However, the official number is 35 000, still, I think, that number is lower than the actual one.Īlso, one thing, which I wonder a lot. The German and Estonian estimates support as high Soviet casualties as 170 000 in dead and wounded during the battle. Particularly affecting to indifference in the Soviet tactics and inflicting heavy casualties, I think, it was partly because of they were Estonian soldiers fighting in both sides. Yes, that's pretty much the case during the Blue Hills Battle. A great example of this is the battle for the Seelow Heights, where in spite of massive numerical and firepower advantage the Red Army struggled to take ground. When forced to attack in a narrow battle space against a dug in opponent the Red Army tended to suffer disproportionate casualties for small gains. The Soviets continued to struggle against AG North throughout the rest of the war, struggling to take Riga, suffering their last operational defeat in Operation Doppelkopf and failing to dislodge AG North from the Courland Peninsula.ĭeep battle tactics only really worked when there was sufficient frontage to find a weak spot and sufficient maneuver space to bypass strongpoints once a breakthrough occurred. This is part of the reason for the mass conscription of the various Baltic nationalities as soon as the Red Army occupied them - they were basically out of frontniki (front line soldiers such as riflemen and AT gunners) and desperately needed to fill ranks to become even marginally combat effective. In contrast the Leningrad Front had been attacking nearly continuously for 3 years and was badly worn down, with its infantry divisions badly depleted and in dire need of replenishment. It was far more similar to earlier Soviet operations like the siege of Demyansk or Operation Mars than to properly planned actions such as Bagration or August Storm.Īrmy Group North, although involved in numerous battles, had not been subjected to the same level of attritional combat that AG Centre and AG South had suffered throughout 19 and was therefore able to field stronger divisions with a higher proportion of veterans than the rest of the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front. Unlike Operation Bagration, the Soviet offensive was poorly planned and short on specialist support, relying on mass and concentrated fires to break thorough. The Soviet tactics were also extremely poor. On several occasions a handful of tigers halted entire division level attacks, as the Red Army in early 1944 simply had no counter to them when they were dug in with open sight lines and no way to outflank them. Finally the limited lines of attack allowed the Germans to use their heavy armor to maximum effect. The narrow frontage also gave the Germans the capacity to free up an operational reserve, which in turn allowed them to counter-attack any penetrations the Soviets managed. This forced the Red Army into frontal attacks. This is a film for those who appreciate a quality production and it may also shine a light on a part of that war that many of us know very little about, completely recommended.The Germans were well entrenched and there was limited space to maneuver. In Estonian, Russian and German with good sub titles. There is very little to find fault with here. The acting is just perfect and the direction seemingly effortless in how well it was done. There is a love interest too but that is both incidental and also a large part in that the affections in war time can often be magnified due to the constant proximity of death and injury. The Russian T34 tanks looked very real and even though there is some CGI here it makes no difference to the overall quality of the film. The action is as good as any you will see and the materiel all seemed to be spot on as well as the uniforms. The story is both simple and moving and it really does not pull its punches. Set during the Battle of Tannenburg in 1944 this is the story of several Estonian men who fought for either Stalin or Hitler.
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