Gad: The invasion of Leningrad, the most truly awful attack on any city in the history of the world, was the high-point of The Hunger Plan. The main success. They bombed the city and cut off all the food. This was September 1941.
I missed this one.
It was a terrible attack and siege.
If you were to actually read about the attack on Leningrad by the Germans you might have a different opinion.
I had mentioned earlier about the war between Russia and Finland, which comes into plan here with Leningrad, so keep that in mind.
Generally, this should be close....Around 1940 or early 41 when Hitler had decided to go into Russia he had his generals but together a plan for the invasion. The plan was for Army Group South to go in and down to the Crimean and the oil fields. While Army Group North would go up to Leningrad and take out the manufacturing centers, and then turn south and and meet Army group at Moscow to take it out.
That plan was however changed, and Hitler sent Army Group North to Leningrad, and Army Group South, to the Crimean, but created a Army Group Center for Moscow. Army Group North was to secure Leningrad, and protect the North flank of Army Group Center, and hold the Baltic region.
The Germans were not prepared for the Russian war, between the dust, mud, and winter, it just was not ready. Army Group North (AGN) was the weaker of the three Armies in regard to Equipment. They, for one, had to basically march from Germany to Leningrad. They had something like 200K horses to pull supplies. Their tanks were the old models and not up for the task. And Hitler keep drawing units from them to go south.
They were however well trained and hard fighters. They fought hard up to Leningrad to take the city. Long story short as they closed in, with no guarantee they could take the city, Hitler pulled the plug and ordered the siege. Not because of any hunger plan, but most likely because of the losses they were taking in the center, in places like Kiev. Others add that the Russian defense was very effective, and of all thing very effective time bombs taking a deep toll of officers, might have been a factor. But the tool they were taking in the street fighting in other areas was probably the reason.
The intent was to defeat Leningrad, not starve it out, if you want insist on that go ahead but it a just laughable in regard to history. The siege aligned with the hunger plan, but it was not the plan. The plan was to take the city, have Finland guard the north flank, and then head south to Moscow. Hitler actually believe that they could do this all before winter by some accounts.
AGN never got into the battles down below, they fought hard all the way to the end in 1945. I suggest you read the history of AGN.
In regard to Finland the ended up watching the northern border but refused to close it all the way off, which allowed resupplying Leningrad from the north. They wanted the territory they lost in 39, and that was 1st and foremost. If they had actually attacked Leningrad, Germany might have been successful with the siege. The Germans also failed in cutting off the east at the lake, Finland helped but not all the way, and they received supplies by boat in the spring and summer, and on ice roads in the winter at the southern end of the lake.
I suggest a book called the 900 days. It it is a must read if you want to know how the folks survived through the siege.
