The Viaz'ma Catastrophe, 1941 · the Red Army's Disastrous Stand Against Operation Typhoon by Lopukhovsky, Lev -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Title Page Copyright Contents List of photographs List of maps Key to map abbreviations List of tables Introduction Part 1: Instead of a Prologue

The General Situation on the Soviet-German front by September 1941 Soviet operations on the Western strategic direction The German march on Moscow pauses Soviet forces launch a counteroffensive The Dukhovshchina and El’nia offensives Results of the Smolensk battles

Part 2: Before the Storm

The plans of the Nazi command The relative strength of the opposing sides The Stavka orders a rigid defense The defensive fronts organize their defenses The defensive lines on the approaches to the capital The creation and composition of the Moscow militia General Eremenko neglects his defenses and instead attacks

Part 3: The Typhoon Gathers Strength

Guderian initiates Operation Typhoon Von Bock sets his troops in motion The Luftwaffe disrupts command and control The Germans seize Dnepr River bridges The commanders of Briansk Front and Western Front request permission to withdraw The causes for the collapse of three Soviet Front defenses

Part 4: The Retreat

The Western Front and Group Boldin are involved in heavy fighting The German breakthrough to Iukhnov Questions surrounding the decision to withdraw The Western Front retreats to the Rzhev – Viaz’ma line The ring of encirclement snaps shut The Germans hunt for ‘Timoshenko’s headquarters’ The Reserve Front commander goes missing

Photo Gallery Part 5: In Encirclement

Von Bock’s further plans The prepared defensive line along the Dnepr must be abandoned General Lukin assumes command of the encircled forces west of Viaz’ma The retreat from the Dnepr River line Attempts to break out of encirclement on 9 and 10 October The situation of the Red Army forces encircled southwest of Viaz’ma Changes in the higher command of the Red Army The Stavka’s dilemma The situation in the Briansk Front sector Briansk Front creates a breach in the encircling German lines Western Front’s Military Council deliberates: Defend or break out?

Part 6: Catastrophe

Initial steps to rebuild a strategic front Could the Stavka have rescued the forces encircled west of Viaz’ma? The 19th Army prepares to break out of encirclement The 19th Army’s breakout attempt on 11 October fails The decision to break out to the south is reached The fighting southwest of Viaz’ma The fighting in the Viaz’ma area winds down Von Bock is compelled to suspend the offensive Hitler’s plan to crush the Soviet forces and seize Moscow is a failure

Part 7: The Dimensions of the Defeat

Operation Typhoon triggers a panic in Moscow; a state of siege is declared Official data on the Soviet losses are sharply understated An unsuccessful method of calculating losses, or a political order?

Part 8: Epilogue Appendices

Appendix I: Comparative Strength of a Soviet Rifle Division and a German Infantry Division, 1941 Appendix II: German Unit Organizations Appendix III: Comparative Strength of a Soviet Tank and German Panzer Division, 1941 Appendix IV: Operational Strength of the Wehrmacht’s Panzer Divisions and Separate Panzer Battalions at the Start of Operation Barbarossa Appendix V: Irreplaceable Losses of the Wehrmacht in Armor and Anti-Tank Guns on the Eastern Front in 1941 Appendix VI: Available Tanks in the Third Panzer Group’s Panzer Divisions in September 1941 Appendix VII: Available Tanks in the Panzer Groups of Army Group Center for Operation Typhoon Appendix VIII: Comparative Technical and Performance Characteristics of Soviet and German Tanks and their Armament Appendix IX: State Defense Committee Decree “On the Voluntary Mobilization of the Workers of Moscow and Moscow Oblast for the People’s Militia Divisions” Appendix X: Roster and Organization of the People’s Militia Divisions of Moscow that had joined the Acting Army by the start of Operation Typhoon Appendix XI: Hitler’s Order of the Day to the German troops on the Eastern Front issued 2 October 1941 Appendix XII: The title page from L. N. Lopukhovsky’s book on the history of the 120th Howitzer Artillery Regiment of the Supreme Command Reserve, showing the Frunze Military Academy military censor’s approval for publication Appendix XIII: The 32nd Army commander’s order for the withdrawal of the 2nd Rifle Division (original) Appendix XIV: The 19th Army commander’s operational instruction that countermanded the order from the 32nd Army commander Appendix XV: The 19th Army commander’s Combat Order No. 73 from 8 October 1941 to the commander of the 2nd Rifle Division about escaping the encirclement (original) Appendix XVI: The 19th Army commander’s Combat Instruction No. 74 from 9 October 1941 about withdrawing the units of the 2nd Rifle Division (original) Appendix XVII: Combat Order No. 71 Appendix XVIII: Explanation of the commander of the 166th Rifle Division Major- General M. Ia. Dodonov Appendix XIX: State Defense Committee Decree on the Evacuation of the Capital City of the USSR Moscow, 15 October 1941 Appendix XX: State Defense Committee Decree No. 813 from 19 October 1941 about Implementing a State of Siege in Moscow and the Adjacent Areas from 20 October

Notes Selected Bibliography eBooks Published by Helion & Company

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