By the end of September, the foe had been 300 km away from Moscow, near Leningrad and had broken through to the Crimea. The autumn came and made the Nazi hurry up fulfiling their Barbarossa plan before rains and cold. Hitler’s officership was gathering 1.8 million people, over 14 thousand pieces of ammunition, 1,7 tanks and about 1390 aircrafts to perform the crucial operation.
The Nazi started marching to Moscow on the 30th of September in Bryansk direction and on the 2nd of October in Vyazma direction. One of the largest battles of the World War II took place near Moscow, stretched along 1 thousand kilometres and lasted over six months being especially hard and violent.
On the bottom line the Germans broke through the Soviet defence, reached their rear and beseiged armies of 4 fronts near Bryansk and Vyazma having shortened the distance to Moscow to 80-100 km. In the middle of October Moscow faced its hardest days. However, Soviet resistance in Volokolamsk, Mozhaysk and Maloyaroslavl directions was rising and by the end of October Germans’ offensive towards Moscow had been dramatically held up. The audacious defence of Moscow lasted 67 days and nights but the foe was stopped, exhausted and impoverished on close and far rims.
On the 5th of December the Kalinin front started to advance. It took efforts in early 1942 to throw the enemy back, keep them 100-250 km away from Moscow, retake 11 thousand settlements.
Thus, Hitler’s Brief War Plan was disrupted. The Invincible Army was defeated for the first time. The battle of Moscow took over 1 million lives of German soldiers.
This combat was participated by Brest Red Banner rifle division No. 186, Guard rifle division No. 21, Rifle division No. 170 and other military formations.
Thousands and thousands of people form Bashkiria made their contribution in the Battle of Moscow. In October-November 1941 reserve rifle units and regiments in the republic sent dozens of marching formations to reinforce the fighting squads.
Soldiers defending Moscow were afterwards awarded with Orders of Glory and entitled as Heroes of the Soviet Union.
