The defeat of the army group "Wisla"

7
Offensive armies Zhukov and Rokossovskogo

By the beginning of the second stage of the East Pomeranian operation, the Vistula Army Group still had significant forces, which were constantly replenished. Although the general balance of power was in favor of the Soviet troops. The 2nd German army, which held the defense against the troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front, had 20 divisions by February 16 (including two tank), 4 infantry brigades, 2 battle groups, 4 separate infantry regiments and 15 separate infantry battalions. A total of about 230 thousand soldiers and officers, 341 tanks and self-propelled guns, 2360 guns and mortars (not counting the guns of coastal batteries and fortresses), about 200 aircraft. In addition, there was evidence of the transfer of several infantry divisions from the Army Group Kurland.

The 11 th German army, which defended the armies of the right wing of the 1 Belorussian Front, included 16 divisions (including 4 tank and 3 motorized), 2 tank brigades, 4 reinforced individual tank battalion and other units. Total 200 thousand people, about 700 tanks and assault guns, about 2500 guns and mortars. The army supported up to 300 aircraft.

Both armies had the support of coastal and stationary anti-aircraft batteries, the German fleet. In addition, on the rear line - on the left bank of the river. Oder in the strip from Pomeranian Bay to Schwedt, were located compounds of the 3rd Panzer Army.

Thanks to the complete control over the consciousness of the masses and repression, the combat capability of the German troops was maintained at a high level. German troops still fought skillfully and fiercely, especially selective SS units. Although the army had a lot of poorly trained parts of the Landwehr and Volksturm, which were staffed with either old or very young people. Not enough officers.

It is also worth remembering that although the Soviet troops overcame the main part of the Pomeran rampart, the Germans still had a developed network of long-term and field fortifications. In some directions, the depth of the German defense reached 15-20 km. Given the importance of roads in conditions of spring thaw, the Germans paid much attention to the creation of various obstacles to communications. On the roads, heaps, barricades were organized, mined them, prepared for destruction all the most important road constructions. All settlements on the roads prepared for defense.

The Soviet Stavka, which decided to resolve the issue of the Pomeranian group that was hindering the attack on Berlin, decided to throw the forces of two fronts into battle. Corresponding instructions to the front staffs were given to 17 and February 21. The plan of the operation was reduced to the dissecting strike of the adjacent flanks of two fronts in the general direction of Kohlberg and Kozlin. Having reached the Baltic coast, the troops of the 2 of the Byelorussian Front were to advance to the east, on Danzig and Gdynia, and to clean the eastern part of the region from German forces. The troops of 1 of the Byelorussian Front received the task of reaching Kohlberg and Kammin, occupying the western part of Eastern Pomerania, and clearing the eastern coast of the Oder on the Kammin-Tseden line from German troops.

The defeat of the army group "Wisla"

105-mm light field howitzer of the 4-th division of the SS "Policeman". Eastern Pomerania, February 1945

The onset of the 2 of the Byelorussian Front

The main striking force of the 2 of the Byelorussian Front was to be played by G. Kozlov's 19 Army, reinforced by A. Panfilov's 3 Guards Tank Corps, which began to be withdrawn to the left flank of the front during the first stage of the operation. Kozlov’s army was supposed to strike at Kozlyn’s direction, reach the sea, and then advance eastward, at Gdynia. The troops of the right wing and the center of the front, consisting of four armies, continued to advance in the northern and northeastern directions. The armies of the center and the right wing were to chain the enemy troops, not to allow them to be transferred to the left flank of the front.

Although the shock grouping of the front on the left flank was relatively weak - one army, reinforced by one tank corps, but this decision by Rokossovsky justified itself. Thanks to the almost incessant offensive of the Soviet troops, the German command did not have time to strengthen the defense and strengthen the troops defending this sector at the expense of other directions. In the offensive zone of the 19 Army on the 17-km front, the enemy had 29 infantry and tank battalions (two infantry divisions, a grenadier brigade, several separate units and subunits), up to 140 tanks and self-propelled guns and around 625 guns and mortars.

24 February 1945, after the 40-minute artillery preparation, the troops of the 19 Army went over to the offensive in Kozlyn direction. Despite stubborn resistance and frequent counterattacks by German troops (especially fierce battles were fought in the area of ​​the city of Shlokhau), our troops were successfully moving forward. During the first day, Kozlov’s army created a gap to the depth of 10 km and a width along the front of 20 km.

In order to accelerate the pace of the offensive, the command of the 19 Army decided to deploy a tank corps. The 3 tank corps was reinforced by the 313 rifle division. 25 February Soviet troops completed the breakthrough of the tactical enemy defense zone. Having entered the operational field, the Soviet tankers developed an offensive and, knocking down German barriers (there was no continuous defense anymore), moved on to Baldenberg. During the day, the hull advanced to a depth of 40 km and by the morning of February 26 took Baldenberg. At the same time, the tank crews took a strong knot of the enemy’s defense in the city of Schönau. Both cities were captured by quick blows, tankers did not allow the Germans to come to their senses to organize defense.

The successful offensive of the 3 Guards Tank Corps created the conditions for the rapid development of a breakthrough and the completion of the dissection of the Pomeranian group. However, the 19 Army infantry, which was advancing on a wider front and was forced to destroy the enemy strongholds that were in the rear of the tank corps. The army of the center and the right wing of the front in the first days of the offensive advanced slightly. The Germans had a denser defense in these areas and constantly counterattacked. In some areas, the Germans even pushed our troops.

While developing the offensive on the left flank, the front command brought new mobile units into the battle. The 2 Guards Cavalry Corps of Vladimir Kryukov, who had previously provided the right flank of the 1 Army of the Polish Army, received the task of attacking Neustettin. The 3 Guards Cavalry Corps of Nikolai Oslikovsky also received an order to advance on the Kozlyn direction.

26 February 3-th Guards Tank Corps, developing the offensive, took settlements Sydov, Poret, Draven and Bublits. The 19 Army formations, while continuing to develop the offensive, captured the cities of Shlochau, Stegers and Hammerstein. As a result, the breakthrough along the front was expanded to 60 km.

However, the prevailing situation forced the front command to delay the further offensive of the Guards Tank Corps in order to put the troops of the 19 Army in order, and to pull its main forces to the tankers who had escaped. The infantry of the 19 Army was significantly (at 30-40 km) behind the tank crews. The troops of the 1 of the Byelorussian Front had not yet begun the offensive, which threatened with a flank attack by the powerful German formations of the 11 of the army on the left flank of the 2 of the Byelorussian Front. The offensive of one 2 Guards Cavalry Corps on the left flank of the 19 Army could not radically improve the situation.

February 27 troops 19-th army put themselves in order, pulled up to the tank corps. The right wing of the army participated in the battles in the area of ​​Prekhlau, where troops of the 70 Army attacked. However, the German command at all costs tried to keep this important area and the enemy troops spent here a day before the 20 counterattack with forces from the battalion to the infantry regiment, supported by groups of 5-10 tanks. The Soviet troops on this day could not break the resistance of the enemy in this direction.

The tank corps was fixed on the occupied frontiers, having advanced units to Rummelsburg. In the area of ​​Rummelsburg, large enemy forces were discovered. Two cavalry corps were part of the forces fighting for Neusthettin, and part of the forces continued the offensive.

February 28 Rokossovsky troops resumed the offensive. The German command, trying to stop the attack of our troops, launched a series of counterattacks in the Rummelsburg region. However, the Soviet offensive failed to stop. By the end of February 28 1945, the troops of the 70 Army broke down the resistance of the German forces in the Prehlau area. The 8 Mechanized Corps of Firsanovich, who was in the reserve of the front, entered the battle. Parts of the 3 Guards Cavalry took Neustettin. Continued the offensive 2-th Guards Cavalry Corps.

In the following days, the troops of the 2 of the Byelorussian Front continued the offensive, this was favored by the fact that the troops of Zhukov had launched an offensive. March 3 Soviet troops captured a serious stronghold of the German defense Rummelsburg. Here, the German command concentrated a serious strike group - the 4-th SS tank group, the 203-th infantry division, and the 549-th division of the Volkssturm, hoping to keep the Rummelsburg region and organize a counterstrike from it. However, the quick blow of the Soviet troops tore these plans. Soviet troops made a deep bypass maneuver that threatened the environment, and the Germans left the position, retreating to the north-west.


A group of "tank destroyers" with faustpronami landed from the truck

Simultaneously with the attacks in the Rummelsburg area, the Germans launched a counterattack in the Bublitz area. Attacking forces reached up to three regiments with the support of 60 armored vehicles. During the many hours of battle, the attacking German group was crushed, its remnants fled. A great role in the reflection of the German strike was played by the skillful actions of the Soviet artillerymen, who cut off the tanks from the infantry and with accurate fire destroyed the enemy’s armored vehicles.

The 3 Guards Tank Corps 2 of March took the town of Pollnov. March 3 Corps advanced forces reached the Baltic coast and the main forces engaged in fighting on the outskirts of Kozlin. In the evening of March 3, Soviet troops launched an assault on Kozlin. This was the last major stronghold of the enemy in this direction, its fall meant the dissection of the entire East Pomeranian grouping, its partial environment. Therefore, the German command tried by all means to keep the city. The Germans transferred additional forces to this section of the front: the Karl Veliky infantry brigade, the regiments of Jutland and the Netherlands, and other units. German troops desperately resisted, trying to detain the Soviet troops.

However, the Soviet troops attack from several directions broke the resistance of the enemy. 3-I and 18-I Guards tank brigades were not involved in urban battles, they cut off all communications, cutting off their escape routes. The city itself was stormed by the 2-I Guards motorized rifle brigade with mortar and self-propelled regiments, motorized rifle battalions of tank brigades. In addition, during the assault on Kozlin, the 272-I Rifle Division arrived. On March 4, seeing the hopelessness of their position, the Germans capitulated, headed by Lieutenant General von Tsilov, head of the Garrison Garrison in Kozlinsky, and his headquarters. On March 5, the city was finally cleared of scattered enemy groups.

It was a big victory, the Soviet troops were able to quickly eliminate the powerful stronghold of the enemy’s defense. On March 5, troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front split the Vistula Army Group into two parts. The 2nd Army lost the opportunity to move west by land and was isolated from the main German group. The Germans could still be evacuated through the large ports of Danzig and Gdynia, but here they were attacked by the Soviet aviation.

Soviet aviation played a big role in the success of this offensive. The forces of the 4 Air Force concentrated their attention on the direction of Kozlinsky and made during this time fired around 8500 sorties, attacking enemy troops and targets. In addition, Germans were destroyed near 100 aircraft.

Thus, the troops of the 2 of the Byelorussian Front advanced by 130-150 km, and defeated the enemy's 7 infantry and tank divisions. Such powerful enemy strongholds as Schöchau, Neustettin, Rummelsburg and Kozlin were captured. Only captured Soviet troops captured more than 50 thousand people.


SAU "Vespe" abandoned in Eastern Pomerania

The onset of the 1 of the Byelorussian Front

By Zhukov’s decision, four armies delivered the main attack - two combined-arms and two tank (61-I, 3-I shock, 1-I and 2-I Guards tank armies). Auxiliary strikes on the flanks inflicted 47-I and 1-I Polish army. Thus, all the forces of the right flank and, in addition, the 1-I Guards Tank Army of Katukov took part in the offensive. Soviet troops struck north on Kohlberg and north-west on Kammin and Gollnov, with the aim of crushing and destroying the 11 of the German army, cleansing the enemy forces of the western part of Eastern Pomerania. Given the need for a serious regrouping of forces, Zhukov’s troops were to launch an offensive later than Rokossovsky’s army. In particular, the units of the 2 Guards Tank Army of Bogdanov needed to withdraw from the continuing battle in the Stargard direction, transferring the positions to the infantry units that were withdrawn to the area.

Until February 28, the troops of the 1 of the Ukrainian Front were preparing for an offensive on the Kolberg direction. At the same time, the armies of the front still had to repel counter-attacks of mobile units of the 11 of the German army. Fights were extremely fierce. German troops lost in these battles to 70 thousands of people killed, wounded and captured, which facilitated the subsequent Soviet offensive.

On the morning of March 1, 1945, after the 50-minute artillery and aviation preparation, the troops of the 3 th and 61 armies went on the offensive. Soviet troops struck in the direction of Gross Estin and Kammin. Already by 10 watch our troops broke through the main position of the enemy. However, as our troops advanced into the depths of the German defense, their resistance increased. The Germans counterattacked, threw into the battle part of the second echelon and reserves. Zhukov launched the 3 th tank army of Katukov in the offensive zone of the 1 th shock army. Tank formations with a powerful blow finally broke the resistance of the enemy and escaped into operational space, moving deeper into 20-25 km. The 3 th Infantry Division and 5 Tank Division that were holding the offensive of the 14 shock army were defeated, their remnants retreated.

The troops of the 61 Army had more difficulty. Here the German troops held defenses at the turn of the river. Ina. Our troops had to force a water barrier, overcoming the fierce resistance of the enemy. Artillery preparation could not suppress the enemy’s firing positions. To reinforce the strike here in the battle, the 2 th Guards Tank Army Bogdanov units were thrown a little earlier than the scheduled time. Tankers had to first help the infantry to break through the enemy defenses, and then perform the old task, quickly develop an attack on the Gollnov. As a result, not only advanced units, but the main forces of the tank army had to fight along with the infantry to break through the German defense. However, despite the best efforts of the infantry and tankers, on the first day of the offensive they failed to break through the enemy defenses. Soviet troops advanced only to a depth of 5-7 km, capturing the enemy’s main line of defense. The formations of the 1 Polish and 47 armies did not advance on this day.

In the following days, the offensive of the troops of the 1 of the Byelorussian Front developed more successfully. German defense finally broke through. The advanced units of the 11 Guards Tank Corps of the Katukov Army already 3 March reached the outskirts of Kohlberg. March 4 tankers reached the Baltic Sea west of Kohlberg. Part of the 1-th Guards Tank Army reached the sea in the area of ​​Treptow. As a result, the path to retreating enemy forces from the area of ​​Kozlin was finally cut.



The rapid onset of the Soviet troops led to the fact that in the area of ​​Dramburg the main forces of the 10 SS Corps and the Tettau corps were surrounded. However, the problem was that the shock grouping of the 3 shock army and tank units had gone far to the sea to the north. Part of the rifle squadron turned north-west to strike at Cummin. As a result, large enemy forces remaining in the rear of the Soviet troops could strike west and north-west, cutting off the communications of our armies. This could complicate the course of an offensive operation.

Zhukov ordered the command of the 3 shock army to prevent the German troops from retreating to the west, and the troops of the 1 Polish army to speed up the movement in order to defeat the surrounded enemy group. 1-I Guards Tank Army also part of the forces had to support the Polish army and block the way of withdrawal to the north.

4-5 March were stubborn battles with the German surrounded grouping. At first, the Germans tried to break through to the north-west, bypassing Shifelbayn, restraining the Polish forces with strong rearguards. Convinced of the impossibility of a breakthrough to the northwest, parts of the SS began to rush to the north. 6-7 March fierce fighting with the German group continued. The Germans stubbornly piled north, regardless of the losses. The German rearguards, at the cost of enormous losses, restrained the onslaught of the 1 Polish army. As a result, the remnants of the SS 10 tank corps were able to break out of the environment east of Shifelbein in the direction of Treptow. However, here the remnants of several German divisions again fell into the "pot" and were destroyed.


The machine gunners of the 1 Army of the Polish Army on the streets of Kohlberg

No less intense battles were fought in the offensive zone of the 61 and 2 of the Guards Tank armies. Attacking the Gollnovs, the Soviet 2 troops in March faced a new, prepared enemy defensive line. Attempts by tankers alone and then together with the infantry who came up to break the enemy defenses were unsuccessful. The tank army was involved in heavy frontal battles, losing maneuverability. This situation could lead to unpleasant consequences, since the 1-I Guards Tank Army went far to the north, and parts of the 3-th Shock Army fell behind her by 35-40 km. German troops could organize a strong flank attack.

Zhukov ordered the command of the 2 Guards Tank Army to withdraw the main forces from the battlefield, hiding behind part of the forces from the front and make a deep detour to inflict a flank attack on the enemy. Bogdanov's army passed through the offensive line of the 3 shock army and struck Naugard on the flank and rear of the enemy. This maneuver brought success to our troops. March 5 tankers took Naugard. The German command was forced to remove units from the Stargard direction, which stopped the breakthrough of the Soviet tank army. This allowed the troops of the 61 Army to break through the enemy defenses and March 4 to take Stargard.

On the left flank of the front, the troops of the 47 Army were unable to complete the task - to take Altdamm, to go to the Oder and to capture a bridgehead in the Stettin area on the west bank. However, they broke through the enemy defenses, advanced with heavy battles on 20 km in depth and tied up significant enemy forces, not allowing them to be used in other directions.

In general, the troops of Zhukov by the end of 5 in March 1945 completed the task. Enemy defenses were broken through 200 km along the front and 100-120 km into the depths. The German 11 Army was fragmented and crushed, part of it was surrounded and destroyed. Soviet troops reached the Baltic Sea near Treptow and Kohlberg. Kolberg was surrounded. Such important cities as Curlin, Stargard, Drumburg, Vangerin, Shifelbayn, Naugard and other settlements were cleared from the enemy. The troops of the right wing of the 1 of the Byelorussian Front in the period from 1 to 5 of March took only prisoners more than 60 thousand people. Army Group "Vistula" was finally cut, organized by the front of the German defense collapsed. Only separate groups of troops and pockets of resistance remained.


Tank EC-2 1 Army of the Polish Army in Eastern Pomerania. March 1945

Summary of the second phase of the operation

Soviet troops decided the main tasks of the operation. Our troops reached the coast of the Baltic Sea in the area of ​​Kozlin, Kohlberg, Treptow. The organized front of the German defense collapsed. Army Group "Vistula" was divided into two parts. 2-I German army was defeated and rejected in the north-eastern part of the region. 11-I German army suffered a defeat and rolled back to the Oder, holding the position on the east coast from Stetta Bay to Altdamm.

Thus, all the conditions were created for the final purification of the German forces of Eastern Pomerania and the completion of the defeat of the Vistula Army Group. The threat of a flank strike against the troops of the 1 of the Byelorussian Front was eliminated.


Tank T-34-85 1 Guards. tank army. March 1945

To be continued ...

Part 1. East Pomeranian operation
Part 2. The offensive of the troops of the 2 of the Byelorussian Front: assault on Elbing and Graudents. Defeat of the Shneidemul Group
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7 comments
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  1. +3
    13 February 2015 09: 08
    Very interesting and informative. Thanks to the author.
  2. +4
    13 February 2015 09: 15
    This is what Shetina needs to read, refresh her memory - how the Poles in the Soviet fronts destroyed the Nazis, and not engage in "enchanting marasmus" about the Ukrainian liberators of Auschwitz.
    1. +2
      13 February 2015 11: 17
      According to his perverted logic, the Nazi army group "Vistula" was entirely Poles. Where are the veterans of the Army of Human and the Home Army in Poland looking? Why is he still in office?
      1. +2
        13 February 2015 18: 28
        Ludov's army in Poland was declared "communist" with all the consequences ...
        in short, it did not exist, as it were ... but the AK that was supported from the West is, as you understand, another matter;)
    2. +2
      13 February 2015 14: 58
      It is not interested in reading this. Although he knows about it.
  3. +5
    13 February 2015 10: 02
    Thanks to the author for the work done. hi
  4. 0
    13 February 2015 21: 13
    Thank. I look forward to continuing. Particularly important is the analysis of the actions of the 70 Army. (Personally interesting) Thank you ...
    1. 0
      14 February 2015 03: 48
      In the course of this operation, the 70th Army conducted an exhausting offensive to the sea, firmly supporting the flanks of neighboring armies and fronts. Mostly during the operation, she interacted with the main advancing groups and supported them. By the end of March, she thoroughly exhausted the enemy and, deservedly, with blood and sweat, became the main character in the capture of the two largest strategically important port cities of Gdynia and Danzig on March 28 and 30, respectively. Considering the exhausting role in the general offensive in the East Pomeranian operation, already in early April it was urgently withdrawn to the front reserve and for replenishment, relocated to Stukhov. But already on April 16, she was thrown on the offensive on Wismar, where she forced the Oder and defeated the Stettin enemy group.

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