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Fedor von Bock
December 3, 1880(1880-12-03) - May 4, 1945 (aged 64)

Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock
Nickname “Holy Fire of Küstrin”[1]
Place of birth Küstrin, Germany
Place of death Oldenburg, Germany
Allegiance Flag of German Empire German Empire (to 1918)
Flag of Germany Weimar Republic (to 1933)
Flag of Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
Years of service 1898 - 1942
Rank Generalfeldmarschall
Commands held Army Group North, 1939
Army Group B, 1940
Army Group Center, 1941
Army Group South, 1942
Battles/wars World War I

World War II
Awards Pour le Mérite
Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross

Fedor von Bock (December 3, 1880 – May 4, 1945) was an officer in the German military from 1898 to 1945, attaining the rank of Generalfeldmarschall (Field Marshal) during World War II. Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Oldenburg in Holstein is a town at the southwestern shore of the Baltic Sea. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from 1871 to 1918 when it was a semi- Constitutional monarchy: beginning with the Unification The term Weimar Republic ( ˈvaɪmarɐ repuˈbliːk is used by historians to signify the democratic and Republican period of Germany from 1919 to 1933 Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Field Marshal General, in German Generalfeldmarschall ( (usually translated simply as Field marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall Army Group North ( Heeresgruppe Nord) was a strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. Army Group Center (Heeresgruppe Mitte was the name of two distinct German strategic Army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Invasion of Poland (1939 precipitated World War II. It was carried out by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small German-allied In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II The Battle of Moscow (Битва под Москвой Romanized: Bitva pod Moskvoy, Schlacht um Moskau is the name given by the Soviet historians to the two Case Blue ( Fall Blau) was the German codename used by the German Armed Forces ( Wehrmacht) for its 1942 strategic summer offensive in southern The Battle of Voronezh was a battle on the Eastern Front of World War II, fought in and around the strategically important city of Voronezh on the The Pour le Mérite, known informally during World War I as the Blue Max (Blauer Max was the Kingdom of Prussia 's highest military order until The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( German language: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) was a grade of the Iron Cross Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French Year 1880 ( MDCCCLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking Military rank is a system of hierarchical relationships in Armed forces or civil institutions organized along military lines Field Marshal General, in German Generalfeldmarschall ( (usually translated simply as Field marshal, and sometimes written only as Feldmarschall World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including As a leader who lectured his soldiers about the honor of dying for the German Fatherland, he was nicknamed "Der Sterber" (literally, "The Dier") [2]. Bock served as the commander of Army Group North during the Invasion of Poland in 1939, commander of Army Group B during the Invasion of France in 1940, and later as the commander of Army Group Center during the attack on the Soviet Union in 1941; his final command was that of Army Group South in 1942. Army Group North ( Heeresgruppe Nord) was a strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War The Invasion of Poland (1939 precipitated World War II. It was carried out by Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, and a small German-allied Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. In World War II, the Battle of France, also known as the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries Army Group Center (Heeresgruppe Mitte was the name of two distinct German strategic Army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.

Bock is best known for commanding Operation Typhoon, the ultimately failed attempt to capture Moscow during the winter of 1941. The Battle of Moscow (Битва под Москвой Romanized: Bitva pod Moskvoy, Schlacht um Moskau is the name given by the Soviet historians to the two Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of The Wehrmacht offensive was slowed by stiff Soviet resistance around Mozhaisk, and also by the Rasputitsa, the season of rain and mud in Russia. Wehrmacht (literally "defense force" was the name of the unified Armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945 A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia. Mozhaysk (Можа́йск mɘ'ʐaɪsk is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located to the west from the Russian capital on the historic road The rasputitsa (распу́тица is the biannual season when roads become impassable in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. The soft dirt roads in Russia quickly turned into quagmires, and as a result the pace of the German advance slowed to a crawl. Once the full fury of the Russian winter struck, which was the coldest in over 50 years,[3] the German armies quickly became unable to conduct further combat operations, with more casualties occurring due to the cold weather than from battle. [4] The Soviet counteroffensive soon drove the German army into retreat, and Bock, who recommended an earlier withdrawal, was subsequently relieved of command by Adolf Hitler. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately

A lifelong officer in the German military, Bock was considered to be a very "by the book" general. Please see " General " for other countries which use this rank General (genəˈraːl is presently the highest rank He also had a reputation for being a fiery lecturer, earning him the nickname “Holy Fire of Küstrin”. [5] Bock was not considered to be a brilliant theoretician, but possessed a strong sense of determination, feeling that the greatest glory that could come to a German soldier was to die on the battlefield for the Fatherland. The word theory has many distinct meanings in different fields of Knowledge, depending on their methodologies and the context of discussion. [6]

Bock personally despised Nazism, and was not heavily involved in politics. Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German However, he also did not sympathize with plots to overthrow Adolf Hitler, and never filed official protests over the treatment of civilians by the Schutzstaffel. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately The ( German for "Protective Squadron" abbreviated SS - or ( Runic)- was a major Nazi organization under Adolf Hitler and the Bock was also uncommonly outspoken, a privilege Hitler extended to him only because he had been successful in battle. [7]

Contents

Early life

Fedor von Bock was born in Küstrin, a fortress city on the banks of the Oder River in the Province of Brandenburg. The Oder (known in Czech and Polish as Odra) is a River in Central Europe. } The Province of Brandenburg (Provinz Brandenburg was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Free State of Prussia from 1815 to 1946 His full name given at birth was Moritz Albrecht Franz Friedrich Fedor. [8]

He was born into a Prussian Protestant aristocratic family whose military heritage is traceable to the time of the Hohenzollerns. Prussia ( Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; Prūsija Prūsija Prusy Old Prussian: Prūsa) was most recently a historic state Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Aristocracy is a form of Government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations His father, Karl Moritz von Bock, commanded a division in the Franco-Prussian War, and was decorated for bravery at the Battle of Sedan. The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War ( 19 July, 1870 — 10 May, 1871 The Battle of Sedan was fought during the Franco-Prussian War on 1 September 1870 His great-grandfather served in the armies of Frederick the Great, and his grandfather was an officer in the Prussian Army at Jena. Frederick II (Friedrich II January 24 1712 August 17 1786) was a King of Prussia (1740&ndash1786 from the The twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt (older name Auerstädt were fought on October 14, 1806 on the plateau west of the river Saale His mother, Olga Helene Fransziska Freifrau von Falkenhayn von Bock, was of both German and Russian aristocratic heritage. The Russian Empire ( Pre-reform Russian: Pоссійская Имперія Modern Russian: Российская Империя translit: Rossiyskaya Bock was distantly related to Erich von Falkenhayn. Erich von Falkenhayn ( 11 September 1861 &ndash 8 April 1922) was a German Soldier and Chief of the General Staff

At the age of eight, Bock went to Berlin to study at the Potsdam and Gross Lichterfelde Military Academy. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Also see Potsdam New York (in the USA For the Potsdam Conference see Potsdam Conference. The education emphasized Prussian militarism, and he quickly became adept in academic subjects such as modern languages, mathematics, and history. Militarism is the belief or desire of a government or people that a country should maintain a strong military capability and be prepared to use it aggressively to defend or A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them Mathematics is the body of Knowledge and Academic discipline that studies such concepts as Quantity, Structure, Space and History is the study of the past particularly the written record Those who study history as a Profession are called Historians Etymology He spoke fluent French, and to a fair degree English and Russian. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States Russian ( transliteration:,) is the most geographically widespread language of Eurasia, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages [9] At an early age, and largely due to his father, Bock developed an unquestioned loyalty to the state and dedication to the military profession. This upbringing would greatly influence his actions and decisions when he commanded armed forces during the Second World War. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including [10] At the age of 17, Bock became an officer candidate in the Imperial Foot Guards Regiment at Potsdam; he received an officer’s commission a year later. He entered service with the rank of Sekondeleutnant. [11]

The tall, thin, narrow-shouldered Bock had a dry and cynical sense of humor; he seldom smiled. [12] His manner was described as being arrogant, ambitious, and opinionated; he approached military bearing with an unbending demeanor. [13] While not a brilliant theoretician, Bock was a highly determined officer. As one of the highest ranking officers in the Reichswehr, he often addressed graduating cadets at his alma mater. The Reichswehr ( German for "National Defence" formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935 when it was Alma mater is Latin for "nourishing mother" It was used in Ancient Rome as a title for the mother Goddess, and in Medieval His theme was always that the greatest glory that could come to a German soldier was to die for the Fatherland. Fatherland is the nation of one's "fathers" " Forefathers " or "patriarchs" [14] He quickly earned the nickname “Holy Fire of Kürstin”. [15]

In 1905, Bock married Mally von Reichenbach, a young Prussian noblewoman, whom he had originally met in Berlin. [16] They were married in a traditional military wedding at the Potsdam garrison. They had a daughter, born two years after the marriage. A year later, Bock attended the War Academy in Berlin, and after a year’s study he joined the ranks of the General Staff. He soon joined the patriotic Army League and become a close associate of other young German officers such as Walther von Brauchitsch, Franz Halder, and Gerd von Rundstedt. Heinrich Alfred Hermann Walther von Brauchitsch ( 4 October 1881 &ndash 18 October 1948) was an aristocratic German field Franz Ritter Halder ( June 30 1884 &ndash April 2 1972) was a German General and the head of the Army General Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt ( December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German In 1908, he was promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant. [17]

World War I

By the time the First World War began in 1914, Bock was a Hauptmann. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year [18] He was assigned as a divisional staff officer in von Rupprecht’s army group on the Western Front. Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914 the German army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining Major von Bock was a friend of the Crown Prince of Germany. Two days before the Armistice, he met with Kaiser Wilhelm II at Spa, Belgium, in an unsuccessful attempt to persuade the Kaiser to return to Berlin to crush the mutiny at Kiel. Spa is a Municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liège. After the Treaty of Versailles was signed, limiting the German Army to 100,000 troops, Bock stayed on as an officer of the post-treaty Reichswehr, and rose through the ranks. The Reichswehr ( German for "National Defence" formed the military organisation of Germany from 1919 until 1935 when it was In 1935, Adolf Hitler appointed General von Bock as commander of the Third Army Group. [19] Bock was one of the officers not removed from his position when Hitler reorganized the armed forces during the phase of German rearmament before the outbreak of World War II. An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority He remained a monarchist, and was a frequent visitor to the former Kaiser's estate. Hitler reportedly said of him, "Nobody in the world but Von Bock can teach soldiers to die. " [20] Bock himself told his troops, "The ideal soldier fulfills his duty to the utmost, obeys without even thinking, thinks only when ordered to do so, and has as his only desire to die the honorable death of a soldier killed in action. " [21]

General von Bock commanded the invasion of Vienna in March 1938 for the Anschluss and then the invasion of Czechoslovakia, before leading German armies into the Second World War. The ( German: "link-up" also known as the, was the 1938 Annexation of Austria into Greater Germany by the Nazi Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

World War II

Invasion of Poland

By August 25, 1939, Bock was in command of Army Group North in preparation for the invasion and conquest of Poland. Events 1248 - The Dutch city of Ommen receives city rights and fortification rights from Otto III the Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Army Group North ( Heeresgruppe Nord) was a strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland The objective of Army Group North was to destroy the Polish forces north of the Vistula. Army Group North was composed of General Georg von Küchler's 3rd Army, and General Günther von Kluge's 4th Army. Georg Karl Friedrich Wilhelm von Küchler ( May 30 1881 &ndash May 25 1968) was a German Field marshal during The 3rd Army (3 Armee Oberkommando was a German field army that fought during World War I and World War II. Günther “Hans” von Kluge ( October 30, 1882 – August 19, 1944) was a German military leader The 4th Army (4 Armee Oberkommando was a field army that fought in World War II. These struck southward from East Prussia and eastward across the base of the Polish Corridor, respectively. Background Giving Poland access to the sea was one of the guarantees proposed by the United States President Woodrow Wilson in his Fourteen

In just five weeks, Poland was overrun by German and Soviet forces and Bock had linked Germany back to East Prussia. East Prussia (Ostpreußen; Rytų Prūsija or Rytprūsiai; Prusy Wschodnie Восточная Пруссия or Vostochnaya Prussiya) refers to the main part Following the success in Poland, Bock returned to Berlin to begin preparations for the upcoming campaign in the West.

Fedor von Bock in Paris, 1940.
Fedor von Bock in Paris, 1940. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city

Invasion of France

Shortly after the conquest of Poland, on October 12, 1939, Bock was given command of Army Group B, with 291/2 divisions, including three armoured divisions. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II. These were tasked with advancing through the Low Countries and luring the northern units of the Allied armies into a pocket. The Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. Army Group B consisted of the 18th Army and Sixth Army. The 18th Army (German 18 Armee) was a World War II Field army. The 6th Army was a German Field army which saw action in World War I and World War II.

On July 18, 1940, Bock was promoted to the rank of Generalfeldmarschall during a reception held by Adolf Hitler. Events 390 BC - Roman - Gaulish Wars Battle of the Allia - a Roman army is defeated by raiding Gauls, Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For much of the summer of 1940 Bock alternated his time between his headquarters in Paris and his home in Berlin. At the end of August, Army High Command transferred Army Group B to East Prussia; this included Kluge’s Fourth Army. The 4th Army (4 Armee Oberkommando was a field army that fought in World War II. On September 11, 1940, Bock relinquished command of his occupation area in France to Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb. Events 9 - The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest ends 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb ( September 5, 1876 - April 29, 1956) was a German Field Marshal during World War II

Operation Barbarossa

Operation Barbarossa: the German invasion of the Soviet Union, 21 June 1941 to 5 December 1941:      to 9 July 1941      to 1 September 1941      to 9 September 1941      to 5 December 1941
Operation Barbarossa: the German invasion of the Soviet Union, 21 June 1941 to 5 December 1941:      to 9 July 1941      to 1 September 1941      to 9 September 1941      to 5 December 1941

In preparation for Operation Barbarossa, on April 1, 1941, Army Group B was re-designated as Army Group Center in an official order from Army High Command which defined the organization of the invasion force. Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Army Group Center (Heeresgruppe Mitte was the name of two distinct German strategic Army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II [22] Deployed in Poland, Army Group Center was one of the three army formations which were to lead the invasion of the Soviet Union. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 It included the 4th Army and 9th Army, the 3rd Panzer Army and 4th Panzer Army and the 2nd Air Fleet. The 4th Army (4 Armee Oberkommando was a field army that fought in World War II. The 9th Army (9 Armee was a World War II field army The 9th Army was activated on May 15, 1940 with General Johannes Blaskowitz in command The 3rd Panzer Army (3Panzerarmee was a German army that saw action during World War II. The 4th Panzer Army (German 4Panzer-Armee) was before being designated a full army the Panzer Group 4 ( Panzergruppe 4) a German Panzer On the left flank of Bock's Army Group Center was Army Group North, commanded by Ritter von Leeb; on the right flank was Army Group South, commanded by Gerd von Rundstedt. Army Group North ( Heeresgruppe Nord) was a strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt ( December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German

Initially, the main objective of Army Group Center was to follow Napoleon’s route north of the Pripyat Marshes straight to Moscow. Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. The Pinsk Marshes (Пинские болота or Pripyat Marshes ( Pripet Marshes, Припятские болота are a vast territory of Wetlands Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of However, against all strong vocal opposition of von Bock, Hitler altered the original invasion plan, one of many changes he would make, both before the invasion and after it had already begun. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately Von Bock opposed any changes to the invasion plan of Moscow, because he wanted to occupy Moscow as soon as he could, and hopefully before the onset of the winter conditions there, so that his troops would be in warm conditions inside the buildings during winter. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of His concern turned out to be the cause of failure of the Soviet campaign. A soviet (сове́т, "council" originally was a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia.

The new task of Army Group Center was to drive towards the cities of Minsk and Smolensk, and in great encirclements destroy the Soviet Armies stationed there. Minsk (Мінск mʲinsk Минск mʲinsk is the Capital and largest city in Belarus, situated on the Svislach and Niamiha rivers Smolensk (Смоленск is a city in western Russia, located on the Dnieper River, the administrative centre of Smolensk Oblast. Army Group Center would then drive toward Leningrad, and along with Army Group North destroy the remnants of the Soviet Armies in the Baltic states and seize valuable ports for the supply of the campaign. Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River The Baltic states (Balti riigid Baltijas valstis Baltijos valstybės or Baltic countries are three countries in Northern Europe, all members of the Only after the bulk of the Soviet army was destroyed in Western Russia would Army Group Center then drive toward the Soviet capital. Hitler made this change conscious of the fact that despite capturing Moscow, Napoleon was defeated because he did not destroy the Russian army. [23]

At 3:15 a. m. , June 22, 1941, the first shots of Operation Barbarossa were fired. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. At the outset of the campaign Bock remained at his desk in his headquarters waiting for the first reports from the front. Within an hour of the attack, the first reports began to arrive at Army Group Center headquarters. Elements of Heinz Guderian’s force had crossed the Bug River and were bypassing the city of Brest-Litovsk. Heinz Wilhelm Guderian ( 17 June, 1888 – 14 May, 1954) was a military theorist and innovative General of the German Hermann Hoth’s tanks were heading for Grodno on the Nieman River to seize the important river crossings. Hermann "Papa" Hoth ( 12 April 1885 - 25 January 1971) was an officer in the German Military from "Nieman" and "Niemen" redirects here For other uses see Neman and Nieman (disambiguation. Several reconnaissance units from the 4th Army and 9th Army had already crossed the Bug and Desna Rivers. The 4th Army (4 Armee Oberkommando was a field army that fought in World War II. The 9th Army (9 Armee was a World War II field army The 9th Army was activated on May 15, 1940 with General Johannes Blaskowitz in command Desna (Десна is a River in Russia and Ukraine, left Tributary of the Dnieper.

At 7:00 a. m. Bock flew from Posen to an advanced airfield near the headquarters of XIII Infantry Corps. There, Lieutenant General Erich Jaschke gave Bock a summary of the progress of the invasion. Following this meeting, Bock visited Guderian’s forward command post at Bokhaly. Guderian’s Chief of staff Colonel Kurt Freiherr von Liebenstein greeted Bock, as Guderian had already crossed the Bug River several hours earlier with the 18th Panzer Division. Kurt Freiherr von Liebenstein ( February 28, 1899 &ndash August 3, 1975) was a German General. The 18th Panzer Division (18 Panzer-Division was a German World War II armoured division that fought on the Eastern Front from 1941 until disbandment Bock then visited Joachim Lemelsen, who gave an agitated report from the front. Joachim Lemelsen ( September 28, 1888 - March 30, 1954) was a German General during the Second World War The roads on the Russian side of the Bug River were already becoming too soft to support the weight of tanks. As a result, several tank columns had to be rerouted to cross a bridge farther south at Koden. Kodeń is a village and the site of a famous Marian shrine in eastern Poland, on the Western Bug river which forms the border between Poland and This rerouting caused severe traffic congestion, as some ten thousand vehicles converged on this single crossing. Despite this, the first day of the invasion had been spectacularly successful. Russian resistance was reported as being light and complete surprise was achieved. All along the front rapid progress was being made.

Hermann Hoth with Bock (left) in Russia during Operation Barbarossa, 1941.
Hermann Hoth with Bock (left) in Russia during Operation Barbarossa, 1941. Hermann "Papa" Hoth ( 12 April 1885 - 25 January 1971) was an officer in the German Military from Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II

On the second day of Barbarossa, Bock crossed the Bug River. Escorted by Major General Gustav Schmidt, he made his way to a company command post from where he observed German artillery firing on Russian positions near Brest-Litovsk. Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine Despite the fact that German panzers had already crossed deep into Russian territory, the defenders of the city were holding out stubbornly. Later that day Bock was presented with reports that Russian resistance was stiffening all long the front, especially on Guderian’s southern flank. Meanwhile, Hoth’s forces were advancing with much more ease through the Baltic states and White Russia. " White Russia " (Белая Русь ~ White Ruthenia is a name that has historically been applied to various regions in Eastern Europe, most often The first two days of Army Group Center’s advance proved to be highly successful.

Hoth’s armies advanced so quickly that Bock immediately contacted Walter von Brauchitsch, requesting the bypassing of Minsk in favor of attacking toward Vitebsk so that a drive could be made for Moscow. Heinrich Alfred Hermann Walther von Brauchitsch ( 4 October 1881 &ndash 18 October 1948) was an aristocratic German field Vitebsk, also known as Vitsyebsk ( Belarusian: Ві́цебск 'vʲitsʲepsk Russian: Ви́тебск Vitebsk Initially, the change in plan was accepted but it was soon overruled by Hitler, who favored the encirclement and destruction of the large Soviet armies near Minsk. Bock wrote in his diary:

The envelopment of Minsk is not decisive. Besides, I am sure that the enemy expects us to attack Minsk, the next natural objective, and will concentrate defense forces there. [24]

Differences between Bock’s strategic intent and the intent of High Command repeatedly surfaced. Bock continued to favor a direct drive toward Moscow, bypassing Soviet armies and leaving them to be destroyed by infantry, which advanced well behind tank columns. Bock argued that if encirclement was truly necessary then instead of diverting his tanks north and south to encircle and destroy smaller Soviet armies, a larger encirclement should be made eastward toward the Dvina-Dnieper River basins. For the rocket see Dnepr rocket. For other uses see Dnieper (disambiguation. [25] Hitler decided against this plan, and insisted that the pockets containing Soviet armies must be destroyed before advancing deeper into Russia.

Bock, enraged by this decision, was quoted as saying:

We are permitting our greatest chance of success to escape us by this restriction placed on our armor![26]

He hesitantly gave the order to abandon the drive toward Vitebsk and assist in the destruction of the pockets. On June 25, Bock moved his headquarters from Posen to Kobryn, a town about fifteen miles northeast of Brest-Litovsk. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Kobryn or Kobrin (Ко́брын 'kɔbrɨn קאברין Kobryń Ко́брин is a city in the Brest voblast of Belarus and the center of the On June 30, the 4th Army and 9th Army met each other near Slonim, trapping thousands of Russian soldiers. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Slonim ( Belarusian: Сло́нім is a city in Belarus in the Hrodna voblast and Slonim Rayon, located at the junction of the Shchara However, many Russian soldiers managed to escape eastward. Bock soon gave the order to disengage from the encirclement and prepare for a full-scale drive to the east. This order once again caused a confrontation between Bock and Brauchitsch.

On July 3, Bock’s forces were once again advancing eastward, with Guderian’s tanks crossing the Beresina and Hoth’s tanks crossing the Duna. Events 324 - Battle of Adrianople Constantine I defeats Licinius, who flees to Byzantium. The Danube (In Donau from earlier Danuvius, Celtic *dānu, meaning "to flow run" Slovak and Polish Dunaj This day marked the furthest distance covered by Bock’s troops in a single day, with over 100 miles traveled. [27] Four days later, Guderian’s tanks crossed the Dnieper River, the last great obstacle before Smolensk. For the rocket see Dnepr rocket. For other uses see Dnieper (disambiguation. Smolensk (Смоленск is a city in western Russia, located on the Dnieper River, the administrative centre of Smolensk Oblast. However, Guderian was soon ordered by Günther von Kluge to withdraw back across the river. Günther “Hans” von Kluge ( October 30, 1882 – August 19, 1944) was a German military leader Bock soon reversed this order, and Guderian was allowed to re-cross the river. Bock protested Kluge’s actions to High Command, to no avail. [28] On July 11, Bock moved his headquarters again to Borisov, a Russian town near the Beresina River. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. Barysaw (Бары́саў also transliterated as Barysau, ba'rɨsau̯ Бори́сов Borisov) (population 150700 as of 1999 is a town in Belarus

Operation Typhoon

On September 9, Army High Command instructed Bock to prepare an operational order for the assault on Moscow. Events 1000 - Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. 1379 - Treaty of Neuberg, splitting the Austrian Operation Typhoon was the code-name given to this new attack, which was to begin no later then September 30. The Battle of Moscow (Битва под Москвой Romanized: Bitva pod Moskvoy, Schlacht um Moskau is the name given by the Soviet historians to the two Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Bock carefully supervised the planning and preparation of the operation, and a few days later it was approved by the High Command.

As part of the preparation for Operation Typhoon, Army Group Center would be reinforced and replenished with men and vehicles; it would be composed of three infantry armies (2nd Army, 4th Army, and 9th Army) and three tank armies (2nd Panzer Army, 3rd Panzer Army, and 4th Panzer Army). The 2nd Army (German 2 Armee Oberkommando) was a World War I and World War II field army The 4th Army (4 Armee Oberkommando was a field army that fought in World War II. The 9th Army (9 Armee was a World War II field army The 9th Army was activated on May 15, 1940 with General Johannes Blaskowitz in command The 2nd Panzer Army (2Panzerarmee was a German Tank army that was a large armoured formation within the Wehrmacht Heer field forces during World War II The 3rd Panzer Army (3Panzerarmee was a German army that saw action during World War II. The 4th Panzer Army (German 4Panzer-Armee) was before being designated a full army the Panzer Group 4 ( Panzergruppe 4) a German Panzer Colonel General Erich Hoepner would command the 4th Panzer Army, while the former two were outgrowths of Hoth’s and Guderian’s original Panzer Groups. Erich Hoepner ( September 14, 1886 &ndash August 8, 1944) was a German General in World War II. The replenishment of Army Group Center for Operation Typhoon caused it to increase greatly in size: with almost 1. 5 million soldiers, it was now larger than it was at the outset of Operation Barbarossa. Operation Barbarossa ( Unternehmen Barbarossa) was the Codename for Nazi Germany 's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II Bock spent most of the remainder of September on inspection tours of his reinforced Army Group Center. On one occasion, Bock, along with Albert Kesselring, flew over Moscow. Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 - 16 July 1960 was a Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. [29]

On September 29, Bock held a conference with his senior commanders Strauss, Hoth, Kluge, Weichs, Hoepner, Guderian, and Kesselring. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. Hermann "Papa" Hoth ( 12 April 1885 - 25 January 1971) was an officer in the German Military from Günther “Hans” von Kluge ( October 30, 1882 – August 19, 1944) was a German military leader Maximilian Maria Joseph Karl Gabriel Lamoral Reichsfreiherr von Weichs zu Glon ( 12 November 1881 &ndash 27 June 1954) was a German Erich Hoepner ( September 14, 1886 &ndash August 8, 1944) was a German General in World War II. Heinz Wilhelm Guderian ( 17 June, 1888 – 14 May, 1954) was a military theorist and innovative General of the German Albert Kesselring (30 November 1885 - 16 July 1960 was a Luftwaffe Generalfeldmarschall during World War II. During the meeting the main operational plan was reviewed, with Bock again stressing that Moscow must be taken by November 7, before the onset of the Russian winter, and to coincide with the anniversary of the Russian Revolution. Events 1492 - The Ensisheim Meteorite the oldest Meteorite with a known date of impact strikes the Earth around noon in a Wheat The Russian (or Soviet) Winter is a common excuse for military failures of invaders in Russia The October Revolution (Октябрьская революция Oktyabrskaya revolyutsiya) also known as the Soviet Revolution [30] The following day, Operation Typhoon began with attacks from Guderian’s and Hoth’s armored forces. Several days later, the infantry armies began to move toward Moscow. With less then 100 miles between the most advanced troops and Moscow, Bock estimated that his troops would enter the city in three to four weeks. [31]

Almost immediately, Bock’s forces encountered stiff Soviet resistance on the road to Moscow. The previous diversions of Army Group Center allowed the Soviets to reinforce the area between Smolensk and Moscow with the Russian 3rd Army, 10th Army, 13th Army, and 20th Army, as well as elements of three other armies. Smolensk (Смоленск is a city in western Russia, located on the Dnieper River, the administrative centre of Smolensk Oblast. German forces were outnumbered almost two to one. However, the superior tactics and training of the Wehrmacht, along with an element of surprise, resulted in significant gains despite the increasingly desperate measures employed by the Russians to stop the advance.

The 2nd Panzer Army, along with the XLVIII Panzer Corps, attacked important rail junctions near Orel and Bryansk. Bryansk01jpg|thumb|left|200px|Forest Museum in Bryansk]]Ziu-9 Bryansk 2056 Hoepner’s 4th Panzer Army soon crossed the Desna River and gained access to deep Russian territory. Desna (Десна is a River in Russia and Ukraine, left Tributary of the Dnieper. Meanwhile, Hoth’s 3rd Panzer Army struck toward Rshev on the Volga River.

On October 3, Guderian’s forces soon captured Orel and subsequently gained access to a paved highway which led to Moscow, some 180 miles away. Events 42 BC - First Battle of Philippi: Triumvirs Mark Antony and Octavian fight an indecisive battle with Caesar's Meanwhile, elements of the 2nd Panzer Army reported that they had bypassed Bryansk and were heading toward Kuraschev. Bock ordered Guderian to press on toward Tula, but within hours this order had been reversed by High Command. The reversal of the order called for Guderian to attack Bryansk where, along with Vyazma, two massive encirclements of Soviet forces were occurring. Vyazma (Вя́зьма Wiaźma is a town in Smolensk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vyazma River, about halfway between Smolensk and Bock argued that the area between Orel and Tula remained relatively free of Soviet forces and that Tula could be captured within hours. Ultimately, Bock agreed to divert Guderian’s tanks toward Byansk.

Cold rain soon began to fall over the northern sectors of Army Group Center’s front, and the roads soon turned into quagmires as part of the Rasputitsa. The rasputitsa (распу́тица is the biannual season when roads become impassable in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine. Virtually the entire front became stuck - the only vehicles capable of negotiating the mud were tanks and other tracked vehicles. However, these moved at a snail's pace (sometimes less than two miles per day[32] ), and fuel consumption soared. This further aggravated the problem of already poor supply lines. [33] Trucks soon became stuck in the mud, as soldiers tried desperately to free them. As the temperature continued to drop, Guderian requested a supply of winter clothing and anti-freeze for the vehicles. However, the increase in partisan activity behind the lines, along with the deteriorating weather conditions, made it increasingly difficult for these vital supplies to reach the front. In one two day period, partisans made over sixty attacks on German truck convoys, outposts, and railway lines.

Soldiers of Army Group Center try to keep warm during the assault on Moscow
Soldiers of Army Group Center try to keep warm during the assault on Moscow

Slight improvements in the weather soon made it possible for Bock’s forces to continue to seal the pockets around Bryansk and Vyazma. Army Group Center (Heeresgruppe Mitte was the name of two distinct German strategic Army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of The dual encirclements of Soviet forces around Vyazma and Bryansk yielded some of the largest Soviet casualties since the beginning of Operation Barbarossa: some 650,000 prisoners were taken during these two encirclements, after which the Soviet armies facing Bock’s Army Group Center no longer had the advantage of superior numbers. [34]

The weather soon deteriorated again, with the roads once more turning into impassable, muddy quagmires. Since September 30, Bock had lost some 35,000 men, 250 tanks and artillery pieces, and several hundred other vehicles, many of which were mired in the mud. Events 1399 - Henry IV is proclaimed King of England. 1744 - France and Spain defeat the Fuel and ammunition supplies became dangerously low. Despite these problems, the advance toward Moscow continued as Hitler became increasingly impatient. When advance units of the 4th Panzer Army reached Kaluga and Maloyaroslavets, German forces were within forty miles of Moscow. Kaluga01 0812 168gjpg|thumb|left|200px|Central Kaluga]]Kaluga01 0812 170g Maloyaroslavets (Малояросла́вец is a town in Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Luzha River ( Oka 's Guderian's advance in the south was much slower. An attempt by his forces to capture Tula had failed, with considerable losses of men and tanks. However, other units captured Stalinogorsk and Venev, indicating the possibility of bypassing Tula. Novomoskovsk (Новомоско́вск called Bobriki (ru Бо́брики before 1934 and Stalinogorsk (ru Сталиного́рск between 1934 and Venyov (Венёв is a town in Tula Oblast, Russia, located on the Venyovka River, 52 km east of Tula.

As Bock’s forces pressed on toward Moscow, panic struck in the capital. Hundreds of thousands of civilians began to evacuate the city while others were forces into emergency volunteer units. Martial law was instituted as looting and pillaging of deserted stores increased. Martial law is the system of rules that takes effect when the military takes control of the normal administration of justice Marshal Timoshenko was relieved of command in favor of Georgy Zhukov, who had been organizing the defense of Leningrad. Semyon Konstantinovich Timoshenko (Семё́н Константи́нович Тимоше́нко Semën Konstantinovič Timošenko; &ndash March 31, 1970 Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River The main bulk of the Soviet government was evacuated to Kuibyshev, 500 miles southeast of Moscow; however, Stalin remained in the capital after being reassured by Zhukov that the capital would not fall. Samara (Сама́ра ( Kuybyshev (ru Ку́йбышев from 1935 to 1990 is one of the largest cities in Russia. [35]

The further Bock’s forces advanced, the stiffer Soviet resistance became. The paved roads leading to Moscow became craters under constant Russian artillery fire, rendering them impassable. This forced the German troops into the mud and Army Group Center soon became stuck once again. The goal of capturing Moscow by mid-October could no longer be achieved. However, the sheer weight of the German advance could not be fully stopped and on October 21 units of the 9th Army captured Kalinin. Events 1512 - Martin Luther joins the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg. Tver (Тверь is a city in Russia, the administrative center of Tver Oblast.

As November arrived the mud soon turned into ice as temperatures dropped to -20 F. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 While the ground hardened sufficiently enough to support vehicles, the cold weather added to the miseries of the German soldiers as many had not received winter clothing. Frostbite soon took its toll - many soldiers were severely affected and had to be evacuated.

On November 20, Bock moved his field headquarters to an advanced forward position near the front lines. Events 284 - Diocletian was chosen as Roman Emperor. 762 - Bögü Khan of the Uyghurs, There he visited an artillery command post, where he could see the buildings of Moscow through his field glasses. [36] Several days later, German forces crossed the Moscow-Volga Canal and reached Khimki but soon fell back due to Soviet resistance. The Moscow Canal (Кана́л и́мени Москвы́ called Moscow-Volga Canal until the year 1947, is a Canal that connects the Khimki (Химки is a city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated just northwest of Moscow, at the west bank of the Moscow Canal. On November 29, elements of the 4th Panzer Army reached the western suburbs of Moscow. Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe On December 4, units of the 2nd Army reached Kuntsevo, a western suburb of Moscow. "December 4th" redirects here For the song by Jay-Z, see December 4th (song. Several units of Guderian’s army bypassed Kolomna and reached the Moscow River. Kolomna (Коло́мна is an ancient city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated at the confluence of the Moskva and The Moskva River (Москва is a river that flows through the Moscow and Smolensk Oblasts in Russia, and is a Tributary of the Oka Meanwhile, the 3rd Panzer Army once again fought into Khimki. These were the last advances made by Army Group Center under Bock’s command. [37]

On December 6, with the temperature at -50 F, fresh Russian troops commanded by Zhukov launched a huge counterattack. Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev All along the front near Moscow German troops retreated, destroying whatever equipment they could not salvage. Several days later, High Command ordered a halt to all offensive operations. Bock wrote in his diary:

All along, I demanded of Army High Command the authority to strike down the enemy when he was wobbling. We could have finished the enemy last summer. We could have destroyed him completely. Last August, the road to Moscow was open; we could have entered the Bolshevik capital in triumph and in summery weather. The high military leadership of the Fatherland made a terrible mistake when it forced my army group to adopt a position of defense last August. Now all of us are paying for that mistake. [38]

By December 13, German forces had retreated more than 50 miles from the capital. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life On December 18, Bock was relieved of his command of Army Group Center. Events 218 BC - Second Punic War: Battle of the Trebia - Hannibal 's Carthaginian forces defeat those of the The official pretext of this decision was health problems. [39] However, this was just one case out of some 40 high ranking officers being relieved of their command following the failure to capture Moscow. [40] Bock's command of Army Group Center marked the closest the German army ever got to Moscow; never again would the Soviet capital be threatened.

Operation Blue

When Bock asked for permission to withdraw his exhausted troops in December 1941, he was dismissed from his post as Commander of Army Group Center, to be reassigned to lead Army Group South in January 1942, when field marshal Walter von Reichenau died of a heart attack. Army Group Center (Heeresgruppe Mitte was the name of two distinct German strategic Army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II. Walter von Reichenau ( October 8, 1884 &ndash January 17, 1942) was a German Generalfeldmarschall. Only five months later, in July 1942, Hitler blamed him for the failure of "Operation Braunschweig", the second part of the German offensive in Russia, and retired him definitively. The command of Army Group South was given to Maximilian von Weichs. Maximilian Maria Joseph Karl Gabriel Lamoral Reichsfreiherr von Weichs zu Glon ( 12 November 1881 &ndash 27 June 1954) was a German

While privately opposing the atrocities being committed against Soviet civilians, Bock never protested directly to Hitler, although at one time, he had a subordinate file a formal complaint ("Meine Herren, ich stelle fest: Der Feldmarschall von Bock hat protestiert!" - "gentlemen, I state: The field marshal von Bock has protested"). His nephew, Henning von Tresckow, tried in vain to win him for the military resistance against the Hitler regime. Henning von Tresckow Henning Hermann Robert Karl von Tresckow ( January 10 1901 &ndash July 21 1944) was a Major General in the When his staff officers planned the assassination of Hitler during a visit to his Army Group, Bock intervened. On the other hand he did not report the conspirators either.

One of the reasons for Bock's dismissal is believed to have been his expressed interest in supporting the Russian Liberation Movement, which Hitler was categorically against. Russian Liberation Movement (Русское Освободительное Движение is a term used to describe Russians during World War II who tried to create an anti-communist

Post 1943

As an involuntarily retired Field Marshal, Bock felt he was made a scapegoat for the problems of Stalingrad. He was approached to join a coup against Hitler, but he believed any such move not supported by Heinrich Himmler (who controlled the Waffen-SS) was bound to fail; he refused to move against the Führer. Heinrich Luitpold Himmler ( 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945 was a Nazi German politician and head of the Schutzstaffel (SS. The Waffen-SS ( German for "Armed SS" literally "Weapons SS" was the Combat arm of the Schutzstaffel ("Protective Squadron" [41]

Death in battle

With the Russians closing in on Berlin in 1945, Bock was informed by Erich von Manstein that Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz was forming a new government in Hamburg. Erich von Manstein ( November 24, 1887 &ndash June 9 1973) served the German military as a lifelong professional soldier Karl Dönitz (ˈdøːnɪts) (16 September 1891 &ndash 24 December 1980 was a German naval Commander who served Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Bock started off for that city immediately, perhaps hoping for a new command. On 4 May 1945, only a week before the war's end in Europe, Bock's car was strafed on the Kiel road by a British fighter-bomber; he was killed along with his wife and daughter. Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar [42]

At age 64, Fedor von Bock became the only one of Hitler's Field Marshals to die from enemy fire.

Quotes

Trivia

In the film The Final Countdown, the USS Nimitz (stranded in time on December 6, 1941) picks up a radio broadcast which mentions that forces under General von Bock are advancing on Moscow. The Final Countdown is a 1980 Science fiction Film about a modern Aircraft carrier that travels through time to just Ship's history The USS Nimitz was first deployed to the Mediterranean in 1976 in company with the nuclear powered Cruisers USS ''South Carolina'' Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of

Notes

  1. ^ Turney, Alfred W. , Disaster at Moscow: Von Bock's Campaigns 1941-1942, Cassell (1971)
  2. ^ "Death on the Approaches", TIME Magazine, December 8, 1941
  3. ^ Stug III and IV Assault Guns - German War Files. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Artsmagic Ltd. 16 February 2004
  4. ^ Battle of Russia, Battlefield: Battles that Won the Second World War - Series 2. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Universal Pictures Video. May 2, 2005
  5. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 6
  6. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 6
  7. ^ Battle of Russia, Battlefield: Battles that Won the Second World War - Series 2. Universal Pictures Video. May 2, 2005
  8. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 3
  9. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 4
  10. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 5
  11. ^ GENERALFELDMARSCHALL. Axis Biographical Research. Retrieved on 2007-05-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
  12. ^ Gregory, Mackenzie J. Field Marshal Fedor von Bock (1880- 1945). Ahoy - Mac's Web Log, The Naval Historical Society of Australia, Inc. . Retrieved on 2007-05-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
  13. ^ Gregory, Mackenzie J. Field Marshal Fedor von Bock (1880- 1945). Ahoy - Mac's Web Log, The Naval Historical Society of Australia, Inc. . Retrieved on 2007-05-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
  14. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 6
  15. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 6
  16. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, {1971) pg. 6
  17. ^ GENERALFELDMARSCHALL. Axis Biographical Research. Retrieved on 2007-05-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
  18. ^ GENERALFELDMARSCHALL. Axis Biographical Research. Retrieved on 2007-05-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
  19. ^ Current Biography 1942, pp89-91
  20. ^ Current Biography 1942, pp 89-91
  21. ^ "Death on the Approaches", TIME Magazine, December 8, 1941
  22. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. Events 1609 - Biblioteca Ambrosiana opens its reading room the second public library of Europe. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 37
  23. ^ Battle of Russia, Battlefield: Battles that Won the Second World War - Series 2. Universal Pictures Video. May 2, 2005
  24. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 54
  25. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 55
  26. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 56
  27. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 58
  28. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 60
  29. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 87
  30. ^ Beevor, Antony. Stalingrad, The Fateful Siege: 1942-1943. New York: Penguin Books. (1998) pg. 34
  31. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 88
  32. ^ Battle of Russia, Battlefield: Battles that Won the Second World War - Series 2. Universal Pictures Video. May 2, 2005
  33. ^ Battle of Russia, Battlefield: Battles that Won the Second World War - Series 2. Universal Pictures Video. May 2, 2005
  34. ^ Battle of Russia, Battlefield: Battles that Won the Second World War - Series 2. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Universal Pictures Video. May 2, 2005
  35. ^ Blood and Steel: The Russian Front. Events 1194 - King Richard I of England gives Portsmouth its first Royal Charter. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Cromwell Productions Ltd. January 3, 1999
  36. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. Events 1431 - Joan of Arc is handed over to the Bishop Pierre Cauchon. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) 141
  37. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 142
  38. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 155
  39. ^ Turney, Disaster at Moscow, (1971) pg. 160
  40. ^ Battle of Russia, Battlefield: Battles that Won the Second World War - Series 2. Universal Pictures Video. May 2, 2005
  41. ^ Gregory, Mackenzie J. Field Marshal Fedor von Bock (1880- 1945). Ahoy - Mac's Web Log, The Naval Historical Society of Australia, Inc. . Retrieved on 2007-05-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
  42. ^ Gregory, Mackenzie J. Field Marshal Fedor von Bock (1880- 1945). Ahoy - Mac's Web Log, The Naval Historical Society of Australia, Inc. . Retrieved on 2007-05-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.
  43. ^ Two Men, Two Faces. Time Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-05-16. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire.

References

Military offices
Preceded by
none		 Commander of Heeresgruppe Nord
27 August 1939 – 20 June 1941		 Succeeded by
Generalfeldmarschall Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb
Preceded by
none		 Commander of Heeresgruppe Mitte
22 June 1941 – 19 December 1941		 Succeeded by
Generalfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge
Army Group North ( Heeresgruppe Nord) was a strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb ( September 5, 1876 - April 29, 1956) was a German Field Marshal during World War II Army Group Center (Heeresgruppe Mitte was the name of two distinct German strategic Army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Günther “Hans” von Kluge ( October 30, 1882 – August 19, 1944) was a German military leader
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