Strategic operations of the Red Army in World War II

The strategic operations of the Red Army in World War II were major military events carried out between 1941 and 1945 on the Eastern Front or in 1945 in the Far East during the Second World War. Such operations typically involved at least one Front - the largest military formation of the Soviet Armed Forces. The operations could be defensive, offensive, a withdrawal, an encirclement, or a siege - always conducted by at least two Services of the armed forces (the ground forces and the air forces) and often included the naval forces. In most cases the Stavka divided the strategic operations into operational phases which were large operations in their own right. In very few cases the phases were tactical, such as those requiring amphibious landings.

Introduction

In Soviet historiography, the Great Patriotic War is divided into periods:

  1. First (22 June 1941 – 18 November 1942)
  2. Second (19 November 1942 – 31 December 1943)
  3. Third (1 January 1944 – 9 May 1945)

The war with Japan, the Campaign in the Far East including the Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation, (9 August 1945–2 September 1945) is seen as a separate theater of operations from the Great Patriotic War.

During the course of the Second World War the Red Army carried out a number of different military operations. The scope of these operations, usually known by the major cities around which they took place, was usually termed "operational-strategic" or "strategic", depending on the scale. An "operational-strategic" operation was usually undertaken by at least a group of Armies or a single Front. A "strategic" operation usually demanded cooperation of several Fronts to achieve its objectives. In both cases the operations could last from a week to several months. Strategic operations were combined into seasonal campaigns, because weather and ground conditions affected planning.

First period (22 June 1941 – 18 November 1942)

Summer–Autumn campaign of 1941 (22 June – 4 December)

Baltic Border Defensive Battles 22–24 June 1941
Battle of Raseiniai
Šiauliai Counter-Offensive Operation 24–27 June 1941
Riga Defensive (ru) : 28-30 June 1941
Pskov Defensive (ru) : 4-9 July 1941
Battle of Hanko (1941) 22 June – 2 December 1941
Belorussian Border Defensive Battles 22–25 June 1941
Defense of Brest Fortress 22–30 June 1941
Battle of Vitebsk (1941) (ru) : 6-16 July 1941
Borisov-Lepel Offensive (ru) : 6–9 July 1941
  • L'vov-Chernovitsy Strategic Defensive (ru) : 22 June – 9 July 1941
Ukrainian Border Defensive Battles 22–27 June 1941
Battle of Brody (1941) (26–30 June 1941)
L'vov-Lutsk Defensive 27 June – 2 July 1941
Stanislav-Proskurov Defensive 3–6 July 1941
  • German and Finnish Operation Arctic Fox 29 June – mid-July 1941
  • Arctic-Karelia Strategic Defensive (ru) : 29 June – 10 October 1941
Murmansk-Kandalaksha Defensive 29 June – 19 September 1941
Vyborg-Keksholm Defensive 29 June – 23 September 1941
Kestenga Defensive 1 July – 10 October 1941
Defensives on the Petrozavodsk, Ukhinskom-Rugozerskom, and Olonetskom directions 1 July – 10 October 1941
Korosten Defensive 11 July – 20 August 1941
Novohrad-Volynskyi Defensive 10 July – 20 August 1941
Uman Defensive 15 July – 4 August 1941
Tiraspol-Melitopol Defensive (ru) : 27 July – 28 September 1941
Kiev-Pryluky Defensive 20 August – 26 September 1941
Malyn Offensive 5–8 August 1941
Tallinn Defensive (ru) : 10 July – 10 August 1941
Evacuation of Tallinn (1941)
Kingisepp-Luga Defensive (ru) : 10 July – 23 September 1941
Soltsy-Dno Offensive (ru) : 15–20 July 1941
Staraya-Russa Offensive (ru) : 8–23 August 1941
Demyansk Defensive (ru) : 6–26 September 1941
First Sinyavino Offensive (ru) : 10–26 September 1941
Second Sinyavino Offensive (ru) : 20-28 October 1941
Polotsk Defensive (ru) : 2 July - 16 July 1941
Smolensk Defensive (ru) : 10 July – 10 August 1941
Smolensk Offensive 21 July – 7 August 1941
Siege of Mogilev 3 July – 26 July 1941
Rogachev–Zhlobin Offensive (ru) : 13–24 July 1941
Gomel–Trubchevsk Defensive (ru) : 24 July – 30 August 1941
Dukhovschina Offensive (ru) : 17 August – 8 September 1941
Yelnya Offensive 30 August – 8 September 1941
Roslavl–Novozybkov Offensive 30 August – 12 September 1941
  • Odessa Defensive 5 August – 16 October 1941
  • German Operation Wotan (Angriff am Moskow) 9 September
  • Donbass-Rostov Strategic Defensive Operation (ru) : 29 September – 16 November 1941
Battle of the Sea of Azov 26 September – 11 October 1941
Sumy-Kharkov Defensive 30 September – 30 November 1941
Defence of Kharkov (1941) (20–24 October 1941)
German First Battle of Kharkov
Donbass Defensive Operation (1941) (ru) : 29 September – 4 November 1941
Rostov Defensive (ru) : 5–16 November 1941
Orel-Bryansk Defensive Operation (ru) : 30 September – 23 October 1941
Vyazma Defensive Operation (ru) : 2–13 October 1941
Kalinin Defensive Operation (ru) : 10 October – 4 December 1941
Mozhaisk-Maloyaroslavets Defensive (ru) : 10–30 October 1941
Tula Defensive (ru) : 24 October – 5 December 1941
Klin-Solnechnogorsk Defensive (ru) : 15 November – 5 December 1941
Naro-Fominsk Defensive (ru) : 1–5 December 1941
Tikhvin-Kirishsk Offensive (ru) : 12 November – 30 December 1941
Malo-Vishersk Offensive (ru) : 10 November – 30 December 1941
Bolshekrepinsk Offensive 17–27 November 1941
Rostov Offensive 27 November – 2 December 1941

Winter campaign of 1941/42 (5 December 1941 – 30 April 1942)

Kalinin Offensive (ru) : 5 December 1941 – 7 January 1942
Klin–Solnechnogorsk Offensive (ru) : 6–25 December 1941
Yelets Offensive (ru) : 6–16 December 1941
Tula Offensive (ru) : 6–16 December 1941
Kaluga Offensive (ru) : 17 December 1941 – 5 January 1942
Naro–Fominsk Offensive : 24 December 1941 – 8 January 1942
  • Kerch–Feodosia Amphibious 25 December 1941 – 2 January 1942
Kerch Landing 25 December 1941 – 2 January 1942
Feodosia Landing 25 December 1941 – 2 January 1942
Sychyovka-Vyazma Offensive 8 January – 28 February 1942
Mozhaysk-Vyazma Offensive (Operation Jupiter)10 January – 28 February 1942
Toropets–Kholm Offensive 9 January – 6 February 1942
Vyazma Airborne 18 January – 28 February 1942
Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive (1942) 3 March – 20 April 1942
Demyansk Offensive – second phase (1942) 7 January – 20 May 1942

Summer–Autumn campaign of 1942 (1 May – 18 November)

German Fall Kremel ("Case Kremlin" in English) was a German deception for a summer offensive aimed at Moscow
Axis Case Blue – Woronesh Army Group B
Axis Case Blue – Stalingrad 6th Army
Axis Case Blue – Baku Army Group A
1st Kastornoye Defensive 28 June – 10 July 1942
2nd Kastornoye Defensive 9–24 July 1942
Valuiki–Rossosh Defensive 28 June – 24 July 1942
Voroshilovgrad–Shakhty Defensive 7–24 July 1942
  • Donbass Defensive (1942) (ru) : 7–24 July 1942
Battle of Rostov (1942) 19-24 July 1942
Defensive Battles at Distant Approaches (ru) : 17 July – 17 August 1942
Defensive Battles on Near Approaches and in Stalingrad 19 August – 18 November 1942
Tikhoretsk-Stavropol Defensive Operation : 25 July – 5 August 1942
Armavir-Maikop Defensive Operation (ru) : 6–17 August 1942
Krasnodar Defensive Operation (ru) : 7–14 August 1942
Novorossiysk Defensive Operation (ru) : 19 August – 26 September 1942
Mozdok-Malgobek Defensive Operation (ru) : 1–28 September 1942
1940–44 insurgency in Chechnya
Tuapse Defensive Operation (ru) : 25 September – 20 December 1942
Nalckik-Ordzhonikidze Defensive Operation (ru) : 25 October – 12 November 1942

Second period (19 November 1942 – 31 December 1943)

Winter campaign of 1942–1943 (19 November 1942 – 3 March 1943)

Operation Uranus 19–30 November 1942
Kotelnikovo Offensive 12–31 December 1942
Tatsinskaya Raid 16–28 December 1942
Operation Winter Storm 12–23 December 1942
Middle Don Offensive (Operation Little Saturn) 16–30 December 1942
Operation Koltso (Operation Ring) 10 January – 2 February 1943
Sychevka Offensive 24 November – 14 December 1942
Belyi Offensive 25 November – 16 December 1942
Luchesa Offensive 25 November – 11 December 1942
Molodoi Tud Offensive 25 November – 23 December 1942
Velikie-Luki Offensive 24 November 1942 – 20 January 1943
Salsk-Rostov Offensive (or Battle of Rostov (1943)) : 1 January – 4 February 1943
Mozdok-Stavropol Offensive : 1–24 January 1943
Novorossiysk-Maikop Offensive : 11 January – 4 February 1943
Tikhoretsk-Eisk Offensive : 24 January – 4 February 1943
Krasnoborsko-Smerdynskaya offensive
Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh Offensive 13–27 January 1943
Voronezh-Kastornoye Offensive 24 January – 2 February 1943
Voroshilovgrad Offensive (Operation Skachok)[1] 29 January – 18 February 1943
Kharkov Offensive (Operation Zvezda) 2 February – 3 March 1943
Orel (Maloarkhangelsk) Offensive (ru) : 5–28 February 1943
Lvov Offensive 15 February – 1 March 1943
  • Donbass Mariupol Offensive 16–23 February 1943
  • Krasnodar Offensive (ru) : 9 February – 24 May 1943
  • Operation Polar Star 10 February – 1 April 1943
Battle of Krasny Bor 10-13 February 1943
Demyansk Offensive 15–28 February 1943
Staraya Russa Operation (ru) : 4-19 March 1943
Rzhev-Vyazma Offensive (1943) 2–31 March 1943
2nd Taman Offensive 26 May 1943 – 22 August 1944

Summer–Autumn campaign of 1943 (1 July – 31 December)

Orel–Kursk Defensive (ru) : 5–11 July 1943
Belgorod–Kursk Defensive 5–23 July 1943
Volkhov–Orel Offensive 12 July – 18 August 1943
Kromyv–Orel Offensive 15 July – 18 August 1943
Izyum-Barvenkovo Offensive (ru) : 17–27 July 1943
Mius Offensive (ru) : 17 July – 2 August 1943
Belgorod–Bogodukhov Offensive 3–23 August 1943
Belgorod–Kharkov Offensive 3–23 August 1943
Zmiev Offensive 12–23 August 1943
Mirgorod direction offensive 3–25 August 1943
Spas–Demensk Offensive (ru) : 7–20 August 1943
Dukhovshchina–Demidov Offensive 1st Stage 13–18 August 1943
Yelnia–Dorogobuzh Offensive (ru) : 28 August – 6 September 1943
Dukhovshchina–Demidov Offensive 2nd Stage (ru) : 14 September – 2 October 1943
Smolensk–Roslavl Offensive (ru) : 15 September – 2 October 1943
Bryansk Offensive 17 August – 3 October 1943
Barvenkov-Pavlograd Offensive 13 August – 22 September 1943
Mius–Mariupol Offensive 18 August – 22 September 1943
  • Chernigov-Poltava Offensive (ru) : 26 August 1943 – 30 September 1943
Chernigov-Pripyat Offensive (ru) : 26 August – 30 September 1943
Sumy–Priluky Offensive (ru) : 26 August – 30 September 1943
Poltava-Kremenchug Offensive (ru) : 26 August – 30 September 1943
  • Novorossiysk-Taman Operation (ru) : 10 September – 9 October 1943
Novorossiysk Amphibious Operation (ru) : 10–16 September 1943
Taman Offensive (1943) 10 September – 9 October 1943
Axis Defence of the Panther–Wotan Line
Kremenchug Offensive 26 September – 10 October 1943
Melitopol Offensive (ru) : 26 September – 5 November 1943
Zaporizhia Offensive (ru) : 10–14 October 1943
Kremenchug-Pyatikhatki Offensive (ru) : 15 October – 3 November 1943
Dnepropetrovsk Offensive (ru) : 23 October – 23 December 1943
Krivoi Rog Offensive 14–21 November 1943
Apostolovo Offensive 14 November – 23 December 1943
Nikopol Offensive 14 November – 31 December 1943
Aleksandriia–Znamenka Offensive (ru) : 22 November – 9 December 1943
Krivoi Rog Offensive 10–19 December 1943
Chernobyl–Radomysl Offensive 1–4 October 1943
Chernobyl–Gornostaipol Defensive 3–8 October 1943
Lyutezh Offensive 11–24 October 1943
1st Bukrin Offensive 12–15 October 1943
2nd Bukrin Offensive 21–24 October 1943
  • Byelorussian Strategic Offensive (1943) 3 October – 31 December 1943
Gomel–Rechitsa Offensive 30 September – 30 October 1943
Nevel Offensive 3–12 October 1943
1st Orsha Offensive 3–26 October 1943
Battle of Lenino 12-13 October 1943
Vitebsk (Riga) Offensive 18–30 October 1943
Idritsa Offensive 18–30 October 1943
Pskov Offensive 18–30 October 1943
Polotsk–Vitebsk Offensive 2–21 November 1943
Pustoshka-Idritsa Offensive 2–21 November 1943
Gomel-Rechitsa Offensive (ru) : 10–30 November 1943
2nd Orsha Offensive 14 November – 5 December 1943
Novyi Bykhov - Propoisk Offensive 22–30 November 1943
Kalinkovichi Offensive 8–11 December 1943
Gorodok Offensive (ru) : 13–31 December 1943
Idritsa-Opochka Offensive 16 December 1943 – 15 January 1944
Kalinkovichi Defensive 20–27 December 1943
  • Kerch–Eltigen Operation 31 October – 11 December 1943
  • Kiev Strategic Offensive Operation (November 1943) (ru) : 3–13 November 1943
  • Kiev Strategic Defensive (1943) (ru) : 13 November – 22 December 1943

Third period (1 January 1944 – 9 May 1945)

Winter Spring campaign of 1944 (1 January – 31 May)

Zhitomir–Berdichev Offensive 24 December 1943 – 14 January 1944
Kirovograd Offensive 5–16 January 1944
Korsun–Shevchenkovsky Offensive 24 January – 17 February 1944
German Korsun–Cherkassy Pocket
Rovno–Lutsk Offensive 1 Stage 27 January – 11 February 1944
Nikopol–Krivoi Rog Offensive 2 Stage 30 January – 29 February 1944
Proskurov–Chernovtsy Offensive 4 March – 17 April 1944
Uman–Botoşani Offensive 5 March 1944 – 17 April 1944
Bereznegovatoye–Snigirevka Offensive (ru) : 6–18 March 1944
Polesskoe Offensive (ru) : 15 March – 5 April 1944
Odessa Offensive 26 March – 14 April 1944
  • Kalinkovichi-Mozyr Offensive (ru) : 8–30 January 1944
Ozarichi-Ptich Offensive 16-30 January 1944
Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha Offensive 14–30 January 1944
Novgorod–Luga Offensive (ru) : 14 January – 15 February 1944
Kingisepp–Gdov Offensive 1 February – 1 March 1944
Staraya Russa-Novorzhev Offensive (ru) : 18 February – 1 March 1944
Battle for Narva Bridgehead 2 February – 26 July 1944
Perekop–Sevastopol Offensive 8 April – 12 May 1944
Kerch–Sevastopol Offensive 11 April – 12 May 1944
First Battle of Târgu Frumos : 9–12 April 1944
Battle of Podu Iloaiei : 12 April 1944
Second Battle of Târgu Frumos : 2–8 May 1944

Summer–Autumn campaign of 1944 (1 June – 31 December)

Vyborg Offensive (ru) : 10-20 June 1944
Koivisto Landing Operation (ru) : 20-25 June 1944
Battle of Tienhaara : 22 June 1944
Battle of Tali-Ihantala : 25 June - 9 July 1944
Battle of Vyborg Bay (1944) : 30 June 30 – 10 July 1944
Battle of Vuosalmi : 4–17 July 1944
Svir–Petrozavodsk Offensive (ru) : 21 June – 9 August 1944
Tuloksinskaia Landing Offensive (ru) : 23–27 June 1944
Battle of Nietjärvi : 15–17 July 1944
Battle of Ilomantsi : 6 July - 13 August 1944
Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive 23–28 June 1944
Mogilev Offensive 23–28 June 1944
Bobruysk Offensive 24–29 June 1944
Polotsk Offensive 29 June – 4 July 1944
Minsk Offensive 29 June – 4 July 1944
Vilnius Offensive 5–20 July 1944
Šiauliai Offensive 5–31 July 1944
Belostock Offensive 5–27 July 1944
Lublin–Brest Offensive 18 July – 2 August 1944
Battle of Radzymin (1944)
Kaunas Offensive 28 July – 28 August 1944
Osovets Offensive 6–14 August 1944
Lvov Offensive (ru) : 13–27 July 1944
Stanislav Offensive 13–27 July 1944
Sandomierz Offensive 28 July – 29 August 1944
Yassi–Focsani Offensive 20–29 August 1944
Kishinev–Izmail Offensive 20–29 August 1944
Carpathian–Dukla Offensive 8–28 September 1944
Carpathian-Uzhgorod Offensive (ru) : 9–28 September 1944
Riga Offensive 14 September – 24 October 1944
Tallinn Offensive 17–26 September 1944
Moonsund Landing 5–22 October 1944
Memel Offensive 27 September – 24 November 1944
Kecskemét-Budapest Offensive 29 October – 10 December 1944
Szolnok–Budapest Offensive 29 October – 10 December 1944
Nyiregyhaza–Miskolc Offensive 1 November – 10 December 1944
Apatin-Kaposvár Offensive (ru) : 7 November – 31 December 1944
Esztergom–Komarno Offensive 20 December 1944 – 15 January 1945
Szekesfehervar–Esztergom Offensive 20 December 1944 – 13 February 1945
Assault on Budapest 27 December 1944 – 13 February 1945
German: Operation Konrad : 1 - 27 January 1945

Campaign in Europe 1945 (1 January – 9 May)

Warsaw-Posen Offensive (ru) : 14 January – 3 February 1945
Battle of Posen 24 January – 23 February 1945
Sandomierz–Silesian Offensive 12 January – 3 February 1945
Kosice–Poprad Offensive 12–28 January 1945
Bel'sk Offensive 29 January – 18 February 1945
Pleshevets–Breznovsk Offensive 12 January – 18 February 1945
Insterburg–Königsberg Offensive (ru) : 14–26 January 1945
Milau-Elbing Offensive (ru) : 14–26 January 1945
Rastenburg–Heilsberg Offensive 27 January – 12 February 1945
Braunsberg Offensive 13–22 March 1945
German Heiligenbeil Pocket
Königsberg Offensive 6–9 April 1945
Samland Offensive 13–25 April 1945
German Siege of Breslau 13 February – 6 May 1945
Konitz-Köslin Offensive Operation 10 February – 6 March 1945
German counteroffensive Operation Solstice 15–18 February 1945
Danzig Offensive Operation (ru) : 7–31 March 1945
Arnswalde-Kolberg Offensive Operation 1–18 March 1945
Altdamm Offensive Operation 18 March – 4 April 1945 (near Stettin)
Bulgarian Battle of the Transdanubian Hills 6–21 March 1945
Győr Offensive 13 March – 4 April 1945
Veszprem Offensive 16–25 March 1945
Sopron–Baden Offensive 26 March – 4 April 1945
Nagykanizsa–Körmend Offensive 26 March – 15 April 1945
Assault on Vienna (ru) : 4–13 April 1945
German Defence of the Oder–Neisse Line
Stettin–Rostock Offensive Operation (ru) : 16 April – 8 May 1945
German Defense of Schwedt Bridgehead 1 February – 3 March 1945
Seelow-Berlin Offensive 16 April – 2 May 1945
Battle of Halbe (Russian: Хальбский "котел", Halbe cauldron) 24 April – 1 May 1945
Cottbus–Potsdam Offensive Operation (ru) : 16 April – 8 May 1945
Spremberg–Torgau Offensive Operation (ru) : 16 April – 5 May 1945
Battle of Bautzen 21–30 April 1945
Brandenberg–Rathenow Offensive 3–8 May 1945
Dresden–Prague Offensive 6–11 May 1945
Sudeten Offensive 6–11 May 1945
Olmuetz Offensive 6–9 May 1945
Iglau-Beneschau Offensive 6–11 May 1945
  • Soviet Invasion of the Danish Island of Bornholm 7 May 1945

See also

Notes

  1. Although often given in Western sources as gallop (e.g. Glantz in When Titans Clashed), the correct translation is hurdle jump as the word for gallop in Russian is gallop

References

  • Feskov, V.I.; Kalashnikov, K.A.; Golikov, V.I. (2003). Красная Армия в победах и поражениях 1941–1945 гг [The Red Army in the Victories and Defeats of 1941–1945] (PDF) (in Russian). Tomsk: Tomsk University Press. pp. 24–29. ISBN 5-7511-1624-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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