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Category: Great Wars & Battles

This contains stories of great Wars and Battles

  • The Fighting Girlfriend: Real story of revenge for love

    You might have read about many love stories where people are ready to do anything for their love. People who died for their love. But today I will tell you about a woman who did something unthinkable to take revenge of her husband’s death. This is the story of Mariya Oktyabrskaya and a tank named “The Fighting Girlfriend”.

    Who is Mariya Oktabrskaya ?

    Born on 16 August 1905, Mariya Oktyabrskaya was a Ukranian woman who used to do simple jobs like working in a Cannery and then as a telephone operator. She got married to a Soviet army officer named Ilya Oktyabrskiy. After marriage not only her intrests but her life changed. She began to acquire an interest in military matters. She became involved in the ‘Military Wives Council’ and was trained as a nurse in the army. She always used to say, “Marry a serviceman, and you serve in the army: an officer’s wife is not only a proud woman, but also a responsible title.”

    But their married life was very short timed. During World War 2 German army invaded the Soviet Union, and Ilya was sent to fight on the front lines. Her husband died in 1941 fighting the Nazis. It took 2 years for the news to reach her. She was devasted by the demise of her husband and then she decided to take revenge.

    The Fighting Girlfriend

    She sold all her possessions to donate a tank (T-34)to the Soviet Army popularly known as the Red Army. She requested the government to have the tank named “The Fighting Girlfriend”. The government agreed to her request. She requested to be sent to the front lines. She was initially rejected because of her lack of military training. Undeterred, she enrolled in a tank driving school and received training as a tank mechanic.

    In 1944, Oktyabrskaya was finally sent to the front as a tank driver, serving in the 26th Guards Tank Brigade. She was given the task of driving a T-34 tank, one of the most important and effective tanks used by the Soviet Union during World War II. She took her revenge by fighting the Nazi Germany on the Eastern Front.

    Bravery and Awads

    During her time as a tank driver, Oktyabrskaya proved to be a skilled and fearless fighter. She participated in numerous battles, including the siege of Koenigsberg and the battle for Berlin. In one particular battle, her tank was hit by enemy fire, but she managed to repair it on the spot and continue fighting.

    For her bravery and dedication, Oktyabrskaya was awarded the Order of Lenin, the highest civilian honor in the Soviet Union. She was also the first woman to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest military honor in the Soviet Union.

    After the war, Oktyabrskaya returned to the Soviet Union, where she was hailed as a hero. She died on March 15, 1944, in Kiev, Ukraine, after suffering injuries in a car accident. Today, she is remembered as a symbol of the courage and sacrifice of the Soviet people during World War II.

  • Real history of the region called today as Israel and Palestine.

    Map of Israel and Palestine.

    Today the whole world is observing the conflict between Israel and Palestine and everyone is having an opinion and supportive their respective sides. But before we support the mighty Israel or Islamic Palestine we need to know a little history.

    The Simple History

    As you can see in the map above the majority of the land area is occupied by Israel and a small areal is under Palestine. But during the start of 20th century picture was completely different. In 1946 about 95 % of the said area was under the Arabs or Palestine.

    But after the UNs plan of 1947 about 25 percent of the area was granted to Israel. This was not at all accepted by adjoining  Islamic countries. They considered it as an insult  and started making plans to occupy jewish Israel.

    By 1967 war erupted between Arabs and Israel that lasted for 6 days only and Israel inflicted a decisive blow to the Arab coalition. In this war Israel greatly increased its land area and occupied around 70% of the disputed area. From 1970 the area is constantly under conflict and Israel which had become highly technologically advance has an upper hand in the area. Israel is constantly increasing area under its control and at present it controls around 85% of the disputed land mass.

    The complicated history

    Jews in Israel were long persecuted and were driven out first by the Romans in 1 st century AD then by the Christians in 4th century AD and finally by Muslims starting from 6th century AD. It was the Romans who first named the region as Syria palestina. After the rise of Islam in 6 th century the area remained under constant conflict majorly between the Christians and the Muslims as by then maximum number of jews had already fled the area to other nations.

    In 10th century AD crusade or jihad or holy war broke out between Muslims and Christians. In thit Christians emerged victorious and occupied the whole area. Again in 11th century a second jihad or second crusade broke out between both the religion. But this time Muslims were led by the dynamic Islamic king Saladin who defeated the christians and occupied the whole region. The region stayed under Muslim control till 1917.

    During the first world war British took over the region and after the war it started advocating for a Jewish home land in Jerusalem. The British efforts were driven by strong lobby from influential Jews banking family called the Rothschlid family. The Family literally controlled almost all the banks in the world and dictated European and American govt to carve a piece of land from a Muslim dominated region to form the country of Israel for Jewish settlement. And this is how a piece of land was snatched away and Israel was formed.

    History says wrong was done with both at some point of time so no one could be clear right or clear wrong. In real world there are no exact blacks and whites there are greys only. But one thing is certain that there are no winners in wars. Only the ones who have the capacity to bear and overcome their loss are perceived as winners.

  • Stalingrad 2nd Feb 1943: Rare images of the City that crushed Wehrmacht.

    The famous pic from Stalingrad statue showing children dancing around a crocodile in the initial days of heavy German bombing.
    German troops in action in August 1942 when they believed that they will decimate red army easily.
    The famous Stalingrad tractor factory which was one of the few targets of German’s and was captured in initial days as it was producing tanks in large nos.
    German troops capturing civilians.
    Nazi troops in action.

    German commanding officer paulus.At the beginning of the stalingrad campaign Germans were in the belief that the they will win the battle easily.

    Soviet troops in action.During the starting days of conflict Soviets only wanted to hold on nothing more.
    Soviet troops guarding a building.As the Soviet resistance got strength severe house to house battle ensued.
    Civilians of Stalingrad digging small trenches to halt German tanks.
    Arial reconnaissance of stalingrad.
    Stalin’s pipe organ Katyusha’s in action during operation uranus.It had a strong phycological impact upon German troops as they feared it the most.Its launching sound was enough to make german troops shiver in fear.
    After the success of operation Uranus Soviets started believing that they could now win this war and mounted strong offensive upon Germans.
    Now Soviets have to clear Germans house to house.
    Finally on 2nd Feb 1943 Germans surrendered.Germans were so exhausted that they even didn’t have strength to burry dead bodies.
    Even the Soviets were astonished to see such a large no of German troops that they have captured.
    Finally the city was liberated on 2nd Feb 1943.

  • Crossing Volga:14th September 1942 Stalingrad.

    By September 1942 Germans had reached Stalingrad and had started assault in the inner part of the city and by 13th they were about to capture vital banks of Volga,the banks that were very essential for the Soviets to maintain there resistance as these banks was used for supply line upon realising the seriousness of the situation and to secure the banks that were used to maintain supply.Commander of the 62nd army chuikov understood this very well.

    Aleksandr Rodimtsev

    So,chuikov called in Aleksandr Rodimtsev of 13th guard rifle division and asked him to cross Volga to reinforce the Soviet resistance and to halt the German progress and it was to be done in daylight. Crossing Volga at that period of war was considered dengerous even at night hours & in day hours it was suicidal.

    Out of every 100 Soviet troops that tried to cross Volga only 10 reached the opposite bank. German aircrafts unleased a hailstorm upon crossing army with aircraft mounted machine guns and aireal bombardment.

    Still the Soviets were determined and transported thousands of men across volgawith innumerable casualties and by evening banks were secured by the soviets.

  • The house that could not be destroyed: Pavlov’s house.

    During the German mayhem of Stalingrad there was a four storey building which miraculously survived initial German heavy ariel bombardment.it was situated at a pivotal location at the banks of river Volga overlooking 9th January square and giving a clear sight of approx 1 km toward north,south,west as the house was placed at the crossing.

    In September 1942 after heavy fighting the house was taken over by a small group of Soviet soldiers commanded by  sergeant yakov pavlov.Immedaitly after the siege house was  quickly fortified.Machine guns were placed at all windows and an anti tank gun was position at top of the building.

    After this followed subsequent countless German attacks to take over the building.

    But Pavlov’s men stood there ground and effectively repulsed all German attack. The Anti tank gun positioned  at the top of the building was very effective as the German tanks were unable to elevate their guns and became easy prey.Artilery support from opposite bank was also very effective to guard the building.Further Pavlov and his men took order no 227 to their heart and further fortified the area with barbed wire and land mines. Germans had marked the house as fortress in their map and were also determined to take over the building as it’s location was vital.They launched  more vicious assaults.All forms of attack was used ariel, artillery,tanks,infantry every thing that they got but still Pavlov’s men effectively repulsed all attack’s and we’re able to hold on.

    Finally after two months of bitter fighting the house was liberated by Soviets and it is famously said by a Soviet top general that the no of Germans died attacking Pavlov’s house is higher than the nos died capturing the whole of France.

    Present day Pavlov’s house.

    After the war the house was rebuilded as an war memorial and the bricks of the old house were used as claddings as a symbol of Soviet victory.

  • The mother of all battles

    Battle of Stalingrad

    The mother of all battles that shaped the future of the world & reversed the course of World War-II.

    The whole war drama in the eastern front unfolded on 22nd June 1941 when two nations having friendly terms and non aggression pact turned arch foes. It was Nazi Germany who kept all treaties and pacts on the edge of its heels and launched human history’s largest land conquest campaign called Operation Barbarosa to conquer the largest country in the world the Soviet Union. With their blitzkrieg (lightening war) & scorch earth strategy Nazi army roared across Soviet territory achieving victories after victories. Thanks to Joseph Stalin’s great purge of 1937 & miscalculation of German friendly treaties Soviet military structure collapsed in front of fast moving German onslaught. It seemed that Hitler was right about Soviet Union that they are a rotten system we just need to kick on its door & the whole system will fall like a house of cards. Within 4 months from attack Nazi troops reached Moscow the Soviet capital even Stalin saw German troops from Kremlin top.

    But Hitler had other ideas in mind that were to reach quickly to southern oil rich region of Soviet Union and on its way conquer the city of Stalingrad a major industrial hub and pride of Stalin. Hitler wanted to capture and destroy this city to destroy the morale of soviets and Stalin wanted to defend the city to boost the already shattered Soviet morale as his name was associated with the city. The German mayhem upon Stalingrad started in august 1942 and the whole city was brought to ground by heavy ariel bombardment. But with nothing to lose Soviets held their ground & even citizens came forward to defend their city. By November the whole battle turned into an urban Guerilla war. Soviets were determined to stop the Germans which led to severe house to house pitch battle. But Soviets had different plans. They were planning to encircle Germans by cutting off their supply line as it was hugely stretched and was guarded by weak German allies like Italy, Hungary & Romanian army at their flanks.

    On 19th November 1941 operation Uranus was launched & thousands of Soviet artillery, katyusha rockets poured upon the non German axis segments protecting the German flanks and quickly decimated them & by 23rd November encirclement was completed effectively cutting off the whole German 6th army division consisting of over 4lakh men.

    For the next three months Germans tried desperately to break through the encirclement & the Soviets gave all they got to hold the encirclement. Both Hitler & Stalin ordered strict laws to get over each other. Hitler ordered to stand till last bullet till last men & Stalin ordered the famous order no 227 not a step back: generals were ordered to shoot anyone who tried to retreat.

    Finally the German 6th army under Friedrich Paulus surrendered on 2nd February 1943 violating Hitler’s order & brought an end to the bloodshed at Stalingrad.