Battle of Bryansk

Overview

The Battle of Bryansk was a battle during World War II conducted in the Bryansk Oblast as a part of the overall Moscow campaign. Returning from the Kiev operation, Heinz Guderian attacked in an unexpected direction capturing Bryansk and Oryol with few casualties thereby encircling two Soviet formations, the 13th Army and 3rd Army. A third Soviet formation, the 50th Army was encircled by infantry of the German 2nd Army north of Bryansk. However the encircled Red Army units continued fighting, delaying the drive on Moscow for two weeks. This delay, as well as the casualties taken by the Wehrmacht liquidating the pockets contributed to the German collapse at the gates of Moscow. See also: Vyazma and Bryansk pockets. As a result of this battle, the Germans occupied Bryansk until they were expelled by the Red Army on 17 September 1943 as a part of the Smolensk campaign.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Bryansk formed part of Operation Typhoon, the German drive on Moscow, and resulted in the encirclement of three Soviet formations: the 13th and 3rd Armies, cut off by Guderian's armored thrust, and the 50th Army, encircled by infantry of the German 2nd Army north of Bryansk. Despite the encirclements, the trapped Red Army units continued organized resistance, delaying the German advance on Moscow by approximately two weeks. That delay, combined with the casualties the Wehrmacht sustained liquidating the pockets, contributed materially to the German operational collapse before Moscow later that autumn. The Germans held Bryansk following the battle until Soviet forces retook the city on 17 September 1943 during the Smolensk campaign, marking nearly two years of occupation that stemmed directly from this engagement.

Tactics

Forces & casualties

Commanders (6)