August-September 1944 was marked by a brilliant operation, as a result of which the Soviet army opened the gates to the Balkans, two of Hitler's allies, Romania and Bulgaria, left the war, and the Balkan issue was resolved in favor of the Soviet Union. This is the Iasi-Chisinau strategic offensive operation.
Winston Churchill called the Balkans “the soft underbelly of Europe” and initially planned to open the Second Front precisely in the Balkans, including in order to stop the Red Army and prevent the penetration of Soviet influence into Central and Southern Europe. In his memoirs, the British Prime Minister writes: "After we broke into Sicily and Italy in the summer of 1943, the thought of the Balkans, and especially Yugoslavia, did not leave me for a minute." And the American journalist R. Intersoll will bluntly state: “The Balkans were the magnet to which, no matter how you shook the compass, the arrow of the British strategy invariably pointed ...” However, first the objections of Roosevelt and Stalin, who insisted on landing in Normandy, and then the operational situation in Italy, northern France and Belgium were buried by Churchill's distant strategic plans.
The situation favored a Russian breakthrough into the Balkans. Hitler was forced to transfer 12 divisions to Poland and Germany, including 6 tank divisions, from Army Group South Ukraine, despite the clear threat to the oil heart of Germany and the anxiety of the dictator Ion Antonescu, who was threatened with invasion from outside and conspiracies from within. The liberation of Moldova and the transfer of the war to the territory of Romania were to be carried out by the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts (commanders R.Ya. Malinovsky, F.I. Tolbukhin). The combined strength of both fronts was 1.3 million men, 16,000 guns and mortars, 1,870 tanks and self-propelled guns, 22,000 aircraft, and all the forces of the Black Sea Fleet.
The preparations of the Soviet troops were not a secret for the Germans, but they could not do anything.
They were opposed by the Army Group "Southern Ukraine" under the command of the skillful Colonel General G. Frisner, numbering 900 thousand people, 7600 guns and mortars, over 400 tanks and assault guns, more than 800 aircraft. By chance - or irony of fate - the location of his troops repeated Stalingrad: in the center of the ledge was the repeatedly beaten 6th Army, and on the flanks, as well as near Stalingrad, the rather weak 3rd and 4th Romanian armies were located. This, in a certain sense, determined the strategic plan of the operation - "new Cannes": two strikes at a long distance, respectively, on Iasi and Chisinau. In the breakthrough areas, the superiority of our troops reached: in people - 4-8 times, in artillery - 6-11 times, in tanks - 6 times. Artillery density reached 280 guns and 1 km of front, while near Stalingrad it did not exceed 117 guns per 1 km. Contrary to popular belief, the preparations of the Soviet troops were not a secret for the Germans, but they could not do anything.
Both fronts began to advance at dawn on August 20 at the same time. The artillery strike at 7:40 am was so strong that the first strip of German defense was completely destroyed. Here is how one of the participants in those battles from the Soviet side describes the state of the German defense in his memoirs: “When we moved forward, the terrain was black to a depth of about 10 kilometers. The enemy's defense was practically destroyed. The enemy trenches, dug to their full height, turned into shallow ditches no more than knee-deep. The dugouts were destroyed. Sometimes dugouts miraculously survived, but the enemy soldiers who were in them were dead, although there were no signs of wounds. came from high air pressure after shell explosions and suffocation.
The blows were so strong that the defense of the Romanians was broken through on the very first day to a tactical depth, that is, 10–16 km. A few hours after the start of the offensive, the 6th Panzer Army of General A.G. entered the gap. Kravchenko. The history of modern troops has not yet known such an example. During the day, 9 divisions were defeated at once.
On August 20, during a breakthrough in the battles in the Tirgu Frumos area, Sergeant Alexander Shevchenko distinguished himself. The advance of his company was in jeopardy due to enemy fire from the bunker. Attempts to suppress the bunker with artillery fire from closed firing positions did not bring success. Then Shevchenko rushed to the embrasure and closed it with his body, opening the way for the assault group. For the accomplished feat, Shevchenko was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
In the Dumitrescu army group, both divisions of the 29th Romanian corps completely disintegrated, and in the Veler group, five Romanian divisions were defeated. By the end of August 21, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front had finally crushed the enemy defenses. Having expanded the breakthrough to 65 km along the front and up to 40 km in depth, they captured the cities of Iasi. Tirgu-Frumos and entered the operational space. The troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front advanced to a depth of 35 km, expanding the breakthrough along the front to 90 km, and rushed towards their neighbors. The ring around the German 6th Army was steadily shrinking, its commander fled. On the morning of August 22, the German command began the withdrawal of troops from the Chisinau ledge over the Prut River. “But it was already too late,” G. Frisner will later say in his memoirs. By the end of the day, the strike groups of the two Ukrainian fronts intercepted the main enemy withdrawal routes to the west. And a day later, the representative of the Headquarters on the fronts, Marshal of the Soviet Union S.K. Tymoshenko at 23:30 will report to I.V. Stalin: “As a result of four days of operation, the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts today, August 23, completed the operational encirclement of the Chisinau enemy grouping ...”
In the boiler were, as well as under, 18 Romanian and German divisions. They were surrounded by 34 divisions engaged in the destruction of the encircled. It took them four days to do this. By the end of August 27, the operation was completed: 208,000 people were captured, along with the remnants of the 3rd Romanian army, which retreated to the Black Sea. Soon they destroyed that part of the troops that crossed to the western bank of the Prut with the intention of breaking through to the Carpathian passes.
The defeat of the German and Romanian troops caused a revolution in Romania. As early as June 20, representatives of the communist, social democratic and national liberal parties came to an agreement on the creation of the National Democratic Bloc to eliminate the Antonescu regime and Romania's exit from the war. King Mihai of Romania coordinated all actions. After the defeats at Iasi and Chisinau, the army ceased to obey. On August 23, during an audience with the king, dictator I. Antonescu, his deputy M. Antonescu and other government ministers were arrested, parts of the Bucharest garrison were ordered to occupy and protect state institutions, the post office, the telegraph office, and the telephone exchange. Bucharest Radio announced the overthrow of Antonescu, the establishment of a government of national unity, the cessation of hostilities against the United Nations, and Romania's acceptance of the armistice terms.
General Guderian suggested to Hitler "to take all measures to ensure that Romania disappears from the map of Europe, and the Romanian people cease to exist as a nation ..."
More than 50 Soviet divisions rushed to help the rebels in order to help the rebels and neutralize the German divisions that were still in Romanian territory. Hitler ordered the suppression of the uprising, while the Chief of the General Staff, General Guderian, suggested that Hitler "take all measures to ensure that Romania disappears from the map of Europe, and the Romanian people cease to exist as a nation ..." After that, there is nothing to say about the innocence of German generals in the crimes of Nazism, their humanity and chivalry: only thanks to the incomprehensible "humanism" of the allies, some of them left the well-deserved retribution. And, however, the Germans did not succeed: the 14,000-strong German garrison of Bucharest was driven out by the retreating Romanian troops, and 7,000 Germans were captured on August 29. On August 30, Soviet troops entered Bucharest: units of the 6th Panzer, 53rd Soviet armies, as well as the 1st Romanian Infantry Volunteer Division named after Tudor Vladimirescu, which already fought as part of our troops.
The results of the Iasi-Kishinev operation were amazing: by September 3, Soviet troops destroyed 22 German divisions, including 18 divisions that were surrounded, and also defeated almost all the Romanian troops at the front. 209 thousand soldiers and officers, including 25 generals, were taken prisoner, 400 tanks were destroyed and 340 were captured in good order, 1,500 were destroyed and 2,000 guns were captured, 298 were destroyed and 40 aircraft were captured, and many other military equipment and weapons. At the same time, the losses of our troops were the most minimal since the beginning of the war. They amounted to: irrevocable - 13,197 people, sanitary - 53,933 people.
The Romanian troops went over to the side of the Soviet Army and together with it began to fight against the recent allies, which was legally recorded on September 12, 1944 by the inclusion of Romania in the anti-Hitler coalition.
The great Russian elder Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov) fought in Romania. The liberation of Romania was not easy. According to the recollections of the late Sergei Nikolayevich Spitsyn, who also fought in Romania, the Germans, leaving, resisted stubbornly and did not stop at extreme cruelties. Once they slaughtered a dozen of our soldiers, making them sleepy. Against this background, the generosity of the Russian people is striking. In one of the Romanian villages, colleagues of Sergei Nikolayevich captured a platoon of Germans. Of the young, one soldier, who had recently arrived from the rear, began to wave his machine gun: "I'll shoot them all, bastards, now." He was taken aside and explained briefly and clearly: "You fight with ours, then yell." The prisoners were safely delivered to the rear. And it becomes clear why we won. God in that war was with the Russian soldier.
Encirclement of the Chisinau group
On August 19, 1944, the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts conducted reconnaissance in force. On the morning of August 20, artillery preparation began, the Soviet inflicted powerful blows on the defense centers, headquarters, clusters of enemy equipment. At 07:40, Soviet troops, supported by artillery fire, went on the offensive. The advance of the infantry and close support was also supported by ground attack aircraft, which attacked enemy firing positions and strongholds.
According to the testimony of the prisoners, artillery and air strikes were a significant success. In the breakthrough areas, the first strip of German defense was almost completely destroyed. Management at the level of battalion - regiment - division was lost. Some German divisions lost up to half of their personnel on the very first day of fighting. This success was due to the high concentration of fire weapons in the breakthrough areas: up to 240 guns and mortars and up to 56 tanks and self-propelled guns per 1 km of the front.
It should be noted that by August 1944, the Germans and Romanians had prepared a deep defensive system with well-developed engineering structures on the territory of the Moldavian SSR and Romania. The tactical defense zone consisted of two lanes, and its depth reached 8-19 kilometers. Behind it, at a distance of 15-20 kilometers from the front line, the third line of defense (the Trajan line) passed along the Mare ridge. Two defensive lines were created on the western banks of the Prut and Siret rivers. Many cities, including Chisinau and Iasi, were prepared for all-round defense and turned into real fortified areas.
However, the German defense was unable to stop the offensive impulse of the Soviet armies. The strike force of the 2nd Ukrainian Front broke through the enemy's main line of defense. The 27th Army under the command of Sergei Trofimenko broke through the second line of enemy defenses by the middle of the day. The Soviet command brought the 6th Panzer Army under the command of Andrei Kravchenko into the breakthrough. After that, as General Frisner, commander of the Southern Ukraine Army Group, admitted, "incredible chaos began" in the ranks of the German-Romanian troops. The German command tried to stop the offensive of the Soviet troops and turn the tide of the battle, operational reserves were thrown into battle - three infantry and tank divisions. However, the German counterattacks could not change the situation, there were few forces for a full-fledged counterattack, and besides, the Soviet troops were already well able to respond to such enemy actions. Malinovsky's troops went to Iasi and started a battle for the city.
Thus, on the very first day of the offensive, our troops broke through the enemy defenses, brought the second echelon into battle and successfully developed the offensive. Six enemy divisions were destroyed. The Soviet armies reached the enemy's third line of defense, which ran along the wooded Mare ridge.
Troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front also successfully attacked, wedged into the enemy defenses at the junction of the 6th German and 3rd Romanian armies. By the end of the first day of the offensive, formations of the 3rd Ukrainian Front broke through the enemy's main line of defense and began to break through the second line. This created favorable opportunities for isolating parts of the 3rd Romanian army with a view to its subsequent destruction.
On August 21, Soviet troops fought heavy battles on the Mara ridge. It was not possible to break through the German defenses of the 6th Panzer Army on the move. Formations of the 7th Guards Army and the cavalry-mechanized group fought stubborn battles for Tirgu Frumos, where the Germans created a powerful fortified area. By the end of the day, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front had overcome all three defensive lines of the enemy, two powerful enemy fortified areas were taken - Iasi and Tirgu Frumos. Soviet troops expanded the breakthrough to 65 km along the front and up to 40 km in depth.
In the offensive zone of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, the Germans launched a counterattack. The German command, trying to disrupt the Soviet offensive, on the morning of August 21 pulled up reserves and, relying on the second line of defense, launched a counterattack. Special hopes were placed on the 13th Panzer Division. However, the troops of the 37th Army repelled enemy counterattacks. In general, during August 20 and 21, the troops of the shock group of the 3rd Ukrainian Front broke through the enemy’s tactical defenses, repelled his counterattacks, defeating the 13th Panzer Division, and increased the penetration depth to 40-50 km. The front command brought mobile formations into the breakthrough - the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps in the zone of the 46th Army and the 7th Mechanized Corps in the zone of the 37th Army.
Tanks of the 7th MK are fighting in the Iasi-Kishinev operation. Moldova August 1944
On August 21, the Headquarters, fearing that the offensive would slow down and the enemy would use favorable terrain conditions, would be able to withdraw all available forces, holding up Soviet troops for a long time, issued a directive in which they slightly adjusted the tasks of the fronts. So that the Soviet troops would not be late with access to the Prut River and not miss the opportunity to encircle the Chisinau group, the command of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts was reminded that their main task at the first stage of the offensive was to quickly create an encirclement ring in the Khushi area. In the future, it was necessary to narrow the encirclement in order to destroy or capture enemy troops. The directive of the Headquarters was necessary, since with a quick breakthrough of the German defense, the command of the 2nd Ukrainian Front was tempted to continue the offensive along the Roman-Fokshany line, and the 3rd Ukrainian Front - Tarutino - Galati. The headquarters believed that the main forces and means of the fronts should be used to encircle and eliminate the Chisinau group. The destruction of this group already opened the way to the main economic and political centers of Romania. And so it happened.
On the night of August 21 and all the next day, the 6th Panzer Army and the 18th Panzer Corps pursued the enemy. Malinovsky's troops went deep into the enemy's defenses for 60 km and expanded the breakthrough to 120 km. The armies of the 3rd Ukrainian Front were rapidly advancing towards the Prut. The front's mobile formations penetrated 80 km into the depth of the enemy's defenses. By the end of the second day of the operation, Tolbukhin's troops isolated the German 6th Army from the Romanian 3rd. The main forces of the 6th German Army fell into the encirclement near the village of Leusheny. On the left wing of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, units of the 46th Army, with the support of the Danube military flotilla, successfully crossed the Dniester Estuary. On the night of August 22, Soviet soldiers liberated Akkerman and continued their offensive to the southwest.
Bombing by Soviet aircraft of the Romanian port of Constanta
Soviet boats of the Black Sea Fleet of the MO-4 type enter the port of Varna
Aviation was active: in two days of fighting, Soviet pilots made 6350 sorties. The aviation of the Black Sea Fleet dealt heavy blows to the German naval bases in Sulina and Constanta. It should be noted that throughout the entire operation, Soviet aviation completely dominated the air. This made it possible to deliver powerful air strikes against the enemy troops, his rear, reliably cover the advancing Soviet armies from the air and fend off the actions of the German Air Force. In total, during the operation, Soviet pilots shot down 172 German aircraft.
The command of Army Group "Southern Ukraine", having analyzed the situation following the results of the first day of fighting, decided to withdraw troops to the rear line along the Prut River. Frisner gave the order to retreat without even getting Hitler's consent. The troops still retreated chaotically. On August 22, the high command also gave consent to the withdrawal of troops. But it was already too late. By this time, Soviet troops had intercepted the main withdrawal routes of the Chisinau group, it was doomed. In addition, the German command did not have strong mobile reserves with which it was possible to organize strong deblocking strikes. In such a situation, it was necessary to withdraw troops even before the start of the Soviet offensive.
On August 23, Soviet troops fought in order to tightly close the encirclement and continued to move west. The 18th Panzer Corps entered the Khushi area. The 7th mechanized corps went to the crossings over the Prut in the Leushen area, and the 4th guards mechanized corps went to Leovo. Parts of the Soviet 46th Army pushed back the troops of the 3rd Romanian Army to the Black Sea, in the Tatarbunar region. On August 24, Romanian troops ceased resistance. On the same day, ships of the Danube military flotilla landed troops in the area of Zhebriyana - Vilkovo. Also on August 24, units of the 5th shock army liberated Chisinau.
As a result, on August 24, the first stage of the strategic offensive operation was completed. The defensive lines of the enemy fell, the Yassko-Kishinev grouping was surrounded. 18 divisions out of 25 available in the Army Group "Southern Ukraine" fell into the "cauldron". A huge gap was formed in the German defense, which there was nothing to cover. A coup d'etat took place in Romania, the Romanians began to fold or turn it against the Germans. By August 26, the entire territory of the Moldavian SSR was liberated from the Nazis.
German Hummel self-propelled artillery mount, destroyed as a result of the bombing of a German column with high-explosive bombs
Coup d'état in Romania. Destruction of the Chisinau group
The calculation of Joseph Stalin that the main consequence of the successful offensive of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts would be the “sobering up” of the Romanian leadership was fully justified. On the night of August 22, a secret meeting was held in Mihai's royal palace. Opposition figures, including communists, took part in it. It was decided to arrest Prime Minister Antonescu and other pro-German figures. August 23, returning from the front after a meeting with the command of the army group "Southern Ukraine", Antonescu was arrested. Before his arrest, he was going to carry out additional mobilization in the country and create a new line of defense together with the Germans. At the same time, many members of his cabinet were arrested. King Mihai made a radio speech in which he announced that Romania was withdrawing from the war on the side of Germany and accepting the terms of the armistice. The new government demanded the withdrawal of German troops from Romanian territory. It should be noted that Stalin highly appreciated the courage of Mihai, the king after the end of the war was awarded the Order of Victory.
The German diplomats and the military mission were taken by surprise. The German command refused to comply with the demand for the withdrawal of troops. Hitler was furious and demanded to punish the traitors. The German Air Force attacked the Romanian capital. However, the attempts of the German troops to occupy the strategic objects of Romania and the offensive on the capital failed. There were no forces for such an operation. In addition, the Romanians actively resisted. The government of Constantin Sanatescu declared war on Germany and asked for help from the Soviet Union.
The front finally collapsed. Everywhere where the Romanians defended themselves, the defensive orders collapsed. Soviet troops could safely move on. Chaos began. Any centralized leadership of the German troops collapsed, the rear was cut off. Separate scattered battle groups of German formations were forced to break through to the west on their own. German ships, submarines, transports and boats full of German soldiers sailed from Romanian ports to Bulgarian Varna and Burgas. Another wave of escaping German soldiers, mostly from the rear, poured across the Danube.
At the same time, the German military-political leadership did not give up hope of keeping at least part of Romania under its control. Already on August 24, Berlin announced the creation of a pro-German leadership headed by the fascist organization "Iron Guard" Horia Sima. Adolf Hitler ordered the arrest of the Romanian king. The Wehrmacht occupied the strategic oil-producing area of Ploiesti. During August 24 - 29, 1944, there were stubborn battles between German and Romanian troops. During these clashes, the Romanians were able to capture more than 50 thousand Germans, including 14 generals.
The Soviet command provided assistance to Romania: 50 divisions, supported by the main forces of the two air armies, were sent to help the Romanian troops, who resisted the Germans. The rest of the troops were left to eliminate the Chisinau group. The encircled German troops offered stubborn resistance. They rushed to the breakthrough in large masses of infantry with the support of armored vehicles and artillery. We were looking for weak spots in the encirclement. However, in the course of a series of separate heated battles, the German troops were defeated. By the end of August 27, the entire German grouping was destroyed. By August 28, they also eliminated that part of the German group that was able to break through to the western bank of the Prut and tried to break through to the Carpathian passes.
Meanwhile, the offensive of the Soviet troops continued. The 2nd Ukrainian Front advanced towards Northern Transylvania and in the direction of Foksha. On August 27, Soviet troops occupied Focsani and reached the approaches to Ploiesti and Bucharest. Parts of the 46th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front developed an offensive along both banks of the Danube, cutting off the escape routes of the defeated German troops to Bucharest. The Black Sea Fleet and the Danube military flotilla assisted the offensive of the ground forces, landed tactical landings, and crushed the enemy with the help of aircraft. On August 27, Galati was occupied. On August 28, Soviet troops captured the cities of Braila and Sulina. On August 29, the landing of the Black Sea Fleet occupied the port of Constanta. On the same day, the advance detachment of the 46th Army went to Bucharest. On August 31, Soviet troops entered Bucharest. On this, the Iasi-Kishinev operation ended.
Residents of Bucharest welcome the Soviet soldiers. The inscription on a large banner can be translated as "Long live the great Stalin - the brilliant leader of the Red Army"
Results
The Iasi-Kishinev operation ended with the complete victory of the Red Army. Germany suffered a major military-strategic, political and economic defeat. The troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts, with the support of the Black Sea Fleet and the Danube military flotilla, defeated the main forces of the German Army Group South Ukraine. The German-Romanian troops lost about 135 thousand people killed, wounded and missing. More than 208 thousand people were taken prisoner. As trophies, 2 thousand guns, 340 tanks and assault guns, almost 18 thousand vehicles and other equipment and weapons were captured. Soviet troops lost more than 67 thousand people, of which over 13 thousand people were killed, missing, died of diseases, etc.
Soviet troops liberated the Izmail region of the Ukrainian SSR, Modavskaya SSR from the Nazis. Romania was withdrawn from the war. Under favorable conditions created by the successes of the Soviet fronts, the Romanian progressive forces rose in revolt and overthrew the pro-German dictatorship of Antonescu. She went over to the side of the anti-Hitler coalition and entered the war with Germany. Although a significant part of Romania still remained in the hands of German troops and pro-German Romanian forces, and the battles for the country continued until the end of October 1944, this was a great success for Moscow. Romania will field 535,000 soldiers and officers against Germany and her allies.
The way to the Balkans was opened for the Soviet troops. There was an opportunity to enter Hungary, to provide assistance to the allied Yugoslav partisans. Favorable conditions arose for the development of the struggle in Czechoslovakia, Albania and Greece. Bulgaria refused an alliance with Germany. On August 26, 1944, the Bulgarian government declared neutrality and demanded the withdrawal of German troops from Bulgaria. On September 8, Bulgaria declared war on Germany. Yes, and Turkey attended. She observed neutrality, but was friendly to Germany, and was waiting in the wings when it would be possible to profit at the expense of Russia. Now it was possible to pay for the preparation of the invasion of the Caucasus. The Turks urgently undertook to establish friendship with the British and Americans.
From a military point of view, the Iasi-Kishinev operation was one of the most successful operations of the Red Army during the Great Patriotic War. The Iasi-Chisinau Cannes were distinguished by a skillful choice of directions for the main attacks of the fronts, a high level of offensive tempo, a swift encirclement, and the destruction of a large enemy grouping. Also, the operation was distinguished by close and skillful interaction of all types of troops, high losses of the enemy, and relatively low losses of Soviet troops. The operation clearly showed the greatly increased level of Soviet military art, the combat skills of the commanding staff and the combat experience of the soldiers.
Almost immediately after the liberation of Moldova, its economic recovery began. Moscow in 1944-1945 allocated 448 million rubles for these purposes. First of all, the military, with the help of the local population, restored the railway communication and bridges across the Dniester, which were destroyed by the retreating Nazis. Even during the war, equipment was received for the restoration of 22 enterprises, 286 collective farms began work. For the peasantry, seeds, cattle, horses, etc. arrived from Russia. All this contributed to the resumption of peaceful life in the republic. The Moldavian SSR also contributed to the overall victory over the enemy. After the liberation of the republic, more than 250 thousand people went to the front as volunteers.
Residents of Bucharest meet Soviet soldiers
By the beginning of the operation, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian (commander General of the Army R.Ya. Malinovsky) and the 3rd Ukrainian (commander General of the Army F.I. Tolbukhin) fronts were at the turn of Krasnoilsk, Pashkani, north of Yass, further along the Dniester to the Black Sea , and occupied an enveloping position in relation to the enemy grouping. In the Kitskani region, south of Tiraspol, Soviet troops held an important bridgehead on the right bank of the Dniester. In front of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts, the Southern Ukraine Army Group (commanded by Colonel-General G. Frissner) was defending as part of the 8th and 6th German, 3rd and 4th Romanian armies and the 17th th German separate army corps, with a total number of 900 thousand people, 7.6 thousand guns and mortars, over 400 tanks and assault guns. They were supported by part of the forces of the 4th air fleet and the Romanian aviation corps, which had 810 aircraft. The enemy, using the mountainous terrain and numerous rivers, created a powerful defense in depth (up to 80 km) with a developed system of engineering structures. In the center of the Army Group "Southern Ukraine" in the Chisinau direction, the most combat-ready German 6th Army took up defense, and on the flanks - mainly Romanian troops.
The Soviet command skillfully used the favorable configuration of the front line and the weak provision of the flanks of the enemy grouping. According to the plan of the operation, the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts, with strikes from the north and east in two areas far apart from each other (north-west of Yass and south of Bendery), were supposed to break through the enemy’s defenses and, developing the offensive along converging to the area Khushi, Vaslui, Falciu directions, encircle and destroy the main forces of Army Group "Southern Ukraine", then at a high pace to develop an offensive deep into Romania. The 2nd Ukrainian Front delivered the main blow with the forces of the 27th, 52nd, 53rd and 6th Panzer Armies from the area northwest of Iasi in the general direction of Vaslui, Falchiu, cutting off the retreat of the Yassko-Kishinev enemy grouping to the west, an auxiliary strike - with the forces of 7 th Guards Army and Cavalry Mechanized Group (KMG) along the river. Siret to secure the right flank of the main group.
After the encirclement of the Yassko-Chisinau grouping, the main forces of the 2nd Ukrainian Front were to advance in the general direction towards Focsani, forming the outer front of the encirclement, and the troops of the left wing were to create an internal encirclement front and, together with the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, destroy the encircled grouping. The 3rd Ukrainian Front delivered the main blow with the forces of the 57th, 37th and right wing of the 46th armies from the Kitskansky bridgehead in the direction of Khushi, an auxiliary strike was carried out by part of the forces of the 46th army in cooperation with the Danube military flotilla through the Dnieper estuary in the direction of Belgorod -Dniester (Ackerman). The Danube military flotilla (commander Rear Admiral S.G. Gorshkov) was supposed to land troops northwest and south of Akkerman, and with the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front to the Danube, assist them in forcing the river and provide Soviet ships and vessels with unhindered movement along her. After the encirclement of the Yassko-Kishinev grouping of the enemy, the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front were tasked with developing the offensive in the general direction on Renia and Izmail, preventing the enemy from withdrawing beyond the Prut and Danube. The actions of the ground forces were supported by the 5th and 17th air armies. The Black Sea Fleet (commanded by Admiral F.S. Oktyabrsky) had the task of supporting the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front with fire, disrupting the enemy’s sea communications. The coordination of the actions of the fronts was carried out by the representative of the Supreme Command Headquarters Marshal S.K. Timoshenko.
The operation involved 1.25 million people, 16 thousand guns and mortars, 1870 tanks and self-propelled guns and 2200 combat aircraft (including fleet aviation). As part of the Soviet troops was the 1st Romanian Volunteer Division. T. Vladimirescu. 67 - 72% of infantry, up to 61% of artillery, 85% of tanks and self-propelled guns were concentrated on the directions of the main attacks. Almost all aviation. Thanks to this, in the breakthrough sectors, the fronts had superiority over the enemy: in people - 4-8, in artillery - 6-11, in tanks and self-propelled guns - 6 times. This provided them with the opportunity to continuously build up the power of strikes in the offensive.
On August 16, the command received an order to launch an offensive "in view of readiness" - for the purpose of secrecy, the word "resettlement" was used in such cases.
PROGRESS OF THE OPERATION: THE FIRST STAGE
The offensive of both fronts began on August 20 after a powerful artillery, and on the 3rd Ukrainian Front and aviation training. The troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front on the 1st day broke through the enemy defenses to the entire tactical depth and advanced 16 km. In the zone of the 27th Army, already in the middle of the day, the 6th Panzer Army was introduced into the gap. By the end of the day, its formations reached the 3rd defensive line of the enemy, which was like the Mare ridge. The offensive of the 3rd Ukrainian Front also developed at a high pace. The 37th and 46th armies broke through the enemy's main line of defense during the day and, having advanced 12 km in depth, wedged in places into the 2nd line. On the second day, the enemy pulled units of 12 divisions, including 2 tank divisions, to the breakthrough area of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, and tried to stop his offensive with counterattacks. However, the entry into battle in the band of the 52nd Army of the 18th Tank Corps, and on the auxiliary - the 7th Guards Army and KMG, Major General S.I. Gorshkov thwarted the plans of the enemy. By the end of the second day, the troops of the front crushed the enemy's defenses, having overcome his 3rd defensive zone, and, advancing up to 40 km in depth, captured the cities. Iasi and Targu Frumos. The troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front on this day also completed the breakthrough of the enemy's defenses. The 7th and 4th Guards Mechanized Corps, introduced into the battle, advanced up to 30 km in depth and actually cut off the 6th German Army from the 3rd Romanian Army. The aviation of the fronts rendered great assistance to the ground forces. In two days, the 5th and 17th air armies made about 6350 sorties.
Developing success on the internal front of the encirclement, on August 23, the 18th Tank Corps of the 2nd Ukrainian Front went to the Khushi area, and the 7th and 4th Guards Mechanized Corps of the 3rd Ukrainian Front - to the crossings on the river. Prut in the area of Leuseni and Leovo. The operational encirclement of the Chisinau enemy grouping (18 divisions) was completed. On the same day, the troops of the 46th Army, which had crossed the Dniester Estuary in cooperation with the Danube military flotilla the day before, surrounded the Romanian 3rd Army with the assistance of the flotilla, which ceased resistance the next day. On August 24, troops of the 5th shock army liberated the capital of the Moldavian SSR, Chisinau. Thus, on the 5th day, as envisaged by the plan, the first stage of the strategic operation was completed, during which the encirclement of the main forces of the Southern Ukraine Army Group was achieved.
PROGRESS OF OPERATION: SECOND STAGE
At the second stage of the Iasi-Kishinev operation, the Soviet command, having allocated 34 divisions to the internal front to eliminate the encircled grouping, used the main forces of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts (more than 50 divisions) to develop success on the outer front of the encirclement, deep into Romania. By the end of August 27, the river surrounded to the east was liquidated. Prut, and on August 29 - units that managed to cross the river. Prut southwest of Khushi. At the same time, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, developing success towards Northern Transylvania and in the Focsha direction, liberated Focshany on August 27, and on August 29 they reached Ploiesti. The troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, advancing south along both banks of the Danube, cut off the escape routes of the defeated enemy troops to Bucharest. The Danube military flotilla and the Black Sea Fleet, assisting the offensive of the ground forces, ensured crossings across the Danube, landed troops, and struck with naval aviation. By August 30, the years were released. Tulcea, Galati, Constanta (the main naval base of Romania), Sulina, etc.
IASSIAN-CHISINAU CANNES
The Iasi-Kishinev operation is one of the largest and most outstanding in its strategic and military-political significance of the operations of the armed forces of the USSR. In its course, in a short time, the Southern Ukraine Army Group was completely defeated, 22 German divisions were destroyed, and almost all the Romanian divisions that were at the front were defeated. The German defense on the southern wing of the Soviet-German front collapsed, favorable conditions were created for the victory of the uprising of the Romanian people against the pro-German dictatorial regime, Romania withdrew from the war on the side of Germany and on August 24 declared war on it. Soviet losses during the course were relatively small - 67 thousand people, of which 13 thousand were irretrievable.
For military distinctions, 126 formations and units of the ground forces and fleet participating in the Iasi-Chisinau operation were awarded the honorary names of Chisinau, Iasi, Foksha, Rymnitsky, Konstantsky and others.
DOCUMENTATION
Commander of the 2nd Ukrainian Front
Tov. Malinovsky.
Tov. Tikhonov.
The Headquarters of the Supreme High Command orders:
1. In view of the readiness, the resettlement will begin on the date set in Moscow.
2. Report on the given orders.
Headquarters of the Supreme High Command.
TsAMO. F. 148a. OP. 3763. D. 166. L. 442.
Military Council 3 Ukrainian Front
Extraordinary report on August 24, 1944.
Troops to the Shock Army on the night of 23.8.44 broke through the enemy’s defenses and rapidly moving forward, 17-00 23.8.44 broke into the capital of the Moldavian SSR, the city of CHISINAU and stormed it by 04-00 24.8 44 years.
On August 23, 1944, units and formations of the 5th Shock Army fought over 40 kilometers, liberating more than 200 settlements.
In the battles for the capture of the city of Chisinau, the troops of the Guards Major General FIRSOV, Guards Major General ZHEREBIN, Guards Major General SERYUGIN, Guards Major General SOKOLOV, Guards Major General SYZRANOV, Colonel FOMICHENKO distinguished themselves.
Artillerymen: Major General Kosenko, Lieutenant Colonel Klimenkov, Colonel PAVLOV, Lieutenant Colonel DMITRIEV, Guards Lieutenant Colonel Rakhnin, Lieutenant Colonel KOTOV, flamethrowers Lieutenant Colonel LIZUNOV.
Sappers: Lieutenant Colonel FURS, Colonel CHEVICHELOV.
BERZARIN, BOKOV, KUCHEV.
TsAMO. F. 243. Op. 2912. D. 97. L. 408.
Comrade STALIN.
Today is the day of the defeat of the German-Romanian troops in BESSARABIA and on the territory of ROMANIA, west of the Prut River.
The first, main task assigned by you to the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts has been fulfilled by them. German-Romanian troops - defeated, their remnants in disorder flee across the river SERET.
The main German, Kishinev grouping is surrounded and destroyed.
Observing the skillful leadership of the troops on a large scale by MALINOVSKII and TOLBUKHIN, I consider it my duty to ask for your petition to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to confer the Military rank of "Marshal of the Soviet Union" to Army Generals MALINOVSKII and TOlbukhin.
I think that this measure of the government will give them such strength that no Focsani Gate can hold.
TYMOSHENKO. 24.8. 44 12.30
TsAMO. F. 48a. Op. 3410. D. 116. L. 690-691.
MEMORIES
On Hitler's orders, we were now to start bombarding Bucharest from the air, with the royal palace and the government quarter of the city becoming their main targets.
I ordered my chief of staff, General Grolman, to again try to draw the attention of the high command to the clause in the communiqué of the new Bucharest government, which was distinguished by loyalty and allowed all German troops an unhindered withdrawal from Rumania. At the same time, I asked that special attention be paid to the fact that in the event of our bombardment of the Romanian capital, the Romanian troops will inevitably begin hostilities against all German troops and rear institutions - hospitals, ammunition depots, military equipment and food depots. In order to delay the execution of the bombing order, I ordered the 4th Air Fleet to first find out the existing prerequisites for this. Now it was all about buying time.
To our great surprise, we learned that the bombardments had already begun, without the knowledge and participation of the commander-in-chief of the army group, without taking into account the situation in which the German soldiers fought hard battles on Romanian territory, without taking into account the situation in which, in fact, they fell, now abandoned to the mercy of fate, the rear organs of the army group!
Only much later, while in captivity, did I accidentally learn the circumstances of this case. It turns out that after my telephone call on August 23, Hitler himself raised the question of the bombing of Bucharest in the evening of the same day in a conversation with Goering. He immediately got in touch by telephone with General Gerstenberg, who was at the same time our Air Force Attaché in Romania. In this conversation, General Gerstenberg, apparently again, was too superficial in describing the situation and demanded the use of dive bombers, without thinking about the consequences of this step. Göring, also without hesitation, gave the order. I was pushed aside.
The consequences were catastrophic! The Romanian troops received orders from their king to treat all Germans as enemies, disarm them and engage them in battle. Even those strata of the Romanian population have changed their attitude towards us, which until now did not approve of the decisions of their government and treated us loyally. On August 25, Romania declared war on Germany! So our recent allies have turned into new enemies. Chaos has reached its climax.
Frisner G. Lost battles. M., 1966.
On August 20, the Iasi-Kishinev operation began. The troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts went over to the offensive. At the same time, the forces of the Black Sea Fleet Air Force attacked Constanta, the main naval base of Romania.
According to intelligence data, at that time there were up to 150 warships, auxiliary vessels and watercraft in the port of Constanta. About 50 ships and vessels were based in Sulina. In a word, the main forces of the enemy fleet were located in these two Romanian ports.
The blow was thought out to the smallest detail. It was decided to bomb Sulina first. Four groups of attack aircraft were sent there - about 30 Il-2s, accompanied by fighters. While the enemy was fighting off this attack, single planes of the 5th Mine-Torpedo Aviation Regiment dropped smoke bombs on Constanta, blinding the enemy anti-aircraft artillery. Most of the fascist fighters were drawn to Sulina. The main forces of our aviation took advantage of this. The 13th dive-bomber division, consisting of 59 aircraft, under the cover of 77 fighters, flew into Constanta. The blows were delivered in three groups. About 70 warships and vessels were destroyed and damaged, and great destruction was caused in the port. Naval aviation strikes on Constanta and Sulina continued until 25 August. Both fascist ports were, in fact, paralyzed.
... The rapid advance of the Soviet troops sealed the fate of the pro-fascist government of Antonescu. On August 23, an armed uprising broke out in Romania. The position of German troops in Romania became precarious. However, the Nazi leadership did not yet lose hope for the restoration of its lost political and military positions. By order of Hitler, German troops launched an offensive against Bucharest, and their aircraft launched bombing attacks on the Romanian capital. Then the newly formed government of Romania declared war on Nazi Germany. In the area of Bucharest and Ploiesti, fighting began between yesterday's allies - the German and Romanian units.
After the encirclement of the Chisinau group, the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts continued their offensive in the southwestern and western directions.
The commander of the Black Sea Fleet divided the forces operating in the Danube basin into two groups. The Danube military flotilla was supposed to move up the Danube to assist the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front in crossing the river, and the formed Reserve Naval Base of the Black Sea Fleet (commander - Captain 1st Rank A.V. Sverdlov) received the task of gaining a foothold in Vilkovo , and then capture Sulina and ensure freedom of navigation in the delta and lower Danube.
On August 26, the ships of the flotilla occupied Tulcea, and on August 27, a detachment of sixteen armored boats and the 384th separate Nikolaev marine battalion captured the port of Sulina. The Romanian river flotilla capitulated, and we completely took possession of the lower reaches of the Danube. The coastal grouping of the enemy was completely surrounded.
The most important features of the combat activity of the forces of the Black Sea Fleet in mastering the Danube Delta were the rapid redeployment of forces, the rapid pace of advancement and the skillful conduct of independent operations until direct contact was established with the ground forces. This helped the Black Sea troops to reach the most important Danube ports and take them even before the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front approached. On the afternoon of August 25, the commander of the Danube military flotilla, Rear Admiral S. G. Gorshkov, reported from Kiliya to the People's Commissar of the Navy and the commander of the Black Sea Fleet: “There are no army units. I ask you to clarify the situation at the front."
The naval group at the headquarters of the 3rd Ukrainian Front also received a message:
“Report to Biryuzov:
Kiliya is occupied by landing, and until the troops of the 46th Army reach the Danube, Gorshkov's position is tense.
The way to the Balkans was opened before the Soviet Armed Forces.
Kuznetsov N.G. Course to victory. M., 2000.
Having instructions from the Headquarters, the General Staff had to take into account the situation developing in a particular country, all complex political issues, and even - where more, where less - to participate in their resolution. The Headquarters reminded us more than once of the new situation in which the troops were now advancing. R.Ya. was also warned many times. Malinovsky, whose front was the main force in Romania and Hungary, about the particular importance of the political task entrusted to his troops.
Our two fronts - the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian - were opposed by the group of German fascist armies "Southern Ukraine". It consisted of two German (8th and 6th) and two Romanian (4th and 3rd) armies, the 17th separate army corps of the Germans and many other infantry and special units.
The stability of the enemy troops was very significant. Past battles testified to this. For a long time, the Southern Ukraine Army Group was commanded by one of the most capable German commanders, Colonel General Scherner - subsequently he fiercely resisted the Soviet troops in Czechoslovakia even after the order for the complete surrender of Germany. At the end of July Scherner was replaced by General Frisner. The Nazi command hoped that such a replacement would be beneficial:
Frisner was known as a military leader with extensive combat experience, although he had previously suffered setbacks in the Baltic states, where he led Army Group North. Defensive structures were built around the clock along the entire strip of the Southern Ukraine Army Group; in some areas, newly created field positions were combined with fortified areas reinforced in advance.
When developing a plan of operations in the Balkans, in addition to the usual elements of the situation, one more circumstance had to be taken into account: the likelihood of the so-called "Balkan variant" of actions by our allies. This option provided for the simultaneous opening of a second front and the invasion of the Allied forces into the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. Winston Churchill outlined the "Balkan option" in general terms at the Tehran conference and now insisted on its implementation. If the "Balkan option" were implemented, the main role on the peninsula would be played by the Anglo-American armed forces. The Soviet Union would have to overcome significant political difficulties and do a great deal of work to coordinate the actions of the allied armies. It was also not ruled out that the Allies would attempt behind our backs to reach an agreement with the Rumanian government. Soon, by the way, we became aware that something in this direction is already being done.
There were also difficulties in coordinating the efforts of the Soviet Armed Forces. A glance at the map convinced that simultaneous actions would be required to the south - in the interests of the liberation of Bulgaria and Yugoslavia, and to the west - in order to defeat the Nazi troops in Hungary, Austria and Czechoslovakia. The forces were thus scattered for some time. At the same time, it was clear that our troops would have to fight on a very wide front in extremely unfavorable terrain conditions for an offensive, since mountains, rivers and numerous settlements provided the enemy with the opportunity to successfully defend themselves.
Along with the purely military and moral-political preparation of the Red Army for the liberation mission in the territory of the satellite countries of Nazi Germany, diplomatic measures were also taken, which shook the foundations of the Nazi coalition. In particular, on May 13, 1944, the governments of the Soviet Union, Great Britain and the USA turned to Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria and Finland with a statement. It said that the current policy of the governments of these countries significantly strengthens the German war machine. At the same time, these countries can shorten the duration of the war in Europe, reduce their own casualties, and contribute to Allied victory. To do this, they must withdraw from the war, stop cooperation with Germany, which is harmful to them, and resist the Nazis with all means available to them. The satellite countries were warned that they needed to decide now whether they would persist in their current hopeless and disastrous policy or whether they would contribute to the overall victory of the Allies and thereby avoid responsibility for participating in the war on the side of the Nazis. This step of the allied powers had a great political effect, as it helped to significantly strengthen the positions of the Resistance forces.
... The situation in the direction of the main attack of the 2nd Ukrainian Front was very worried about the General Staff. In the middle of the day on August 21, we, as usual, telephoned the headquarters of the advancing fronts and clarified the situation. Soon we had to go to the Kremlin for a report. The chief of staff of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, M.V. Zakharov, assessed the situation optimistically, believing that our troops would not linger in front of the Mare ridge and were about to move forward at an accelerated pace. He also reported that from hour to hour he was waiting for a message about the capture of Iasi, and he turned out to be right.
At 15 o'clock, AI Antonov and I were in the office of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. When the turn came to the situation in the southwest, I.V. Stalin, having carefully studied the map, demanded to remind the commanders of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts, as well as the representative of the Stavka, about the main task of the troops led by them: to surround the enemy as soon as possible. He dictated: “... Now the main task of the troops of the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts is to quickly close the encirclement ring of the enemy in the Khushi area by the combined efforts of the two fronts, and then narrow this ring in order to destroy or capture the Chisinau group adversary."
Since a breakthrough of the enemy defenses along the Mare Ridge could cause a temptation to send the main forces of the 2nd Ukrainian Front to pursue the Romanian troops in the direction of Roman and Focsani, and the 3rd Ukrainian Front - to Tarutino and Galati, the Supreme Commander emphasized: “The Headquarters requires the main forces and to attract the means of both fronts to carry out this most important task, without diverting forces to solve other tasks. The successful solution of the task of defeating the Chisinau grouping of the enemy will open the way for us to the main economic and political centers of Romania.
We paid special attention to this instruction: after all, the General Staff had to control how the instructions of the Stavka were being carried out.
Concluding the dictation, I. V. Stalin said: “About 44 enemy divisions are operating in front of your both fronts, of which 6 divisions have already been defeated. You have 87 divisions, and, in addition, you have a significant superiority over the enemy in artillery, tanks and aircraft. Thus, you have every opportunity to successfully solve this problem and must solve this problem.
Representative of the Headquarters Marshal of the Soviet Union S.K. Timoshenko was ordered to ensure that this directive was carried out steadily.
While we were reporting on the situation, new data came in from the fronts. By 15 o'clock, Iasi was taken - a powerful enemy defense center. Because of the right flank of the advanced troops of the 27th Army, S.G. Trofimenko began to turn west, bypassing the fortified Tyrgu Frumos, units of the 7th Guards Army of General M.S. Shumilov. They were supposed to break the enemy defenses and from the western direction to ensure the actions of the main forces of the front. The 6th Panzer and 27th Armies wedged into the enemy defenses up to 49 km, broke through it and entered the operational space. Now they could directly intercept the most probable enemy withdrawal routes to the west and south and defeat his troops, who were trying to avoid the planned encirclement.
The 3rd Ukrainian Front also made significant progress: the depth of its breakthrough in the direction of operations of the 4th Guards Mechanized Corps, commanded by General V.I. Zhdanov, reached 50 km. The front cut off the 3rd Romanian army from the troops of the 6th German army.
The directive of the Headquarters was very timely for organizing the actions of the fronts. By the end of August 21, the enemy was no longer able to hold the advantageous positions he occupied along the Mare ridge and, under pressure from the armies of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, began to withdraw. Troops R.Ya. Malinovsky with the 6th Panzer Army and the 18th Panzer Corps in the vanguard rushed after him, without stopping the pursuit on the night of August 22 and the whole next day. The power of the strike of the main forces of the front was supplemented by the strike of the 4th Guards Army of I.V. Galanina. Operating along the left bank of the Prut, it ensured the operation of the front from the east and at the same time crushed the defenses of the enemy's Chisinau grouping with a blow from north to south. By the end of the day, the troops of the 2nd Ukrainian Front had penetrated 60 km into the enemy defenses and expanded the breakthrough to 120 km.
The armies of the 3rd Ukrainian Front were rapidly advancing from the east to the crossings on the Prut. Overturning the resistance of the Romanian and German troops, by the end of August 22, their mobile units had penetrated 80 km into the depth of the enemy’s location and covered three-quarters of the distance to their target. On the left flank, the troops of the front, in cooperation with the Danube military flotilla, successfully crossed the Dniester estuary.
Thus, during August 22, the contours of a huge encirclement were clearly outlined, which constituted the essence of the operation developed by the Headquarters of the Soviet Supreme High Command to defeat the group of German fascist armies "Southern Ukraine" near Iasi and Chisinau.
Shtemenko S.M. General Staff during the war. M., 1989.
