Demyansk Pocket
1942 battle of WW2's Eastern Front / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Demyansk Pocket (German: Kessel von Demjansk; Russian: Демя́нский котёл) was the name given to the pocket of German troops encircled by the Red Army around Demyansk, south of Leningrad, during World War II's Eastern Front. The pocket existed mainly from 8 February to 21 April 1942.
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (October 2008) |
Demyansk Pocket | |||||||
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Part of the Eastern Front of World War II | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Germany | Soviet Union | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Pavel Kurochkin | |||||||
Units involved | |||||||
16th Army | Northwestern Front | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
100,000 (initially)[2][3] 31,000[4] (reinforcements) | 400,000 (initially) | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
9,000[5] KIA and MIA 46,000[6] WIA 265 aircraft destroyed Total: 55,000 |
88,908 killed & missing 156,603 wounded Total: 245,500[7] | ||||||
A much smaller force was surrounded in the Kholm Pocket at the town of Kholm, about 100 km (62 mi) to the southwest. Both resulted from the German retreat after its defeat during the Battle of Moscow.
The successful defence of Demyansk was achieved by using an airbridge and was a significant development in modern warfare. Its success was a major contributor to the decision by the Army High Command to try the same tactic during the Battle of Stalingrad, but it then failed to save the Sixth Army, commanded by Friedrich Paulus.