Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

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Kelvin
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Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#1

Post by Kelvin » 21 Jun 2019, 08:55

I see a Website About Combat Operation of Romanian Army in Barbarossa, it mentions Bessarabian Campaign alone took 150,000 Soviet POW, but any big or key battle in this Campaign, let say any decisve battle at capital Kishinev ? Anyone have data are welcome, thank

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Jeff Leach
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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#2

Post by Jeff Leach » 22 Jun 2019, 13:48

The Campaign in Bessarabia (01 - 23 July approx.) consisted of the advance from the Prut River to the Dniester River. I doubt if the Axis took more than a couple of thousand prisoners (mainly deserters). I have seen no German mentioning any large scale haul of prisoners.

About the only Place the Romanians could have taken a larger number of prisoners was Odessa.

My research indicates that the history of the Campaign in Bessarabia needs to be rewritten. The Battle of Kishenev never really happend.


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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#3

Post by Kelvin » 23 Jun 2019, 10:45

Jeff Leach wrote:
22 Jun 2019, 13:48
The Campaign in Bessarabia (01 - 23 July approx.) consisted of the advance from the Prut River to the Dniester River. I doubt if the Axis took more than a couple of thousand prisoners (mainly deserters). I have seen no German mentioning any large scale haul of prisoners.

About the only Place the Romanians could have taken a larger number of prisoners was Odessa.

My research indicates that the history of the Campaign in Bessarabia needs to be rewritten. The Battle of Kishenev never really happend.
Hi, Jeff, thank for your Reply. I also cannot find any Information About so large POW there and I Always doubt it. Your Reply solve my confusion.

Regarding Odessa, Romanian also failed again. They waited time to seige Odessa for more than three months and most of Soviet Maritime Army were evacuated and only 7,000 deserters were captured.

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#4

Post by Art » 23 Jun 2019, 15:09

Kelvin wrote:
21 Jun 2019, 08:55
I see a Website About Combat Operation of Romanian Army in Barbarossa, it mentions Bessarabian Campaign alone took 150,000 Soviet POW
I don't think so.
Image

There is hardly any doubt that the bulk of 160000 prisoners claimed by the Army Group South came from armies other than AOK 11.
My understanding is that the principal task of the 11 Army was to attack to the north and north-east and encircle Soviet forces in Ukraine in cooperation with other elements of the AG South. It failed to achieve that for various reasons including own weakness. Still Germans were able to execute an encirclement at Uman to which the 11 Army, however, contributed practically nothing.
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Kelvin
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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#5

Post by Kelvin » 24 Jun 2019, 05:50

hI, Art, I found Bessarbian campaign was called by Romanian as Operation Munchen, Wiki mentions Soviet had 8519 killled or MIA & 9374 wounded.

But no great battle in HG Sud sector until July 31 1941, except Brody tank battle and small kessel at Zhitomir, how can HG Sud received those 162,685 POW ? Thank

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#6

Post by Art » 24 Jun 2019, 08:52

There was a lot of combat activity as evidenced by almost 80 000 casualties suffered by the AG S by the end of July. So nothing improbable in this number.

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#7

Post by Art » 25 Jun 2019, 07:58

According to the OKH's Lagebericht Ost (15.7.1) the Army Group South captured 68 621 POWs, 3 100 tanks, 1 042 guns, 205 AT guns, 30 AA guns and 131 airplanes during the period 22.6-14.7.41. Funny that according to Krivosheev et al. the South-West lost about 165 000 men killed and missing from 22.6 to 6.7.41. Seems that the last number is actually much exaggerated.

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#8

Post by Art » 25 Jun 2019, 08:02

And from the Lagebericht of 7 July: by 5.7.41 AG South captured 34 027 POWs, 2659 tanks, 25 airplanes, 678 guns.

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#9

Post by Jeff Leach » 25 Jun 2019, 10:22

By 05.07.1941, the 11th Army's part of the total should be a few hundred prisoners and under 50 tanks (if not 20).

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#10

Post by Art » 25 Jun 2019, 11:15

Trophies of the XXX Army Corps:
http://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/ru/n ... ect/zoom/5
http://wwii.germandocsinrussia.org/ru/n ... ect/zoom/5
The numbers are not particularly impressive indeed.

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#11

Post by Kelvin » 25 Jun 2019, 11:56

Hi, Art, thank for your Information.

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#12

Post by Kelvin » 07 Jul 2019, 13:34

Hi, Art, BTW, did Romanian war result was combined with those of HG Sud or separate ? Thank

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#13

Post by Art » 07 Jul 2019, 18:36

I guess, Romanian claims are included in totals.

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#14

Post by Kelvin » 08 Jul 2019, 04:45

Hi, Art, thank

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Re: Bessarabian Campaign of June 1941

#15

Post by tigre » 08 Sep 2019, 05:25

Hello to all :D; a little complement..............................

Romania takes part in the fight. Liberation of Bessarabia and northern Bucovina. Ostaşi, Va ordon: treceti Prutul!

On the night of June 21-22, at 24:00 hours, in torrential rain, the Romanian army began military operations for the liberation of Bessarabia and north of Bucovina of the Soviet occupation that had been established in these ancient Romanian lands. Marshal Ion Antonescu, the ruler of the Romanian State addressed the army and said:

"Ostaşi (Soldiers), I order you: cross the Prut! Smash the enemies from dawn to midnight. Remove the red yoke of Bolshevism that weighs on our brothers. Return the ancient glories of the Bessarabians to the bosom of the country and the enclosures of voivodeship of Bucovina, their pastures and their charms [...] Fight for the slavery of our brothers, Bessarabia and Bucovina, for the honor of the churches, of life and of homes mocked by pagans. to avenge our humiliation and injustice. Your nation, your king and your general ask for it. Ostaşi, Izbanda (victory) will be ours. Fight with God ahead! "

Operation Munich was the code name of the Romanian and German armies to initiate the liberation of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina from the Soviet occupation. The operation began on July 2, 1941 and ended on July 24. During the operation, the Romanian army suffered heavy losses: 22,765 soldiers (4,271 dead, 12,326 wounded and 6,168 missing) and 58 aircraft. Soviet losses amounted to 17,893 (8,519 dead and missing and 9,374 wounded).
 
Since June 22, 1941, at the same time as the operations of the Romanian 3rd Army in northern Bucovina and the 11th German Army in northern and central Besarabia were taken place, in southern Besarabia and in the Cornesti massif, acted the 4th Romanian Army, with the initial mission of holding on to the enemy, and then forcing the Prut. After 33 days of war, all of Bessarabia and northern Bukovina were released.

Press Release No. 6 of July 25, 1941 from the Commander of the Romanian-German Front said: “The struggle for the dismantling of the Romanian eastern border is over. From the Carpathians to the sea, we once again own the border.

Source: https://cersipamantromanesc.wordpress.c ... /22/15834/
http://www.ziaristionline.ro/2016/06/21 ... unie-1941/

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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Ostaşi, treceti Prutul!..............................................
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