars. A lot of our soldiers died. Many soldiers were taken prisoner. But our people did not break. They survived. But how difficult were these 1418 days of the war (Slide No. 3) (student reading poetry) Student 1 It becomes very scary if You hear the terrible word war, Over the planet, over the whole world She stretches her black hands. Pupil 2: Forty-first! June. The year and month of the struggle of the people. Even the dust of time It is impossible to tighten this date. Student 3: The country rose And went to the front in a line, Carrying the red stars On the canvases of the banners. Guys, what other words are associated with the word WAR? (Grief, pain, death, disappointment, scream, noise, siren, heroism, feat...) And whose great-grandfathers were participants in those battles? Page 2: “Battle for Moscow” (Slide No. 4) Autumn 1941. The enemy desperately rushed to the heart of our homeland - Moscow. Fascist officers have already ordered new uniforms for themselves for their parade on Red Square. The State Defense Committee, the command of the Red Army gathered forces from all over the country for a decisive rebuff to the enemy. Aerostats hovered over Moscow, the approaches to the capital bristled with anti-tank ditches, hedgehogs and trenches. By the end of 1941, the enemy was stopped near Moscow. The battle near Moscow was marked by mass heroism and self-sacrifice of the Soviet people. Thunder and smoke. Fire and blood. Flame in the realm of darkness. At six in the morning - the attack again, At seven - again the attack! Ahead of the fire is a barrier - the Deadly Wall. But he gets up, saying: “It is necessary!” The very first foreman, If necessary, then necessary! "Need" - the platoon gets up. Echoing grenades are torn, The machine gun is aiming. It is necessary to support the brave - Major shouted: "Forward!" And, having given the command to the detachment, He stands in front of him. Page 3: "Battle of Stalingrad". (Slides 5 11) In the blockade days We never found out Between youth and childhood Where is the line? We were given medals in the forty-third And only in the forty-fifth passport (The melody of the song “In the forest near the front” sounds) Teacher: The formidable and difficult years of the Great Patriotic War are moving further and further, but the memory of those who did not spare their blood, who brought to the altar of freedom is the most precious life. Each of us shares the thought embodied in the words: "No one is forgotten, nothing is forgotten." And today in the lesson we will try to recreate the pictures of the war years. After the victory near Moscow, there were other victories, there were losses and serious defeats. But the enemy was still strong and cunning. He captured the Crimea, Kharkov, Donbass, went to the bend of the Don, threatening Stalingrad, occupied Rostovna Don, rushed to the Caucasian oil. Alarmed by the heavy losses, I.V. Stalin on July 28, 1942 issues order No. 227, which went down in history under the title “Not a step back!” Stalingrad is subjected to continuous bombardment from the east, and in early September 1942, street fighting begins. The enemy rushes to the Volga, but the city desperately resists him. Over 700 thousand killed and wounded were lost by the enemy in the battles for the city, more than a thousand tanks and aircraft. But by mid-November, he was forced to go on the defensive. On November 19, 1942, the operation code-named "Uranus" developed by G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky to defeat the Nazi troops near Stalingrad began with powerful volleys of artillery. In the area of the city of Kalach, a 330,000-strong enemy group under the command of Field Marshal Paulus was surrounded and capitulated on February 2, 1943. The beginning of a radical change during the Great Patriotic War. In long fierce battles and battles, the Soviet troops, overcoming incredible difficulties and hardships, inflicted a crushing defeat on the largest strategic grouping of German fascist troops. "The victory at Stalingrad was not just a victory, it was a historical feat." In this feat, the invincible power of the state, the great friendship of the peoples of our country, the courage and heroism of Soviet soldiers, and the superiority of Soviet military art over the military art of Nazi Germany were manifested with particular force. Presenter 1: And in rare moments of calm, people remembered their home, relatives and people close to them. They imagined how happily they would live after the war... The war didn't teach you how to love, It was impossible to cool your heart Warmed in the dugout the cute face - Wives, mothers, fathers, friends. (The song “In the dugout” sounds) Presenter 2: The unparalleled courage of the Stalingraders shocked even experienced Nazi warriors: “It is impossible to describe what is happening here. Everyone who has a head and hands fights in Stalingrad - men and women. The Nazis died by the hundreds. The main theme in the letters of German soldiers is the motive of foreboding death: "We will never leave Russia"; “each of us here will perish”; “If, because of this letter, I am brought to a military tribunal and shot, it will be good for me.” By mid-November, the offensive capabilities of the German troops finally dried up. Having lost in the battles for Stalingrad about 700 thousand killed and wounded, more than 1 thousand tanks and over 1.4 thousand aircraft, the German troops were forced to go on the defensive by mid-November. Presenter 1. The news about the defeat of the fascist troops in the Stalingrad region swept the whole world like a joyful wave and inspired the resistance forces of Europe to further fight against fascism. The world was amazed and delighted with the legendary victory of the Soviet troops, which marked the beginning of a radical turning point in the course of the entire Second World War. Student 1. Do you hear? At Stalingrad, in the frosty air, cannonade sounds like a victorious thunder, and all of Germany trembles, It is useless for enemies to rush about: they are brought down by a gun tornado, Death, which has long sought them for a long time, has crushed them with an iron noose. Pupil 2. There was a deadly battle near Stalingrad, Everyone defended our native city, The fire is burning, like a memory of terrible years, We will remember everyone who is not here today. Disciple 3. The war has passed, the suffering has passed, But the pain appeals to people. Let's never forget this people! May the eternal memory of her Keep, of this torment, And the children of today's children, And our grandchildren, grandchildren. Page 6: Victory (Slide No. 13) Presenter. On May 8, 1945, the Act of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany was signed in Karlshorst near Berlin. From the side of Germany, it was signed by Field Marshal Keitel, from the side of the Soviet Union, Marshal G.K. Zhukov. And on June 24, the Parade of Victories took place on Red Square in Moscow, the song of M. Yasenya “May Waltz”. For everything that we have now For each of our happy hours, For the fact that the sun shines on us, Thanks to the valiant soldiers, Who once defended the world. Thanks to the native Army, Our fathers and grandfathers! Thank you, soldiers, for life, for childhood, for spring. Student 1: Orders shine in the sun, Medals solemnly ring, The whole country is proud of them, They defended their freedom. Disciple 2: There are fewer and fewer of them, Gray-haired defenders of the people, That brought a moment of happiness closer, Four years went to victory. Student 3: They are adorned with gray hair, New medals shine, The whole country is indebted to them, They did not feel the warmth. Student 4: I'm going to the parade in uniform, Reverence reigns in my soul, Fanfare rumbles once a year, And oblivion continues. Student 5: We went to battle for freedom, Bearless soldiers of the war, To protect the country with ourselves. They lead thoughts to the forty-fifth ... Student 6: On the ninth day of jubilant May, When silence fell on the earth, The news rushed from edge to edge: The world won! The war is over! Teacher: Today we again remember that war. In order to always remember those who did everything so that we, who live now, could laugh and cry, rejoice and grieve, study, work and just live. We turn on the "eternal flame". Let us bow our heads before the greatness of their feat. We will honor the memory of those who did not return from the war with a minute of silence. I ask everyone to stand up! A MINUTE OF SILENCE Against the background of the photographs, the melody of D. Tukhmanov's song "Victory Day" sounds. Against the background of the song, at the very end, the words appear: “The war has passed, the suffering has passed, but pain calls out to people: let people never forget about it!” Teacher: Bowing our heads before the bright memory of fathers, grandfathers, brothers, sisters, relatives, let's free our hearts from anger and cruelty, remember that we are the sons and daughters of a great people, and we will be worthy of it. Having crossed the threshold of the third millennium, I would like to live without wars in the future. We pride ourselves on having many heroes, but may there be no more fallen on the battlefield in the coming ages. Resources used: 1. Utkin A. "Second World War» M. 2003. 2.Soviet historical encyclopedia. – M.: Izdvo “Owls. encyclopedia”, 1987. 3. Chuyanov A.S. Stalingrad diary (1941-1943). - NVolga edition, 1979.

By mid-autumn 1942, the situation on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War began to change dramatically: after trying to capture the Transcaucasian region, the fascist army suffered huge material and human losses.

Battle of Stalingrad

For the Soviet command was given the opportunity, taking advantage of the moment, to achieve a turning point in the course of the war in a positive direction for themselves. It was planned to deliver the main blow to the German army on the Stalingrad front. G.K. Zhukov and A.M. Vasilevsky were engaged in the development of a plan for the defeat of the Nazis near Stalingrad.

The first blow was delivered by Soviet artillery on November 19, 1942, then it was the turn of a tank attack. Fierce fighting lasted for five days. The Soviet troops managed to encircle 350 thousand enemy army. The German army lost 900 thousand. people, about 2 thousand tanks, 4 thousand aircraft.

The German General Field Marshal F. Pauls was taken prisoner. The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad marked a radical change in the Great Patriotic War and marked the beginning of the end of the power of the fascist invaders.

The beginning of the release

After success Soviet army in the battle of Stalingrad, the German armed forces began to gradually retreat. First of all, troops were withdrawn from the Caucasus, as the fascist invaders were afraid of a repetition of the Stalingrad scenario. In early January 1943, the siege of Leningrad was partially broken through by the fighters of the Leningrad Front.

There was still no connection with the city, but thanks to the newly formed "corridor", it was possible to transport food and medicine to the townspeople. From the beginning of February, Soviet troops began to make attempts to liberate Donbass.

For the strategically important region for both sides, the struggle continued until the summer. it was here that the famous Kursk Bulge was formed, which significantly undermined the fascist positions. During the winter period, the Red Army was able to destroy more than 100 enemy divisions, which was a real success compared to the previous two years of the war.

Conference in Tehran

In mid-July 1943, the Soviet armed forces received significant support as a result of the Anglo-American troops joining them. In November-December 1943, a meeting of the leaders of the USSR, the USA and England ("Big Three") took place in Tehran.

Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill agreed on the opening of a second front in Europe in May-June 1944, on the creation of the United Nations after the war, on the basic principles of the post-war world order, on the fate of Germany after its final defeat, etc.

The Soviet Union undertook to oppose Japan after the end of hostilities in Europe. After a radical change in hostilities in 1942-1943. the political fate of the fascists was largely a foregone conclusion, although a very long bloody struggle lay ahead for the warring parties.

After the defeats at the first stage of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet army was able to rehabilitate itself. A number of successful operations marked the beginning of a new period, called the "fundamental change." We will expand this concept in our article.

The beginning of an important milestone

The beginning of a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War is considered the Stalingrad offensive operation, called "Uranus" (11/19/1942-02/02/1943).

From July to November 1942, the enemy went on the offensive, planning to capture the isthmus between the Don and the Volga, the bend of the Don, Stalingrad. Soviet troops fought defensive battles, and in November-January they were able to surround the invaders. After long battles, at the cost of heavy human losses, the Russians forced the Nazis to capitulate. This defeat for Germany meant the failure of plans to further advance in this direction to the Caucasus in order to seize oil fields.

Rice. 1. Battle of Stalingrad.

At the same time, the Second Rzhev-Sychevskaya operation began (November-December 1942) to defeat the Germans, who had fortified themselves on the Rzhev-Vyazemsky ledge. It was not advantageous for the Soviet troops, but it made it possible to wear down the enemy and prevent the German units from coming to the aid of the army encircled near Stalingrad.

The main events

In January-February 1943, the North Caucasian offensive operation was carried out, as a result of which the North Caucasus was liberated, the German troops were defeated.

What have we learned?

The radical turning point in the course of the Great Patriotic War is the period from November 1942 to December 1943. At this stage, the Soviet troops successfully carried out strategic operations that changed the results of the confrontation with the fascist invaders in favor of the Soviet Union and actually decided the further outcome of the war.

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