Showing posts with label Brest-Litovsk. Show all posts

Monday, December 30, 2019

September 22, 1939: Joint Soviet-German Military Parade

Friday 22 September 1939

Soviet German military parade Brest-Litovsk 22 September 1939 worldwartwodaily.filminspector.com

German and Soviet soldiers conversing, 22 September 1939.

Battle of Poland: German forces under the command of General Heinz Guderian (XIX Corps) were in possession of territory on the eastern side of the Bug River. Soviet forces now arrived to assume control of that area under the secret terms of the 23 August 1939 Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. Kombrig (Commanding officer of the brigade) Semyon Moiseevich Krivoshein of the Soviet 29th Tank Brigade, who had crossed the Polish border on 17 September, reached Brest-Litovsk on the morning of 22 September. Krivoshein found the Germans looting the town, with Guderian himself ensconced there. The German apparently had been there for several days already.

A Wehrmacht soldier initiates peace talks with a Russian female soldier in Brest-Litovsk, Poland, 22 September 1939.

After some back-and-forth, Krivoshein visited Guderian at the latter's headquarters. Guderian acknowledged that he had to relinquish the town, but proposed to make the German departure a formal occasion, complete with a parade. Krivoshein was not very enthusiastic about the idea, having just completed a quick advance to reach the city and not wanting any extra hassles. However, Krivoshein agreed to supply a few token battalions to support the effort, along with a military band. The informal parade began at 16:00, complete with festive bunting. Both German and Soviet troops marched through hastily constructed "Victory Arches" before the two commanding officers.

Guderian and Krivoshein at the Brest-Litovsk parade.

Krivoshein later greatly downplayed the event in his memoirs and implied that the Soviet forces were merely present and not active participants. He recalled that he did not allow his troops to march with the German forces, who were rested and looked more presentable. However, it should be noted that subsequent events made downplaying any cooperation with the Germans a politically wise decision, and Soviet military historical works are notorious for their impeccable political hindsight.

Afterward, the German forces withdrew to the west bank of the Bug River as pre-ordained. The event has attracted much publicity in subsequent years due to the subsequent estrangement of the two forces. It is believed that the 22 September 1939 parade was the only such event that ever took place involving the two sides. Russian historians, in particular, are quick to minimize the event as being merely a "ceremonial departure" of the German forces, but the photographic record suggests that it was a bit more than that.

The Polish commander of Lwów hands it over to the Soviets.

Polish units of the 39th Infantry Division have been defending the village of Cześniki near Zamość. They have been holding off the German 27th Infantry Division and 4th Light Division. The 39th Infantry Division now is ordered to relieve Lwów and breaks through the German lines. With that city suddenly being surrendered, however, they are now on the move with nowhere to go.

"Honorary Colonel of the 12th Artillery Regiment" Generaloberst Werner Thomas Ludwig Freiherr von Fritsch is killed in Praga while "inspecting the front." He is picked off by either a sniper or a machine gun. Von Fritsch is believed to have voluntarily exposed himself to enemy fire due to his lingering disgrace over the false accusations of homosexuality used to depose him from his position as Commander in Chief of the Heer.

Western Front: The French claim to be approaching Zweibrücken in the Siegfried line. French radio also reports that the Wehrmacht has lost 150,000 men so far in the conflict. The actual figure is maybe 10% of that.

Battle of the Atlantic: The steamer Arkleside is torpedoed and sinks. A Grimsby trawler also is sunk.

Romanian Government: The government executes several members of the Iron Guard, including the assassins of the Romanian Prime Minister, in Bucharest.

Allied Supreme Command: In Hove, Sussex, the second meeting of the Allied Supreme War Council takes place between the British and French representatives. Nothing much is accomplished beyond issues of supply.

British Homefront: The Metropolitan Police Commission in London reports that road accidents have tripled so far in September. That is likely due to the blackout. The courts are clogged with blackout violations. Gasoline is rationed.

September 1939

September 1, 1939: Invasion of Poland
September 2, 1939: Danzig Annexed
September 3, 1939: France, Great Britain Declare War
September 4, 1939: First RAF Raid
September 5, 1939: The US Stays Out
September 6, 1939: Battle of Barking Creek
September 7, 1939: Polish HQ Bugs Out
September 8, 1939: War Crimes in Poland
September 9, 1939: The Empire Strikes Back
September 10, 1939: The Germans Break Out
September 11, 1939: Battle of Kałuszyn
September 12, 1939: The French Chicken Out
September 13, 1939: The Battle of Modlin
September 14, 1939: Germany Captures Gdynia
September 15, 1939: Warsaw Surrounded
September 16, 1939: Battle of Jaworów
September 17, 1939: Soviets Invade Poland
September 18, 1939: Lublin Falls
September 19, 1939: Germans, Soviets Hook Up
September 20, 1939: the Kraków Army Surrenders
September 21, 1939: Romania Convulses
September 22, 1939: Joint Soviet-German Military Parade
September 23, 1939: The Panama Conference
September 24, 1939: The Luftwaffe Bombs Warsaw
September 25, 1939: Black Monday for Warsaw
September 26, 1939: Warsaw on the Ropes
September 27, 1939: Hitler Decides to Invade France
September 28, 1939: Warsaw Capitulates
September 29, 1939: Modlin Fortress Falls
September 30, 1939: Graf Spee on the Loose

2020

Thursday, April 21, 2016

September 19, 1939: Germans, Soviets Hook Up

Tuesday 19 September 1939

Danzig September 19 1939 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

Adolf Hitler (in the front of the car) enters Danzig (National Archives and Records Administration, College Park, Md.).

Battle of Poland: German troops meet advance Soviet troops at Brest-Litovsk and at Wlodawa, on the river Bug, on 19 September 1939.

Soviet troops reach the Hungarian border.

Soviet troops take Vilnius after fierce but uncoordinated last-ditch resistance by Polish troops on the city's bridges.

Polish reinforcements from Kutno numbering about 30,000 fight through the German encirclement at the Battle of Wólka Węglowaand and reach Warsaw. It is a tactical victory but a strategic defeat, as Warsaw remains surrounded.

The Luftwaffe switches to bombing Warsaw public utilities.

The Polish Pomorze and Poznan armies (19 Polish divisions, 100,000 troops total) surrender on the Bzura River.

The Germans surround Lviv.

The week-long Battle of Kępa Oksywska in the Oksywie Heights outside the city of Gdynia concludes when pułkownik (Colonel) Stanisław Dąbek. It has been a horrendous battle for the Poles, who were compressed into 4 km² with civilian refugees, with no supplies, and subject to constant Luftwaffe and artillery attack. Polish deaths are roughly 14% of all forces, and virtually every soldier not killed is wounded. The Poles have inflicted huge losses on the Germans but are dwarfed by the Wehrmacht forces opposing them. Col. Dąbek then commits suicide.

Lithuania: Lithuanian troops cross the Lithuanian-Polish border in the direction of Vilnius.

German Propaganda: Adolf Hitler enters Danzig and gives a major speech which defends his alliance with the Soviet Union and suggests that the war could be ended with the status quo (dismemberment of Poland) intact. He makes various vows about Germany forever retaining Danzig and never surrendering.

Holocaust: The Nazis conclude their round of exterminations of Jews in Przemysl.

General Franz Halder, Chief of Staff of the OKH (Military High Command), writes in his diary about communications he has had with Reinhard Heydrich. Heydrich informed him that the SS had begun to "clean house" in Poland of certain undesirable classes: Jews, intelligentsia, Catholic Clergy, and the aristocracy. This is the earliest stage of the Holocaust and Halder does nothing more than writing about it in his obscure diary for posterity. In typical fashion, though, while he actually does nothing about the "cleaning," Halder does note his doubts about the draconian "measures intended by Heinrich Himmler."

American Homefront: The first Batman comic book goes on sale.

Bakersfield Californian September 19 1939 worldwartwo.filminspector.com

The Allies do not take well to Hitler's Danzig speech.

September 1939

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

September 7, 1939: Polish HQ Bugs Out

Thursday 7 September 1939

Westerplatte surrender worldwartwo.filminspector.com

These prisoners were taken at Westerplatte, 7 September 1939.

Polish Military: With Warsaw already threatened from the west, Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły relocates his Polish Army headquarters further east from Warsaw to Brest-Litovsk (Brest, Belarus). He and the rest of the government now realize that the line of the Narew cannot be held.

Battle of Poland: Westerplatte, which the Germans had attacked first thing during the invasion, finally falls to the Germans. It had held out for a full week and inspired resistance elsewhere despite intense German shelling. Its fall is a shock to the nation. However, it remains a national symbol of resistance somewhat akin to the Alamo in the United States. The battleship Schleswig-Holstein, which had begun the war by firing on Westerplatte, now switches its fire to the Polish naval base at Hela.

The Polish town of Wizna is part of the Polish line of defenses of Łomża. The 10th Panzer Division of the XXI Army Corps (General Nikolaus von Falkenhorst) captures it, but the retreating Poles blow up the bridge across the Narew. German patrols cross the river late in the day and attack Giełczyn, but are stopped. This becomes part of the larger battle of Łomża, which straddles the Narew River. Around mid-day, the 21st Infantry Division advances directly into Polish defenses at Łomża without preparation (aside from scattered Luftwaffe attacks in previous days) but is repelled. The Germans lose 6 tanks and relatively heavy infantry casualties. The Poles hold out, causing the 21st ID to withdraw north and taking 57 German prisoners.

German radio announces that its forces have reached Pultusk, 30 miles north of Warsaw.

Western Front: The French Army mounts an expedition in the Saarland against German screening forces. The area is in peacetime conditions, with German power plants still supplying the French towns with electricity.

Operation Saar, one of the more controversial episodes of the war because of its missed opportunities, is launched by French General Maurice Gamelin's Third, Fourth and Fifth Armies (11 divisions total). They advance timidly into the Cadenbronn and Warndt Forest salients. The advance is extremely measured, and the German outposts retreat without any fuss. The Germans leave behind placards in French stating that Germany has no quarrel with France. They also position loudspeakers blasting propaganda message in French with a similar theme. The defending German forces are light in infantry and have no panzers. They also are very weak in anti-tank weapons. The French military, of course, knows none of this.

Along with the propaganda efforts, the Germans have mined the roads and fields and booby-trap the towns. General Gamelin orders the hesitant French infantry to drive a herd of pigs through the mines, with many of the animals blown up.

Hitler appoints General Kurt Freiherr von Hammerstein to be the commander of Army Detachment A, an ad hoc force for the defense of the Siegfried Line. Hammerstein is overdue for retirement, and his appointment is an expression of Hitler's desire that nothing dramatic occurs along the Western Front. Factories in Saarbrücken continue to operate as normal with French forces just miles away and virtually no defenses in between.

Battle of the Atlantic: Winston Churchill organizes and sends out the first British convoy to America. However, many ships still sail without convoys due to being particularly fast or slow. These are called "independents" and provide the easiest targets for U-boats.

The Dutch steamship Batavia is attacked but the torpedoes miss. British freighter Olivgrove is sunk in the Bay of Biscay 200 miles northwest of Spain.

Hitler meets with Admiral Raeder, CIC of the Kriegsmarine. He issues the Athenia Order, which is that "in order not to provoke neutral countries, the United States, in particular, it is forbidden to torpedo passenger steamers, even when sailing in convoy. Warfare against French merchant ships, attacks on French warships and mine laying off French ports is prohibited."

British Government: Ambassador to Germany Sir Neville Henderson is repatriated to England. General Viscount Lord Gort is appointed to command the British Expeditionary Force.

German Government: The death penalty is prescribed for anyone "hindering the defensive power of the German people."

United States Military: The military takes over control of the Panama Canal.

Irish Government: The Eire government calls up volunteers to supplement Army reserve.

Yugoslav Military: Yugoslavia mobilizes its military.

International Relations: Iraq, independent since 1932, breaks diplomatic relations with Germany. The British maintain two RAF bases there, RAF Shaibah, near Basra, and RAF Habbaniya, between Ramadi and Fallujah.

United States Homefront: In the Webster Times of Webster, Massachusetts, the big news is of the finale of sailboat racing at the lake.

Webster Times sailboat racing worldwartwo.filminspector.com

September 1939

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

September 17, 1939: Soviets Invade Poland

Sunday 17 September 1939

Guderian Poland worldwartwodaily.filminspector.com

Guderian (in command truck) in Poland. Note the light tanks with atypical markings that still were the mainstay of the Panzer army during the Polish campaign. (Federal Archive).

Battle of Poland: The Germans win the Battle of Brześć Litewski (Brest-Litovsk). After an advance of 100 miles in 8 days, General Guderian's XIX Corps takes the historic city of Brest-Litovsk. The Corps previously had advanced eastward in a lightning thrust from Germany proper to East Prussia across the Polish Corridor. The Corps then had reoriented its axis of advance southwards to strike across the Polish rear - to the east of Warsaw - along the River Bug. The XIX Corps remained in Brest-Litovsk until 22 September 1939, when Guderian handed the city over to the Soviets per the secret protocols of the 23 August 1939 Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact.

In Warsaw, the Luftwaffe bombs St. John's Cathedral. The dead are buried in public parks because the cemeteries are full and the Germans are blockading the city.

Polish Military: Surviving Polish air units flee to Romania.

Soviet Military: Pursuant to the secret protocols of the 23 August 1939 Ribbentrop/Molotov Pact, on 17 September 1939 the Soviet Union invades Poland from the East. It is not fair to say that it is completely without warning, as the Soviets had broadcast their intentions on the previous day - but it is without provocation. The Soviets meet virtually no opposition.

Polish Government: With Warsaw already threatened and no help arriving from England or France, the government of Poland leaves Kuty, it's fifth Polish refuge, and encamps for Romania, which is still neutral.

Battle of the Atlantic: HMS Courageous, an aircraft carrier originally built as a battlecruiser during World War I, is sunk on the Western Approaches. Captain-Lieutenant Otto Schuhart of U-29 spots Courageous while the carrier is on anti-submarine patrol and puts two torpedoes into her. Some 514-519 of 1200 crew perish. U-29, which only a few days earlier had been stalking the Ark Royal, escapes after four hours of depth charges. The incident illustrates for the Royal Navy the dangers of anti-submarine patrols and is another step on the road to the full convoy system. Courageous is the first British warship sunk by the enemy in World War II. Schuhart receives the Iron Cross First Class.

The British withdraw their remaining fleet carriers from anti-submarine patrols.

Czechoslovakia: A revolt breaks out in Czechoslovakia and begins to spread.

Italian Government: Italy offers Greece a guarantee that it will not take any military action against it.

Japanese Military: Japan launches an attempt to take the city of Changsha, Hunan after blowing through Chinese resistance led by the 184th Division of the Chinese 60th Corps.

September 1939

2019

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

September 22, 1939: Joint Soviet-German Military Parade

Friday 22 September 1939

German and Soviet soldiers conversing, 22 September 1939.

Battle of Poland: German forces under the command of General Heinz Guderian (XIX Corps) have been in possession of territory on the eastern side of the Bug River after heavy fighting. Soviet forces now arrive to assume control of that area under the secret terms of the 23 August 1939 Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact. Kombrig (Commanding officer of the brigade) Semyon Moiseevich Krivoshein of the Soviet 29th Tank Brigade, who had crossed the Polish border on 17 September, reaches Brest-Litovsk on the morning of 22 September. Krivoshein finds the Germans looting the town (he later claims), with Guderian himself comfortably ensconced there. The Germans have been there for several days already and really don't want to leave.

A Soviet tank (perhaps a T-26) rolls down the street during the joint Soviet-German parade held on 22 September 1939 (Gutjahr, Federal Archive Bild 101I-121-0012-30).

After some back-and-forth, Krivoshein visits Guderian at the latter's headquarters. Guderian acknowledges that he must relinquish the town, but proposes to make the German departure a formal occasion, complete with a parade. Krivoshein is not very enthusiastic about the idea, having just completed a quick advance to reach the city. He does not want any extra hassles because his advance is being watched closely by Moscow. However, Krivoshein agrees to humor Guderian by supplying a few token battalions to support the ceremony, along with a military band. The informal parade begins at 16:00, complete with festive bunting. Both German and Soviet troops march through hastily constructed "Victory Arches" in front of a reviewing stand on which stand the two grinning commanding officers. It turns into a bizarre spectacle in light of later events that a lot of participants speak little of later.

Guderian and Krivoshein at the Brest-Litovsk parade on 22 September 1939 (Gutjahr, Federal Archive Bild 101I-121-0011A-22).

Krivoshein later greatly downplays the event in his memoirs and implies that the Soviet forces were merely present as onlookers and not active participants. He recalls that he did not allow his troops to march with the German forces, who were rested and looked more presentable. This recollection seems doubtful in light of the photographic evidence. Obviously, subsequent events made downplaying any cooperation or "celebrations" with the Germans a political necessity, and Soviet military historical works are notorious for their impeccable political hindsight. In other words, all military memoirs that came out of Soviet Russia were politically scrubbed to remove any embarrassing details and always must be read with that in mind. A celebratory parade with Wehrmacht troops certainly was awkward to explain in the post-war world.

A German honor guard awaits the arrival of the Soviet commander during the 22 September 1939 joint Soviet-German parade ( Federal Archive Bild 101I-121-0012-15).

After the parade, the German forces withdraw to the west bank of the Bug River as pre-ordained. This event has attracted much publicity in subsequent years due to the subsequent estrangement of the two forces. It is believed that the 22 September 1939 parade was the only such event that ever took place involving the two sides. Russian historians, in particular, are quick to minimize the event as being merely a "ceremonial departure" of the German forces, but the photographic record suggests that the Soviets participated without much reservation.

Soviet and German soldiers, sitting amicably beneath a portrait of Joseph Stalin in Brest-Litovsk on 22 September 1939. Compare this to the photo immediately below (Böttcher, Federal Archive Bild 101I-121-0011-20).

For instance, it is highly doubtful that the Germans were carrying around posters of Joseph Stalin, but the photographic evidence shows such posters somehow materialized in Brest-Litovsk on the day of the parade as part of the overall celebration. Incidentally, similar posters of Stalin showed up and were displayed in April 1945 on the day of the meeting of Soviet and US forces. In fact, the photos from the two widely separated events look strikingly similar, and both became awkward later for political reasons. Quite a coincidence.

Torgau, Germany, meeting of US and Soviet troops worldwartwo.filminspector.com

A photo that was taken at the celebration marking the 25 April 1945 meeting of Soviet (First Ukrainian Army) and US (Fifth Corps of US First Army) troops at Torgau, Germany. Note the prominently placed portrait of Joseph Stalin, which is oddly similar to the 22 September 1939 photograph of the Soviet-German meeting at Brest-Litovsk above (note there also is a small portrait of President Roosevelt which is lined in black crepe paper due to his recent passing). Apparently, Soviet armies carried these Stalin portraits as a matter of course ((Photo by Photo12/UIG/Getty Images)).

The Polish commander of Lwów hands it over to the Soviets.

Polish units of the 39th Infantry Division have been defending the village of Cześniki near Zamość. They have been holding off the German 27th Infantry Division and 4th Light Division. The 39th Infantry Division now is ordered to relieve Lwów and breaks through the German lines. With that city suddenly being surrendered, however, they are now on the move with nowhere to go.

Separately, "Honorary Colonel of the 12th Artillery Regiment" Generaloberst Werner Thomas Ludwig Freiherr von Fritsch is killed in Praga while "inspecting the front." He is picked off by either a Polish sniper or a machine gun. Von Fritsch is believed to have voluntarily exposed himself to enemy fire. This is due to his lingering disgrace over the false accusations of homosexuality used to depose him from his position as Commander in Chief of the Heer.

Western Front: The French claim to be approaching Zweibrücken in the Siegfried line. French radio also reports that the Wehrmacht has lost 150,000 men so far in the conflict. The actual figure is maybe 10% of that.

Battle of the Atlantic: The steamer Arkleside is torpedoed and sinks. A Grimsby trawler also is sunk.

Romanian Government: The government executes several members of the Iron Guard, including the assassins of the Romanian Prime Minister, in Bucharest.

Allied Supreme Command: In Hove, Sussex, the second meeting of the Allied Supreme War Council takes place between the British and French representatives. Nothing much is accomplished beyond issues of supply.

British Homefront: The Metropolitan Police Commission in London reports that road accidents have tripled so far in September. That is likely due to the blackout. The courts are clogged with blackout violations. Gasoline is rationed.

The reviewing stand at the 22 September 1939 parade (Gutjahr, Federal Archive Bild 101I-121-0011A-23).

World War Two Daily

Pages

Monday, December 30, 2019

September 22, 1939: Joint Soviet-German Military Parade

Friday 22 September 1939

September 1939

Thursday, April 21, 2016

September 19, 1939: Germans, Soviets Hook Up

Tuesday 19 September 1939

September 1939

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

September 7, 1939: Polish HQ Bugs Out

Thursday 7 September 1939

September 1939

Wednesday, March 9, 2016

September 17, 1939: Soviets Invade Poland

Sunday 17 September 1939

September 1939

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

September 22, 1939: Joint Soviet-German Military Parade

Friday 22 September 1939

September 1939