Page 450 - Le Operazioni Interforze e Multinazionali nella Storia Militare - ACTA Tomo I

450 XXXIX Congresso della CommIssIone InternazIonale dI storIa mIlItare • CIHm

action of the four Fronts, liberation of the Belorussian capital – town of Minsk and mak-
ing the conditions for further advance on the Baltic and Warsaw directions. These ob-
jects were achieved during a number of offensive operations: Vitebsk – Orsha, Mogilev,
Bobruisk, Polotsk and Minsk operations.
The first one to start was Vitebsk – Orsha operation that involved the 1 Baltic and
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3 Belorussian Fronts. It started on June 23. The first day the Soviet troops breached the
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enemy tactical defense at many sectors. By the end of the second day the 1 Baltic Front
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reached the Western Dvina river, rushed to force the crossing and captured a number of
beach-heads.
Same day the 3 Belarusian Front put into action a cavalry-mechanized task force.
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By June 25 the troops of the 1 Baltic Front and 3 Belorussian Front encircled the
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German Vitebsk force made of five divisions and cut it into two parts. At the same time
the 5 Guards Tank Army and the 2 Guards Tank Corps were moved to the gap in the
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enemy defense and rushed to the rear of the German Orsha force.
The German Command had to issue order to retreat. June 28 the 3 Belorussian
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Front advanced 150 km and reached the Berezina River. By that time Soviet troops had
already completely destroyed the enemy force encircled at Vitebsk.
The result of the Vitebsk – Orsha operation was the rout of the main forces of the
German 3 Tank Army at the left flank of the Army Group “Center”. The object was
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achieved within 5 days. At the same time Soviet troops deeply enveloped German 4
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Army from the North.
The Bobruisk operation was conducted June 24-29 by the right wing of the 1
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Belorussian Front. Army General Konstantin Rokosovsky who was in command of that
Front had made two shock forces, which were to attack on converging directions to
Bobruisk, encircle and destroy the Bobruisk enemy force. When that plan was discussed
in Kremlin, Stalin twice asked Rokosovsky to leave his room and think over again
whether it was possible or not to simultaneously deliver two main blows, but every time
Rokosovsky came back and confirmed his plan.
The plan was a success. The right shock force passed to the offensive and by the end
of the third day crushed the enemy defense in the width of 155 km and advanced from
10 to 35 km to the depth. Even more effective was the left shock force. June 26 its 1
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Guards Tank Corps reached the area 6-8 km south-west of Bobruisk and enveloped the
town. It was a catastrophe for German troops stationed there: five infantry divisions of
the German 35 Army Corps found themselves under the threat of a complete encircle-
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ment. The next day the Soviet 9 Tank Corps reached Bobruisk from the North and
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completed the encirclement of the 40 thousand germansof the enemy force.
By the end of June 28 the Front main forces advanced to 100-110 km. The next day
the enemy force in Bobruisk and south-west of it was completely destroyed. The result
of the operation was that main forces of the German 9 Army were crushed and thus
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there were created conditions for a fast advance to Minsk and Baranovichi.
At the same time the 2 Belorussian Front conducted Mogilev operation. During
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June 23-28 Soviet troops forced six crossings including Dnieper river, liberated the town
of Mogilev and advanced to 90 km.