Monwar Posted September 28, 2003 Share Posted September 28, 2003 The Most Brutal Battles of The Eastern Front I know that you ppl have a lot of readings on the battles of the Eastern Front. You all have your own mental images and visualizaitions of EF battles. What, in your opinion was the most brutal battle of the Eastern Front? Why do you think so? Enlighten us pls. For me, it is, ofcourse, Inner City Stalingrad and the Cherkassy (Korshun) Pocket. The 700,000 dead of Leningrad also haunts me, but they weren't direct war casualties. Other incidents include the Zeelow Heights and one description of a AG Centre battle where German Medics, who went in to treat the wounded Russians were shot at. This shows the barbaricness if the war. The breakthrough of the German 9th Army also seems to me to be very desparate, though I have read little on it. Kursk will always be on my list of great battles, but Prokhorova for me will be brutal. Actually, I don't have much readings on the Eastern Front. It fascinates me tremendously, but I haven't yet been able to find many literature on it here. I would have to look a bit more and hopefully I can find some more books. It's your turn now! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grisha Posted September 28, 2003 Share Posted September 28, 2003 Hard to say really. Stalingrad tends to stand out mostly because of its urban battles, which were fought at very close range. Overall, though I'd say the entire war was a very brutal war, because it was a war of extermination. Stalin, in a speech given in fall/winter of 1941 had already said something to the effect of "if it's a war of extermination you want, then you shall have it." A ghastly war really. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted September 28, 2003 Share Posted September 28, 2003 Originally posted by Grisha: Hard to say really. Stalingrad tends to stand out mostly because of its urban battles, which were fought at very close range. Overall, though I'd say the entire war was a very brutal war, because it was a war of extermination. Stalin, in a speech given in fall/winter of 1941 had already said something to the effect of "if it's a war of extermination you want, then you shall have it." A ghastly war really. Exactly. Unless someone wants to define "brutal" in a way that might help us better understand the question, the entire war could be categorized. As far as "most significant", certainly Stalingrad and Kursk qualify. "Longest battle" might go to the Leningrad siege. "Most casualties" - perhaps a statistician could help out there. Would Berlin qualify? Can't think of a battle that wouldn't qualify as "brutal". Or one that would qualify as "not brutal". Can anyone identify a major Eastern Front battle (at least corps sized participants) in which the final outcome was seriously in doubt throughout? (ie either side may have prevailed, rather than the only doubt being how long it would take and how many people would die.) That might be more interesting. [ September 28, 2003, 01:59 PM: Message edited by: Michael Dorosh ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted September 28, 2003 Share Posted September 28, 2003 Brutal? Well even 900 days of something fun wouldn't be much fun. Seige of Leningrad and many battles around it and the "corridor". 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K_Tiger Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Exactly. Unless someone wants to define "brutal" in a way that might help us better understand the question, the entire war could be categorized Maybe he means the place where we dont want to be at last... I would say for myself, its in front of Moskow...without the proper clothes.. not to mention those boots with steel nails in it... At all, to be wounded in the could is one of my nightmares... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Stalingrad... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micheal Wittman Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 I'd have to quess that any battle anywhere however big or small, wherever one gets wounded of dies would be that persons worst battle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshe Malyevshevsky Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Greeting Friends..... I would submit that the Battle of the Narva Bridgehead was one of the most brutal fought on the Eastern Front (Also known as The Battle of the European SS)! Moshe In dentibus anticis frustrum magnum spiniciae habes You have a big piece of spinach in your front teeth 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phemur Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 According to MW online Brutal: Typical of Beasts; grossly ruthless or unfeeling; harsh, severe; unpleasantly accurate or incisive. By that definition, I'd say either Leningrad or Berlin, due to the number of civilians caught in the crossfire. Firing at soldiers is one thing, but harming civilians is another. Phemur 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andreas Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Originally posted by Phemur: According to MW online Brutal: Typical of Beasts; grossly ruthless or unfeeling; harsh, severe; unpleasantly accurate or incisive. By that definition, I'd say either Leningrad or Berlin, due to the number of civilians caught in the crossfire. Firing at soldiers is one thing, but harming civilians is another. Phemur Stalingrad was not evacuated until it was too late, and quite a number of civilians did not make it out at all, AFAIK. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phemur Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Stalingrad was not evacuated until it was too late, and quite a number of civilians did not make it out at all, AFAIK.Not to mention those that were "recruited" by the Red Army. Stalingrad could indeed easily be added to that list. Phemur 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keke Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Originally posted by Michael Dorosh: Can anyone identify a major Eastern Front battle (at least corps sized participants) in which the final outcome was seriously in doubt throughout? (ie either side may have prevailed, rather than the only doubt being how long it would take and how many people would die.) That might be more interesting. That's a tough one. I would say the battle of Tali-Ihantala (22nd June-15th July 1944) between the Soviet 21st Army and Finnish IV Corps. Especially in the early stages of the battle Finnish lines were constantly in a brink of a total collapse, allowing a decisive breakthrough for the 21st Army into inner Finland, but sufficient amount of Finnish reserves (especially artillery) made such efforts virtually impossible later. Edited to add that the battle included a failed Finnish effort to besiege and eliminate the 30th Guards Rifle Corps against all odds... :eek: [ October 06, 2003, 03:00 PM: Message edited by: Keke ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
von Nev Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Originally posted by Keke: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keke Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Originally posted by von Nev: The battle that really stands out for me is Operation Mars.I thought of it too. In fact I'm designing a scenario about the operation for an upcoming operative level wargame. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Two great answers to my question, thanks. The Zhukov book sounds especially enticing. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshe Malyevshevsky Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 Greetings Michael Dorosh..... Well, it was a quite brutal, cataclysmic battle, but, just not famous! I do like, and, will try a QB taking your advice abuut T-34s & HVSS Shermans! Thank you for the idea!! Moshe 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moshe Malyevshevsky Posted October 6, 2003 Share Posted October 6, 2003 [ October 06, 2003, 05:16 PM: Message edited by: Moshe Malyevshevsky ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.