Additional material about the war 1941 1945. The Great Patriotic War in brief

THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR of 1941-1945 is the liberation war of the peoples of the USSR against Nazi Germany and its allies, the most important and decisive part of the Second World War of 1939-1945.

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The situation in the world in the spring of 1941 was ha-rak-te-ri-zo-va-lo-by the complexity of inter-su-dar-st-ven-tions -she-niy, ta-iv-shih danger of the expansion of the massive headquarters that began in September 1939 of the Second World War. The aggressive bloc of Germany, Italy and Japan (see) expanded, and Rus-m-nia joined it , Bulgaria, Slovakia. Even before the start of the Second World War, the USSR proposed to create a system of collective security in Europe , however, the Western powers did not support him. In the created conditions of the USSR, you were in 1939, who allowed him to do so It will take almost 2 more years to improve your ability to do so. One-but-time-men-but with do-go-vo-rum there was a sub-pi-san "sec-ret-ny do-pol-no-tel-ny pro-to-kol", someone raz-gra-ni-chil "spheres of both-yud-nyh in-te-re-owls" of the USSR and Germany and fak-ti-ches-ki on-lo-lived on the last obligation not to dis-pro-country your military and political activity in the state-su-dar-st-va and ter-ri-to-rii , which the USSR considered its “sphere of in-te-re-sovs.”

How to tell children about the Great Patriotic War? With this story you will accessible form tell your children about the war.

It presents a chronology of the main events of the Great Patriotic War.

Victory will be ours!

- War! War!

On June 22, 1941, German fascists attacked our homeland. They attacked like thieves, like robbers. They wanted to seize our lands, our cities and villages, and either kill our people or make them their servants and slaves. The Great Patriotic War began. It lasted four years.

The path to victory was not easy. The enemies attacked us unexpectedly. They had more tanks and planes. Our armies were retreating. The battles took place on the ground, in the sky, and at sea. Great battles thundered: Moscow, Stalingrad, the Battle of Kursk Bulge. Heroic Sevastopol did not surrender to the enemy for 250 days. For 900 days, courageous Leningrad held out under a terrible siege. The Caucasus fought bravely. In Ukraine, Belarus, and other places, formidable partisans crushed the invaders. Millions of people, including children, worked at factory machines and in the fields of the country. Soviet people ( Soviet Union— that’s what our country was called in those years) did everything to stop the Nazis. Even in the most difficult days, they firmly believed: “The enemy will be defeated! Victory will be ours!"

And then the day came when the advance of the invaders was stopped. The Soviet armies drove the Nazis out of their native land.

And again battles, battles, battles, battles. The blows of the Soviet troops are becoming more and more powerful, more and more indestructible. And the most long-awaited, greatest day came. Our soldiers reached the borders of Germany and stormed the capital of the Nazis - the city of Berlin. It was 1945. Spring was blooming. It was the month of May.

The Nazis admitted their complete defeat on May 9. Since then, this day has become our great holiday - Victory Day.

Our people showed miracles of heroism and courage while defending their native land from the Nazis.

The Brest Fortress stood on the very border. The Nazis attacked it on the very first day of the war. They thought: one day - and the fortress is in their hands. Whole month Our soldiers held out. And when there was no strength left and the Nazis broke into the fortress, its last defender wrote on the wall with a bayonet: “I’m dying, but I’m not giving up.”

There was the Great Moscow Battle. Fascist tanks rushed forward. On one of the sections of the front, the enemy’s road was blocked by 28 heroic soldiers from General Panfilov’s division. Dozens of tanks were knocked out by soldiers. And they kept walking and walking. The soldiers were exhausted in battle. And the tanks kept coming and going. And yet Panfilov’s men did not retreat in this terrible battle. The Nazis were not allowed to enter Moscow.

General Dmitry Karbyshev was wounded in battle and was captured. He was a professor, a very famous military builder. The Nazis wanted the general to come over to their side. They promised life and high positions. Dmitry Karbyshev did not betray his homeland. The Nazis executed the general. They took us outside into the bitter cold. Doused cold water from hoses.

Vasily Zaitsev - famous hero Battle of Stalingrad. He killed three hundred fascists with his sniper rifle. Zaitsev was elusive to his enemies. The fascist commanders had to call the famous shooter from Berlin. That's who will destroy the Soviet sniper. It turned out the other way around. Zaitsev killed a Berlin celebrity. “Three hundred and one,” said Vasily Zaitsev.

During the battles near Stalingrad, the field service was interrupted in one of the artillery regiments. telephone communications. An ordinary soldier, signalman Titaev, crawled under enemy fire to find out where the wire was broken. Found. He just tried to twist the ends of the wires when a fragment of an enemy shell hit the fighter. Before Titaev had time to connect the wires, then, dying, he clamped them tightly with his lips. The connection is working. "Fire! Fire!" - the commands sounded again in the artillery regiment.

The war brought us many deaths. The twelve Grigoryan soldiers were members of a large Armenian family. They served in the same department. They went to the front together. Together we defended our native Caucasus. Together with everyone else we went forward. One reached Berlin. Eleven Grigoryans died. After the war, the residents of the city where the Grigoryans lived planted twelve poplars in honor of the heroes. The poplars have now grown. They stand exactly in a row, like soldiers in formation - tall and beautiful. Eternal memory to the Grigoryans.

Teenagers and even children took part in the fight against enemies. Many of them were awarded military medals and orders for their bravery and courage. Valya Kotik went to work as a scout at the age of twelve. partisan detachment. At the age of fourteen, for his exploits he became the most young hero Soviet Union.

An ordinary machine gunner fought in Sevastopol. Slayed enemies accurately. Left alone in the trench, he took unequal battle. He was wounded and shell-shocked. But he held the trench. Destroyed up to a hundred fascists. He was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. The machine gunner's name was Ivan Bogatyr. You won't find a better surname.

Fighter pilot Alexander Pokryshkin shot down the first fascist plane at the very beginning of the war. Lucky Pokryshkin. The number of planes he shot down increases - 5, 10, 15. The names of the fronts on which the pilot fought change. The heroic score of victories grew and grew—20, 30, 40. The war was drawing to a close—50, 55, 59. Fifty-nine enemy planes were shot down by fighter pilot Alexander Pokryshkin.

He became a Hero of the Soviet Union.

Became twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

Became Hero of the Soviet Union three times.

Eternal glory to you, Alexander Pokryshkin, the first three times hero in the country.

And here is the story of another feat. Pilot Alexey Maresyev was shot down in an air battle. He survived, but was seriously wounded. His plane crashed on enemy territory in a deep forest. It was winter. He walked for 18 days, and then crawled to his own. He was picked up by the partisans. The pilot had frostbitten feet. They had to be amputated. How can you fly without legs?! Maresyev learned not only to walk and even dance on prosthetics, but most importantly, to fly a fighter. In the very first air battles, he shot down three fascist planes.

We walked last days war. Heavy fighting took place on the streets of Berlin. On one of the Berlin streets, soldier Nikolai Masalov, risking his life, carried a crying German girl from the battlefield under enemy fire. The war is over. In the very center of Berlin, in a park on a high hill, there now stands a monument to a Soviet soldier. He stands with the rescued girl in his arms.

The Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) is one of the most important events in the history of the Russian people, leaving an indelible mark on the soul of every person. In a seemingly short four years, almost 100 million human lives were lost, more than one and a half thousand cities and towns were destroyed, more than 30 thousand industrial enterprises and at least 60 thousand kilometers of roads were disabled. Our state was experiencing a severe shock, which is difficult to comprehend even now, in peacetime. What was the war of 1941-1945 like? What stages can be distinguished during combat operations? And what are the consequences of this terrible event? In this article we will try to find answers to all these questions.

The Second World War

The Soviet Union was not the first to be attacked by fascist troops. Everyone knows that the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 began only 1.5 years after the start of the world war. So what events started this terrible war, and what fighting were organized by Nazi Germany?

First of all, it is worth mentioning the fact that on August 23, 1939, a non-aggression pact was signed between Germany and the USSR. Along with it, some secret protocols were signed regarding the interests of the USSR and Germany, including the division of Polish territories. Thus, Germany, which had the goal of attacking Poland, protected itself from retaliatory steps by the Soviet leadership and actually made the USSR an accomplice in the division of Poland.

So, on September 1, 39 of the 20th century, fascist invaders attacked Poland. Polish troops did not offer adequate resistance, and already on September 17, the troops of the Soviet Union entered the lands of Eastern Poland. As a result of this, the territories of Western Ukraine and Belarus were annexed to the territory of the Soviet state. On September 28 of the same year, Ribbentrop and V.M. Molotov concluded a treaty of friendship and borders.

Germany failed to achieve the planned blitzkrieg, or lightning-fast outcome of the war. Military operations on the Western Front until May 10, 1940 are called the “strange war”, since no events occurred during this period of time.

Only in the spring of 1940 did Hitler resume his offensive and capture Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. The operation to capture England “Sea Lion” was unsuccessful, and then the “Barbarossa” plan for the USSR was adopted - a plan for the start of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945).

Preparing the USSR for war

Despite the non-aggression pact concluded in 1939, Stalin understood that the USSR would in any case be drawn into world war. Therefore, the Soviet Union adopted a five-year plan to prepare for it, implemented in the period from 1938 to 1942.

The primary task in preparation for the war of 1941-1945 was the strengthening of the military-industrial complex and the development of heavy industry. Therefore, during this period, numerous thermal and hydroelectric power stations were built (including on the Volga and Kama), coal mines and mines were developed, and oil production increased. Also, great importance was given to the construction of railways and transport hubs.

The construction of backup enterprises was carried out in the eastern part of the country. And the costs for defense industry increased several times. At this time, new models of military equipment and weapons were also released.

An equally important task was preparing the population for war. Work week now consisted of seven eight-hour days. The size of the Red Army was significantly increased due to the introduction of compulsory military service from the age of 18. It was mandatory for workers to receive special education; Criminal liability was introduced for violations of discipline.

However, the actual results did not correspond to those planned by the management, and only in the spring of 1941 an 11-12-hour working day was introduced for workers. And on June 21, 1941 I.V. Stalin gave the order to put the troops on combat readiness, but the order reached the border guards too late.

USSR entry into the war

At dawn on June 22, 1941, fascist troops attacked the Soviet Union without declaring war, and from that moment the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 began.

At noon of the same day, Vyacheslav Molotov spoke on the radio, announcing the beginning of the war to Soviet citizens and the need to resist the enemy. The next day the Top Headquarters was created. High Command, and on June 30 - State. The Defense Committee, which actually received all the power. I.V. became the Chairman of the Committee and Commander-in-Chief. Stalin.

Now let's move on to brief description Great Patriotic War 1941-1945.

Plan Barbarossa

Hitler's Barbarossa plan was as follows: it envisioned the rapid defeat of the Soviet Union with the help of three groups of the German army. The first of them (northern) would attack Leningrad, the second (central) would attack Moscow, and the third (southern) would attack Kyiv. Hitler planned to complete the entire offensive in 6 weeks and reach the Volga strip of Arkhangelsk-Astrakhan. However, the confident rebuff of the Soviet troops did not allow him to carry out a "blitzkrieg".

Considering the forces of the parties in the war of 1941-1945, we can say that the USSR, although slightly, was inferior to the German army. Germany and its allies had 190 divisions, while the Soviet Union had only 170. 48 thousand German artillery were fielded against 47 thousand Soviet artillery. The size of the opposing armies in both cases was approximately 6 million people. But in terms of the number of tanks and aircraft, the USSR significantly exceeded Germany (in total 17.7 thousand versus 9.3 thousand).

In the early stages of the war, the USSR suffered setbacks due to incorrectly chosen war tactics. Initially, the Soviet leadership planned to wage war on foreign territory, not allowing fascist troops into the territory of the Soviet Union. However, such plans were not successful. Already in July 1941, six Soviet republics, The Red Army lost more than 100 of its divisions. However, Germany also suffered considerable losses: in the first weeks of the war, the enemy lost 100 thousand people and 40% of tanks.

The dynamic resistance of the troops of the Soviet Union led to the breakdown of Hitler's plan for a lightning war. During the Battle of Smolensk (10.07 - 10.09 1945), German troops needed to go on the defensive. In September 1941, the heroic defense of the city of Sevastopol began. But the main attention of the enemy was concentrated on the capital of the Soviet Union. Then preparations began for an attack on Moscow and a plan to capture it - Operation Typhoon.

Battle for Moscow

The battle for Moscow is considered one of the most important events of the Russian war of 1941-1945. Only stubborn resistance and courage of Soviet soldiers allowed the USSR to survive this difficult battle.

September 30, 1941 German troops launched Operation Typhoon and launched an attack on Moscow. The offensive started successfully for them. The fascist invaders managed to break through the defenses of the USSR, as a result of which, encircling the armies near Vyazma and Bryansk, they captured more than 650 thousand Soviet soldiers. The Red Army suffered significant losses. In October-November 1941, battles took place only 70-100 km from Moscow, which was extremely dangerous for the capital. On October 20, a state of siege was introduced in Moscow.

From the beginning of the battle for the capital, G.K. was appointed commander-in-chief on the Western Front. Zhukov, however, he managed to stop the German advance only by the beginning of November. On November 7, a parade was held on the capital's Red Square, from which the soldiers immediately went to the front.

In mid-November the German offensive began again. During the defense of the capital, the 316th Infantry Division of General I.V. Panfilov, who at the beginning of the offensive repelled several tank attacks from the aggressor.

On December 5-6, the troops of the Soviet Union, having received reinforcements from the Eastern Front, launched a counteroffensive, which marked the transition to a new stage of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. During the counteroffensive, the troops of the Soviet Union defeated almost 40 German divisions. Now the fascist troops were “thrown back” 100-250 km from the capital.

The victory of the USSR significantly influenced the spirit of the soldiers and the entire Russian people. The defeat of Germany made it possible for other countries to begin forming anti-Hitler coalition states

Battle of Stalingrad

The successes of the Soviet troops made a deep impression on the state leaders. I.V. Stalin began to count on a speedy end to the war of 1941-1945. He believed that in the spring of 1942 Germany would repeat an attempt to attack Moscow, so he ordered the main forces of the army to be concentrated on the Western Front. However, Hitler thought differently and was preparing a large-scale offensive in the southern direction.

But before the start of the offensive, Germany planned to capture Crimea and some cities of the Ukrainian Republic. Thus, Soviet troops were defeated on the Kerch Peninsula, and on July 4, 1942 the city of Sevastopol had to be abandoned. Then Kharkov, Donbass and Rostov-on-Don fell; a direct threat to Stalingrad was created. Stalin, who realized his miscalculations too late, issued the order “Not a step back!” on July 28, forming barrage detachments for unstable divisions.

Until November 18, 1942, the residents of Stalingrad heroically defended their city. Only on November 19 did the USSR troops launch a counteroffensive.

Three operations were organized by the Soviet troops: "Uranus" (11/19/1942 - 02/2/1943), "Saturn" (12/16-30/1942) and "Ring" (11/10/1942 - 02/2/1943). What was each of them?

The Uranus plan envisaged the encirclement of fascist troops from three fronts: the Stalingrad front (commander - Eremenko), the Don Front (Rokossovsky) and the Southwestern Front (Vatutin). Soviet troops planned to meet on November 23 in the city of Kalach-on-Don and give the Germans an organized battle.

Operation "Small Saturn" was aimed at protecting oil fields located in the Caucasus. Operation Ring in February 1943 was the final plan of the Soviet command. Soviet troops were supposed to close a “ring” around the enemy army and defeat his forces.

As a result, on February 2, 1943, the enemy group surrounded by USSR troops surrendered. The commander-in-chief of the German army, Friedrich Paulus, was also captured. The victory at Stalingrad led to a radical change in the history of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Now the strategic initiative was in the hands of the Red Army.

Battle of Kursk

The next most important stage of the war was the Battle of Kursk, which lasted from July 5 to August 23, 1943. The German command adopted the “Citadel” plan, aimed at encirclement and defeat Soviet army on the Kursk Bulge.

In response to the enemy’s plan, the Soviet command planned two operations, and it was supposed to begin with active defense, and then bring down all the forces of the main and reserve troops on the Germans.

Operation Kutuzov was a plan to attack German troops from the north (the city of Orel). Sokolovsky was appointed commander of the Western Front, Rokossovsky of the Central Front, and Popov of the Bryansk Front. Already on July 5, Rokossovsky struck the first blow against the enemy army, beating his attack by only a few minutes.

On July 12, the troops of the Soviet Union launched a counteroffensive, marking a turning point in the course of Battle of Kursk. On August 5, Belgorod and Orel were liberated by the Red Army. From August 3 to 23, Soviet troops carried out an operation to completely defeat the enemy - “Commander Rumyantsev” (commanders - Konev and Vatutin). It was a Soviet offensive in the area of ​​Belgorod and Kharkov. The enemy suffered another defeat, while losing more than 500 thousand soldiers.

The Red Army troops managed to liberate Kharkov, Donbass, Bryansk and Smolensk in a short period of time. In November 1943, the siege of Kyiv was lifted. The war of 1941-1945 was drawing to a close.

Defense of Leningrad

One of the most terrible and heroic pages of the Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and our entire history is the selfless defense of Leningrad.

The siege of Leningrad began in September 1941, when the city was cut off from food sources. Its most terrible period was the very cold winter of 1941-1942. The only way to salvation was the Road of Life, which was laid on the ice of Lake Ladoga. On initial stage blockade (until May 1942) under constant enemy bombing Soviet troops managed to deliver more than 250 thousand tons of food to Leningrad and evacuate about 1 million people.

For a better understanding of the hardships the residents of Leningrad suffered, we recommend watching this video.

Only in January 1943 the enemy blockade was partially broken, and the supply of food, medicine, and weapons to the city began. A year later, in January 1944, the blockade of Leningrad was completely lifted.

Plan "Bagration"

From June 23 to August 29, 1944, USSR troops carried out main operation on Belarusian front. It was one of the largest in the entire Great Patriotic War (WWII) of 1941-1945.

The goal of Operation Bagration was the final destruction of the enemy army and the liberation of Soviet territories from fascist invaders. Fascist troops in the areas of individual cities were defeated. Belarus, Lithuania and part of Poland were liberated from the enemy.

The Soviet command planned to begin liberating the peoples of European states from German troops.

Conferences

On November 28, 1943, a conference was held in Tehran, which brought together the leaders of the Big Three countries - Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. The conference set dates for the opening of the Second Front in Normandy and confirmed the Soviet Union's commitment to enter the war with Japan after the final liberation of Europe and defeat the Japanese army.

The next conference was held on February 4-11, 1944 in Yalta (Crimea). The leaders of the three states discussed the conditions of occupation and demilitarization of Germany, held negotiations on the convening of the founding UN conference and the adoption of the Declaration of a Liberated Europe.

The Potsdam Conference took place on July 17, 1945. The leader of the USA was Truman, and K. Attlee spoke on behalf of Great Britain (from July 28). At the conference, new borders in Europe were discussed, and a decision was made on the size of reparations from Germany in favor of the USSR. At the same time, already at the Potsdam Conference, prerequisites were outlined Cold War between the USA and the Soviet Union.

End of World War II

According to the requirements discussed at conferences with representatives of the Big Three countries, on August 8, 1945, the USSR declared war on Japan. The USSR Army dealt a powerful blow to the Kwantung Army.

In less than three weeks, Soviet troops under the leadership of Marshal Vasilevsky managed to defeat the main forces of the Japanese army. On September 2, 1945, the Japanese Surrender Act was signed on the USS Missouri. The Second World War has ended.

Consequences

The consequences of the war of 1941-1945 are extremely diverse. Firstly, the military forces of the aggressors were defeated. The defeat of Germany and its allies meant the collapse of dictatorial regimes in Europe.

The Soviet Union ended the war as one of the two superpowers (along with the United States), and the Soviet army was recognized as the most powerful in the world.

In addition to the positive results, there were also incredible losses. The Soviet Union lost approximately 70 million people in the war. The state's economy was at a very low level. We suffered terrible losses big cities The USSR, which took on the strongest blows of the enemy. The USSR was faced with the task of restoring and confirming the status of the world's greatest superpower.

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer to the question: "What is the war of 1941-1945?" The main task of the Russian people is to never forget about greatest feats our ancestors and proudly and "with tears in their eyes" to celebrate the main holiday for Russia - Victory Day.

When on western border USSR Sun rays just about to illuminate the earth, the first soldiers of Nazi Germany set foot on Soviet soil. The Great Patriotic War (WWII) has been going on for almost two years, but now a heroic war has begun, and it will go not for resources, not for the domination of one nation over another, and not for the establishment of a new order, now the war will become sacred, popular and its price will be life, real and life of future generations.

Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. The beginning of the Second World War

On June 22, 1941, four years of inhuman efforts began to count down, during which the future of each of us hung practically in the balance.
War is always a disgusting business, but The Great Patriotic War (WWII) was too popular for only professional soldiers to participate. All the people, from young to old, stood up to defend the Motherland.
From the first day Great Patriotic War (WWII) heroism of the simple Soviet soldier became a role model. What is often called in literature “to stand to death” was fully demonstrated already in the battles for the Brest Fortress. The vaunted Wehrmacht soldiers, who conquered France in 40 days and forced England to cower cowardly on their island, faced such resistance that they simply could not believe that ordinary people were fighting against them. As if these were warriors from epic tales, they stood up with their chests to defend every inch of their native land. For almost a month, the fortress garrison repelled one German attack after another. And this, just think about it, is 4,000 people who were cut off from the main forces and who had no one chance for salvation. They were all doomed, but they never succumbed to weakness and did not lay down their arms.
When the advanced units of the Wehrmacht reach Kyiv, Smolensk, Leningrad, Brest Fortress Fighting is still ongoing.
Great Patriotic War are always characterized by manifestations of heroism and resilience. No matter what happened on the territory of the USSR, no matter how terrible the repressions of tyranny were, the war equalized everyone.
A striking example changes in attitudes within society, Stalin’s famous address, which was made on July 3, 1941, contained the words “Brothers and Sisters.” There were no more citizens, there were no high ranks and comrades, it was a huge family consisting of all the peoples and nationalities of the country. The family demanded salvation, demanded support.
And on the eastern front the fighting continued. German generals This is the first time we have encountered an anomaly; there is no other way to describe it. Developed by the best minds of Hitler's General Staff, lightning war, built on quick breakthroughs of tank formations, followed by the encirclement of large enemy units, no longer worked like a clock mechanism. When surrounded, Soviet units fought their way through rather than lay down their arms. To a serious extent, the heroism of the soldiers and commanders thwarted the plans of the German offensive, slowed down the advance of enemy units and became a turning point in the war. Yes, yes, it was then, in the summer of 1941, that the German army’s offensive plans were completely thwarted. Then there were Stalingrad, Kursk, the Battle of Moscow, but all of them became possible thanks to the unparalleled courage of an ordinary Soviet soldier, who stopped the German invaders at the cost of his own life.
Of course, there were excesses in the leadership of military operations. It must be admitted that the command of the Red Army was not ready for WWII. The USSR doctrine assumed a victorious war on enemy territory, but not on own land. And in technical terms, the Soviet troops were seriously inferior to the Germans. So they went into cavalry attacks on tanks, flew and shot down German aces in old planes, burned in the tanks, and retreated, not giving up a single piece of land without a fight.

Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Battle for Moscow

The plan for the lightning capture of Moscow by the Germans finally collapsed in the winter of 1941. Much has been written about the Moscow battle and films have been made. However, every page of what was written, every frame of what was filmed is imbued with the unparalleled heroism of the defenders of Moscow. We all know about the parade on November 7, which took place across Red Square, while German tanks were approaching the capital. Yes, this was also an example of how the Soviet people are going to defend their country. The troops left for the front line immediately after the parade, immediately entering the battle. And the Germans could not stand it. The iron conquerors of Europe stopped. It seemed that nature itself came to the aid of the defenders, severe frosts struck, and this was the beginning of the end of the German offensive. Hundreds of thousands of lives, widespread manifestations of patriotism and devotion to the Motherland of soldiers surrounded, soldiers near Moscow, residents who held weapons in their hands for the first time in their lives, all this became an insurmountable obstacle to the enemy’s path to the very heart of the USSR.
But after that the legendary offensive began. German troops were driven back from Moscow, and for the first time experienced the bitterness of retreat and defeat. We can say that it was here, in the snowy areas near the capital, that the fate of the whole world, and not just the war, was predetermined. The brown plague, which until that time had been consuming country after country, nation after nation, found itself face to face with people who did not want, could not, bow their heads.
The 41st was coming to an end, the western part of the USSR lay in ruins, the occupation forces were fierce, but nothing could break those who found themselves in the occupied territories. There were also traitors, needless to say, those who went over to the enemy’s side and forever branded themselves with shame and the rank of “policeman.” And who are they now, where are they? The Holy War does not forgive traitors on its land.
Speaking of “Holy War”. The legendary song very accurately reflected the state of society in those years. The People's and Holy War did not tolerate the subjunctive and weakness. The price for victory or defeat was life itself.
g. allowed the relationship between the authorities and the church to change. Exposed long years persecution, during WWII Russian Orthodox Church I helped the front with all my might. And this is another example of heroism and patriotism. After all, we all know that in the West the Pope simply bowed to the iron fists of Hitler.

Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Guerrilla warfare

It is worth mentioning separately guerrilla warfare during WWII. For the first time, the Germans encountered such fierce resistance from the population. Regardless of where the front line was, fighting was constantly taking place behind enemy lines. The invaders on Soviet soil could not get a moment of peace. Whether it was the swamps of Belarus or the forests of the Smolensk region, the steppes of Ukraine, death awaited the occupiers everywhere! Entire villages joined the partisans, together with their families and relatives, and from there, from the hidden, ancient forests, they struck at the fascists.
How many heroes did the partisan movement give birth to? Both old and very young. Young boys and girls who went to school just yesterday have grown up today and performed feats that will remain in our memory for centuries.
While the fighting was going on on the ground, the air, in the first months of the war, belonged entirely to the Germans. A huge number of Soviet army aircraft were destroyed immediately after the start of the fascist offensive, and those who managed to take to the air could not fight on equal terms with German aviation. However, heroism in WWII manifests itself not only on the battlefield. All of us living today pay our deepest respects to those in the rear. In the most severe conditions, under constant shelling and bombing, plants and factories were transported to the east. Immediately upon arrival, outside, in the cold, the workers stood at their machines. The army continued to receive ammunition. Talented designers created new models of weapons. They worked 18-20 hours a day in the rear, but the army did not need anything. Victory was forged at the cost of enormous efforts of every person.

Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Rear

Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. Siege Leningrad.

Siege Leningrad. Are there people who have not heard this phrase? 872 days of unparalleled heroism covered this city with eternal glory. German troops and allies were unable to break the resistance of the besieged city. The city lived, defended itself and struck back. The road of life that connected the besieged city with the mainland became the last for many, and there was not a single person who would refuse, who would chicken out and not carry food and ammunition along this ice ribbon to the Leningraders. Hope never died. And the credit for this goes entirely to ordinary people who above all valued the freedom of their country!
All history of the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945 written with unprecedented feats. Only real sons and daughters of their people, heroes, could close the embrasure of an enemy pillbox with their body, throw themselves under a tank with grenades, or go for a ram in an air battle.
And they were rewarded! And even though the sky over the village of Prokhorovka became black from soot and smoke, even though the waters of the northern seas received dead heroes every day, nothing could stop the liberation of the Motherland.
And there was the first fireworks, on August 5, 1943. It was then that the fireworks countdown began in honor of the new victory, the new liberation of the city.
The peoples of Europe today no longer know their history, true history Second World War. It is thanks to the Soviet people that they live, build their lives, give birth and raise children. Bucharest, Warsaw, Budapest, Sofia, Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, all these capitals were liberated at the cost of the blood of Soviet heroes. And the last shots in Berlin mark the end of the worst nightmare of the 20th century.

June 21, 1941, 13:00. German troops receive the code signal "Dortmund", confirming that the invasion will begin the next day.

21:00. Soldiers of the 90th border detachment of the Sokal commandant's office detained a German serviceman who crossed the border Bug River by swimming. The defector was sent to the detachment headquarters in the city of Vladimir-Volynsky.

23:00. German minelayers stationed in Finnish ports began to mine the exit from the Gulf of Finland. At the same time, Finnish submarines began laying mines off the coast of Estonia.

June 22, 1941, 0:30. The defector was taken to Vladimir-Volynsky. During interrogation, the soldier identified himself Alfred Liskov, soldiers of the 221st Regiment of the 15th Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht. He reported that at dawn on June 22 german army will go on the offensive along the entire length of the Soviet-German border. The information was transferred to higher command.

At the same time, the transmission of Directive No. 1 of the People's Commissariat of Defense for parts of the western military districts began from Moscow. “During June 22-23, 1941, a surprise attack by the Germans is possible on the fronts of LVO, PribOVO, ZAPOVO, KOVO, OdVO. An attack may begin with provocative actions,” the directive said. “The task of our troops is not to succumb to any provocative actions that could cause major complications.”

The units were ordered to be put on combat readiness, to secretly occupy firing points of fortified areas on the state border, and to disperse aircraft to field airfields.

It is not possible to convey the directive to military units before the start of hostilities, as a result of which the measures specified in it are not carried out.

Mobilization. Columns of fighters are moving to the front. Photo: RIA Novosti

“I realized that it was the Germans who opened fire on our territory”

1:00. The commandants of the sections of the 90th border detachment report to the head of the detachment, Major Bychkovsky: “nothing suspicious was noticed on the adjacent side, everything is calm.”

3:05 . A group of 14 German Ju-88 bombers drops 28 magnetic mines near the Kronstadt roadstead.

3:07. The commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral Oktyabrsky, reports to the Chief of the General Staff, General Zhukov: “The fleet’s air surveillance, warning and communications system reports the approach from the sea large quantity unknown aircraft; The fleet is in full combat readiness."

3:10. The NKGB for the Lviv region transmits by telephone message to the NKGB of the Ukrainian SSR the information obtained during the interrogation of the defector Alfred Liskov.

3:30. Chief of Staff of the Western District General Klimovsky reports on enemy air raids on the cities of Belarus: Brest, Grodno, Lida, Kobrin, Slonim, Baranovichi and others.

3:33. The chief of staff of the Kyiv district, General Purkaev, reports on an air raid on the cities of Ukraine, including Kyiv.

3:40. Commander of the Baltic Military District General Kuznetsov reports on enemy air raids on Riga, Siauliai, Vilnius, Kaunas and other cities.

"Enemy raid repulsed. An attempt to strike our ships was foiled."

3:42. Chief of the General Staff Zhukov is calling Stalin and reports the start of hostilities by Germany. Stalin orders Tymoshenko and Zhukov arrive at the Kremlin, where an emergency meeting of the Politburo is convened.

3:45. The 1st border outpost of the 86th August border detachment was attacked by an enemy reconnaissance and sabotage group. Outpost personnel under command Alexandra Sivacheva, having entered into battle, destroys the attackers.

4:05. The outposts of the 86th August Border Detachment, including the 1st Border Outpost of Senior Lieutenant Sivachev, come under heavy artillery fire, after which the German offensive begins. Border guards, deprived of communication with the command, engage in battle with superior enemy forces.

4:10. The Western and Baltic special military districts report the beginning of hostilities by German troops on the ground.

4:15. The Nazis open massive artillery fire on the Brest Fortress. As a result, warehouses were destroyed, communications were disrupted, there is big number killed and wounded.

4:25. The 45th Wehrmacht Infantry Division begins an attack on the Brest Fortress.

Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Residents of the capital on June 22, 1941, during the radio announcement of a government message about the treacherous attack of Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union. Photo: RIA Novosti

“Protecting not individual countries, but ensuring the security of Europe”

4:30. A meeting of Politburo members begins in the Kremlin. Stalin expresses doubt that what happened is the beginning of a war and does not exclude the possibility of a German provocation. People's Commissar of Defense Timoshenko and Zhukov insist: this is war.

4:55. In the Brest Fortress, the Nazis manage to capture almost half of the territory. Further progress was stopped by a sudden counterattack by the Red Army.

5:00. German Ambassador to the USSR Count von Schulenburg presented to the People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the USSR Molotov“Note from the German Foreign Office to the Soviet Government,” which states: “The German Government cannot remain indifferent to a serious threat to eastern border Therefore, the Fuhrer gave the order to the German Armed Forces to ward off this threat by all means.” An hour after the actual start of hostilities, Germany de jure declares war on the Soviet Union.

7:00. Reich Minister for Foreign Affairs Ribbentrop begins a press conference at which he announces the beginning of hostilities against the USSR: “The German army has invaded the territory of Bolshevik Russia!”

“The city is burning, why aren’t you broadcasting anything on the radio?”

7:15. Stalin approves a directive to repel the attack of Nazi Germany: “The troops with all their might and means attack enemy forces and destroy them in areas where they violated the Soviet border.” Transfer of “directive No. 2” due to saboteurs’ disruption of communication lines in the western districts. Moscow does not have a clear picture of what is happening in the combat zone.

9:30. It was decided that at noon, People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Molotov would address the Soviet people in connection with the outbreak of war.

10:00. From the speaker's memories Yuri Levitan: “They’re calling from Minsk: “Enemy planes are over the city,” they’re calling from Kaunas: “The city is burning, why aren’t you broadcasting anything on the radio?” “Enemy planes are over Kiev.” A woman’s crying, excitement: “Is it really war?..” However, no official messages are transmitted until 12:00 Moscow time on June 22.

11:00. The Baltic, Western and Kiev special military districts were transformed into the North-Western, Western and South-Western fronts.

“The enemy will be defeated. Victory will be ours"

12:00. People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs Vyacheslav Molotov reads out an appeal to the citizens of the Soviet Union: “Today at 4 o’clock in the morning, without making any claims against the Soviet Union, without declaring war, German troops attacked our country, attacked our borders in many places and bombed us with their planes attacked our cities - Zhitomir, Kiev, Sevastopol, Kaunas and some others, and more than two hundred people were killed and wounded. Raids by enemy planes and artillery shelling were also carried out from Romanian and Finnish territory... Now that the attack on the Soviet Union has already taken place, the Soviet government has given an order to our troops to repel the bandit attack and expel German troops from the territory of our homeland... The government calls on you, citizens and citizens of the Soviet Union, to rally our ranks even more closely around our glorious Bolshevik Party, around our Soviet government, around our great leader, Comrade Stalin.

Our cause is just. The enemy will be defeated. Victory will be ours" .

12:30. Advanced German units break into the Belarusian city of Grodno.

13:00. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issues a decree “On the mobilization of those liable for military service...”
“Based on Article 49, paragraph “o” of the USSR Constitution, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR announces mobilization on the territory of the military districts - Leningrad, Baltic special, Western special, Kiev special, Odessa, Kharkov, Oryol, Moscow, Arkhangelsk, Ural, Siberian, Volga, North -Caucasian and Transcaucasian.

13:30. Chief of the General Staff General Zhukov flies to Kyiv as a representative of the newly created Headquarters of the Main Command on the Southwestern Front.

Photo: RIA Novosti

14:00. The Brest Fortress is completely surrounded by German troops. Soviet units blocked in the citadel continue to offer fierce resistance.

14:05. Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano states: “In view of the current situation, due to the fact that Germany declared war on the USSR, Italy, as an ally of Germany and as a member of the Tripartite Pact, also declares war on the Soviet Union from the moment German troops entered Soviet territory.”

14:10. The 1st border outpost of Alexander Sivachev has been fighting for more than 10 hours. The border guards, who had only small arms and grenades, destroyed up to 60 Nazis and burned three tanks. The wounded commander of the outpost continued to command the battle.

15:00. From the notes of the commander of Army Group Center, Field Marshal bokeh background: “The question of whether the Russians are carrying out a systematic withdrawal remains open. There is now plenty of evidence both for and against this.

Of the 485 border posts attacked, not a single one withdrew without orders.

16:00. After a 12-hour battle, the Nazis took the positions of the 1st border outpost. This became possible only after all the border guards who defended it died. The head of the outpost, Alexander Sivachev, was posthumously awarded the order Patriotic War I degree.

The feat of the outpost of Senior Lieutenant Sivachev was one of hundreds committed by border guards in the first hours and days of the war. On June 22, 1941, the state border of the USSR from the Barents to the Black Sea was guarded by 666 border outposts, 485 of which were attacked on the very first day of the war. Not one of the 485 outposts attacked on June 22 withdrew without orders.

Hitler's command allotted 20 minutes to break the resistance of the border guards. 257 Soviet border posts held their defense from several hours to one day. More than one day - 20, more than two days - 16, more than three days - 20, more than four and five days - 43, from seven to nine days - 4, more than eleven days - 51, more than twelve days - 55, more than 15 days - 51 outpost. Forty-five outposts fought for up to two months.

Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. The workers of Leningrad listen to a message about the attack of Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union. Photo: RIA Novosti

Of the 19,600 border guards who met the Nazis on June 22 in the direction of the main attack of Army Group Center, more than 16,000 died in the first days of the war.

17:00. Hitler's units manage to occupy the southwestern part of the Brest Fortress, the northeast remained under the control of Soviet troops. Stubborn battles for the fortress will continue for weeks.

“The Church of Christ blesses all Orthodox Christians for the defense of the sacred borders of our Motherland”

18:00. The Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Sergius of Moscow and Kolomna, addresses the believers with a message: “Fascist robbers attacked our homeland. Trampling all kinds of agreements and promises, they suddenly fell upon us, and now the blood of peaceful citizens is already irrigating our native land... Our Orthodox Church has always shared the fate of the people. She endured trials with him and was consoled by his successes. She will not abandon her people even now... The Church of Christ blesses all Orthodox Christians for the defense of the sacred borders of our Motherland.”

20:00. Directive No. 3 of the People's Commissariat of Defense was approved, ordering Soviet troops to launch a counteroffensive with the task of defeating Hitler's troops on the territory of the USSR with further advance into enemy territory. The directive ordered the capture of the Polish city of Lublin by the end of June 24.

Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. June 22, 1941 Nurses provide assistance to the first wounded after a Nazi air raid near Chisinau. Photo: RIA Novosti

“We must provide Russia and the Russian people with all the help we can.”

21:00. Summary of the Red Army High Command for June 22: “At dawn on June 22, 1941, regular troops German army attacked our border units on the front from the Baltic to the Black Sea and were held back by them during the first half of the day. In the afternoon, German troops met with the advanced units of the field troops of the Red Army. After fierce fighting, the enemy was repulsed with heavy losses. Only in the Grodno and Kristinopol directions did the enemy manage to achieve minor tactical successes and occupy the towns of Kalwaria, Stoyanuv and Tsekhanovets (the first two are 15 km and the last 10 km from the border).

Enemy aircraft attacked a number of our airfields and populated areas, but everywhere they met decisive resistance from our fighters and anti-aircraft artillery, which inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. We shot down 65 enemy aircraft.”

23:00. Message from the Prime Minister of Great Britain Winston Churchill to the British people in connection with the German attack on the USSR: “At 4 o'clock this morning Hitler attacked Russia. All his usual formalities of treachery were observed with scrupulous precision... suddenly, without a declaration of war, even without an ultimatum, German bombs fell from the sky on Russian cities, German troops violated Russian borders, and an hour later the German ambassador, who just the day before had generously lavished his assurances on the Russians in friendship and almost an alliance, paid a visit to the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs and declared that Russia and Germany were at war...

The past, with its crimes, follies and tragedies, recedes. I see Russian soldiers as they stand on the border of their native land and guard the fields that their fathers have plowed since time immemorial. I see them guarding their homes; their mothers and wives pray—oh, yes, because at such a time everyone prays for the safety of their loved ones, for the return of their breadwinner, patron, their protectors...

We must provide Russia and the Russian people with all the help we can. We must call on all our friends and allies in all parts of the world to pursue a similar course and pursue it as steadfastly and steadily as we will, to the very end.”

June 22 came to an end. There were still 1417 days ahead terrible war in the history of mankind.