Tests 

Fascist army. German fascist troops

What is the Wehrmacht? The definition of this word has a broad meaning. V German this term means any military establishment... But nowadays it is customary to call the army the word "Wehrmacht" Nazi Germany... It included the ground forces, navy and aviation. After the Nazis came to power in 1933, Adolf Hitler's most audacious move towards the world community was the formation of a modern army capable of conducting offensive operations. The Third Reich required numerous and well-organized armed forces to carry out its ambitious plans to seize new territories.

Versailles Treaty

After the defeat in World War I, Germany was forced to submit to the victorious countries, which imposed a number of strict restrictions on the size and equipment of its army. Under the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty, the maximum permissible number of the German armed forces was 100 thousand people. Germany was forbidden to have submarines, heavy artillery and combat aircraft. The navy could include no more than 6 cruisers, 6 battleships and 12 destroyers. The new army, created during the era of the Weimar Republic, was named "Reichswehr", which literally means "imperial defense". In accordance with the peace treaty, the German government abolished general military service.

However, Germany secretly sought to rebuild its armed forces. Already in the twenties of the last century, she began to look for ways to circumvent the terms of the Versailles agreements. In the hope of a revival of combat aviation in the foreseeable future, secret schools were created to train military pilots.

The rise to power of the Nazis

After the death of German President Paul von Hindenburg, Adolf Hitler became the head of state and the owner of unlimited power. He took over command of the armed forces. Soon, all personnel German army took a special oath, in the text of which personal loyalty to the Fuhrer was mentioned.

In 1935, the Reichswehr was officially renamed the Wehrmacht. This marked the beginning of an open violation of the Versailles Peace Treaty. The country reintroduced universal conscription. Hitler announced plans for large-scale rearmament German army... The Nazi government significantly increased the level of spending on the defense industry. It was supposed to bring the total number of Wehrmacht divisions to thirty-six, which in the most blatant manner violated the terms of the Versailles agreements.

Personnel

The troops of the Third Reich were formed from volunteers and conscripts. All recruits were exclusively German. Residents of occupied countries were not subject to mobilization in the Wehrmacht. This rule was a consequence of the fascist ideology, which proclaimed the superiority of the German nation. Even foreign volunteers were usually not allowed to join the ranks of the German army.

This policy changed after the start of the invasion of the Soviet Union by Hitler's troops. The propagandists of the Third Reich declared that the fight against world communism, which the Wehrmacht is waging, is the concern not only of Germany, but also of those occupied by it. European countries... The German authorities began to call for military service the inhabitants of the Netherlands and Poland. On the territory of the USSR, the so-called eastern legions, formed from Soviet citizens opposed to the communist regime, entered the Wehrmacht.

SS troops

The fighting units of the National Socialist Party were originally intended to ensure the personal safety of Adolf Hitler. Gradually, the small paramilitary organization turned into a full-fledged army, the number of which in 1945 reached 1 million people. SS divisions operated autonomously and were not part of the Wehrmacht. This made it difficult to exercise general command of the armed forces of Nazi Germany. SS troops participated in military operations and also committed acts of genocide. Subsequently, the international tribunal recognized this organization as criminal.

Air Force

Wehrmacht aviation, known as the Luftwaffe, was a key element of the offensive strategy that was used in the capture of Poland and France. The German Air Force used primarily fighters and small tactical bombers. Combat aviation closely interacted with the ground forces. Great amount fighters ensured air superiority. This made it possible to effectively carry out bombing strikes against command posts and enemy supply lines.

Fleet

The naval forces of the Wehrmacht in historical sources are usually called the Kriegsmarine. The main task of the fleet was to establish control over trade routes in the Atlantic, which were critical for the United States, Great Britain and Soviet Union... At the beginning of the war, German submarines managed to inflict significant damage on the sea convoys of the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. The forces of the Kriegsmarine destroyed over a thousand Allied ships. However, the emergence of such means of detection as radar and sonar, sharply reduced the effectiveness of Germany's use of submarines.

War crimes

Despite the fact that the Nuremberg Tribunal laid the bulk of the blame for the violation of all norms international law on the SS division, and not on the Wehrmacht, photos and other documentary evidence indicate the participation of the German army in punitive actions and mass executions.

After the surrender of Germany and the end of World War II, the Third Reich ceased to exist. Together with him, the Wehrmacht went down in history.

The names of the main organizations of the Third Reich

AD - Allgemeinedienst - General Service
AHS - Adolf Hitler Schulen - Adolf Hitler Schools
AO - Auslandsorganisation - Overseas Organization
ASS - Allgemeine SS - General SS Forces
BD - Bereitschaftsdienst - Reserve Service
BDM - Bund Deutscher Maedel - German Girls Union
BVP - Bayerische Volkspartei - Bavarian People's Party
DAF - Deutsche Arbeitsfront - German Labor Front
DEST - Deutsche Erd und Steinwerke GmbH - German Stripping Corporation
DFO - Deutsche Falken Orden - German Order of the Falconry
DJ - Deutsche Jungvolk - Young Germans, junior section "Hitler Youth"
DJ - Deutsche Jaegerschaft - German Hunting Society
DLV - Deutscher Luftsports Verband - German Air Sports Society
DNVP - Deutschnationale Volkspartei - German National People's Party
DRL - Deutscher Reichsbund fur Leibe-subungen - German Imperial Physical Education Association
DVL - Deutsche Volksliste - Register of German Nationality
DVP - Deutsche Volkspartei - German People's Party
EWZ - Einwandererzentralstelle - Immigration Center
FdV - Festigung deutschen Volkstums - Strengthening the German people
FJK - Feldjaegerkorps - SA Police Corps
GBA - Generalbevollmachtigen fur den Arbeitseinsatz - General Commissioner for Labor Distribution
Gestapo - Geheime Staats-Polizei - Secret State Police
GFM - Generalfeldmarschali - Field Marshal
HJ - Hitlerjugend - Hitler Youth, Hitler Youth
HJD - Hitlerjugend Division - Division "Hitlerjugend"
HSSPF - Hohere SS und Polizei Fuhrer - Supreme Leader of the SS and Police
JM - Jungmadelgruppen - Youngest age group for girls
JV - Jungvolk - Young generation
KdF - Kraft durch Freude - Strength through joy
KfHB - Kyffhauuserbund - Veterans Union
KJVD - Kommunistischer Jugendver-band Deutschlands - Communist Youth Union of Germany)
KLV - Kinderlandverschickung - Removal of children
KPD - Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands - Communist party Germany
KRIPO - Kriminalpolizei - Criminal Police
LAH - Leibstandart Adolf Hitler - Hitler's Bodyguard Regiment
LD - Landdienst - Land Office
LKPA - Landeskriminalpolizeiamt - Prussian Criminal Police Office
LSD - Luftschutzdienst - Air Defense Service
LSW - Luftschutz Warndienst - Air Raid Alert Service
LSSAH - Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler - SS Division "Adolf Hitler"
NAPOLA- National-Politische Lehranstalt - State political educational institution
NPEA - Nationalpolitische Erziehungsanstalt - National Socialist Educational Institutions
NS - Nationalsozialist - National Socialist
NSBO - NS Betriebsorganisation - National Socialist Party cell in production
NSDAP - Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei - National Socialist German Workers' Party
NSF - Nationalsozialistische Frauenschaften - National Socialist Women's Association
NSFK - NS Fliegerkorps - National Socialist Air Corps
NSHAGO - NS Handels und Gewerbeorganisation - National Socialist Trade and Industry Organization
NSKK - NS Kraftfahrkorps - National Socialist Motorized Corps
NSKOV - NS Kriegsopferversorgung - National Socialist War Victim Service
NSRKB - NS Reichskriegerbund - National Socialist Union of War Veterans
NSS - Nationalsozialistischer Schulerbund - National Socialist League of Schoolchildren
NSV- Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt - National Socialist People's Charity
OKH - Oberkommando des Heeres - High Command ground forces
OKL - Oberkommando der Luftwaffe - High Command of the German Air Force
OKW - Oberkommando der Wehrmacht - High Command of the German Armed Forces
ORPO - Ordnungspolizei - Law Enforcement Police
OSAF - ObersterSA-Fuehrer - Commander-in-Chief of the SA
OT - Organization Todt - Organization Todt
PZ - Panzer - Tank troops
PZK - Politische Zentralkommission - Central Political Commission
RAB - Reichsautobahn - Reichsautobahn
RAD - Reichs Arbeitsdienst - German Labor Front
RADwJ - Reichs Arbeitsdienst der weiblichen Jugend - Imperial Labor Service, Women's Youth Branch
RAL - Reichsausbildungslager - Imperial Training Camps
RFSS - Reichsfuerer-SS - Reichsfuerer SS
RJF - Reichsjugendfuhrung - Imperial Office for Youth Affairs
RJF - Reichs Jugendführer - Imperial Youth Leader
RKFDV - Reichskommissar fur die Festigung DeutschenVolkstums - Reichskommissariat for strengthening the German nation
RLB - Reichslehrerbund - Imperial Teachers' Union
RLB - Reichsluftschutzbund -German Air Defense Confederation
RMBO - Reichsministerium fur die besetzten Ostgebiete - Ministry of the Occupied Eastern Territories
RMVP - Reichsministerium fur Volksaufklarung und Propaganda - Imperial Ministry of Public Education and Propaganda
RPA - Reichspropagandaamt - Imperial Propaganda Directorate
RSHA - Reichssicherheitshaupamt - General Directorate of Reich Security
RuSHA - Rasse und Siedlungs Hauptamt - General Directorate for Race and Resettlement
RW - Reichswehr - Reichswehr
SA - Sturmabteilung - Assault squads
SAJ - Verband der Soziaiistischen Arbeiterjugend - Union of Socialist Working Youth
SD - Sicherheitsdienst - Security Service
SDP - Sudeten Deutsche Partei - Sudeten German Party
SIPO - Sicherheitspolizei - Security Police
SHD - Sicherheits und Hilfsdienst - Security and Assistance Service
SP - Transportkorps "Speer" - Speer's transport corps
SPD - Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands - Social Democratic Party of Germany
SRD - Streifendienst - Patrol Service
SS - Schutzstaffel - SS, security squads
SSEA - SS Erganzungsamt - SS Recruitment Directorate
SSHA - SS Hauptamt - SS Headquarters
SSHK -SS HelferinnenKorps - SS Auxiliary Women's Corps
SSTV - SS Totenkopfverbande - SS Unit "Death's Head"
SSVT - SS Verfugungstruppe - SS Special Forces
TeNo - Technische Nothilfe - Emergency technical assistance service
TD - Technischedienst - Technical Service
USCHLA - Untersuchungs und Schlichtungs Ausschuss - Investigative and Arbitration Committee
VB - Volkischer Beobachter - Newspaper "Völkischer Beobachter"
VDA - Verein fur das Volkstum im Ausland - Union of Foreign Germans
VoMi - Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle - Ethnic German Liaison Office
VT - Verfügungstruppe - Special Forces
Waffen-SS - "Waffen-SS", SS troops
WBK - Wehrbezirkskommando - District Recruitment Office
WFA - Wehrmachtsfuehrungsamt - Land Force Operations Directorate
WFSt - Wehrmachtsfuehrungsstab - Operational Directorate of the Supreme Command of the German Armed Forces (OKW)
WEL - Wehrertuchtigungslager - Military training camps
WKR - Wehrkreis - Military District
W-SS - see Waffen-SS
WVHA - Wirtschafts und Verwaltungshauptamt - Administrative Office of the SS

NSDAP Subdivisions:

Sturmabteilungen (SA) - Assault Troops, Hitlerjugend (HJ) - Hitler Youth,
NS-Frauenschaft (NSF) - National Social women's union,
Schutzstaffel (SS) - Security Squads,
NS-Kraftfahrerkorps (NSKK) - National Social driver's corps,
Nationalsozialistisches Fliegerkorps (NSFK) - National Soc. flight corps,
NS-Deutscher Studentenbund (NSDStB) - National Social German student union,
NS-Deutscher Dozentenbund (NSDD) (established July 1944) - National Socialist. Union of Higher Educational Institutions Teachers.

NSDAP associations that had their own "legal entity" and

own property:

Deutsche Arbeitsfront (DAF) - German Workers Front,
NS-Volkswohlfahrt (NSV) - National Social. public welfare,
NS-Kriegsopferversorgung (NSKOV) - National Social assistance to victims of war,
NS-Deutscher Aerztebund (NSDAB) - National Social German Medical Association,
NS-Lehrerbund (NSLB) - - National Social Union of Scientists,
Beamtenbund - Union of employees,
NS-Juristenbund - - National Social union of lawyers.

Subdivisions of SA:

Nationalsozialistische Reiterkorps (NSRK), Reiter-SA - cavalry units of the SA,
Marine-SA - Marine divisions of the SA.

DAF divisions:

Nationalsozialistische Betriebszellenorganisation (NSBO) - organization of factory cells,
Kraft durch Freude (KdF) - "Strength through joy",
Reichskulturkammer - Imperial Chamber of Culture.

Other National Socialist Organizations:

Nationalsozialistischer Reichskriegerbund (NS-RKB) - union of imperial warriors,
Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher Frontkaempfer-Bund (NSDFB) - National Social German union of front-line soldiers,
Reichluftschutzbund (RLB) - Imperial Air Defense League,
Organization Todt (OT) - Todt Organization,
ReichsArbeitsDienst (RAD) - Imperial Labor Service.
NS-Bund Deutscher Technik (NSBDT) - National Social German technical union,
Nationalsozialistischer Deutscher Marinebund (NSDMB) - National Soc. German seafarers' union,
Nationalsozialistische Handels- und Gewerbetreibende Organization (NS HAGO) - National Social. trade and craft organization,
NS-Rechtswahrerbund (NSRB) -
NS-Schulerbund (NSSB) - National Social schoolchildren union,
Nationalsozialistische Volkswohlfahrt (NSV) - National Social Welfare,
NS-Wirtschaftsdienst (NSW) - National Social Economic service.

MAJOR BODIES AND UNITS OF NSDAP

AHS - Adolf Hitler Schulen (Adolf Hitler Schools)
BDM - Bund Deutscher Madel (Union of German Girls)
DAF - Deutsche Arbeitsfront (German Labor Front)
Deutsche Frauenwerk (German Women's Organization)
Deutsche Gemeindetag (Congress of Germanic Communities)
Deutsche Handwerk (German craft)
Deutsche Giedler (German Settlers Union)
DJ - Deutsche Junge (German youth)
DJ - Deutsches Jungvolk (Young Germans)
Deutsche Studentenschaft (German student body)
Deutsche Ubungswirtschaft (German training farm)
Deutsche Volksbildungswerk (German public education)
Hauptamt fur Erzieher (Headquarters
for educators)
JM - Jungmadel (Young Girls Association)
JM - Jungemanschenbund (Union of Young Men)
NSDAP - Nationalsozialistische (National Socialist
Deutsche Arbeiterpartei German Workers' Party)
NSBDT - Nationalsozialistische (National Socialist Union
Bund Deutscher Technik German technicians)
NS-Dozentenbund (National Socialist Union
German associate professors)
NSD-Arztebund (National Socialist Union
German doctors)
NSD-Studentenbund (National Socialist Union
German students)
NSFK - Nationalsozialistische (National Socialist
Fliegerkorps Pilot Corps)
NS-Frauenschaft (National Socialist
women's union)
NS-Gemeinschaft (1 1 National Socialist Society
"Kraft durch Freude" "Strength through joy")
NSBO - Nationalsozialistische (National Socialist
Betriebzellenorganization organization of the work cell)
NSKK - NS-Kraftfahrer Korps (National Socialist
car body)
NS-Kriegsopferversorgung (National Socialist War Victim Aid Organization)
NS-Lehrerbund (National Socialist Union of Teachers)
NS-Rechtswahrerbund (National Socialist Law Enforcement Union)
NS-Reiterkorps (National Socialist Cavalry Corps)
NS-Schwesternschaft (National Socialist Nursing Organization)
NSV - NS-Volkswohlfahrt (National Socialist Society for Philanthropy)
NSV - NS-Volksgemeinschaft (National Socialist Relief Service)
Reichsbund der deutschen Beamten (Imperial Union of Civil Servants)
Reichsbund der deutschen Diplomandwirte (German Association of Certified Farmers)
Reichsbund der deutsches Swerhorigen (Union of Germanic Hearing Disabilities)
RdK - Reichsbund der Kinderreichen Deutschlands zum Schutze der Familie
Reichskriegerbund (Military Union of the Reich)
Reichsluft Schutzbund (Reich Air Defense Union)
Reichsbund fur Leibesubungen (Reich Athletic Union)
Reichsstudentenfuhrung (German student body)
SA - Sturmabteilung (Assault squads)
SD - Sicherheitsdienst (Security Service)
SS - Schutzstaffeln (Security Squads)
Technische Nothitse (Technical Emergency Service)
WHW - Winterhilfswerkes (Winter Relief Organization)

In the absence of a land front in Europe, the German leadership decided to defeat the Soviet Union during a short campaign in the summer and autumn of 1941. To achieve this goal, the most combat-ready part of the German armed forces was deployed on the border with the USSR 1.

Wehrmacht

For Operation Barbarossa, out of the 4 army group headquarters available in the Wehrmacht, 3 were deployed (North, Center and South) (75%), out of 13 field army headquarters - 8 (61.5%), out of 46 army corps headquarters - 34 (73.9%), out of 12 motorized corps - 11 (91.7%). In total, 73.5% of the total number of divisions in the Wehrmacht were allocated for the Eastern campaign. Most of the troops had combat experience gained in previous military campaigns. So, out of 155 divisions in military operations in Europe in 1939-1941. 127 (81.9%) participated, and the remaining 28 were partially manned by personnel who also had combat experience. In any case, these were the most combat-ready units of the Wehrmacht (see table 1). The German Air Force deployed to support Operation Barbarossa 60.8% of the air units, 16.9% of the air defense forces and over 48% of the signal troops and other units.

Satellites of Germany

Together with Germany, its allies were preparing for war with the USSR: Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Italy, which allocated the following forces for waging the war (see table 2). In addition, Croatia has allocated 56 aircraft and up to 1.6 thousand people. By June 22, 1941, there were no Slovak and Italian troops on the border, which arrived later. Consequently, the troops of Germany's allies deployed there included 767,100 people, 37 calculation divisions, 5502 guns and mortars, 306 tanks and 886 aircraft.

All in all, the forces of Germany and her allies on Eastern Front numbered 4 329.5 thousand people, 166 calculated divisions, 42 601 guns and mortars, 4364 tanks, assault and self-propelled guns and 4795 aircraft (of which 51 were at the disposal of the Air Force High Command and together with 8.5 thousand personnel The Air Force is not taken into account in further calculations).

Red Army

The armed forces of the Soviet Union under the conditions of the outbreak of war in Europe continued to increase and by the summer of 1941 were the largest army in the world (see table 3). In the five western border districts, 56.1% of the ground forces and 59.6% of the air force were stationed. In addition, in May 1941, the concentration of 70 divisions of the second strategic echelon from the internal military districts and from Of the Far East... By June 22, 16 divisions (10 rifle, 4 tank and 2 motorized) arrived in the western districts, in which there were 201,691 people, 2,746 guns and 1,763 tanks.

The grouping of Soviet troops in the Western theater of operations was quite powerful. The general balance of forces by the morning of June 22, 1941 is presented in Table 4, judging by the data of which the enemy was superior to the Red Army only in terms of the number of personnel, for his troops were mobilized.

Mandatory clarifications

Although the above data give a general idea of ​​the strength of the opposing groupings, it should be borne in mind that the Wehrmacht completed its strategic concentration and deployment in the theater of operations, while in the Red Army this process was in full swing. As figuratively described this situation A.V. Shubin, "a dense body moved from West to East with great speed. From the East a more massive, but looser block, whose mass was growing, but not at a fast enough pace, slowly advanced 2. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the balance of forces on two more levels. Firstly, this is the balance of forces of the parties in various strategic directions on the scale of the district (front) - army group, and secondly, in individual operational directions in the border zone on the scale of the army - army. In this case, in the first case, only the ground forces and the air force are taken into account, and for the Soviet side there are also border troops, artillery and naval aviation, but without information on the personnel of the fleet and internal troops of the NKVD. In the second case, only ground forces are counted for both sides.

Northwest

In the North-West direction, the troops of the German Army Group North and the Baltic Special Military District (PribOVO) confronted each other. The Wehrmacht had a fairly significant superiority in manpower and some in artillery, but inferior in tanks and aviation. However, it should be borne in mind that only 8 Soviet divisions were located directly in the 50 km of the border strip, and another 10 were located 50-100 km from the border. As a result, Army Group North managed to achieve a more favorable balance of forces in the direction of the main strike (see Table 5).

Western direction

In the Western direction, the troops of the German Army Group Center and the Western Special Military District (ZAPOVO) with part of the forces of the 11th Army of the PribOVO confronted each other. For the German command, this direction was the main one in Operation Barbarossa, and therefore Army Group Center was the strongest on the entire front. It concentrated 40% of all German divisions deployed from the Barents to the Black Sea (including 50% motorized and 52.9% armored) and the largest Luftwaffe air fleet (43.8% of aircraft). In the offensive zone of Army Group Center, in the immediate vicinity of the border, there were only 15 Soviet divisions, and 14 were located 50-100 km from it. In addition, troops of the 22nd Army from the Ural Military District were concentrated on the territory of the district in the Polotsk region, from which 3 rifle divisions arrived in place by June 22, 1941, and the 21st mechanized corps from the Moscow military district - total number 72,016 people, 1,241 guns and mortars and 692 tanks. As a result, the ZAPOVO troops contained in the peacetime states were inferior to the enemy only in personnel, but surpassed him in tanks, aircraft and insignificantly in artillery. However, unlike the troops of Army Group Center, they did not complete the concentration, which made it possible to smash them in parts.

Army Group Center was supposed to carry out a double coverage of the ZapOVO troops located in the Bialystok salient with a blow from Suwalki and Brest to Minsk, so the main forces of the army group were deployed on the flanks. The main blow was delivered from the south (from Brest). On the northern flank (Suwalki), the 3rd Panzer Group of the Wehrmacht was deployed, which was opposed by units of the 11th Army of the PribOVO. Troops of the 43rd Army Corps of the 4th German Army and the 2nd Panzer Group were deployed in the zone of the Soviet 4th Army. In these areas, the enemy was able to achieve significant superiority (see table 6).

Southwest

In the South-West direction, Army Group South, which united German, Romanian, Hungarian and Croatian troops, was opposed by units of the Kiev Special and Odessa Military Districts (KOVO and ODVO). The Soviet grouping in the South-West direction was the strongest on the entire front, since it was she who was supposed to deliver the main blow to the enemy. However, here too Soviet troops have not completed concentration and deployment. So, in KOVO, in the immediate vicinity of the border, there were only 16 divisions, and 14 were located 50-100 km from it. In the OdVO, in the 50-km border strip, there were 9 divisions, and 6 were located in the 50-100-km strip. In addition, troops of the 16th and 19th armies arrived on the territory of the districts, of which 10 divisions (7 rifle, 2 tank and 1 motorized) were concentrated by June 22, with a total strength of 129 675 people, 1505 guns and mortars and 1071 tanks. Even without being staffed in wartime, the Soviet troops outnumbered the enemy grouping, which had only some superiority in manpower, but was significantly inferior in tanks, aircraft and somewhat less in artillery. But in the direction of the main attack of Army Group South, where the Soviet 5th Army was opposed by units of the 6th German Army and the 1st Panzer Group, the enemy managed to achieve a better balance of forces for themselves (see Table 7).

Situation in the North

The most favorable for the Red Army was the ratio on the front of the Leningrad Military District (LVO), where it was opposed by Finnish troops and units of the German army "Norway". In the Far North, the troops of the Soviet 14th Army were opposed by German units of the Norway Mountain Corps and the 36th Army Corps, and here the enemy had superiority in manpower and insignificant in artillery (see Table 8). True, it should be borne in mind that, since military operations on the Soviet-Finnish border began in late June - early July 1941, both sides were building up their forces, and the given data do not reflect the number of troops of the sides by the beginning of hostilities.

Outcomes

Thus, the German command, having deployed the main part of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front, was unable to achieve overwhelming superiority not only in the zone of the entire future front, but also in the zones of individual army groups. However, the Red Army was not mobilized and did not complete the process of strategic concentration and deployment. As a result, units of the first echelon of covering troops were significantly inferior to the enemy, whose troops were deployed directly at the border. Such an arrangement of Soviet troops made it possible to smash them in parts. In the directions of the main strikes of the army groups, the German command managed to create superiority over the troops of the Red Army, which was close to overwhelming. The most favorable balance of forces developed for the Wehrmacht in the zone of Army Group Center, since it was in this direction that the main blow of the entire Eastern campaign was dealt. In other directions, even in the zones of the covering armies, the Soviet superiority in tanks affected. The general balance of forces allowed the Soviet command to prevent enemy superiority even in the directions of its main attacks. But in reality the opposite happened.

Since the Soviet military-political leadership incorrectly assessed the degree of threat of a German attack, the Red Army, having begun strategic concentration and deployment in the Western theater of operations in May 1941, which was to be completed by July 15, 1941, was caught on June 22 by surprise and did not have neither an offensive nor a defensive group. Soviet troops were not mobilized, did not have deployed rear structures and were only completing the creation of command and control bodies in the theater of operations. On the front from the Baltic Sea to the Carpathians, out of 77 divisions of the covering forces of the Red Army in the first hours of the war, only 38 incompletely mobilized divisions could repulse the enemy, of which only a few managed to take equipped positions on the border. The rest of the troops were either in places of permanent deployment, or in camps, or on the march. If we take into account that the enemy immediately threw 103 divisions into the offensive, then it is clear that the organized entry into the battle and the creation of a continuous front of the Soviet troops was extremely difficult. Having preempted the Soviet troops in strategic deployment, creating powerful operational groupings of their fully combat-ready forces in the selected directions of the main attack, the German command created favorable conditions for seizing the strategic initiative and the successful implementation of the first offensive operations.

Notes (edit)
1. For more details see: M.I. Meltyukhov. Stalin's missed chance. Clash for Europe 1939-1941 (Documents, facts, judgments). 3rd ed., Revised. and add. M., 2008.S. 354-363.
2. Shubin A.V. The world is on the edge of the abyss. From global crisis to world war. 1929-1941 years. M., 2004.S. 496.

German fascism has shown itself in all its vileness, its brutal nature is revealed with full completeness.

The German army has stained itself with monstrous crimes that go far beyond the brutality that characterized all wars of the past. The horrible massacres of the wounded Red Army soldiers, the civilians of Soviet cities and villages, women and children by the fascist monsters — all this is a sophisticated abuse of the victims, sadism, and disgusting pleasure.

It is not the first time that the Russian people get to know the German army: in 1914-1918. millions of Germans have visited. The Germans then showed cruelty. In particular, they raged in 1918 in the Ukraine. But what happened then cannot be compared in any way with the atrocities of Hitler's army. The Germans were then soulless in their cruelty. The notorious German pedantry lent particular inhumanity to the massacre of the civilian population, especially the partisans. There were also cases of robbery, there were also cases of rape of women. But these were isolated cases. The abuse of the population, as a general rule, was not encouraged, although it was not prosecuted with all severity. In 1914, a French commission of inquiry collected numerous materials on the violation of the international rules of war by the Germans. Report commission of inquiry noted robbery and theft, arson and murder, cases of rape of women. "These phenomena," the report says, "can still be considered separate and unauthorized acts that do not know the restraint of animals."

In Hitler's army, the mass rape of women is a common legalized phenomenon. It is encouraged by the entire policy of fascism in the army.

Abuse of the population, savage torture and mass rape of women, which were widely practiced by fascist gangs before that, intensified many times in the war against the USSR. Cruelty serves as a cover for the cowardice of the fascists, who did not expect this. The German fascist command proceeds from the basic Hitlerite position that terror and fear are the most powerful means of influencing people, and therefore the German must frighten the population everywhere. Therefore, the most brutal methods of reprisal are encouraged in the fascist army: executions take place in public and, moreover, in a deliberately frightening atmosphere. But this does not help the executioners; the Soviet people respond to the fierce terror of the fascists with development.

Looting joins the atrocious massacres of the population by the fascists.

During the war in the West, the German hordes, without encountering resistance, "ate and plundered the conquered countries in an organized and orderly manner. Individual thefts were also organized in the form of parcels to their homeland. The soldiers were happy as long as there was something to plunder in shops and from the population. France, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and other countries.

It was worse in the Balkans, and it turned out quite differently in the occupied regions of the Soviet country. The protracted “- by its very nature, a war without reserves and without supplies, at its own expense - began to quickly deplete the resources of the fascist army. Attacking the USSR, they promised the soldiers that in the Soviet Union, especially in Ukraine, not only the entire emaciated German army would get fed up, but also broad streams of food and all kinds of goods would go to hungry families. But these calculations for pasture have failed. The Germans met scorched fields, destroyed cities, empty warehouses. The population leaves and drives away livestock. The little that can be captured is not enough for the voracious. Most of the supplies must come from Germany itself and from occupied countries that have already been plundered. The supply must go according to longest roads through the fire guerrilla warfare.

Under these conditions, looting, which was widely practiced before, took on the character of a general robbery. Everyone steals - from a soldier to a senior officer. They grab whatever they can. Not only surplus and stocks are taken from the population (which is officially encouraged by the authorities), but the last shirt is literally removed. In particular, there is a chase for boots, for warm clothes. When the German part entered the village, a savage rout began. Chests are broken open, everything that is on them is ripped off the peasants. For the slightest resistance - death. All birds, pigs, sheep are destroyed. The diaries and letters of the captured and killed Germans are full of descriptions of these "", and letters from the homeland incite the soldiers to.

The German command, imbued with the same sense of fascist plunder, encourages this one. In the tanks, Hitler's officers arranged warehouses for stolen goods. But the German command sees that this general theft disrupts the system of organized robbery of the population, robbery to supply the army. Orders are issued requiring, for example, that warm clothes seized from the population be collected in one place, sealed and sent to army warehouses for organized distribution between the units.

Among the documents found during the defeat German units, a document was found emanating from the supply department and tagged on July 17, 1941: “In different parts a situation has been established in which livestock is senselessly killed, and only the best parts are used, and the remains are thrown away. Draft power is also killed, as well as dairy cows, although there are sufficient animals for slaughter. In addition, at various agricultural points (collective farms, state farms, machine-tractor stations), the economy located there was destroyed. "

This could not have been found during the war in the West. The colossal technical power, together with the enormous numerical superiority, overwhelmed any force of resistance. The man was not visible behind the armor. Therefore, the German appeared in such a formidable form before the conquered peoples.

Easy victories over a weak enemy created German soldiers idea of ​​their "invincibility". They felt completely safe behind the steel armor. The infantry followed in trucks without meeting any more resistance.

For the first time, the fascist hordes met with a strong enemy only in the Soviet Union. Very soon many of our commanders and soldiers learned the peculiarities of German adventure tactics. The moral effect did not work. The insolence of the fascists ran into. Much has become clear during the war. The myth of the invincibility of the German army has been dispelled.

From these observations of the state of the enemy does not in the least follow an underestimation of his present strength. Hitler did not create the German army. The war machine of Germany possesses enormous equipment. There is a great past behind it. It has a first-class, trained workforce. Its command has extensive experience. The enemy is strong. The formidable danger hanging over our country remains even after four months of the war. Carelessness would be criminal, absurd - the hope that the German army itself would fall apart as a result of the processes of decay taking place in it. The fascist army must be defeated and destroyed with crushing blows. She will be destroyed.

Man decides the outcome of a historical struggle. In 1914-1918. For four years the German army endured famine, huge losses, and depletion of resources. She almost did not know serious defeats, she was proud of her victories. She fought in the territories of France, Belgium and Russia. She captured all of Ukraine. But the German soldier could not stand the tension. He was tired, believed in victory, he began to think critically about the tasks of the war, about ruling classes... The breakdown came immediately and as if suddenly. The secret processes of the decomposition of the army burst out with tremendous force. The gigantic war machine began to fall apart.

Hitler's army has been fighting for four months for real, because the previous years were only an introduction to a real war. Meanwhile, fatigue and disappointment are already paving a wide path into the ranks of the fascist army. The colossal losses are overwhelming. He sees death in front of him and does not know why he should die. He sees how all his hopes for easy money have been dispelled. This basic incentive that supported the belligerence disappears. What remains is fear of the authorities and fear of the Red Army, of the partisans, of the harsh one.

The stronger the rebuff that the valiant units of the Red Army give the fascists, the stronger the fire of the people's guerrilla war, the more the anger of the oppressed peoples in the rear of the German army grows, the stronger the growth of fatigue and pessimistic sentiments in Hitler's army. Victory is not achieved by a temporary seizure of territory. The blows of the Red Army exhaust, bleed the fascist horde, unprepared for a long, protracted war. Every day is depleting Germany's resources. Every day it multiplies the resources of the USSR, England, the USA - countries opposing fascist robbery.

Now the Hitlerite army has launched a new offensive. The enemy is in a hurry to achieve visible successes even before winter, for Germany is unable to withstand a third hungry winter. To repulse, to stop the fascist hordes means to initiate the collapse of Hitler's war machine. //.
________________________________________ ________
("The New York Times", USA)
("Time", USA)
("Pravda", USSR)
("Red Star", USSR)

However, yesterday, according to the German information bureau, the commander of the occupation forces in France, General Stülpnagel, issued an order to postpone the shooting of the hostages for some time.

This decision of the German command is due to the fact that it was convinced that it was impossible to use terror to force the population to hand over the participants in the murder of German officers.

As you know, Stülpnagel promised a premium of 15 million francs to anyone who would provide any information about the persons who attempted to assassinate General Goltz. It soon became clear, however, that the French patriots did not intend to sell their homeland. The Germans then announced that they would consider the cases of those prisoners of war whose relatives in France would give useful information regarding the participants in the assassination attempt on German officers. However, this measure did not give any results.

At the same time, the wave of popular indignation at the medieval atrocities perpetrated by the occupiers was constantly growing. By wrapping the execution of the second group of hostages, the invaders want to gain time for organizing new blackmail and preparing the necessary measures to identify the perpetrators.

NEW TRAITING ORDER OF HITLER'S SLOVAK PUPPET

BERN, October 29. (TASS). Anti-war sentiments not only in the Slovak army and among the people, but among many leading figures in Slovakia, close to Tiso and Tuka, were Lately on such a scale that they raised anxiety at Hitler's headquarters. In this regard, Hitler summoned the President of Slovakia Tiso and other Slovak leaders to his headquarters and demanded from them in a categorical form assurances that anti-war and anti-German sentiments in Slovakia would be suppressed by any means and that the Slovak army would unquestioningly carry out the orders of the German high command ...

Frightened, Tiso fulfilled Hitler's demand and immediately, at his headquarters, signed an order in which he promised to continue the struggle, on the side of Germany. In a fit of servility, trampling on the sense of national dignity of the Slovaks, Tiso in his order gives the floor to act in such a way as to "earn the praise" of the German "Fuhrer".
("Pravda", USSR)
("Pravda", USSR)
("Red Star", USSR)
("Red Star", USSR)
("The New York Times", USA)
("Red Star", USSR)
("Red Star", USSR)
("Pravda", USSR)
("Red Star", USSR)

Subordination As part of A type military establishment Role The size Part Accommodation Nickname (((nickname))) Patron Motto Colors March Mascot Equipment Wars (((war))) Participation in Marks of Excellence The current commander Notable commanders

The Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler was the supreme commander in chief of the Wehrmacht.

Story

Historically, the word "Wehrmacht" in German-speaking countries was used to denote the armed forces of any country; it acquired its current meaning during the time the NSDAP came to power.

The supreme commander-in-chief of the armed forces was Hitler, to whom the personnel of the armed forces had to take an oath of allegiance. The OKW had four directorates: the operational department (A. Jodl), military intelligence and counterintelligence - the Abwehr (V. Canaris), the economic department in charge of supplying and arming the army (G. Thomas), and general purpose... General (since 1940 - Field Marshal) Wilhelm Keitel was appointed Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces.

Organizational structure of OKW:

Supreme Commander: Fuhrer and Chancellor

Commander-in-Chief: Minister of War

Air Force Commander 1938-1941

Supreme Commander and Minister of War: Fuhrer and Chancellor

Ground Forces Commander

Commander of the Navy

Air Force Commander 1941-1945

Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Minister of War and Commander-in-Chief of Ground Forces: Fuhrer and Chancellor

Chief of Staff of the Ground Forces

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces

Commander of the Navy

Air Force Commander

As part of the headquarters, a department was created, called the headquarters of the operational leadership. It included a department of national defense (department "L" - operational department) and a communications department. Until August 8 of the year, this department was called not the headquarters, but the operational management of the armed forces. In the spring of the year, it also began to include a press and propaganda department. The chief of staff of the operational leadership was directly subordinate to the chief of staff of the OKW and was responsible for all the above-mentioned departments. At the beginning of the war, Keitel was the chief of staff.

The OKW also included (at the beginning of the war):

  • Office of War Economy and Armaments (Thomas)
  • General Directorate of the Armed Forces (Reinecke) together with legal and administrative departments
  • Intelligence and Counterintelligence Directorate (Canaris).

Wehrmacht high command structure

Each branch of the military had its own commander-in-chief, chief of staff and headquarters, which were subordinate to the chief of staff of the operational leadership of the Wehrmacht, and he, in turn, to the chief of staff of the headquarters, at the head of which was Hitler, as the supreme commander.

In May 1942, the establishment of the "Insignia of the Eastern Peoples" was announced. The right to award them was given to the Minister of the Eastern Territories and the Inspector General of the Eastern Troops [of the Wehrmacht].

Number of

After the war and the division of Germany into two parts, the armed forces of the two countries were created, respectively called the "National People's Army" (GDR) and "Federal Defense Forces" (Bundeswehr - FRG).

Links

  • "The squires of the nation": the Wehrmacht and SS special forces (1934-1939). Yaroslavl Pedagogical Bulletin (Russian).

see also