The Battle for Belorussia: The Red Army's Forgotten Campaign of October 1943 - April 1944 (Modern War Studies (Hardcover))

Continuing his magisterial account of the Eastern Front campaigns, the writer cited by The Atlantic as “indisputably the West's foremost expert on the subject” focuses here on the Red Army's operations from the fall of 1943 through the April 1944. David M. Glantz chronicles the Soviet Army's efforts to further exploit their post-Kursk gains and accelerate a counteroffensive that would eventually take them all the way to Berlin. The Red Army's Operation Bagration that liberated Belorussia in June 1944 sits like a colossus in the annals of World War II history. What is little noted in the history books, however, is that the Bagration offensive was not the Soviets' first attempt. Battle for Belorussia tells the story of how, eight months earlier, and acting under the direction of Stalin and his Stavka, three Red Army fronts conducted multiple simultaneous and successive operations along a nearly 400-mile front in an effort to liberate Belorussia and capture Minsk, its capital city. The campaign, with over 700,000 casualties, was a Red Army failure. Glantz describes in detail the series of offensives, with their markedly different and ultimately disappointing results, that, contrary to later accounts, effectively shifted Stalin's focus to the Ukraine as a more manageable theater of military operations. Restoring the first Belorussian offensive to its place in history, this work also reveals for the first time what the later, successful Bagration operation owed to its forgotten precursor. Table of Contents Contents Maps, Tables and Illustrations Maps Notes on Maps Tables Illustrations Preface A Note on Maps and Tables Part I: The Struggle for Belorussia, October-December 1943 1. Context: The Summer-Fall Campaign (1 July-23 December) Introduction Conventional Wisdom The Emerging Truth The First Stage The Second Stage The Third Stage 2. The Kalinin and Baltic Fronts' Vitebsk and Nevel' Offensives (3-30 October) Strategic Situation The Kalinin Front's Vitebsk and Nevel' Offensives (3-12 October 1943) The Kalinin Front's Vitebsk (Riga) Offensive, the Balatic Front's Idritsa Offensive, and the Northwestern Front's Pskov Offensive (18-30 October 1943) 3. The Western Front's Orsha Offensives (3-28 October) The First Orsha Offensive (3-11 October 1943) The Second Orsha Offensive (12-18 October 1943) The Third Orhsa Offensive (21-26 Ocotber 1943) 4. The Central Front's Gomel'-Rechitsa Offensive (30 September-30 October) Prelude The Offensive 5. The 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts' Polotsk-Vitebsk and Pustoshka-Idritsa Offensives (2-21 November) Prelude The 1st Baltic Front's Polotsk-Vitebsk Offensive (2-21 Novemver 1943) The 2nd Baltic Front's Pustoshka-Idritsa Offensive (2-21 November 1943) 6. The Western Front's Orsha Offensives (14 November-5 December) Planning The Fourth Orsha Offensive (14-19 November 1943) The Fifth Orsha Offensive (30 November-5 December 1943) 7. The Belorussia Front's Gomel'-Rechitsa and Novyi Bykhov-Propoisk Offensives (10-30 November) Planning The Gomel'-Rechitsa Offensive (10-30 November 1943) Nikolaus The Novyi Bykhov-Propoisk Offensive (22-30 November 1943) 8. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk (Gorodok) Offensive (12-23 December) and 2nd Baltic Front's Idritsa-Opochka Offensive (16-25 December) Planning Gorodok (12-23 December 1943) Vitebsk East (19-24 December 1943) The 2nd Baltic Front's Idritsa-Opochka Offensive (16-25 December 1943) 9. The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi (Bobruisk) Offensive (8-12 December Planning The Kalinkovichi Offensive (8-12 December 1943) The German Counterstroke (Operation Nikolaus) (20-27 December 1943) Part II: The Struggle for Belorussia, December 1943-April 1944 10. Context: The Winter Campaign (24 December 1943-April 1944) Introduction Conventional Wisdom The Emerging Truth Overview Strategic Situation 11. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive (24 December 1943-5 January) and 2nd Baltic Front's Novosokol'niki Pursuit (30 December 1943-15 January 1944) Vitebsk (24 December 1943-5 January 1944) Vitebsk West Vitebsk East The 2nd Baltic Front's Novosokol'niki Pusuit (30 December 1943-15 January 1944) 12. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Bogushevsk Offensive (6-24 January) The Plan Vitebsk West Vitebsk East 13. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive (3-16 February) The Plan Vitebsk West Vitebsk East 14. The Western Front's Babinovichi and Vitebsk Offensives (22 February-5 March) The Babinovichi Offensive (22-25 February 1944) The Vitebsk Offensive (29 February-5 March 1944) The Plan The Attack 15. The Western Front's Orsha and Bogushevsk Offensives (5-29 March) The Orsha Offensive (5-9 March 1944) Planning The Battle Western Front's Bogushevsk Offensive (21-29 March 1944) Planning The Battle 16. The Belorussian Front's Situation on 1 January 1944 and Preliminary Operations Punch and Counterpunch The Bykhov Offensive and 10th Army's Supporting Attack at Chausy (3-9 January 1944) Planning The Battle 17. The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi-Mozyr' Offensive (8-14 January) Planning The 65th Army's Penetration Operations (8-12 January 1944) The 61st Army's Penetration Operations (8-12 January 1944) Cavalry Operations against Mozyr' (8-12 January) The Battle dor Kalinkovichi and Pursuit to the Ipa River (13-14 January) 18. The Belorussian Front's Ozarichi-Prich' Offensive (16-30 January) Planning The Battle 19. The Belorussian Front's Paichi-Bobruisk (Marmovivhi-Dubrova) Offensive (16 January-23 February) The Plan The Battle: The First Phase (16-27 January 1944) The Battle: The Second Phase (2-6 February 1944) The Formation of the 1st Belorussian Front Postscript: The Third Phase (14-24 February 1944) 20. The Belorussian Front's Rogachev-Zhlobin and Mormal'-Parichci Offensive (21-29 February) The Rogachev-Zhilobin Offensive (21-26 February 1944) The Planning The Battle The Mormal'-Parichi Offensive (24-29 February 1944) The Plan The Battle 21. The Liquidation of German Bridgeheads on Dnepr River's Eastern Bank (25-31 March) Planning The Battle Postscript 22. Investigations, Recriminations, and Sokolovsky's Relief 23. Conclusions Epilogue Appendices: Directives, Orders, Reports, German Command Cadre in Eastern Belorussia, and Selected Abbreviations A. The Kalinin and Baltic Fronts' Vitebsk and Nevel Offensives (3-30 October 1943) A-1 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30192 to the Commanderof the Kalinin Front and the Representative of the Stavka Concerning a Plan for Capturing Vitebsk A-2 Report No. 15621 of the Commander of the Kalinin Front to the Supreme High Commander Concerning a Plan for the Vitebsk Operation A-3. Stavka VGK Directive No. 30195 to the Commander of the Kalinin Front and the Representative of the Stavka Concerning More Precise Definition of the Plan for the Vitebsk Operation A-4 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30217 to the Commander of the Baltic Front Concerning the Preparation and Conductof an Offensive Operation along the Idritsa Axis A-5 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30218 to the Commander of the Kalinin Front on the Development of an Offensive to Capture Riga A-6 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30219 to the Commander of the Northwestern Front on the Preparation and Conduct of an Operationto Destroy the Enemy's Porkhov Grouping A-7 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30220 to the Commanders of the Baltic, Northwestern, and Kalinin Fronts Concerning a Change in the Period of the Resubordination of 3rd Shock and 22nd Armies and the Missions of Their Air Support A-8 From an Enciphered Telegram to the Stavka from the Kalinin Front A-9 To the Commander of the Kalinin Front Concerning the Preparation ofan Operation for the Destruction of Enemy Aviation A-10 Report No. 22 of the Commander of the Baltic Front to the Supreme High Commander on the Plan for the First Stage of the Operation along the ldritsa Axis A-11 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30224 to the Commander of the Baltic Front Concerning the Missions of the Second Stage of the Operation along the Idritsa Axis A-11 From Enciphered Telegram No. 16556 to the Stavka from the Kalinin Front B. The Western Front's Orsha Offensives (3-28 October 1943) B-1 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30193 to the Commander of the Western Front and the Representative of the Stavka Concerning the Destruction of the Enemy Smolensk Grouping B-2 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30210 to the Commander of the Western Front on the Development of an Offensive to Capture the City of Vilnius B-3 "Intelligence Summary No. 469 and Operational Summary No. 469 of the Western Front's Headquarters, 1 October 1943" B-4 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30225 to the Commander of the Western Front and the Representative of the Stavka on a Regrouping of Forces C. The Central Front's Gomel'-Rechitsa Offensive (30 September-30 October 1943) C-1 Report No. 312 of the Commander of the Briansk Front to the Supreme High Commander on a Plan for an Operation along the Zhlobin Axis C-2 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30191 to the Commander of the Briansk Front Concerning Approval and Amplification of a Plan for an Offensive on Minsk C-3 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30208 to the Commander of the Central Front on the Defeat of the Enemy Zhlobin-Bobruisk Grouping and the Capture of Minsk C-4 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30209 to the Commander of the Briansk Front Concerning the Abolition of the Briansk [Front] and Formation of the Baltic Front C-5 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30231 to the Commander of the Belorussian Front Concerning the Resubordination and Regrouping of 11th and 48th Armies C-6 The Journal of Combat Operations of 65th Army, 1 November 1943 D. The 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts' Polotsk-Vitebsk and Pustoshka-Idritsa Offensives (2-21 November 1943) D-1 From Directive No. 00365/op of the Military Council of the 1st Baltic Front D-2 From 1st Baltic Front Report No. 00370/op to the Stavka VGK on the Conduct of an Airborne Operation D-3 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30243 to the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front and the Representative of the Stavka on the Defeat of the Enemy Vitebsk Grouping D-4 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30246 to the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front Concerning Instances of the Presentation of Unverified Information about the Enemy to the Stavka D-5 Stavka Order No. 00151 Concerning the Relief of the Commanders of the Forces of the 1st Baltic Front and 11th Guards Army D-6 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30247 to the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front and the Representative of the Stavka on the Defeat of the Enemy Vitebsk Grouping D-7 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30248 to the Commanders of the 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts and the Representative of the Stavka on the Resubordination of Force Units D-8 Stavka Directive No. 30249 to the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front and the Representative of the Stavka Concerning the Period of the Liberation of Gorodok D-9 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30251 to the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front and the Representative of the Stavka Concerning the Organization of Cooperation between 11th Guards and 4th Shock Armies in the Liberation of Gorodok D-10 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30252 to the Commanders of the 1st Baltic and Western Fronts and the Representative of the Stavka Concerning the Boundary Line between the Fronts D-11 From Directive No. 00401/op of the Military Councilof the 1st Baltic Front D-12 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30240 to the Commanders of the 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts and the Representative of the Stavka about the Resubordination of Formations and Measures for Clearing the Enemy from Between the Lakes D-13 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30244 to the Commander of the 2nd Baltic Front on Halting the Offensive and Transferring Forces to the 1st Baltic Front D-14 Stavka Directive No. 46200 to the Commanders of the Northwestern and 2nd Baltic Fronts Concerning the Abolition of the Northwestern Front E. The Western Front's Orsha Offensives (14 November-5 December 1943) E-1 Excerpts from "Intelligence Summary No. 305 and Operational Summary No. 500 of the Western Front's Headquarters, 1 November 1943" E-2 Excerpts from "The Combat journal of 33rd Army, 1-3 December 1943" F. The Belorussian Front's Gomel'-Rechitsa and Novyi-Propoisk Offensives (10-30 December 1943) F-1 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 65th Army, 1 December 1943" G. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk (Gorodok) Offensive (13-24 December 1943) and the 2nd Baltic Front's Idiritsa-Opochka Offensive (16-25 December 1943) G-1 From Enciphered Telegram No. 18236 of the Military Council of the 1st Baltic Front to the Commanders of 4th Shock, 11th, 43rd, and 39th Armies, and the Commanders of the 1st Baltic Front's Artillery and Armored and Mechanized Forces G-2 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30255 to the Commanders of the 1st Baltic and Western Fronts and the Representative of the Stavka on the Resubordination of Three Rifle Divisions G-3 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30256 to the Commander of the Western Front and the Representative of the Stavka on Shifting the Direction of the Main Attack G-4 From Enciphered Telegram No. 18419 from the Military Council of the 1st Baltic Front to Lieutenant General Gerasimov, the Commander of 4th Shock Army, and the Commander of 3rd Cavalry Corps, Oslikovsky G-5 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30264 to the Commander ofthe 2nd Baltic Front Concerning an Operation to Destroy the Enemy's Nevel' Grouping H. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive (24 December 1943-5 January) and 2nd Baltic Front's Novosokol'niki Pursuit (30 December-15 January 1944) H-1 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30268 to the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front and the Representative of the Stavka on Destroying the Enemy's Vitebsk Grouping H-2 From Enciphered Telegram No. 19330 to the Stavka VGK from the Military Council of the 1st Baltic Front H-3 Stavka VGK Order No. 30259 Concerning the Relief from His Duties of the Deputy Commander of the Western Front H-4 Stavka VGK Order No. 00144 Concerning the Shuffling of the Members of the Military Councils of the 2nd Baltic and Western Fronts H-5 From an Enciphered Telegram from the Stavkato the 1st Baltic Front H-6 Stavka VGK Directive No. 30257 to the Commanders of the Western and 2nd Baltic Fronts on the Resubordinationof 10th Guards Army I. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Bogushevsk Offensive (6-24 January 1944) I-1 Excerpts from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 43rd Army for January 1944, 1 January 1944" I-2 Excerpts from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 39th Army for January 1944, 1-4 January" I-3 From Report No. 15 on the Generalization of the Western Front's Combat Experiences for January 1944 I-4 Documentation of the Western Front's Losses for 1944 I-5 The Defensive Battles at Witebsk from 13.12.43 through 17.2.44 J. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive (3-16 February 1944) J-1 Stavka VGK Directive No. 220011 to the Commanders of the 1st Baltic and Western Fronts and the Representative of the Stavka [N. N. Voronov] on the Destruction of the Enemy's Vitebsk Grouping J-2 From the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front to the Supreme High Commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union I. V. Stalin, Concerning a Plan for the Vitebsk Operation J-3 To the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front Concerning a Withdrawal of 3rd Guards Cavalry Corps into the High Command's Reserve J-4 To the Commander of the 1st Baltic Front Concerning the Composition of 39th Army Being Transferred to the Western Front K. The Western Front's Babinovichi and Vitebsk Offensives (22 February-5 March 1944) K-1 Documentation of the Western Front's Losses for 1944 K-2 The Defensive Battles at Witebsk from 13.12.43 through 17.2.44 K-3 Report No. 21 by the Commander of the Western Front to the Supreme High Commander on a Plan for an Offensive Operation along the Vitebsk and Orsha Axes K-4 Stavka VGK Directive No. 220037 to the Commander of the Western Front Concerning the Reworking of his Plan for an Offensive Operation along the Vitebsk and Orsha Axes K-5 Stavka VGK Directive No. 220043 to the Commanders of the 1st Baltic and Western Fronts Concerning Pursuit of the Withdrawing Enemy and the Offensive against Vitebsk K-6 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of the 1st Baltic Front for March 1944, 1-3 March 1944" K-7 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 5th Army for March 1944, 1-2 March 1944" L. The Western Front's Orsha and Bogushevsk Offensives (5-29 March 1944) L-1 Extract from "Documentation of the Western Front's Losses for 1944" M. The Belorussian Front's Situation on 1 January 1944 and Preliminary Operations M-1 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 48th Army, 1 January 1944" M-2 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 63rd Army, 1 January 1944" N. The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi-Mozyr' Offensive (8-14 January 1944) N-1 Stavka VGK Order No. 220000 to the Commander of the Belorussian Front about a Change in the Boundary Line with the 1st Ukrainian Front and the Defeat of the Enemy's Mozyr' Grouping O. The Belorussian Front's Paichi-Bobruisk (Marmovivhi-Dubrova) Offensive (16 January-23 February 1944) O-1 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 48th Army, 1 February 1944" O-2 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 65th Army, 1 February 1944" O-3 Stavka VGK Directive No. 220027 to the Commander of the Belorussian Front and the Commander and Deputy Commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front Concerning the Formation of the 2nd Belorussian Front O-4 Stavka VGK Directive No. 220032 to the Commanders of the Western and Belorussian Fronts about the Resubordination of 10th Army P. The 1st Belorussian Front's Rogachev-Zhlobin and Mormal'-Parichci Offensive (21-29 February 1944) P-1 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 3rd Army for February 1944, 1 February 1944" P-2 Excerpt from "The Journal of Combat Operations of 3rd Army for March 1944, 1 March 1944" P-3 Report No. 00179/op by the Commander of the 1st Belorussian Front to the Supreme High Commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union I. V. Stalin Q. The Liquidation of German Bridgeheads on Dnepr River's Eastern Bank (25-31 March 1944) Q-1 From 1st Belorussian Front Particular Operational Directive No. 00215/op to the Commander of 10th Army Q-2 Stavka VGK Directive No. 220067 to the Commanders of the 1st and 2nd Belorussian Fronts on the Resubordination of Armies and Cavalry Corps and the Withdrawal of the Headquarters of the 2nd Belorussian Front and 6th Air Army into the Stavka VGK's Reserve Q-3 Stavka VGK Directive No. 220079 to the Commander of the 1st Belorussian Front on a Transition to the Defense R. German Command Gadre in Eastern Belorussia (The Sector from Idritsa Southward to the Pripiat' River) from 1 October 1943 to April 1944 S. Selected Abbreviations Notes Preface 1. Context: The Summer-Fall Campaign 2. The Kalinin and Baltic Fronts' Vitebsk and Nevel' Offensives 3. The Western Front's Orsha Offensives 4. The Central Front's Gomel'-Rechitsa Offensive 5. The 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts' Polotsk-Vitebsk and Pustoshka-ldritsa Offensives 6. The Western Front's Orsha Offensives 7. The Belorussian Front's Gornel'-Rechitsa and Novyi Bykhov-Propoisk Offensives 8. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk (Gorodok) Offensive 9. The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi (Bobruisk) Offensive and the German Counterstroke 10. Context: The Winter Campaign 11. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive and 2nd Baltic Front's Novosokol'niki Pursuit 12. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk-Bogushevsk Offensive 13. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive 14. The Western Front's Babinovichi and Vitebsk Offensives 15. The Western Front's Orsha and Bogushevsk Offensives 16. The Belorussian Front's Situation on 1 January 1944 and Preliminary Operations 17. The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi-Mozyr' Offensive 18. The Belorussian Front's Ozarichi-Ptich' Offensive 19. The Belorussian Front's Parichi-Bobruisk (Marmovichi-Dubrova) Offensive 20. The Belorussian Front's Rogachev-Zhlobin and Mormal'-Parichi Offensives 21. The Liquidation of German Bridgeheads on the Dnepr River's Eastern Bank 22. Investigations , Recriminations, and Sokolovsky's Relief 23. Conclusions Selected Bibliography Abbreviations Primary Sources Secondary Sources-Books Secondary Sources-Articles Index of Appendix Documents Index Table of Maps and Tables Maps 1. Context: The Summer-Fall Campaign (1 July-23 December) 1.1 The Summer-Fall Campaign, 1943 2. The Kalinin and Baltic Fronts' Vitebsk and Nevel' Offensives (3-30 October) 2.1 The Situation on the Soviet-German Front, 6 October 1943 2.2 Red Army Operations in Belorussia, 23 August-31 December 1943 2.3 The Kalinin Front's Dukhovshchina Offensive Operation, 20 September-2 October 1943 2.4 The Kalinin Front's Nevel' Offensive Operation, 6-10 October 1943 2.5 Third Panzer Army's Situation, 1 October 1943 2.6 Third Panzer Army's Situation, 4 October 1943 2.7 Third Panzer Army's Situation, 8 October 1943 2.8 Third Panzer Army's Situation, 12 October 1943 2.9 The Baltic Front's Idritsa Offe nsive , 18-30 October 1943 2.10 Third Panzer Army's Situation, 17 October 1943 2.11 Third Panzer Army's Situation North of Vitebsk, 27 Octobe r 1943 2.12 Third Panzer Army's Situation East and Southeast of Vitebsk, 27 October 1943 3. The Western Front's Orsha Offensives (3-28 October) 3.1 The Western Front's Smolensk Offensive , 7 August-2 October 1943 3.2 Fourth Army's Situation in the Orsha Sector, 12 October 1943 3.3 Fourth Army's Situation in the Gorki Sector, 12 Octobe r 1943 3.4 Fourth Army's Situation in the Orsha Sector, 18 October 1943 3.5 Fourth Army's Situation in the Gorki Sector, 18 October 1943 3.6 Fourth Army's Situation, 20 Octobe r 1943 3.7 Fourth Army's Situation in the Orsha Sector, 28 October 1943 3.8 Fourth Army's Situation in the Gorki Sector, 28 October 1943 4. The Cnetral Front's Gomel'-Rechitsa Offensive (30 September-30 October) 4.1 The Briansk Front's Briansk Offensive Operation , 17 August-3 October 1943 4.2 The Central Front's Chernigov-Pripiat' Offensive Operation, 26 August-30 September 1943 4.3 Second Army's Situation in the Gomel' -Loev Sector, 1 October 1943 4.4 Second Army's Situation in the Radul'-Liubech' Sector, 1 October 1943 4.5 65th Army's Operations to Cross the Sozh and Dnepr Rivers, 28 September-19 October 1943 4.6 The Central Front's Regrouping, 8-14 October 1943 4.7 The Central Front's Dispositions, 14 October 1943 4.8 Second Army's Situation, 11 October 1943 4.9 65th Army's Forced Crossing of the Dnepr River at Loev, 7- 17 October 1943 4.10 Second Army's Situation in the Loev Sector, 20 October 1943 4.11 61st Army's Expansion of the Liubech' Bridgehead, 29 September-23 October 1943 4.12 Second Army's Situation in the Radul'-Liubech' Sector, 20 October 1943 4.13 Second Army's Situation in the Loev Sector, 21 October 1943 4.14 Second Army's Situation in the Loev Sector, 25 October 1943 4.15 Second Army's Situation in the Loev Sector, 30 October 1943 4.16 German Assessment of Red Army Operations in Belorussia, 3-31 October 1943 5. The 1st and 2nd Baltic Fronts' Polotsk-Vitebsk and Pustoshka-Idritsa Offensive (2-21 November) 5.1 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of Red Army Operations West of Nevel', 1-21 November 1943 5.2 Third Panzer Army's Intelligence Assessment, 20 November 1943 5.3 Third Panzer Army's Assessment of Red Army Operations North of Vitebsk, 3-21 November 1943 5.4 Third Panzer Army's Assessment of Red Army Operations East of Vitebsk, 3-21 November 1943 5.5 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 8 November 1943 5.6 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk , 17 November 1943 5.7 Third Panzer Army's Intelligence Assessment, 20 November 1943 5.8 Sixteenth Army's (Army Group North) Situation, 30 November 1943 6. The Western Front's Orsha Offensives (14 November-5 December) 6.1 Fourth Army's Situation in the Orsha Sector, 14 November 1943 6.2 Fourth Army's Situation in the Orsha Sector, 19 November 1943 6.3 Fourth Army's Situation in the Orsha Sector, 30 November 1943 6.4 Fourth Army's Situation in the Orsha Sector, 8 December 1943 7. The Belorussia Front's Gomel'-Rechitsa and Novyi Bykhov-Propoisk Offensives (10-30 November) 7.1 The Belorussian Front's Plan for the Gomel'-Rechitsa Offensive Operation, November 1943 7.2 The Belorussian Front's Regrouping of Forces for the Gomel'-Rechitsa Offensive Operation , 27 October-9 November 1943 7.3 The Belorussian Front's Gomel'-Rechitsa Offensive Operation, 10-30 November 1943 7.4 Second Army's Situation on the Rechitsa Axis, 10 November 1943 7.5 Second Army's Situation on the Rechitsa Axis, 13 November 1943 7.6 Second Army's Situation on the Rechitsa Axis, 16 November 1943 7.7 Second Army's Situation, 16 November 1943 7.8 11th Army's Plan for the Liberation of Gomel', 12 November 1943 7.9 Second Army's Situation, 22 November 1943 7.10 Second Army's Situation along the Parichi-Bobruisk Axis , 28 November 1943 7.11 Second Army's Situation along the Kalinkovichi Axis , 28 November 1943 7.12 Second Army's Situation along the Parichi-Bobruisk Axis, 30 November 1943 7.13 Second Army's Situation along the Kalinkovichi and Mozyr' Axes ,30 November 1943 7.14 3rd Army's Novyi Bykhov-Propoisk Offensive Operation, 22-30 November 1943 7.15 German Assessment of Red Army Operations in Belorussia, 1-20 November 1943 8. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk (Gorodok) Offensive (12-23 December) and 2nd Baltic Front's Idritsa-Opochka Offensive (16-25 December) 8.1 The Stavka's Plan for the Vitebsk (Gorodok) Offensive Operation, November 1943 8.2 The 1st Baltic Front's Plan for the Vitebsk (Gorodok) Offensive Operation, 23 November 1943 8.3 11th Guards Army's Plan for the Gorodok Offensive Operation, December 1943 8.4 The Gorodok Offensive Operation, 13-31 December 1943 8.5 11th Guards Army's Operations, 13- 21 December 1943 8.6 The 1st Baltic Front's Gorodok Offensive Operation, 13-18 December 1943 8.7 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of the Situation at Vitebsk, 15 December 1943 8.8 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of the Situation at Vitebsk, 18 December 1943 8.9 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of the Situation at Vitebsk, 19-21 December 1943 8.10 Third Panzer Army's Intelligence Assessment of Operations East of Vitebsk, 18-21 December 1943 8.11 Third Panzer Army's Situation North and East of Vitebsk, 19 December 1943 8.12 Third Panzer Army's Situation North and East of Vitebsk, 21 December 1943 9. The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi (Bobruisk) Offensive (8-12 December 9.1 Second Army' s Situation, 1 December 1943 9.2 Second Army's Situation, 8 December 1943 9.3 Second Army's Situation, 11 December 1943 9.4 Second Army's Situation, 20 December 1943 9.5 Second Army's Situation, 21 December 1943 9.6 Second Army's Situation, 27 December 1943 9.7 German Assessment of Red Army Operations in Belorussia, 22 November 1943-4 January 1944 10. Context: The Winter Campaign (24 December 1943-April 1944) 10.1 The Winter Campaign of 1943-1944 11. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive (24 December 1943-5 January) and 2nd Baltic Front's Novosokol'niki Pursuit (30 December-15 January 1944) 11.1 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of the Situation at Vitebsk, 23-24 December 1943 11.2 11th Guards Army's Operations, 22-31 December 1943 11.3 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 24 December 1943 11.4 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 26 December 1943 11.5 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 28 December 1943 11.6 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 31 December 1943 11.7 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 6 January 1944 11.8 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 23 December 1943 11.9 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 25 December 1943 11.10 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 28 December 1943 11.11 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of the Situation at Vitebsk, 31 December 1943 11.12 The Situation at Vitebsk , 1-3 Januaiy 1944 11.13 The Situation at Vitebsk, 4-6 January 1944 11.14 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of the Situation at Vitebsk, 6 January 1944 11.15 The Situation at Vitebsk, 7 January 1944 11.16 Army Group North's Situation, 29 December 1943-15 January 1944 12. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Bogushevsk Offensive (6-24 January) 12.1 The Situation at Vitebsk, 11 January 1944 12.2 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 8 January 1944 12.3 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 11 January 1944 12.4 The Situation at Vitebsk, 20 January 1944 12.5 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 8 January 1944 12.6 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 9 January 1944 12.7 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 16 January 1944 12.8 The Situation at Vitebsk, 11-16 January 1944 12.9 The Situation at Vitebsk, 17-20 January 1944 12.10 The Situation at Vitebsk, 21-24 January 1944 13. The 1st Baltic and Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive (3-16 February) 13.1 The Situation at Vitebsk, 2 February 1944 13.2 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of the Situation at Vitebsk, 3 February 1944 13.3 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 3 February 1944 13.4 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 8 February 1944 13.5 Third Panzer Army's Situation West of Vitebsk, 9-13 February 1944 13.6 The Situation at Vitebsk, 10-13 February 1944 13.7 The Situation at Vitebsk, 14-16 February 1944 13.8 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 3 February 1944 13.9 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk , 8 February 1944 13.10 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 13 February 1944 13.11 Third Panzer Army's Situation East of Vitebsk, 16 February 1944 13.12 Third Panzer Army's Appreciation of the Situation at Vitebsk, 16-17 February 1944 14. The Western Front's Babinovichi and Vitebsk Offensives (22 February-5 March) 14.1 The Situation at Vitebsk , 17-21 February 1944 14.2 The Situation at Vitebsk, 22-27 February 1944 14.3 The Situation at Vitebsk, 28 February 1944 14.4 The Situation at Vitebsk, 29 February-6 March 1944 14.5 The Situation at Vitebsk, 7-9 March 1944 15. The Western Front's Orsha and Bogushevsk Offensives (5-29 March) 15.1 Fourth Army's Situation at Babinovichi and East of Orsha, 19-29 February 1944 15.2 The Situation East of Orsha, 5-9 March 1944 15.3 The Situation at Vitebsk and East of Orsha, 10-18 March 1944 15.4 The Situation at Vitebsk, 19-20 March 1944 15.5 The Situation at Vitebsk, 21-29 March 1944 15.6 The Situation at Vitebsk, 29-31 March 1944 16. The Belorussian Front's Situation on 1 January 1944 and Preliminary Operations 16.1 Ninth Army's Intelligence Assessment, 29 December 1943 16.2 50th Army's Situation East of Bykhov, 3-7 January 1944 16.3 10th Army's Situation in the Chausy Sector, 7 January 1944 17. The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi-Mozyr' Offensive (8-14 January) 17.1 65th and 61st Armies' Assault on Kalinkovichi, 8-14 January 1944 17.2 The Situation at Kalinkovichi , 6 January 1944 17.3 Ninth Army's Intelligence Assessment in the Zhlobin-Kalinkovichi Sector, 9 January 1944 17.4 The Situation at Kalinkovichi, 9 January 1944 17.5 The Situation at Kalinkovichi, 10 January 1944 17.6 The Situation at Kalinkovichi, 11 January 1944 17.7 The Situation at Kalinkovichi, 12 January 1944 17.8 The Situation at Kalinkovichi, 13 January 1944 17.9 The Situation at Kalinkovichi, 14 January 1944 18. The Belorussian Front's Ozarichi-Prich' Offensive (16-30 January) 18.1 The Situation in the Ozarichi-Ptich' Sector, 15-16 January 1944 18.2 The Situation in the Ozarichi-Ptich Part I. The Struggle For Belorussia, October-december 1943 -- Context: The Summer-fall Campaign (1 July-23 December) -- The Kalinin And Baltic Fronts' Vitebsk And Nevel' Offensives (3-30 October) -- The Western Front's Orsha Offensives (3-28 October) -- The Central Front's Gomel'-rechitsa Offensive (30 September-30 October) -- The 1st And 2nd Baltic Fronts' Polotsk-vitebsk And Pustoshka-idritsa Offensives (2-21 November) -- The Western Front's Orsha Offensives (14 November-5 December) -- The Belorussian Front's Gomel'-rechitsa And Novyi Bykhov-propoisk Offensives (10-30 November) -- The 1st Baltic And Western Fronts' Vitebsk (gorodok) Offensive (13-23 December) And 2nd Baltic Front's Idritsa-opochka Offensive (16-25 December) -- The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi (bobruisk) Offensive (8-12 December) And The German Counterstroke (20-27 December) -- Part Ii. The Struggle For Belorussia, December 1943-april 1944 -- Context: The Winter Campaign (24 December 1943-april 1944) -- The 1st Baltic And Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive (24 December 1943-5 January 1944) -- The 1st Baltic And Western Fronts' Vitebsk-bogushevsk Offensive (6-24 January) -- The 1st Baltic And Western Fronts' Vitebsk Offensive (3-16 February) -- The Western Front's Babinovichi And Vitebsk Offensives (22 February-5 March) -- The Western Front's Orsha And Bogushevsk Offensives (5-29 March) -- The Belorussian Front's Situation On 1 January 1944 And Preliminary Operations -- The Belorussian Front's Kalinkovichi And Mozyr' Offensive (8-14 January) -- The Belorussian Front's Ozarichi-ptich' Offensive (16-30 January) -- The Belorussian Front's Parichi-bobruisk (marmovichi-dubrova) Offensive (16 January-23 February) -- The Belorussian Front's Rogachev-zhlobin And Mormal'-parichi Offensives (21-29 February) -- The Liquidation Of German Bridgeheads On The Dnepr River's Eastern Bank (25-31 March) -- Investigations, Recriminations, And Sokolovsky's Relief -- Conclusions. David M. Glantz With Mary Elizabeth Glantz. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Stone & Stone World War II Books Editor's ChoiceContinuing his magisterial account of the Eastern Front campaigns, the writer cited by The Atlantic as “indisputably the West's foremost expert on the subject” focuses here on the Red Army's operations from the fall of 1943 through the April 1944. David M. Glantz chronicles the Soviet Army's efforts to further exploit their post-Kursk gains and accelerate a counteroffensive that would eventually take them all the way to Berlin.The Red Army's Operation Bagration that liberated Belorussia in June 1944 sits like a colossus in the annals of World War II history. What is little noted in the history books, however, is that the Bagration offensive was not the Soviets'first attempt. Battle for Belorussia tells the story of how, eight months earlier, and acting under the direction of Stalin and his Stavka, three Red Army fronts conducted multiple simultaneous and successive operations along a nearly 400-mile front in an effort to liberate Belorussia and capture Minsk, its capital city. The campaign, with over 700,000 casualties, was a Red Army failure.Glantz describes in detail the series of offensives, with their markedly different and ultimately disappointing results, that, contrary to later accounts, effectively shifted Stalin's focus to the Ukraine as a more manageable theater of military operations. Restoring the first Belorussian offensive to its place in history, this work also reveals for the first time what the later, successful Bagration operation owed to its forgotten precursor. Continuing his magisterial account of the Eastern Front campaigns, the writer cited by The Atlantic as "indisputably the West's foremost expert on the subject" focuses here on the Red Army's operations from the fall of 1942 through the April 1944. David M. Glantz chronicles the Soviet army's efforts to further exploit their post-Kursk gains and accelerate a counteroffensive that would eventually take them all the way to Berlin. The Red Army's Operation Bagration that liberated Belorussia in June 1944 sits like a colossus in the annals of World War II history. What is little noted in the history books, however, is that the Bagration offensive was not the Soviets first attempt. Battle for Belorussia tells the story of how, eight months earlier, and acting under the direction of Stalin and his Stavka, three Red Army fronts conducted multiple simultaneous and successive operations along a nearly 400-mile front in an effort to liberate Belorussia and capture Minsk, its capital city. The campaign, with over 700,000 casualties, was a Red Army failure. Glantz describes in detail the series of offensives, with their markedly different and ultimately disappointing results, that, contrary to later accounts, effectively shifted Stalins focus to the Ukraine as a more manageable theater of military operations. Restoring the first Belorussian offensive to its place in history, this work also reveals for the first time what the later, successful Bagration operation owed to its forgotten precursor.