Leningrad strategic defensive

Leningrad Strategic Defensive
Part of the Eastern Front of World War II
Date 10 July – 30 September 1941 Location Pskov Oblast, Novgorod Oblast, Estonia, Leningrad Oblast, the Baltic Sea Result German victory, a siege laid to Leningrad
Belligerents
Germany	Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Wilhelm von Leeb G. Reinhardt G. Küchler	P. Sobennikov P. Kurochkin M. Popov K. Voroshilov G. Zhukov V. Tributs
Units involved
Army Group North 4th Panzer Group 16th Army 18th Army	unknown
Strength
517,000	725,000
Casualties and losses
60,000	214,000 were killed or captured 1,492 tanks destroyed 9,889 artillery pieces lost 1,702 aircraft destroyed 733,300 small arms lost Total: 345,000 casualties

Frontline on 10 July 1941

Leningrad Strategic Defensive Operation is the term in Soviet historiography for the defensive operations in the arear south of Leningrad of the Red Army and Soviet Navy during World War II from 10 July to 30 September 1941. The following operations are considered as part of the strategic operation:

Kingisepp-Luga Defensive 10 July – 23 September 1941

Soltsy-Dno Offensive 15–20 July 1941

Tallinn Defensive 5– 22 August 1941

Staraya-Russa Offensive 8–23 August 1941

Demyansk Defensive 6–26 September 1941

Positions of the German forces at the start of the operation

After the start of Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941, the German Army Group North, consisting of the 18th, the 4th Panzer Group and 16th Armies, had made a spectacular advance through the Baltics states.
In two and a half weeks, Lithuania and Latvia had been overrun and on 9 July, the 4th Panzer Group had already reached Pskov in Russia and the southern shore of Lake Peipus, with a bulge to the north-east towards Slavkovich. On the left flank of the bulge was the XXXXI Motorized Corps and on the right the LVI Motorized Corps.
The German 18th Army had advanced along the coast and pursued the Soviet 8th Army from its position on the border. The Soviet 8th Army was able to break contact and establish new defensive lines farther to the rear of the pre-war borders. On 10 July the German 18th Army, helped by the local Forest Brothers, had entered Southern Estonia and was positioned with its left flank occupying positions north of the city of Pärnu, along the Pärnu River through the Võhma District and then south-east to Tartu and Lake Peipus.
The 16th Army was at that time on the southern flank of the Army Group around the Velikaya River and west of Novorzhev. The Infantry of the 16th Army was lacking behind the 4th Panzergroup because of the difference in speed, but also because it was asked to support Army Group Center on its right flank.

Area covered during the operation

Territory

The campaign was conducted in the area to the northwest of the Kalinin Region to the Baltic Sea. In the north the land line of operations was limited to the shores of the Gulf of Finland, north of the Gulf Soviet troops were engaged in the Arctic-Karelia Strategic Defensive and the defense of the Hanko Peninsula. In the east the German troops reached the southern shore of Lake Ladoga, south along the Kirisha River to Kirishi, then south along the Volkhov River to Veliky Novgorod, including the city, then along the western side of Lake Ilmen to Staraya Russa, from there to the north end of Lake Vella and from the western boundary of the lake to the north shore of Lake Seliger to the region west of Peno. South of the border demarcation operated the forces of German Army Group Center. The width of the fighting front was roughly 450 kilometers and advanced a total of 270–300 kilometers due to Soviet withdrawals.

Background and operational plans of the forces involved

German plans

On 10 July, it was decided that Panzer Group 4 was to launch a two-pronged attack, without waiting for the slower infantry to arrive.
The XXXXI Panzer Corps of Georg-Hans Reinhardt was to attack towards the city of Luga, while LVI Panzer Corps of Erich von Manstein was to advance toward Lake Ilmen in a flanking movement.

Order of battle

Main article: Order of battle for the Leningrad Strategic Defensive Operation

The German ground forces were supported by Luftflotte 1 which was reinforces by the 8th Fliegercorps as the operation progressed.

Course of the operation

The operation took place from 10 July to 30 September lasting a total of 83 days.

The end of the Leningrad Strategic Defensive is followed by the Siege of Leningrad since 8 September 1941.

Results of the operations

Main article: Siege of Leningrad

The retreating Soviet forces (and civilians alike) were cut off the Soviet mainland in Leningrad, isolated from the bulk of Soviet-controlled territory by the Finns and Lake Ladoga. Despite many costly attempts, the Soviets did not lift the siege completely until January 1944.

The Soviet Baltic Fleet abandoned Tallinn. The Germans conquered Estonia and a large strip of Western Russia up to southern shores of the Gulf of Finland, although some strong-points of Soviet defence held out.

Operations continued on the outskirts of Leningrad include the 1st and Second Sinyavino Offensives from 10 September – 28 October 1941. The Tikhvin Defensive from 16 October – 18 November 1941. To the south only the Demyansk Offensive from 7 January – 25 May 1942 took place.