What is a "rail war"? Operation Rail War

home One of the main activities Belarusian partisans there were operations on railways, highways and dirt roads, waterways

, sabotage at railway junctions, defeat of enemy garrisons and strongholds, destruction of bases and communication lines. This was no accident. Important railways and highways passed through the territory of Belarus, connecting the German rear with the front. The largest railway junctions and stations were located here, through which the troops of not only the Army Group Center, but also partly the Army Groups North and South, were supplied.

The lack of mine-blasting equipment at the beginning of the war restrained the activity of the patriots and required resourcefulness from them. Thus, in the first half of 1942, train wrecks were carried out using special wedges, by unscrewing and dismantling the rails.

The German main railway directorate "Center" noted that in 1942 it was registered: in January - February - 1 1 partisan attacks on railways, in March - 27, in April - 65, in May - 145, in June - 262, and from July 1 to July 25 - 304. During this time, the partisans blew up 200 locomotives, disabled 773 cars, destroyed 13,440 m of railway track, and caused significant damage to the enemy’s human and material resources.

A number of partisan detachments organized the production of mines from unexploded bombs and shells. This experience quickly spread. Numerous so-called “devil's kitchens” began to work, in which they smelted fat. A significant part of demolition specialists, equipment and explosives came from behind the front line. In the first half of 1942, 33 groups of specially trained demolitions were sent to partisan formations. In March - September 1942, Belarusian partisans received 10,860 mines and 40 tons of explosives, which made it possible to intensify the sabotage work of the patriots. By the summer of 1943, Belarusian partisans had disabled almost all narrow-gauge railways.

The real masters of subversion were Alexander Isachenko, Pavel Kozhushko, Nikolai Anokhin, Konstantin Parmon, Vasily Shutov, Fyodor Bachilo, Boris Dmitriev, Philip Kovalev, Fyodor Kukharev, Alexey Lukashevich, Fyodor Malyshev, Mikhail Mormulev, Anna Maslovskaya, Vladimir Parakhnevich, Grigory Tokuev, Mamed-Ali Topvaldyev, Tamara Pochekaeva, Lyubov Krivelskaya, Vera Odinets, Polina Osina, Nina Gubinskaya, Alexandra Gorbunova, Stanislava Voynich and many others.

Many of the bombers sacrificed their lives. The news of the fearless act of Nikolai Goishik, a 17-year-old partisan of the F.E. Dzerzhinsky brigade, spread throughout Belarus. The young patriot had 7 enemy echelons derailed in his combat account. During the next military operation on April 24, 1944, due to increased security, the partisans were unable to mine the rails. A train with enemy combat equipment and manpower was approaching the ambush site. Nikolai threw himself under a steam locomotive with a mine - the delivery of ammunition and equipment to the front for German soldiers was suspended for 15 hours.

One of the largest partisan operations to simultaneously massively destroy enemy railway communications is known as "Rail War" It was carried out in three stages. The first stage of the “rail war” took place in August - September 1943 during the counteroffensive Soviet troops near Kursk. Partisans from Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Russia took part in the operation. About 74 thousand Belarusian partisans carried out destructive attacks on enemy railway communications.

The second stage of the "rail war" under the code name "Concert" was carried out from mid-September to early November 1943, when the Red Army had already entered the territory of the BSSR. During the first and second stages, 211 thousand railway rails were blown up, 2171 trains and 6 armored trains were derailed, 32 water pumps and 295 railway bridges were destroyed.

The third stage of the “rail war” began on the night of June 20, 1944 the day before Belarusian operation“Bagration and continued until the complete liberation of Belarus. Over 60 thousand rails were undermined. In the “rail war”, new tactics were used: not individual sabotage groups, but all detachments and brigades, went out to destroy the railway tracks. As a result, German supplies to the front were cut by almost half. It is important to emphasize that civilians also took an active part in the “rail war”.

Partisans often organized sabotage on highways and dirt roads. Unexpected raids on individual vehicles or small units the enemy, blowing up, destroying and burning bridges and communication lines, blockages on the roads, scattering thorns to damage car tires were a massive and typical phenomenon of partisan warfare.

Carry out large-scale attacks on the enemy's railway communications guerrilla operations during the Second World War, it was suggested by Colonel Starinov, a saboteur-demolitionist. His ideas found support from the head of the TsShPD (Central Headquarters), Lieutenant General Ponomarenko, who presented them to Stalin and received approval for their implementation.

The large-scale guerrilla sabotage was called “Operation Rail War.” It was decided to carry it out before the most important strategic battle. On the eve of this battle, the balance of forces of the opponents was approximately equal. The outcome of the battle depended to a large extent on how successfully the maneuver was carried out by the troops, how reserves were used and, most importantly, how conditions were provided for supplying the army with everything necessary.

"Rail War" was a prepared event. The number of trained demolition specialists and instructors has increased in training centers and partisan schools.

To disable the enemy's entire railway infrastructure on the scale that was planned, it was necessary great amount fuses and the explosives themselves, which the partisans did not have. The supply of the detachments was carried out with the help of forces long-range aviation.

The “Rail War” was planned to be carried out on a front whose length was one thousand kilometers from north to south and seven hundred and fifty kilometers from west to east inland. The sabotage was supposed to be carried out in three stages, each of which was supposed to last fifteen to thirty days.

The "Rail War" began in 1943, on August 3rd. Seventy-four thousand partisans simultaneously attacked enemy communications.

Ponomarenko, taking advantage of Starinov’s ideas, subsequently developed his own plan for carrying out subversive measures. Ponomarenko believed that risky attacks on enemy echelons were inappropriate. In his opinion, it was enough to carry out targeted strikes on the railway itself, blowing up the rails with small charges. Thus, it was planned to create a shortage of railway tracks for the Germans and a collapse of the transport system before the Battle of Kursk.

Starinov, in turn, defended his point of view, arguing that it is the enemy’s echelons that have strategic purpose. Moreover, damaged rails are quite easy to restore compared to repairing damage from a train wreck. This would lead to much more widespread destruction and disruption of traffic.

As a result, Starinov was sent to the Ukrainian headquarters, and Ponomarenko continued to implement his plan.

Not without traditional Soviet formalism. Ponomarenko established a certain plan for the partisan detachments regarding the number of undermined rails. It should be noted that this approach did more harm. The order mentioned the undermining of not only the main, but also backup, as well as poorly or not at all guarded routes. As a result, many commanders chose to blow up unimportant routes, unexploited branches.

At the same time, the Germans quickly learned to restore “pinpoint damage”, which, it must be said, was usually no more than 30-35 centimeters. They invented a “rail bridge” that was superimposed on the destroyed area. The Nazis compensated for the shortage of linen using rarely used Belgian and Dutch branches.

Thus, at the first stage, the “Rail War” caused, according to various estimates, more damage to the Red Army itself than to the Germans.

When carrying out the second and third stages, the leadership of the partisan movement took into account the mistakes. This time they did not carry out single “spot” explosions, but blew up rails over large areas and destroyed sleepers. In December 1943, the third stage was completed.

Despite the mistakes made, the “Rail War” made it possible to reduce the main cargo flow that went from Europe to the East by more than 30%.

1. What is a "rail war"?

Rail War in the years Great Patriotic War

The Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus in June 1943 adopted a resolution “On the destruction of the enemy’s railway communications by the method of rail warfare,” which proposed a plan to destroy the rails with a simultaneous massive strike and thereby make it impossible for the enemy to quickly restore the railway lines. The rail war had to be accompanied train crashes, explosions of bridges and destruction of station structures. The partisan units fighting in the occupied territory widely used elements of rail warfare, but the most significant impact on the course of the war was exerted by the actions of the partisans in the following operations:

· Operation Rail War- major operation performed Soviet partisans With August 3rd By September 15th 1943 in the occupied territory of the RSFSR (Leningrad, Smolensk, Kalinin, Orel regions) of the BSSR and part of the Ukrainian SSR to provide assistance Soviet army at the end of the rout Nazi troops V Battle of Kursk 1943 and the development of a general offensive in the Belgorod-Kharkov direction. In Belarus alone, railway traffic was paralyzed for 15-30 days. Trains with troops and military equipment, urgently heading towards Orel, Belgorod and Kharkov, got stuck on the way and were often destroyed by partisans. Enemy transportation was reduced by 35-40%. The occupiers suffered huge material losses in locomotives, cars, rails, sleepers, and manpower.

· Operation Concert- an operation of Soviet partisans carried out with September 19 to the end of October 1943, as the second stage of Operation Rail War, which coincided with the autumn offensive of the Red Army. During this operation, tens of thousands of rails were undermined, more than 1,000 trains were derailed, 72 railway bridges were destroyed, and 30 thousand German soldiers and officers were killed.

· Operation Bagration- large-scale Soviet offensive June 23-August 29 1944, named after the Russian commander Patriotic War of 1812 Peter Bagration. Known as the third stage of the “rail war,” during which the most important railway lines were completely disabled and enemy transportation on all roads was partially paralyzed.

Operations "Concert" and "Rail War" were organized by an outstanding Soviet saboteur Ilya Grigorievich Starinov.

The experience gained during these operations was used in further actions against German troops.

In 1944 and 1945, badges dedicated to the “Rail War” were issued in Minsk.

"Rail War":

1) actions of partisans behind enemy lines with the aim of disrupting the work of his railway. transport and disablement of manpower, military equipment and materiel transported by rail. 2) The name of a major operation carried out by Soviet partisans during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 - in August - September 1943 in the occupied territories of the RSFSR, BSSR and part of the Ukrainian SSR with the aim of disabling the railway. enemy communications. In June 1943, the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus put forward a plan for the simultaneous massive destruction of sections of railways in the occupied territory of the republic. The Central Headquarters of the Partisan Movement (TSSHPD) involved in the implementation of this plan, in addition to the partisans of Belarus, Leningrad, Kalinin, Smolensk, Oryol and part of the Ukrainian partisans. Operation "R.V." was connected with the plans of the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command to complete the defeat of the Nazi troops in Battle of Kursk 1943, conducting Smolensk operation 1943 and offensive with the aim of liberating Left Bank Ukraine. On July 14, the TsShPD was given the order to conduct Operation R.V. Local headquarters of the partisan movement and their representation at the fronts assigned areas and objects of action to each partisan formation. The partisans were provided explosives, fuses, mine-explosive classes were held at “forest courses”, metal from captured shells and bombs was mined at local “factories”, and fastenings of metal bombs to rails were made in workshops and forges. Reconnaissance was actively carried out on the railways. The operation began on the night of August 3 and continued until mid-September. The actions took place over an area of ​​about 1000 km along the front and 750 km in depth, about 100 thousand partisans took part in them, helped by the local population. A powerful blow to the railway. lines was unexpected for the enemy, who for some time could not counteract the partisans in an organized manner. During the operation, about 215 thousand rails were blown up, many trains were derailed, railway bridges and station buildings were blown up. The massive disruption of enemy communications significantly complicated the regrouping of retreating enemy troops, complicated their supply, and thereby contributed to the successful offensive of the Red Army.

List of used literature:

1. Soviet partisans, [M., 1961];

2. War behind enemy lines, c. 1, M., 1974;

3. , CPB - organizer and leader of the partisan movement in Belarus during the Great Patriotic War, Minsk, 1959;

4. , The heroic struggle of Leningrad partisans, L., 1959

5. Great Patriotic War 1941-1945: encyclopedia.- / Ch. ed. M. M. Kozlov. -M.: Sov. Encyclopedia, 1985. -832 p. with illustration, 35 l. ill.

6. History of Belarus; I. I. Kovkel E. S. Yarmusik 2004 Minsk - 604 pp.

7. Rail War // Rail transport: Encyclopedia / Ch. ed.. - M.: Bolshaya Russian encyclopedia, 1994. - P. 363. - 599 p. - ISBN -7

The scope of the partisan movement is evidenced by a number of major operations carried out jointly with the Red Army. One of them was called “Rail War”. It was carried out in August-September 1943 on the enemy-occupied territory of the RSFSR, the Belarusian and part of the Ukrainian SSR with the aim of disabling the railway communications of the Nazi troops. This operation was connected with the plans of the Headquarters to complete the defeat of the Nazis on the Kursk Bulge, conduct the Smolensk operation and an offensive to liberate Left Bank Ukraine. The TsShPD also attracted Leningrad, Smolensk, and Oryol partisans to carry out the operation.

The order for Operation Rail War was given on June 14, 1943. Local partisan headquarters and their representatives at the fronts assigned areas and objects of action to each partisan formation. The partisans were supplied with explosives and fuses from the “Mainland”; reconnaissance was actively carried out on the enemy’s railway communications. The operation began on the night of August 3 and continued until mid-September. The fighting behind enemy lines took place over an area of ​​about 1,000 km along the front and 750 km in depth; about 100 thousand partisans took part in them with the active support of the local population.

A powerful blow to the railways in territory occupied by the enemy came as a complete surprise to him. For a long time, the Nazis were unable to counteract the partisans in an organized manner. During Operation Rail War, over 215 thousand railway rails were blown up, many trains with Nazi personnel and military equipment were derailed, railway bridges and station structures were blown up. The railway capacity decreased by 35-40%, which thwarted the Nazis' plans to accumulate material resources and concentrate troops, and seriously hampered the regrouping of enemy forces.

The partisan operation codenamed “Concert” was subordinated to the same goals, but already during the upcoming offensive of Soviet troops in the Smolensk, Gomel directions and the battle for the Dnieper. It was carried out from September 19 to November 1, 1943 on the fascist-occupied territory of Belarus Karelia, in the Leningrad and Kalinin regions, in the territory of Latvia, Estonia, Crimea, covering a front of about 900 km and a depth of over 400 km.

It was a planned continuation of Operation Rail War; it was closely connected with the upcoming offensive of Soviet troops in the Smolensk and Gomel directions and during the Battle of the Dnieper. 193 partisan detachments (groups) from Belarus, the Baltic states, Karelia, Crimea, Leningrad and Kalinin regions (over 120 thousand people) were involved in the operation, which were supposed to undermine more than 272 thousand rails.

On the territory of Belarus, more than 90 thousand partisans took part in the operation; they had to blow up 140 thousand rails. The Central Headquarters of the Partisan Movement planned to throw 120 tons of explosives and other cargo to the Belarusian partisans, and 20 tons to the Kaliningrad and Leningrad partisans.

Due to the sharp deterioration of weather conditions, by the start of the operation it was possible to transfer only about half of the planned amount of cargo to the partisans, so it was decided to begin mass sabotage on September 25. However, some of the detachments that had already reached the initial lines could not take into account the changes in the timing of the operation and began to implement it on September 19. On the night of September 25, simultaneous actions were carried out according to the plan of Operation Concert on a front of about 900 km (excluding Karelia and Crimea) and in a depth of over 400 km.

Local headquarters of the partisan movement and their representation at the fronts assigned areas and objects of action to each partisan formation. The partisans were provided with explosives and fuses, mine-explosive classes were held at “forest courses”, metal was mined from captured shells and bombs at local “factories”, and fastenings for metal bombs to rails were made in workshops and forges. Reconnaissance was actively carried out on the railways. The operation began on the night of August 3 and continued until mid-September. The actions took place on an area with a length of about 1000 km along the front and 750 km in depth, about 100 thousand partisans took part in them, who were helped by the local population. A powerful blow to the railway. lines was unexpected for the enemy, who for some time could not counteract the partisans in an organized manner. During the operation, about 215 thousand rails were blown up, many trains were derailed, railway bridges and station buildings were blown up. The massive disruption of enemy communications significantly complicated the regrouping of retreating enemy troops, complicated their supply, and thereby contributed to the successful offensive of the Red Army.

The objective of Operation Concert was to disable large sections of railway lines in order to disrupt enemy transport. The bulk of the partisan formations began fighting on the night of September 25, 1943. During Operation Concert, Belarusian partisans alone blew up about 90 thousand rails, derailed 1041 enemy trains, destroyed 72 railway bridges, and defeated 58 invader garrisons. Operation Concert caused serious difficulties in the transportation of Nazi troops. Railway capacity has decreased by more than three times. This made it very difficult for the Nazi command to maneuver their forces and provided enormous assistance to the advancing Red Army troops.

It is impossible to list here all the partisan heroes whose contribution to the victory over the enemy was so noticeable in the common struggle of the Soviet people over the Nazi invaders. During the war, wonderful partisan command cadres grew up - S.A. Kovpak, A.F. Fedorov, A.N. Saburov, V.A. Begma, N.N. Popudrenko and many others. In terms of its scale, political and military results, the nationwide struggle of the Soviet people in the territories occupied by Hitler's troops acquired the significance of an important military-political factor in the defeat of fascism. The selfless activities of the partisans and underground fighters received national recognition and high praise from the state. More than 300 thousand partisans and underground fighters were awarded orders and medals, including over 127 thousand - the medal “Partisan of the Great Patriotic War” 1st and 2nd degree, 248 were awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Autumn and spring downpours turned dirt roads into impassable mud swamps and made their use impossible. The use of rivers as transport arteries was limited short period navigation - in our climate this is a maximum of 5-7 months. The only all-season method of delivering goods was the railway network. Railways, How blood vessels, had to supply active army everything you need all year round. Of course, there was transport aviation

, but its low power did not allow it to transport heavy loads or military equipment. Thus, the strategic importance of the railways was simply enormous, and their uninterrupted operation was key factor For successful management

military operations. In the summer of 1943, the Soviet command decided to strike at such an important component of the German military machine, and.

the role of the main executors of the General Headquarters plan was assigned to partisan detachments It is important to note that from the very first days of the War, a people’s liberation movement arose throughout the occupied territory. Formed from local residents

and Red Army soldiers who escaped encirclement or escaped captivity, partisan detachments waged a continuous war in the enemy rear: blowing up bridges, derailing enemy trains and destroying garrisons.

The partisan movement, which had matured by the summer of 1943, was ready to conduct massive, well-coordinated operations. July 9, 1943 in a letter I.V.Stalin chief of staff proposed, in order to disrupt the enemy's railway transportation, to carry out a simultaneous and widespread operation to destroy the rails on the railway tracks. In June 1943, the central headquarters of the partisan movement adopted a resolution “On the destruction of enemy railway communications using the method of rail warfare.”

So the future operation received the code name “Rail War”.
The main goal of the campaign was to inflict maximum damage to the enemy's railway communications in the Oryol-Kursk direction, to assist the Soviet Army in completing the defeat of the Nazi troops in the Battle of Kursk. The main targets of the future attack were to be railway bridges, junction stations, rolling stock and the railway tracks themselves.

As part of the preparation for the operation, hundreds of tons of explosives were transported behind the front line, and the detachments were replenished with demolitionists. In some partisan detachments production of homemade mines from unexploded shells was established, and the metal needed for the bombs was smelted in the so-called “devil’s kitchens”. Later, in the same kitchens, they began to melt tol in forms prepared in advance for this purpose, in which it solidified in the form "loaves", as the partisans called them. All members of the detachment, from the cook to the commander, were trained in basic demolition skills.

The Germans also understood the exceptional importance of railway infrastructure. As part of preventing acts of sabotage, the German command took a number of countermeasures. Forests were cut down 100 meters along the railway track, towers, wire fences, and sometimes minefields were installed. In particularly important areas, stages and junction stations, bunkers were installed and permanent garrisons were maintained.

Also The Germans carried out a number of operations against the partisans. Their goal was to capture lost territories that could play important role in the coming summer offensive.

But partisan intelligence was always on the alert and often punitive operations ended ingloriously for the invaders. One of these German detachments was inflicted big damage theirs. The partisans learned in advance that the Nazis were planning an attack on their sector and, having occupied the most advantageous position, prepared to meet the enemy. A German plane soon appeared, circled the area for a while to identify targets for destruction, and then called in two bombers. After the first bombs were dropped, the enemy infantry went on the offensive. But when the partisans opened fire, the Nazis turned back. At this time, German bombers were making their next approach. Noticing the people running, the pilots mistook them for partisans and dropped the remaining bombs on them., and then, just to be sure, they combed their infantry with machine-gun fire. The punitive operation failed.

German pilots bombed their infantry

5/YIII-43 Morning issue of RFI sheet 4 VL

Active Army, August 5. /Special correspondent TASS/. Partisan intelligence reported that a German punitive detachment was preparing an attack. Having chosen a height that dominated the terrain and covered the flanks, the partisans prepared to meet the enemy. Soon a fascist spotter appeared. The plane searched for targets for a long time, then called two bombers.
Enemy planes made an approach and dropped a series of bombs. Immediately the fascist infantry went on the offensive. The enemy hoped that battle formations the partisans are demoralized. When no more than 50 meters remained before the first chain of Germans, the partisans opened fire with machine guns. The Nazis turned back. At this time the German bombers were making their next approach. The pilots, noticing those running, decided that they were partisans and began dropping bombs on them. The planes then descended and combed their infantry with machine-gun fire.
The German punitive detachment suffered heavy losses.
V. Medvedev

July 22, 1943 partisans Oryol region conducted a massive rail blast— it was a kind of rehearsal before a future large-scale operation. By the end of July, preparations were completed. It was decided to begin Operation Rail War on August 3.

The start time of the strike was not chosen by chance. Under the pressure of the advancing Soviet troops, the German command continuously transferred mobile units from one sector of the front to another, trying to patch up holes in the defense. The load on the railway tracks was maximum, which means the damage caused during destruction would be the greatest.