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BATTLE // January 1, 1941

Battle of Moscow

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Overview

The Battle of Moscow was a military campaign that consisted of two periods of strategically significant fighting on a 600 km (370 mi) sector of the Eastern Front during World War II, between October 1941 and January 1942. The Soviet defensive effort thwarted Germany's attack on Moscow, the capital and largest city of the Soviet Union. Moscow was one of the primary military and political objectives for Axis forces in their invasion of the Soviet Union.

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

Significance

The Battle of Moscow was fought on a 600 km sector of the Eastern Front between October 1941 and January 1942, comprising two periods of strategically significant combat. Moscow was among the primary military and political objectives for Axis forces in their invasion of the Soviet Union, making its defense a matter of critical importance. The Soviet defensive effort succeeded in thwarting the German attack, denying the Wehrmacht its intended prize. As the capital and largest city of the Soviet Union, holding Moscow carried both material and symbolic weight within the broader Eastern Front campaign.

Forces & casualties

Troop strength

  • Germany1,941
    medium
  • Soviet Union1,941
    medium

Both sides were near-evenly matched in numbers

Casualties

  • Germany1,941
    medium100% loss rate
  • Soviet Union1,941
    medium100% loss rate

Commanders (29)

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Related

6 sibling battles · 4 factions

Last verified June 2026
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