Commanders

Strengths of the parties

World War II(September 1, 1939 - September 2, 1945) - the war of two world military-political coalitions, which became the largest war in human history. 61 states out of 73 existing at that time (80% of the world's population) participated in it. The fighting took place on the territory of three continents and in the waters of four oceans.

Naval warfare in World War II

Participants

The number of countries involved varied throughout the war. Some of them were actively involved in military operations, others helped their allies with food supplies, and many participated in the war only in name.

The anti-Hitler coalition included: the USSR, the British Empire, the USA, Poland, France and other countries.

On the other hand, the Axis countries and their allies participated in the war: Germany, Italy, Japan, Finland, Romania, Bulgaria and other countries.

Prerequisites for the war

The preconditions for the war stem from the so-called Versailles-Washington system - the balance of power that emerged after the First World War. The main winners (France, Great Britain, USA) were unable to make the new world order sustainable. Moreover, Britain and France were counting on a new war to strengthen their positions as colonial powers and weaken their competitors (Germany and Japan). Germany was limited in participation in international affairs, the creation of a full-fledged army and was subject to indemnity. With the decline in the standard of living in Germany, political forces with revanchist ideas, led by A. Hitler, came to power.

The German battleship Schleswig-Holstein fires at Polish positions

1939 campaign

Capture of Poland

World War II began on September 1, 1939 with a surprise German attack on Poland. The Polish naval forces did not have large surface ships, were not ready for war with Germany and were quickly defeated. Three Polish destroyers left for England before the start of the war, German aircraft sank a destroyer and a minelayer Gryf .

The beginning of the struggle at sea

Actions on communications in the Atlantic Ocean

In the initial period of the war, the German command hoped to solve the problem of fighting on sea communications, using surface raiders as the main striking force. Submarines and aircraft were assigned a supporting role. They had to force the British to carry out transportation in convoys, which would facilitate the actions of surface raiders. The British intended to use the convoy method as the main method of protecting shipping from submarines, and to use the long-range blockade based on the experience of the First World War as the main method of combating surface raiders. To this end, at the beginning of the war, the British established sea patrols in the English Channel and in the Shetland Islands - Norway region. But these actions were ineffective - surface raiders, and even more so German submarines, actively operated on communications - the allies and neutral countries lost 221 merchant ships with a total tonnage of 755 thousand tons by the end of the year.

German merchant ships had instructions about the start of the war and tried to reach the ports of Germany or countries friendly to it, about 40 ships were sunk by their crews, and only 19 ships fell into enemy hands at the beginning of the war.

Actions in the North Sea

With the beginning of the war, large-scale laying of minefields in the North Sea began, which constrained active operations in it until the end of the war. Both sides mined the approaches to their coasts with wide protective belts of dozens of minefields. German destroyers also laid minefields off the coast of England.

German submarine raid U-47 at Scapa Flow, during which she sank an English battleship HMS Royal Oak showed the weakness of the entire anti-submarine defense of the English fleet.

Capture of Norway and Denmark

1940 campaign

Occupation of Denmark and Norway

In April - May 1940, German troops carried out Operation Weserubung, during which they captured Denmark and Norway. With the support and cover of large aviation forces, 1 battleship, 6 cruisers, 14 destroyers and other ships, a total of up to 10 thousand people were landed in Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen, Trondheim and Narvik. The operation was unexpected for the British, who got involved belatedly. The British fleet destroyed German destroyers in Battles 10 and 13 in Narvik. On May 24, the Allied command ordered the evacuation of Northern Norway, which was carried out from June 4 to 8. During the evacuation on June 9, German battleships sank the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and 2 destroyers. In total, during the operation the Germans lost a heavy cruiser, 2 light cruisers, 10 destroyers, 8 submarines and other ships, the Allies lost an aircraft carrier, a cruiser, 7 destroyers, 6 submarines.

Actions in the Mediterranean. 1940-1941

Actions in the Mediterranean

Military operations in the Mediterranean theater began after Italy declared war on England and France on June 10, 1940. The combat operations of the Italian fleet began with the laying of minefields in the Strait of Tunisia and on the approaches to their bases, with the deployment of submarines, as well as with air raids on Malta.

The first major naval battle between the Italian Navy and the British Navy was the Battle of Punta Stilo (also known in English sources as the Battle of Calabria. The collision took place on July 9, 1940, off the southeastern tip of the Apennine Peninsula. As a result of the battle, neither side suffered casualties did not suffer. But Italy had 1 battleship, 1 heavy cruiser and 1 destroyer damaged, and the British had 1 light cruiser and 2 destroyers.

French fleet at Mers-el-Kebir

Surrender of France

On June 22, France capitulated. Despite the terms of surrender, the Vichy government did not intend to give up the fleet to Germany. Distrusting the French, the British government launched Operation Catapult to capture French ships located in different bases. In Porsmouth and Plymouth, 2 battleships, 2 destroyers, 5 submarines were captured; ships in Alexandria and Martinique were disarmed. In Mers el-Kebir and Dakar, where the French resisted, the British sank the battleship Bretagne and damaged three more battleships. From the captured ships, the Free French fleet was organized; in the meantime, the Vichy government broke off relations with Great Britain.

Actions in the Atlantic in 1940-1941.

After the surrender of the Netherlands on May 14, German ground forces pinned the Allied forces to the sea. From May 26 to June 4, 1940, during Operation Dynamo, 338 thousand Allied troops were evacuated from the French coast in the Dunkirk area to Britain. At the same time, the Allied fleet suffered heavy losses from German aviation - about 300 ships and vessels were killed.

In 1940, German boats ceased to operate under the rules of prize law and switched to unrestricted submarine warfare. After the capture of Norway and the western regions of France, the system of basing German boats expanded. After Italy entered the war, 27 Italian boats began to be based in Bordeaux. The Germans gradually moved from the actions of single boats to the actions of groups of boats with curtains that blocked the ocean area.

German auxiliary cruisers successfully operated on ocean communications - by the end of 1940, 6 cruisers captured and destroyed 54 ships with a displacement of 366,644 tons.

1941 campaign

Actions in the Mediterranean in 1941

Actions in the Mediterranean

In May 1941, German troops captured the island. Crete. The British Navy, which was waiting for enemy ships near the island, lost 3 cruisers, 6 destroyers, and more than 20 other ships and transports from German air attacks; 3 battleships, an aircraft carrier, 6 cruisers, and 7 destroyers were damaged.

Active actions on Japanese communications put the Japanese economy in a difficult situation, the implementation of the shipbuilding program was disrupted, and the transportation of strategic raw materials and troops was complicated. In addition to submarines, surface forces of the US Navy, and primarily TF-58 (TF-38), also actively participated in the battle on communications. In terms of the number of Japanese transports sunk, aircraft carrier forces ranked second after submarines. Only in the period 10 - 16 October, aircraft carrier groups of the 38th formation, having attacked naval bases, ports and airfields in the Taiwan region, Philippines, destroyed about 600 aircraft on the ground and in the air, sank 34 transports and several auxiliary ships.

Landing in France

Landing in France

On June 6, 1944, Operation Overlord (Normandy landing operation) began. Under the cover of massive air strikes and naval artillery fire, an amphibious landing of 156 thousand people was carried out. The operation was supported by a fleet of 6 thousand military and landing ships and transport vessels.

The German navy offered almost no resistance to the landings. The Allies suffered the main losses from mines - 43 ships were blown up by them. During the second half of 1944, in the landing area off the coast of England and in the English Channel, 60 Allied transports were lost as a result of the actions of German submarines, torpedo boats, and mines.

German submarine sinks transport

Actions in the Atlantic Ocean

German troops began to retreat under pressure from the landing Allied troops. As a result, the German Navy lost its bases on the Atlantic coast by the end of the year. On September 18, Allied units entered Brest, and on September 25, troops occupied Boulogne. Also in September, the Belgian ports of Ostend and Antwerp were liberated. By the end of the year, fighting in the ocean had ceased.

In 1944, the Allies were able to ensure almost complete security of communications. To protect communications, they at that time had 118 escort aircraft carriers, 1,400 destroyers, frigates and sloops, and about 3,000 other patrol ships. Coastal PLO aviation consisted of 1,700 aircraft and 520 flying boats. The total losses in allied and neutral tonnage in the Atlantic as a result of submarine operations in the second half of 1944 amounted to only 58 ships with a total tonnage of 270 thousand gross tons. The Germans lost 98 boats at sea alone during this period.

Submarines

Signing of the Japanese surrender

Actions in the Pacific

Possessing an overwhelming superiority in forces, the American armed forces, in intense battles in 1945, broke the stubborn resistance of Japanese troops and captured the islands of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. For landing operations, the United States attracted huge forces, so the fleet off the coast of Okinawa consisted of 1,600 ships. During all the days of fighting off Okinawa, 368 Allied ships were damaged, and another 36 (including 15 landing ships and 12 destroyers) were sunk. The Japanese had 16 ships sunk, including the battleship Yamato.

In 1945, American air raids on Japanese bases and coastal installations became systematic, with attacks carried out by both shore-based naval aviation and strategic aviation and carrier strike formations. In March - July 1945, American aircraft, as a result of massive attacks, sank or damaged all large Japanese surface ships.

On August 8, the USSR declared war on Japan. From August 12 to August 20, 1945, the Pacific Fleet carried out a series of landings that captured the ports of Korea. On August 18, the Kuril landing operation was launched, during which Soviet troops occupied the Kuril Islands.

September 2, 1945 aboard the battleship USS Missouri The act of surrender of Japan was signed, ending World War II.

Results of the war

The Second World War had a huge impact on the destinies of mankind. 72 states (80% of the world's population) took part in it, military operations were carried out on the territory of 40 states. The total human losses reached 60-65 million people, of which 27 million people were killed at the fronts.

The war ended with the victory of the anti-Hitler coalition. As a result of the war, the role of Western Europe in global politics weakened. The USSR and the USA became the main powers in the world. Great Britain and France, despite the victory, were significantly weakened. The war showed the inability of them and other Western European countries to maintain huge colonial empires. Europe was divided into two camps: Western capitalist and Eastern socialist. Relations between the two blocs deteriorated sharply. A couple of years after the end of the war, the Cold War began.

History of world wars. - M: Tsentrpoligraf, 2011. - 384 p. -

CHRONOLOGY OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR (1939-1945)

Read also: Great Patriotic War - chronological table, Patriotic War of 1812 - chronology, Northern War - chronology, First World War - chronology, Russian-Japanese War - chronology, October Revolution of 1917 - chronology, Civil War in Russia 1918-20 - chronology.

1939

August 23. Signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (non-aggression pact between the USSR and Germany).

September 17. The Polish government moves to Romania. Soviet troops invade Poland.

September 28. The signing of the “Treaty of Friendship and Border” between the USSR and Germany formally completes their division of Poland. Conclusion of a “mutual assistance pact” between the USSR and Estonia.

October 5. Conclusion of a “mutual assistance pact” between the USSR and Latvia. The Soviet proposal to Finland to conclude a “mutual assistance pact”, the beginning of negotiations between Finland and the USSR.

November 13. Termination of Soviet-Finnish negotiations - Finland abandons the “mutual assistance pact” with the USSR.

November 26. The “Maynila Incident” is the reason for the start of the Soviet-Finnish War on November 30.

December 1st. Creation of the “People's Government of Finland” headed by O. Kuusinen. On December 2, it signed an agreement on mutual assistance and friendship with the USSR.

December 7th. The beginning of the Battle of Suomussalmi. It lasted until January 8, 1940 and ended in a heavy defeat for the Soviet troops.

Second World War. Warmongering

1940

April – May. Execution by the NKVD of more than 20 thousand Polish officers and intellectuals in the Katyn Forest, Ostashkovsky, Starobelsky and other camps.

April 9. German invasion of Norway.

September – December. The beginning of Germany's secret preparations for war with the USSR. Development of the "Barbarossa Plan".

1941

January 15. Negus Haile Selasie entered Abyssinian territory, which he abandoned in 1936.

March 1st. Bulgaria joins the Tripartite Pact. German troops enter Bulgaria.

March 25. The Yugoslav government of Prince Paul adheres to the Tripartite Pact.

March 27. Government coup in Yugoslavia. King Peter II entrusts the formation of a new government to General Simovic. Mobilization of the Yugoslav army.

April 4. Coup d'etat by Rashid Ali al-Gailani in Iraq in favor of Germany.

April 23. Signing of the Soviet-Japanese neutrality treaty for a period of five years.

April 14. Battles for Tobruk. German defensive battles on the Egyptian border (April 14 – November 17).

April 18. Surrender of the Yugoslav army. Division of Yugoslavia. Creation of independent Croatia.

April 26. Roosevelt announced his intention to establish American air bases in Greenland.

April 27. Capture of Athens and the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. A new Dunkirk for England.

May 12. Admiral Darlan in Berchtesgaden. The Pétain government provides the Germans with bases in Syria.

May. Roosevelt declared a "state of extreme national danger." Stalin becomes Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars.

June 12. British aircraft begin systematic bombing of the industrial centers of Germany.

June 25. Finland enters the war on the side of Germany in response to the Soviet bombing of 19 airfields on its territory.

June 30. Capture of Riga by the Germans (see Baltic operation). Capture of Lvov by the Germans (see Lvov-Chernivtsi operation.) Creation of the highest authority in the USSR for the war period - the State Defense Committee (GKO): chairman Stalin, members - Molotov (deputy chairman), Beria, Malenkov, Voroshilov.

July 3. Stalin's order to organize the partisan movement behind German lines and to destroy everything that the enemy could get. Stalin’s first radio speech since the beginning of the war: “Brothers and sisters!.. My friends!.. Despite the heroic resistance of the Red Army, despite the fact that the enemy’s best divisions and the best units of his aviation have already been defeated and have found their grave on the battlefield , the enemy continues to advance"

July 10. The end of the 14-day battles near Bialystok and Minsk, more than 300 thousand Soviet soldiers were surrounded here in two bags. The Nazis complete the encirclement of the 100,000-strong Red Army group near Uman. The beginning of the battle of Smolensk (July 10 - August 5).

October 15. Evacuation of the leadership of the Communist Party, the General Staff and administrative institutions from Moscow.

October 29. The Germans drop a large bomb on the Kremlin: 41 people are killed and more than 100 are wounded.

November 1-15. Temporary cessation of the German offensive on Moscow due to exhaustion of troops and severe mud.

November 6. In his annual speech on the occasion of the October anniversary at the Mayakovskaya metro station, Stalin announced the failure of the German “Blitzkrieg” (lightning war) in Russia.

November 15 – December 4. An attempt at a decisive German push towards Moscow.

November 18. British offensive in Africa. Battle of Marmarica (the area between Cyrenaica and the Nile Delta). German retreat in Cyrenaica

November 22. Rostov-on-Don is occupied by the Germans - and a week later it is recaptured by units of the Red Army. The beginning of German defensive battles in the Donetsk basin.

End of December. Surrender of Hong Kong.

1942

To January 1, 1942 The Red Army and Navy lose a total of 4.5 million people, of which 2.3 million are missing and captured (most likely, these figures are incomplete). Despite this, Stalin longs to end the war victoriously already in 1942, which becomes the cause of many strategic mistakes.

January 1 . The United Nations Union (26 nations fighting against the fascist bloc) was created in Washington - the beginning of the UN. It also includes the USSR.

January 7 . The beginning of the Soviet Lyuban offensive operation: attempts to encircle the German troops located here with a strike from two sides on Lyuban, located north of Novgorod. This operation lasts 16 weeks, ending in failure and defeat of the 2nd Shock Army of A. Vlasov.

January 8 . Rzhev-Vyazemskaya operation of 1942 (8.01 – 20.04): an unsuccessful attempt to quickly “cut off” the Rzhev ledge held by the Germans costs the Red Army (according to official Soviet data) 770 thousand losses against 330 thousand German ones.

January - February . Encirclement of the Germans on the Demyansk bridgehead (southern Novgorod region, January - February). They defend here until April - May, when they break through the encirclement, holding Demyansk. German losses were 45 thousand, Soviet losses were 245 thousand.

January 26 . Landing of the first American Expeditionary Force in Northern Ireland.

World War II. Sun of Japan

February 19. Riom trial against “the culprits of the defeat of France” - Daladier, Leon Blum, General Gamelin and others (February 19 - April 2).

February 23. Roosevelt's Lend-Lease Act applied to all Allied nations (USSR).

February 28. German-Italian troops recapture Marmarika (February 28 – June 29).

March 11. Another attempt to resolve the Indian question: the Cripps mission to India.

March 12. General Toyo invites America, England, China and Australia to abandon a war that is hopeless for them.

April 1st. A special resolution of the Politburo subjected Voroshilov to devastating criticism, who refused to accept command of the Volkhov Front.

April. Hitler gains full power. From now on, Hitler's will becomes law for Germany. British aircraft drop an average of 250 tons of explosives per night over Germany.

May 8-21 . Battle for the Kerch Peninsula. Kerch was taken by the Germans (May 15). The failed attempt to liberate Crimea in 1942 cost the Red Army up to 150 thousand losses.

August 23. The exit of the 6th German Army to the outskirts of Stalingrad. Beginning of the Battle of Stalingrad. The most severe bombing of the city.

August. Offensive battles of the Red Army near Rzhev.

September 30. Hitler announces Germany's transition from an offensive strategy to a defensive one (development of conquered territories).

From January to October The Red Army loses 5.5 million soldiers killed, wounded and captured.

October 23. Battle of El Alamein. Defeat of Rommel's expeditionary force (October 20 – November 3).

October 9. Elimination of the institution of commissars in the Red Army, introduction of unity of command among military commanders.

November 8. Allied landings in North Africa, under the command of General Eisenhower.

November 11. The German army breaks through to the Volga in Stalingrad, the Soviet troops defending the city are divided into two narrow pockets. The Germans begin to occupy all of France. Demobilization of the French army retained after the 1940 armistice.

November 19. The beginning of the Soviet counteroffensive at Stalingrad - Operation Uranus.

November 25. The beginning of the Second Rzhev-Sychev Operation (“Operation Mars”, 11/25 – 12/20): an unsuccessful attempt to defeat the 9th German Army at Rzhev. It costs the Red Army 100 thousand killed and 235 thousand wounded against 40 thousand total German losses. If “Mars” had ended successfully, it would have been followed by “Jupiter”: the defeat of the main part of the German Army Group Center in the Vyazma area.

November 27. Self-sinking of large units of the French navy in Toulon.

December 16. The beginning of the Red Army operation “Little Saturn” (December 16-30) - a strike from the south of the Voronezh region (from Kalach and Rossosh), to Morozovsk (north of the Rostov region). Initially, it was planned to rush south all the way to Rostov-on-Don and thus cut off the entire German group “South”, but “Big Saturn” did not have enough strength for this, and had to limit itself to “Small”.

December 23. Termination of Operation Winter Storm - Manstein's attempt to rescue the Germans in Stalingrad with a blow from the south. The Red Army captured the airfield in Tatsinskaya, the main external source of supply for the encircled Stalingrad German group.

End of December. Rommel lingers in Tunisia. Stopping the Allied offensive in Africa.

1943

1 January. The beginning of the North Caucasus operation of the Red Army.

6 January. Decree “On the introduction of shoulder straps for Red Army personnel.”

11 January. Liberation of Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk and Mineralnye Vody from the Germans.

January 12-30. The Soviet Operation Iskra breaches the siege of Leningrad, opening (after the liberation of Shlisselburg on January 18) a narrow land corridor to the city. Soviet losses in this operation - approx. 105 thousand killed, wounded and prisoners, German - approx. 35 thousand

January 14-26. Conference in Casablanca (demanding “unconditional surrender of the Axis powers”).

21 January. Liberation of Voroshilovsk (Stavropol) from the Germans.

January 29. The beginning of Vatutin’s Voroshilovgrad operation (“Operation Leap”, January 29 – February 18): the initial goal was to reach the Sea of ​​Azov through Voroshilovgrad and Donetsk and cut off the Germans in the Donbass, but they only succeeded in taking Izyum and Voroshilovgrad (Lugansk).

February 14. Liberation of Rostov-on-Don and Lugansk by the Red Army. Creation of the Malaya Zemlya bridgehead by the Red Army at Myskhako, with the aim of attacks on Novorossiysk. The Germans, however, were held in Novorossiysk until September 16, 1943.

February 19. The beginning of Manstein's counteroffensive in the south (the "Third Battle of Kharkov"), which disrupts the Soviet Operation Leap.

March 1st. The beginning of Operation Buffel (Buffalo, March 1-30): German troops, through a systematic retreat, leave the Rzhev salient in order to transfer part of their forces from there to the Kursk Bulge. Soviet historians then present “Buffel” not as a deliberate retreat of the Germans, but as a successful offensive “Rzhevo-Vyazemsk operation of the Red Army of 1943.”

March 20. Battle for Tunisia. Defeat of German troops in Africa (March 20 – May 12).

April 13. The Germans announce the discovery of a mass grave of Polish officers shot by the Soviet NKVD near Smolensk, near Katyn.

April 16. The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs offers his mediation between the warring parties with a view to concluding peace.

June 3. Creation of the French Committee of National Liberation (formerly: French National Committee).

June. The German underwater danger has been reduced to a minimum.

July 5th. The German offensive on the northern and southern fronts of the Kursk ledge - the beginning of the Battle of Kursk (July 5-23, 1943).

July 10. Anglo-American landing in Sicily (July 10 – August 17). Their start of military operations in Italy distracts a lot of enemy forces from the Soviet front and is actually tantamount to the opening of a Second Front in Europe.

July 12. The Battle of Prokhorovka was a stop to the most dangerous German breakthrough on the southern front of the Kursk Bulge. Losses in Operation Citadel (July 5-12): Soviet - approx. 180 thousand soldiers, German - approx. 55 thousand. Beginning of Operation Kutuzov - the Soviet counter-offensive on the Oryol Bulge (the northern face of the Kursk salient).

July 17. Creation of AMGOT (Allied Military Government for Occupied Territories) in Sicily.

September 23. Mussolini's announcement of the continuation of fascist rule in northern Italy (Italian Social Republic or Republic of Salò).

September 25. Units of the Red Army capture Smolensk and reach the Dnieper line. Losses in the Smolensk operation: Soviet - 450 thousand; German - 70 thousand (according to German data) or 200-250 thousand (according to Soviet data).

October 7. New big Soviet offensive from Vitebsk to the Taman Peninsula.

October 19-30. Third Moscow Conference of the Three Great Powers. The foreign ministers participating in it are Molotov, Eden and Cordell Hull. At this conference, the USA and England promise to open a second (besides the Italian) front in Europe in the spring of 1944; four great powers (including China) sign the “Declaration on Global Security”, where for the first time together proclaim the formula for the unconditional surrender of fascist states as an indispensable condition for ending the war; A European Advisory Commission is created (consisting of representatives of the USSR, USA and England) to discuss issues related to the surrender of the Axis states.

End of October. Dnepropetrovsk and Melitopol were taken by the Red Army. Crimea is cut off.

November 6. Liberation of Kyiv from the Germans. Losses in the Kyiv operation: Soviet: 118 thousand, German - 17 thousand.

November 9. Congress of representatives of the 44 United Nations in Washington (November 9 – December 1).

November 13. Liberation of Zhitomir from the Germans. On November 20, Zhitomir was recaptured by the Germans - and liberated again on December 31.

November-December. Manstein's unsuccessful counterattack on Kyiv.

November 28 – December 1. The Tehran Conference (Roosevelt – Churchill – Stalin) decides to open a second front in the West - and not in the Balkans, but in France; the Western allies agree to confirm after the war the Soviet-Polish border of 1939 (along the “Curzon line”); they veiledly agree to recognize the entry of the Baltic states into the USSR; Roosevelt's proposal to create a new world organization to replace the previous League of Nations is generally approved; Stalin promises to enter the war against Japan after the defeat of Germany.

December 24. General Eisenhower was appointed Supreme Commander of the armies of the second front in the West.

1944

January 24 - February 17. The Korsun-Shevchenko operation leads to the encirclement of 10 German divisions in the Dnieper bend.

March 29. The Red Army occupies Chernivtsi, and the day before, near this city, it enters the territory of Romania.

April 10. Odessa is taken by the Red Army. The first awards of the Order of Victory: Zhukov and Vasilevsky received it, and on April 29 - Stalin.

World War II. Russian steam roller

May 17. After 4 months of fierce fighting, Allied forces break through the Gustav Line in Italy. Fall of Cassino.

June 6 . Allied landing in Normandy (Operation Overlord). Opening of the Second Front in Western Europe.

IN June 1944 the number of active Soviet army reaches 6.6 million; it has 13 thousand aircraft, 8 thousand tanks and self-propelled guns, 100 thousand guns and mortars. The ratio of forces on the Soviet-German front in terms of personnel is 1.5:1 in favor of the Red Army, in terms of guns and mortars 1.7:1, in terms of aircraft 4.2:1. The forces in tanks are approximately equal.

June 23 . The beginning of Operation Bagration (June 23 - August 29, 1944) - the liberation of Belarus by the Red Army.

Start Second world wars(September 1, 1939 – June 22, 1941).

At dawn on September 1, 1939, the troops of the German Wehrmacht suddenly launched military operations against Poland. Using overwhelming superiority in forces and means, the Nazi command was able to quickly achieve large-scale operational results. Despite the fact that France, Great Britain and the countries of the British Commonwealth immediately declared war on Germany, they never provided effective and real assistance to Poland. The courageous resistance of Polish soldiers near Mlawa, at Modlin and the heroic twenty-day defense of Warsaw could not save Poland from disaster.

At the same time, the Red Army troops, almost without encountering resistance, occupied the regions of Western Belarus and Western Ukraine from September 17 to 29. September 28, 1939 first campaign Second world wars was completed. Poland ceased to exist.

On the same day, a new Soviet-German treaty “On Friendship and Border” was concluded in Moscow, which formalized the division of Poland. New secret agreements gave the USSR the opportunity for “freedom of action” in creating a “security sphere” on its western borders, secured the annexation of the western regions of Belarus and Ukraine, and allowed the Soviet Union to conclude “mutual assistance” agreements on September 28, 1939 with Estonia, October 5 - with Latvia, October 10 - with Lithuania. According to these agreements, the USSR received the right to locate in republics Baltic States of its troops and the creation on their territories of naval and
air bases. Stalin agreed to transfer into the hands of the Gestapo many hundreds of German anti-fascists hiding in the USSR from the Nazis, and also carried out the deportation of hundreds of thousands of Poles, both former military personnel and the civilian population.

At the same time, the Stalinist leadership increased pressure on Finland. On October 12, 1939, she was asked to conclude an agreement “on mutual assistance” with the USSR. However, the Finnish leadership refused to agree with the USSR, and the negotiations were unsuccessful.

The defeat of Poland and a temporary alliance with Stalin provided Hitler with a reliable rear for carrying out a blitzkrieg in the Western European theater of operations. Already on October 9, 1939, the Fuhrer signed a directive on preparing an attack on France, and 10 days later a plan for the strategic concentration of German troops to conduct offensive operations in the West was approved.

The Soviet leadership took active steps to expand the “security sphere” in the north-west. On November 28, 1939, the USSR unilaterally denounced the non-aggression pact with Finland of 1932, and on the morning of November 30 began hostilities against the Finns, which lasted almost four months. The next day (December 1) in the village. Terijoki was immediately proclaimed the “government of the Democratic Republic of Finland.”

On March 12, 1940, a Soviet-Finnish peace treaty was signed in Moscow, which took into account the territorial claims made by the USSR. The Soviet Union during wars suffered huge human losses: the active army lost up to 127 thousand people killed and missing, as well as up to 248 thousand wounded and frostbitten. Finland lost just over 48 thousand killed and 43 thousand wounded.
Politically this war caused serious damage to the Soviet Union. On December 14, 1939, the Council of the League of Nations adopted a resolution to expel him from this organization, condemning the actions of the USSR directed against the Finnish state and calling on member states of the League of Nations to support Finland. The USSR found itself in international isolation.

Results of the "winter wars" clearly showed the weakness of the "indestructible" Soviet Armed Forces. Soon K.E. Voroshilov was removed from the post of People's Commissar of Defense, and his place was taken by S.K. Timoshenko.
In the spring of 1940, Wehrmacht troops began a large-scale military campaign in Western Europe. On April 9, 1940, a strike group of Nazi troops (about 140 thousand personnel, up to 1000 aircraft and all naval forces) attacked Denmark and Norway. Denmark (which had only a 13,000-strong army) was occupied within a few hours, and its government immediately announced capitulation.

The situation was different in Norway, where the armed forces managed to avoid defeat and retreat into the interior of the country, and Anglo-French troops were landed to help them. The armed struggle in Norway threatened to become protracted, so already on May 10, 1940, Hitler launched an offensive according to the Gelb plan, which envisaged a lightning strike on France through Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands, bypassing the French defensive Maginot Line. On June 22, 1940, the act of surrender of France was signed, according to which its northern territory was occupied by Germany, and the southern regions remained under the control of the “government” of the collaborationist Marshal A. Petain (“Vichy regime”).

The defeat of France led to a dramatic change in the strategic situation in Europe. The threat of a German invasion loomed over Great Britain. The war unfolded on sea lanes, where German submarines sank 100-140 British merchant ships every month.
Already in the summer of 1940, the front in the west ceased to exist, and the impending clash between Germany and the USSR began to take on more and more real shape.

As a result of the German “pacification policy” in the northeast and east of Europe, the USSR included territories with a population of 14 million people, and the western border was pushed back by 200-600 km. At the VIII session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on August 2-6, 1940, these territorial “acquisitions” were legally formalized by the laws on the formation of the Moldavian SSR and the admission of the three Baltic republics to the Union.
After the victory over France, Germany accelerated preparations for the war against the USSR: the issue of the “eastern campaign” was already discussed on July 21, 1940 at a meeting of Hitler with the commanders of the armed forces, and on July 31 he set the task of starting the operation in May 1941 and finishing her for 5 months.

On August 9, 1940, a decision was made to transfer Wehrmacht forces to the borders of the USSR, and from September they began to concentrate in Romania. At the same time, a broad campaign of disinformation to the Soviet leadership began, which played a fatal role in carrying out measures to repel aggression. On September 27 in Berlin, Germany, Italy and Japan signed a tripartite pact, which was subsequently joined by Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Croatia. Finally, on December 18, 1940, Hitler approved the famous “Barbarossa option” - a plan wars against the Soviet Union.

In order to hide military preparations, I. Ribbentrop, on October 13, 1940, invited I.V. Stalin to take part in the division of spheres of interest on a global scale. A meeting on this issue took place on November 12-13 in Berlin with the participation of V.M. Molotov, but due to mutually unacceptable conditions put forward by both sides, it was not successful.

The Second World War (September 1, 1939 – September 2, 1945) was a military conflict between two world military-political coalitions.

It became the largest armed conflict in humanity. 62 states took part in this war. About 80% of the total population of the Earth participated in hostilities on one side or another.

We present to your attention a brief history of World War II. From this article you will learn the main events associated with this terrible tragedy on a global scale.

First period of World War 2

September 1, 1939 Armed forces entered Polish territory. In this regard, 2 days later, France declared war on Germany.

The Wehrmacht troops did not meet worthy resistance from the Poles, as a result of which they managed to occupy Poland in just 2 weeks.

At the end of April 1940, the Germans occupied Norway and Denmark. After this, the army annexed. It is worth noting that none of the listed states was able to adequately resist the enemy.

Soon the Germans attacked France, which was also forced to capitulate less than 2 months later. This was a real triumph for the Nazis, since at that time the French had good infantry, aviation and navy.

After the conquest of France, the Germans found themselves head and shoulders above all their opponents. During the French campaign, Italy became an ally of Germany, led by.

After this, Yugoslavia was also captured by the Germans. Thus, Hitler's lightning offensive allowed him to occupy all the countries of Western and Central Europe. Thus began the history of World War II.

Then the fascists began to take over African states. The Fuhrer planned to conquer countries on this continent within a few months, and then launch an offensive in the Middle East and India.

At the end of this, according to Hitler's plans, the reunification of German and Japanese troops was to take place.

Second period of World War 2

This came as a complete surprise to Soviet citizens and the country's leadership. As a result, the USSR united against Germany.

Soon the United States joined this alliance, agreeing to provide military, food and economic assistance. Thanks to this, countries were able to rationally use their own resources and provide support to each other.

At the end of the summer of 1941, British and Soviet troops entered Iran, as a result of which Hitler encountered certain difficulties. Because of this, he was unable to place military bases there necessary for the full-fledged conduct of the war.

Anti-Hitler coalition

On January 1, 1942, in Washington, representatives of the Big Four (USSR, USA, Great Britain and China) signed the Declaration of the United Nations, thereby marking the beginning of the Anti-Hitler Coalition. Later, 22 more countries joined it.

Germany's first serious defeats in World War II began with the Battle of Moscow (1941-1942). Interestingly, Hitler's troops came so close to the capital of the USSR that they could already see it through binoculars.

Both the German leadership and the entire army were confident that they would soon defeat the Russians. Napoleon once dreamed of the same thing when he entered the year.

The Germans were so self-confident that they did not even bother to provide appropriate winter clothing for the soldiers, because they thought that the war was practically over. However, everything turned out quite the opposite.

The Soviet army accomplished a heroic feat by launching an active offensive against the Wehrmacht. He commanded the main military operations. It was thanks to the Russian troops that the blitzkrieg was thwarted.

Fifth period of World War 2

So, in 1945, at the Potsdam Conference, the Soviet Union announced its intention to enter the war with Japan, which did not surprise anyone, because the Japanese army fought on Hitler’s side.

The USSR was able to defeat the Japanese army without much difficulty, liberating Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, as well as some territories.

The military operation, which lasted less than 1 month, ended with the surrender of Japan, which was signed on September 2. The largest war in human history has ended.

Results of World War II

As stated earlier, World War II is the largest military conflict in history. It lasted for 6 years. During this time, a total of more than 50 million people died, although some historians cite even higher numbers.

The USSR suffered the greatest damage from World War II. The country lost about 27 million citizens and also suffered severe economic losses.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the Second World War is a terrible lesson for all humanity. A lot of documentary photographic and video material has still been preserved, helping to see the horrors of that war.

What is it worth - the angel of death of the Nazi camps. But she wasn’t the only one!

People must do everything possible to ensure that such tragedies of a universal scale never happen again. Never again!

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