the Red Army freed from Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia capital after fierce fighting, on may 9, 1945. On the 75th anniversary of this historic date on the website of the Ministry of defense of Russia has opened a new multimedia section “the Last battle before Victory.”
the Prague offensive operation the troops of the 1st, 2nd and 4th Ukrainian fronts conducted from 6 to 11 may. It is noted that the preparation of the operation was carried out in a very limited time, despite the fact that had a major regrouping of forces and means. Only 1-m the Ukrainian front, the operation was launched on 5 armies, 2 tank, as well as a number of separate buildings. An important condition is that required to accelerate the beginning of the operation, was started in Prague on may 5, a popular uprising against the German occupation. In an effort to suppress it, the Nazis used against the people of Czechoslovakia artillery, tanks and aircraft.
In this regard the offensive of the Soviet troops in Prague began on a day earlier than expected. According to historical documents, the command of the 1st Ukrainian front, it became known that the city’s population require assistance in opposition to the Nazi parts, which were tightened to quell the rebellion. Then the aid was extended the 101st rifle corps, 42nd, 5th guards tank brigade, 1st Czechoslovak tank brigade, 70 guards infantry division.
“the Main task of the mobile group is the fastest access to the center of Prague. Action groups should be determined, the promotion is a bold and energetic. The possible centers of resistance: avoid using a dense network of roads shossirovannoe close to the main route,” – said in the order of the commander of the 38th army of the 1st Ukrainian front Colonel-General Kirill Moskalenko.
According to the archives, during the offensive in the period from 6 to 8 may the army three Ukrainian front broke through the enemy defenses in the entire operational depth, overcame the Ore mountains, out on the frontiers, were in the 60-150 kilometres to the North, East and South of the Czech capital. In the report about the RAID 302 Tarnopolsky infantry division at Prague reported that the commander of the 4th Ukrainian front, it was decided to put the staff of the division for 425 automobiles “Studebaker”, giving the connection the 100-th tank brigade and 2 fighter anti-tank regiment. Artillery, it was decided to attach to the trucks. Having fought distance to Prague, crossed the river Morava and received an additional 100 cars, “Willis”, the division by the morning of may 9 came to the Prague highway. Then the red army moved at a rapid March on the capital of Czechoslovakia.
In the archives is particularly noted that the path of our soldiers met a huge number of German soldiers to surrender in a captivity.
At 10:45 ��tin columns of the red army division entered Prague, and in the evening in the capital of Czechoslovakia focused for the whole division. During the operation from 5 to 10 may the personnel of the connection were captured 25 thousand soldiers and officers.
it is Noted that active participation in the liberation of Prague also took 4th guards tank army under the command of guards Colonel-General Dmitry Lelyushenko, which was later awarded the title Hero of the Czechoslovak Republic.
At 4 a.m. on 9 may, the 10th guards tank corps 4th guards tank army first entered the capital of Czechoslovakia. The battle for Prague lasted all day. In the liberation of the city was also involved tankers of the 7th guards tank corps, commanded by guard major General Vasily Novikov. The report on the combat operations of the corps is that organized enemy action in the town centre was broken, and the enemy, no resistance, surrendered.
According to the headquarters of the 5th guards army, in the period from 6 to 10 may 1945, units of the army were disarmed about 119 thousand soldiers and officers. In addition, it was seized 265 tanks, 220 armored personnel carriers, 80 aircraft, 14 807 vehicles and other equipment, armament, weapons, food and material part of the enemy.
as a result of the successful completion of the Prague offensive was defeated the last major group of the Wehrmacht on the Soviet-German front, and completed the liberation of Czechoslovakia.
As the declassified award lists on heroes, in battle of Prague, Soviet soldiers showed bravery and courage.
During the liberation of Prague, the commander of the 12th guards mechanized brigade guards Colonel G. Borisenko for 9 hours personally led the street fighting. The brigade, being surrounded, repulsed repeated attacks of the fascists and forced them to surrender. On that day, the tankers destroyed up to 1.5 thousand soldiers and officers and more than 2 thousand captured.
In the skies above Czechoslovakia in those days, the pilots fought 218th bomber aviation division of the red banner of Iasi. 7 may they were tasked to bomb enemy strongholds, which prevented the red Army offensive. During the strike the Soviet troops were in the 200-500 meters of the target. It is noted that the bombing was made with masterly accuracy, for which the flight crew received the commendation of Marshal vorozheykina Gregory.
Another hero guard Lieutenant Stepan Bednenko. With his platoon of medium tanks, he also participated in the battles for the liberation of the capital of Czechoslovakia. Tankers under his command, made a 200-mile March from Berlin to Prague and on may 9 entered the city.
Hero The Soviet Union Vitaly Bezgolosov during the war served as a sniper in 227th rifle regiment. In the battles for the mastery of Moravska Ostrava and while crossing the river in one day destroyed 8 of the Nazis and, despite heavy fire, assisted the officer, seriously wounded by a German sniper. In premium sheet petty officer Vitaly Bezgolosov is written: “His account of vengeance sniper Bezgolosov began in fights near Kharkov in July 1943. During his sniper activities destroyed 279 German soldiers and officers…”.
“of Bezgolosov shouldered the wounded major and propping herself up, fell, struck by a bullet of the enemy. So for saving the life of a comrade killed noble sniper-hero of the front, comrade Bezgolosov”, – stated in the archival documents.
After the liberation of Prague by Soviet command gave the local people food, including 50 tons of flour, 100 tons potatoes, 10 tons of various cereals, tea, sugar, fat. “I request the chief of the rear of the front urgently ship in Czechoslovakia from the resources available in front of the seeds and feed the following crops: barley, 500 tons, oats – 430 tons, corn – 1070 tons, wiki 70 tons of beans and 30 tons, bran – 500 tons of mustard – 1 ton”, – stated in one of the declassified documents.
on may 26, 1945 resolution of the State defense Committee, according to which the population of Prague were supported with food supplies. These needs were passed to 8.8 thousand tonnes of food grains to produce flour and 600 tons of salt.
in addition, the Soviet high command were supplying food and other cities of Czechoslovakia Moravska Ostrava, Brno.
the defense Ministry reminded that the publication of declassified historical documents from the holdings of the Central archives of the military Department aimed at the protection and defence of historical truth, countering falsification of history, attempts to revise the results of the great Patriotic and Second world wars.
All documents about a unique military operation for the liberation of Prague can be viewed at the link.
