Leningrad battle in 1941 (Referred from "The memoirs of Marshal Zhukov" on https://archive.org)

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The is referred from "The memoirs of Marshal Zhukov"

Zhukov's memoirs is on


On September 9, 1941, the German Army occupied Schlsselburg in coast of Ladoga lake in the northeast of Leningrad. The last land route which reached in Leningrad was shut.

Before Zhukov took off for Leningrad, Stalin said that Zhukov will fly over the sky on the battlefront or Ladoga lake, so should be careful enough because these were the sky German air force influenced.

On September 9, Zhukov took off for Leningrad blockaded by the German Army.

There were the Finnish armies in the Karelia isthmus of the former border, they waited for a opportunity to invade Leningrad.

Zhukov had to use Ladoga lake or an air route to go to Leningrad from the south.

When he flew to Leningrad, he was chased by two German fighters on Ladoga lake, and his plane was shot by the machine gun. So he continued flying low, somehow he was able to land at the Leningrad airport safely.

He went to the Leningrad front headquarters promptly. When he arrived at the headquarters, the strategy meeting was held, and people in charge of the front attended. In this meeting, measures in case Leningrad was occupied were discussed. The measures were to destroy all the important military installation.

However, as a result that Zhukov discussed with members of council of war of the Leningrad front such as Zhdanov, Voroshilov, Kuznetsov, they canceled all this measures in case Leningrad was occupied, and strengthened determination to keep on defending Leningrad till the last.

On September 10, Zhukov was appointed as supreme commander of the Leningrad Front .

On the same day, Zhukov discussed with members of council of war and admiral, chief of staff and commanders until the middle of the night, and worked out the strategy of the Leningrad defense.

In the Uritsk area, a part was already occupied by the German army, and was threatened maximally. In addition, in Pulkov highland, danger approached.

As a result of discussion, following items were decided.

- Move a part of the anti-aircraft gun of the Leningrad air defense corps to the most important area immediately, and strengthen the antitank defense.

- Support 42nd forces which is nearby Uritsk and Pulkov highland by naval bombardment.

- Build the defense line in each area that is easy to be exceeded by the German army, and lay mines, and set up the entanglement through the electric current around some districts.

- Move some units in the Karelia isthmus in order to strengthen defense nearby Uritsk.

- Organize 5-6 infantry brigades within 5-6 days by Sailor of the Baltic fleet and student of the military education organization of Leningrad.

Each military unit promptly started the action of these measures from the next morning.

Government agency and citizens of Leningrad worked hard to make Leningrad the impregnable fortress. Many citizens become emaciated for starvation and died. They worried about fate of Leningrad till the last.
Citizens worked while receiving bombardment of the German army. They worked desperately to supply the front with weapons and ammunition as much as possible.

On the day when Zhukov arrived at Leningrad, the Russian army received the fierce attack of the German army. The tank corps of the German army broke into Uritsk, and attacked Pulkov highland.

Therefore the Russian army cast some units into Uritsk and Pulkov highland and strengthened defense.

On the other hand, the Russian naval brigade went ashore behind the German army in Petergof, and attacked the German army in order to support the battle of the Russian sea frontier.

The Russian landing force was exposed to bombardment by the German army, but was not daunted. When they rushed in the shore, the German army ran in a hurry.

The Russian land marines often carried out the landing behind the German army, and showed unparalleled boldness each time. They took the action appropriate as the Russian navy.

The brigade of the Baltic fleet, too, gave the splendid result in early September.

The German military Supreme Headquarters planned to capture Moscow with all military power from the northeast after having conquered Leningrad.

However, the German armies were not able to occupy Leningrad, even though they attacked very intensely.

While the daring Russian soldiers fall into the worst situation, they repulsed the German armies with all strength. The German armies bled in large quantities, but could not overthrow the Russian armies, and the end of September came.

The German armies which received the counterattack realized that they could not occupy Leningrad with power on hand. Afterward, the German armies stopped the attack, and they were going to destroy Leningrad by air raid and bombardment.

Then, for 900 days, Leningrad citizens were placed under the siege of the German armies and the Finnish armies, but continued resisting daringly.

More than 1,000,000 Russians were killed in Leningrad.