Operation Typhoon

Moscow was one of Germany's primary military objects in their invasion of the Soviet Union. It was probably driven more by a political imperative than the strategic measures it offered. Operation Typhoon was Germany's offensive to capture Moscow. Four complete …

1941-10-02

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Moscow was one of Germany's primary military objects in their invasion of the Soviet Union. It was probably driven more by a political imperative than the strategic measures it offered. Operation Typhoon was Germany's offensive to capture Moscow. Four complete armies were to maneuver north, south, and directly against the city in a pincher movement. The 3rd and 4th Panzer Groups were to swing north, the 2nd Panzer Group south while the 4th Army would advance directly against Moscow. Large pockets of Soviet troops were cutoff by the advancing German forces. Four complete armies, the 19th, 20th. 24th and 32nd, were trapped in a large pocket just to the west of Moscow. The Soviets did not surrender, putting up stiff Resistance that pinned down 28 German divisions; pulling those forces away from the Moscow offensive. While many Soviets units were overrun, some managed to escape in groups from platoon sized units up to entire divisions. history, as it has a tendency to do, repeated itself - the assault on Moscow failed.

Bryansk, Russia

The Battle of Bryansk was a twenty-day battle during World War II conducted in the Bryansk Oblast as a part of the overall Moscow campaign. Returning from the Kiev operation, Heinz Guderian attacked in an unexpected direction capturing Bryansk and Oryol with few casualties thereby encircling two Soviet formations, the 13th Army and 3rd Army. A third Soviet formation, the 50th Army was encircled by infantry of the German 2nd Army north of Bryansk. However the encircled Red Army units continued fighting, delaying the drive on Moscow for two weeks. This delay, as well as the casualties taken by the Wehrmacht liquidating the pockets contributed to the German collapse at the gates of Moscow. See also: Vyazma and Bryansk pockets. As a result of this battle, the Germans occupied Bryansk until they were expelled by the Red Army on 17 September 1943 as a part of the Smolensk campaign.

Wikipedia: Battle of Bryansk (1941)

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