Germans Take ODESSA Sept.16,1941

[Saxondog]

The Siege of Odessa was part of the Eastern Front area of operations in 1941, it was primarily conducted by Romanian forces and elements of the German Army's (Wehrmacht Heer) 11th Army (11. Armee). Due to the heavy resistance of the 9th Independent Army (initially) and the rapidly formed Separate Coastal Army, which was formed from the Coastal Group of the 9th Army[2], and the Black Sea Fleet forces in Odessa, it took the Romanian army 73 days of siege and four attempts to take the city, during which they suffered 93,000 casualties, while the Red Army suffered around 41,000 casualties.

Another interesting fact is this battle also produced the second largest military/civilian evacuation of WWII by sea,with the Russian Black Sea Fleet evacuating over 340,000 troops from Odessa to the Black Sea Fleet base at Sevastopol.

Siege of Odessa

Part of the Eastern Front of World War II

Date

8 August – 16 October 1941

Location

Odessa region, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Result
Axis victory

Belligerents

Romania
Germany
Soviet Union

Commanders and leaders
Alexandru Ioani?iu†, Nicolae Ciuperc?, Iosif Iacobici-Rumanian Army
Erich von Manstein- German command

Georgiy Sofronov, Ivan Petrov (later stages)-Russian Commanders



On 27 July 1941, Hitler sent a letter to General Antonescu in which he requested further cooperation of the Romanian troops beyond the Dniester River, and granted the Romanians administration of the territory between the Dniester and the Bug rivers. Antonescu accepted on 31 July. In fact the Romanian Third Army had already crossed the Dniester on 17 July.

PRELUDE TO BATTLE
Lieutenant-general Nicolae Ciuperc?'s Fourth Army commenced the advance over the river on 3 August. The 5th Corps, comprising the 15th Infantry Division and 1st Cavalry Brigade, forced the crossing between Tighina and Dub?sari. During the night of 5 August, the 1st Armored Division also joined the 5th Corps. On 8 August, the Romanian General Staff issued the Operative Directive No. 31 stipulating that the 4th Army was to defeat the enemy between the Dniester River and the Tiligulskiy Bank and to occupy Odessa from the move. It was thought that the city garrison, which was heavily outnumbered, would surrender quickly. However, Odessa was a heavily fortified position, which, thanks to the superiority of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, could not actually be completely surrounded. The defense was organized on three lines with trenches, anti-tank ditches, pillboxes and others. The first line was 80 km long and situated some 25–30 km from the city. The second and main line of defense was situated 6–8 km from the city and was about 30 km long. The third and last line of defense was organized inside the city itself. The forces that initially manned the fortifications were made up of the 25th and 95th Rifle Divisions, the 2nd Cavalry Division, the 421st Rifle Division, the 54th Rifle Regiment and an NKVD Regiment. Overall, the Red Army had some 34,500 men and 240 artillery pieces in the area. Air support was provided by the 69 IAP, two seaplane squadrons and one bomber squadron. Later, other fighters joined the defenders, as did an Il-2 squadron. Bombers from Crimea and Nikolaev also participated in the battle.

The 4th Army planned a combined maneuver: the 3rd Corps (3rd, 7th Infantry and 1st Guard Divisions and the 2nd Tank Regiment) had to undertake a frontal attack on the Razdelnaya – Odessa direction, while the 5th Corps (15th Infantry and 1st Armored Divisions and 1st Cavalry Brigade) executed a turning maneuver to the north, towards Katargy and Bolschaya Buzhalyk, and then turn southwards. The 3rd Reconnaissance Group of the 3rd Infantry Division advanced towards Razdelnaya and reported that the village was burning and the railway station was occupied by Soviets troops. In the evening, the 1st Armored Division and the 1st Cavalry Brigade encircled Katargy and took 200 Soviet POWs.

For more on the Historic Battle - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Odessa_(1941" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)