In the history of human warfare, there is a battle that is famous for its brutality and longevity, and that is the Battle of Leningrad.
The battle, which lasted a full 900 days, was fought with unprecedented intensity, with a staggering number of casualties, resulting in 640,000 deaths due to hunger and cold alone.
The iron-fisted siege and merciless bombardment of the Germans plunged Leningrad into an unprecedented predicament. However, the military and civilians of Leningrad, with stubborn resistance and unyielding spirit, finally defeated the invaders and defended the heroic city.
This article will detail the historical background of the battle, the horrors of the siege, and the reconstruction after the war and the ending of the heroes.
The outbreak and background of the Soviet-German war
On June 22, 1941, Germany launched a large-scale military operation codenamed "Plan Barbarossa" to invade the Soviet Union, and the German army launched simultaneous attacks from three directions: the northern, central and southern fronts.
Hitler believed that the Soviet Union would be conquered within a few months, and the Germans advanced at the speed of a blitzkrieg, quickly occupying vast areas of Soviet territory.
During this operation, Hitler set his sights on Leningrad (present-day St. Petersburg).
Leningrad, the capital of the former Russian Empire, was the cradle of the October Revolution and the second largest city in the Soviet Union. The city is extremely important politically, economically, culturally and militarily.
Leningrad was not only a hub of Soviet industry and transportation, but also an important base of the Baltic Fleet of the USSR Navy. For Hitler, the capture of Leningrad would not only severely damage the military strength of the Soviet Union, but also politically demoralize the Soviet Union.
Leningrad is located in the northwestern part of the Soviet Union, near the Gulf of Finland, and was an important gateway to Western Europe for the Soviet Union.
As an important port city, Leningrad had a well-developed railway and water transport network, with 15 railway lines running through it, making the city one of the transport hubs and industrial centers of the Soviet Union.
A large number of heavy and military industries were concentrated here, including tanks, aircraft, shipyards, etc., which were crucial to the war potential of the Soviet Union.
For the Germans, the occupation of Leningrad meant cutting off the Soviet Union from the Western allies, taking control of the Baltic Sea and thus forming a strategic encirclement of Moscow.
In addition, Hitler wanted to destroy the cultural symbols of the USSR by capturing Leningrad and demoralize the Soviet people, therefore, Hitler ordered the Germans to capture the city at any cost.
The offensive of the German army with the defense of Leningrad
In June 1941, the Germans quickly broke through the Soviet border and advanced in the direction of Leningrad, with the German 18th Army and Finnish troops flanking Leningrad from the north and the 4th Panzer Army attacking from the south.
In August, the German army approached the city of Leningrad, and the defense of Leningrad officially began. The inhabitants and troops of Leningrad, at the call of the Soviet government, quickly mobilized.
In order to defend against the German attack, men, women and children in the city worked together to build fortifications, dig trenches, and set up obstacles.
The 42nd and 55th armies of the Soviet Red Army built a strong defensive system around Leningrad, using natural barriers and artificial lines around the city to stop the advance of the German army.
In September 1941, the Germans cut off the city from all land links to the outside world after capturing key strongholds around Leningrad.
The German encirclement gradually tightened, Leningrad was completely isolated, and Hitler ordered the Germans to impose a total siege of Leningrad in an attempt to force the city to surrender through starvation and bombing.
The Germans carried out constant shelling and bombardment of Leningrad, trying to destroy the infrastructure of the city and the will of the inhabitants to resist.
In the sky of Leningrad, German planes roared constantly, dropping countless bombs, and on the ground, German artillery fire was constantly pouring down on the city, and the streets and houses were blown up, rubble was everywhere, and thick smoke was billowing out.
Despite this, the military and civilians of Leningrad resisted stubbornly, repaired the damaged facilities and continued to fight. Dmitry Shostakovich
During the Battle of Leningrad, many heroic figures emerged, one of the most famous of which was the Soviet composer Dmitry Shostakovich.
When the war broke out, Shostakovich chose to stay in Leningrad and joined the city's air defense.
He patrolled the rooftops during the day and composed music under the lamps at night, and in the baptism of artillery fire, Shostakovich composed the famous "Leningrad Symphony", which used music to boost morale and convey the indomitable spirit.
When the Leningrad Symphony was premiered, the concert was interrupted several times due to the interruption of the power supply during the war, but each time it was restarted, the audience burst into thunderous applause.
This symphony not only became a symbol of the resistance of the Soviet people to aggression, but also attracted widespread attention in the international community and inspired global anti-fascist forces.
Difficult predicament in Leningrad
As the siege dragged on, Leningrad became increasingly short of supplies, and the Soviet Air Force made constant attempts to airdrop supplies, but German anti-aircraft fire made these operations extremely difficult.
Each airdrop mission was accompanied by great sacrifices, and many transport planes and pilots failed to return. However, these airdrops are still not enough to meet the basic needs of the city's 2 million residents.
The bitter cold of winter further exacerbated the predicament of Leningrad. Temperatures plummeted, heating systems were destroyed, and residents struggled with extreme cold.
People had to tear down furniture, wooden buildings and even books to make fires to keep warm. Hunger and cold have led to a sharp rise in deaths, and many families have been torn apart by the loss of loved ones.
The extreme lack of food made starvation the greatest threat to the inhabitants of Leningrad, and the city's food reserves were rapidly depleted, and bread rations were constantly reduced.
Workers and soldiers received only 250 grams of bread per day, and ordinary citizens received even less rations, only 150 grams. To survive the bare minimum, the inhabitants had to eat tree bark, grass roots, and even leather products.
In the winter of 1941, Leningrad was hit by the worst famine in history, and the shadow of hunger was everywhere in the streets. Every day, large numbers of people fall from hunger and cold.
In order to record this harrowing history, a young girl named Tania used a diary to record the tragic experience of her family.
Her diary wrote: "Dad died, Mom died, my brother died, Uncle died, everyone died, and only Tanya was left. This diary later became an important piece of evidence revealing the tragic conditions during the siege of Leningrad.
Heroes in battle
Despite the extreme predicament, the military and civilians of Leningrad have always maintained a tenacious fighting spirit, they continue to produce and fight in extremely difficult conditions, repair bombed-out factories and facilities, and manufacture weapons and ammunition to support the fighting at the front.
Workers risked their lives and worked around the clock to ensure supplies to the front.
At the same time, the Soviet government and the Red Army were also making continuous efforts to break the siege of Leningrad, and in January 1943, the Soviet Red Army launched a fierce offensive in Operation Mars, which successfully opened the supply line to Leningrad and alleviated the city's plight.
Although the siege was not completely lifted, this victory brought hope and confidence to the military and civilians of Leningrad.
In the defense of Leningrad, the commander of the Soviet Red Army, Georgy Zhukov, played a key role. Zhukov was one of the most outstanding generals in Soviet military history, known for his outstanding strategic vision and commanding skills.
During the Battle of Leningrad, Zhukov was appointed commander-in-chief of the Leningrad Front, where he quickly organized a strong defense system and commanded the Red Army to put up stubborn resistance.
Together with the soldiers and civilians of Leningrad, Zhukov adopted flexible tactics in the face of the fierce offensive of the German army, and kept the German army out of the city again and again.
His tenacity and wisdom injected great strength into the defense of Leningrad and became an important figure in this battle. In the defense of Leningrad, countless heroes emerged, who defended the city with their lives and blood.
Whether it was the Red Army soldiers who fought bravely to kill the enemy, or the workers and peasants who quietly sacrificed, they all showed incomparable courage and determination in this battle.
In the winter of 1941, the Germans launched a large-scale offensive on Leningrad. The fighters of the 67th Army of the Red Army held their positions in the bitter cold and engaged in fierce street battles with the enemy.
In the streets and alleys, explosions and gunfire continued, and soldiers weaved through the rubble, struggling to resist.
During an assault operation, the Red Army fighter Ivan Petrov alone destroyed one of the machine-gun positions of the Germans, buying precious time for the counterattack of the troops.
Ivan died heroically in battle, and his deeds were widely praised and became a heroic model in the defense of Leningrad.
In the rear, the workers of Leningrad were also engaged in another battle without gunpowder. In the factory, the machines are running non-stop, and the workers are working day and night to produce weapons and supplies.
The cold of winter made the temperature in the workshop extremely low, but the workers continued to work, supporting the front-line fighting with sweat and hard work.
Anna Ivanova was a female textile worker, she worked on the production line for 48 hours straight, and finally collapsed due to physical exhaustion, and at her insistence, the military supplies produced in the workshop were delivered to the front in time, saving the lives of countless soldiers.
In January 1943, the Soviet Red Army successfully opened a supply line to Leningrad in Operation Mars, and the siege of Leningrad began to gradually ease.
On January 27, 1944, the Soviet Red Army launched a full-scale counteroffensive, completely lifting the German siege of Leningrad, and after nearly 900 days of hard fighting, Leningrad was finally liberated.
According to statistics, as many as 640,000 people died of starvation and freezing in this war. The victory in the defense of Leningrad was the result of the unity and heroic struggle of the Soviet military and people.
In this battle, the soldiers of Leningrad defended the dignity of the city with their own blood and lives, creating a miracle in the history of human warfare.
Their heroic deeds will forever be engraved in the long river of history, inspiring future generations to continue to strive for peace and justice.
The Battle of Leningrad was one of the most tragic sieges in human history, during the 900-day siege, the brutal attack of the German army and the stubborn resistance of the soldiers and civilians of Leningrad were intertwined into a historical picture of blood and fire.
In the face of extreme hardship, the people of Leningrad showed unparalleled courage and tenacity, finally defeating the aggressors and defending the dignity of the city.
The victory in the defense of Leningrad was not only the glory of the Soviet Union, but also the great victory of the anti-fascist struggle all over the world.
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