Last time we spoke about the Fall of Smolensk. The Wehrmacht, having swiftly advanced through the Soviet Union, aimed to open the path to Moscow. Under General Fedor von Bock, the Germans launched a major assault against Soviet defenses, led by Marshal Semyon Timoshenko. Despite early successes, German forces underestimated the resilience of the Soviet Army, which regrouped and mobilized hidden reserves. As the Luftwaffe dominated the skies, the Soviets, under General Vasily Vatutin, organized a counteroffensive. On July 15, intense combat erupted in Smolensk, with German troops steadily encircling the city. The Red Army, despite suffering heavy losses, showcased determination by relocating factories eastward and outproducing their enemies in tanks and aircraft. By July 16, Smolensk fell to the Germans, yet the battle revealed underlying vulnerabilities in the Wehrmacht. The fierce resistance from Soviet soldiers hinted at a critical turning point in the war. 

This episode is the Hitler’s Summer Triumph Turns Bitter

Well hello there, welcome to the Eastern Front week by week podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800’s until the end of the Pacific War in 1945. 

As July 1941 draws to a close, the Eastern Front plunges into a harrowing new chapter, characterized by escalating brutality, adaptive strategies, and profound exhaustion. Amidst this chaos, the Red Army grapples with staggering losses. Yet, while they are battered, they also begin to exhibit a remarkable capacity for strategic learning and resilience under relentless fire. Often overshadowed in discussions of the Eastern campaign, naval operations emerge as a crucial element in this conflict, unfolding across vital waterways such as the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and even the Arctic. These operations highlight the expansive and interconnected stakes of this monumental struggle. Key developments during this period include significant reorganizations within Soviet command, intense encirclement battles in Ukraine, and renewed offensives around the city of Smolensk, a strategically important location approximately 400 kilometers west of Moscow. Smolensk's position makes it a critical hub for transport and supply in the region, influencing the broader course of the war. As the fighting intensifies, the outcome of this encounter hangs in the balance. Both the Axis and Soviet forces are faced with mounting challenges amidst the chaotic escalation of warfare. 

The Eastern Front during World War II was predominantly a land and air conflict, a reality shaped largely by the vast and varied geography of the Soviet Union. The Luftwaffe was assigned a critical dual role in the Eastern Front: to establish complete control over the airspace by decimating the Soviet air force and to provide essential ground support for the army’s main operations. In the initial phase of the campaign, long-range air attacks targeting industrial centers in the distant Ural Mountains would not be prioritized; instead, these operations were planned to follow the completion of the mobile offensives. While it is commonly believed that Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, played a minimal role in the Eastern Front campaigns, this perception overlooks the nuanced involvement of naval forces. While the Kriegsmarine was a large, powerful, and professional force, its effectiveness was hampered by the need to divide its assets across multiple theaters of war. This limitation significantly restricted the number and size of ships that could be deployed in the Baltic Sea, particularly as the conflict intensified. At the onset of Operation Barbarossa on June 21, 1941, the German naval forces operating in the Baltic Sea comprised a modest yet effective fleet, including: 28 Schnellboote “fast attack boats”,5 submarines, 10 minelayers, primarily converted from passenger liners and ferries, 3 squadrons of M-class minesweepers, 3 squadrons of requisitioned minesweepers, which were often trawlers, 2 squadrons of R-boats “light coastal defense craft”, 2 squadrons of patrol boats, typically made up of trawlers, 3 Sperrbrecher “block ships designed to create obstacles”, 2 depot ships for minesweepers, a variety of naval tugs, transports, and auxiliary vessels. Later on in September 1941, Germany established the provisional Baltenflotte, a naval task force designed to confront the Soviet Baltic Fleet. This flotilla boasted impressive assets, including the battleship Tirpitz and several cruisers: Admiral Scheer, Emden, Köln, Leipzig, and Nürnberg, as well as destroyers Z25, Z26, and Z27, along with the 2nd torpedo boat squadron. The primary mission of the Baltenflotte was to eliminate the Soviet Baltic Fleet if it attempted to escape to neutral Sweden. However, this scenario did not materialize. Aerial reconnaissance indicated extensive damage to the remaining vessels of the Soviet Baltic Fleet, leading to the disbandment of the Baltenflotte before the end of October 1941.

Germany’s ally in the Baltic Sea was the Finnish Navy and while small, was a professional force equipped to meet the demands of its strategic objectives during the conflict. In 1941, Finland's naval strength comprised the following key assets: Two coastal defense ships: Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen, which provided essential firepower and protection for Finland's coastline. Five submarines: Vesihiisi, Iku-Turso, Vetehinen, Vesikko, and Saukko, which played a vital role in disrupting enemy shipping and gathering intelligence. Four sloops: Turunmaa, Karjala, Uusimaa, and Hämeenmaa, tasked with various missions, including escort and minesweeping operations. Three minelayers: These ships were crucial for establishing minefields in strategic areas to impede enemy movement. Twelve minesweepers: Essential for clearing navigable waters, allowing safe passage for friendly vessels.Seven motor torpedo boats: Fast and agile, these boats were capable of launching surprise attacks against larger enemy ships. In addition to these primary vessels, the Finnish Navy also utilized several auxiliary craft, enhancing its operational capabilities during the war. Notable among these were: Four sloops: Reassigned mainly as escorts and minesweepers, further expanding the Navy’s capacity for coastal defense. Six cutters: Smaller vessels employed for escort duties and minesweeping operations, demonstrating versatility in combat situations. Seventeen VMV-class patrol boats: These small vessels served multiple roles, acting as torpedo boats, gunboats, and sub-hunters, showcasing their adaptability on the water.

Their enemy was the Soviet Baltic Fleet, commanded by Admiral Vladimir Tributs throughout World War II, was the largest of the four fleets that comprised the Soviet Navy. Initially, the fleet was limited to bases in the eastern corner of the Gulf of Finland, but it quickly emerged as the most formidable naval power in the Baltic Sea. As the war unfolded, the fleet expanded its operational capabilities by utilizing naval bases in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. This expansion began with agreements imposed by the Soviet Union in the autumn of 1939 and was solidified following the occupation of the Baltic states in June 1940. Additionally, the Soviet Baltic Fleet benefited from territorial gains made in the peace treaty after the Winter War, acquiring valuable naval assets, including a base at Hanko, Finland, and access along the coast of the Karelian Isthmus. Prior to Operation Barbarossa, the main naval bases of the Baltic Fleet were located at Liepāja and Tallinn. As of June 1941, the Soviet Naval strength in the Baltic included a diverse array of vessels: Battleships: 2 (Gangut class), Cruisers: 2 (Kirov class), Destroyer leaders: 2 (Leningrad class), Modern destroyers: 17 (comprising 3 Type 7, 13 Type 7U, and Opytny), Older destroyers: 7 (including 2 Izyaslav-class and 4 Orfey-class, plus the Yakov Sverdlov), Submarines: 65, Escort vessels/gunboats: 7, Mine warfare vessels: 39, Motor torpedo boats: 48, Despite these assets, the fleet faced increasing challenges as German forces advanced, which would soon impact its operational effectiveness in the region.

The Winter War, along with the occupation of the Baltic states, had positioned the Red Banner Baltic Fleet robustly within the region. By June 1941, it was the largest navy on the Baltic Sea, boasting two battleships, two heavy cruisers, 19 destroyers, and 68 submarines, supported by a naval air arm of 709 aircraft. With well-established bases along the entire Baltic coast and in Hanko, the fleet posed a significant threat, particularly as the long and vulnerable southern coast of Finland became exposed to Soviet naval presence. The Finnish Navy consisted of two main branches: the first included the old but well-maintained coastal fortifications built by the Russians before World War I, known as Peter the Great's Naval Fortress; the second was the active navy, featuring two coastal defense ships, five submarines, and various smaller craft. However, the Kriegsmarine could only deploy a small portion of its naval forces in the Baltic, as the majority were engaged in the ongoing battle of the Atlantic. Germany's primary concern in the Baltic Sea was to safeguard the supply routes through the Archipelago Sea that were vita