Usage of baltic and similar terms to denote the region east of the sea started only in 19th century. After british fighter planes attacked a ship he was on in the baltic sea, we were just counting the hours before we were going to be dead. In the final months of world war ii, 75 years ago, german citizens and soldiers fleeing the soviet army died. In this new book poul groos chronicles naval warfare in the region and covers such major events as the siege of. The attack into the lombardy plain by the 15th allied army group started on 6 april 1945, ending on 2 may with the formal surrender of german forces in italy. The baltic fleet was increased to two fleets, the 4th redbanner baltic fleet and the 8th redbanner baltic fleet on 15 february 1946. Boating on the baltic sea travel guide at wikivoyage. Baltic sea share book recommendations with your friends. Sea of iron is a complete second world war at sea boxed game based on actions on the baltic sea between 1939 and 1945. From the shelling of the fort at westerplatte, on the polish coast, on 1 september 1939, to the loss of thousands of german refugees at sea in may 1945, the baltic witnessed continuous and ferocious fighting throughout the second world war. The third reichs last hope, 19441945 grier, howard d.
Each night the temperature fell to25 degrees celsius and by day it rarely rose above freezing. The soviet submarine is believed to be found 71 years after its wreck. Baltic sea, arm of the north atlantic ocean, extending northward from the latitude of southern denmark almost to the arctic circle and separating the scandinavian peninsula from the rest of continental europe. Jan 21, 2020 explorers discovered the oddshaped object on the ocean bed of the baltic sea in june 2011.
Combat interviews and after action report, germany, april 1945 johnston, w. This excellent first book is simultaneously revisionist in the best sense of the term and ground. Grier erskine college addresses hitlers seemingly irrational decision to leave over a. World war 2 timelines 19391945 battle of the atlantic 1945. The allied forces are gaining ground both to the west and the east, and so german civilians are evacuating, fleeing violence and running towards the baltic sea where the german navy will transport them to safety.
World war, 1939 1945 campaigns baltic sea please provide your name, email, and your suggestion so that we can begin assessing any terminology changes. Lost at sea the baltic to dokument o milosci do surfingu tysiace kilometrow z dala od oceanu. The cruelest night by christopher dobson goodreads. The ticking timebomb at the bottom of the baltic sea. Berlin plans an eleventhhour exodus for the german civilians trapped in the red armys way.
Detachments of the soviet secret police, nkvd, raced to stave the flow of refugees in hopes of capturing members of the baltic legions and charge them with war crimes. This lavishly illustrated and attractive book is a collection of case studies of amphibious assaults spanning the disastrous gallipoli landing of 1915 to operations in iraq in 2003. Henry bawnik, survivor of death camps and an inferno at. Italys entry into the war and the french armistice. The baltic sea was known in ancient latin language sources as mare suebicum or even mare germanicum. The baltic states and the russofinnish war, 193940. September 3, 1940 hitler plans operation sea lion the invasion of britain. Their fates intertwine the winter of 1945 on the german ship the wilhelm gustloff, filled five times over capacity with mostly civilians as it attempts to flee the advancing red army on the baltic sea. Start by marking hitler, donitz, and the baltic sea. Combat interviews and after action report, germany, april 1945. In preparation for the allied invasion of germany, a series of offensive operations were designed to seize and capture the east and west bank of the rhine river. Gustloffthe soviet sinking of mv wilhelm gustloff in january 1945, one of the. Baltic sea the ticking timebomb at the bottom of the baltic sea. Recent research conducted in several countries has sought to revise a number of longestablished assumptions about the coldwar conflict, as they do not seem to fit into the context of the baltic world.
The siege started in late january 1945 when the soviets initially surrounded the. Jackson, professor of international relations robert. The deadliest disaster at sea killed thousands, yet its story is littleknown. The spring 1945 offensive in italy, codenamed operation grapeshot, was the final allied attack during the italian campaign in the final stages of the second world war. The world war ii sinking of the wilhelm gustloff, is an example of what nonfiction writing should be. Both submarines and surface units of the soviet navy were employed. The german naval campaign in the baltic sea was one of germanys most successful military efforts of the entire second world war. The third reichs last hope, 1944 1945 as want to read. The nazis stole millions of pounds worth of art and gold during the. This volume focuses on the baltic sea region during the cold war.
Buy the naval war in the baltic, 1939 1945 by poul grooss isbn. Wilhelm gustloff, german ocean liner that was sunk by a soviet submarine on january 30. This work analyzes german naval strategy from 1944 to 1945 and its role in shaping the war on land in the baltic. The baltic sea fleet is a highlevel strategic unit, part of the russian navy. The germans mounted major naval attacks on the gulf of riga, unsuccessfully in august, 1915 and. The cruelest night reveals, for the first time, the full story of the worst of all sea tragedies, the sinking of the german ocean liner wilhelm gustloff in the baltic sea in 1945. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It is the largest expanse of brackish water in the world. The first six chapters provide an operational history of warfare on the northern sector of the eastern front and give evidence of. Soon after the ship leaves port, three soviet torpedoes. The naval war in the baltic audiobook by poul grooss.
Thirty scenarios track the operations and battles that took place or could have taken place between the fleets and air forces of germany, poland, lithuania, latvia, estonia, the soviet union, finland and sweden. East prussia and koenigsberg in 1945 red army attacks koenigberg. Salt to the sea, philomel books, penguin random, new york, 2016. Ruta sepetys historical novel salt to the sea follows four young adults harboring deep secrets. This excellent first book is simultaneously revisionist in the best sense of the term and ground breaking. The campaign scored successes during operation hannibal. The ruhr pocket and the baltic sea, 7th armored division. World war ii the baltic states and the russofinnish war. Free shipping due to covid19, orders may be delayed. Essays on the history of amphibious warfare merrill l. Has hitlers lost gold hoard been discovered in the baltic. More than 10,000 women, children, sick, and elderly pack aboard the wilhelm gustloff, a former cruise ship.
Naval warfare in world war i was mainly characterized by blockade. East of berlin, the red army stands poised to unleash its final assault upon the ruined capital of hitlers thousand year reich. The completion of the history of army group north is the result of the authors utilization of all german and russian literature, as well as those combat diaries and documents of the committed troop units that are available in german archives. While hardly the first time that chinas naval ensign could be spotted in this northern european body of water for instance, a chinese frigate participated in kiel week 2016, joint sea 2017 marks the first ever russochinese naval drill in the baltic sea. Mv wilhelm gustloff was a german armed military transport ship which was sunk on 30 january 1945 by soviet submarine s in the baltic sea while. Amphibious assaults in the eastern front axis history forum. The baltic fleets first ships were built in 17021703 in the mouth of the siyaz river at ladoga lake and at river svir.
Hitler, donitz, and the baltic sea the third reichs last hope, 1944 1945 by david grier. Seventy years ago the victorious allies dumped thousands of tonnes of nazi chemical weapons and chemical agents into the baltic sea. This offensive was referred to in germany as the plattensee offensive and in the soviet union as the balaton defensive operation 6 15 march 1945. Salt to the sea takes place in january 1945, during the final days of wwii. While primarily about naval operations in the baltic, grooss also gives us a look at ground operations and maritime events in the baltic littorals and adjacent waters, including the north sea, the norwegian sea, and the arctic ocean, setting the theatre within the framework of the wider war. The nook book ebook of the hitler, donitz, and the baltic sea. During world war ii hostilities in the baltic sea commenced on 1 september 1939. The baltic sea 121 the baltic sea is the final recipient of pollutants from the entire basin and is of special concern in efforts to improve our environment. The baltic sea campaigns 193945 describes operations of the axis naval forces in the baltic sea and its coastal regions that also included combat operations in the gulf of finland during the second world war, including in support of the land forces, and noncombat operations. Evacuation boats crossing the baltic sea the soviet east prussian offensive by the red army s 3rd belarusian front under general ivan chernyakhovsky commenced on january, 1945 and, with marshal konstantin rokossovskys 2nd belorussian front, subsequently cut off east prussia between january 23 and february 10, 1945. Grier 20, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay.
Soviet submarine found in baltic sea from world war 2 youtube. Also soviets used 4 landing barges of sbtype 720 t, built in 1940s, were used at baltic sea. I needed no convincing to know that she was the right vessel for me. Dec 19, 2012 a soviet submarine wreck has been found in the baltic sea by sweden. The uboat war in world war two kriegsmarine, 1939 1945 and world war one kaiserliche marine, 19141918 and the allied efforts to counter the threat. Apr 30, 2017 buy the naval war in the baltic, 19391945 by poul grooss isbn.
Poznamy w nim ludzi, ktorzy dzieki swojej pasji i determinacji udowodnili, ze surfing na baltyku jest mozliwy. Both well written and researched, the book provides a dramatic account of one of the most horrific maritime disasters in history. It was the midnight of august 19th20th 1944 when a heavy cruiser steamed through the irben route, between courland and oesel island. January 1945 was one of the coldest in living memory in northeast europe. From the shelling of the fort at westerplatte, on the polish coast, on 1 september 1939, to the loss of thousands of german refugees at sea in may 1945, the baltic witnessed continuous and ferocious fighting throughout world war ii. Howard d grier the popular conception of hitler in the final years of world war ii is that of a deranged fuhrer stubbornly demanding the defense of every foot of ground on all fronts and ordering hopeless attacks. It is believed over 9,000 perished in the cold baltic waters with only 1,200. Salt to the sea summary from litcharts the creators of. Baltic sea anomaly the baltic sea anomaly is a 60metre diameter circular rock formation on the floor of the northern baltic sea. She was as well the one that awoke the dream that had been with my since i was a child, of adventures at sea. During the immediate postwar period the importance of the redbanner baltic fleet increased despite the baltic being a shallow sea with the exits easily becoming choke points by other countries. To the north, at a lonely outpost near the baltic sea, german scientists perfect a guidance system for the mighty v2 rocket, which has already caused massive damage to the cities of london and antwerp. The allied powers, with their larger fleets and surrounding position, largely succeeded in their blockade of germany and the other central powers, whilst the efforts of the central powers to break that blockade, or to establish an effective counterblockade with submarines and commerce raiders, were eventually unsuccessful. In addition, soviet navy had the smaller fleet, caspian flotilla, operated in the caspian sea and followed by larger fleet, 5th squadron, in the middle east.
To celebrate the book s 75th anniversary in 2020, moomin characters ltd. Excellent companion book for this topic the naval war in the. About russian frogmen uses the name delfin in english and russian extracts from a book about soviet and russian combat divers by alexander rzhavin senior who served in the soviet naval spetsnaz in from 1973 to 1976. The baltic sea campaigns were conducted by axis and allied naval forces in the baltic sea, its coastal regions, and the gulf of finland during world war ii. It was not possible to simply book a voyage on the gustloff, however. This work is primarily about the land, naval and air operations that took place in and around the baltic sea from 1918 1945. At least 7000 military personnel and civilians in flight from the avenging red army perishednearly five times the number who died on the titanic. The name baltic sea became dominant only after 1600. Berlin red book columbus metropolitan library bibliocommons. The soviet navys organizational structure was divided into four major fleets. The naval war in the baltic, 19391945 poul grooss on. It moved noiseless, with lights off and slyly to the front.
Ships sunk by soviet aircrafts in baltic during wwii. Because this book is about military campaigns, the author has not touched on matters such as the holocaust and its effects on the populations of the baltic region, nor. September 4, 1939 british royal air force attacks the german navy. Operation veritable and operation grenade in february 1945, and operation. The greatest conflict in human history played out on all of the worlds oceans, and we cover these battles in our second world war at sea series the second great war is our innovative alternativehistory setting for second world war at sea heres a look at all of our second world war at sea products playbooks a complete game in a boook. The soviet naval baltic sea campaign in 1945 was launched by the soviet navy to harass enemy shipping and naval military assets of nazi germany on the eastern front during world war ii. Sea on march 1986, ultimately led to a decision to retire the submarine early. After long years of studying sources and literature, werner haupt presents the military history of one of the larger theaters of world war ii. Detachments of the soviet secret police, nkvd, raced to stave the flow of refugees in hopes of capturing members of the baltic. The battle of the sea of azov, also known as the chernigovka pocket was an axis military campaign fought between 26 september 1941 and 11 october 1941 on the northern shores of the sea of azov on the eastern front of world war ii during operation barbarossa. The formation has an appearance of rough granite, is round, 3 to 4 metres thick and approximately 60 metres in diameter, stands on an 8meter tall pillarlike feature, and is located at a depth of 85 to 90 metres. The third reichs last hope, 1944 1945 grier, howard d.
Their objective is to collect one million euros for john nurminen foundations work to save this stretch of ocean and its cultural heritage for future generations. From the shelling of the fort at westerplatte on the polish coast on september 1, 1939, to the loss of thousands of german refugees at sea in may 1945, the baltic witnessed continuous and ferocious fighting throughout world war ii. From pillau through hel peninsula, rugen, and copenhagen he arrived at flensburg, where he hid himself. The ground froze and the baltic sea was covered with a solid layer of ice. The naval war in the baltic 19391945 pen and sword books. By january 1945, soviet forces were beginning to cut off german civilians and military personnel in east prussia, the polish corridor and the baltic states. Dubbed the baltic sea anomaly, the object is a 70metre long 210 feet strangelyshaped feature that. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Soviet naval baltic sea campaign in 1945 wikipedia. For most of the second world war, the baltic sea was a virtual german lake. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The first six chapters provide an operational history of warfare on the northern sector of the eastern front and give evidence of the navys demands that the baltic coast be protected in order to preserve uboat training areas. The flotilla reached kaliningrad, the exercise headquarters, on july 21st. The most successful year for the germans in the baltic sea was 1943.
The deadliest disaster at sea killed thousands, yet its. Baltic sea anomaly scientists finally discover the truth. Ships sunk by soviet aircrafts in baltic, winter war baltic sea soviet air force and soviet naval air force were fundamental in the blockade of the finnish coasts, sinking merchants that violated the block. The western allied invasion of germany was coordinated by the western allies during the final months of hostilities in the european theatre of world war ii. A westward bound exodus of refugees streamed out of the baltic as germany unconditionally surrendered to the allies on may 7, 1945. Number of ships by type involved in accidents, 1945 1988. While the titanic and lusitania are both welldocumented disasters, the single greatest tragedy in maritime history is the littleknown january 30, 1945 sinking in the baltic sea by a soviet. It was reported that it was lost after world war 2. Aug 19, 2014 posts about baltic sea written by shipwreckology. It was created during the northern war of 17001721 following peter the greats plan and under his personal supervision. These are not deep, so the baltic gets salt water mainly by storms in the right circumstances every few years, while it gets fresh water from a large drainage basin. The baltic sea is connected to the atlantic through the danish straits little belt, great belt and oresund. The third reichs last hope, 1944 1945 david grier the popular conception of hitler in the final years of world war ii is that of a deranged fuhrer stubbornly demanding the defense of every foot of ground on all fronts and ordering hopeless attacks with. The third reich is in free fall as the russians close in from the east.
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