Eastern Front (World War II)

June 22, 1941 – May 9, 1945 · Soviet Union

Result Soviet victory

The Axis powers fought the Soviet Union from the German invasion in 1941 until Germany's defeat in 1945. It was the largest and deadliest theater of the war.

On the map Overview Contemporaries

Axis powers

Allies of World War II

Other

Axis powers

Germany

Italy

Kingdom of Romania

Hungary

Finland

Slovak Republic

Independent State of Croatia

Soviet Union

Poland

Bulgaria

Czechoslovakia

Mongolia

Yugoslavia

Adolf Hitler belligerent leader

Benito Mussolini belligerent leader

Hermann Göring belligerent leader

Heinrich Himmler belligerent leader

Karl Dönitz belligerent leader

Wilhelm Keitel belligerent leader

Alfred Jodl belligerent leader

Erich Raeder belligerent leader

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Erich von Manstein belligerent leader

Gerd von Rundstedt belligerent leader

Risto Ryti belligerent leader

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim belligerent leader

Ferenc Szálasi belligerent leader

Ion Antonescu belligerent leader

Jozef Tiso belligerent leader

Fedor von Bock belligerent leader

Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb belligerent leader

Franz Halder belligerent leader

Walter Model belligerent leader

Günther von Kluge belligerent leader

Ferdinand Schörner belligerent leader

Walther von Brauchitsch belligerent leader

Maximilian von Weichs belligerent leader

Wilhelm List belligerent leader

Lothar Rendulic belligerent leader

Kurt Zeitzler military commander

Joseph Stalin belligerent leader

Rodion Malinovsky belligerent leader

Semyon Timoshenko belligerent leader

Kliment Voroshilov belligerent leader

Kimon Georgiev belligerent leader

Constantin Sănătescu belligerent leader

Nicolae Rădescu belligerent leader

Bolesław Bierut belligerent leader

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Michael I of Romania belligerent leader

Georgy Zhukov belligerent leader

Konstantin Rokossovsky belligerent leader

Nikolai Vatutin belligerent leader

Ivan Konev belligerent leader

Semyon Budyonny belligerent leader

Aleksandr Vasilevsky belligerent leader

Vasily Sokolovsky belligerent leader

Fyodor Ivanovich Tolbukhin belligerent leader

Lavrentiy Beria belligerent leader

Markian Popov belligerent leader

Boris Shaposhnikov military commander

Strength and losses

Deaths: 5,100,000
Captured: 4,500,000

Units

1st Belorussian Front 2nd Belorussian Front 3rd Belorussian Front Front of the Reserve Armies 10th Army (Soviet Union) 22nd Army (Soviet Union) 28th Army (Soviet Union) 3rd Shock Army 41st Guards Combined Arms Army 5th Guards Combined Arms Army 5th Shock Army 9th Army (Soviet Union) 10th Rifle Corps 11th Rifle Corps 15th Rifle Corps 15th Tank Corps 16th Rifle Corps 17th Rifle Corps 19th Rifle Corps 21st Rifle Corps 24th Rifle Corps 28th Rifle Corps 29th Rifle Corps 32nd Rifle Corps 34th Rifle Corps 3rd Cavalry Corps (Soviet Union) 42nd Rifle Corps 44th Rifle Corps 47th Rifle Corps 50th Rifle Corps 51st Rifle Corps 52nd Rifle Corps 5th Cavalry Corps (Soviet Union) 5th Rifle Corps 62nd Rifle Corps 66th Rifle Corps 69th Rifle Corps 6th Rifle Corps 9th Rifle Corps 126th Rifle Division 151st Rifle Division 164th Rifle Division 16th Rifle Division 172nd Rifle Division 179th Rifle Division 17th Guards Rifle Division 17th Rifle Division 18th Machine Gun Artillery Division 248th Rifle Division 258th Rifle Division 26th Guards Rifle Division 291st Rifle Division 300th Rifle Division 315th Rifle Division 40th Guards Rifle Division 416th Rifle Division 49th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) 4th Guards Rifle Division 50th Rifle Division 5th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) 69th Guards Motor Rifle Division 6th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) 70th Rifle Division 84th Rifle Division 85th Motor Rifle Division 8th Rifle Division (Soviet Union) 98th Guards Airborne Division 24th Mechanized Brigade (Ukraine) 752nd Guards Motor Rifle Regiment Soviet Navy

First Army (Romania) Fourth Army (Romania) 27th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade

Battles and events 85

Key events

Operation Barbarossa June 22, 1941 – January 7, 1942 · Axis strategic failure
- June Uprising in Lithuania 1941
- Summer War 1941 · Estonian-German victory
- Defense of Brest Fortress June 1941 – June 29, 1941 · German victory
- Battle of Smolensk (1941) July 10 – September 10, 1941 · German victory
  - Siege of Mogilev July 3–26, 1941 · German victory
  - Yelnya offensive August 30 – September 8, 1941 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Kiev (1941) August 7 – September 26, 1941 · German victory
- Operation Beowulf September 6 – October 21, 1941 · German victory
- Roslavl–Novozybkov offensive September 12, 1941 · German victory
Battle of Kiev (1941) August 7 – September 26, 1941 · German victory
Siege of Leningrad September 8, 1941 – January 27, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Leningrad strategic defensive July 10 – September 30, 1941 · German victory
- Demyansk Pocket January 7 – May 25, 1942 · German victory
- Battle of Lyuban January 7 – April 30, 1942 · German victory
- Battle of Someri July 8–9, 1942 · Finnish victory
- Operation Iskra January 12–30, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Polar Star February 1943 – April 1943 · German victory
  - Battle of Krasny Bor February 10–13, 1943 · Axis victory
- Leningrad–Novgorod offensive January 14 – March 1, 1944 · Soviet victory
  - Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha offensive January 14–30, 1944 · Soviet victory
  - Kingisepp–Gdov offensive February 1 – March 1, 1944 · Soviet victory
Battle of Moscow October 2, 1941 – January 7, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Bryansk October 2–21, 1941 · German victory
Case Blue June 1 – November 24, 1942 · Soviet victory
Battle of Stalingrad July 17, 1942 – February 2, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Uranus November 19–23, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Operation Little Saturn December 12, 1942 – February 18, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Winter Storm December 12–23, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Raid on Tatsinskaya December 18–28, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Operation Koltso January 10 – February 2, 1943 · Soviet victory
Operation Uranus November 19–23, 1942 · Soviet victory
Third Battle of Kharkov February 19 – March 15, 1943 · German victory
Battle of Kursk July 5 – August 23, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Citadel July 1943 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Prokhorovka July 12, 1943
Battle of the Dnieper August 24 – December 23, 1943 · Soviet victory
Operation Bagration June 22 – August 19, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Vitebsk–Orsha offensive June 23–28, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Mogilev offensive June 23–28, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Bobruysk offensive June 28, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Minsk offensive June 29 – July 4, 1944 · Soviet Victory
- Polotsk offensive June 29 – July 4, 1944 · Soviet Victory
- Vilnius offensive July 1944 · Soviet victory
- Šiauliai offensive July 5, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Belostok offensive July 5–27, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Lublin–Brest offensive July 18 – August 2, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Kaunas offensive July 28 – August 28, 1944 · Soviet victory
Battle of Berlin April 16 – May 2, 1945 · Soviet victory
- Battle in Berlin April 23 – May 2, 1945 · Soviet victory

1939 1 event

Baltic Sea campaigns (1939–1945) 1939 – May 9, 1945 · Allied victory

1941 18 events

Defense of Brest Fortress June 1941 – June 29, 1941 · German victory
Operation Barbarossa June 22, 1941 – January 7, 1942 · Axis strategic failure
- June Uprising in Lithuania 1941
- Summer War 1941 · Estonian-German victory
- Defense of Brest Fortress June 1941 – June 29, 1941 · German victory
- Battle of Smolensk (1941) July 10 – September 10, 1941 · German victory
  - Siege of Mogilev July 3–26, 1941 · German victory
  - Yelnya offensive August 30 – September 8, 1941 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Kiev (1941) August 7 – September 26, 1941 · German victory
- Operation Beowulf September 6 – October 21, 1941 · German victory
- Roslavl–Novozybkov offensive September 12, 1941 · German victory
Battle of Hanko (1941) June 22 – December 2, 1941 · Soviet troops evacuated by sea
German declaration of war on the Soviet Union June 22, 1941
Battle of Raseiniai June 23–27, 1941 · German victory
Operation Silver Fox June 29 – November 17, 1941 · Allied victory
- Operation Platinum Fox June 29 – September 21, 1941 · Soviet victory
- Operation Arctic Fox July 1 – November 17, 1941 · Stalemate
Operation München July 2–26, 1941 · Axis victory
Baltic operation July 9, 1941
Battle of Kiev (1941) August 7 – September 26, 1941 · German victory
Siege of Odessa August 8 – October 16, 1941 · Axis victory
Siege of Leningrad September 8, 1941 – January 27, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Leningrad strategic defensive July 10 – September 30, 1941 · German victory
- Demyansk Pocket January 7 – May 25, 1942 · German victory
- Battle of Lyuban January 7 – April 30, 1942 · German victory
- Battle of Someri July 8–9, 1942 · Finnish victory
- Operation Iskra January 12–30, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Polar Star February 1943 – April 1943 · German victory
  - Battle of Krasny Bor February 10–13, 1943 · Axis victory
- Leningrad–Novgorod offensive January 14 – March 1, 1944 · Soviet victory
  - Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha offensive January 14–30, 1944 · Soviet victory
  - Kingisepp–Gdov offensive February 1 – March 1, 1944 · Soviet victory
Battle of the Sea of Azov September 26 – October 11, 1941
Battle of Vyazma–Bryansk October 1941 · German victory
Battle of Moscow October 2, 1941 – January 7, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Bryansk October 2–21, 1941 · German victory
Battle of Bryansk October 2–21, 1941 · German victory
Crimean campaign October 18, 1941 – July 4, 1942 · Axis victory
First Battle of Kharkov October 20–24, 1941 · German victory
Siege of Sevastopol (1941–1942) October 30, 1941 – July 4, 1942 · Axis victory

1942 15 events

Battles of Rzhev January 5, 1942 – March 21, 1943 · Inconclusive
- Rzhev–Vyazma Offensive January 8 – April 20, 1942 · Inconclusive
- Toropets–Kholm offensive February 6, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Vyazma airborne operation February 28, 1942 · German victory
- Operation "Seydlitz" July 2–23, 1942 · German victory
- Battle of Rzhev, summer 1942 July 30 – October 1, 1942 · German victory
- Battle of Velikiye Luki November 19, 1942 – January 16, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Mars November 25 – December 16, 1942 · German victory
Yevpatoria assault January 8, 1942 · German victory
Kholm Pocket January 23 – May 5, 1942 · German defensive victory
Barvenkovo–Lozovaya offensive January 31, 1942 · Soviet victory
Operation Bustard Hunt May 1942 · Axis victory
Second Battle of Kharkov May 12–29, 1942 · Axis victory
Defense of the Adzhimushkay quarry May 16 – November 30, 1942 · German victory
Case Blue June 1 – November 24, 1942 · Soviet victory
Battle of the Caucasus July 1942 – October 1943 · Soviet victory
Battle of Stalingrad July 17, 1942 – February 2, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Uranus November 19–23, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Operation Little Saturn December 12, 1942 – February 18, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Winter Storm December 12–23, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Raid on Tatsinskaya December 18–28, 1942 · Soviet victory
- Operation Koltso January 10 – February 2, 1943 · Soviet victory
Operation Edelweiss July 23 – November 18, 1942 · Soviet victory
Battle of Kalach July 23 – August 11, 1942 · German victory
Kozelsk offensive September 9, 1942 · Soviet offensive defeated
Operation Uranus November 19–23, 1942 · Soviet victory
Operation Mars November 25 – December 16, 1942 · German victory

1943 17 events

Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh offensive January 13–27, 1943 · Soviet victory
Voronezh–Kastornoye offensive January 24 – February 17, 1943 · Soviet victory
Operation Gallop January 29 – February 18, 1943 · German victory
Operation Winterzauber February 16 – March 31, 1943
Third Battle of Kharkov February 19 – March 15, 1943 · German victory
Voronezh–Kharkov offensive March 3, 1943 · Soviet victory
Battle of Sokolovo March 8–13, 1943 · German advance slowed
Battle of Kursk July 5 – August 23, 1943 · Soviet victory
- Operation Citadel July 1943 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Prokhorovka July 12, 1943
Operation Kutuzov July 12 – August 18, 1943 · Soviet victory
Donbas strategic offensive (July 1943) July 17 – August 2, 1943 · German victory
Belgorod–Bogodukhov offensive operation August 3–23, 1943 · Soviet victory
Donbas strategic offensive (August 1943) August 13 – September 22, 1943 · Soviet victory
Battle of the Dnieper August 24 – December 23, 1943 · Soviet victory
Battle of Lenino October 12–13, 1943 · Indecisive
Battle of Kiev (1943) November 3 – December 22, 1943 · Soviet victory
Battle of Nevel (1943) December 16, 1943 · Soviet victory
Dnieper–Carpathian offensive December 24, 1943 – April 14, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Zhitomir–Berdichev offensive December 24, 1943 – January 14, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Korsun–Cherkassy January 24 – February 17, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Nikopol–Krivoi Rog offensive January 30 – February 29, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Bereznegovatoye–Snigirevka offensive March 6–18, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Polesskoe offensive March 15 – April 5, 1944 · German victory
- Odessa Offensive March 26 – April 30, 1944 · Soviet victory

1944 21 events

Battle of Romania 1944 · Allied victory
- Battle of Turda September 5 – October 8, 1944
- Battle of Păuliș September 14–19, 1944 · Romanian–Soviet victory
Leningrad–Novgorod offensive January 14 – March 1, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Krasnoye Selo–Ropsha offensive January 14–30, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Kingisepp–Gdov offensive February 1 – March 1, 1944 · Soviet victory
Battle of Narva (1944) February 2 – August 10, 1944 · German defensive victory
- Battle for Narva Bridgehead February 2 – July 26, 1944 · German withdrawal
- Narva offensive (15–28 February 1944) February 15–28, 1944 · German defensive victory
- Narva offensive (1–4 March 1944) March 1–4, 1944 · German defensive victory
- Battle of Auvere July 20–25, 1944 · German defensive victory
- Narva offensive (July 1944) July 24–30, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Tannenberg Line July 25 – August 10, 1944 · German victory
Rovno–Lutsk offensive February 11, 1944 · Soviet victory
Uman–Botoșani offensive March 5 – April 17, 1944 · Soviet victory
Crimean offensive April 8 – May 12, 1944 · Soviet victory
First Jassy–Kishinev offensive April 8 – June 6, 1944 · Axis victory
- First Battle of Târgu Frumos April 9–12, 1944 · Axis victory
Operation Bagration June 22 – August 19, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Vitebsk–Orsha offensive June 23–28, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Mogilev offensive June 23–28, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Bobruysk offensive June 28, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Minsk offensive June 29 – July 4, 1944 · Soviet Victory
- Polotsk offensive June 29 – July 4, 1944 · Soviet Victory
- Vilnius offensive July 1944 · Soviet victory
- Šiauliai offensive July 5, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Belostok offensive July 5–27, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Lublin–Brest offensive July 18 – August 2, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Kaunas offensive July 28 – August 28, 1944 · Soviet victory
Battle of Radzymin (1944) August 1–10, 1944 · German victory
Battle of Studzianki August 9–16, 1944 · Allied victory
Tartu offensive August 10 – September 6, 1944 · Soviet victory
Second Jassy–Kishinev offensive August 20–29, 1944 · Soviet victory
Battle of the Dukla Pass September 8 – October 28, 1944 · Inconclusive
Baltic offensive September 14 – November 24, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Riga offensive (1944) September 14 – October 24, 1944 · Soviet victory
- Tallinn offensive September 17–26, 1944 · Soviet victory
Belgrade offensive September 15 – November 24, 1944 · Allied victory
Moonsund operation September 29 – November 24, 1944 · Soviet victory
Battle of Memel October 5, 1944 – January 28, 1945 · Soviet victory
Battle of Debrecen October 6–29, 1944 · Inconclusive
Petsamo–Kirkenes offensive October 7–31, 1944 · Soviet victory
Nemmersdorf massacre October 21, 1944
Budapest offensive October 29, 1944 – February 13, 1945 · Allied victory
- Siege of Budapest December 26, 1944 – February 13, 1945 · Soviet victory
- Operation Konrad III January 18–27, 1945 · Inconclusive

1945 13 events

Vistula–Oder offensive January 12 – February 2, 1945 · Soviet victory
Siege of Breslau January 23 – May 6, 1945 · Soviet victory
Heiligenbeil Pocket January 26 – March 29, 1945 · Soviet victory
Operation Solstice February 15–18, 1945
East Pomeranian offensive February 24 – April 4, 1945 · Soviet victory
- Battle of Kolberg (1945) March 4–18, 1945 · Polish-Soviet victory
Moravia–Ostrava offensive March 10 – May 5, 1945 · Soviet victory
Nagykanizsa–Körmend offensive March 26 – April 15, 1945 · Allied victory * Hungary liberated from German occupation * Defeat of all Axis forces in Hungary
Battle of the Oder–Neisse April 1945 · Soviet victory
Vienna offensive April 2–13, 1945 · Allied victory
Battle of Berlin April 16 – May 2, 1945 · Soviet victory
- Battle in Berlin April 23 – May 2, 1945 · Soviet victory
Battle of the Seelow Heights April 16–19, 1945 · Soviet victory
Battle of Bautzen (1945) April 21–30, 1945 · German victory
Bratislava–Brno offensive May 5, 1945 · Soviet victory