Our planet has known many bloody battles and battles. Our whole history consisted of various internecine conflicts. But only the human and material losses in World War II made mankind think about the importance of everyone's life. Only after it did people begin to understand how easy it is to unleash a massacre and how difficult it is to stop it. This war showed all the peoples of the Earth how important peace is for everyone.
The Importance of Studying the History of the 20th Century
The younger generation sometimes does not understand how the history differs over the years that have passed since their end, it has been rewritten many times, so the youth is no longer so interested in those distant events. Often these people do not even really know who took part in those events and what losses humanity suffered in the Second World War. But the history of your country should not be forgotten. If you watch American films about World War II today, you might think that it was only thanks to the US Army that victory over Nazi Germany became possible. That is why it is so necessary to convey to our younger generation the role of the Soviet Union in these sad events. In fact, it was the people of the USSR who suffered the greatest losses in World War II.
Background of the bloodiest war
This armed conflict between the two world military-political coalitions, which became the biggest massacre in the history of mankind, began on September 1, 1939 (in contrast to the Great Patriotic War, which lasted from June 22, 1941 to May 8, 1945 G.). It ended only on September 2, 1945. Thus, this war lasted 6 long years. There are several reasons for this conflict. These include: a deep global crisis in the economy, the aggressive policy of some states, the negative consequences of the Versailles-Washington system in force at that time.
Participants in the international conflict
62 countries were involved in this conflict to one degree or another. And this despite the fact that at that time there were only 73 sovereign states on Earth. Fierce battles took place on three continents. Naval battles were fought in four oceans (Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Arctic). The number of opposing countries changed several times throughout the war. Some states participated in active hostilities, while others simply helped their coalition allies by any means (equipment, equipment, food).
Anti-Hitler coalition
Initially, there were 3 states in this coalition: Poland, France, Great Britain. This is due to the fact that it was after the attack on these countries that Germany began to conduct active hostilities on the territory of these countries. In 1941, such countries as the USSR, the USA, and China were drawn into the war. Further, Australia, Norway, Canada, Nepal, Yugoslavia, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Belgium, New Zealand, Denmark, Luxembourg, Albania, the Union of South Africa, San Marino, Turkey joined the coalition. To varying degrees, countries such as Guatemala, Peru, Costa Rica, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Panama, Mexico, Argentina, Honduras, Chile, Paraguay, Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, Uruguay, Nicaragua have become allies in the coalition. , Haiti, El Salvador, Bolivia. They were joined by Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Liberia, Mongolia. During the war years, even those states that had ceased to be allies of Germany joined the anti-Hitler coalition. These are Iran (since 1941), Iraq and Italy (since 1943), Bulgaria and Romania (since 1944), Finland and Hungary (since 1945).
On the side of the Nazi bloc were such states as Germany, Japan, Slovakia, Croatia, Iraq and Iran (until 1941), Finland, Bulgaria, Romania (until 1944), Italy (until 1943), Hungary (until 1945), Thailand (Siam), Manchukuo. In some occupied territories, this coalition created puppet states that had virtually no influence on the world battlefield. These include: Italian Social Republic, Vichy France, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Philippines, Burma, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. On the side of the Nazi bloc, various collaborationist troops, created from among the inhabitants of the opposing countries, often fought. The largest of them were RONA, ROA, SS divisions created from foreigners (Ukrainian, Belarusian, Russian, Estonian, Norwegian-Danish, 2 Belgian, Dutch, Latvian, Bosnian, Albanian and French each). Volunteer armies of such neutral countries as Spain, Portugal and Sweden fought on the side of this bloc.
Consequences of the war
Despite the fact that during the long years of the Second World War the alignment on the world stage changed several times, the result of it was the complete victory of the anti-Hitler coalition. This was followed by the creation of the largest international United Nations Organization (abbreviated - UN). The result of victory in this war was the condemnation of fascist ideology and the prohibition of Nazism during the Nuremberg trials. After the end of this world conflict, the role of France and Great Britain in world politics significantly decreased, and the USA and the USSR became real superpowers, dividing new spheres of influence among themselves. Two camps of countries with diametrically opposed socio-political systems (capitalist and socialist) were created. After the Second World War, a period of decolonization of empires began throughout the planet.
theater of war
Germany, for which the Second World War was an attempt to become the only superpower, fought in five directions at once:
- Western European: Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain, France.
- Mediterranean: Greece, Yugoslavia, Albania, Italy, Cyprus, Malta, Libya, Egypt, North Africa, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq.
- East European: USSR, Poland, Norway, Finland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Yugoslavia, Barents, Baltic and Black Seas.
- African: Ethiopia, Somalia, Madagascar, Kenya, Sudan, Equatorial Africa.
- Pacific (in commonwealth with Japan): China, Korea, South Sakhalin, Far East, Mongolia, Kuril Islands, Aleutian Islands, Hong Kong, Indochina, Burma, Malaya, Sarawak, Singapore, Dutch East Indies, Brunei, New Guinea, Sabah, Papua, Guam, Solomon Islands, Hawaii, Philippines, Midway, Marianas and numerous other Pacific Islands.
Beginning and end of the war
They began to be calculated from the moment the German troops invaded Poland. Hitler had been preparing the ground for an attack on this state for a long time. On August 31, 1939, the German press reported on the capture of the radio station in Gleiwitz by the Polish military (although this was a provocation by saboteurs), and already at 4 am on September 1, 1939, the Schleswig-Holstein warship began to shell the fortifications in Westerplatte (Poland). Together with the troops of Slovakia, Germany began to occupy foreign territories. France and Great Britain demanded that Hitler withdraw troops from Poland, but he refused. Already on September 3, 1939, France, Australia, England, New Zealand declared war on Germany. Then they were joined by Canada, Newfoundland, the Union of South Africa, Nepal. So the bloody World War II began to quickly gain momentum. The USSR, although it urgently introduced universal conscription, did not declare war on Germany until June 22, 1941.
In the spring of 1940, Hitler's troops began the occupation of Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Then she went to France. In June 1940, Italy began to fight on Hitler's side. In the spring of 1941, she quickly captured Greece and Yugoslavia. On June 22, 1941, she attacked the USSR. On the side of Germany in these hostilities were Romania, Finland, Hungary, Italy. Up to 70% of all active Nazi divisions fought on all Soviet-German fronts. The defeat of the enemy in the battle for Moscow thwarted Hitler's notorious plan - "Blitzkrieg" (lightning war). Thanks to this, already in 1941, the creation of the anti-Hitler coalition began. On December 7, 1941, after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States also entered this war. The army of this country for a long time fought with its enemies only in the Pacific Ocean. Great Britain and the United States promised to open the so-called second front in the summer of 1942. But, despite the fiercest battles on the territory of the Soviet Union, the partners in the anti-Hitler coalition were in no hurry to engage in hostilities in Western Europe. This is due to the fact that the United States and Britain were waiting for the complete weakening of the USSR. Only when it became obvious that it was rapidly beginning to liberate not only its own territory, but also the countries of Eastern Europe, the Allies hastened to open a Second Front. This happened on June 6, 1944 (2 years after the promised date). From that moment on, the Anglo-American coalition sought to be the first to liberate Europe from German troops. Despite all the efforts of the allies, the Soviet Army was the first to occupy the Reichstag, on which it erected its own. But even the unconditional surrender of Germany did not stop the Second World War. For some time there were hostilities in Czechoslovakia. Also in the Pacific, hostilities almost did not stop. Only after the atomic bombing of the cities of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945), carried out by the Americans, did the Japanese emperor understand the futility of further resistance. As a result of this attack, about 300 thousand civilians died. This bloody international conflict ended only on September 2, 1945. It was on this day that Japan signed the act of surrender.
Victims of the global conflict
The first large-scale losses in World War II were suffered by the Polish people. The army of this country could not resist a stronger enemy in the face of the German troops. This war had an unprecedented impact on all of humanity. About 80% of all people living on Earth at that time (more than 1.7 billion people) were drawn into the war. Military operations took place on the territory of more than 40 states. For 6 years of this world conflict, about 110 million people were mobilized into the armed forces of all armies. According to the latest data, human losses are about 50 million people. At the same time, only 27 million people were killed on the fronts. The rest of the victims were civilians. Most of the human lives lost were such countries as the USSR (27 million), Germany (13 million), Poland (6 million), Japan (2.5 million), China (5 million). The casualties of other warring countries were: Yugoslavia (1.7 million), Italy (0.5 million), Romania (0.5 million), Great Britain (0.4 million), Greece (0.4 million). ), Hungary (0.43 million), France (0.6 million), USA (0.3 million), New Zealand, Australia (40 thousand), Belgium (88 thousand), Africa (10 thousand .), Canada (40 thousand). More than 11 million people were killed in fascist concentration camps.
Losses from international conflict
It is simply amazing what losses the Second World War brought to mankind. History testifies to 4 trillion dollars that went to military spending. In the warring states, material costs amounted to about 70% of the national income. For several years, the industry of many countries was completely reoriented to the production of military equipment. Thus, the USA, USSR, Great Britain and Germany during the war years produced more than 600 thousand combat and transport aircraft. The weapons of World War II have become even more effective and deadly in 6 years. The most ingenious minds of the warring countries were busy only with its improvement. Many new weapons were forced to come up with the Second World War. The tanks of Germany and the Soviet Union were constantly modernized throughout the war. At the same time, more and more advanced machines were created to destroy the enemy. Their number numbered in the thousands. So, only armored vehicles, tanks, self-propelled guns were produced more than 280 thousand. More than 1 million various artillery pieces left the conveyors of military factories; about 5 million machine guns; 53 million submachine guns, carbines and rifles. The Second World War brought with it the colossal destruction and destruction of several thousand cities and other settlements. The history of mankind without it could go according to a completely different scenario. Because of it, all countries were thrown back in their development many years ago. Colossal funds and forces of millions of people were spent on eliminating the consequences of this international military conflict.
USSR losses
A very high price had to be paid for the fact that the Second World War ended faster. The losses of the USSR amounted to about 27 million people. (according to the last count of 1990). Unfortunately, it is unlikely that it will ever be possible to obtain accurate data, but this figure is most consistent with the truth. There are several different estimates of the losses of the USSR. So, according to the latest method, about 6.3 million are considered killed or died from their wounds; 0.5 million who died from diseases, were sentenced to death, died in accidents; 4.5 million missing and captured. The total demographic losses of the Soviet Union amount to more than 26.6 million people. In addition to the huge number of deaths in this conflict, the USSR suffered huge material losses. According to estimates, they amounted to more than 2600 billion rubles. During World War II, hundreds of cities were partially or completely destroyed. More than 70 thousand villages were wiped off the face of the earth. 32 thousand large industrial enterprises were completely destroyed. The agriculture of the European part of the USSR was almost completely destroyed. It took several years of incredible efforts and enormous expenses to restore the country to the pre-war level.
For most Russian citizens, the Second World War is a confrontation between the Soviet Union, the United States and Great Britain on the one hand, and Nazi Germany, Italy and Japan on the other. The more advanced will be able to remember a few more countries that fought on one side or the other.
Meanwhile, in fact, the participants in the largest armed conflict in the history of mankind were 62 states out of 73 that existed at that time, in which more than 80% of the world's population lived.
We decided to recall several little-known countries participating in the Second World War. In this part of the material, we will talk about the states that spoke among the Axis countries, that is, on the side of Nazi Germany.
It is unlikely that many of the Russians who come to Thailand know that in World War II, the Thais took the side of the Axis, who opposed the anti-Hitler bloc.
Back in 1940, the Thai army invaded French Indochina, capturing a number of border areas. The French, at that time defeated in Europe by the Wehrmacht, could not provide proper resistance in their colonies.
The country's prime minister, Luang Plek Pibunsonggram, negotiated with both the UK and Japan. In December 1941, Japanese troops landed on the coast of Thailand, and after a short period of hostilities, Pibunsonggram decided to conclude a truce with Japan. As a result of this agreement, Japan was able to use the territory of Thailand to invade Malaya. On January 25, 1942, the Thai authorities declared war on the United States and Great Britain. In May 1942, Thai troops, together with the Japanese army, occupied northeastern Burma, and on August 20, 1943, Japan transferred four North Malayan and two Tang principalities to Thailand.
Domestic opposition to the Japanese-Thai alliance was strong, and in July 1944, Parliament passed a vote of no confidence against Phibunsonggram, and he had to resign as prime minister.
The new Thai government entered into negotiations with the anti-Hitler coalition, ceasing to participate in hostilities. The peace treaty was signed on January 1, 1946: according to it, Thailand renounced the territorial seizures of 1941-1943 and paid an indemnity to Great Britain.
Slovakia
The "Munich Agreement" of 1938 led not only to the transfer of the Sudetenland to the Third Reich, but also to the proclamation of an independent Slovak state on March 14, 1939. At the head of that movement was the Glinka Slovak Party, which considered the regime of Adolf Hitler to be its ally. The independence of Slovakia was granted at the request of Germany.
In September 1939, the Slovak army, together with Germany, attacked Poland. With the outbreak of war with the USSR, the Slovak Expeditionary Force was sent to the Eastern Front.
However, Slovak soldiers and officers cannot be called Hitler's devoted allies. Part of the military from the units that fought on the Eastern Front went over to the side of the Red Army or went to the partisans.
In 1944, the Slovak National Uprising broke out in the country against the Nazis. The uprising was suppressed by the Wehrmacht, many of its participants died, some crossed the front line, ending up in the territory controlled by the Red Army.
In the spring of 1945, with heavy fighting, Soviet troops liberated the territory of Slovakia. On May 8, 1945, Slovak Prime Minister Stefan Tiso signed the surrender of the Slovak Republic in World War II at the Kremsmünster Abbey.
For collaboration with the Nazis, Tiso was sentenced to 30 years and died in prison. Slovakia returned to Czechoslovakia and remained in a single state until January 1, 1993.
The fighting during the Second World War affected Europe, Asia, Oceania, they did not bypass Africa.
Back in 1911, Italian troops occupied the territory of today's northern Libya. In 1927, separate colonies of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania were created, and in 1934 they (as well as the territory of Fezzan) were merged into Libya.
Despite the struggle of the local population with the colonialists, Italy not only retained control over Libya, but also pursued an active policy of resettlement of native Italians to these lands. In the early 1940s, they accounted for up to 12% of the country's population.
In 1940, hostilities began in North Africa. Italy formed two Libyan colonial divisions, these were lightly armed formations of 7,000 people. They were defeated in the very first year of the war, but separate colonial units took part in patrolling the southern borders of Libya until the end of the African campaign.
The fighting in North Africa and on the territory of Libya continued until 1943 and ended in the complete defeat of the Italian forces. Libya came under the control of Great Britain and France, and in 1951, by decision of the UN, it was granted independence.
On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany and Slovakia declared war on Poland… Thus began the Second World War…
It involved 61 states out of 73 that existed at that time (80% of the world's population). The fighting took place on the territory of three continents and in the waters of four oceans.
On June 10, 1940, Italy and Albania entered the war on the side of Germany, on April 11, 1941 - Hungary, on May 1, 1941 - Iraq, on June 22, 1941, after the German attack on the USSR - Romania, Croatia and Finland, on December 7, 1941 - Japan , December 13, 1941 - Bulgaria, January 25, 1942 - Thailand, January 9, 1943 Wang Jingwei's government in China, August 1, 1943 - Burma.
Who fought for Hitler and the Wehrmacht, and who is against?
In total, about 2 million people from 15 European countries fought in the Wehrmacht troops (more than half a million - Romanian army, almost 400 thousand - Hungarian troops, more than 200 thousand - Mussolini's troops!).
Of these, during the war years, 59 divisions, 23 brigades, several separate regiments, legions and battalions were formed.
Many of them were named according to their state and nationality and only volunteers served in them:
Blue Division - Spain"Wallonia" - the division included French, Spanish and Walloon volunteers, moreover, the Walloons were in the majority.
"Galicia" - Ukrainians and Galicians
"Bohemia and Moravia" - Czechs from Moravia and Bohemia
"Viking" - volunteers from the Netherlands, Belgium and the Scandinavian countries
"Denemark" - Danes
"Langemark" - Flemish Volunteers
"Nordland" - Dutch and Scandinavian volunteers
"Nederland" - Dutch collaborators who fled to Germany after the Allied occupation of Holland.
The "French Infantry Regiment 638", since 1943, has been merged with the newly organized "French SS Division" Charlemagne "- the French.
The armies of Germany's allies - Italy, Hungary, Romania, Finland, Slovakia and Croatia - participated in the war against the USSR.
The Bulgarian army was involved in the occupation of Greece and Yugoslavia, but the Bulgarian ground units did not fight on the Eastern Front.
Russian Liberation Army (ROA) under the command of General A.A. Vlasova acted on the side of Nazi Germany, although she was not officially part of the Wehrmacht.
As part of the Wehrmacht, the 15th Cossack Cavalry Corps of the SS, General von Panwitz, fought.
On the side of Germany, the Russian Corps of General Shteifon, the Corps of Lieutenant General of the Tsarist Army P.N. Krasnov and a number of separate units formed from citizens of the USSR, often on a national basis, under the command of the former Kuban Cossack SS Gruppen-Führer, A.G. Shkuro (real name - Shkura) and Circassian Sultan-Girey Klych, leader of the nationalist "People's Party of the Highlanders of the North Caucasus" in France.
I won’t write who and why fought for Hitler and the Wehrmacht… Some for “ideological considerations”, some for revenge, some for glory, some out of fear, some against “communism”… About it was written by millions and millions of pages by professional historians... And I'm just stating historical facts, or rather trying to do it... A question about something else... To remember...
So, first things first…
Romania
Romania declared war on the USSR on June 22, 1941 and wanted to return Bessarabia and Bukovina “taken away” from it in June 1940, as well as annex Transnistria (the territory from the Dniester to the Southern Bug).
For military operations against the USSR, the Romanian 3rd and 4th armies were intended, with a total number of about 220 thousand people.
On June 22, Romanian troops tried to capture bridgeheads on the eastern bank of the Prut River. On June 25-26, 1941, the Soviet Danube Flotilla landed troops on Romanian territory, and Soviet aircraft and ships of the Black Sea Fleet bombed and fired at Romanian oil fields and other objects.
Romanian troops began active hostilities by crossing the Prut River on July 2, 1941. By July 26, Romanian troops occupied the territories of Bessarabia and Bukovina.
Then the Romanian 3rd Army advanced in Ukraine, crossed the Dnieper in September and reached the coast of the Sea of Azov.
Since the end of October 1941, units of the Romanian 3rd Army participated in the capture of the Crimea (together with the German 11th Army under the command of von Manstein).
From the beginning of August 1941, the Romanian 4th Army conducted an operation to capture Odessa, by September 10, 12 Romanian divisions and 5 brigades were assembled to capture Odessa, with a total number of up to 200 thousand people
On October 16, 1941, after heavy fighting, Odessa was captured by Romanian troops together with units of the Wehrmacht. The losses of the 4th Romanian army amounted to 29 thousand dead and missing and 63 thousand wounded.
In August 1942, the 3rd Romanian Army took part in the attack on the Caucasus, the Romanian cavalry divisions took Taman, Anapa, Novorossiysk (together with German troops), and the Romanian mountain division captured Nalchik in October 1942.
In the fall of 1942, Romanian troops occupied positions in the Stalingrad region. The 3rd Romanian army with a total strength of 150 thousand people held a front section 140 km northwest of Stalingrad, and the 4th Romanian army held a front section 300 km south.
By the end of January 1943, the Romanian 3rd and 4th armies were practically destroyed - their total losses amounted to almost 160 thousand dead, missing and wounded.
At the beginning of 1943, 6 Romanian divisions, with a total number of 65 thousand people, fought (as part of the German 17th Army) in the Kuban. In September 1943 they retreated to the Crimea, lost more than a third of their personnel, and were evacuated by sea to Romania.
In August 1944, King Mihai I, allied with the anti-fascist opposition, ordered the arrest of General Antonescu and other pro-German generals and declared war on Germany. Soviet troops were brought into Bucharest, and already the “allied Romanian army”, together with the Soviet one, fought against the Nazi coalition in Hungary, and then in Austria.
In total, up to 200 thousand Romanians died in the war against the USSR (including 55 thousand died in Soviet captivity).
18 Romanians were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses", of which three also received the "Oak Leaves" for the "Knight's Crosses".
Italy
Italy declared war on the USSR on June 22, 1941. Motivation - Mussolini's initiative, which he proposed back in January 1940 - "a pan-European campaign against Bolshevism." At the same time, Italy had no territorial claims to any zone of occupation of the USSR. In 1944, Italy effectively withdrew from the war.
The "Italian Expeditionary Force" for the war against the USSR was created on July 10, 1941 - 62 thousand soldiers and officers. The corps was sent to the southern sector of the German-Soviet front for operations in southern Ukraine.
The first clash between the advanced units of the Italian corps and units of the Red Army took place on the Southern Bug River on August 10, 1941.
In September 1941, the Italian corps fought on the Dnieper, on a 100-km section in the Dneprodzerzhinsk region, and in October-November 1941, it participated in the capture of Donbass. Then, until July 1942, the Italians stood on the defensive, fighting local battles with units of the Red Army.
The losses of the Italian corps from August 1941 to June 1942 amounted to more than 1600 dead, more than 400 missing, almost 6300 wounded and more than 3600 frostbitten.
In July 1942, the Italian troops on the territory of the USSR were significantly strengthened, and the 8th Italian Army was formed, which in the fall of 1942 occupied positions on the river. Don, northwest of Stalingrad.
In December 1942 - January 1943, the Italians tried to repel the offensive of the Red Army, and as a result, the Italian army was actually defeated - 21,000 Italians were killed, and 64,000 were missing. In the harsh winter, the Italians simply froze, and they were not up to the war. The remaining 145,000 Italians were withdrawn to Italy in March 1943.
The losses of Italians in the USSR from August 1941 to February 1943 amounted to about 90 thousand dead and missing. According to Soviet data, 49 thousand Italians were taken prisoner, of which 21 thousand Italians were released from Soviet captivity in 1946-1956. Thus, in total, about 70 thousand Italians died in the war against the USSR and in Soviet captivity.
9 Italians were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses".
Finland
On June 25, 1941, Soviet aviation bombed the settlements of Finland, and on June 26, Finland declared war on the USSR.
Finland intended to return the territories taken from her in March 1940, and also to annex Karelia.
On June 30, 1941, Finnish troops went on the offensive in the direction of Vyborg and Petrozavodsk. By the end of August 1941, the Finns reached the approaches to Leningrad on the Karelian Isthmus, by the beginning of October 1941 they occupied almost the entire territory of Karelia (except for the coast of the White Sea and Zaonezhie), after which they went on the defensive at the achieved lines.
From the end of 1941 until the summer of 1944, there were practically no military operations on the Soviet-Finnish front, except for the raids of Soviet partisans on the territory of Karelia and the bombing of Finnish settlements by Soviet aircraft.
On June 9, 1944, Soviet troops (with a total number of up to 500 thousand people) went on the offensive against the Finns (about 200 thousand people). In the course of heavy fighting, which lasted until August 1944, Soviet troops took Petrozavodsk, Vyborg, and in one sector reached the Soviet-Finnish border in March 1940.
On September 1, 1944, Marshal Mannerheim proposed a truce, on September 4, Stalin agreed to a truce, Finnish troops withdrew to the March 1940 border.
54,000 Finns died in the war against the USSR.
2 Finns were awarded "Knight's Crosses", including Marshal Mannerheim received "Oak Leaves" to the "Knight's Cross".
Hungary
Hungary declared war on the USSR on June 27, 1941. Hungary had no territorial claims to the USSR, but there was also a motivation - "revenge on the Bolsheviks for the communist revolution of 1919 in Hungary."
On July 1, 1941, Hungary sent the "Carpathian Group" (5 brigades, totaling 40 thousand people), which fought as part of the German 17th Army in Ukraine, to the war against the USSR.
In July 1941, the group was divided - 2 infantry brigades began to perform the functions of protecting the rear, and the "Fast Corps" (2 motorized and 1 cavalry brigades, a total of 25 thousand people, with several dozen light tanks and tankettes) continued to advance.
By November 1941, the "Fast Corps" suffered heavy losses - up to 12 thousand killed, missing and wounded, all tankettes and almost all light tanks were lost. The corps was returned to Hungary, but at the same time, 4 infantry and 2 cavalry Hungarian brigades with a total of 60 thousand people remained at the front and in the rear areas.
In April 1942, the Hungarian 2nd Army (about 200 thousand people) was sent against the USSR. In June 1942, she went on the offensive in the Voronezh direction, as part of the German offensive on the southern sector of the German-Soviet front.
In January 1943, the Hungarian 2nd Army was practically destroyed during the Soviet offensive (up to 100 thousand dead and up to 60 thousand taken prisoner, most of them wounded). In May 1943, the remnants of the army (about 40 thousand people) were withdrawn to Hungary.
In the autumn of 1944, all the Hungarian armed forces (three armies) fought against the Red Army, already on the territory of Hungary. The fighting in Hungary ended in April 1945, but some Hungarian units continued to fight in Austria until the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945.
More than 200 thousand Hungarians died in the war against the USSR (including 55 thousand died in Soviet captivity).
8 Hungarians were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses".
Slovakia
Slovakia took part in the war against the USSR as part of the "pan-European campaign against Bolshevism." It had no territorial claims against the USSR. 2 Slovak divisions were sent to the war against the USSR.
One division, numbering 8 thousand people, fought in Ukraine in 1941, in the Kuban in 1942, and in 1943-1944 performed police and security functions in the Crimea.
Another division (also 8 thousand people) in 1941-1942 performed "security functions" in Ukraine, in 1943-1944 - in Belarus.
About 3,500 Slovaks died in the war against the USSR.
Croatia
Croatia, like Slovakia, took part in the war against the USSR as part of the "pan-European campaign against Bolshevism."
In October 1941, 1 Croatian volunteer regiment with a total strength of 3,900 people was sent against the USSR. The regiment fought in the Donbass, in 1942 - in Stalingrad. By February 1943, the Croatian regiment was almost completely destroyed, about 700 Croats were taken prisoner.
About 2,000 Croats died in the war against the USSR.
Spain
Spain was a neutral country, did not officially declare war against the USSR, but organized the dispatch of one volunteer division to the front. Motivation - revenge for sending the Comintern International Brigades to Spain during the Civil War.
The Spanish division, or "Blue Division" (18 thousand people) was sent to the northern sector of the German-Soviet front. From October 1941 she fought in the Volkhov region, from August 1942 - near Leningrad. In October 1943, the division was returned to Spain, but about 2 thousand volunteers remained to fight in the Spanish Legion.
The Legion was disbanded in March 1944, but about 300 Spaniards wished to fight further, and 2 companies of the SS troops were formed from them, who fought against the Red Army until the end of the war.
About 5 thousand Spaniards died in the war against the USSR (452 Spaniards were taken into Soviet captivity).
2 Spaniards were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses", including one received the "Oak Leaves" to the "Knight's Cross".
Belgium
Belgium declared its neutrality in 1939, but was occupied by German troops.
In 1941, two volunteer legions (battalions) were formed in Belgium for the war against the USSR. They differed by ethnicity - Flemish and Walloon.
In the autumn of 1941, the legions were sent to the front - the Walloon legion to the southern sector (to Rostov-on-Don, then to the Kuban), and the Flemish legion to the northern sector (to Volkhov).
In June 1943, both legions were reorganized into brigades of the SS troops - the SS Volunteer Brigade "Langemark" and the SS Volunteer Assault Brigade "Wallonia".
In October 1943, the brigades were renamed into divisions (remaining in the same composition - 2 infantry regiments each). At the end of the war, both the Flemings and the Walloons fought against the Red Army in Pomerania.
About 5 thousand Belgians died in the war against the USSR (2 thousand Belgians were taken into Soviet captivity).
4 Belgians were awarded the "Knight's Cross", including one received the "Oak Leaves" to the "Knight's Cross".
Netherlands
The Netherlands Volunteer Legion (motorized battalion of 5 companies) was formed in July 1941.
In January 1942, the Dutch legion arrived at the northern sector of the German-Soviet front, in the Volkhov region. Then the legion was transferred to Leningrad.
In May 1943, the Dutch Legion was reorganized into the SS Volunteer Brigade "Netherlands" (with a total of 9 thousand people).
In 1944, one of the regiments of the Dutch brigade was practically destroyed in the battles near Narva. In the autumn of 1944 the brigade retreated to Courland, and in January 1945 it was evacuated to Germany by sea.
In February 1945, the brigade was renamed a division, although its strength was greatly reduced due to losses. By May 1945, the Dutch division was practically destroyed in the battles against the Red Army.
About 8,000 Dutch people died in the war against the USSR (more than 4,000 Dutch were taken into Soviet captivity).
4 Dutchmen were awarded the "Knight's Crosses".
France
The "French Volunteer Legion" for the war "against the Bolsheviks" was created in July 1941.
In October 1941, the French legion (an infantry regiment, numbering 2.5 thousand people) was sent to the German-Soviet front, to the Moscow direction. The French suffered heavy losses there, were defeated “to the smithereens” almost on the Borodino field, and from the spring of 1942 to the summer of 1944 the legion performed only police functions, it was used to fight against Soviet partisans.
In the summer of 1944, as a result of the offensive of the Red Army in Belarus, the "French Legion" was again on the front line, again suffered heavy losses and was withdrawn to Germany.
In September 1944, the legion was disbanded, and instead the “French Brigade of the SS Troops” (more than 7 thousand people) was created, and in February 1945 it was renamed the 33rd Grenadier Division of the SS Troops “Charlemagne” (“Charlemagne ”) and sent to the front in Pomerania against the Soviet troops. In March 1945, the French division was almost completely destroyed.
The remnants of the French division (about 700 people) at the end of April 1945 defended Berlin, in particular Hitler's bunker.
And in 1942, 130 thousand young people from Alsace and Lorraine born in 1920-24 were forcibly mobilized into the Wehrmacht, dressed in German uniforms and most of them were sent to the eastern front (they called themselves “malgre-nous”, that is, “mobilized against my will). About 90% of them immediately surrendered to Soviet troops and ended up in the Gulag!
Pierre Rigulot writes in his books “The French in the Gulag” and “The Tragedy of the Reluctant Soldiers”: “... In general, after 1946, 85 thousand French were repatriated, 25 thousand died in the camps, 20 thousand disappeared on the territory of the USSR ...”. In 1943-1945 alone, more than 10,000 Frenchmen who died in custody were buried in mass graves in the forest near the Rada station, near Tambov, in camp No. 188.
In the war against the USSR, about 8 thousand Frenchmen died (not counting the Alsatians and Logaringians).
3 Frenchmen were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses".
"African Phalanx"
After the landing of the Allies in Northern France, of all the North African territories of France, only Tunisia remained under the sovereignty of Vichy and the occupation of the Axis troops. After the Allied landings, the Vichy regime made an attempt to create volunteer formations that could serve alongside the Italo-German army.
On January 8, 1943, a "legion" was created with a single unit - the "African Phalanx" (Phalange Africaine), consisting of 300 French and 150 Muslim Africans (later the number of French was reduced to 200).
After three months of training, the phalanx was assigned to the 754th Infantry Regiment of the 334th German Infantry Division operating in Tunisia. Having been "in business", the phalanx was renamed "LVF en Tunisie" and existed under this name until the surrender in early May 1945.
Denmark
The social democratic government of Denmark did not declare war on the USSR, but did not interfere with the formation of the "Danish Volunteer Corps", and officially allowed the Danish army to join it (indefinite leave with the preservation of the rank).
In July-December 1941, more than 1 thousand people joined the Danish Volunteer Corps (the name "corps" was symbolic, in fact it was a battalion). In May 1942, the "Danish Corps" was sent to the front, to the Demyansk region. From December 1942, the Danes fought in the Velikiye Luki region.
At the beginning of June 1943, the corps was disbanded, many of its members, as well as new volunteers, joined the regiment " Danemark» 11th SS Volunteer Division « Nordland"(Danish-Norwegian division). In January 1944, the division was sent to Leningrad, participated in the battle of Narva.
In January 1945 the division fought against the Red Army in Pomerania, and in April 1945 fought in Berlin.
About 2 thousand Danes died in the war against the USSR (456 Danes were taken into Soviet captivity).
3 Danes were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses".
Norway
The Norwegian government in July 1941 announced the formation of the "Norwegian Volunteer Legion" to send "to help Finland in the war against the USSR."
In February 1942, after training in Germany, the Norwegian legion (1 battalion, numbering 1.2 thousand people) was sent to the German-Soviet front, near Leningrad.
In May 1943, the Norwegian Legion was disbanded, most of the soldiers joined the Norwegian regiment of the 11th SS Volunteer Division " Nordland"(Danish-Norwegian division).
About 1,000 Norwegians died in the war against the USSR (100 Norwegians were taken into Soviet captivity).
Divisions under the SS
These are the so-called "SS divisions", formed from the "citizens" of the USSR, as well as from the inhabitants of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
Note that only Germans and representatives of the peoples of the Germanic language group (Dutch, Danes, Flemings, Norwegians, Swedes) were taken in the SS division. Only they had the right to wear SS runes in their buttonholes. For some reason, an exception was made only for the French-speaking Walloon Belgians.
And here "divisions under the SS", "Waffen divisions der SS" formed precisely from the "non-German peoples" - Bosniaks, Ukrainians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, Albanians, Russians, Belarusians, Hungarians, Italians, French.
At the same time, the command staff in these divisions was mainly from Germans (they had the right to wear SS runes). But the “Russian Division under the SS” was commanded by Bronislav Kaminsky, a half-Polish, half-German, originally from St. Petersburg. Because of his "pedigree" he could not be a member of the SS party organization, and was not a member of the NSDAP.
The first "Waffen Division under the SS" was the 13th ( Bosnian-Muslim) or Handshar, formed in March 1943. She fought from January 1944 in Croatia, and from December 1944 - in Hungary.
"Scanderbeg". In April 1944, the 21st mountain division of the Waffen-SS "Skanderbeg" was formed from Muslim Albanians. Almost 11 thousand soldiers were recruited from the province of Kosovo, as well as from Albania itself. They were mostly Sunni Muslims.
"14th Waffen Division der SS" (Ukrainian)
From the autumn of 1943 to the spring of 1944 she was in the reserve (in Poland). In July 1944 she fought on the Soviet-German front in the Brody region (Western Ukraine). In September 1944 it was sent to suppress the uprising in Slovakia. In January 1945, she was transferred to the reserve in the Bratislava region, in April 1945 she retreated to Austria, and in May 1945 she surrendered to American troops.
Ukrainian volunteers
The only units of the Eastern Volunteers that entered the Wehrmacht from the very beginning were two small Ukrainian battalions created in the spring of 1941.
The Nachtigal battalion was recruited from Ukrainians living in Poland, the Roland battalion was recruited from Ukrainian emigrants living in Germany.
"15th Waffen Division der SS" (Latvian No. 1)
From December 1943 - at the front in the Volkhov region, in January - March 1944 - at the front in the Pskov region, in April - May 1944 at the front in the Nevel region. From July to December 1944 it was reorganized in Latvia, and then in West Prussia. In February 1945 she was sent to the front in West Prussia, in March 1945 to the front in Pomerania.
"19th Waffen Division der SS" (Latvian No. 2)
At the front since April 1944, in the Pskov region, since July 1944 - in Latvia.
"20th Waffen Division der SS" (Estonian)
From March to October 1944 in Estonia, November 1944 - January 1945 in Germany (in reserve), in February - May 1945 at the front in Silesia.
"29th Waffen Division der SS" (Russian)
In August 1944 she took part in the suppression of the uprising in Warsaw. At the end of August, for the rape and murder of German residents of Warsaw, the division commander Waffen-Brigadefuhrer Kaminsky and the division chief of staff Waffen-Obersturmbannführer Shavyakin (former captain of the Red Army) were shot, and the division was sent to Slovakia and disbanded there.
"Russian security corps in Serbia"("Russisches Schutzkorps Serbien", RSS), the last division of the Russian Imperial Army. He was recruited from among the White Guards who found refuge in Serbia in 1921 and retained their national identity and adherence to traditional beliefs. They wanted to fight "for Russia and against the Reds", but they were sent to fight the partisans of Joseph Broz Tito.
"Russian Security Corps", originally led by the White Guard General Shteifon, and later by Colonel Rogozin. The number of the corps is more than 11 thousand people.
"30th Waffen Division der SS" (Belarusian)
From September to November 1944 in the reserve in Germany, from December 1944 on the Upper Rhine.
"33rd Hungarian" lasted only two months , was formed in December 1944, disbanded in January 1945.
The “36th division” was formed from German criminals and even political prisoners in February 1945. But then the Nazis “raked out” all the “reserves”, calling everyone into the Wehrmacht - from the boys from the “Hitler Youth” to the elderly ...
"Latvian SS Volunteer Legion". In February 1943, after the defeat of the German troops near Stalingrad, the Nazi command decided to form the Latvian National SS Legion. It included part of the Latvian volunteer units, created earlier and already taking part in hostilities.
In the first days of March 1943, the entire male population of Latvia born in 1918 and 1919 was ordered to appear at the district and volost police departments at their place of residence. There, after examination by a medical commission, the mobilized were given the right to choose a place of service: either in the Latvian SS legion, or in the service staff of the German troops, or in defense work.
Of the 150 thousand soldiers and officers of the legion, over 40 thousand died and almost 50 thousand were captured by the Soviets. In April 1945 she took part in the battles for Neubrandenburg. At the end of April 1945, the remnants of the division were transferred to Berlin, where the battalion took part in the last battles for the "capital of the Third Reich".
In addition to these divisions, in December 1944 the 1st Cossack Cavalry Division was transferred to the SS, in January 1945 it was renamed the 15th Cossack Cavalry SS Corps. The corps operated in Croatia against Tito's partisans.
On December 30, 1941, the Wehrmacht command ordered the formation of "legions" from volunteers of various nationalities of the USSR. During the first half of 1942, first four and then six legions were fully integrated into the Wehrmacht, receiving the same status as the European legions. At first they were located in Poland.
"Turkestan Legion" , located in Legionovo, included Cossacks, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Turkmens, Karakalpaks and representatives of other nationalities.
"Muslim-Caucasian Legion" (later renamed " Azerbaijan Legion") located in Zheldny, the total number of 40,000 people.
"North Caucasian Legion" , which included representatives of 30 different peoples of the North Caucasus, was located in Vesola.
The formation of the legion began in September 1942 near Warsaw from Caucasian prisoners of war. The number of volunteers (more than 5,000 people) included Ossetians, Chechens, Ingush, Kabardians, Balkars, Tabasarans, etc.
The so-called. "North Caucasian Committee". His leadership included the Dagestani Akhmed-Nabi Agaev (Abwehr agent), Ossetian Kantemirov (former Minister of War of the Mountain Republic) and Sultan-Girey Klych.
"Georgian Legion" was formed in Kruzhyn. It should be noted that this legion existed from 1915 to 1917, and during its first formation it was staffed by volunteers from among the Georgians who were captured during the 1st World War.
During the Second World War "Georgian Legion""replenished" with volunteers from among the Soviet prisoners of war of Georgian nationality
"Armenian Legion" (18 thousand people ) was formed in Pulav, Drastamat Kanayan (“General Dro”) led the legion. Drastamat Kanayan defected to the Americans in May 1945. He spent the last years of his life in Beirut, died on March 8, 1956, and was buried in Boston. At the end of May 2000, the body of Drastamat Kanayan was reburied in the city of Aparan, in Armenia, near the memorial to the soldiers-heroes of the Great Patriotic War.
"Volga-Tatar Legion" (Legion "Idel-Ural") consisted of representatives of the Volga peoples (Tatars, Bashkirs, Mari, Mordovians, Chuvashs, Udmurts), Most of all there were Tatars. Formed in Zheldny.
In accordance with the policy of the Wehrmacht, these legions never united in combat conditions. As soon as they completed their training in Poland, they were sent to the front separately.
"Kalmyk Legion"
Interestingly, the Kalmyks were not part of the Eastern Legions and the first Kalmyk units were created by the headquarters of the 16th German motorized infantry division after Elista, the capital of Kalmykia, was occupied during the summer offensive of 1942. These units were called differently: "Kalmyk Legion" (Kalmuck Legion), "Dr. Doll's Kalmyk Connection" (Kal-mucken Verband Dr. Doll), or "Kalmyk Cavalry Corps".
In practice, it was a "volunteer corps" with the status of an allied army and broad autonomy. Basically, it was made up of former Red Army soldiers, commanded by Kalmyk sergeants and Kalmyk officers.
Initially, the Kalmyks fought against the partisan detachments, then retreated to the west along with the German troops.
The constant retreat brought the "Kalmyk Legion" to Poland, where by the end of 1944 they numbered about 5,000 people. Soviet winter offensive 1944-45 found them near Radom, and at the very end of the war they were reorganized in Neuhammer.
The Kalmyks were the only "Eastern Volunteers" who joined Vlasov's army.
Crimean Tatars. In October 1941, the creation of volunteer formations from representatives of the Crimean Tatars, "self-defense companies", whose main task was to fight partisans, began. Until January 1942, this process went on spontaneously, but after the recruitment of volunteers from among the Crimean Tatars was officially sanctioned by Hitler, "the solution to this problem" passed to the leadership of the Einsatzgruppe "D". During January 1942, more than 8,600 volunteers, Crimean Tatars, were recruited.
These formations were used in the protection of military and civilian facilities, took an active part in the fight against partisans, and in 1944 they actively resisted the formations of the Red Army that liberated the Crimea.
The remnants of the Crimean Tatar units, together with the German and Romanian troops, were evacuated from the Crimea by sea.
In the summer of 1944, from the remnants of the Crimean Tatar units in Hungary, the "Tatar Mountain Jaeger Regiment of the SS" was formed, which was soon reorganized into the "1st Tatar Mountain Jaeger Brigade of the SS", which was disbanded on December 31, 1944 and transformed into the battle group "Crimea ", which merged into the "Eastern Turkic Union of the SS".
Crimean Tatar volunteers, who were not part of the "Tatar Mountain Jaeger Regiment of the SS", were transferred to France and included in the reserve battalion of the "Volga-Tatar Legion".
As Yurado Carlos Caballero wrote: “... Not as an excuse for “divisions under the SS”, but for the sake of objectivity, we note that a much larger scale of war crimes was committed by the Allgemeine-SS special forces (“Sonderkommando” and “Einsatzgruppen”), but also “ost-truppen” - units formed from Russians, Turkestans, Ukrainians, Belarusians, peoples of the Caucasus and the Volga region - they were mainly engaged in anti-partisan activities ... This was also done by the divisions of the Hungarian army ...
However, it should be noted that the Bosnian-Muslim, Albanian and “Russian divisions der SS”, as well as the “36th division der SS” from the Germans, became most famous for war crimes ... ".
Volunteer Indian Legion
A few months before the start of Operation Barbarossa, while the Soviet-German non-aggression pact was still in effect, the extremist leader of the Indian nationalists, Subhas Chandra Bose, arrived from Moscow in Berlin, intending to enlist the support of the Germans "in the liberation of his country." Thanks to his perseverance, he managed to persuade the Germans to recruit a group of volunteers from Indians who served in the British troops and were captured in North Africa.
By the end of 1942, this Free India Legion (also known as the Tiger Legion, the Fries Indyen Legion, the Azad Hind Legion, Indische Freiwilligen-Legion Regiment 950 or I.R 950) reached a strength of about 2000 people and officially Entered the German Army as the 950th (Indian) Infantry Regiment.
In 1943, Bos Chandra traveled by submarine to Japanese-occupied Singapore. He sought to create from the Indians who were captured by the Japanese, the Indian National Army.
However, the German command poorly represented the problems of caste, tribal and religious strife among the inhabitants of India, and in addition, German officers treated their subordinates with disdain ... And, most importantly, more than 70 percent of the soldiers of the division were Muslims, people from tribes from the territories of modern Pakistan, Bangladesh , as well as from the Muslim communities of western and northwestern India. Yes, and the nutritional problems of such “motley fighters” were very serious - someone did not eat pork, someone ate only rice and vegetables.
In the spring of 1944, 2,500 people of the Indian Legion were sent to the Bordeaux region in the fortress of the Atlantic Wall. The first combat loss was Lieutenant Ali Khan, who was killed by French partisans in August 1944 during the retreat of the legion to Alsace. On August 8, the 1944 legion was transferred to the SS troops.
In March 1945, the remnants of the legion tried to break into Switzerland, but were taken prisoner by the French and Americans. The prisoners were handed over to the British as traitors to their own power, former legionnaires were sent to prisons in Delhi, and some were immediately shot.
Nevertheless, we note, in fairness, that this peculiar unit practically did not take part in hostilities.
Volunteer Arab Legion
On May 2, 1941, an anti-British rebellion broke out in Iraq led by Rashid el-Ghaliani. The Germans formed a special headquarters "F" (Sonderstab F) to assist the Arab insurgents.
To support the rebellion, two small units were created - the 287th and 288th special formations (Sonderverbonde), recruited from the personnel of the Brandenburg division. But before they could get involved, the rebellion was crushed.
The 288th all-German formation was sent to North Africa as part of the Afrika Korps, while the 287th formation was left in Greece, near Athens, to organize volunteers from the Middle East. They were mostly Palestinian supporters of the pro-German Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Iraqis who supported el-Galiani.
When three battalions were recruited, one battalion was sent to Tunisia, and the other two were used to fight the partisans, first in the Caucasus and then in Yugoslavia.
The 287th unit was never officially recognized as an Arab legion - " Legion FreeArab. This common name was given to all Arabs who fought under German command to distinguish them from other ethnic groups.
The anti-Hitler coalition included the USSR, the USA, Great Britain and its dominions (Canada, India, the Union of South Africa, Australia, New Zealand), Poland, France, Ethiopia, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Greece, Yugoslavia, Tuva, Mongolia, USA.
China (the government of Chiang Kai-shek) has been fighting against Japan since July 7, 1937, and Mexico, Brazil. Bolivia, Colombia, Chile and Argentina declared war on Germany and its allies.
The participation of the Latin American countries in the war consisted mainly in carrying out defensive measures, in protecting the coast and caravans of ships.
The fighting of a number of countries occupied by Germany - Yugoslavia, Greece, France, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Poland consisted mainly in the partisan movement and the resistance movement. Italian partisans were also active, fighting both against the Mussolini regime and against Germany.
Poland. After the defeat and partition of Poland between Germany and the USSR, Polish troops acted together with the troops of Great Britain, France and the USSR (“Anders Army”). In 1944, Polish troops participated in the landing in Normandy, and in May 1945 they took Berlin.
Luxembourg was attacked by Germany on May 10, 1940. In August 1942, Luxembourg was incorporated into Germany, so many Luxembourgers were called up to serve in the Wehrmacht.
In total, 10,211 Luxembourgers were drafted into the Wehrmacht during the occupation. Of these, 2,848 died, 96 were missing.
1653 Luxembourgers who served in the Wehrmacht and fought on the German-Soviet front fell into Soviet captivity (93 of them died in captivity).
NEUTRAL COUNTRIES OF EUROPE
Sweden. At the beginning of the war, Sweden declared its neutrality, but nevertheless carried out a partial mobilization. During Soviet-Finnish military conflict She declared her status " non-belligerent power”, however, provided assistance to Finland with money and military equipment.
Nevertheless, Sweden cooperated with both belligerents, the most famous examples being the passage of German troops from Norway to Finland and informing the British about Bismarck's entry into Operation Rheinübung.
In addition, Sweden actively supplied Germany with iron ore, but from mid-August 1943, it stopped transporting German military materials through its country.
During the Great Patriotic War, Sweden was a diplomatic mediator between the USSR and Germany.
Switzerland. Declared its neutrality the day before the outbreak of World War II. But in September 1939, 430 thousand people were mobilized into the army, rationing was introduced for food and industrial products.
In the international arena, Switzerland maneuvered between the two warring factions, the ruling circles for a long time leaned towards the pro-German course.
Swiss firms supplied Germany weapons, ammunition, machinery and other manufactured goods. Germany received electricity from Switzerland, loans (over 1 billion francs), used Swiss railways for military transportation to Italy and back.
Some Swiss firms acted as intermediaries for Germany on world markets. Intelligence agencies of Germany, Italy, the USA and England operated on the territory of Switzerland.
Spain. Spain remained neutral during World War II, although Hitler considered the Spaniards to be his allies. German submarines entered the ports of Spain, and German agents operated freely in Madrid. Spain supplied Germany and tungsten, though at the end of the war, Spain sold tungsten to the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. Jews fled to Spain, then making their way to Portugal.
Portugal. In 1939, she declared neutrality. But the Salazar government supplied strategic raw materials, and, above all, tungsten to Germany and Italy. In October 1943, realizing the inevitability of the defeat of Nazi Germany, Salazar grants the British and Americans the right to use the Azores as a military base, and in June 1944 stops the export of tungsten to Germany.
During the war, hundreds of thousands of Jews from various European countries were able to escape the Nazi genocide, using Portuguese visas, emigrating from war-torn Europe.
Ireland maintained complete neutrality.
About 1,500,000 Jews took part in the fighting in the armies of different countries, in the partisan movement and in the Resistance.
In the US Army - 550,000, in the USSR - 500,000, Poland - 140,000, Great Britain - 62,000, France - 46,000.
Alexey Kazdym
List of used literature
- Abrahamyan E. A. Caucasians in the Abwehr. M.: Publisher Bystrov, 2006.
- Asadov Yu.A. 1000 officer names in Armenian history. Pyatigorsk, 2004.
- Berdinsky V.A. . Special Settlers: Political Exile of the Peoples of Soviet Russia. M.: 2005.
- Briman Shimon Muslims in the SS // http://www.webcitation.org/66K7aB5b7
- World War II 1939-1945, TSB. Yandex. Dictionaries
- Vozgrin V. Historical fate of the Crimean Tatars. Moscow: Thought, 1992
- Gilyazov I.A. Legion "Idel-Ural". Kazan: Tatknigoizdat, 2005.
- Drobyazko S. Eastern legions and Cossack units in the Wehrmacht http://www.erlib.com
- Elishev S. Salazarovskaya Portugal // Russian folk line, http://ruskline.ru/analitika/2010/05/21/salazarovskaya_portugaliya
- Karashchuk A., Drobyazko S. Eastern volunteers in the Wehrmacht, police and SS. 2000
- Krysin M. Yu. History on the lips. Latvian SS legion: yesterday and today. Veche, 2006.
- Concise Jewish Encyclopedia, Jerusalem. 1976 - 2006
- Mamulia G.G. Georgian legion of the Wehrmacht M.: Veche, 2011.
- Romanko O.V. Muslim Legions in World War II. M.: AST; Transitbook, 2004.
- Yurado Carlos Caballero "Foreign Volunteers in the Wehrmacht. 1941-1945. AST, Astrel. 2005
- Etinger Ya. Ya. Jewish resistance during the Holocaust.
- Rigoulot Pierre. Des Francais au goulag.1917-1984. 1984
- Rigoulot Pierre. La tragedy des malgre-nous. 1990.
The secret annexes to the Soviet-German non-aggression pact were published in the West only after the war. The USSR until 1989 publicly denied their authenticity, but then was forced to recognize, publish and condemn them. These secret protocols made the USSR an accomplice in the German aggression against Poland. In fact, it is more correct to call this first act of the Second World War the joint German-Soviet aggression against Poland.
According to the secret annex to the non-aggression pact, concluded on August 23, 1939 in Moscow, the “right” of the Soviet Union to occupy two-thirds of the territory of Poland was recognized: east of the line of the Narew, Western Bug, Vistula and San rivers. This included not only the territories that are now part of Belarus and Ukraine, but also a significant part of the territory that is now under the sovereignty of Poland and even before the war was inhabited almost exclusively by Poles. The new border between the USSR and Germany was supposed to pass next to Warsaw itself.
According to the same secret protocols, the "right" of the Soviet Union to special interests in Finland, Estonia and Latvia was recognized. Germany also received a similar sphere of influence in Lithuania (excluding the Vilna region, captured by Poland from Lithuania in 1920 and de facto part of Poland).
At the final stage of the destruction of the Polish army and the occupation of Poland by the troops of Germany and the USSR in Moscow (September 28, 1939), the Soviet-German treaty "on friendship and border" was signed, according to which the zones of the current and future occupation were adjusted. The area east of the Vistula up to the Western Bug, inhabited by Poles, entered the German zone of occupation of Poland. In return, Germany renounced the "rights" to a special position in Lithuania. This country has completely moved to the Soviet "sphere of interest".
German invasion of Poland and beginning of World War II
The course of the first campaign of World War II is described in sufficient detail in the literature, including in popular publications on the Internet. Here we recall only the main facts.
Initially, the Wehrmacht's attack on Poland was scheduled by Hitler for August 26, 1939, that is, almost immediately after the conclusion of the Moscow Pact. However, on the evening of August 25, Hitler learned that Mussolini would not immediately declare war on England and France if they declared it on Germany in response to the Wehrmacht's invasion of Poland. Hitler took a few days to think.
At this time, individual units of the Wehrmacht had already received an order to invade Poland, and they did not have time to cancel them. As a result, early in the morning of August 26, advanced sabotage and reconnaissance detachments of German troops invaded Poland through some sections of the German-Polish border, which then had to be withdrawn back. The German attack did not come as a surprise to Poland, where the mobilization of the army had already been carried out several months ago.
On September 1, 1939, a full-scale offensive of German troops began on the territory of Poland. Thanks to the configuration of the new German-Polish border after the annexation of the Czech Republic by the Third Reich, as well as the participation of Slovakia in the war on the side of Germany, the invasion was carried out from three sides. In fact, the Polish army was deprived of the ability to effectively defend itself in the western part of Poland. The only way out could only be a retreat in Eastern Poland with the organization of defense along the lines of the Narew, Bug, Vistula, and San rivers. However, due to the threat of a Soviet attack, this option was now also ruled out. Therefore, the Polish army accepted the frontier battle in the vain hope of holding out for some time, until perhaps the Western powers could, for their part, organize pressure on Germany.
France and England, true to their allied obligations, actually declared war on Germany on September 3, 1939. However, the state of their armed forces ruled out an early offensive. It is usually pointed out that the Western Allies had an almost fivefold superiority over the Wehrmacht in the number of divisions (110 versus 23). But we should not forget that a significant part of these divisions (more than a third) were intended for passive defense in the fortifications of the Maginot Line and were not capable of maneuvering. At the same time, in the composition of the French troops, unlike the German ones, there were almost no tank and mechanized formations at all (except for one division), and the quantity and quality of the Allied aviation had already managed to lag far behind those of the Luftwaffe.
Although the mobilization potential of Poland allowed it to put up an army of three million, its armament was limited by the modest capabilities of Polish industry. Against Germany, Poland was able to put up only 840 thousand armed fighters, who were opposed by one and a half million soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht. In terms of the number of artillery, the Germans outnumbered the Poles by three and a half times, and by the number of tanks and aircraft - by five times. With the passivity of the Western allies and the war on two fronts, the Polish army was doomed. Hopes that she could hold out for at least 2-3 months were crushed in the very first border battles.
However, given the overwhelming numerical superiority of the Germans over the Poles, especially in the directions of the main attacks, it must be recognized that the Polish army put up a truly heroic resistance to the Nazi aggressors. All freedom-loving people of the Earth must bow their heads before the feat of the Polish Army in September 1939.
Were the Soviet Union and Germany allies in the war against Poland? On some formal grounds, no. The USSR did not declare war on Poland. The military actions of the Red Army and the Wehrmacht against the Polish Army were not coordinated with each other, with individual exceptions. However, according to the actual signs - a preliminary agreement on the division of the territory of a sovereign state and the simultaneous conduct of hostilities against it - this was, of course, a joint aggression.
By the time the Soviet troops crossed the Polish border on September 17, 1939, the Polish Army had already been largely crushed by the forces of the Wehrmacht. German troops advanced east beyond the line agreed between the Bolsheviks and the Nazis in Moscow. Inside the territory occupied by the Germans, however, there were still large centers of resistance of the Polish army. First of all, it was Warsaw, the Modlin fortress, the Hel naval base, as well as the remnants of the Poznan army, squeezed into a cauldron east of Warsaw.
The Soviet government, announcing the beginning of the invasion of Poland, motivated this by the fact that "the Polish government has collapsed and does not show signs of life." In fact, the Polish government left the territory of their country only in the evening of that day, when the rapid offensive of the Soviet troops was already developing on the eastern borders of Poland. The Polish embassy left Moscow, but there was no formal declaration of war on either side.
In total, about 2 million people from 15 European countries fought in the Wehrmacht troops (more than half a million - the Romanian army, almost 400 thousand - the Hungarian troops, more than 200 thousand - Mussolini's troops!).
Of these, during the war years, 59 divisions, 23 brigades, several separate regiments, legions and battalions were formed.
Many of them were named according to their state and nationality and only volunteers served in them:
"Blue Division" - Spain.
"Wallonia" - the division included French, Spanish and Walloon volunteers, moreover, the Walloons were in the majority.
"Galicia" - Ukrainians and Galicians.
"Bohemia and Moravia" - Czechs from Moravia and Bohemia.
"Viking" - volunteers from the Netherlands, Belgium and the Scandinavian countries.
"Denemark" - Danes.
"Langemarck" - Flemish volunteers.
"Nordland" - Dutch and Scandinavian volunteers.
"Nederland" - Dutch collaborators who fled to Germany after the Allied occupation of Holland.
“French Infantry Regiment 638”, since 1943, has been merged with the newly organized “French SS Division Charlemagne” - the French.
The armies of Germany's allies - Italy, Hungary, Romania, Finland, Slovakia and Croatia - participated in the war against the USSR.
The Bulgarian army was involved in the occupation of Greece and Yugoslavia, but the Bulgarian ground units did not fight on the Eastern Front.
“Russian Liberation Army” (ROA) under the command of General A.A. Vlasova acted on the side of Nazi Germany, although she was not officially part of the Wehrmacht.
As part of the Wehrmacht, the 15th Cossack Cavalry Corps of the SS, General von Panwitz, fought.
On the side of Germany, the Russian Corps of General Shteifon, the Corps of Lieutenant General of the Tsarist Army P.N. Krasnov and a number of separate units formed from citizens of the USSR, often on a national basis, under the command of the former Kuban Cossack SS Gruppen-Führer, A.G. Shkuro (real name - Shkura) and Circassian Sultan-Girey Klych, leader of the nationalist "People's Party of the Highlanders of the North Caucasus" in France.
On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany and Slovakia declared war on Poland… Thus began the Second World War…
It was attended by 61 states out of 73 (80% of the world's population). The fighting took place on the territory of three continents and in the waters of four oceans.
Romania declared war on the USSR on June 22, 1941 and wanted to return Bessarabia and Bukovina “taken away” from it in June 1940, as well as annex Transnistria (the territory from the Dniester to the Southern Bug).
For military operations against the USSR, the Romanian 3rd and 4th armies were intended, with a total number of about 220 thousand people.
On June 22, Romanian troops tried to capture bridgeheads on the eastern bank of the Prut River. On June 25 - 26, 1941, the Soviet Danube Flotilla landed troops on Romanian territory, and Soviet aircraft and ships of the Black Sea Fleet bombed and fired at the Romanian oil fields and other objects.
Romanian troops began active hostilities by crossing the Prut River on July 2, 1941. By July 26, Romanian troops occupied the territories of Bessarabia and Bukovina.
Then the Romanian 3rd Army advanced in Ukraine, crossed the Dnieper in September and reached the coast of the Sea of Azov.
From the end of October 1941, units of the Romanian 3rd Army participated in the capture of the Crimea (together with the German 11th Army under the command of von Manstein).
From the beginning of August 1941, the Romanian 4th Army conducted an operation to capture Odessa, by September 10, 12 Romanian divisions and 5 brigades were assembled to capture Odessa, with a total number of up to 200 thousand people
On October 16, 1941, after heavy fighting, Odessa was captured by Romanian troops together with units of the Wehrmacht. The losses of the 4th Romanian army amounted to 29 thousand dead and missing and 63 thousand wounded.
In August 1942, the 3rd Romanian Army took part in the attack on the Caucasus, the Romanian cavalry divisions took Taman, Anapa, Novorossiysk (together with German troops), and the Romanian mountain division captured Nalchik in October 1942.
In the fall of 1942, Romanian troops occupied positions in the Stalingrad region. The 3rd Romanian army with a total strength of 150 thousand people held a front section 140 km northwest of Stalingrad, and the 4th Romanian army held a front section 300 km south.
By the end of January 1943, the Romanian 3rd and 4th armies were practically destroyed - their total losses amounted to almost 160 thousand dead, missing and wounded.
At the beginning of 1943, 6 Romanian divisions, with a total number of 65 thousand people, fought (as part of the German 17th Army) in the Kuban. In September 1943 they retreated to the Crimea, lost more than a third of their personnel, and were evacuated by sea to Romania.
In August 1944, King Mihai I, allied with the anti-fascist opposition, ordered the arrest of General Antonescu and other pro-German generals, and declared war on Germany. Soviet troops were introduced into Bucharest, and already the “allied Romanian army”, together with the Soviet one, fought against the Nazi coalition on the territory of Hungary, and then in Austria.
In total, up to 200 thousand Romanians died in the war against the USSR (including 55 thousand died in Soviet captivity).
18 Romanians were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses", three of them also received the "Oak Leaves" for the "Knight's Crosses".
Italy
Italy declared war on the USSR on June 22, 1941. Motivation - Mussolini's initiative, which he proposed back in January 1940 - "a pan-European campaign against Bolshevism." At the same time, Italy had no territorial claims to any zone of occupation of the USSR. In 1944, Italy effectively withdrew from the war.
The "Italian Expeditionary Force" for the war against the USSR was created on July 10, 1941 - 62 thousand soldiers and officers. The corps was sent to the southern sector of the German-Soviet front for operations in southern Ukraine.
The first clash between the advanced units of the Italian corps and units of the Red Army took place on the Southern Bug River on August 10, 1941.
In September 1941, the Italian corps fought on the Dnieper, on a 100-km section in the Dneprodzerzhinsk region, and in October-November 1941, it participated in the capture of Donbass. Then, until July 1942, the Italians stood on the defensive, fighting local battles with units of the Red Army.
The losses of the Italian corps from August 1941 to June 1942 amounted to more than 1600 dead, more than 400 missing, almost 6300 wounded and more than 3600 frostbitten.
In July 1942, the Italian troops on the territory of the USSR were significantly strengthened, and the 8th Italian Army was formed, which in the fall of 1942 occupied positions on the river. Don, northwest of Stalingrad.
In December 1942 - January 1943, the Italians tried to repel the offensive of the Red Army, and as a result, the Italian army was actually defeated - 21,000 Italians were killed, and 64,000 were missing. In the harsh winter, the Italians simply froze, and they were not up to the war.
The remaining 145,000 Italians were withdrawn to Italy in March 1943.
The losses of Italians in the USSR from August 1941 to February 1943 amounted to about 90 thousand dead and missing. According to Soviet data, 49 thousand Italians were taken prisoner, of which 21 thousand Italians were released from Soviet captivity in 1946-1956. Thus, in total, about 70 thousand Italians died in the war against the USSR and in Soviet captivity.
9 Italians were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses".
Finland
On June 26, Finland declared war on the USSR. Finland intended to return the territories taken from her in March 1940, and also to annex Karelia.
On June 30, 1941, Finnish troops went on the offensive in the direction of Vyborg and Petrozavodsk. By the end of August 1941, the Finns reached the approaches to Leningrad on the Karelian Isthmus, by the beginning of October 1941 they had occupied almost the entire territory of Karelia (except for the coast of the White Sea and Zaonezhie), after which they switched to “defense at the achieved lines”.
From the end of 1941 until the summer of 1944, there were practically no military operations on the Soviet-Finnish front, except for the raids of Soviet partisans on the territory of Karelia and the bombing of the positions of Finnish troops by Soviet aircraft.
On June 9, 1944, Soviet troops (with a total number of up to 500 thousand people) went on the offensive against the Finns (about 200 thousand people). In the course of heavy fighting, which lasted until August 1944, Soviet troops took Petrozavodsk, Vyborg, and in one sector reached the Soviet-Finnish border in March 1940.
On September 1, 1944, Marshal Mannerheim proposed a truce, on September 4, Stalin agreed to a truce, Finnish troops withdrew to the March 1940 border.
54,000 Finns died in the war against the USSR.
2 Finns were awarded "Knight's Crosses", including Marshal Mannerheim received "Oak Leaves" to the "Knight's Cross".
Hungary
Hungary declared war on the USSR on June 27, 1941. Hungary had no territorial claims to the USSR, but there was also a motivation - "revenge on the Bolsheviks for the communist revolution of 1919 in Hungary."
On July 1, 1941, Hungary sent the “Carpathian Group” (5 brigades, totaling 40 thousand people) to the war against the USSR, which fought as part of the German 17th Army in Ukraine.
In July 1941, the group was divided - 2 infantry brigades began to perform the functions of protecting the rear, and the "Fast Corps" (2 motorized and 1 cavalry brigades, a total of 25 thousand people, with several dozen light tanks and wedges) continued to advance.
By November 1941, the Fast Corps had suffered heavy losses - up to 12 thousand killed, missing and wounded, all wedges and almost all light tanks were lost. The corps was returned to Hungary, but at the same time, 4 infantry and 2 cavalry Hungarian brigades with a total of 60 thousand people remained at the front and in the rear areas.
In April 1942, the Hungarian 2nd Army (about 200 thousand people) was sent against the USSR. In June 1942, she went on the offensive in the Voronezh direction, as part of the German offensive on the southern sector of the German-Soviet front.
In January 1943, the Hungarian 2nd Army was practically destroyed during the Soviet offensive (up to 100 thousand dead and up to 60 thousand taken prisoner, most of them wounded). In May 1943, the remnants of the army (about 40 thousand people) were withdrawn to Hungary.
In the autumn of 1944, all the Hungarian armed forces (three armies) fought against the Red Army, already on the territory of Hungary. The fighting in Hungary ended in April 1945, but some Hungarian units continued to fight in Austria until the surrender of Germany on May 8, 1945.
More than 200 thousand Hungarians died in the war against the USSR (including 55 thousand died in Soviet captivity).
8 Hungarians were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses".
Slovakia
Slovakia took part in the war against the USSR in the framework of the "all-European campaign against Bolshevism." It had no territorial claims against the USSR. 2 Slovak divisions were sent to the war against the USSR.
One division, numbering 8 thousand people, fought in Ukraine in 1941, in the Kuban in 1942, and in 1943-1944 performed police and security functions in the Crimea.
Another division (also 8 thousand people) in 1941-1942 performed "security functions" in Ukraine, in 1943-1944 - in Belarus.
About 3,500 Slovaks died in the war against the USSR.
Croatia
Croatia, like Slovakia, took part in the war against the USSR as part of the "pan-European campaign against Bolshevism."
In October 1941, 1 Croatian volunteer regiment with a total strength of 3,900 people was sent against the USSR. The regiment fought in the Donbass, in 1942 - in Stalingrad. By February 1943, the Croatian regiment was almost completely destroyed, about 700 Croats were taken prisoner.
About 2,000 Croats died in the war against the USSR.
Spain
Spain was a neutral country, did not officially declare war against the USSR, but organized the dispatch of one volunteer division to the front. The motivation is revenge for sending the International Brigades to Spain during the Civil War by the Comintern.
The Spanish division, or "Blue Division" (18 thousand people) was sent to the northern sector of the German-Soviet front. From October 1941 she fought in the Volkhov region, from August 1942 - near Leningrad. In October 1943, the division was returned to Spain, but about 2 thousand volunteers remained to fight in the Spanish Legion.
The Legion was disbanded in March 1944, but about 300 Spaniards wished to fight further, and 2 companies of the SS troops were formed from them, who fought against the Red Army until the end of the war.
About 5 thousand Spaniards died in the war against the USSR (452 Spaniards were taken into Soviet captivity).
2 Spaniards were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses", including one received the "Oak Leaves" to the "Knight's Cross".
Belgium
Belgium declared its neutrality in 1939, but was occupied by German troops.
In 1941, two volunteer legions (battalions) were formed in Belgium for the war against the USSR. They differed by ethnicity - Flemish and Walloon.
In the autumn of 1941, the legions were sent to the front - the Walloon legion to the southern sector (to Rostov-on-Don, then to the Kuban), and the Flemish legion to the northern sector (to Volkhov).
In June 1943, both legions were reorganized into brigades of the SS troops - the SS Volunteer Brigade "Langemark" and the SS Volunteer Assault Brigade "Wallonia".
In October 1943, the brigades were renamed into divisions (remaining in the same composition - 2 infantry regiments each). At the end of the war, both the Flemings and the Walloons fought against the Red Army in Pomerania.
About 5 thousand Belgians died in the war against the USSR (2 thousand Belgians were taken into Soviet captivity).
4 Belgians were awarded the "Knight's Cross", including one received the "Oak Leaves" to the "Knight's Cross".
Netherlands
The Netherlands Volunteer Legion (motorized battalion of 5 companies) was formed in July 1941.
In January 1942, the Dutch legion arrived at the northern sector of the German-Soviet front, in the Volkhov region. Then the legion was transferred to Leningrad.
In May 1943, the Dutch Legion was reorganized into the SS Volunteer Brigade "Netherlands" (with a total of 9 thousand people).
In 1944, one of the regiments of the Dutch brigade was practically destroyed in the battles near Narva. In the fall of 1944, the brigade retreated to Courland, and in January 1945 it was evacuated to Germany by sea.
In February 1945, the brigade was renamed a division, although its strength was greatly reduced due to losses. By May 1945, the Dutch division was practically destroyed in the battles against the Red Army.
About 8,000 Dutch people died in the war against the USSR (more than 4,000 Dutch were taken into Soviet captivity).
4 Dutchmen were awarded the “Knight's Crosses”.
France
The "French Volunteer Legion" for the war "against the Bolsheviks" was created in July 1941.
In October 1941, the French legion (an infantry regiment, numbering 2.5 thousand people) was sent to the German-Soviet front, to the Moscow direction. The French suffered heavy losses there, were defeated “to the smithereens” almost on the Borodino field, and from the spring of 1942 to the summer of 1944 the legion performed only police functions, it was used to fight against Soviet partisans.
In the summer of 1944, as a result of the offensive of the Red Army in Belarus, the “French Legion” was again on the front line, again suffered heavy losses and was withdrawn to Germany.
In September 1944, the legion was disbanded, and instead the “French Brigade of the SS Troops” (more than 7 thousand people) was created, and in February 1945 it was renamed the 33rd Grenadier Division of the SS Troops “Charlemagne” (“Charlemagne ”) and sent to the front in Pomerania against the Soviet troops. In March 1945, the French division was almost completely destroyed.
The remnants of the French division (about 700 people) at the end of April 1945 defended Berlin, in particular Hitler's bunker.
And in 1942, 130 thousand young people from Alsace and Lorraine born in 1920-24 were forcibly mobilized into the Wehrmacht, dressed in German uniforms and most of them were sent to the eastern front (they called themselves “malgre-nous”, that is, “mobilized against my will). About 90% of them immediately surrendered to Soviet troops and ended up in the Gulag!
Pierre Rigulot in his books “The French in the Gulag” and “The Tragedy of the Reluctant Soldiers” writes: “... In general, after 1946, 85 thousand French were repatriated, 25 thousand died in camps, 20 thousand disappeared on the territory of the USSR ...”. In 1943-1945 alone, more than 10,000 Frenchmen who died in custody were buried in mass graves in the forest near the Rada station, near Tambov, in camp No. 188.
In the war against the USSR, about 8 thousand Frenchmen died (not counting the Alsatians and Logaringians).
3 Frenchmen were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses".
"African phalanx"
After the landing of the Allies in Northern France, of all the North African territories of France, only Tunisia remained under the sovereignty of Vichy and the occupation of the Axis troops. After the Allied landings, the Vichy regime made an attempt to create volunteer formations that could serve alongside the Italo-German army.
On January 8, 1943, a "legion" was created with a single unit - the "African Phalanx" (Phalange Africaine), consisting of 300 French and 150 Muslim Africans (later the number of French was reduced to 200).
After three months of training, the phalanx was assigned to the 754th Infantry Regiment of the 334th German Infantry Division operating in Tunisia. Having been "in business", the phalanx was renamed "LVF en Tunisie" and existed under this name until the surrender in early May 1945.
Denmark
The social democratic government of Denmark did not declare war on the USSR, but did not interfere with the formation of the “Danish Volunteer Corps”, and officially allowed the Danish army to join it (indefinite leave with the preservation of the rank).
In July-December 1941, more than 1 thousand people joined the Danish Volunteer Corps (the name “corps” was symbolic, in fact it was a battalion). In May 1942, the “Danish Corps” was sent to the front, to the Demyansk region. From December 1942, the Danes fought in the Velikiye Luki region.
In early June 1943, the corps was disbanded, many of its members, as well as new volunteers, joined the Danemark regiment of the 11th SS Volunteer Division Nordland (Danish-Norwegian division). In January 1944, the division was sent to Leningrad, participated in the battle of Narva.
In January 1945 the division fought against the Red Army in Pomerania, and in April 1945 fought in Berlin.
About 2 thousand Danes died in the war against the USSR (456 Danes were taken into Soviet captivity).
3 Danes were awarded the German "Knight's Crosses".
Norway
The Norwegian government in July 1941 announced the formation of the Norwegian Volunteer Legion, to be sent "to help Finland in the war against the USSR."
In February 1942, after training in Germany, the Norwegian legion (1 battalion, numbering 1.2 thousand people) was sent to the German-Soviet front, near Leningrad.
In May 1943, the Norwegian Legion was disbanded, most of the soldiers joined the Norwegian regiment of the 11th Volunteer Division of the SS Nordland (Danish-Norwegian division).
About 1,000 Norwegians died in the war against the USSR (100 Norwegians were taken into Soviet captivity).
