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Toropets–Kholm Offensive
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Toropets–Kholm Offensive The Toropets–Kholm Offensive was a military opera- tion conducted south of Lake Ilmen by the Red Army during World War II, from 9 January-6 February 1942. The operation contributed to the formation of the Kholm Pocket, the encirclement of the Wehrmacht's II Army Corps in the Demyansk Pocket, and the destruction of the German Wehrmacht’s 189th Infantry Regiment near Andreapol. 1 Context Following the successful Moscow counter-offensive of December 1941, the Stavka of the Red Army decided to conduct a broad-front offensive with the aim of destroy- ing the invading German forces in the Soviet Union. The Wehrmacht did not expect the Red Army to be capable of such a wide-ranging offensive, and therefore was caught off guard by attacks in areas that it supposed to be quiet, such as the region south of Lake Ilmen. 2 Aim The Soviet North-Western Front—under General Pavel Kurochkin—was given two tasks to be executed from its position south of Lake Ilmen. The first was a western thrust through Staraya Russa, to split German 18th Army and 16th Army, and support the effort of Volkhov Front and Leningrad Front in breaking the siege of Leningrad. The second was a south-western thrust toward Vitebsk. This attack was to be conducted by three armies, 33rd, 3rd and 4th Shock, the latter two having just recently been renamed. Its ultimate aim was to become the northern pincer of a deep envelopment of German Army Group Center. 3 The battle The initial penetration of the 3rd and 4th Shock Armies was very successful. German forces in the sector were overrun with heavy losses. The failure to predict this attack—coupled with multiple demands on the German reserves—gave the Soviet Front command an opening which it exploited to the utmost, driving deep into the German rear. While the Soviet forces had few supplies at the start of the offensive, they could keep going through the capture of significant amounts of German supply stores at Toropets. The tank support for such an operation was very weak on the Soviet side, especially compared to the require- ments of the doctrine of Deep operations, and the prac- tice later in the war, showing the dearth of resources in the Soviet arsenal at this low point of Soviet fortunes in the war. Yeremenko’s 4th Shock Army had only two tank battalions, the 117th Tank Battalion with 12 Lend- Lease Matilda IIs, nine Valentines, and 10 T-60s, and the 141st Tank Battalion had four KV-1s, six T-34s, and 20 T-60s. [3] The drive of the Soviet forces was so strong that the defending German formation—123rd Infantry Division, which was covering a line of 30 km (19 mi)—had its forward two regiments overrun. The regiments were so thinly spread in their strongpoints that they could not cover each other, allowing the Soviet assault forces to simply walk through between them. The strongpoints were later reduced, with significant casualties for the Ger- mans. A German reserve formation—the 81st Infantry Division—was brought in by rail during the last days of December. Its first regiment—the 189th Infantry under Colonel Hohmeyer together with the 2nd Battalion of Ar- tillery Regiment 181 and the 3rd Company of the Engi- neer Battalion 181—was immediately ordered to detrain at Toropets and Andreapol. From there, it advanced to Okhvat where it was encircled and completely destroyed on 14 January. 1,100 dead were later found in a forest near Okhvat, including the regimental commander who was posthumously promoted to Major General. A total of 40 survivors from the artillery battalion made it back to the German lines. The move into action and collapse was so swift that the regiment was not even identified on German situation maps. 4 Outcome The Soviet aim of encircling Army Group Center was not achieved, but the attack by the two Shock Armies created a deep bend in the German frontline that was to become a major concern for the German army group commands during 1942, until the Rzhev Salient, of which this bend formed the northern border, was evacuated in March 1943. The Soviet attack also created the Kholm Pocket, and the southern shoulder of the Demyansk Pocket. 1
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The Toropets–Kholm Offensive was a military operation conducted south of Lake Ilmen by the Red Army during World War II, from 9 January-6 February 1942. The operation contributed to the formation of the Kholm Pocket, the encirclement of the Wehrmacht's II Army Corps in the Demyansk Pocket, and the destruction of the German Wehrmacht's 189th Infantry Regiment near Andreapol.
Transcript of Toropets–Kholm Offensive
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ToropetsKholm Oensive
The ToropetsKholm Oensive was a military opera-tion conducted south of Lake Ilmen by the Red Armyduring World War II, from 9 January-6 February 1942.The operation contributed to the formation of the KholmPocket, the encirclement of the Wehrmacht's II ArmyCorps in the Demyansk Pocket, and the destruction ofthe German Wehrmachts 189th Infantry Regiment nearAndreapol.
1 ContextFollowing the successful Moscow counter-oensive ofDecember 1941, the Stavka of the Red Army decided toconduct a broad-front oensive with the aim of destroy-ing the invading German forces in the Soviet Union. TheWehrmacht did not expect the Red Army to be capable ofsuch a wide-ranging oensive, and therefore was caughto guard by attacks in areas that it supposed to be quiet,such as the region south of Lake Ilmen.
2 AimThe Soviet North-Western Frontunder General PavelKurochkinwas given two tasks to be executed from itsposition south of Lake Ilmen. The rst was a westernthrust through Staraya Russa, to split German 18th Armyand 16th Army, and support the eort of Volkhov Frontand Leningrad Front in breaking the siege of Leningrad.The second was a south-western thrust toward Vitebsk.This attack was to be conducted by three armies, 33rd,3rd and 4th Shock, the latter two having just recently beenrenamed. Its ultimate aim was to become the northernpincer of a deep envelopment of German Army GroupCenter.
3 The battleThe initial penetration of the 3rd and 4th Shock Armieswas very successful. German forces in the sector wereoverrun with heavy losses. The failure to predict thisattackcoupled with multiple demands on the Germanreservesgave the Soviet Front command an openingwhich it exploited to the utmost, driving deep into theGerman rear. While the Soviet forces had few supplies atthe start of the oensive, they could keep going through
the capture of signicant amounts of German supplystores at Toropets.The tank support for such an operation was very weakon the Soviet side, especially compared to the require-ments of the doctrine of Deep operations, and the prac-tice later in the war, showing the dearth of resources inthe Soviet arsenal at this low point of Soviet fortunes inthe war. Yeremenkos 4th Shock Army had only twotank battalions, the 117th Tank Battalion with 12 Lend-Lease Matilda IIs, nine Valentines, and 10 T-60s, and the141st Tank Battalion had four KV-1s, six T-34s, and 20T-60s.[3]
The drive of the Soviet forces was so strong that thedefending German formation123rd Infantry Division,which was covering a line of 30 km (19 mi)had itsforward two regiments overrun. The regiments were sothinly spread in their strongpoints that they could notcover each other, allowing the Soviet assault forces tosimply walk through between them. The strongpointswere later reduced, with signicant casualties for the Ger-mans. A German reserve formationthe 81st InfantryDivisionwas brought in by rail during the last days ofDecember. Its rst regimentthe 189th Infantry underColonel Hohmeyer together with the 2nd Battalion of Ar-tillery Regiment 181 and the 3rd Company of the Engi-neer Battalion 181was immediately ordered to detrainat Toropets and Andreapol. From there, it advanced toOkhvat where it was encircled and completely destroyedon 14 January. 1,100 dead were later found in a forestnear Okhvat, including the regimental commander whowas posthumously promoted to Major General. A totalof 40 survivors from the artillery battalion made it backto the German lines. The move into action and collapsewas so swift that the regiment was not even identied onGerman situation maps.
4 Outcome
The Soviet aim of encircling Army Group Center wasnot achieved, but the attack by the two Shock Armiescreated a deep bend in the German frontline that wasto become a major concern for the German army groupcommands during 1942, until the Rzhev Salient, of whichthis bend formed the northern border, was evacuated inMarch 1943.The Soviet attack also created the Kholm Pocket, and thesouthern shoulder of the Demyansk Pocket.
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2 6 REFERENCES
5 Forces involved
5.1 Soviet
North-Western Front (elements of with a strength of122,100)
3rd Shock Army 4th Shock Army
249th Rie Division
5.2 German
Army Group North (elements of with unknownstrength)
German Sixteenth Army II. Army Corps
123rd Infantry Division 416th Infantry Regiment 418th Infantry Regiment 81st Infantry Division 189th Infantry Regiment SS Cavalry Brigade
6 References
6.1 General
Haupt, W. 'Army Group North'
MGFA (ed.) 'Generalfeldmarshall Ritter von Leeb'.
Vilinov, M.A. 'Features of the Toropets-Kholm Op-eration' VIZH 1988 Issue 1, English translation
Ziemke, E.F. 'Moscow to Stalingrad'
Info on the Kholm part of the Operation
Map of 3rd Shock Army Operations during the op-eration Jan 9-21 1942
Map of 4th Shock Army Operations during the op-eration Jan 9-21 1942
Map of 4th Shock Army Operations during the op-eration Jan 23-31 1942
Glantz, David M. & House, Jonathan (1995),WhenTitans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler,Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas,ISBN 0-7006-0899-0.
6.2 Specic[1] http://war1960.narod.ru/sww/toropez.html
[2] Glantz & House (1995), p. 295
[3] Ericsson, J. 'The Road to Stalingrad'
Coordinates: 5709N 3111E / 57.150N 31.183E
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