Battle of Moscow

1941 World War II campaign in Russia

The Battle of Moscow (Russian: Битва под Москвой, German: Schlacht um Moskau) is a name given by Soviet historians to two periods of fighting on a 600 km area of the Eastern Front during World War II. It took place between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defenses stopped the German attack on Moscow, the Soviet capital, which was one of the Axis's primary military and political objectives in the invasion of the Soviet Union.

Battle of Moscow
Part of the Eastern Front of World War II

December 1941. Fresh forces going to the front from Moscow.
Date2 October 1941 – 7 January 1942
Location
Moscow region, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Result Decisive Soviet victory
Belligerents
Nazi Germany Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Fedor von Bock
Heinz Guderian
Albert Kesselring
Georgy Zhukov
Aleksandr Vasilevsky
Strength
As of 1 October 1941:
1,000,000 men,
1,700 tanks,
14,000 guns,
Aircraft at first: 549 can be used[1][2] At time of Counter offensive: 599[3]
As of 1 October 1941:
1,250,000 men,
1,000 tanks,
7,600 guns,
Aircraft at first: 936 (545 can be used)[1] At time of Counter offensive: 1,376[3]
Casualties and losses
280,000-400,000 650,000–1,280,000 (mostly captured)

The German strategic offensive named Operation Typhoon was planned to attack Moscow from the north and south. The Soviets reacted by sending in more reserve from the Far East. Shortly, German attacks were stopped, and the Soviets began counter-attack and were forced to push the Axis back.

References

change
  1. 1.0 1.1 Bergström 2007 p.90.
  2. Williamson 1983, p.132.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Bergström 2007, p. 111.