Analysis Of The Siege Of Leningrad

The Siege of Leningrad is one of the most deadly and largest artillery battles of World War II. The Siege will claim nearly two million lives including innocent civilians. Two million more will be captured or wounded. Taking place from September 8th 1941 to January 27th 1944, the battle will last eight hundred and seventy-two days (The Siege of Leningrad, 2014). Some reports suggest that over one hundred and fifty thousand artillery shells shot from German Artillery positions into and around the city. The opening of the Eastern front caused Germany to shift some of its forces from Europe to invade the Soviet Union and the eventual loss of the war. The Siege of Leningrad is a battle between Germany and The Soviet Union, with little involvement
During the start of the Operation, the weather was in favor of the invading German Forces. As the months passed, heavy rains began to slow the German Army due to the mud stopping armor and slowing the troop’s forward movement. As winter approaches, the ground hardened making it possible to continue pressing forward but the bitter cold of Soviet winters interfered with the operation of military equipment. The German Army was unprepared for the cold. Lacking winter supplies, such as uniforms for the soldiers make it very difficult to complete tasks. The German Army is too far from German supply lines, in order to make timely drops of much needed supplies. The lack of supplies led to thousands dying of hypothermia and casualties from frostbite (The Siege of Leningrad, 2014). The weather also hindered the ability of the Luftwaffe to take part in daily
The Moscow-Leningrad railway destroyed, air bombardment destroyed air and river supply lines, water and food supply storages, along with power stations that supplied electricity. This created inhumane living conditions, and ultimately death for hundreds of thousands of residents in Leningrad. Rations of the food remaining were inadequate to feed the masses and priority of food were given to soldiers and manual workers who continued to work building weapons needed to support war efforts. Residents supplemented their food rations eating zoo animals, rodents, and family pets. “Hundreds, perhaps thousands, resorted to cannibalizing the dead and in a few cases people murder for their flesh” (Siege of Leningrad begins, 2014). Remaining fuel is to be used in weapon building, leaving residents to use household items, such as books, furniture, and floorboards, as fuel for warmth. Thousands of people died daily from freezing temperatures in the winters, disease, and starvation. During winter months, supplies made its way to Leningrad over the frozen Lake Ladoga and by barges when the lake was not frozen. Not all attempts were successful, due to German air and artillery attacks. Attempts to support Leningrad with supplies were also made by the building of a road, more than 200 miles long to Zaborie. However, many parts of the road were impassable due to snow or