Strategic operations of the Red Army in World War II
The Strategic operations of the Red Army in World War II were major military events on the Eastern Front during the Second World War, commonly conducted by at least one Front or major part of its forces. The operations could be either 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 strategic operations were divided 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 (termed the Eastern Front by Germany) is divided into periods:
- First period of World War II (22 June 1941 - 18 November 1942)
- Second period of World War II (19 November 1942 - 31 December 1943)
- Third period of World War II (1 January 1944 - 9 May 1945)
The war with Japan, Campaign in the Far East/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.
Periods, Campaigns and operations
1. First Period of the Great Patriotic War (22 June 1941 - 18 November 1942)
Summer-Autumn Campaign of 1941 (22 June - 4 December)
- Baltic Border Defensive Battles 22 June 1941 - 24 June 1941
- Battle of Raseiniai
- Shyaulyai Counter-Offensive (1941) 24 June 1941 - 27 June 1941
- Defensive of the Hanko Naval Base 22 June 1941 - 2 December 1941
- Belorussian Border Defensive Battles 22 June 1941 - 25 June 1941
- Defense of Brest Fortress 22 June 1941 - 30 June 1941
- Borisov-Lepel' Offensive 6 July 1941 - 9 July 1941
- L'vov-Chernovitsy Strategic Defensive 22 June 1941 - 9 July 1941
- Ukrainian Border Defensive Battles 22 June 1941 - 27 June 1941
- Battle of Brody (1941) (26 June 1941 - 30 June 1941)
- L'vov-Lutsk Defensive 27 June 1941 - 2 July 1941
- Stanislav-Proskurov Defensive 3 July 1941 - 6 July 1941
- German and Finnish Operation Arctic Fox 29 June 1941 - mid-July
- Artic-Karelia Strategic Defensive 29 June 1941 - 10 October 1941
- Murmansk-Kandalaksha Defensive 29 June 1941 - 19 September 1941
- Vyborg-Keksholm Defensive 29 June 1941 - 23 September 1941
- Defensives on the Kestengsky direction 1 July 1941 - 10 October 1941
- Defensives on the Petrozavodsk, Ukhinskom-Rugozerskom, and Olonetskom directions 1 July 1941 - 10 October 1941
- Korosten Defensive 11 July 1941 - 20 August 1941
- Novgorod-Volynskii Defensive 10 July 1941 - 20 August 1941
- Uman Defensive 15 July 1941 - 4 August 1941
- Tiraspol-Melitopol Defensive 27 July 1941 - 28 September 1941
- Kiev-Pryluky Defensive 20 August 1941 - 26 September 1941
- Malin Offensive 5 August 1941 - 8 August 1941
- Leningrad Strategic Defensive 10 July 1941 - 30 September 1941
- Tallinn Defensive 10 July 1941 - 10 August 1941
- Evacuation of Tallinn (1941)
- Kingisepp-Luga Defensive 10 July 1941 - 23 September 1941
- Soltsy-Dno Offensive 15 July 1941 - 20 July 1941
- Staraia-Russa Offensive 8 August 1941 - 23 August 1941
- Demyansk Defensive 6 September 1941 - 26 September 1941
- Smolensk Defensive 10 July 1941 - 10 August 1941
- Smolensk Offensive 21 July 1941 - 7 August 1941
- Rogechev-Zhlobin Offensive 13 July 1941 - 24 July 1941
- Gomel-Trubchevsk Defensive 24 July 1941 - 30 August 1941
- Dukhovskina Offensive 17 August 1941 - 8 September 1941
- Yelnia Offensive 30 August 1941 - 8 September 1941
- Roslavl-Novozybkov Offensive 30 August 1941 - 12 September 1941
- Sumy-Kharkov Defensive 30 September 1941 - 30 November 1941
- Defence of Kharkov (1941) (20 October 1941 — 24 October 1941)
- German First Battle of Kharkov
- Donbass Defensive (1941) 29 September 1941 - 4 November 1941
- Rostov Defensive 5 November 1941 - 16 November 1941
- Orel-Bryansk Defensive 30 September 1941 - 23 October 1941
- Vyazma Defensive 2 October 1941 - 13 October 1941
- Kalinin Defensive 10 October 1941 - 4 December 1941
- Mozhaisk-Maloyaroslavets Defensive 10 October 1941 - 30 October 1941
- Tula Defensive 24 October 1941 - 5 December 1941
- Klin-Solnechnogorsk Defensive 15 November 1941 - 5 December 1941
- Naro-Fominsk Defensive 1 December 1941 - 5 December 1941
- Tikhvin Defensive 16 October 1941 - 18 November 1941
- Crimean Defensive 18 October 1941 - 16 November 1941
- Defense of Sevastopol 30 October 1941 - 4 July 1942
- Tikhvin Strategic Offensive 10 November 1941 - 30 December 1941
- Tikhvin-Kirishsk Offensive 12 November 1941 - 30 December 1941
- Malo-Vishersk Offensive 10 November 1941 - 30 December 1941
- Rostov Strategic Offensive 17 November 1941 - 2 December 1941
- Bolshekrepinsk Offensive 17 November 1941 - 27 November 1941
- Rostov Offensive 27 November 1941 - 2 December 1941
Winter Campaign of 1941/42 (5 December 1941 - 30 April 1942)
- Moscow Strategic Offensive 5 December 1941 - 7 January 1942
- Kalinin Offensive 5 December 1941 - 7 January 1942
- Klin-Solnechnogorsk Offensive 6 December 1941 - 25 December 1941
- Yelets Offensive 6 December 1941 - 16 December 1941
- Tula Offensive 6 December 1941 - 16 December 1941
- Kaluga Offensive 17 December 1941 - 5 January 1942
- Naro-Fominsk Offensive 24 December 1941 - 8 January 1942
- Kerch-Feodosia Amphibious 25 December 1941 - 2 January 1942
- Kerch Landing 25 December 1941 - 2 January 1942
- Feodosia Landing 25 December 1941 - 2 January 1942
- Oboyan-Kursk Offensive 3 January 1942 - 26 January 1942
- Lyuban Offensive 7 January 1942 - 30 April 1942
- Demyansk Offensive - first phase (1942) 7 January 1942 - 20 May 1942
- Orel-Bolkhov Offensive 8 January 1942 - 28 April 1942
- Rzhev-Vyazma Strategic Offensive 8 January 1942 - 20 April 1942
- Sychevka-Vyazma Offensive 8 January 1942 - 28 February 1942
- Mozhaisk-Vyazma Offensive 10 January 1942 - 28 February 1942
- Toropets-Kholm Offensive 9 January 1942 - 6 February 1942
- Vyazma Airborne 18 January 1942 - 28 February 1942
- Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive 3 March 1942 - 20 April 1942
- Demyansk Offensive - second phase (1942) 7 January 1942 - 20 May 1942
- Barvenkovo-Lozovaya Offensive 18 January 1942 - 31 January 1942
- Crimean Offensive 27 January 1942 - 15 April 1942
- Bolkhov Offensive 24 March 1942 - 3 April 1942
Summer-Autumn Campaign of 1942 (1 May - 18 November)
- Crimean Offensive 27 January 1942 - 15 April 1942
- German Demjansk Pocket 8 February 1942 - 21 April 1942
- Volkhov Offensive 24 March 1942 - 3 April 1942
- Battle of the Kerch Peninsula 8 May 1942 - 19 May 1942
- Izium bridgehead offensive 12 May 1942 - 29 May 1942
- Rescue of 2nd Shock Army 13 May 1942 - 10 July 1942
- Axis Case Blue 28 June - 19 August 1942
- 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
- Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad Strategic Defensive 28 June 1942 - 24 July 1942
- 1st Kastornoye Defensive 28 June 1942 - 10 July 1942
- 2nd Kastornoye Defensive9 July 1942 - 24 July 1942
- Valuiki-Rossosh Defensive 28 June 1942 - 24 July 1942
- Battle for Voronezh (1942)
- Voroshilovgrad-Shakhty Defensive 7 July 1942 - 24 July 1942
- Defensive Battles at Distant Approaches 17 July 1942 - 17 August 1942
- Defensive Battles on Near Approaches and in Stalingrad 19 August 1942 - 18 November 1942
- Sinyavino Offensive 19 August 1942 - 10 October 1942
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- Chechen 1940-1944 insurgency in Chechnya
- Tikhoretsk-Stavropol' Defensive 25 July 1942 - 5 August 1942
- Armavir-Maikop Defensive 6 August 1942 - 17 August 1942
- Novorossiysk Defensive 19 August 1942 - 26 September 1942
- Mozdok-Malgobek Defensive 1 September 1942 - 28 September 1942
- Tuapse Defensive 25 September 1942 - 20 December 1942
- Nalckik-Ordzhonikidze Defensive 25 October 1942 - 12 November 1942
2. Second Period of the Great Patriotic War (19 November 1942 - 31 December 1943)
Winter Campaign of 1942-1943 (19 November 1942 - 3 March 1943)
- Stalingrad Strategic Offensive 19 November 1942 - 2 February 1943
- Operation Uranus 19 November 1942 - 30 November 1942
- Kotelnikovo Offensive 12 December 1942 - 31 December 1942
- Middle Don Offensive (Operation Little Saturn) 16 December 1942 - 30 December 1942
- Tatsinskaya Raid
- Operation Koltso (Operation Ring) 10 January 1943 - 2 February 1943
- Rzhev-Sychevka Strategic Offensive (Operation Mars) 25 November 1942 - 20 December 1942
- Sychevka Offensive 24 November 1942 - 14 December 1942
- Belyi Offensive 25 November 1942 - 16 December 1942
- Luchesa Offensive 25 November 1942 - 11 December 1942
- Molodoi Tud Offensive 25 November 1942 - 23 December 1942
- Velikie-Luki Offensive 24 November 1942 - 20 January 1943
- North Caucasian Strategic Offensive 1 January 1943 - 4 February 1943
- Salsk-Rostov Offensive 1 January 1943 - 4 February 1943
- Mozdok-Stavropol Offensive 1 January 1943 - 24 January 1943
- Novorossiysk-Maikop Offensive 11 January 1943 - 4 February 1943
- Tikhoretsk-Eisk Offensive 24 January 1943 - 4 February 1943
- Axis Defence of the Kuban Bridgeheads
- Operation Iskra (Operation Spark, Breaking of the Leningrad Blockade) 12 January 1943 - 30 January 1943
- Krasnoborsko-Smerdynskaya offensive
- Battle of Krasny Bor
- Voronezh-Kharkov Strategic Offensive 13 January 1943 - 3 March 1943
- Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh Offensive 13 January 1943 - 27 January 1943
- Voronezh-Kastornoye Offensive 24 January 1943 - 2 February 1943
- Voroshilovgrad Offensive (Operation Skachok)[1] 29 January 1943 - 18 February 1943
- Kharkov Offensive (Operation Zvezda) 2 February 1943 - 3 March 1943
- Orel (Maloarkhangelsk) Offensive 5 February 1943 - 28 February 1943
- Lvov Offensive 15 February 1943 - 1 March 1943
- Donbass Mariupol Offensive 16 February 1943 - 23 February 1943
- Krasnodar Offensive 9 February 1943 - 24 May 1943
- Demyansk Offensive (Operation Pol'arnaya Zvezda) 15 February 1943 - 28 February 1943
- German Operation Büffel
- Rzhev-Vyaz'ma Offensive (Operation Jupiter) 2 March 1943 - 31 March 1943
- Kharkov Defensive 4 March 1943 - 25 March 1943
- 1st Taman Offensive 4 April 1943 - 10 May 1943
- 2nd Taman Offensive 26 May 1943 - 22 August 1944
Summer-Autumn Campaign of 1943 (1 July - 31 December)
- Kursk Strategic Defensive 5 July 1943 - 23 July 1943
- Orel-Kursk Defensive 5 July 1943 - 11 July 1943
- Belgorod-Kursk Defensive 5 July 1943 - 23 July 1943
- Volkhov-Orel Offensive 12 July 1943 - 18 August 1943
- Kromyv-Orel Offensive 15 July 1943 - 18 August 1943
- Donbass Strategic Offensive (July 1943) 17 July 1943 - 2 August 1943
- Izyum-Barvenkovo Offensive 17 July 1943 - 27 July 1943
- Mius Offensive 17 July 1943 - 2 August 1943
- Belgorod-Bogodukhov Offensive 3 August 1943 - 23 August 1943
- Belgorod-Kharkov Offensive 3 August 1943 - 23 August 1943
- Zmiez Offensive 12 August 1943 - 23 August 1943
- Spas-Demensk Offensive 7 August 1943 - 20 August 1943
- Dukhovshchina-Demidov Offensive 1 Stage 13 August 1943 - 18 August 1943
- Yelnia-Dorogobuzh Offensive 28 August 1943 - 6 September 1943
- Dukhovshchina-Demidov Offensive 2 Stage 14 September 1943 - 2 October 1943
- Smolensk-Roslavl Offensive 15 September 1943 - 2 October 1943
- Bryansk Offensive 17 August 1943 - 3 October 1943
- Donbass Strategic Offensive (August 1943) 13 August 1943 - 22 September 1943
- Barvenkovo-Pavlograd Offensive 13 August 1943 - 22 September 1943
- Mius-Mariupol Offensive 18 August 1943 - 22 September 1943
- Chernigov-Poltava Strategic Offensive 26 August 1943 - 30 September 1943
- Chernigov-Pripyet Offensive 26 August 1943 - 30 September 1943
- Sumy-Pryluky Offensive 26 August 1943 - 30 September 1943
- Poltava-Kremenchug Offensive 26 August 1943 - 30 September 1943
- Novorossiysk-Taman Strategic Offensive 10 September 1943 - 9 October 1943
- Novorossiysk Amphibious 10 September 1943 - 16 September 1943
- Taman Offensive (1943) 10 September 1943 - 9 October 1943
- Axis Defence of the Panther-Wotan Line
- Kremenchug Offensive 26 September 1943 - 10 October 1943
- Melitopol Offensive 26 September 1943 - 5 November 1943
- Zaporizhia Offensive 10 October 1943 - 14 October 1943
- Kremenchug-Pyatikhatki Offensive 15 October 1943 - 3 November 1943
- Dnepropetrovsk Offensive 23 October 1943 - 23 December 1943
- Krivoi Rog Offensive 14 November 1943 - 21 November 1943
- Apostolovo Offensive 14 November 1943 - 23 December 1943
- Nikopol Offensive 14 November 1943 - 31 December 1943
- Aleksandriia-Znamenka Offensive 22 November 1943 - 9 December 1943
- Krivoi Rog Offensive 10 December 1943 - 19 December 1943
- Kiev Strategic Offensive (October 1943) 1 October 1943 - 24 October 1943
- Chernobyl-Radomysl Offensive 1 October 1943 - 4 October 1943
- Chernobyl-Gornostaipol Defensive 3 October 1943 - 8 October 1943
- Lyutezh Offensive 11 October 1943 - 24 October 1943
- 1st Bukrin Offensive 12 October 1943 - 15 October 1943
- 2nd Bukrin Offensive 21 October 1943 - 24 October 1943
- Byelorussian Strategic Offensive (1943) 3 October 1943 - 31 December 1943
- Gomelsko-Rechitskaia Offensive 30 September 1943 - 30 October 1943
- Nevel Offensive 3 October 1943 - 12 October 1943
- 1st Orsha Offensive 3 October 1943 - 26 October 1943
- Vitebsk (Riga) Offensive 18 October 1943 - 30 October 1943
- Idritsa Offensive 18 October 1943 - 30 October 1943
- Pskov Offensive 18 October 1943 - 30 October 1943
- Pololsk-Vitebsk Offensive 2 November 1943 - 21 November 1943
- Pustoshka-Idritsa Offensive 2 November 1943 - 21 November 1943
- Gomelsko-Rechitskaia Offensive 10 November 1943 - 30 November 1943
- 2nd Orsha Offensive 14 November 1943 - 5 December 1943
- Novyi Bykhov-Propoisk Offensive 22 November 1943 - 30 November 1943
- Kalinkovichi Offensive 8 December 1943 - 11 December 1943
- Gorodok Offensive 13 December 1943 - 31 December 1943
- Idritsa-Opochka Offensive 16 December 1943 - 15 January 1944
- Kalinkovichi Defensive 20 December 1943 - 27 December 1943
- Kerch-Eltigen 31 October 1943 - 11 December 1943
- Kiev Strategic Offensive (November 1943) 3 November 1943 - 13 November 1943
- Kiev Strategic Defensive (1943) 13 November 1943 - 22 December 1943
3. Third Period of the Great Patriotic War (1 January 1944 - 9 May 1945)
Winter Spring Campaign of 1944 (1 January - 31 May)
- Zhitomir–Berdichev Offensive 24 December 1943 - 14 January 1944
- Kirograd Offensive 5 January 1944 - 16 January 1944
- Korsun–Shevchenkovsky Offensive 24 January 1944 - 17 February 1944
- German Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket
- Rovno-Lutsk Offensive 1 Stage 27 January 1944 - 11 February 1944
- Nikopol-Krivoi Rog Offensive 2 Stage 30 January 1944 - 29 February 1944
- Proskurov-Chernovtsy Offensive 4 March 1944 - 17 April 1944
- Uman-Botoshany Offensive 5 March 1944 - 17 April 1944
- Bereznegovatoye-Snigirevka Offensive 6 March 1944 - 18 March 1944
- Polesskoe Offensive 15 March 1944 - 5 April 1944
- Odessa Offensive 26 March 1944 - 14 April 1944
- Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive 14 January 1944 - 30 January 1944
- Novgorod-Luga Offensive 14 January 1944 - 15 February 1944
- Kingisepp–Gdov Offensive 1 February 1944 - 1 March 1944
- Staraia Russa-Novorzhev Offensive 18 February 1944 - 1 March 1944
- Battle for Narva Bridgehead 2 February - 26 July 1944
- Perekop-Sevastopol Offensive 8 April 1944 - 12 May 1944
- Kerch-Sevastopol Offensive 11 April 1944 - 12 May 1944
Summer Autumn Campaign of 1944 (1 June - 31 December)
- Vyborg Offensive 10 June 1944 - 15 July 1944
- Svir–Petrozavodsk Offensive 21 June 1944 - 9 August 1944
- Tuloksinskaia Landing Offensive 23 June 1944 - 27 June 1944
- Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive 23 June 1944 - 28 June 1944
- Mogilev Offensive 23 June 1944 - 28 June 1944
- Bobruysk Offensive 24 June 1944 - 29 June 1944
- Polotsk Offensive 29 June 1944 - 4 July 1944
- Minsk Offensive 29 June 1944 - 4 July 1944
- Vilnius Offensive 5 July 1944 - 20 July 1944
- Šiauliai Offensive 5 July 1944 - 31 July 1944
- Belostock Offensive 5 July 1944 - 27 July 1944
- Lublin–Brest Offensive 18 July 1944 - 2 August 1944
- Battle of Radzymin (1944)
- Kaunas Offensive 28 July 1944 - 28 August 1944
- Osovets Offensive 6 August 1944 - 14 August 1944
- Lvov Offensive 13 July 1944 - 27 July 1944
- Stanislav Offensive 13 July 1944 - 27 July 1944
- Sandomierz Offensive 28 July 1944 - 29 August 1944
- Yassi-Focsani Offensive 20 August 1944 - 29 August 1944
- Kishinev-Izmail Offensive 20 August 1944 - 29 August 1944
- East Carpathian Strategic Offensive 8 September 1944 - 28 September 1944
- Carpathian-Dukla Offensive 8 September 1944 - 28 September 1944
- Carpathian-Uzhgorod Offensive 9 September 1944 - 28 September 1944
- Riga Offensive 14 September 1944 - 24 October 1944
- Tallinn Offensive 17 September 1944 - 26 September 1944
- Moonsund Landing 5 October 1944 - 22 October 1944
- Memel Offensive 27 September 1944 - 24 November 1944
- Kechkemet-Budapest Offensive 29 October 1944 - 10 December 1944
- Szolnok-Budapest Offensive 29 October 1944 - 10 December 1944
- Nyiregyhaza-Miskolc Offensive 1 November 1944 - 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
Campaign in Europe 1945 (1 January - 9 May)
- Warsaw-Poznan Offensive 14 January 1945 - 3 February 1945
- Sandomierz–Silesian Offensive 12 January 1945 - 3 February 1945
- Western Carpathian Strategic Offensive 12 January 1945 - 18 February 1945
- Kosice-Poprad Offensive 12 January 1945 - 28 January 1945
- Bel'sk Offensive 29 January 1945 -18 February 1945
- Pleshevets-Breznovsk Offensive 12 January 1945 - 18 February 1945
- Insterburg-Königsberg Offensive 14 January 1945 - 26 January 1945
- Mlawo-Elbing Offensive 14 January 1945 - 26 January 1945
- Rastenburg-Heilsberg Offensive 27 January 1945 - 12 February 1945
- Braunsberg Offensive 13 March 1945 - 22 March 1945
- German Heiligenbeil Pocket
- Königsberg Offensive 6 April 1945 - 9 April 1945
- Zemland Offensive 13 April 1945 - 25 April 1945
- German Siege of Breslau (From 13 February to 6 May 1945)
- Chojnice-Koeslin Offensive 10 February 1945 - 6 March 1945
- Danzig Offensive 7 March 1945 - 31 March 1945
- Arnswalde-Kolberg Offensive 1 March 1945 - 18 March 1945
- Altdamm Offensive 18 March 1945 - 4 April 1945
- Bulgarian Battle of Drava
- Moravian-Ostrava Offensive 10 March 1945 - 5 May 1945
- Vienna Offensive 13 March 1945 - 15 April 1945
- D'ersk Offensive 13 March 1945 - 4 April 1945
- Veszprem Offensive 16 March 1945 - 25 March 1945
- Sopron-Baden Offensive 26 March 1945 - 4 April 1945
- Nagykanizsa–Körmend Offensive 26 March 1945 - 15 April 1945
- Assault on Vienna 4 April 1945 - 13 April 1945
- German Defence of the Oder-Neisse Line
- Settin-Rostock Offensive 16 April 1945 - 8 May 1945
- German Defense of Schwedt Bridgehead 1 February 1945 - 3 March 1945
- Seelow-Berlin Offensive 16 April 1945 - 2 May 1945
- Battle of Halbe (Russian: Хальбский "котел", Halbe cauldron) 24 April to 1 May 1945
- Cottbus-Potsdam Offensive
- Spremberg-Torgau Offensive 16 April 1945 - 5 May 1945
- Battle of Bautzen
- Brandenberg-Ratenow Offensive 3 May 1945 - 8 May 1945
- Dresden-Prague Offensive 6 May 1945 - 11 May 1945
- Sudeten Offensive 6 May 1945 - 11 May 1945
- Olomout Offensive 6 May 1945 - 9 May 1945
- Jihlavo-Benesov Offensive 6 May 1945 - 11 May 1945
Sources and references
- ^ 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
- Feskov V.I., Kalashnikov K.A., Golikov V.I. The Red Army in the victories and defeats: years 1941-1945 - Tomsk: Tomsk university publishing, 2001. pp. 24–29.
See also
External links