Strategic operations of the Red Army in World War II explained

The strategic operations of the Red Army in World War II were major military events carried out between 1941 and 1945 on the Eastern Front or in 1945 in the Far East during the Second World War. Such operations typically involved at least one Front – the largest military formation of the Soviet Armed Forces. The operations could be defensive, offensive, a withdrawal, an encirclement, or a siege – always conducted by at least two Services of the armed forces (the ground forces and the air forces) and often included the naval forces. In most cases the Stavka divided the strategic operations into operational phases which were large operations in their own right. In very few cases the phases were tactical, such as those requiring amphibious landings.

Introduction

In Soviet historiography, the Great Patriotic War is divided into periods:

  1. First (22 June 1941 – 18 November 1942)
  2. Second (19 November 1942 – 31 December 1943)
  3. Third (1 January 1944 – 9 May 1945)

The war with Japan, the Campaign in the Far East including the Manchurian strategic offensive operation, (9 August 1945 – 2 September 1945) is seen as a separate theater of operations from the Great Patriotic War.

During the course of the Second World War the Red Army carried out a number of different military operations. The scope of these operations, usually known by the major cities around which they took place, was usually termed "operational-strategic" or "strategic", depending on the scale. An "operational-strategic" operation was usually undertaken by at least a group of Armies or a single Front. A "strategic" operation usually demanded cooperation of several Fronts to achieve its objectives. In both cases the operations could last from a week to several months. strategic operations were combined into seasonal campaigns, because weather and ground conditions affected planning.

Soviet historians disagreed on which operations to classify as strategic or front-level, and the names of operations often differed between early military studies and later official histories. In the 1960s 40 strategic operations were discussed, in the 1970s this expanded to 55, and by the beginning of the 1980s, "more than 50." The six-volume official History of the Great Patriotic War, published between 1960 and 1965, and the twelve-volume History of the Second World War 1939–1945, published between 1973 and 1982, did not clarify the number of strategic operations. In an attempt to resolve the discussion, the Military-Historical Journal of the Ministry of Defense published discussions during 1985 and 1986 between military historians and military leaders about strategic operations. As a result of these discussions, a list of strategic operations was developed, and the number of troops involved and durations of the operations were specified.[1] However, this issue was not fully resolved, as the work of the commission of Grigory Krivosheyev on Soviet casualties published in 1993 contained a slightly different list of strategic operations.[2]

First period (22 June 1941 – 18 November 1942)

Summer–Autumn campaign of 1941 (22 June – 4 December)

Baltic Border defensive Battles 22–24 June 1941

Battle of Raseiniai

Šiauliai counter-offensive operation 24–27 June 1941

Riga defensive (ru) : 28–30 June 1941

Pskov defensive (ru) : 4–9 July 1941

Battle of Hanko (1941) 22 June – 2 December 1941

Belorussian Border defensive Battles 22–25 June 1941

Defense of Brest Fortress 22–30 June 1941

Battle of Vitebsk (1941) (ru) : 6–16 July 1941

Borisov counterattack: 6–9 July 1941

6–11 July 1941[3]

Ukrainian Border defensive Battles 22–27 June 1941

Battle of Brody (1941) (26–30 June 1941)

L'vov-Lutsk defensive 27 June – 2 July 1941

Stanislav-Proskurov defensive 3–6 July 1941

Murmansk-Kandalaksha defensive 29 June – 19 September 1941

Vyborg-Keksholm defensive 29 June – 23 September 1941

Kestenga defensive 1 July – 10 October 1941

Defensives on the Petrozavodsk, Ukhinskom-Rugozerskom, and Olonetskom directions 1 July – 10 October 1941

Korosten defensive 11 July – 20 August 1941

Timoshenko Counteroffensive 13 – 17 July 1941

Bobruysk offensive 13 July – 7 August 1941

Novohrad-Volynskyi defensive 10 July – 20 August 1941

Uman defensive 15 July – 4 August 1941

Tiraspol-Melitopol defensive (ru) : 27 July – 28 September 1941

Kiev-Pryluky defensive 20 August – 26 September 1941

Malyn offensive 5–8 August 1941

Tallinn defensive (ru) : 10 July – 10 August 1941

Evacuation of Tallinn (1941)

Kingisepp–Luga defensive (ru) : 10 July – 23 September 1941

Soltsy-Dno offensive (ru) : 14 – 18 July 1941

Staraya-Russa offensive (ru) : 12–23 August 1941

Demyansk defensive (ru) : 6–26 September 1941

First Sinyavino offensive (ru) : 10–26 September 1941

Second Sinyavino offensive (ru) : 20–28 October 1941

Polotsk defensive (ru) : 2–16 July 1941

Smolensk defensive (ru) : 10 July – 10 August 1941

Smolensk offensive 21 July – 7 August 1941

Siege of Mogilev 3–26 July 1941

Rogachev–Zhlobin offensive (1941) (ru) : 13–24 July 1941

Gomel–Trubchevsk defensive (ru) : 24 July – 30 August 1941

Dukhovschina offensive (ru) : 17 August – 8 September 1941

Yelnya offensive 30 August – 8 September 1941

Roslavl–Novozybkov offensive 30 August – 12 September 1941

Battle of the Sea of Azov 26 September – 11 October 1941

Sumy–Kharkov defensive 30 September – 30 November 1941

Defence of Kharkov (1941) (20–24 October 1941)

German First Battle of Kharkov

Donbas defensive operation (1941) (ru) : 29 September – 4 November 1941

Rostov defensive (ru) : 5–16 November 1941

Orel-Bryansk defensive operation (ru) : 30 September – 23 October 1941

Vyazma defensive operation (ru) : 2–13 October 1941

Kalinin Defensive Operation (ru) : 10 October – 4 December 1941

Mozhaisk-Maloyaroslavets defensive (ru) : 10–30 October 1941

Tula defensive (ru) : 24 October – 5 December 1941

Klin-Solnechnogorsk Defensive (ru) : 15 November – 5 December 1941

Naro-Fominsk defensive (ru) : 1–5 December 1941

Tikhvin-Kirishsk offensive (ru) : 12 November – 30 December 1941

Malo-Vishersk offensive (ru) : 10 November – 30 December 1941

Bolshekrepinsk offensive 17–27 November 1941

Rostov offensive 27 November – 2 December 1941

Winter campaign of 1941/42 (5 December 1941 – 30 April 1942)

Kalinin Offensive (ru) : 5 December 1941 – 7 January 1942

Klin–Solnechnogorsk offensive (ru) : 6–25 December 1941

Yelets offensive (ru) : 6–16 December 1941

Tula offensive (ru) : 6–16 December 1941

Kaluga offensive (ru) : 17 December 1941 – 5 January 1942

Naro–Fominsk offensive : 24 December 1941 – 8 January 1942

Kerch landing 25 December 1941 – 2 January 1942

Feodosia landing 25 December 1941 – 2 January 1942

Sychyovka–Vyazma offensive 8 January – 28 February 1942

Mozhaysk–Vyazma offensive (Operation Jupiter)10 January – 28 February 1942

Toropets–Kholm offensive 9 January – 6 February 1942

Vyazma Airborne 18 January – 28 February 1942

Rzhev–Vyazma offensive (1942) 3 March – 20 April 1942

Demyansk offensive – second phase (1942) 7 January – 20 May 1942

Summer–Autumn campaign of 1942 (1 May – 18 November)

German Fall Kremel ("Case Kremlin" in English) was a German deception for a summer offensive aimed at Moscow

Axis Case Blue – Woronesh Army Group B

Axis Case Blue – Stalingrad 6th Army

Axis Case Blue – Baku Army Group A

1st Kastornoye defensive 28 June – 10 July 1942

2nd Kastornoye defensive 9–24 July 1942

Valuiki–Rossosh defensive 28 June – 24 July 1942

Voroshilovgrad–Shakhty defensive 7–24 July 1942

Battle of Rostov (1942) 19–24 July 1942

Defensive battles at distant approaches (ru) : 17 July – 17 August 1942

Defensive battles on near approaches and in Stalingrad 19 August – 18 November 1942

Tikhoretsk-Stavropol Defensive Operation : 25 July – 5 August 1942

Armavir-Maikop Defensive Operation (ru) : 6–17 August 1942

Krasnodar Defensive Operation (ru) : 7–14 August 1942

Novorossiysk Defensive Operation (ru) : 19 August – 26 September 1942

Mozdok-Malgobek Defensive Operation (ru) : 1–28 September 1942

1940–44 insurgency in Chechnya

Tuapse Defensive Operation (ru) : 25 September – 20 December 1942

Nalckik-Ordzhonikidze Defensive Operation (ru) : 25 October – 12 November 1942

Second period (19 November 1942 – 31 December 1943)

Winter campaign of 1942–1943 (19 November 1942 – 3 March 1943)

Operation Uranus 19–30 November 1942

Kotelnikovo offensive 12–31 December 1942

Tatsinskaya Raid 16–28 December 1942

Operation Winter Storm 12–23 December 1942

Middle Don offensive (Operation Little Saturn) 16–30 December 1942

Operation Koltso (Operation Ring) 10 January – 2 February 1943

Sychevka offensive 24 November – 14 December 1942

Belyi offensive 25 November – 16 December 1942

Luchesa offensive 25 November – 11 December 1942

Molodoi Tud offensive 25 November – 23 December 1942

Velikie-Luki offensive 24 November 1942 – 20 January 1943

Salsk-Rostov offensive (or Battle of Rostov (1943)) : 1 January – 4 February 1943

Mozdok-Stavropol offensive : 1–24 January 1943

Novorossiysk-Maikop offensive : 11 January – 4 February 1943

Tikhoretsk-Eisk offensive : 24 January – 4 February 1943

Krasnoborsko-Smerdynskaya offensive

Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh offensive 13–27 January 1943

Voronezh-Kastornoye offensive 24 January – 2 February 1943

Voroshilovgrad offensive (Operation Skachok)[4] 29 January – 18 February 1943

Kharkov offensive (Operation Zvezda) 2 February – 3 March 1943

Orel (Maloarkhangelsk) offensive (ru) : 5–28 February 1943

Lvov offensive 15 February – 1 March 1943

Battle of Krasny Bor 10–13 February 1943

Demyansk offensive 15–28 February 1943

Staraya Russa operation (ru) : 4–19 March 1943

Rzhev–Vyazma offensive (1943) 2–31 March 1943

2nd Taman offensive 26 May 1943 – 22 August 1944

Summer–Autumn campaign of 1943 (1 July – 31 December)

Orel–Kursk Defensive (ru) : 5–11 July 1943

Belgorod–Kursk defensive 5–23 July 1943

Volkhov–Orel offensive 12 July – 18 August 1943

Kromyv–Orel offensive 15 July – 18 August 1943

Izyum-Barvenkovo offensive (ru) : 17–27 July 1943

Mius offensive (ru) : 17 July – 2 August 1943

Belgorod–Bogodukhov offensive 3–23 August 1943

Belgorod–Kharkov offensive 3–23 August 1943

Zmiev offensive 12–23 August 1943

Mirgorod direction offensive 3–25 August 1943

Spas–Demensk offensive (ru) : 7–20 August 1943

Dukhovshchina–Demidov offensive 1st Stage 13–18 August 1943

Yelnia–Dorogobuzh offensive (ru) : 28 August – 6 September 1943

Dukhovshchina–Demidov offensive 2nd Stage (ru) : 14 September – 2 October 1943

Smolensk–Roslavl offensive (ru) : 15 September – 2 October 1943

Bryansk offensive 17 August – 3 October 1943

Barvenkov-Pavlograd offensive 13 August – 22 September 1943

Mius–Mariupol offensive 18 August – 22 September 1943

Chernigov-Pripyat offensive (ru) : 26 August – 30 September 1943

Sumy–Priluky offensive (ru) : 26 August – 30 September 1943

Poltava-Kremenchug offensive (ru) : 26 August – 30 September 1943

Novorossiysk amphibious operation (ru) : 10–16 September 1943

Taman offensive (1943) 10 September – 9 October 1943

Axis Defence of the Panther–Wotan line

Kremenchug offensive 26 September – 10 October 1943

Melitopol Offensive (ru) : 26 September – 5 November 1943

Zaporizhia offensive (ru) : 10–14 October 1943

Kremenchug-Pyatikhatki Offensive (ru) : 15 October – 3 November 1943

Dnepropetrovsk offensive (ru) : 23 October – 23 December 1943

Krivoi Rog offensive 14–21 November 1943

Apostolovo offensive 14 November – 23 December 1943

Nikopol offensive 14 November – 31 December 1943

Aleksandriia–Znamenka offensive (ru) : 22 November – 9 December 1943

Krivoi Rog offensive 10–19 December 1943

Chernobyl–Radomysl offensive 1–4 October 1943

Chernobyl–Gornostaipol defensive 3–8 October 1943

Lyutezh offensive 11–24 October 1943

1st Bukrin offensive 12–15 October 1943

2nd Bukrin offensive 21–24 October 1943

1st Gomel–Rechitsa offensive 30 September – 30 October 1943

Nevel offensive 3–12 October 1943

1st Orsha offensive 3–26 October 1943

Battle of Lenino 12–13 October 1943

Vitebsk (Riga) offensive 18–30 October 1943

Idritsa offensive 18–30 October 1943

Pskov offensive 18–30 October 1943

Polotsk–Vitebsk offensive 2–21 November 1943

Pustoshka-Idritsa offensive 2–21 November 1943

2nd Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive (ru) : 10–30 November 1943

2nd Orsha offensive 14 November – 5 December 1943

Novyi Bykhov–Propoisk offensive 22–30 November 1943

Kalinkovichi offensive 8–11 December 1943

Gorodok offensive (ru) : 13–31 December 1943

Idritsa-Opochka offensive 16 December 1943 – 15 January 1944

Kalinkovichi defensive 20–27 December 1943

Third period (1 January 1944 – 9 May 1945)

Winter Spring campaign of 1944 (1 January – 31 May)

Zhitomir–Berdichev offensive 24 December 1943 – 14 January 1944

Kirovograd offensive 5–16 January 1944

Korsun–Shevchenkovsky offensive 24 January – 17 February 1944

German Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket

Rovno–Lutsk offensive 1 Stage 27 January – 11 February 1944

Nikopol–Krivoi Rog offensive 2 Stage 30 January – 29 February 1944

Proskurov–Chernovtsy offensive 4 March – 17 April 1944

Uman–Botoşani offensive 5 March 1944 – 17 April 1944

Bereznegovatoye–Snigirevka offensive (ru) : 6–18 March 1944

Polesskoe offensive (ru) : 15 March – 5 April 1944

Odessa offensive 26 March – 14 April 1944

Ozarichi-Ptich offensive 16–30 January 1944

Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha offensive 14–30 January 1944

Novgorod–Luga offensive (ru) : 14 January – 15 February 1944

Kingisepp–Gdov offensive 1 February – 1 March 1944

Staraya Russa-Novorzhev Offensive (ru) : 18 February – 1 March 1944

Battle for Narva Bridgehead 2 February – 26 July 1944

Perekop–Sevastopol offensive 8 April – 12 May 1944

Kerch–Sevastopol offensive 11 April – 12 May 1944

First Battle of Târgu Frumos : 9–12 April 1944

Battle of Podu Iloaiei : 12 April 1944

Second Battle of Târgu Frumos : 2–8 May 1944

Summer–Autumn campaign of 1944 (1 June – 31 December)

Vyborg offensive (ru) : 10–20 June 1944

Koivisto landing operation (ru) : 20–25 June 1944

Battle of Tienhaara : 22 June 1944

Battle of Tali-Ihantala : 25 June – 9 July 1944

Battle of Vyborg Bay (1944) : 30 June 30 – 10 July 1944

Battle of Vuosalmi : 4–17 July 1944

Svir–Petrozavodsk offensive (ru) : 21 June – 9 August 1944

Tuloksinskaia landing offensive (ru) : 23–27 June 1944

Battle of Nietjärvi : 15–17 July 1944

Battle of Ilomantsi : 6 July – 13 August 1944

Vitebsk–Orsha offensive 23–28 June 1944

Mogilev offensive 23–28 June 1944

Bobruysk offensive 24–29 June 1944

Polotsk offensive 29 June – 4 July 1944

Minsk offensive 29 June – 4 July 1944

Vilnius offensive 5–20 July 1944

Šiauliai offensive 5–31 July 1944

Belostock offensive 5–27 July 1944

Lublin–Brest offensive 18 July – 2 August 1944

Battle of Radzymin (1944)

Kaunas offensive 28 July – 28 August 1944

Osovets offensive 6–14 August 1944

Lvov offensive (ru) : 13–27 July 1944

Stanislav offensive 13–27 July 1944

Sandomierz offensive 28 July – 29 August 1944

Yassi–Focsani offensive 20–29 August 1944

Kishinev–Izmail offensive 20–29 August 1944

Carpathian–Dukla offensive 8–28 September 1944

Carpathian-Uzhgorod offensive (ru) : 9–28 September 1944

Riga offensive 14 September – 24 October 1944

Tallinn offensive 17–26 September 1944

Moonsund landing 5–22 October 1944

Memel offensive 27 September – 24 November 1944

Kecskemét-Budapest offensive 29 October – 10 December 1944

Szolnok–Budapest offensive 29 October – 10 December 1944

Nyiregyhaza–Miskolc offensive 1 November – 10 December 1944

Apatin-Kaposvár offensive (ru) : 7 November – 31 December 1944

Esztergom–Komarno offensive 20 December 1944 – 15 January 1945

Szekesfehervar–Esztergom offensive 20 December 1944 – 13 February 1945

Assault on Budapest 27 December 1944 – 13 February 1945

German: Operation Konrad : 1–27 January 1945

Campaign in Europe 1945 (1 January – 9 May)

Warsaw-Posen offensive (ru) : 14 January – 3 February 1945

Battle of Posen 24 January – 23 February 1945

Sandomierz–Silesian offensive 12 January – 3 February 1945

Kosice–Poprad offensive 12–28 January 1945

Bel'sk offensive 29 January – 18 February 1945

Pleshevets–Breznovsk offensive 12 January – 18 February 1945

Insterburg–Königsberg offensive (ru) : 14–26 January 1945

Milau–Elbing offensive (ru) : 14–26 January 1945

Rastenburg–Heilsberg offensive 27 January – 12 February 1945

Braunsberg offensive 13–22 March 1945

German Heiligenbeil Pocket

Königsberg offensive 6–9 April 1945

Samland offensive 13–25 April 1945

German Siege of Breslau 13 February – 6 May 1945

Konitz-Köslin offensive operation 10 February – 6 March 1945

German counteroffensive Operation Solstice 15–18 February 1945

Danzig offensive operation (ru) : 7–31 March 1945

Arnswalde–Kolberg offensive operation 1–18 March 1945

Altdamm offensive operation 18 March – 4 April 1945 (near Stettin)

Bulgarian Battle of the Transdanubian Hills 6–21 March 1945

Győr offensive 13 March – 4 April 1945

Veszprem offensive 16–25 March 1945

Sopron–Baden offensive 26 March – 4 April 1945

Nagykanizsa–Körmend offensive 26 March – 15 April 1945

Assault on Vienna (ru) : 4–13 April 1945

German Defence of the Oder–Neisse Line

Stettin–Rostock offensive operation (ru) : 16 April – 8 May 1945

German Defense of Schwedt Bridgehead 1 February – 3 March 1945

Seelow-Berlin offensive 16 April – 2 May 1945

Battle of Halbe (Russian: Хальбский "котел", Halbe cauldron) 24 April – 1 May 1945

Cottbus–Potsdam offensive operation (ru) : 16 April – 8 May 1945

Spremberg–Torgau offensive operation (ru) : 16 April – 5 May 1945

Battle of Bautzen 21–30 April 1945

Brandenberg–Rathenow offensive 3–8 May 1945

Dresden–Prague offensive 6–11 May 1945

Sudeten offensive 6–11 May 1945

Olomuoc offensive 6–9 May 1945

Iglau–Beneschau offensive 6–11 May 1945

See also

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. Итоги дискуссии о стратегических операциях Великой Отечественной войны. . Voenno-istorichesky Zhurnal . 1987 . 10 . 8–24 . Results of the discussion on strategic operations of the Great Patriotic War . ru.
  2. Book: Krivosheyev . G. F. . Гриф секретности снят: Потери Вооружённых Сил СССР в войнах, боевых действиях и военных конфликтах: Статистическое исследование . Andronikov . V. M. . Burikov . P. D. . 1993 . Voenizdat . 5-203-01400-0 . Moscow . 368–370 . ru . Removing the stamp of secrecy: Losses of the Armed Forces of the USSR in wars, military operations and military conflicts: Statistical research.
  3. Book: Glantz, David M. . David M. Glantz . Forgotten Battles of the German-Soviet War (1941–1945), Vol. 1: The Summer – Fall Campaign (22 June – 4 December 1941) . 1999.
  4. Although often given in Western sources as gallop (e.g. Glantz in When Titans Clashed), the correct translation is hurdle jump as the word for gallop in Russian is gallop