En
Ru
Heroic defense of the hero city Odessa began
August 5, 1941 began the heroic 73-day defense of Odessa.
The Southern Front of the Red Army was the most prepared for hostilities, and with the beginning of the World War II successfully repelled all attacks of German and Romanian troops. In late July - early August, the Southern Front because of the threat of encirclement, caused by a failure of the Soviet actions of the South-Western Front, had to retreat to the east and create a defensive line through Chigirin - Voznesensk - Dniester estuary.
Odessa remained west of this line. With a five-fold superiority in forces, August 3, the enemy broke through, reaching the sea and completely blocked Odessa from land. By order of the Supreme Command of August 5, it was Primorskaya Army that was charged with the defense of the city; artillery cover from the sea and fire support for the troops were ensured by a detachment of the Black Sea fleet and coastal artillery. August 8 the siege of Odessa was announced. Until August 10, Primorskaya Army fought on the distant outskirts of Odessa, and then retreated to the forefront of the defense of the city. Primoraskaya Army troops (two infantry divisions and one cavalry division) were retreating to Odessa, holding back the onslaught of five infantry divisions, two cavalry divisions and one motorized brigade of the 4th Romanian Army. Defensive lines started to be created: the front line - 20-25 km away from Odessa, the main line - 10-14 km and the line to cover the city - 6-10 km. A detachment of warships was formed to cover Odessa from the sea and provide artillery support to the troops.
With the retreat of the troops of the Southern Front to the Dnieper, Odessa remained far behind enemy lines.
August 19 GHQ created the Odessa Defensive Area (ODA), subordinate to the Military Council of the Black Sea Fleet. The ODA commander was appointed Rear Admiral, Gavriil V. Zhukov, his deputy for the land defense was Lieutenant General, G. P. Safronov, members of the military council - Brigade Commissar I. I. Azarov and Divisional Commissioner F. N. Voronin. ODA consisted of three sectors (South, East and West) and had four divisions (34, 500 men) against 14 divisions and two brigades of the enemy.
August 20th the enemy made a storming of the city. During the month, the Soviet troops under the support of the population, firmly repulsed enemy attacks and stopped him at the main line of defense in 10-14 km from the city. 38,000 citizens of Odessa had moved to Odessa catacombs.
Important role in the defense of Odessa played the aviation of the Black Sea Fleet. Soviet aircrafts continuously attacked the concentration of enemy troops in the immediate vicinity of Odessa. During combat missions of August 22, about 40 tanks and dozens of vehicles with infantry were destroyed. As a result, the structured withdrawal of Soviet troops into new defensive positions was ensured. While retreating, the forces that defended the city often counterattacked, so that the enemy was carrying heavy losses in men and equipment. In a night battle of August 28 was captured a company of Romanian soldiers along with two guns, three mortars and three machine guns. However, Soviet troops had also suffered heavy losses. Therefore, the Soviet command decided to reorganize the army and replenish the troops of the eastern sector.
In September, the enemy put into field 17 divisions and 2 brigades. By the end of September 21 he managed to approach the main line of defense in the western and southern sectors, and in the eastern sector he reached the immediate approaches and started shelling the port and the approach channel. The ships of the squadron of Rear Admiral L. A. Vladimirsky brought to Odessa from Novorossiysk the 157th Infantry Division and reinforcement units, and on September 22 in the eastern sector the combined blow was delivered: a sea landing - the 3rd Marine Regiment delivered by warships from Sevastopol, landed in Grigorievka (the landing was commanded by Counter-Admiral S. G. Gorshkov),paratroopers landed behind enemy lines and two divisions advanced from the front in the sector of Fontanka - Gildendorf. As a result, the 13th and the 15th Romanian divisions were destroyed, and the enemy was driven 5-8 km back. In the end of ten-week battle for Odessa, the enemy troops failed to perform their task - to capture the city.
At the end of September, due to the risk of a breach of fascist forces into the Crimea, the Supreme Command decided to use the troops defending Odessa, to strengthen the defense of the Crimea. From 1 to 16 October, the ships and vessels of the Black Sea Fleet transported, in secret from the enemy, all the troops - about 86, 000 men, 15, 000 civilians, a large number of military equipment and weapons. The evacuation of troops from Odessa was covered by guerrillas.
73-day heroic defense of Odessa paralyzed the 4th Romanian Army. As a result of the heroic defense of the city, 160, 000 enemy soldiers and officers, about 200 aircrafts, about 100 tanks were put out of action, which made it difficult the advancement of the right wing of the "South" fascist group of armies to the east. By the evening of October 16th, the forward units of the enemy broke into Odessa. Guerrilla war against the invaders Began. Guerrillas killed over 5, 000 enemy soldiers and officers, destroyed 248 vehicles, blew up 27 military trains, rescued 20, 000 Soviet citizens from being driven away to Germany.
Odessa had been under enemy occupation for more than two years. April 10, 1944, Soviet troops liberated the city.
December 22, 1942 by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, was established the medal "For the Defense of Odessa," which had been awarded to more than 30, 000 people. May 1, 1945, Odessa was named among the first cities-heroes by order of the Supreme Commander I. V. Stalin. May 8, 1965 the city of Odessa was awarded the title of "The Hero City."
In 1960-1969, along the main line of defense of Odessa a memorial complex "Belt of Glory" was created.
Lit.: 73 героических дня. Хроника обороны Одессы в 1941 г. М., 1978; Азаров И. И. Осаждённая Одесса. М., 1966; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/azarov_ii2/index.html; Алещенко Н. М. Они защищали Одессу. М., 1970; Бессмертная слава. Одесса, 1975; Годлевский Г. Ф., Гречанюк Н. М., Кононенко В. М. Походы боевые. М., 1966; Евстигнеев В. Н. 70 героических дней. М., 1964; История второй мировой войны. 1939-1945. Т. 4. М., 1975; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/12/04/index.html; Пензин К. В. Черноморский флот в обороне Одессы (1941 г.). М., 1956; Юновидов А. С. Оборона Одессы. 1941. Первая битва за Чёрное море. М., 2011.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: