The role of Leningrad Blockade in the Great Victory

The main objective of the project is to prove the greatest role of Leningrad Blockade in the Victory. The aims are :

1. To inform about the Blockade in Lenigrade
2. To prove the idea of people s heroism
   Well I have chosen this theme for consideration because we were in Saint Petersburg this autumn . We have visited the museum of Blockade and all my classmates were under great impressions. My present paper is dealing with finding new facts about blockade. 1941-1942. The winter in Leningrad was sever and without food because it didn’t leave any hope… A chain of very long and dark days, the most tragically and brave among 900 days of the blockade.
   The city looked like dead: empty streets were full of snow, enormous and cold houses were injured a lot, electrical cables were looking like dead and trolleys were frozen in ice. There weren’t any bread, light or water.
   But all in all, the city was alive. On factories people were making weapons, tanks ammo to the frontline. Under vicious attack and airstrikes, the groups of anti-aircraft safety were on duty on the roofs. They cut destroyed houses in pieces. Also they helped injured and buried dead. The music was playing all time. The rhythmic melody of metronome periodically changed a symphony of Tchaikovsky and the heroic words of Nicolay Tihonov and Vsevolod Vychnevskyi changed the airstrike alarm. Damaged, exhausted city continued to live very creative and intelligent life. In first vicious winter of the blockade in basements of the Hermitage, Russian Museum, Academy of arts were living and working many famous artists, architects, scientists who refused to be evacuated despite of being much old.
   “We can’t lose Leningrad…” This feeling, this passionate belief was stronger than hunger, misery, disease, stronger than death. And because of this the city was standing to death. Workers, scientists, poets, musicians, artists were standing near the soldiers.
   Posters appeared every morning on the walls of the city. Bright and smelling like new paint lists called people to fight with enemy, abused fascists, called people to revenge. They helped people live, fight and believe. People needed them very much. On the 12th – 30th of January 1994 troops of the 67th army, and 2nd shock and 8th army of the Leningrad’s and Volchovsk fronts with help of the long ranged aviation, artillery and the aviation of the Baltic’s fleet blew the ring of the blockade by counterblow and then they restored land connection with the country. Through the opened space (width of 8-10 km) in 17 days were laid train and car roads. But the problem with supplying wasn’t solved: important place – station “Мга” on the train road Volchov – Leningrad was still in the enemy arms, the roads oа the freed line were under endless shelling by the enemy artillery. The trials of expanding the land communicate (attack in February – March 1943 on “Мгу” and “Синявино”) didn’t ended victory. In July – August on the “Мгу” ledge Soviets’ troops inflicted a heavy defeat of the troops of 18th German army and prevented the movement of troops on the other fronts.
   The fight for the Leningrad had great political and strategy importance. The Soviets troops took 15 - 20% of the enemies force on the east front and defeated up to 50 German divisions. Warriors and residents of the city showed the sample of heroism and selfless devotion to the Motherland. Many groups and parts, who took part in war, were converted into guards units or became convinced. Hundreds of thousands soldiers were given governmental awards; hundreds were given title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Five of them were given this title twice: А. Е. Мazurenko, P А. Pockryushev, V. И. Rakov Н. Г. Stepanyan and N. В. Chelnokov. Everyday care Central Committee, Soviet government and the help of the all country became endless source of force to help Leningrad’s people to pass through challenges and tie of 900 – days blockade. The Soviet government established the medal “For the defense of Leningrad” on the 22nd of December 1942. On the 26th of January 1945 Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR rewarded Leningrad by the order of Lenin, and on the 8th of March 1965 it rewarded Leningrad as “the hero city” to mark the 20 anniversary of victory by the Soviets in Great Patriotic War.
   In conclusion I would like to say that the 900 days blockade in Leningrade will always be in our memory and in our hearts. We are proud of our people and our Motherland.