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Battle of Kiev (1943)
Encyclopedia
The 1943 Battle of Kiev describes three strategic operations (two offensive and one defensive) by the Soviet Red Army, and one operational counterattack by the Wehrmacht
which took place in the wake of the failed German offensive at Kursk
during World War II
. These four operations took place between 3 October and 22 December 1943.
's battered Army Group South
back towards the Dnieper River
. There, Manstein intended to rest and refit his troops, but that was not to be. STAVKA
ordered the Central Front (Byelorussian Front 20 Oct 1943) and the Voronezh Front
(1st Ukrainian Front 20 Oct 1943) to force crossings of the Dnieper before the Germans could catch their breath. When this was unsuccessful in October, the effort was handed over to the 1st Ukrainian Front
, with some support from the 2nd Ukrainian Front. The 1st Ukrainian Front, commanded by Nikolai Vatutin, was able to secure bridgeheads north and south of Kiev
. His opponent would be the veteran 4th Panzer Army, commanded by Hermann Hoth
.
The structure of the strategic operations from the Soviet planning point of view was:
, in an effective defensive position, had the opposing Soviet forces squeezed in. As a result, Vatutin decided to concentrate his strength at the northern bridgehead at Lyutezh.
The 3rd Guards Tank Army, commanded by Pavel Rybalko
, moved northwards towards the Lyutezh bridgehead under cover of darkness and diversionary attacks out of the Bukrin bend. Masses of artillery were shifted northwards, unnoticed by the Germans.
's objectives were to drive quickly westwards to take the towns of Zhitomir, Korosten
, Berdichev, and Fastov, to cut the rail link to Army Group Center; this would be the first step towards the encirclement of Army Group South
.
The plan went very well for Vatutin; Manstein, however, became worried. As Rybalko's tanks moved through the streets of Kiev on 5 November, Manstein pleaded with Hitler to release the 48th and 40th Panzer Corps in order to have sufficient forces to retake Kiev. The 48th Panzer Corps was committed to Manstein. Hitler refused to divert the 40th Panzer Corps, and replaced Hoth with Erhard Raus
, who was ordered to blunt the Soviet attack and secure Army Group South's northern flank and communications with Army Group North. A number of sources give 6 November as the date for the conquering of Kiev. The 1st Czechoslovak Independent Brigade seems to have started the assault, at 12.30 on 5 November, reaching the Dniepr at 02.00 on the 6th, after sweeping through the western suburbs of the City, with Kiev finally being conquered at 06.50 on the 6th.
. Its drive on Fastov was halted by the 7th Guards Tank Corps. Rybalko was soon just 40 mi (64.4 km) from Berdichev. Zhitomir was taken by the 38th Army; the 60th Army was at the gates of Korosten; 40th Army
was moving south from Kiev. The only respite for the Germans came when the 27th Army
exhausted itself and went over to the defensive in the Bukrin bend.
The 4th Panzer Army was in deep trouble. However, the situation changed with the arrival of the elite 1st SS Division
, 1st and 7th Panzer Divisions, under the command of 48th Panzer Corps. These new forces drove north to Brusilov
and then west to retake Zhitomir. Rybalko sent the 7th Guards Tank Corps, to counter the German assault, and a huge tank battle ensued, although not quite on the scale seen at Kursk
. This continued until the latter part of November, when the autumn mud halted all operations.
Both sides suffered heavy losses. The casualty ratio was fairly balanced, though the Soviets lost slightly more than the Germans. 4th Panzer had gained some breathing space with the recapture of Zhitomir and Korosten. Vatutin, while temporarily halted, had given a good account of himself during the German counterattack. STAVKA was also releasing substantial reserve forces to the First Ukrainian Front.
Vatutin was forced to ask STAVKA for more reserves, and was granted 1st Tank Army and 18th Army
. These new units, along with additional Corps from other sectors, were hastily rushed westward. Thus, the Soviets stopped the German advance, went back on the offensive, and retook Brusilov. Both sides were exhausted by late December and the battle for Kiev was over.
Offensive succeeded in pushing the Germans back to the 1939 Polish border by 3 January 1944.
According to soviet information the Germans lost from 3 until 6 November 1943 in the Kiev Offensive Operation 15,000 dead, 6,200 captured, 286 tanks and 156 aircraft.
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
which took place in the wake of the failed German offensive at Kursk
Kursk
Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym Rivers. The area around Kursk was site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. These four operations took place between 3 October and 22 December 1943.
Overview
The Red Army launched their first summer offensive of the war, pushing Erich von MansteinErich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
's battered Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
back towards the Dnieper River
Dnieper River
The Dnieper River is one of the major rivers of Europe that flows from Russia, through Belarus and Ukraine, to the Black Sea.The total length is and has a drainage basin of .The river is noted for its dams and hydroelectric stations...
. There, Manstein intended to rest and refit his troops, but that was not to be. STAVKA
Stavka
Stavka was the term used to refer to a command element of the armed forces from the time of the Kievan Rus′, more formally during the history of Imperial Russia as administrative staff and General Headquarters during late 19th Century Imperial Russian armed forces and those of the Soviet Union...
ordered the Central Front (Byelorussian Front 20 Oct 1943) and the Voronezh Front
Voronezh Front
The Voronezh Front was a front of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War. The name indicated the primary geographical region in which the Front first fought, based on the town of Voronezh on the Don River....
(1st Ukrainian Front 20 Oct 1943) to force crossings of the Dnieper before the Germans could catch their breath. When this was unsuccessful in October, the effort was handed over to the 1st Ukrainian Front
1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
, with some support from the 2nd Ukrainian Front. The 1st Ukrainian Front, commanded by Nikolai Vatutin, was able to secure bridgeheads north and south of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. His opponent would be the veteran 4th Panzer Army, commanded by Hermann Hoth
Hermann Hoth
Hermann "Papa" Hoth was an officer in the German military from 1903 to 1945. He attained the rank of Generaloberst during World War II. He fought in France, but is most noted for his later exploits as a panzer commander on the Eastern Front...
.
The structure of the strategic operations from the Soviet planning point of view was:
- Kiev Strategic Offensive Operation (October) (1–24 October 1943) by the Central and Voronezh FrontVoronezh FrontThe Voronezh Front was a front of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War. The name indicated the primary geographical region in which the Front first fought, based on the town of Voronezh on the Don River....
s
- Chernobyl-Radomysl Offensive Operation (1–4 October 1943)
- Chernobyl-Gornostaipol Defensive Operation (3–8 October 1943)
- Lyutezh Offensive Operation (11–24 October 1943)
- Bukrin Offensive Operation (12–15 October 1943)
- Bukrin Offensive Operation (21–24 October 1943)
- Kiev Strategic Offensive Operation (November) (3–13 November 1943)
- Rauss' November 1943 counterattack
- Kiev Strategic Defensive Operation (1943) (13 November 1943–22 December 1943)
First attempt
In October 1943, several of Vatutin's armies were having serious trouble trying to break out of the rugged terrain of the Bukrin bend, the southern bridgehead. The 24th Panzer Corps of Walther NehringWalther Nehring
Walther Kurt Josef Nehring , was a German general of World War II, known for his involvement with the Afrika Korps. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
, in an effective defensive position, had the opposing Soviet forces squeezed in. As a result, Vatutin decided to concentrate his strength at the northern bridgehead at Lyutezh.
The 3rd Guards Tank Army, commanded by Pavel Rybalko
Pavel Rybalko
Marshal of the Armoured Troops Pavel Semjonovich Rybalko was a commander of armoured troops in the Red Army during and following World War II.-Pre-war:Pavel Rybalko served in the Russian and then the Soviet Army from 1914...
, moved northwards towards the Lyutezh bridgehead under cover of darkness and diversionary attacks out of the Bukrin bend. Masses of artillery were shifted northwards, unnoticed by the Germans.
Initial stage of second attempt
Early in the morning of 3 November 1943, the 4th Panzer Army was subjected to a massive Soviet bombardment. The German forces screening the bridgehead were defeated, and Kiev was quickly conquered. 1st Ukrainian Front1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front was a front—a force the size of a Western Army group—of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War.-Wartime:...
's objectives were to drive quickly westwards to take the towns of Zhitomir, Korosten
Korosten
Korosten is a historic city and a large railway node in the Zhytomyr Oblast of northern Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Korosten Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast, and is located on the Uzh River.The city was founded over a...
, Berdichev, and Fastov, to cut the rail link to Army Group Center; this would be the first step towards the encirclement of Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
.
The plan went very well for Vatutin; Manstein, however, became worried. As Rybalko's tanks moved through the streets of Kiev on 5 November, Manstein pleaded with Hitler to release the 48th and 40th Panzer Corps in order to have sufficient forces to retake Kiev. The 48th Panzer Corps was committed to Manstein. Hitler refused to divert the 40th Panzer Corps, and replaced Hoth with Erhard Raus
Erhard Raus
Erhard Raus was a Austrian Colonel General during World War II. He commanded the 6th Panzer Division during the early years of the war on the Eastern Front before taking Army and Army Group commands....
, who was ordered to blunt the Soviet attack and secure Army Group South's northern flank and communications with Army Group North. A number of sources give 6 November as the date for the conquering of Kiev. The 1st Czechoslovak Independent Brigade seems to have started the assault, at 12.30 on 5 November, reaching the Dniepr at 02.00 on the 6th, after sweeping through the western suburbs of the City, with Kiev finally being conquered at 06.50 on the 6th.
Rauss counterattacks
Rauss, even with the new Panzer Corps attached, was in difficulty. However, 4th Panzer Army was soon reinforced, especially with artillery and rockets. Despite suffering heavy casualties in the initial stages of Vatutin's offensive, the German divisions were bolstered by the arrival on 7 November of the newly formed 25th Panzer Division of the 48th Panzer Corps, commanded by General der Panzertruppen Georg JauerGeorg Jauer
Georg Jauer was a Panzer General in the German army during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
. Its drive on Fastov was halted by the 7th Guards Tank Corps. Rybalko was soon just 40 mi (64.4 km) from Berdichev. Zhitomir was taken by the 38th Army; the 60th Army was at the gates of Korosten; 40th Army
40th Army (Soviet Union)
The 40th Army of the Soviet Union's Red Army was an army-level command active from 1941 to 1945 and then again from 1979 to circa 1990.It was first formed, after Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, had commenced, from elements of the 26th and 37th Armies under the command...
was moving south from Kiev. The only respite for the Germans came when the 27th Army
27th Army (Soviet Union)
The 27th Army was a field army of the Soviet Union's Red Army, which fought in World War II. First formed in May 1941. Initial commander was H. E. Berzarin. Took part in battles in the Baltic. On 22 June 1941 it consisted of the 22nd and 24th Rifle Corps, 16th and 67th Rifle Divisions, 3rd Separate...
exhausted itself and went over to the defensive in the Bukrin bend.
The 4th Panzer Army was in deep trouble. However, the situation changed with the arrival of the elite 1st SS Division
1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
The Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was Adolf Hitler's personal bodyguard. Initially the size of a regiment, the LSSAH eventually grew into a divisional-sized unit...
, 1st and 7th Panzer Divisions, under the command of 48th Panzer Corps. These new forces drove north to Brusilov
Brusilov
Brusilov , or Brusilova , is a Russian last name and may refer to:People:* Aleksei Brusilov , a Russian cavalry general* Georgy Brusilov , a Russian naval officer and Arctic explorer...
and then west to retake Zhitomir. Rybalko sent the 7th Guards Tank Corps, to counter the German assault, and a huge tank battle ensued, although not quite on the scale seen at Kursk
Battle of Kursk
The Battle of Kursk took place when German and Soviet forces confronted each other on the Eastern Front during World War II in the vicinity of the city of Kursk, in the Soviet Union in July and August 1943. It remains both the largest series of armored clashes, including the Battle of Prokhorovka,...
. This continued until the latter part of November, when the autumn mud halted all operations.
Both sides suffered heavy losses. The casualty ratio was fairly balanced, though the Soviets lost slightly more than the Germans. 4th Panzer had gained some breathing space with the recapture of Zhitomir and Korosten. Vatutin, while temporarily halted, had given a good account of himself during the German counterattack. STAVKA was also releasing substantial reserve forces to the First Ukrainian Front.
Final stage of second attempt
By 5 December, the mud had frozen in the Russian winter. 48th Panzer Corps conducted a wide sweeping attack north of Zhitomir. Catching the Soviets by surprise, the Germans sought to trap the Soviet 60th Army, and the 13th Corps. Reinforced with the 2nd Fallschirmjäger Division, the Germans drove eastward, putting the Soviets on the defensive. With Fastov also being threatened, the 60th Army withdrew from Korosten.Vatutin was forced to ask STAVKA for more reserves, and was granted 1st Tank Army and 18th Army
18th Army (Soviet Union)
The 18th Army of the Soviet Union's Red Army was formed on 21 June 1941 on the basis of HQ Kharkov Military District and armies of the Kiev Special Military District.The Army's commander in 1941 was General-Leitenant Andrew Kirilovych Smirnov...
. These new units, along with additional Corps from other sectors, were hastily rushed westward. Thus, the Soviets stopped the German advance, went back on the offensive, and retook Brusilov. Both sides were exhausted by late December and the battle for Kiev was over.
Aftermath
Though the Soviets had failed to break the rail link with Army Group Center or envelop Army Group South, they had conquered Kiev, broken the Dnieper line, and inflicted massive casualties on the 4th Panzer Army. The Germans, for their part, had destroyed several sizable Soviet formations and kept the vital rail link open. But there was to be no rest. A few days after 48th Panzer Corps was pulled out to rest and refit, the Soviets launched their winter offensive on Christmas Eve. The renamed Voronezh FrontVoronezh Front
The Voronezh Front was a front of the Soviet Union's Red Army during the Second World War. The name indicated the primary geographical region in which the Front first fought, based on the town of Voronezh on the Don River....
Offensive succeeded in pushing the Germans back to the 1939 Polish border by 3 January 1944.
According to soviet information the Germans lost from 3 until 6 November 1943 in the Kiev Offensive Operation 15,000 dead, 6,200 captured, 286 tanks and 156 aircraft.
Source
- Radey, Jack, Bongard, David, O'Connor, Dave, Fire Brigade: The Battle for Kiev 1943, Panther Games Pty.Ltd., Canberra, 1988 Home of the UnderdogsHome of the UnderdogsHome of the Underdogs was an abandonware archive founded by Thai Sarinee Achavanuntakul , aka: Underdogs or Fringer on her own blog, in September 1998, and grew to be one of the most significant abandonware websites on the Internet, despite losing its domains to cybersquatters and then briefly...
' game entry