⭐️ THE RUN TO THE ODER ⭐️
📆 80 years ago, #OTD in 1945, the #Soviet Vistula-Oder strategic offensive was commenced, one of the major operations against Nazis conducted in the territory of #Poland and Germany.
Due to the rapid pace of the Red Army’s advance (up to 30 kilometres daily) it came down in history as ‘the run to the Oder.’
☝️ Initially, the operation was to be started on 20 January 1945. But in early January, due to the failure of UK and US troops in #Ardennes (read more), #Churchill asked #Stalin for an urgent offensive on the Eastern front in order to divert Nazi forces.
❗️ The results of the offensive surpassed all expectations – Soviet troops advanced westwards by over 500 km and in early February found themselves 60 km from Berlin.
⚔️ Within the 23 days of the operation, 35 Nazi divisions were completely destroyed, other 25 divisions lost 50-70% of their personnel, 150,000 #Nazi soldiers and officers were taken POWs.
🌟 Soviet troops took Krakow and encircled enemy forces in Poznan, liberated prisoners of #Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Red Army secured a foothold on the Oder River bank – to later start the Berlin offensive from there.
#Victory80 #WorldWar2 #WW2
📆 80 years ago, #OTD in 1945, the #Soviet Vistula-Oder strategic offensive was commenced, one of the major operations against Nazis conducted in the territory of #Poland and Germany.
Due to the rapid pace of the Red Army’s advance (up to 30 kilometres daily) it came down in history as ‘the run to the Oder.’
☝️ Initially, the operation was to be started on 20 January 1945. But in early January, due to the failure of UK and US troops in #Ardennes (read more), #Churchill asked #Stalin for an urgent offensive on the Eastern front in order to divert Nazi forces.
❗️ The results of the offensive surpassed all expectations – Soviet troops advanced westwards by over 500 km and in early February found themselves 60 km from Berlin.
⚔️ Within the 23 days of the operation, 35 Nazi divisions were completely destroyed, other 25 divisions lost 50-70% of their personnel, 150,000 #Nazi soldiers and officers were taken POWs.
🌟 Soviet troops took Krakow and encircled enemy forces in Poznan, liberated prisoners of #Auschwitz concentration camp.
The Red Army secured a foothold on the Oder River bank – to later start the Berlin offensive from there.
#Victory80 #WorldWar2 #WW2
⭐️ UNPARALLELED OPERATION ⭐️
80 years ago, #OTD in 1945 the East Prussian Strategic Offensive of the Red Army started with the purpose to defeat the enemy’s grouping in the East Prussia and the northern Poland. It was carried out by Soviet troops of the 2nd, the 3rd Belorussian and the 1st Baltic fronts, supported by the #Baltic Fleet.
East Prussia for ages had been the bastion of German militarism (this is how ‘The Big Three’ leaders – Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt – referred to it during the Yalta conference). Several defence lines were created there, each consisting of three trenches, also including minefields, barbed wire, pillboxes etc.
⚔️ The #Soviet command intended to breach Nazis’ defence in directions Koenigsberg and Marienburg and cut the Army Group “Centre” from the main Wehrmacht forces, then trap it against the Baltic Sea and defeat in parts.
To withstand the Soviet advance, Nazi command conscripted people of 14-70 years to Volkssturm batallions, bringing the total number of the resisting troops to 800,000.
⚔️ Within the offensive, 6 smaller operations were conducted. As a result of the Red Army’s efforts, #Nazi forces were dissected into 3 isolated parts all of which were liquidated by 25 April 1945. 25 Nazi divisions were eliminated and 12 more depleted. The enemy lost over 480,000 killed and wounded, with some 220,000 taken POWs. Soviet troops also suffered heavy losses.
❗️ Success of the offensive was of a great military and political significance. Having gained East Prussia, the Red Army eliminated the eastern outpost of German militarism and liberated the northern regions of #Poland. The Third Reich lost an economically important region. The enemy’s maritime communications were completely disrupted and supplies to the Courland grouping blocked in the Baltic region stalled.
#Victory80 #WorldWar2 #WW2
80 years ago, #OTD in 1945 the East Prussian Strategic Offensive of the Red Army started with the purpose to defeat the enemy’s grouping in the East Prussia and the northern Poland. It was carried out by Soviet troops of the 2nd, the 3rd Belorussian and the 1st Baltic fronts, supported by the #Baltic Fleet.
East Prussia for ages had been the bastion of German militarism (this is how ‘The Big Three’ leaders – Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt – referred to it during the Yalta conference). Several defence lines were created there, each consisting of three trenches, also including minefields, barbed wire, pillboxes etc.
⚔️ The #Soviet command intended to breach Nazis’ defence in directions Koenigsberg and Marienburg and cut the Army Group “Centre” from the main Wehrmacht forces, then trap it against the Baltic Sea and defeat in parts.
To withstand the Soviet advance, Nazi command conscripted people of 14-70 years to Volkssturm batallions, bringing the total number of the resisting troops to 800,000.
⚔️ Within the offensive, 6 smaller operations were conducted. As a result of the Red Army’s efforts, #Nazi forces were dissected into 3 isolated parts all of which were liquidated by 25 April 1945. 25 Nazi divisions were eliminated and 12 more depleted. The enemy lost over 480,000 killed and wounded, with some 220,000 taken POWs. Soviet troops also suffered heavy losses.
❗️ Success of the offensive was of a great military and political significance. Having gained East Prussia, the Red Army eliminated the eastern outpost of German militarism and liberated the northern regions of #Poland. The Third Reich lost an economically important region. The enemy’s maritime communications were completely disrupted and supplies to the Courland grouping blocked in the Baltic region stalled.
#Victory80 #WorldWar2 #WW2