David Cao and Jennifer DeJong Timeline June 22 1941 Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa June 22 July 3 1941 Lithuania and Estonia are occupied by the Germans July 10 1941 Latvia is occupied by the Germans ID: 538392
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Battle of the Baltics
David Cao and Jennifer DeJongSlide2
Timeline
June 22, 1941: Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa
June 22 - July 3, 1941: Lithuania and Estonia are occupied by the Germans
July 10, 1941: Latvia is occupied by the Germans
July 10, 1941 - September 13, 1944: German forces continue to occupy the Baltic states with fighting between Germans and Russians
September 14, 1944: Russian forces launched an attack in the Baltic Offensive on the Eastern Front, attempting to recapture the Baltic States
September 17 - September 26, 1944: Estonia is recaptured by Russian forces
October 5 - October 22, 1944: The Battle of Memel results in the recapturing of Estonia by Russia
October 9, 1944 - May 10, 1945: The Courland Pocket, the Russian encirclement of German forces on the Courland Peninsula, results in German surrender and the reoccupation of Latvia by RussiaSlide3
June 22, 1941 - July 9, 1941
After Germany launches Operation Barbarossa, Russia attempts to defend their territories of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia
The Battle of Raseiniai
A tank battle between Germany and Russia
Soviet army gets destroyedGermany takes control, allowing them to cross the Daugava River towards the baltic statesBattle of HankoFinland attempts to take the Hanko base Russia is cornered between Finland’s army and Germany’s advance on the Gulf of FinlandRussia evacuates Hanko baseRussia continually retreats and Germany is able to claim the three Baltic states
Baltic OperationSlide4
After 2 years of fighting, Germans launch Operation Zitadelle to try to conquer Russia
It fails
They try to retreat
Leads to...
BackgroundSlide5
CHARRRGE!
BALTIC
OFFENSIVESlide6
Operation Bagration June-August 1944
Russia’s push towards Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic States
German defenses quickly breached
Minsk, Belarus retaken by Russia (original objective)
German army crushed, so Russia pushes further than they planned toŠiauliai, Lithuania is taken along with more of Belarus and PolandBaltic OffensiveSlide7
Northern Estonia under pressure
Threatened supply lines
Germans held out until the Spring
Baltic OffensiveSlide8
Baltic Offensive
Riga offensive: September 1944
Russia attempts to drive Germany away from Riga, the capital of Latvia
German army overwhelmed and begins falling back into the Courland Peninsula
Russia takes control of Riga and pushes up to Madona, LatviaSlide9
Tallinn Operation: September 1944
Soviet attempt to capture Tallinn, Estonia’s capital
Russians quickly advance into Estonia
Germans evacuated quickly with barely any fighting
Russians regain control of most of EstoniaBaltic OffensiveSlide10
Courland Pocket
Due to the Riga offensive, German army forced back into Courland
Red Army encircled German Army Group North by reaching the Gulf of Riga
Half a million troops encircled
August: Germans enlist help of navy to defeat Soviets at Tukums10 German tanks +navy vs. 50 soviet tanks Troops escape back to GermanyRussia gains control of the rest of Latvia
Baltic OffensiveSlide11
Moonsund Landing Operation
Germans continued to defend the Estonian islands
Immediately withdraws forces after seeing Russian army
Germans pushed back to the peninsula
Finally, germans evacuated against Hitler’s willBaltic OffensiveSlide12
Battle of Memel: October 1944
Russia further advances into Lithuania and begins pushing into Latvia
Began sieging Memel
German forces evacuate and Russia takes control of Memel
Baltic OffensiveSlide13
As a result of their campaigns in the Baltics against the Russians, much of Hitler’s army was occupied through the latter part of the war, wasting many resources with no payoff as they eventually lost when Russia took the Baltics, demoralizing German troops and leading to Hitler's defeat.
Thesis:Slide14
Germany took Baltics in 1941
In 1944, the Germans got greedy and tried to take Russia
Stalin = >:{(
Russia beats off Germans and takes the Baltics, demoralizing and destroying all the way
What did we learn today?Slide15
Works Cited
"German Occupation in Estonia 1941-1944." Estonica.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.
Goldmanis, Maris. "Tag Archives: World War II." Latvian History. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015
"GREATEST TANK BATTLES - THE BATTLE OF THE BALTICS - Military/History/World War II (documentary)." Dailymotion. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.
Merriman, John. "Bagration Operation." Gale Virtual Reference Library. N.p., n.d. Web."The Red Army Invasion of Estonia in 1944." Estonica.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015."World War II in the Baltic." World War II in the Baltic. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2015.