The Wehrmacht Encircled in Ukraine: The Cherkassy Breakout (1944)

At the beginning of 1944 six divisions of the German Army Group South, some 56.000 men, were encircled by the Russian Army. They were stuck in a pocket of around 48 kilometres wide and 20 kilometres deep around the Ukrainian town of Korsun, in the South-West. What followed was a desperate fight of the Germans, fighting against the encirclement of Soviet forces outnumbering them. Eventually, the situation got so bad German General Wilhelm Stemmermann decided to group all the German combat troops inside the pocket, arrange them into two columns, and force a break-out of the Cherkassy pocket, straight through the surrounding Soviet lines.
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Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:49 The Soviets Attack
3:06 Next Stage of Battle
6:02 The Cherkassy Break-out
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The content of this video covers events, people or concepts via a lecture-style presentation that is educational and historical in nature. Every video is original content by House of History. The events relating to conflict in this video are portrayed in their historical context without either value judgment or an ideological message attached to it. There is no intent to shock, upset or disgust. The goal of my channel is to make interesting lecture-style videos, no more, no less.
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[@YeOldVisigoth]

Leon Degrelle's first hand account of this battle is a really good read.

[@nateweter4012]

Do you have a specific book or source you recommend most? I’m really interested and trying to learn more about the breakout at Korsun.

[@molanlabexm15]

@@nateweter4012 Get a first edition copy of Campaign in Russia by Leon Degrelle. The pages where he describes ptsd induced nighmares and flashbacks is crazy and what induced them even crazier. I wonder if degrelle read storm of steel at some point before he wrote Campaign in Russia? You may find them similar if you read that but Degrelles manner of writing about the Eastern Front is always recounting a desperate search for beauty and his writing reflects that. You should get yourself a first edition copy.

[@nateweter4012]

@@molanlabexm15 Thanks man! Will do!!

[@danielbarrett5464]

Can I add, epic: the story of the waffles SS by Leon Degrelle. You can find it even on KZbin and it’s audio dubbed in English.

[@molanlabexm15]

@@danielbarrett5464 yes tats a good idea, i agree. i have seen that before.

[@toxic_dude8617]

My Grandfather survived the Tscherkassy pocket , 5.th Panzer Division Wiking . I am thankful he survived the war and tell me his story.

[@hanzothepancake9519]

An SS Division

[@lufasumafalu5069]

another NAZI survivor

[@greasyflight6609]

@@lufasumafalu5069 They would scoop up german kids in their ranks late in the war....no choice...just other victims

[@lufasumafalu5069]

@@greasyflight6609 german is just weak nation at that time , they think war will be over quick like the cowardly french

[@Fredi-sn1nc]

My grandfathet was also a solider of the SS Division Wiking and survived the Tscherkassy Breakout too. He often told us about the time. He never got over this.

[@theodoros9428]

Leon Degrelle fought there He earned the nickname The tiger of Cherkassy

[@wilburanderson2060]

Yes he did

[@leonid7209]

Many animals came through Russia and many graves left.

[@theodoros9428]

@@leonid7209 Yes i agree i am not NAZI supporter at all I wrote it as an information

[@leonid7209]

@@theodoros9428 Germans hoped war will be quick but cameback with frozen dick.

[@wilburanderson2060]

@@leonid7209 and ussr raped its way all the way back to Germany and enacted a terrible revenge over the embarrassment Germany's early success caused them. War on that scale is utter hell & I hope the world never ever experiences it again.

[@conceptalfa]

Poor guys to have withstand the horrors and prevailing conditions, on both sides, something totally unimaginable for us living today....

[@MH-fb5kr]

No sympathy whatever for the Germans. Remember the old saying “You mess with the bull, you get the horns”.

[@conceptalfa]

@@MH-fb5kr - me neither as they were the aggressors, but guess many of the conscripts couldn't help being drafted, they were not all crazy and brainwashed....

[@DrCruel]

When two socialist factions fight against each other, it gets messy.

[@conceptalfa]

@Ahmad Omar I'm talking about the guys in the field that either got drafted or were so stupid they went for it voluntarily, not of the MF politicians.....

[@martinh1277]

@Ahmad Omar They tried it when the German army was busy conquering France.

[@NHindel]

My father was tankdriver in this mess and many more messes el alamein, donez isjum, cherson, weichsel baranov, kursk, kamenet, podolsk he told me about it… war is good for absolutly nothing

[@zulubeatz1]

Yes the Walloons fought particularly hard as a reargard for Wiking div.

[@zulubeatz1]

They were also attacked constantly by Cossack cavalry and some had no choice but to swim across a frozen river. Atrocious conditions to have to face.

[@leonid7209]

@@zulubeatz1 Glory for cossack and curse for degrelle and his band.

[@leonid7209]

Аsk yourself what Wallonia scoundrels doing on russian soil and i,m sure you didn't find answer.

[@zulubeatz1]

@@leonid7209 I simply replied to why they were there. At the time some Europeans believed that Communism would spread across Europe. They were anti Communist not anti Russian.

[@zulubeatz1]

@@leonid7209 Cossacks cutting down half starved frozen stragglers is not a great military achievement.

[@loyalalways4326]

Hells Gate by Douglas Nash is the definitive account of the battle.

[@donaldkepple4927]

Awesome book

[@wasntmeXYZ]

Excellent! Nicely done presentation!

[@dafisumarsono4799]

Great work, Another amazing creation once again. Bravado!

[@HoH]

Many thanks!

[@christopherthrawn1333]

Great work Sir.

[@peterlynchchannel]

The casualty numbers given for the Soviets include from the battles around the pocket against German forces attempting to break through. The numbers given for the Germans is only from inside the pocket. This is typical of how poorly presented information paints an exaggerated picture of the effectiveness of the Axis forces against the Soviets.

[@KrokLP]

At the same time he names every Soviet General in his reports of combat, but then only says "the Germans"

[@PewPewPlasmagun]

An old issue as ever. In 1944 Soviets casualties were already shifted favourably against the Axis powers.

[@thetypetwolife3602]

Campaign In Russia, Greatest soldier's account of the Eastern Front ever..

[@richardscanlan3167]

Guy Sajer -"The Forgotten Soldier'.Best account I have ever read.

[@richardscanlan3167]

@Alaric I haven't read that.Must look into it.

[@richardscanlan3167]

@Alaric I as I said,I will look for that book.Degrelle must have been a hell of a soldier,but having said that,I doubt having Adolf's endorsement would have meant much to him lol.

[@richardscanlan3167]

@Alaric I ok.so he was a Nazi,I guess.

[@richardscanlan3167]

@Alaric I for sure.Whatever your opinion of Adolf,there is no doubt he was somewhat charismatic.I mean,he had to be to influence the German people the way he did. As for the book,enjoy.It is quite a harrowing read at times ( as you would expect). Riveting,nevertheless.

[@michaeltiedt6376]

The losses of the red army were much higher than the losses of the Wehrmacht even under these circumstances!!!

[@mitchsmith2056]

According to Erickson and Glantz the human casualty numbers are about the same actually, but the Nazis lost far more equipment as it had to be ditched in the breakout.

[@motorrebell]

@@mitchsmith2056 Wrong ,the Soviet vs German losses were On the Soviet side, some seven million soldiers died in action, The Germans lost four million soldiers in action .

[@mitchsmith2056]

I’m talking about the fight this video depicts obviously, not the whole front doofus. Anyways, in the cherkassy pocket battles the Wehrmacht suffered about ~73,000 dead, wounded and captured while the Soviet Union suffered about 80,000 dead, wounded, captured and sick. If you subtract the sick from the Soviet count the numbers become very similar. This isn’t even important however because the Germans ran away ditching all of their gear so they couldn’t be put back in the fight anyways.

[@motorrebell]

@@freedomfrogs4847 There are many sources here ; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_casualties_in_World_War_II Those "Suckers" you mentioned almost conquered all Europe - North Africa and almost won the war till the end of 1942 .

[@motorrebell]

Oh sorry - you didnt mention that clearly Doofus . According to Frieser, Zetterling and Frankson: German side ( 60,000 men in pocket ) 40,000 killed, captured and wounded Soviet side ( 336,700 men ) ; 80,188 killed captured or wounded .

[@garydownes1594]

Excellent. Never heard of Cherkassy breakout.

[@steenkigerrider5340]

It is a WW2 classic.

[@Gallagherfreak100]

I understand that Konev, in an attempt to please Stalin, who always enjoyed as much brutality as possible, ordered his troops to act particularly vicious during this battle, as evidenced by Cossacks on horseback, lopping the hands and arms off of Germans caught in the open, who raised their hands in surrender. Stalin was pleased with Konev's efforts and ended up promoting him.

[@markj.ashwin4830]

Excellent video.

[@rosslan8809]

keep up the hard work

[@daniele.tbarrett1630]

Excellent video

[@professorwoland3181]

Amazing footage in this video

[@cipriantodoran1674]

Good, solid video. Thx

[@klausvonschmit4722]

I see you have a kine eye for style rockin that sweet jacket... I have a similar one just haven’t had an opportunity where I thought yup, totally the right environment to where it.. great content as usual

[@FlorentinoRebuildingCo.5644]

I'm watching the video....but admiring that jacket. Class act and it works for him definitely.

[@xvsj5833]

Amazing research and a horrible loss of life 💙 thank you for sharing 👍

[@zulubeatz1]

Some have called it a mini Stalingrad and inferred that this type of breakout should have been attempted there.

[@franol7]

Hitler prohibited to break out ! There were multi chances to get out of Stalingrad pocket but Hitler was stubborn to the end when all chances were lost. Zhukov paid well back for the first days of war in July 1941 when Red Army was humiliated in numerous cases :)

[@zulubeatz1]

@@franol7 General Paul Hauser defied such an order at Kharkov in 43 but because he followed the breakout with a victory Hitler did not complain. There is also a tradition in the German army that subordinates can act independently if they see the situation needs it. Paulus was weak and after bleeding his army dry for Hitlers orders he finally goes against them and surrenders. In my opinion the worst type of officer and a disgrace to his service.

[@franol7]

@@zulubeatz1 Other story was that Paulus was nor field hardened commander.Most of his carrier he was staff officer.His mind was used to work on different wavelength :)

[@zulubeatz1]

@@franol7 Yes i think this is a consideration. He was definitely not a field officer. It is interesting to look at his command performance leading up to the battle. Maybe we can find clues there? I have allways had the most respect for commanders who make the welfare of their troops the 1st condition and who are able to adjust their strategy according to the demands of the situation. Paulus fails in these areas for me which is why I have very little sympathy for his conduct. I also must add that I had a great uncle who was actually fighting in the German army on this front. He survived Russian captivity and returned eventually to Austria my family's land of origin. Tirol.

[@theodoros9428]

@@franol7 Yes it's true Only in ww1 saw action as young officer

[@lorddouglas9659]

I’m two hours away from the Cherkassy area. I’ve thought about going metal detecting in Cherkassy but it seems like Lisyanka is a better bet to find some remains of this breakout. Any suggestions?

[@mikeypeinado383]

Awesome good luck man

[@ON-tr7ki]

Треба було це робити років 20 тому, зараз все прочухно...

[@bayknight20]

I like that 1970's jacket you are wearing Mister Host.Very Le'Carre esque

[@howelltaylor6774]

the germans call it the Kessel......yes, how about Leon Degrelle. if you have not done so all ready...commander of the Walloons

[@franol7]

Walloons were run for their life after so many atrocities they committed in Russia .They knew there would be no spared mercy on them. On YTB that is a clip where Russian infantry men confessed what they did to SS man they caught.Shot on spot that was a really mercy spared on him.Nobody in Russian army spared SSman and nobody cared for that

[@steenkigerrider5340]

"..commander of the Walloons" And quite a character.

[@veritas2306]

@@franol7 And yet Russians were slaughtering Roman Catholic Ukrainians and ethnic Russians as they retreated eastward from the Operation Barbarossa onslaught. You're anti-Third Reich sentiment is unfounded. All factions (in war) commit atrocities, war crimes, and slaughter civilians to meet their ends. Bienvenue à guerre.

[@franol7]

@Don Daniel I see still racist theories alive LOL One fuck in the ass was not enough ?! Mary "New Year" for all "West Eureans " from East Europeans LOL

[@franol7]

@@veritas2306 Well ! You mix many cirtumstances. The NKWD- a Stalin political police made the atrocities to so called "political enemies" to not make them possible to fuel German politically and men-supply , when Ukraine was taken over by Germans .Political pragmatism was behind it.The same did Chingiz Khan warriers , the same Greeks, Persians , Egiptians ... It was a way to handle the opposition .I do not prize that atrocities however behind that there was not religion or ethnic cleanse but political motivated mass murdering of potential German supporters. Let's make it clear for the sake of facts

[@waffencamo]

Great vid, would love to see a kessel von Demjansk video.

[@tundralou]

1000 wounded left behind-very tragic

[@2vintage68]

It is certain that every one of them perished due to the level of Soviet casualties sustained which would have strained their own medical corps.

[@miljandjuric7663]

There is a book of Swen Hassel that mentions Cherkasy.

[@miljandjuric7663]

@Chinese for supper Exactly it is fictional but it mentions Cherkasy as the field of operations.

[@rullangaar]

Swen Hassel was full of shit. He didn’t even spend one minute at the front. He wasn’t even in the army.

[@miljandjuric7663]

Hassel's work is fiction. I just say he mentions Cherkasy in one of his books that I've read. Every writer adds his subjectivity. Like Biderman Memoir of WW2, he was there but his account is also subjective and in part not true.

[@benitakt8755]

you can make every Day something about Degrelle :)

[@johnwales4214]

Love him or hate him. The man was a Bad Ass.

[@wilburanderson2060]

Yeah he was amazing in terms of bravery and fighting spirit.

[@leonid7209]

Make day like Degrell and finish like him.Good luck.

[@pneulancer]

Thanks!

[@Adam-zq2mw]

Good Video! Your never going to compete with TIK in terms of details; but at the current pace he'll be tied up for months. So this should allow someone (You?) to cover the other little known battles on the Eastern front. Like the MAP's; but: only suggestion; which is to highlight areas on a MAP as you mention the points; as most people won't be able to "get the picture" before moving on.

[@richardconnelly6452]

I lost a cousin from the 19th PzGr in December of 1943 just before the breakthrough. They were located near the town of Tschirgirin in a defensive attempt to prevent a major Soviet crossing of the Dniepr River...but were so outnumbered there was little hope of success.

[@studio2165]

Ill never forgive Britain for helping the red plague to invade Europe.

[@lufasumafalu5069]

good , less nazi

[@stevendewell5505]

Lets hear more about the use of cavalry in WW2

[@danielclaudio5764]

I hadn’t watched it, and I have to get going to do something which will prevent me from finishing this video (so I don’t know if you discuss this at the end), but is this a reupload/remake of a video you had made before? I’m almost certain I saw a video of yours discussing this topic before. Thanks 👍

[@HoH]

It's a rewrite of an older video I had to remove. The next couple of weeks on Sundays I am uploading redone videos from 1.5+ years ago. I'm impressed you recognise it!

[@reglisse42]

So interesting thanks you

[@suzannakoizumi8605]

Thank you

[@ThisisBarris]

Looking really fancy man!!

[@HoH]

I try! 🧐

[@alswann2702]

Stop hanging around men's restrooms.

[@marmalaterjones4526]

What are you wearing, Al?

[@jacobmygindpedersen1138]

Great storytelling!

[@HoH]

Thanks for listening!

[@pawelpap9]

I am not sure comparisons with Stalingrad make sense. A better point of reference or German encirclements of Red Army in 41-42 campaigns. It is quite clear that Soviets learned German military technique and used it successfully against Wehrmacht/SS.

[@tgg8267]

What I have learned from this short peace of history there where many great battles but we never been told off

[@Old-Dog00]

There are books about this battle out there.

[@Fredi-sn1nc]

My grandfather was a soldier at the 5. Division Wiking. He often told us about the hopeless situation in the pocket and about the horrible Cherkassy breakout. He was only 18 years old in 1944... They were forced to cross the icecold river and he and many others couldn't swim. they were so terrified. So they took each others hands and formed a human chain to crosse the river. After that they had to take off gloves and shoes and rub hands and feet with snow so that they wouldnt freeze to death. He never got over this and many other things he had to get through in WW2.

[@genes.3285]

Very interesting. I had known little about this battle. Recently, I watched the movie "Rommel," in which the Field Marshal mentions that his deputy had just escaped from Cherkassy. Gen. Speidel.

[@thomasaffolter4386]

Good presentation on "Little Stalingrad".

[@hansvandijk1487]

Good doc! Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱.

[@123Dunebuggy]

I would love to see a video about the georgian uprising on texel.

[@HoH]

Once the travel restrictions due to the Covid pandemic are lifted, I am hoping to shoot an on-location video there!

[@Guadalajara1937]

@@HoH thats so cool

[@lapensulo4684]

Great job, perhaps do a report on what happened in Belorussia. I think of all countries, this one was most devastated,

[@falatoronto]

Thank you for keeping these stories alive, they shaped our future.

[@bretttempleman5373]

That was very realistic. The RPG made me flinch

[@fabiosunspot1112]

The SS vikings would rather fight to the death than surrender,this was a great video, thank you 👍

[@AchilleusBC]

They were simply ran over by T-34 tanks. The bataljons with anti tank equipment got through, the others just got shredded. There was no such thing as a cease fire evacuation. They didn't do that at the Eastern Front.

[@samirkosov]

Great video, my great grandpa fought in the cavalry units that were unleashed on those Nazis. The story is popular in Russia, especially our generals used to boast about this battle as it was one of their favorites moments of the war, especially how they unleashed the tanks with the cavalry!

[@mustafatasangil6063]

Excellent historical research. Thank you very much for sharing.

[@HoH]

Glad you think so!

[@Innuendoh]

I would like to know more about Nehring's floating pocket and Hube's pocket at Kamenets-Podolsky. ;)

[@lainfamia8949]

Leon Degrelle the absolute heroe from Tscherkassy pocket! Viking division kamikaze-sacrifice is very heroic in order to save the german army.

[@fabiosunspot1112]

It was a great video

[@HoH]

Thank you, Fabio!

[@amaccama3267]

Speaking of breakouts. There was a POW camp in Cowra New South Wales Australia. I believe there was a mass breakout by the prisoners.

[@sajO5754]

Excellent

[@shadoweyes5808]

Any chance of a video on the Stargard Kurstin Tank battles?

[@NJTDover]

The eastern front was without any doubt a slaughter battlefield for both German and Russians. Excellent lecture. I enjoyed it very much. How about a lecture aobut the German A Bomb. Kudos for an well-produced and educational video.

[@chopperking007]

Brutal beyond belief....

[@Collectorfirearms]

I found that interesting but not as much detail from the breakout I would of liked.

[@terencewinters2154]

Soviet casualties were also immense.

[@franol7]

They did not care.The aim was to kill Hitler and destroy Germany as revenge for destruction of European part of Russia .

[@terencewinters2154]

@@franol7 yes, being on their back foot back to the river so to speak they weren't having the fatherland dictate to the motherland .

[@franol7]

@@terencewinters2154 Germas moving back to Germany introduced ":scorched earth" method.They were destroying everything what has any value.This is well known fact.On YTB that are few films on that subject with German propaganda documentry

[@terencewinters2154]

@@franol7 which proves they were ruining all for oil.

[@veritas2306]

@@franol7 Russians employed the "scorched earth policy" themselves as they fled eastward toward Moscow and Stalingrad. Stop trying to make an enemy of a nation you know nothing about.

[@henrycalhoun5809]

Didn't know about this story...

[@kiowhatta1]

I doubt anyone alive today could seriously grasp the terrors, angst, and hardships suffered by both sides. It is a rare book and even less a film which captures the essence of this chapter of military history. I am still waiting for a major film production on the level of HBO's flagship series to cover what is probably the most difficult topic to translate with authenticity, and avoids the usual clichés.

[@HoH]

Have you seen the miniseries Generation War (/Unsere Mutter, Unsere Vater)? Fantastic mini series. Doesn't shy away from showing the crimes and evils during that time, but also the hardships suffered among the soldiers.

[@lynn0MA]

Wasn’t Peiper in sixth tank group?

[@lucioagelvis2134]

Since 1975 I have read of no account more horrible than the crossing of the frozen Gniloy Tikich

[@a.whiteman5238]

The breakout was organized by the great Leon Degrelle commander of the Wallonien SS division. He also wrote fascinating books on the war one being Campaign in Russia the Waffen SS on the eastern front which explains this breakout. You can read for free via Internet.

[@alswann2702]

Great🤣🤣🤣.You never fought anybody/did anything armchair generals/ wannabe fith columnists belong in a classic Three Stooges short film.

[@vadimpm1290]

It wasn't "organized" by Degrelle. He'd fought bravely, with a lot of initiative, and almost all thing was saved by his men. But he had not been the planner of the breakout.

[@Whomach]

It was General assembly Gilles Corp who relived the cherkkasy pocket

[@garykubodera9528]

Good morning from Sacramento California! I came up with an idea that might be a idea for you to look into and maybe a segment on. I was talking with a friend that I have practiced aikido with and his father was one of the several thousand US Americans of japanese descent that were interned in the camps in WWII. He mentioned his father talked about the "No-no" men... As the US decided to let the men in the camps to enlist in the millitary, one of the issues that poped up was when they had to swear to a couple of statements. One of which was they no longer viewed and took orders from the emperor, as well as a few others. Some of these guys were offended that the US government wanted them to admit they they served the emperor and that they no longer considered Japan as thier homeland. There were a few other lines they also had to swear to as well. There were 2 lines in particular that a few were very offensive as since they were born in the US and were Americans and refused to swear they had allegiance to Japan! By saying no to these 2 lines, they were branded as "no-no" men and could not serve and spent the war in the camps. Just an interesting bit of history I came across and don't think many know much about. Thought it might interest you. It's Dec 7th so the date is significant for my family as we have lost several members in the Pacific during the war.. Also my wife is Japanese so there have been a few interesting talks with my wife's family members durring the first few times I visited back in the 90's when I went to Nagasaki and ask if I could marry her. Anyway thanks for taking the time to read my comment and keep up the great work! Hope you and your family stay safe and healthy👍😷

[@HoH]

Hi Gary, very interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing! If you're interested; I've created a video about Japanese serving in the US army during ww2. It's about the 442nd Infantry Regiment, aka the Purple Heart Battalion! Perhaps that's of interest to you

[@andrijamartic2403]

serious question to someone knowledgeable: when germans held out surrounded on superiour orders post stalingrad in various instances, was there ever actually a case when they were relieved with the encirclement broken. it seems to have been "the plan" always, but was there actually an example when it worked out like that or it was just always madness from military standpoint?

[@stephenbrand5661]

I'd love to hear an accent expert's take on this guy's videos.

[@hrvojehorvat6073]

Could you make a video showing how Germans were able to hold a front in USSR. How front lines were organized. How many soldiers on 1 kilometer. How logistics was organized etc.

[@Hagendaz97]

I remember an extremely boring declassified document from the NKVD archives, during operation bagration,143/km was the number and that was considered very thin .

[@MrKakibuy]

I think.... they weren't

[@volksdeutschewaffenss9670]

did the germans airlift 5000 mp44s to be air dropped into the pocket for the breakout

[@lindapolle1665]

What did Ruthenia do in the war?

[@UkyiVids]

There's a Soviet Ukrainian war epic on this - "Если враг не сдается" (If the Enemy Doesn't Surrender).

[@byron8657]

The horror of the Cherkassy Break out can be compared to Napoleon Bonaparte retreat in 1812 from Moscow although bigger in scale he entered Russia with almost half a million soldiers of the Grand Armee only 30k of his soldiers returned back to Paris the rest died stiff in the Russian winter k!

[@ligayamatira2164]

We Wish to feature about the Kapp Putsch

[@HoH]

Great suggestion, the Kapp Putsch actually featured prominently in my thesis for my history degree. I'll get on it!

[@lynn0MA]

Troops arranged in two columns - a Roman battle group arrangement?

[@michaelmarks5012]

Is it true that when food supplies ran out on the Germans they refused to eat Surströmming even though they were starving?

[@rathernotsay8185]

Could you do a video on the Italy during ww2? Did the army fail the navy by not capturing the Suez Canal or did the navy fail the army by not delivering enough supplies to Africa. How feasible was a victory over the RN’s Mediterranean fleet? Both fleets seemed comparably sized on paper.

[@BatchelderPatrick]

Italians in Tunisia were "cannon-fodder" used by Rommel and his tankers. The Italians were ill trained and were scripted into the war with zero esprit d'corps. The Nazi went to the extent - when they retreated - to take all the ordinance and leave the Italians in place.

[@mariokovacevic111]

I dont understand, you said Soviets had 80.000 troops in the beginning....and then you said they had 75.000 casulties! This is imposssible

[@ken355555]

I've never heard anything that happened during world war II around a little town of kovel in NW Ukraine 🤔.. do you know of any books or stories of this

[@lucioagelvis2134]

Not directly related but Abraham Zapruder was from Kovel. Hitler expected an attack in the summer from this area and which he thought would try to drive north to Konigsberg and encircle both army groups Centre and North-. He placed his tanks near Kovel but The attack came instead far away in Bielorussia (Bagration)

[@smathers3104]

@@lucioagelvis2134 Maybe the Russians got tipped off by the Brits who had cracked the Germans enigma machine by then. They did swap intelligence info with the Russians without giving away exactly how they knew.

[@lucioagelvis2134]

@@smathers3104 This is totally new for me. It's possible it happened this way.

[@julian11d]

My Great uncel Otto Wöhler commander of the 8 army and the later commander of the army group south was involved in the cherkassy breakout.

[@samkohen4589]

Wasn't he a war criminal

[@julian11d]

@@samkohen4589 Yes, how could you tell?

[@samkohen4589]

@@julian11d He was a commanding officer of the Einstatzcommando unit involving in the murder of millions of innocent civilians. I am sure he was very proud of his work and enjoyed telling you about his glorious work

[@julian11d]

​@@samkohen4589 uhmm based?

[@samkohen4589]

@@julian11d Nurmberg trials

[@desmondanderson665]

"Comrade if you advance you face bullets from the Fritzes ..If you retreat you face bullets from the NKVD..War is hell"..Diary of Russian soldier killed at Kharkov

[@kiowhatta1]

What is agonising to watch no matter how many times one views these stories is the senseless, romantic, ideological and ultimately unnecessary drive from the top of the Wehrmacht which resulted in not only the enormous blunder at Stalingrad, the DAK, the Crimea, and numerous other WWI style stand and hold thy ground to the last 'Kesselschlachten', but the cost in men & materiel. By early 1944 the armed forces of Germany and its 'allies' had lost somewhere in the vicinity of 1.5 million men, thousands of pieces of armoured equipment, aircraft and so on. It is clear to me that there was no ultimate, definitive turning point - more an accumulation of discernable multiple weaknesses, an overstretched military, economic, and political entity, and most obviously the disparity in ability to produce and utilise available resources. Whilst there is some healthy revisionism going on right now aimed at cutting through old subjective myths, legends and popular anecdotes, what still stands out to me is the indisputable difference that would have been made had the various armed forces of Germany been managed by its trained professionals. The war would probably have gone on longer; that is assured, however, the greatest interest seems to lay in the question of whether Germany could have knocked the Soviets out of the war, either completely or partially - and then how was Germany to deal with Great Britain and the U.S. Most appeal directly to the example of Japan surrendering after two atomic bombs were dropped on its homeland - but reportedly this was not reason enough - the final decision to surrender was a political choice between two fait accompli': which power would be more likely to allow the retention of the emperor system. If we then return to a Germany still in the fight after Japan surrenders then that's where it becomes even more interesting. Germany would need an Iron chancellor, Fuhrer, Kaiser, or C.in.C...

[@Brslld]

Hell's Gates is a good book about thia battle. Very good read.

[@Brslld]

By Douglas E. Nash

[@lachyhayes4252]

loving the tshirt and suit look

[@danepatterson8107]

Is "Cherkassy Pocket" the same as "Hube's Pocket?"

[@SaulKopfenjager]

No, Hube's pocket was of the entire 1st Panzer Army and it happened after the Cherkassy pocket soon afterwards...

[@1986tessie]

Do the siege of Budapest and the breakout that was attempted there. Spoiler it didn't go so well.

[@ifv2089]

Wow history is repeating itself !

[@tonykovachich1247]

Pity there was no reference to Wallonia or to the non-German component of SS Wiking

[@terencewinters2154]

Cherkassy breakout persons lived to fight another day unlike paulus 6th army most of whom perished in soviet camps. Nevertheless they were severely depleted. Military scientists will debate these decisions but they only delayed the inevitable.

[@jeg5438]

Anybody know what happened to the first group of wounded Germans left behind? And then the rest of the wounded?

[@fatwhitebloke9851]

Leon degrelle walloons great fighters.

[@christopherthrawn1333]

Love the details. I feel sorry the soldiers. They were lied and betrayed. RIP Soldiers of Germany. I'm not a Nazi but know Former American Soldier. I know being pushed out.

[@sjaakdewinter6258]

Rip Rotterdam, Rip my grandfather, Rip my Oncle who died for starvation.

[@steenkigerrider5340]

One third (18.000) of the 56.000 encircled were soldiers what was the rest (36.000)?

[@franol7]

Cartering company :)

[@steenkigerrider5340]

@@franol7 Such as prostitutes? :)

[@franol7]

@@steenkigerrider5340 ..as well:) . The fate of this poor women was ordained as many of them were just abducted from all conquered countries,and forced to work as prostitutes for soldiers but Russians treated them as war prize and for serving to Germas ,generaly killed them no matter of the circumstances they found themselves in area of combat! On YTB somebody made a documentry on that matter.

[@geldoncupi1]

@@steenkigerrider5340 ha haaa

[@Loreless]

SS regiments were not a regular soldiers technically

[@lucioagelvis2134]

I heard even other wehrmacht soldiers were shocked at the state the survivors were in. To me this is the worst episode in this most brutal of war theatres anywhere.

[@marcaurel2610]

"German forces inside the pocket consisted of 56.000 troops, 30 OPERATIONAL TANKS (!) ..." Let's guess how much there were on the Russian side. Once again a good proof that the apparently inexhaustible reserves of people and material of the Russians couldn't be countered. The German side lost this war in the winter of 1941/42. No, let me correct this: this war was already lost for the German side when it was started.

[@julianshepherd2038]

An assumption that the Slavs were to stupid to have reserves shows what bollocks Nazi racial theory was.

[@conceptalfa]

Twok - exactly, totally stupid thinking from the nazis as with time, they didn't have a chans, but they were a hell of a fighters....on the other side, who wasn't.....

[@jussim.konttinen4981]

@@conceptalfa This is just a local battle. The USSR was depleted at this point. Nothing will happen in Lapland before the Finnish attack in September: rb.gy/kknmlo

[@BatchelderPatrick]

True. After the Italian invasion from Tunisia, historians gave Germany only a 15 percent chance of victory. Like many wars, attrition took its toll on the Nazi.

[@theodoros9428]

I agree the Germans lost the war in 22 June

[@rocco74superhuman45]

SS Totenkopf next please ..I started collecting Germany medals now .. ..I should started early ,,The prices are crazy now. So much History about this .. Regards Josef CZ

[@homefront3162]

Ashat vs Asshat Ger vs Rus