The combat charter of the airborne troops part 1. A side view of the airborne troops

The Second World War is considered the largest in the history of mankind. It began and ended on September 2, 1945. During this time, sixty-two countries took part in it, which amounted to eighty percent of the world's population. Three continents and four oceans felt the conduct of hostilities, while using atomic weapons. It was the worst war. It started quickly and took a lot of people from this world. We will talk about this and much more today.

War background

Many historians consider the main prerequisite for the outbreak of World War II the outcome of the first armed conflict in the world. The peace treaty that ended the First World War put the countries that were defeated in it in a powerless position. Germany lost a lot of its lands, it had to stop developing its weapons system and military industry, abandon the armed forces. In addition, she had to pay compensation to the affected countries. All this oppressed the German government, there was a thirst for revenge. Dissatisfaction in the country with a low standard of living made it possible for A. Hitler to come to power.

Reconciliation policy

What happened on September 1, 1939we already know. But shortly before this, the USSR, which appeared about the time of the First World War, bothered many European politicians, since they did not in every way allow the spread of socialism in the world. Therefore, the second reason for the outbreak of war was the opposition to the popularization of communism. This gave impetus to the development of fascism in many countries. England and France, which first restricted Germany, subsequently lifted all restrictions and did not pay attention to the many violations by the German state of the Treaty of Versailles. There was no reaction to the fact that Germany annexed Austria, building up its military power. The Munich Treaty also approved the accession of part of Czechoslovakia to Germany. All this was done in order to direct the country's aggression towards the USSR. European politics began to worry when Germany expanded its annexation without asking anyone. But it was already late, because a plan for a new military conflict was drawn up, and began to be implemented.

Role of Italy

Together with Germany, Italy began to lead an aggressive foreign policy. In 1935, she invaded Ethiopia, to which world society negatively responded. However, a year later fascist Italy annexed all Ethiopian territories and proclaimed itself an empire. The deterioration of relations with Western countries contributed to its rapprochement with Germany. Mussolini permits Hitler to conquer Austria. In 1936, the Third Reich and Japan enter into an agreement to fight joint forces with communism. A year later, Italy joined them.

The collapse of the Versailles-Washington system

The foci of World War II formed gradually, so the outbreak of hostilities could have been prevented. Consider the main stages of the collapse of the Versailles-Washington system:

1. In 1931, Japan occupied Northeast China.
2. In 1935, Hitler began to deploy the Wehrmacht in Germany, violating the terms of the Treaty of Versailles.
3. In 1937, Japan captured all of China.
4. 1938 - Germany invaded Austria and part of Czechoslovakia.
5. 1939 - Hitler captured all of Czechoslovakia. In August, Germany and the USSR signed an agreement on non-aggression and the separation of spheres of influence in the world.
6. September 1, 1939 - German attack on Poland.

Armed intervention in Poland

Germany has set itself the task of expanding the space to the East. In this case, Poland should be captured as soon as possible. In August, the USSR and Germany signed a nonaggression pact. In the same month, Germans dressed in Polish uniform attacked a radio station in Gleiwitz. German and Slovak troops attack Poland. England, France and other countries that were allied with Poland declare war on the fascists. At half past four in the morning, German dive-bombers made their first flight to the control points of Tchev. The first Polish plane was shot down. at four hours forty-five minutes in the morning, the German battleship opened fire on the fortifications of the Poles that were on Westerplatte. Mussolini put forward a proposal for a peaceful settlement of the conflict, but Hitler refused, citing the incident in Gleivitz.

Years in the USSR introduced military mobilization. In a short period of time, the composition of the army reached five million people.

Fascist strategy

Poland and Germany have long had claims to each other regarding territories. The main clashes began near the city of Danzig, which the Nazis had long claimed. But Poland did not go towards the Germans. This did not upset the latter, since they had long had a Weiss plan to capture Poland. September 1, 1939 Poland  was supposed to be part of Germany. A plan was developed for the rapid seizure of its territory, the destruction of all infrastructure. Hitler planned to use aviation, infantry and tank troops to achieve this goal. The Weiss Plan was developed to the smallest detail. Hitler hoped that England and France would not start military operations, but considered the possibility of opening a second front, sending troops to the borders with the Netherlands, France and Belgium.

Military Conflict Preparedness

Attack on Poland September 1, 1939  The year was obvious, as was the outcome of the fascist operation. The German army was much more Polish, as was the technical equipment. In addition, the Nazis organized a quick mobilization, which Poland knew nothing about. The Polish government concentrated all forces along the entire border, which contributed to the weakening of troops before a powerful Nazi strike. The Nazi offensive went according to plan. Polish troops were weak in front of the enemy, especially in front of his tank formations. In addition, the President of Poland left the capital. The government followed him four days later. Anglo-French troops did not take any action to help the Poles. Only two days later, they, together with New Zealand and Australia, declared war on Hitler. A few days later they were joined by Nepal, Canada, the Union of South Africa and Newfoundland. On September 3, a fascist submarine attacked the English liner at sea without warning. When the war, Hitler hoped to the last, that the allies of Poland will not enter into armed conflict, everything will happen as with Munich. Adolf Hitler was shocked when Britain delivered an ultimatum to him, demanding that troops be withdrawn from Poland.

Germany

Fascist Germany took several diplomatic steps to expand the circle of states that were involved in the division of Polish territory. Ribbentrop proposed Hungary to annex part of Polish Ukraine, but Budapest shied away from these issues. Germany offered Lithuania to conquer Vilnius region, but the latter declared neutrality of the year. From the first days of the war, the leader of the OUN was in Berlin, to whom the German side promised the formation of so-called independent Ukraine in southeastern Poland. A little later he was informed about the possibility of forming a Western Ukrainian state on the border with Soviet Russia.

In the summer of 1939, when the OUN was preparing for military action in Poland, a unit from the Galicians was formed in Slovakia under the name VVN. It was part of the German-Slovak unit, which dealt a blow from the territory of Slovakia. Hitler wanted to create states on the border with the USSR that would submit to the Third Reich: Ukraine, the so-called Polish pseudo-state and Lithuania. Ribbentrop pointed out that it was necessary to destroy the Poles and Jews using the BBH. In late September, Ukrainian nationalists revolted, during which military and civilians were killed. At this time, Germany took action against the USSR. Ribbentrop invites Hitler to discuss the entry of Russian troops into Poland to occupy that part of the USSR’s interests, according to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Moscow refused such an offer, indicating that the time has not yet come. Molotov pointed out that the intervention of the Soviet Union could be a reaction to the advancement of the Nazis, to protect Ukrainians and Belarusians from the Nazis.

The Union was officially notified that Europe had begun war, September 1, 1939. The border troops were ordered to strengthen the protection of the Soviet-Polish border, military mobilization was introduced, the number of vehicles, horses, tractors, etc. was increasing in the army. Ribbentrop calls on the Union to finally defeat Poland in two or three weeks. Molotov argued that the USSR did not want to take part in the war, ensuring its security. Stalin said that in the world there is a war between two camps (rich and poor) for the redivision of the world. But the Union will observe from the side, how well they will weaken each other. He claimed that the communists were against the war. But in the meantime, the SIK directive said that the Union could not defend fascist Poland. A little later, in the Soviet press, it was pointed out that the German-Polish war was becoming threatening, and therefore a call was made for substitutes. A large number of army groups were created. On September 17, the Red Army advanced into Poland. Polish troops did not show resistance. The partition of Poland between the Union and Germany ended on September 28. Western Belarus and Western Ukraine, which later merged with the Ukrainian SSR and BSSR, moved to the USSR.

The mood for a war with Germany, which had existed in the Union since 1935, lost its meaning, but mobilization continued. About two hundred thousand draftees continued their service, according to the new law on military duty that was created September 1, 1939 (eventwhat happened on this day is familiar to us).

Reaction of Poland

Upon learning of the crossing of the Polish border by the Soviet army, the Polish command sent an ambassador asking how the Soviet army crossed their border. He was confronted with a fact, although the Polish government believed that the Red Army was introduced to limit the Nazi occupation zone. It was ordered to retreat to Romania and Hungary, not to conduct hostilities.

German reaction

For the management of the armed forces of Germany, the Soviet army’s appearance in Poland came as a surprise. An emergency meeting was convened to consider options for further action by the Nazis. At the same time, armed clashes with the Red Army were considered inappropriate.

France and England

When September 1, 1939 World War IIbegan with the invasion of Poland, England and France remained aloof. After the USSR’s appearance in Poland, these two states did not focus on Soviet intervention in the Polish-German war. They tried to find out what position the Union takes in this conflict. In these countries, it was rumored that the Red Army in Poland opposed the German troops. In mid-September, the British government decided that England would protect Poland only from Germany, so the USSR did not expel the protest, thereby recognizing the Soviet action in Poland.

German withdrawal

September 20, Hitler ordered the withdrawal of troops to the west. He demanded an immediate cessation of fighting. But this order did not take into account the fact that in Poland there were a large number of wounded, prisoners and equipment. It was planned to leave the wounded in the field, providing them with medical staff. All trophies that could not be evacuated were left to Russian soldiers. The Germans left military equipment on the ground for further export. Damaged tanks made using new technologies were ordered to be destroyed so that it was not possible to identify them.

On September 27-28, negotiations were planned between Germany and the USSR. A proposal was received from Stalin to transfer Lithuania to the Union in exchange for a part of the Warsaw and Lublin Voivodeships. Stalin was afraid of the division of the Polish population, so the entire ethnic territory of the country left Germany, as well as part of the Augustow forests. Hitler approved this option for the division of Poland. On September 29, the Treaty of Friendship and Border between the Soviet Union and Germany was signed. Thus, the foundation of peace in Europe was created for a long time. The elimination of the impending war between Germany, England and France ensured the interests of many peoples.

Anglo-French reaction

England arranged such a course of events. She told the Union that she wanted Poland to be smaller, so there could be no question of returning to it the territories captured by the USSR. France and England informed the Polish president not to declare war on the Soviet Union. Churchill said that the Russian troops needed to enter Poland in order to ensure security against the threat from the Nazis.

Operation Summary

Poland ceased to exist as a state. As a result of its division, the USSR received territories of about two hundred thousand square kilometers, which is half the country's area, and a population of thirteen million people. Lithuania crossed the territory of Vilnius region. Germany gained the entire ethnic territory of Poland. Some lands went to Slovakia. The lands that did not join Germany became part of the governor general, which was controlled by the Nazis. Its capital was the city of Krakow. The Third Reich lost about twenty thousand people, thirty thousand people were injured. The Polish army lost sixty-six thousand people, two hundred thousand people were injured, seven hundred thousand were taken prisoner. The Slovak army lost eighteen people, forty-six people were injured.

Year 1939 ... September 1 - the beginning of World War II. Poland was the first to take a hit, as a result of which it was divided between the Soviet Union and Germany. In the territories that became part of the USSR, Soviet power was established and industry was nationalized. Repressions and deportations of representatives of the bourgeoisie, wealthy peasants, intelligentsia and so on were carried out. In the territories that became part of Germany, the so-called racial policy was carried out, the population was divided according to their rights, depending on their nationality. At the same time, gypsies and Jews were destroyed. In the general government there was more aggression against the Polish and Jewish populations. No one suspected then that this was only the beginning of the war, that it would take place for six long years and would end in the defeat of Nazi Germany. Most of the world population took part in the military conflict.

1. First period war (1 september 1939 - 21 june 1941 g.) Start war "invasion germanic troops in countries western Of Europe.

The Second World War began on September 1, 1939 with an attack on Poland. On September 3, Great Britain and France declared war on Germany, but did not render practical assistance to Poland. Between September 1 and October 5, German armies defeated the Polish forces and occupied Poland, whose government fled to Romania. The Soviet government sent troops into Western Ukraine to protect the Belarusian and Ukrainian population in connection with the collapse of the Polish state and to prevent the further spread of Nazi aggression.

In September 1939 and until the spring of 1940, the so-called “strange war” was waged in Western Europe. The French army and the English expeditionary force landed in France, on the one hand, and the German army, on the other, languidly fired at each other, did not take active action . The lull was false because the Germans simply feared a “two-front” war.

Having defeated Poland, Germany liberated considerable forces in the east and dealt a decisive blow in Western Europe. On April 8, 1940, the Germans almost without loss occupied Denmark and landed airborne assault forces in Norway to capture its capital and major cities and ports. The small Norwegian army and the British troops, who came to the rescue, resisted fiercely. the battle for the northern Norwegian port of Narvik lasted three months, the city passed from hand to hand. But in June 1940. the allies left Norway.

In May, German troops launched an offensive, capturing Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg, and through the north of France reached the English Channel. Here, near the port city of Dunkirk, one of the most dramatic battles of the initial period of the war unfolded. The British sought to save the troops remaining on the continent. After bloody battles, 215 thousand British and 123 thousand French and Belgians who retreated along with them crossed over to the English coast.

Now the Germans, having deployed divisions, were rapidly moving to Paris. On June 14, the German army entered the city, which most of its inhabitants left. France officially capitulated. Under the terms of the agreement of June 22, 1940, the country was divided into two parts: the Germans ruled in the north and in the center, occupation laws were in force; the south was controlled from the town (VICHI) by the Petan government, which completely depended on Hitler. At the same time, the formation of the “Fighting France” troops began under the command of General De Gaulle, who was in London, who decided to fight for the liberation of their homeland.

Now in Western Europe, Hitler remained one serious adversary - England. The war against her was greatly complicated by her insular position, the presence of her strongest navy and powerful aviation, as well as numerous sources of raw materials and food in overseas possessions. As early as 1940, the German command was seriously thinking about conducting a landing operation in England, but preparing for war with the Soviet Union required a concentration of forces in the East. Therefore, Germany relies on the conduct of air and sea war against England. The first major raid on the British capital - London - was carried out by German bombers on August 23, 1940. Subsequently, the bombing became fiercer, and in 1943 the Germans began to bombard British cities with military and industrial targets with flying shells from the occupied coast of continental Europe.

In the summer and autumn of 1940, fascist Italy markedly intensified. At the height of the German offensive in France, the Mussolini government declared war on England and France. On September 1 of the same year, a document was signed in Berlin on the creation between the Germany, Italy and Japan of the Triple Military-Political Union between them. A month later, Italian troops, with the support of the Germans, invaded Greece, and in April 1941 - Yugoslavia, Bulgaria was forced to join the tripartite alliance. As a result, by the summer of 1941, by the time of the attack on the Soviet Union, most of Western Europe was under German and Italian control; among large countries, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland, and Portugal remained neutral. In 1940, a large-scale war began on the African continent. Hitler's plans included the creation of a colonial empire on the basis of the former possessions of Germany. The South African Union was supposed to be turned into a pro-fascist dependent state, and the island of Madagascar - into a tank for Jews expelled from Europe.

Italy also hoped to expand its possessions in Africa to include a significant part of Egypt, Anglo - Egyptian Sudan, French and British Somalia. Together with the previously captured Libya and Ethiopia, they were supposed to be part of the "great Roman Empire", the creation of which the Italian fascists dreamed of. On September 1, 1940, January 1941, the Italian offensive was launched, undertaken to capture the port of Alexandria in Egypt and the Suez Canal. Going on a counter-offensive, the English army of the Nile inflicted a crushing defeat on the Italians in Libya. In January - March 1941 the English regular army and colonial forces defeated Italians from Somalia. The Italians were completely defeated. This forced the Germans in early 1941. to transfer to North Africa, in Tripoli, the expeditionary force of Rommel, one of Germany’s most capable military commanders. Rommel, later nicknamed “Desert Fox” for his skillful actions in Africa, went on the offensive and after 2 weeks reached the Egyptian border, the British lost many strongholds, preserving only the Tobruk fortress, which protected the way inland to the Nile. In January 1942, Rommel went on the offensive and the fortress fell. This was the last success of the Germans. By coordinating reinforcements and cutting off enemy supply routes from the Mediterranean Sea, the British liberated Egypt.

• 2. The second period of the war (June 22, 1941 - November 18, 1942), the Nazi attack on Germany, the expansion of the war, the collapse of the Hitlerite doctrine of the Blitzkrieg.
• June 22, 1941 Germany treacherously attacked the USSR. Together with Germany, Hungary, Romania, Finland, and Italy opposed the USSR. The Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union began, which became an important part of the Second World War. The entry of the USSR into the war led to the consolidation of all progressive forces in the world in the fight against fascism and influenced the policies of the leading world powers. The government, Great Britain and the USA on June 22-24, 1941 declared their support for the USSR; later on, agreements were concluded on joint actions and military-economic cooperation between the USSR, England and the USA. In August 1941, the USSR and England sent their troops to Iran to prevent the possibility of creating fascist strongholds in the Middle East. These joint military and political actions laid the foundation for the creation of the anti-Hitler coalition. The Soviet - German front became the main front of the Second World War.

70% of the army personnel of the fascist bloc, 86% of the tank, 100% of motorized formations, up to 75% of artillery acted against the USSR. Despite short-term initial successes, Germany failed to achieve the strategic goals of the war. In heavy fighting, the Soviet troops exhausted the enemy’s forces, suspended their advance in all the most important directions and prepared the conditions for a counter-offensive. The decisive military-political event of the first year of the Great Patriotic War and the first defeat of the Wehrmacht in World War II was the defeat of the Nazi forces in the battle of Moscow in 1941-1942, during which the fascist blitzkrieg was finally frustrated, the myth of the invincibility of the Wehrmacht was dispelled. In the fall of 1941, the Nazis attack was prepared as the final operation of the entire Russian company. They gave it the name "Typhoon", it was supposed, apparently, that no force could stand against the all-devastating fascist hurricane. By this time, the main forces of the Nazi army were concentrated on the front. In total, the Nazis managed to collect about 15 armies, numbering 1 million 800 thousand officer soldiers, over 14 thousand guns and mortars, 1700 of these, 1390 aircraft. The experienced military commanders of the German army, Kluge, Goth, Guderian, commanded the fascist troops. Our army had the following forces: 1250 thousand people, 990 such, 677 aircraft, 7600 guns and mortars. They were united in three fronts: Western, under the command of General I.P. Koneva, Bryansk - under the command of General A.I. Eremenko, reserve - under the command of Marshal S.M. Budyonny. Soviet troops entered the battle of Moscow in a difficult situation. The enemy deeply invaded the country, he captured the Baltic states, Belarus, Moldova, a significant part of the territory of Ukraine, blocked Leningrad, reached the distant approaches to Moscow.

The Soviet command took all measures to repel the forthcoming enemy advance in the western direction. Much attention was paid to the construction of defensive structures and lines, which began in July. In the tenth of October, an extremely difficult situation developed near Moscow. A significant part of the compounds fought in the environment. There was no solid line of defense.

The Soviet command faced extremely complex and responsible tasks aimed at stopping the enemy on the approaches to Moscow.

In late October - early November, at the cost of incredible efforts, the Soviet troops managed to stop the Nazis in all directions. Hitler's troops were forced to go on the defensive only 80-120 km. from Moscow. There was a pause. The Soviet command gained time to further strengthen the approaches to the capital. On December 1, the Nazis made their last attempt to break through to Moscow in the center of the Western Front, however the enemy was routed and driven back to their original borders. The defensive battle for Moscow was won.

The words "Great Russia, and nowhere to retreat - behind Moscow", - flew around the whole country.

The defeat of the German troops near Moscow was the decisive military-political event of the first year of the Great Patriotic War, the beginning of its radical turn and the first major defeat of the Nazis in World War II. Near Moscow, the fascist plan for the quick rout of our country was finally frustrated. The defeat of the Wehrmacht on the approaches to the Soviet capital to the bottom shocked the Hitler war machine, undermined the military prestige of Germany in the eyes of world public opinion. The contradictions inside the fascist bloc escalated, and the calculations of the Hitlerite clique to enter Japan and Turkey into the war against our country failed. As a result of the victory of the Red Army near Moscow, the authority of the USSR in the international arena increased. This outstanding military success had a tremendous impact on the merger of anti-fascist forces and the intensification of the liberation movement in the territories not occupied by the fascists. The battle near Moscow began a radical turn during the war. It was of great importance not only in military - political terms and not only for the Red Army and our people, but also for all the peoples who fought against fascist Germany. Strong morale, patriotism, hatred of the enemy helped the Soviet wars to overcome all difficulties and achieve historical success near Moscow. This outstanding feat of theirs was highly appreciated by the grateful Motherland, the valor of 36 thousand soldiers and commanders was awarded military orders and medals, and 110 of them were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Over 1 million defenders of the capital were awarded the medal "For the Defense of Moscow".

Hitlerite German attack on the USSR changed the military - political balance in the world. The United States made its choice, rapidly gaining leading positions in many sectors of the economy, and especially in military-industrial production.

The government of Franklin Roosevelt announced its intention to support the USSR and other countries of the anti-Hitler coalition by all means at its disposal. On August 14, 1941, Roosevelt and Churchill signed the famous “Atlantic Charter” - a program of goals and concrete actions in the fight against German fascism as the war spread throughout the world, the struggle for sources of raw materials and food, for control over sea transportation became more and more acute in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. From the first days of the war, the allies, primarily England, were able to control the countries of the Near and Middle East, which supplied them food, raw materials for the military industry, and replenishment in manpower. Iran, which included British and Soviet troops, Iraq and Saudi Arabia supplied the Allies with oil, this “Bread of War." To protect them, the British deployed numerous troops from India, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. In Turkey, Syria and Lebanon, the situation was less stable. Declaring its neutrality, Turkey supplied Germany with strategic raw materials, outbidding it in the British colonies. In Turkey, there was a center of German intelligence in the Middle East. Syria and Lebanon after the surrender of France more and more fell into the sphere of fascist influence.

A threatening situation for the Allies has developed since 1941 in the Far East and the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean. Here, Japan became more and more loudly declared itself as the sovereign master. Back in the 30s, Japan made territorial claims, operating under the slogan "Asia for Asians."

England, France and the United States had strategic and economic interests in this vast area, but were occupied by the growing threat from Hitler and initially did not have sufficient forces for a war on two fronts. There was no opinion among Japanese politicians and the military - where to strike next: not north, against the USSR, or south and southwest, to capture Indochina, Malaysia, India. But one object of Japanese aggression has been identified since the beginning of the 30s - China. The fate of the war in China, the most populated country in the world, was decided not only on the battlefields, because Here the interests of several great powers clashed, including USA and USSR. By the end of 1941, the Japanese made their choice. The key to success in the struggle for control of the Pacific Ocean, they considered the destruction of Pearl Harbor, the main US naval base in the Pacific Ocean.

4 days after Pearl Harbor, Germany and Italy declared war on America.

On January 1, 1942, Roosevelt, Churchill, USSR Ambassador to America Litvinov, and the representative of China signed the United Nations Declaration in Washington, based on the Atlantic Charter. Later, another 22 states joined it. This most important historical document has finally determined the composition and goals of the forces of the anti-Hitler coalition. At the same meeting, the joint command of the Western Allies was created - the "joint Anglo - American headquarters."

Japan continued to succeed after success. Singapore, Indonesia, many islands of the southern seas were captured. There is a real danger for India and Australia.

Nevertheless, the Japanese command, blinded by the first successes, clearly overestimated its capabilities, scattering the forces of the aviation fleet and the army in a vast expanse of oceans, on numerous islands, in the territories of captured countries.

Having recovered from the first setbacks, the Allies slowly but steadily switched to active defense and then to the offensive. But a less violent war went on in the Atlantic. At the beginning of the war, England and France had an overwhelming superiority over Germany at sea. The Germans did not have aircraft carriers, battleships were only being built. After the occupation of Norway and France, Germany received well-equipped submarine bases on the Atlantic coast of Europe. A difficult situation for the allies was developing in the North Atlantic, where the sea convoys from America and Canada to Europe passed. The route to the northern Soviet ports along the coast of Norway was difficult. In early 1942, by order of Hitler, who attached more importance to the northern theater of war, the Germans transferred the German fleet there, headed by the new super-powerful battleship Tirpitz (named for the founder of the German fleet). It was clear that the outcome of the battle for the Atlantic could affect the further course of the war. Reliable protection of the coasts of America and Canada and sea caravans was organized. By the spring of 1943, the Allies had achieved a turning point in the battle at sea.

Taking advantage of the absence of a second front, in the summer of 1942, fascist Germany launched a new strategic offensive on the Soviet - German front. Hitler's plan, designed for a simultaneous attack on the Caucasus and in the region of Stalingrad, was initially doomed to failure. In the summer of 1942, strategic planning gave priority to economic considerations. The capture of the Caucasus region, rich in raw materials, primarily oil, was supposed to strengthen the international position of the Reich in a war that threatened to drag out. The primary goal therefore was the conquest of the Caucasus all the way to the Caspian Sea and then the Volga and Stalingrad. In addition, the conquest of the Caucasus was to induce Turkey to enter the war against the USSR.

The main event of the armed struggle on the Soviet - German front in the second half of 1942 - early 1943. the battle of Stalingrad became; it began on July 17 under unfavorable conditions for the Soviet troops. The enemy surpassed them in the Stalingrad direction in personnel: 1.7 times, in artillery and tanks - 1.3 times in aircraft - 2 times. Many formations of the Stalingrad Front created on July 12 were formed recently by the Soviet troops, and it was necessary to hastily create a defense at unprepared borders.

The enemy made several attempts to break through the defenses of the Stalingrad Front, surround his troops on the right bank of the Don, reach the Volga and take control of Stalingrad on the move. Soviet troops heroically repelled the onslaught of the enemy, who had overwhelming superiority in strength in some areas, and delayed his movement.

When progress in the Caucasus slowed down, Hitler decided to simultaneously attack in both main areas, although the human resources of the Wehrmacht had significantly decreased by that time. In defensive battles and successful counterattacks in the first half of August, Soviet troops thwarted the enemy’s plan to capture Stalingrad on the move. The fascist German forces were forced to drag themselves into protracted bloody battles, and the German command pulled new forces to the city.

Soviet troops operating northwest and southeast of Stalingrad fettered significant enemy forces, helping troops fighting directly at the walls of Stalingrad, and then in the city itself. The most difficult tests in the Battle of Stalingrad fell to the share of the 62nd and 64th armies commanded by generals V.I. Chuykov and M.S. Shumilov. The pilots of the 8th and 16th air armies interacted with the ground forces. Great help to the defenders of Stalingrad was provided by the sailors of the Volga military flotilla. In fierce four-month battles on the approaches to the city and in it, the enemy group suffered heavy losses. His offensive capabilities were exhausted, and the aggressor troops were stopped. Having exhausted and bled the enemy, the armed forces of our country created the conditions for a counter-offensive and crushing the enemy near Stalingrad, finally mastering the strategic initiative and implementing a radical turning point during the war.

The failure of the fascist German offensive on the Soviet-German front in 1942 and the failure of the Japanese armed forces in the Pacific Ocean forced Japan to abandon the planned attack on the USSR and switch to defense in the Pacific Ocean at the end of 1942.

3.Third period war (19 november 1942 - 31 december 1943) root fracture in the course war. Wreck offensive strategies fascist block.

The period began with a counterattack of the Soviet troops, which culminated in the encirclement and defeat of the 330 thousandth fascist German group during the Battle of Stalingrad, which made a huge contribution to the achievement of a radical turning point in the Great Patriotic War and had a decisive influence on the further course of the entire war.

The victory of the Soviet armed forces at Stalingrad is one of the main glorious heroic annals of the Great Patriotic War, the largest military and political events of the Second World War, the most important of all on the way of the Soviet people, the entire anti-Hitler coalition to the final defeat of the Third Reich.

The defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad of large enemy forces demonstrated the power of our state and its army, the maturity of Soviet military art in conducting both defense and offensive, the highest level of skill, the courage and stamina of Soviet soldiers. The defeat of the fascist troops near Stalingrad shook the building of the fascist bloc and exacerbated the internal political situation of Germany itself and its allies. The friction between the block members intensified, Japan and Turkey were forced to abandon their intention to enter a favorable moment in the war against our country.

Near Stalingrad, the Far Eastern rifle divisions fought steadily and courageously with the enemy, 4 of them received honorary titles of guards. During the battle, Far East M. Passar accomplished his feat. The sniper department of Sergeant Maxim Passar greatly assisted the 117 rifle regiment in carrying out combat missions. On the personal account of the Nanai hunter, there were 234 Nazis killed, in one battle, two enemy blocking machine guns fired fiercely at our units M. Passar, approaching a distance of 100 meters, suppressed these two firing points and thereby ensured the advance of the Soviet troops. In the same battle M. Passar died the death of the brave.

The people sacredly honor the memory of the city’s defenders on the Volga. A recognition of their special merits is the construction on Mamaev Kurgan - the sacred place of the hero's city - a magnificent monument - an ensemble, mass graves with eternal flame on the square of the fallen soldiers, the museum - the panorama "Battle of Stalingrad", the house of soldier's glory and many other memorials, monuments and historical places . The victory of Soviet weapons on the banks of the Volga contributed to the consolidation of the anti-Hitler coalition, in which the Soviet Union was a leading power. To a large extent, it determined the success of the operation of the Anglo-American forces in North Africa and allowed the Allies to deliver a decisive blow to Italy. Hitler tried to prevent any valuable Italy from leaving the war. He tried to restore the Mussolini regime. Meanwhile, an anti-Hitler patriotic war was unfolding in Italy. But before the liberation of Italy from the Nazis was still far away.

In Germany, by 1943, everything was subordinated to the provision of military needs. In peacetime, Hitler introduced compulsory labor service for all. Millions of prisoners of concentration camps and inhabitants of the conquered countries stolen in Germany worked for the war. The whole of Europe conquered by the Nazis worked for the war.

Hitler promised the Germans that its enemies would never set foot on Germany. And yet the war came to Germany. The raids began in 1940-41, and from 1943, when the Allies achieved air superiority, massive bombardments became regular.

The only means of restoring the shaken martial law and international prestige was the German leadership considered a new offensive on the Soviet - German front. The powerful offensive in 1943 was supposed to change the situation at the front in favor of Germany, raise the morale of the Wehrmacht and the population, and keep the fascist bloc from collapse.

In addition, the fascist politicians counted on the inactivity of the anti-Hitler coalition - the United States and England, which continued to violate the obligation to open a second front in Europe, which allowed Germany to transfer fresh divisions from the west to the Soviet - German front. The Red Army was to fight again with the main forces of the fascist bloc, the Kursk region was chosen as the place of attack. The most combat-ready Hitler formations were involved in the operation — 50 selected divisions, including 16 armored and motorized divisions concentrated in the Army and Center groups north and south of the Kursk ledge. Great hopes were pinned on new Tiger and Panther tanks, Ferdinand assault guns, new Fokke-Wulf-190 A fighters and Hentel 129 attack aircraft, which arrived at the beginning of the offensive.

The Soviet High Command prepared the Red Army for decisive action during the 1943 summer - autumn campaign. It was decided to deliberate defense in order to disrupt the enemy’s offensive, bleed it and thereby create the preconditions for its complete defeat by means of a subsequent counterattack. Such a bold decision is evidence of the high maturity of the strategic thinking of the Soviet command, the correct assessment of the forces and means, both their own and the enemy, of the country's military and economic capabilities.

The grandiose Battle of Kursk, which is a complex of defensive and offensive operations of the Soviet troops to disrupt a major enemy offensive and defeat its strategic grouping, began at dawn on July 5 (map)

The Nazis did not doubt their success, but the Soviet wars did not flinch. They shot fascist tanks with artillery fire and exterminated the guns, disabled them with grenades and set fire to the infantry bottles with fuel mixture and cut off the enemy infantry with fighters. On July 12, the largest tank battle of the Second World War took place in the Prokhorovka area. In a small space met a total of 1.2 thousand tanks and self-propelled guns. In a fierce battle, the Soviet wars showed unprecedented feat and won. Having exhausted and bleeding the fascist German - fascist groups in defensive battles and battles, Soviet troops created favorable opportunities for a counteroffensive. The battle of Kursk lasted 50 days and nights an outstanding event of World War II. During it, the Soviet armed forces inflicted a defeat on fascist Germany, from which it could not recover until the end of the war.

As a result of the defeat of the Nazi troops near Kursk, the external economic situation of Germany sharply worsened. Its isolation increased in the international arena. The fascist bloc, formed on the basis of the predatory aspirations of its participants, was on the verge of collapse. The crushing defeat at Kursk forced the fascist command to transfer large ground and air forces from the west to the Soviet-German front. This circumstance made it easier for the Anglo - American troops to carry out a landing operation in Italy and predetermined the withdrawal of this German ally from the war. The victory of the Red Army in the Battle of Kursk had a profound effect on the entire course of the Second World War. After it became clear that the USSR was able to win the war alone without the help of its allies, completely clear its territory of the invaders and unite the peoples of Europe languishing in Nazi captivity. The boundless courage, steadfastness and mass patriotism of the Soviet wars were the most important factors in the victory over a strong enemy in the battles on the Kursk Bulge.

The defeat of the Wehrmacht on the Soviet-German front by the end of 1943 completed a radical turning point during the Great Patriotic War, which began with the counteroffensive of the Soviet troops near Stalingrad, deepened the crisis of the fascist, bloc gave scope to the anti-fascist movement in the occupied countries and Germany itself, contributed to the strengthening of the anti-Hitler coalition . At the Tehran Conference in 1943, the final decision was made on the opening of a second front in France in May 1944. The war was a fascist German front.

4. Fourth period war (1   January 1944 - May 9, 1945) Rout fascist block exile enemy troops behind the limits USSR, creature second front exemption from occupation countries Europe full collapse fascist Germany and her unconditional surrender.

In the summer of 1944 there was an event deciding the outcome of the war in the west: Anglo - American troops landed in France. The so-called Second Front began to operate. Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin agreed on this in November - December 1943 at a meeting in Tehran. They also decided that at the same time Soviet troops would launch a powerful offensive in Belarus. The German command was expecting an invasion, but could not determine the beginning and place of the operation. For two months, the Allies carried out distracting maneuvers and on the night of June 5-6, 1944, unexpectedly for the Germans, in cloudy weather, they threw out three airborne divisions on the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy. At the same time, a fleet with the Allied forces marched across the English Channel.

In 1944, the Soviet armed forces conducted dozens of battles that went down in history as examples of the outstanding military art of the Soviet commanders, the courage and heroism of the soldiers of the Red Army and Navy. After a series of consecutive operations, in the first half of 1944 our troops defeated the fascist army groups “a” and “South”, defeated the army groups “North” and liberated part of the Leningrad and Kalinin region, right-bank Ukraine and Crimea. The blockade of Leningrad was finally lifted, and in Ukraine the Red Army reached the state border, in the foothills of the Carpathians and on the territory of Romania.

Conducted in the summer of 1944, the Belorussian and Lviv-Sandomierz operations of the Soviet troops covered a vast territory. Soviet troops liberated Belarus, the western regions of Ukraine and part of Poland. Our troops reached the Vistula River and together and seized important operational bridgeheads.

The defeat of the enemy in Belarus and the successes of our troops in the southern Crimea of \u200b\u200bthe Soviet-German front created favorable conditions for delivering attacks in the northern and southern directions. Areas of Norway were liberated. In the south, our troops began the liberation from fascism of the peoples of Europe. In September - October 1944, the Red Army liberated part of Czechoslovakia, assisted the Slovak National Uprising, Bulgaria and the People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia in liberating the territories of these states and continued a powerful offensive with the aim of liberating Hungary. The Baltic operation carried out in September November 1944 ended with the liberation of almost all of the Baltic states. 1944 was the year of the end of directly the people's war; the battle for survival is over, the people defended their land, their state independence. Entering the territory of Europe, Soviet troops were guided by a duty and responsibility to the people of their country, the peoples of enslaved Europe, which consisted in the need to completely destroy the Hitler war machine and those conditions that would allow it to revive. The liberation mission of the Soviet Army was consistent with the norms and international agreements worked out by the Allies for the anti-Hitler coalition during the entire war.

Soviet troops launched crushing blows at the enemy, as a result of which the German invaders were expelled from Soviet soil. They carried out a liberation mission in relation to the countries of Europe, played a decisive role in the liberation of Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, as well as Albania and other states. They contributed to the liberation from the fascist yoke of the peoples of Italy, France and other countries.

In February 1945, Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin met in Yalta to discuss the future of peace after a war that was drawing to a close. It was decided to create an organization of the united nations, to divide the defeated Germany into zones of occupation. By agreement, two to three months after the end of hostilities in Europe, the USSR was to enter the war with Japan.

At that time, in the Pacific theater of operations, the Allied forces carried out operations to defeat the Japanese fleet, liberated a number of islands occupied by Japan, approached directly to Japan and cut off its communications with the countries of the southern seas and East Asia. In April - May 1945, the Soviet armed forces defeated the last group of Nazi troops in Berlin and Prague operations and met with the Allied forces.

In the spring of 1945, relations between England and the United States, on the one hand, and the USSR, on the other, were complicated. According to Churchill, the British and Americans feared that after the victory over Germany it would be difficult to stop "Russian imperialism on the path to world domination", and therefore decided that at the last stage of the war the allied army should advance to the East as far as possible.

On April 12, 1945, US President Franklin Roosevelt died suddenly. His successor was Harry Truman, who took a tougher stance towards the Soviet Union. The death of Roosevelt gave rise to Hitler and his entourage hope for the collapse of the Allied coalition. But the common goal of England, the United States, and the USSR — the annihilation of Nazism — prevailed over the intensified mutual mistrust and disagreement.

The war was over. In April, the Soviet and American army approached the Elbe River. The physical existence of the fascist leaders also ended. On April 28, Italian partisans executed Mussolini, and on April 30, when street fighting was already in the center of Berlin, Hitler committed suicide. On May 8, an act on unconditional surrender of Germany was signed on the outskirts of Berlin. The war in Europe is over. May 9 was Victory Day, a great holiday for our people and all of humanity.

5. Fifth period war. (9 may) 1945 - 2 september 1945) Rout imperialist Japan. Exemption peoples Of asia from Japan. Ending Second World war.

The interests of restoring world peace also demanded the quickest elimination of the Far Eastern hotbed of war.

At the Potsdam Conference July 17 - August 2, 1945 The USSR reaffirmed its consent to enter the war with Japan.

On July 26, 1945, the United States, England, and China presented an ultimatum to Japan requiring immediate unconditional surrender. He was rejected. On August 6, on Hiroshima, on August 9, atomic bombs were detonated over Nagasaki. As a result, two cities, completely by the population, were actually swept away from the face of the earth. The Soviet Union declared war on Japan and moved its divisions to Manchuria, the Japanese province of China seized by the Japanese. During the 1945 Manchu operation, the Soviet troops, having defeated one of the most powerful groups of the Japanese ground forces - the Kwantung Army, liquidated the center of aggression in the Far East, liberated North-East China, North Korea, Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, thereby speeding up the end of World War II . On August 14, Japan surrendered. The official act of surrender was signed on board the American battleship Missouri on September 2, 1945 by representatives of the United States, Britain, the USSR and Japan. The Second World War is over.

The defeat of the fascist-militarist bloc was the logical result of a long and bloody war in which the fate of world civilization was decided, the question of the existence of hundreds of millions of people. According to its results, the impact on the life of peoples and their self-consciousness, and their influence on international processes, the victory over fascism has become an event of great historical significance. The countries participating in the Second World War passed a difficult path in their state development. The main lesson they learned from post-war reality is to prevent the unleashing of new aggression by any state.

The decisive factor in the victory over Nazi Germany and its satellites was the struggle of the Soviet Union, which combined the efforts of all peoples and states in the battle against fascism.

Victory in the Second World War is a common merit and joint capital of all states and peoples who fought against the forces of war and obscurantism.

The anti-Hitler coalition initially included 26, and by the end of the war - more than 50 states. The second front in Europe by the Allies was not opened until 1944, and one cannot but admit that the main burden of the war fell on the shoulders of our country.

From June 22, 1941 to May 9, 1945, the Soviet-German front remained the decisive front of World War II in terms of the number of troops involved, the duration and intensity of the struggle, its scope and its final results.

Most of the operations carried out by the Red Army during the war entered the gold fund of military art, were distinguished by decisiveness, maneuverability and high activity, original plans and their creative implementation.

During the war, a galaxy of commanders, naval commanders, and military leaders who successfully carried out command and control of the forces in the operations grew up in the Armed Forces. Among them G.K. Zhukov A.M. Vasilevsky, A.N. Antonov, L.A. Govorov, I.S. Konev, K.K. Rokossovsky, S.K. Tymoshenko et al.

The Great Patriotic War confirmed the fact that the aggressor can be defeated only by combining the political, economic and military efforts of all states.

In this regard, the fact of the creation and activity of the anti-Hitler coalition — the union of states and peoples that have joined forces against a common enemy — is valuable and instructive. In modern conditions, a war with the use of nuclear weapons threatens civilization itself, so the people of our planet must today recognize themselves as a single human society, overcome differences, prevent the emergence of dictatorial regimes in any of the countries, and by common efforts fight for peace on Earth.

The largest in human history, the Second World War was a logical continuation of the First World War. In 1918, Kaiser Germany lost to the Entente countries. The result of the First World War was the Treaty of Versailles, according to which the Germans lost part of their territory. Germany was forbidden to have a large army, navy and colonies. The country has experienced an unprecedented economic crisis. It got worse after the Great Depression of 1929.

German society barely survived its defeat. Mass revanchist sentiments arose. Populist politicians began to play on the desire to "restore historical justice." The National Socialist German Workers Party, led by Adolf Hitler, began to enjoy great popularity.

Causes

The radicals came to power in Berlin in 1933. The German state quickly became totalitarian and began to prepare for the upcoming war for supremacy in Europe. Simultaneously with the Third Reich, its "classical" fascism arose in Italy.

The Second World War (1939-1945) - these are events not only in the Old World, but also in Asia. Japan was a source of concern in this region. In the Land of the Rising Sun, just like in Germany, imperialist sentiments were extremely popular. The object of Japanese aggression was China weakened by internal conflicts. The war between the two Asian powers began in 1937, and with the outbreak of conflict in Europe, it became part of the general Second World War. Japan was an ally of Germany.

In the Third Reich, he left the League of Nations (the predecessor of the UN), ceased its own disarmament. In 1938, the Anschluss (accession) of Austria took place. It was bloodless, but the causes of World War II, in short, were that European politicians turned a blind eye to Hitler’s aggressive behavior and did not stop his policy of absorbing new territories.

Soon, Germany annexed the Sudetenland, inhabited by Germans, but belonging to Czechoslovakia. Poland and Hungary also took part in the section of this state. In Budapest, the alliance with the Third Reich was respected until 1945. The example of Hungary shows that the causes of the Second World War, in short, included the consolidation of anti-communist forces around Hitler.

Start

September 1, 1939 invaded Poland. A few days later Germany declared war on France, Britain and their many colonies. Two key powers had allied agreements with Poland and defended it. Thus began the Second World War (1939-1945).

A week before the Wehrmacht attack on Poland, German diplomats entered into a non-aggression pact with the Soviet Union. Thus, the USSR was aloof from the conflict between the Third Reich, France and Great Britain. By signing an agreement with Hitler, Stalin solved his own problems. Before the start of World War II, the Red Army entered Eastern Poland, the Baltic states and Bessarabia. In November 1939, the Soviet-Finnish War began. As a result, the USSR annexed several western regions.

As long as German-Soviet neutrality remained, the German army was occupied with the occupation of most of the Old World. 1939 was met with restraint by overseas countries. In particular, the United States declared its neutrality and maintained it until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Blitzkrieg in Europe

Polish resistance was broken just a month later. All this time, Germany acted only on one front, since the actions of France and Great Britain were of a low-initiative nature. The period from September 1939 to May 1940 received the characteristic name of the “Strange War”. During these few months, Germany, in the absence of vigorous action by the British and French, occupied Poland, Denmark and Norway.

The first stages of World War II were transient. In April 1940, Germany invaded Scandinavia. Air and naval assault unhindered into key Danish cities. A few days later, the monarch Christian X signed the surrender. In Norway, the British and French landed, but he was powerless before the onslaught of the Wehrmacht. The early periods of World War II were characterized by a general advantage of the Germans over their adversary. Affected by long preparations for future bloodshed. The whole country worked for the war, and Hitler did not hesitate to throw all new resources into her cauldron.

In May 1940, the invasion of Benelux began. The whole world was shocked by the unprecedented destructive bombing of Rotterdam. Thanks to their swift throw, the Germans managed to occupy key positions before the allies appeared there. By the end of May, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg surrendered and were occupied.

In the summer, the battles of World War II moved to France. In June 1940, Italy joined the campaign. Her troops attacked the south of France, and the Wehrmacht - north. A truce was soon signed. Most of France was under occupation. In the small free zone in the south of the country, the Peten regime was established, which went on cooperation with the Germans.

Africa and the Balkans

In the summer of 1940, after Italy entered the war, the main theater of operations moved to the Mediterranean. The Italians invaded North Africa and attacked British bases in Malta. On the "Black Continent" then there was a significant number of English and French colonies. The Italians at first concentrated on the east - Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Sudan.

Some French colonies in Africa refused to recognize the new government of France, led by Pétain. Charles de Gaulle became a symbol of the national struggle against the Nazis. In London, he created a liberation movement called the “Fighting France”. British troops, along with de Gaulle's troops, began to recapture the African colonies from Germany. Equatorial Africa and Gabon were liberated.

In September, Italians invaded Greece. The attack took place against the backdrop of battles for North Africa. Many fronts and stages of World War II began to intertwine with each other due to the growing expansion of the conflict. The Greeks managed to successfully resist the Italian onslaught until April 1941, when Germany intervened in the conflict, occupying Hellas in just a few weeks.

Along with the Greek campaign, the Germans launched the Yugoslav campaign. The forces of the Balkan state were split into several parts. The operation began on April 6, and on April 17, Yugoslavia surrendered. Germany in the Second World War was more and more like an unconditional hegemon. On the territory of occupied Yugoslavia puppet pro-fascist states were created.

Invasion of the USSR

All the previous stages of World War II faded in scale in comparison with the operation that Germany was preparing to conduct in the USSR. The war with the Soviet Union was only a matter of time. The invasion began exactly after the Third Reich occupied most of Europe and was able to concentrate all its forces on the Eastern Front.

Parts of the Wehrmacht crossed the Soviet border on June 22, 1941. For our country, this date was the beginning of World War II. The Kremlin until the last moment did not believe in the German attack. Stalin refused to take intelligence data seriously, considering them to be misinformation. As a result, the Red Army was completely unprepared for Operation Barbarossa. In the early days, airfields and other strategic infrastructure in the west of the Soviet Union were bombed unhindered.

The USSR in World War II was faced with yet another German blitzkrieg plan. In Berlin, they were planning to capture the main Soviet cities of the European part of the country by winter. The first months, everything went according to Hitler's expectations. Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states were completely occupied. Leningrad was in blockade. The course of World War II led the conflict to a key milestone. If Germany had defeated the Soviet Union, she would have no opponents except overseas Britain.

The winter of 1941 was approaching. The Germans were in the vicinity of Moscow. On the outskirts of the capital, they stopped. November 7 was a festive parade dedicated to the next anniversary of the October Revolution. Soldiers directly from Red Square went to the front. Wehrmacht stuck a few tens of kilometers from Moscow. German soldiers were demoralized by the most severe winter and the most difficult conditions of warfare. On December 5, the Soviet counterattack began. By the end of the year, the Germans were driven back from Moscow. The previous stages of World War II were characterized by the total advantage of the Wehrmacht. Now the army of the Third Reich for the first time stopped in its global expansion. The battle of Moscow was a turning point in the war.

Japan attack on the USA

Until the end of 1941, Japan remained neutral in the European conflict, while fighting with China. At some point, the country's leadership faced a strategic choice: attack the USSR or the USA. The choice was made in favor of the American version. On December 7, Japanese aircraft attacked the Pearl Harbor Naval Base in Hawaii. As a result of the raid, almost all American battleships and, in general, a significant part of the American Pacific fleet were destroyed.

Until that moment, the United States did not openly participate in World War II. When the situation in Europe changed in favor of Germany, the American authorities began to support Britain with resources, but did not intervene in the conflict itself. Now the situation has changed 180 degrees, since Japan was an ally of Germany. The day after the raid on Pearl Harbor in Washington, Tokyo declared war. Great Britain and its dominions did the same. A few days later, Germany, Italy and their European satellites declared war on the United States. So finally formed the contours of the unions that clashed in full-time confrontation in the second half of World War II. For several months now, the USSR was at war and also joined the anti-Hitler coalition.

In the new 1942, the Japanese invaded the Dutch East Indies, where they began to take island after island without much difficulty. At the same time, offensives developed in Burma. By the summer of 1942, Japanese forces controlled all of Southeast Asia and a large part of Oceania. The United States in World War II changed the situation in the Pacific theater of operations a little later.

Soviet counteroffensive

In 1942, the Second World War, the table of events of which includes, as a rule, basic information, was at its key stage. The forces of opposing alliances were approximately equal. The fracture occurred by the end of 1942. In summer, the Germans launched another offensive in the USSR. This time, their key target was the south of the country. In Berlin, they wanted to cut Moscow off oil and other resources. For this it was necessary to force the Volga.

In November 1942, the whole world was anxiously awaiting news from Stalingrad. The Soviet counterattack on the banks of the Volga led to the fact that since then the strategic initiative has finally come to the USSR. In World War II there was no more bloody and large-scale battle than the Battle of Stalingrad. The total losses on both sides exceeded two million people. At the cost of incredible efforts, the Red Army stopped the Axis offensive on the Eastern Front.

The next strategically important success of the Soviet troops was the Battle of Kursk in June - July 1943. That summer, the Germans for the last time tried to seize the initiative and attack the Soviet positions. Wehrmacht plan failed. The Germans not only did not succeed, but also left many cities in central Russia (Oryol, Belgorod, Kursk), while following the “scorched earth tactics”. All tank battles of the Second World War were notable for bloodshed, however, the Prokhorov battle was the largest. It was a key episode of the entire Kursk battle. By the end of 1943 - early 1944, Soviet troops liberated the south of the USSR and reached the borders of Romania.

Allied landings in Italy and Normandy

In May 1943, the Allies cleared the Italians of North Africa. The British fleet began to control the entire Mediterranean Sea. Previous periods of World War II were characterized by the success of the Axis. Now the situation has become the exact opposite.

In July 1943, American, British and French troops landed on Sicily, and in September - on the Apennine Peninsula. The Italian government renounced Mussolini and a few days later signed a truce with the advancing opponents. The dictator, however, managed to escape. Thanks to the help of the Germans, he created the puppet republic of Salo in the industrial north of Italy. The British, French, Americans and local partisans gradually conquered more and more new cities. June 4, 1944 they entered Rome.

Exactly two days later, on the 6th, the allies landed in Normandy. So the second or Western Front was opened, as a result of which the Second World War was ended (the table shows this event). In August, a similar landing in the south of France began. On August 25, the Germans finally left Paris. By the end of 1944, the front had stabilized. The main battles took place in the Belgian Ardennes, where each side for the time being made unsuccessful attempts to develop its own offensive.

On February 9, as a result of the Colmar operation, the German army was stationed in Alsace. The Allies managed to break through the defensive Siegfried Line and reach the German border. In March, after the Meuse-Rhine operation, the Third Reich lost territories beyond the western bank of the Rhine. In April, the Allies took control of the Ruhr Industrial Area. At the same time, the offensive continued in Northern Italy. April 28, 1945 fell into the hands of Italian partisans and was executed.

The capture of Berlin

Opening a second front, the Western Allies coordinated their actions with the Soviet Union. In the summer of 1944, the Red Army proceeded to. In the fall, the Germans lost control of the remnants of their possessions in the USSR (with the exception of a small enclave in western Latvia).

In August, Romania withdrew from the war, previously acting as a satellite of the Third Reich. Soon the authorities of Bulgaria and Finland did the same. The Germans began to hastily evacuate from the territory of Greece and Yugoslavia. In February 1945, the Red Army conducted the Budapest operation and liberated Hungary.

The path of Soviet troops to Berlin ran through Poland. Together with her, the Germans left East Prussia. The Berlin operation began in late April. Hitler, realizing his own defeat, committed suicide. On May 7, an act of German surrender was signed, which entered into force on the night of 8/9.

The defeat of the Japanese

Although the war ended in Europe, bloodshed continued in Asia and the Pacific. The last force opposing the allies was Japan. In June, the empire lost control of Indonesia. In July, Britain, the United States and China presented her with an ultimatum, which, however, was rejected.

On August 6 and 9, 1945, the Americans dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These cases were the only ones in human history when nuclear weapons were used for military purposes. On August 8, the Soviet offensive began in Manchuria. The Japan Surrender Act was signed on September 2, 1945. This ended the Second World War.

Losses

Research is still being conducted on how many people were injured and how many died in World War II. On average, the number of claimed lives is estimated at 55 million (of which 26 million are Soviet citizens). The financial loss amounted to 4 trillion dollars, although there is hardly any way to calculate the exact numbers.

Europe was hit hardest. Its industry and agriculture have been recovering for many more years. How many died in World War II and how many were destroyed became clear only after some time, when the world community was able to clarify the facts about Nazi crimes against humanity.

The most massive bloodshed in the history of mankind was carried out with completely new methods. Entire cities died under the bombing, centuries-old infrastructure was destroyed in a few minutes. The genocide of the Second World War, organized by the Third Reich, directed against Jews, Gypsies, and the Slavic population, is still horrifying with its details. German concentration camps became real "death factories", and German (and Japanese) physicians carried out cruel medical and biological experiments on people.

Summary

The results of World War II were summed up at the Potsdam Conference, which was held in July - August 1945. Europe was divided between the USSR and the Western allies. In eastern countries, communist pro-Soviet regimes were established. Germany lost a significant part of its territory. was annexed to the USSR, several more provinces passed to Poland. Germany was first divided into four zones. Then, on their basis, the capitalist Federal Republic of Germany and the socialist German Democratic Republic appeared. In the east, the USSR received the Kuril Islands belonging to Japan and southern Sakhalin. In China, the Communists came to power.

Western European countries after World War II lost a significant part of their political influence. The former dominant position of Great Britain and France was occupied by the United States, the least affected by German aggression. The process of disintegration began. In 1945, the United Nations Organization was created, designed to maintain world peace. Ideological and other contradictions between the USSR and the Western allies became the reason for the beginning of the Cold War.

A plane leaves in the fog of stars
Back to the attributed base,

A soldier’s duty is calling us here -
Landing to the west thrown by order.

And somewhere between parachute slings
Bratislava burns below
And slowly sit on the sand
Guys from Moscow and Volgograd.

Control room of the international airport Ruzyne, Prague. The usual night shift turns into a nightmare: on the radar screens an armada of aircraft is approaching. Who are they? What's happening? Radio commands roar in Czech: "Stop the release and reception of aircraft, immediately clear the runway."

Behind the controllers, a door crunches and knocks over, armed people burst into the room without insignia. The Czechs, finally, understand what is happening - some have time to break down the radio equipment. The control tower is disabled, but the GRU special forces are rampant on the airfield, landing a couple of hours before the main forces landed aboard the Trojan horse - a civilian plane that requested an emergency landing.

A small brawl occurs at the airport fire brigade building - warned from the control tower, firefighters are trying to block the runway with machines and special equipment. But when faced with armed Soviet special forces, they hastily retreat. The terminal building is blocked, all exits to the field and approaches to the strip are blocked. Have time!

And in the sky above Prague, the An-12 landing lights are already swinging. The first pot-bellied transporter comes in for landing, unloading, a matter of minutes - and the plane, roaring with four engines, leaves for reinforcements. At the edges of the airfield, piles of unused parachutes remain. In total, over the next day, 450 airplanes with 7 guards units landed at the Ruzyne airport. airborne division ...

If we were thrown out at night, then half the division ... Do you know how many people were at the airfields, how many planes, how many people I would have killed?
- General Lev Gorelov, at that time commander of the 7th Guards. airborne

In the Battle of the Airborne Forces the word "parachute" is practically not found. And in each paragraph of the charter on landing, always prudently followed by clarifications: "landing (landing)" or "landing site (airfield)."
The charter was written by smart people who knew the military and the practice of using airborne assault forces in various military conflicts.

Parachute landing of armored vehicles. Fantastic sight

The first group of paratroopers was landed on the rear of German troops south of Vyazma on January 18–22, 1942. It is noteworthy that the 250th Rifle Regiment landed (attention!) In a landing way. Thanks to the successful actions of the paratroopers, a few days later the 1st Guards Cavalry Corps of the Red Army broke into their location. The possibility of encircling part of the German forces of Army Group Center was outlined.

To strengthen the Soviet grouping, a second group of paratroopers was urgently landed behind enemy lines. By February 1, 2497 people and 34 tons of cargo were parachuted into the indicated area. The result was discouraging - the cargo was lost, and only 1300 paratroopers left at the gathering place.

No less disturbing results were obtained during the Dnieper airborne landing operation - strong anti-aircraft fire forced planes to rise above the clouds, as a result of which, dropped from a two-kilometer height, 4,500 paratroopers were scattered over an area of \u200b\u200btens of square kilometers. According to the results of the operation, the following directive was issued:

The throwing out of a mass assault force at night indicates the illiteracy of the organizers of this case, because, as experience shows, throwing out a mass airborne assault even on its territory is fraught with great dangers.
I order the remaining one and a half airborne brigades to withdraw from the subordination of the Voronezh Front and consider them a reserve of the Headquarters.
I. STALIN

It is no coincidence that most of the airborne units of the Red Army during the war were reorganized into infantry.

Massive airborne assaults at the West European theater of war had similar consequences. In May 1941, 16 thousand German paratroopers, displaying exceptional heroism, were able to capture the island of Crete (Operation Mercury), but suffered such heavy losses that the Wehrmacht air forces were forever out of the game. And the German command had to part with plans to capture the Suez Canal with the help of paratroopers.

The body of a dead German paratrooper, Operation Mercury

Well, the Second World War ended a long time ago - since then, the means of landing, communication systems and control have radically changed for the better. Let's look at a couple of more recent examples:

For example, the Israeli elite parachute brigade "Tsanhanim." On the account of this unit there is one successful parachute landing: the capture of the strategically important Mitla Pass (1956). However, there are a number of controversial points here: firstly, the landing was targeted - only a couple of hundred paratroopers. Secondly, the landing took place in a desert area, initially without any opposition from the enemy.

In subsequent years, the Tsanhaim paratrooper brigade was never used for its intended purpose: fighters deftly jumped with a parachute during exercises, but in the conditions of real hostilities (Six Day War or Doomsday War) they preferred to move on the ground under the cover of heavy armored vehicles, or spent spot diversion operations using helicopters.

Airborne troops are a highly mobile branch of the Ground Forces and are designed to perform tasks in the rear of the enemy as airborne assault forces
- The combat charter of the Airborne Forces, paragraph 1

Soviet paratroopers repeatedly took part in military operations outside the USSR, participated in the suppression of rebellions in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, fought in Afghanistan and were recognized elites of the Armed Forces. However, the actual combat use of the Airborne Forces was very different from the romantic image of a parachutist descending from heaven on parachute slings, as was widely represented in popular culture.

Suppression of the uprising in Hungary (November 1956):
- Fighters of the 108th Guards Parachute Regiment were delivered to the Hungarian airfields Tekel and Veszprem, and immediately captured strategically important targets. Now, having captured the air gates, it was easy to get help and reinforcements and to develop the offensive deep into the territory of the enemy.
- The 80th Guards Parachute Regiment arrived on the border with Hungary by rail (Beregovo station), from there, with a marching column, made a 400-km march to Budapest;

The suppression of the uprising in Czechoslovakia (1968):
During the Danube operation, Soviet troops, with the support of the Bulgarian, Polish, Hungarian and German units, established control over Czechoslovakia in 36 hours, conducting a quick and bloodless occupation of the country. It was the events of August 21, 1968, associated with the brilliant seizure of the international airport Ruzyne, that became the prologue to this article.
In addition to the capital’s airport, Soviet troops captured the airfields of Turjani and Namesti, turning them into impregnable fortified points, where more and more forces arrived from the USSR in an endless stream.

The introduction of troops in Afghanistan (1979):
In a matter of hours, the Soviet landing party captured all the most important airfields of this Central Asian country: Kabul, Bagram and Shindad (Kandahar was captured later). Within a few days, large forces of the Limited Contingent of Soviet Forces arrived there, and the airfields themselves turned into the most important transport portals for the delivery of weapons, equipment, fuel, food and equipment for the 40th Army.

The defense of the airdrome is organized by separate company (platoon) strong points with anti-tank and air defense means located in them in the directions of the probable advancement of the enemy. Removing the front edge of strong points should exclude the defeat of aircraft on the runway by direct fire from tanks and enemy guns. The gaps between the strongholds are covered by mine-explosive barriers. Extension routes and reserve deployment lines are being prepared. Some units are allocated for ambush operations along the enemy’s approach.
- The combat charter of the Airborne Forces, paragraph 206

Hell! It is even spelled out in the Charter.

Than to crawl out onto the seashore covered with thorns or jump from sky-high heights into the unknown, it’s much easier and more efficient to land in the capital’s airport on the enemy’s territory, to dig in, and to transfer the Pskov’s cutthroats division there in one night. Operational delivery of heavy armored vehicles and other bulky equipment becomes possible. Paratroopers receive help and reinforcements in a timely manner, the evacuation of the wounded and prisoners is simplified, and convenient transportation routes connecting the capital's airport with the center of the country make this object truly invaluable in any local war.

The only risk is that the enemy can guess the plans and at the last moment block the runway with bulldozers. But, as practice shows, with a proper approach to secrecy, no serious problems arise. Finally, for insurance, you can use an advanced detachment disguised as a “peaceful Soviet tractor”, which will restore order on the airfield a few minutes before the arrival of the main forces (there is wide scope for improvisations: an “emergency” landing, a group of “athletes” with black bags Adibas, etc.)

The preparation of the captured airfield (landing site) for landing and materiel consists in clearing the runway and taxiways for landing aircraft (helicopters), unloading vehicles and cargo from them, and equipping access roads for vehicles.
- The combat charter of the Airborne Forces, paragraph 258

Actually, there is nothing new here - ingenious tactics with the capture of the airport appeared half a century ago. Budapest, Prague and Bagram are vivid confirmations of this scheme. In the same scenario, the Americans landed at the airport of Mogadishu (civil war in Somalia, 1993). In the same scenario, peacekeeping forces were operating in Bosnia (taking control of the Tuzla airport, beginning of the 90s), which was subsequently turned into the main base of the “blue helmets”.

Russian paratroopers unload equipment. Tuzla Airport, Bosnia

To repeat such a trick in Iraq was already unrealistic - the Gulf wars went in the spirit of old traditions: aviation bombs, tank and motorized columns rush forward, if necessary, airborne assault groups landed in the rear of the enemy: special forces, saboteurs, and air correctors. However, there was never any talk of any massive drop of paratroopers. Firstly, there was no need for this.

Secondly, mass parachute landing in our time is an unreasonably risky and meaningless event: it is enough to recall the quote of General Lev Gorelov, who honestly admitted that in the event of parachute landing, half of his division could die. But the Czechs in 1968 had neither the S-300, nor the Patriot air defense system, nor the portable Stingers ...

Pskov paratroopers preparing for landing, 2005

Based on historical experience, the paratroopers showed themselves excellently as part of the air assault brigades - in the late 60s, the rapid development of helicopter technology made it possible to develop a concept for the use of landings in the enemy’s near rear. Precision helicopter landings played a significant role in the Afghan war.

The paratrooper first runs as much as he can, and then how much he needs
- Army humor

Over the past 30 years, a peculiar image of the paratrooper has formed in Russian society: for some unclear reasons, the paratrooper does not "hang on slings", but sits on the armor of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles in all hot spots.

That's right - the Airborne Forces, the beauty and pride of the Armed Forces, being one of the most trained and combat-ready arms, are regularly involved in tasks in local conflicts. At the same time, the landing is used as motorized infantry, together with units of motorized rifles, special forces, riot police, and even marine corps! (It’s no secret that the Russian marines participated in the storming of Grozny).

5th company of the 350th guards. Airborne Regiment, Afghanistan

If the landing force is always used as an elite motorized infantry in local wars, is it not better to equip guys with conventional tanks, heavy self-propelled guns and infantry fighting vehicles? Acting on the front line without heavy armored vehicles is a betrayal of soldiers.

Take a look at the United States Marine Corps - US Marines have forgotten the smell of the sea. The Marine Corps has turned into an expeditionary force - a kind of "special forces" prepared for operations outside the United States, with its tanks, helicopters and aircraft. The main armored vehicles of the Marine Corps are the 65-ton Abrams tank, a pile of iron with negative buoyancy.

BMD-4M. A beautiful car, but one hit of a DShK bullet will tear the track

Of course, you don’t have to go to the point of absurdity - in 1968, due to a shortage of vehicles, the paratroopers stole all cars from the parking lot of the Ruzyne airport. And they did the right thing:

... explaining to the personnel the need for the rational use of ammunition and other materiel, the skillful use of captured from the enemy and military equipment;
- The combat charter of the Airborne Forces, paragraph 57

I would like to know the opinion of the airborne troops, what does their conventional armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles not satisfy, in comparison with the BMD-4M "supercar"?

A plane leaves in the fog of stars
  Back to the attributed base,
  But a soldier’s duty is calling us here -
  Landing to the west thrown by order.
  And somewhere between parachute slings
  Bratislava burns below
  And slowly sit on the sand
  Guys from Moscow and Volgograd.

Control room of the international airport Ruzyne, Prague. The usual night shift turns into a nightmare: on the radar screens an armada of aircraft is approaching. Who are they? What's happening? Radio commands roar in Czech: "Stop the release and reception of aircraft, immediately clear the runway."

Behind the controllers, a door crunches and knocks over, armed people burst into the room without insignia. The Czechs, finally, understand what is happening - some have time to break down the radio equipment. The control tower is disabled, but the GRU special forces are rampant on the airfield, landing a couple of hours before the main forces landed aboard the Trojan horse - a civilian plane that requested an emergency landing.

A small brawl occurs at the airport fire brigade building - warned from the control tower, firefighters are trying to block the runway with machines and special equipment. But when faced with armed Soviet special forces, they hastily retreat. The terminal building is blocked, all exits to the field and approaches to the strip are blocked. Have time!

And in the sky above Prague, the An-12 landing lights are already swinging. The first pot-bellied transporter comes in for landing, unloading, a matter of minutes - and the plane, roaring with four engines, leaves for reinforcements. At the edges of the airfield, piles of unused parachutes remain. In total, over the next day, 450 airplanes with 7 guards units landed at the Ruzyne airport. airborne division ...

“If we were thrown out at night, then half the division ... Do you know how many people were at the airfields, how many planes, how many people I would have killed?”
  (General Lev Gorelov, at that time commander of the 7th Guards Airborne Division)

In the Battle of the Airborne Forces the word "parachute" is practically not found. And in each paragraph of the charter on landing, always prudently followed by clarifications: "landing (landing)" or "landing site (airfield)."
  The charter was written by smart people who knew perfectly the military history and practice of using airborne assault forces in various military conflicts.

Parachute landing of armored vehicles. Fantastic sight

The largest operation in the history of Russian airborne forces is the Vyazemsky airborne operation, carried out by four airborne brigades and the 250th RKKA Rifle Regiment in January-February 1942. And many tragic and instructive moments were associated with this event.

The first group of paratroopers was landed on the rear of German troops south of Vyazma on January 18–22, 1942. It is noteworthy that the 250th Rifle Regiment landed (attention!) In a landing way. Thanks to the successful actions of the paratroopers, a few days later the 1st Guards Cavalry Corps of the Red Army broke into their location. The possibility of encircling part of the German forces of Army Group Center was outlined.

To strengthen the Soviet grouping, a second group of paratroopers was urgently landed behind enemy lines. By February 1, 2497 people and 34 tons of cargo were parachuted into the indicated area. The result was discouraging - the cargo was lost, and only 1300 paratroopers left at the gathering place.

No less disturbing results were obtained during the Dnieper airborne landing operation - strong anti-aircraft fire forced planes to rise above the clouds, as a result of which, dropped from a two-kilometer height, 4,500 paratroopers were scattered over an area of \u200b\u200btens of square kilometers. According to the results of the operation, the following directive was issued:

The throwing out of a mass assault force at night indicates the illiteracy of the organizers of this case, because, as experience shows, throwing out a mass airborne assault even on its territory is fraught with great dangers.
  I order the remaining one and a half airborne brigades to withdraw from the subordination of the Voronezh Front and consider them a reserve of the Headquarters.
  I. STALIN

It is no coincidence that most of the airborne units of the Red Army during the war were reorganized into infantry. Massive airborne assaults at the West European theater of war had similar consequences. In May 1941, 16 thousand German paratroopers, displaying exceptional heroism, were able to capture the island of Crete (Operation Mercury), but suffered such heavy losses that the Wehrmacht air forces were forever out of the game. And the German command had to part with plans to capture the Suez Canal with the help of paratroopers.

The body of a dead German paratrooper, Operation Mercury

In the summer of 1943, American paratroopers found themselves in no less difficult conditions: during the landing on Sicily, they were 80 kilometers from the intended target due to a strong wind. The British were even less fortunate that day - a quarter of the British paratroopers drowned at sea.

Well, the Second World War ended a long time ago - since then, the means of landing, communication systems and control have radically changed for the better. Let's look at a couple of more recent examples:

For example, the Israeli elite parachute brigade "Tsanhanim." On the account of this unit there is one successful parachute landing: the capture of the strategically important Mitla Pass (1956). However, there are a number of controversial points here: firstly, the landing was targeted - only a couple of hundred paratroopers. Secondly, the landing took place in a desert area, initially without any opposition from the enemy.

In subsequent years, the Tsanhaim paratrooper brigade was never used for its intended purpose: fighters deftly jumped with a parachute during exercises, but in the conditions of real hostilities (Six Day War or Doomsday War) they preferred to move on the ground under the cover of heavy armored vehicles, or spent spot diversion operations using helicopters.

Airborne troops are a highly mobile branch of the Ground Forces and are designed to perform tasks in the rear of the enemy as airborne assault forces
  (Combat Charter of the Airborne Forces, paragraph 1)

Soviet paratroopers repeatedly took part in military operations outside the USSR, participated in the suppression of rebellions in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, fought in Afghanistan and were recognized elites of the Armed Forces. However, the actual combat use of the Airborne Forces was very different from the romantic image of a parachutist descending from heaven on parachute slings, as was widely represented in popular culture.

Suppression of the uprising in Hungary (November 1956):
  - Fighters of the 108th Guards Parachute Regiment were delivered to the Hungarian airfields Tekel and Veszprem, and immediately captured strategically important targets. Now, having captured the air gates, it was easy to get help and reinforcements and to develop the offensive deep into the territory of the enemy.
  - The 80th Guards Parachute Regiment arrived on the border with Hungary by rail (Beregovo station), from there, with a marching column, made a 400-km march to Budapest;

The suppression of the uprising in Czechoslovakia (1968):
  During the Danube operation, Soviet troops, with the support of the Bulgarian, Polish, Hungarian and German units, established control over Czechoslovakia in 36 hours, conducting a quick and bloodless occupation of the country. It was the events of August 21, 1968, associated with the brilliant seizure of the international airport Ruzyne, that became the prologue to this article.
In addition to the capital’s airport, the Soviet troops captured the airfields of Turjani and Namesti, turning them into impregnable fortified points, where more and more forces arrived from the USSR in an endless stream.

The introduction of troops in Afghanistan (1979):
  In a matter of hours, the Soviet landing party captured all the major airfields of this Central Asian country: Kabul, Bagram and Shindad (Kandahar was captured later). Within a few days, large forces of the Limited Contingent of Soviet Forces arrived there, and the airfields themselves turned into the most important transport portals for the delivery of weapons, equipment, fuel, food and equipment for the 40th Army.

The defense of the airdrome is organized by separate company (platoon) strong points with anti-tank and air defense means located in them in the directions of the probable advancement of the enemy. Removing the front edge of strong points should exclude the defeat of aircraft on the runway by direct fire from tanks and enemy guns. The gaps between the strongholds are covered by mine-explosive barriers. Extension routes and reserve deployment lines are being prepared. Some units are allocated for ambush operations along the enemy’s approach.
  (Combat charter of the Airborne Forces, paragraph 206)

Hell! It is even spelled out in the Charter.

Than to crawl out onto the seashore covered with thorns or jump from sky-high heights into the unknown, it’s much easier and more efficient to land in the capital’s airport on the enemy’s territory, to dig in, and to transfer the Pskov’s cutthroats division there in one night. Operational delivery of heavy armored vehicles and other bulky equipment becomes possible. Paratroopers receive help and reinforcements in a timely manner, the evacuation of the wounded and prisoners is simplified, and convenient transportation routes connecting the capital's airport with the center of the country make this object truly invaluable in any local war.

The only risk is that the enemy can guess the plans and at the last moment block the runway with bulldozers. But, as practice shows, with a proper approach to secrecy, no serious problems arise. Finally, for insurance, you can use an advanced detachment disguised as a “peaceful Soviet tractor”, which will restore order on the airfield a few minutes before the arrival of the main forces (there is wide scope for improvisations: an “emergency” landing, a group of “athletes” with black bags Adibas, etc.)

The preparation of the captured airfield (landing site) for landing and materiel consists in clearing the runway and taxiways for landing aircraft (helicopters), unloading vehicles and cargo from them, and equipping access roads for vehicles.
  (Combat charter of the Airborne Forces, paragraph 258)

Actually, there is nothing new here - ingenious tactics with the capture of the airport appeared half a century ago. Budapest, Prague and Bagram are vivid confirmations of this scheme. In the same scenario, the Americans landed at the airport of Mogadishu (civil war in Somalia, 1993). In the same scenario, peacekeeping forces were operating in Bosnia (taking control of the Tuzla airport, beginning of the 90s), which was subsequently turned into the main base of the “blue helmets”.

Russian paratroopers unload equipment. Tuzla Airport, Bosnia

The main objective of the “Throw to Pristina” - the famous raid of Russian paratroopers in June 1999 was ... who would have thought! ... the capture of the Slatina airport, where the arrival of the replenishment was expected - up to two airborne regiments. The operation itself was carried out brilliantly (its inglorious finale is no longer relevant to the topic of this article, since it has a clear political, not military color).
  Of course, the “capture of the capital's airport” technique is only suitable for local wars with a knowingly weak and unprepared enemy.

To repeat such a trick in Iraq was already unrealistic - the Gulf wars went in the spirit of old traditions: aviation bombs, tank and motorized columns rush forward, if necessary, airborne assault groups landed in the rear of the enemy: special forces, saboteurs, and air correctors. However, there was never any talk of any massive drop of paratroopers. Firstly, there was no need for this.

Secondly, mass parachute landing in our time is an unreasonably risky and meaningless event: it is enough to recall the quote of General Lev Gorelov, who honestly admitted that in the event of parachute landing, half of his division could die. But the Czechs in 1968 had neither the S-300, nor the Patriot air defense system, nor the portable Stingers ...

Pskov paratroopers preparing for landing, 2005

The use of parachute landings in World War III seems to be an even more dubious undertaking. In a situation where even supersonic fighters are at mortal risk in the fire zone of modern anti-aircraft missile systems, it is hoped that a huge Il-76 transport can fly and land an landing near Washington ... Popular rumor ascribes to Reagan the phrase: " I won’t be surprised if on the second day of the war I see guys in vests and blue berets on the threshold of the White House". I don’t know if the US president said such words, but he will get guaranteed thermonuclear ammunition half an hour after the start of the war.

Based on historical experience, the paratroopers showed themselves excellently as part of the air assault brigades - in the late 60s, the rapid development of helicopter technology made it possible to develop a concept for the use of landings in the enemy’s near rear. Precision helicopter landings played a significant role in the Afghan war.

Over the past 30 years, a peculiar image of the paratrooper has formed in Russian society: for some unclear reasons, the paratrooper does not "hang on slings", but sits on the armor of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles in all hot spots.

That's right - the Airborne Forces, the beauty and pride of the Armed Forces, being one of the most trained and combat-ready arms, are regularly involved in tasks in local conflicts. At the same time, the landing is used as motorized infantry, together with units of motorized rifles, special forces, riot police, and even marine corps! (It’s no secret that the Russian marines participated in the storming of Grozny).

5th company of the 350th guards. Airborne Regiment, Afghanistan

This raises a reasonable philistine question: if over the past 70 years the Airborne Forces have never, under any circumstances, been used for their intended purpose (namely, a massive landing of paratroopers), then why are we talking about the need for specific systems suitable for landing under the canopy of a parachute: combat BMD-4M landing vehicle or 2S25 Octopus anti-tank self-propelled guns?

If the landing force is always used as an elite motorized infantry in local wars, is it not better to equip guys with conventional tanks, heavy self-propelled guns and infantry fighting vehicles? Acting on the front line without heavy armored vehicles is a betrayal of soldiers.

Take a look at the United States Marine Corps - US Marines have forgotten the smell of the sea. The Marine Corps turned into an expeditionary force - a kind of "special forces", prepared for operations outside the United States, with its tanks, helicopters and aircraft. The main armored vehicles of the Marine Corps are 65 tons, a pile of iron with negative buoyancy.

BMD-4M. A beautiful car, but one hit of a DShK bullet will tear the track

It is worth noting that domestic airborne forces also play the role of quick reaction forces, capable of arriving anywhere in the world and entering the battle immediately upon arrival. It is clear that paratroopers in this case need a special vehicle, but why is it necessary to use an aluminum BMP-4M, at the price of three T-90 tanks? Which, in the end, is struck by the most primitive means: DShK and.

Of course, you don’t have to go to the point of absurdity - in 1968, due to a shortage of vehicles, the paratroopers stole all cars from the parking lot of the Ruzyne airport. And they did the right thing:

... explaining to the personnel the need for the rational use of ammunition and other materiel, the skillful use of weapons and military equipment captured from the enemy;
  (Combat Charter of the Airborne Forces, paragraph 57)

I would like to know the opinion of the airborne troops, what does their conventional APCs and infantry fighting vehicles not satisfy, in comparison with the "supermachine"?