On October 30, 1941, fascist German troops under the command of Manstein made the first attempt to capture the legendary Sevastopol. It is this date that historians consider the day of the beginning of the defense of Sevastopol during the Great Patriotic War.
The advanced German units reached the Crimea on September 12, 1941. In order for the operation to capture the Crimean Peninsula to be as successful as possible and, most importantly, in a short time, the Wehrmacht command allocated considerable forces - Manstein's 11th Army, consisting of 6 infantry divisions. On September 24, the Wehrmacht troops launched an offensive on the Perekop Isthmus, and on September 26 they managed to break through the Turkish Wall and capture the city of Armyansk. Soon Manstein refuses to further advance - the reason for this was huge losses German army and practically spent ammunition.
On October 28, German troops broke through the defenses of the Red Army, parts of which withdrew to Sevastopol and Kerch. They could not hold Kerch, but the Primorsky Army, consisting of 8 divisions, managed to gain a foothold in Sevastopol, whose defensive lines by the beginning of World War II were considered one of the most fortified places in the world.
On October 30, German troops attempted to seize the city "outright" - the second heroic defense of Sevastopol began, which will continue for 250 long days.
An attempt by German troops to capture the city on the first try was unsuccessful. The rest of the attempts also ended in failure. Every attempt to storm the city was preceded by powerful artillery shelling. Later, Manstein wrote in his memoirs: "In general, in the Second World War, the Germans never achieved such a massive use of artillery as in the offensive on Sevastopol" )
Despite the constant shelling, the legendary Sevastopol continued to live and gave its defenders everything he could: the townspeople who did not leave the city continued to collect mortars, air bombs, mines.
The bloodless and destroyed city resisted to the last.
And on June 7, 1942, the third assault on Sevastopol began. It was he who became the most terrible for the entire time of the defense of the city. In order to take possession of the Black Sea stronghold, the Germans did not spare either effort or money: the daily losses of the Wehrmacht at that time reached 4500 soldiers killed and wounded, in many companies that participated in the attacks, no more than 25 people remained. But the forces of the defenders were not endless, and soon a terrible turning point came. On June 17, 1942, German troops reached the foot of Sapun-Gora, Fort "Stalin" was captured in the northern sector, and Malakhov Kurgan fell on June 30. By this time, the defenders of Sevastopol had no ammunition left. That is why the Supreme Command Headquarters gave permission for the evacuation, but decided to leave the soldiers of the 109th Infantry Division under the command of General P.G. Novikov. The remaining soldiers had to "... fight to the last opportunity, and then make their way into the mountains, to the partisans."
The hostilities of the Black Sea Fleet, the Primorsky Army and the population of the city in the defense of the main naval base of Sevastopol from October 30, 1941 to July 2, 1942 - an important stage in the struggle Soviet troops for the Crimea during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
Sevastopol was among the first cities of the USSR on the first day of the Great Patriotic War on June 22, 1941, at 3:15 pm, it was raided by fascist aircraft.
By the beginning of the war, the city was prepared for defense only from sea and air. On July 4, 1941, the construction of three land lines (forward, main, rear) began and by the time the enemy reached the close approaches to the city on October 30, it was not completed.
On October 29, 1941, a state of siege was introduced in Sevastopol.
The Sevastopol garrison numbered about 21 thousand people and had about 150 guns and mortars. The troops of the 11th German Army under the command of Colonel-General Erich Manstein, which numbered over 200 thousand people, 450 tanks, over 2 thousand guns and mortars, 600 aircraft, broke through Perekop on October 20, hoping to capture the city on the move, but were rebuffed.
October 30 - November 9, the Sevastopol garrison had to repulse enemy attacks on its own. The main forces of the fleet were in Sevastopol, consisting of one battleship, five cruisers, 11 destroyers, 16 submarines, most of which on October 31 went to the bases of the Caucasus.
On November 4, 1941, the ground forces and naval forces defending the city were united in the Sevastopol Defense Region (SOR), which on November 9 included the Primorsky Army, numbering up to 50 thousand people, 170 guns and 90-100 aircraft. Major General Ivan Petrov was appointed commander of the army, from November 19 - Vice Admiral Philip Oktyabrsky.
On November 5, fierce fighting broke out in the central sector of the forward defensive line. 4 days Soviet army reflected the continuous attacks of the numerically superior Nazi troops supported by aviation. On November 9, the Nazis were forced to stop the offensive and pause to bring in new forces and regroup troops.
After the failure to take the city on the move, the fascist German command carried out three attacks on the city - on November 11, December 17, 1941, and June 7, 1942.
On November 11, the first assault on the city began. Despite the superiority in manpower, artillery and tanks, the German army managed to penetrate the forward defensive zone only in two sectors: in the direction of Duvankoy by three to four kilometers and Mekenzia - by one or two kilometers. Due to significant losses of the 11th Army on November 21, the Germans suspended the offensive on Sevastopol until mid-December.
The Soviet command used this time to strengthen the defense. SOR troops were replenished with marching units. The composition of the Primorsky army was brought to five divisions, two marine brigades and two separate rifle regiments. Eight additional stationary batteries were built using guns removed from the Black Sea Fleet ships.
The German command also strengthened its troops. For the second offensive, it had seven infantry divisions and two mountain rifle brigades, about 1.3 thousand guns and mortars, over 150 tanks and up to 300 aircraft. Several batteries of heavy artillery were brought up to destroy the fortifications and combat the coastal batteries, including 360-mm guns. The Nazi troops had a significant superiority in men and technology. The idea of capturing Sevastopol consisted in the simultaneous delivery of a series of strikes in several directions.
The second offensive of the German fascist troops began at dawn on December 17. The main blow was delivered by the forces of four infantry divisions from the Duvankoy area along the Belbek River to the northeastern end of the Northern Bay, a diversionary strike by two infantry divisions and a mountain rifle brigade from the area southeast of Chorgun along the Chernaya River to Inkerman. In the area of the Mekenziev mountains, the enemy wedged into the location of the Soviet troops and created a threat of a breakthrough to the Northern Bay. The headquarters of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief reinforced the troops of the SDR with a rifle division, a marine brigade and several marching battalions. On December 22, with the support of the fleet and aviation, the troops of the SOR launched a counterattack and restored the position in the main direction. By the end of December, the fascist troops captured the Mekenzievy Gory platform, but they failed to reach the Northern Bay.
An important role in repelling the enemy offensive was played by the Kerch-Feodosiya landing operation (1941-1942), which began on December 26 and forced the Nazi command to withdraw part of its forces from Sevastopol and to cease the offensive on December 31. On January 1-4, Soviet troops, by counterattacks, forced the enemy to retreat to their original positions almost everywhere.
In May 1942, as a result of the abandonment of the Kerch Peninsula by the Soviet troops and the failure of the Kharkov offensive operation the position of Sevastopol deteriorated sharply. On May 21, the Nazis began air and artillery bombardment of the city, artillery positions and rear services, and on June 2, they switched to a powerful artillery and air preparation for the offensive, which lasted five days. At the same time, the Nazi troops strengthened the blockade of Sevastopol from the sea. They concentrated 10 infantry divisions (three of them are Romanian), one motorized brigade and three regiments, a total of over 200 thousand people, including a combat strength of 175 thousand people, 450 tanks, 1325 guns, 720 mortars, and 1060 aircraft. The SOR had seven rifle divisions (50% manned, except for one), four brigades and three regiments of marines, which amounted to 106 thousand people, including 82 thousand combat personnel, 38 tanks, 606 guns, 918 mortars, 116 aircraft ...
On June 7, the German fascist troops went on the offensive, delivering the main blow from the north and northeast to the Mekenzievy mountains with the aim of reaching the Northern Bay and auxiliary ones to Sapun Gora and Balaklava. German aviation made 800-1000 sorties daily, dropping 4-4.5 thousand bombs. The defenders of Sevastopol heroically defended their positions to the last opportunity. Only when there were no combat-ready defenders and ammunition left on the defensive positions did the enemy manage to occupy them. Some assistance was provided by the 138th Infantry Brigade, deployed on 13 June on destroyers.
On June 18, at the cost of heavy losses, the Nazis managed to break through to the coast of the Northern Bay. The small garrisons of the 30th coastal defense battery, the Northern fortifications, engineering wharves, Mikhailovsky and Konstantinovsky ravelins, which remained on the northern side, heroically defended themselves until June 22-24. The forces of the defenders were melting, they were running out of ammunition.
Due to the reduction in the darkness of the day and the domination of enemy aviation, the supply of Sevastopol on surface ships became extremely difficult, and after the seizure of the northern side by the enemy, it was impossible. On June 17, the last Bialystok transport arrived in Sevastopol. On June 26, the last of the large surface ships, the leader Tashkent, broke through the blockade. The supply of supplies by submarines and aircraft did not meet the needs of the defense. By the end of June, 300-400 men remained in divisions, and 200 combat personnel in brigades.
On the night of June 29, the Nazis crossed the Northern Bay and captured Sapungora on the same day. On June 30, fascist German troops broke into the Ship Side, where stubborn battles for the Malakhov Kurgan were going on all day. The remnants of the units in separate groups retreated to the Chersonesus peninsula.
Organized resistance and evacuation of the city's defenders continued until July 2, 1942. The defenders of Sevastopol continued to fight heroically on the Chersonesus peninsula in the area of the 35th coastal defense battery until July 4. Of the troops remaining in Sevastopol, only a few groups managed to break through to the mountains to the partisans with battles.
In the defense of Sevastopol, residents played who participated in the construction of defensive structures, manufactured weapons and ammunition for the front, and provided assistance to the wounded. Over 15 thousand Sevastopol residents joined the people's militia.
In the struggle for Sevastopol, the enemy lost up to 300 thousand people, the irrecoverable losses of the Soviet troops amounted to about 157 thousand people.
The soldiers of the Primorsky Army and the sailors of the Black Sea Fleet have shown massive heroism and resilience. 37 people were awarded the title of Hero Soviet Union.
In commemoration of the feat of the Sevastopol citizens, on December 22, 1942, the medal "For the Defense of Sevastopol" was instituted, which was awarded to over 50 thousand people.
In 2014, in the Victory Park in Sevastopol, the Memorial was opened to the defenders of the fatherland, who fell and went missing during the liberation of Sevastopol during the Great Patriotic War.
On May 8, 2015, a memorial stele dedicated to the heroes of the defense and liberation of Sevastopol was unveiled in the Victory City Park.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources
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The city's ground defense system included three defensive lines - forward, main and rear. The forces of the Sevastopol defensive region bravely repelled two enemy offensives on the main base of the Black Sea Fleet: November 11-21 and December 17-31, 1941.Due to the fact that at the end of May 1942 Soviet troops suffered a major defeat on the Kerch Peninsula, the position of the besieged Sevastopol became critical. After many days of intensive air raids and artillery shelling on June 7, 1942, the Germans pre-took the 3rd assault on Sevastopol. By the end of June, the forces of the city's defenders were exhausted, and the lack of ammunition affected. The remnants of the troops defending Sevastopol were to be evacuated to Novorossiysk. But only a small part of the city's defenders was evacuated. According to domestic data, the irrecoverable losses of the IDF troops from October 30, 1941 to July 4, 1942 amounted to more than 156 thousand people (killed, captured and missing).
The defense of the city lasted 250 days and became a symbol of mass courage and heroism. Soviet soldiers... It pinned down large enemy forces on the southern flank of the Soviet-German front, which otherwise could have been used in one of the decisive sectors of the German offensive in the summer of 1942.The Germans also suffered very heavy losses during the siege and storm of Sevastopol - up to 300 thousand killed and wounded. In commemoration of the heroic defense of the main base of the Black Sea Fleet, on December 22, 1942, the medal "For the Defense of Sevastopol" was instituted. On May 8, 1965, the city of Sevastopol was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
In connection with the created operational situation on the Crimean peninsula, carry out the following organization of command and control of the Crimean troops:
1. Organize two defensive areas:
a) Kerch defense area.
b) Sevastopol defensive area.
2. Include in the forces of the Sevastopol defensive region: all units and subunits of the Primorsky Army, the coastal defense of the main base of the Black Sea Fleet, all naval land units and air force units of the Black Sea Fleet on my special instructions.
Command of all actions ground forces and I entrust the command of the defense of Sevastopol to the commander of the Primorsky Army, Major General Comrade Petrov I.Ye. with direct reporting to me.
Deputy Commander of the Black Sea Fleet for the ground defense of the main base, Rear Admiral G.V. Zhukov to take command of the Sevastopol main base; to the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, the composition of the means and forces of the Sevastopol main base should be allocated on my instructions.
3. In the composition of the troops of the Kerch defense region to include all units, subdivisions of the 51st Army, naval land units and the Kerch naval base.
The command of all military units operating on the Kerch Peninsula, and the leadership of the defense, I entrust to my Deputy Lieutenant General P.I.Batov.
The formation of the operational group of the Kerch defense region shall be carried out on the basis of the headquarters and command of the 51st Army.
4. The chief of staff of the Crimean troops, Major General Ivanov, as having failed to cope with his duties, should be removed from his post and sent to the reserve of the Red Army personnel.
To the post of chief of staff of the Crimean troops to admit the chief of staff of the Primorsky Army, Major General Comrade Shishenina G.D.
5. I appoint the deputy chief of staff of the SOR. Chief of Staff of the Primorsky Army, Colonel G. I. Krylov.
6. I appoint Deputy Military Commissar of the Kerch Defense Region. the head of PUARMA of the 51st army, regimental commissar Krupin.
Commander of the Armed Forces of Crimea Vice Admiral Levchenko
Member of the Military Council Corps Commissar Nikolaev
Chief of Staff Major General Shishenin
Dear comrades!
The brutal enemy is again advancing on Sevastopol. Defeated in the main direction near Moscow, the enemy is trying to seize our hometown, in order to thereby at least to some extent belittle and weaken the impression of the victories of the Red Army near Moscow, near Rostov and on other fronts.
The enemy suffers huge losses near Sevastopol. He threw his last reserves into battle, trying to crush the mighty resistance of our troops.
Comrades Red Navy men, Red Army men, commanders and political workers!
Beat the enemy as our comrades beat him near Moscow, as they beat him and chased him away from Rostov, as they smash him at Tikhvin and on other fronts.
Mercilessly exterminate the fascist dogs, repelling all enemy attempts to get to Sevastopol with fire and grenades.
Not a step back in the fight for Sevastopol! Remember that the defeat of the enemy depends on our steadfastness, courage and ability to fight.
The stronger our rebuff to the enemy, the sooner the final victory over the fascist invaders will come ...
Comrades! Exterminate enemies as the best defenders of our Sevastopol do. Beat the fascists as the political instructor Omelchenko beats them, who destroyed 15 German soldiers and officers in one battle, as Captain Bondarenko beats - a brave and talented commander, showing his subordinates examples of courage and dedication.
Exterminate the Hitlerite scoundrels the way the soldier Serbin destroys them, who destroyed 20 fascist soldiers and officers, as the Red Army soldier Savchuk, the snipers Miroshnichenko, Trifonov, Kalyuzhny, Zosimenko and many other glorious soldiers of our Motherland destroy.
Fighting defenders of Sevastopol!
Mercilessly exterminate the fascists, exhaust the forces of the enemy, destroy his military equipment.
Be steadfast and courageous in battle. Be vigilant in any environment! Do not fall for provocations, expose cowards and alarmists!
Dear comrades! Remember that the attention of the peoples not only of our Motherland, but of the whole world is riveted to Sevastopol.
Defend our dear Sevastopol to the last drop of blood!
The Motherland expects from us victory over the enemy. No step back!
Victory will be ours!
Military Council of the Black Sea Fleet
There are still many separate groups of fighters and commanders on the coast of the SOR who continue to resist the enemy. It is necessary to take all measures to evacuate them, sending small ships and sea planes for this purpose. The motivation of sailors and pilots for the impossibility of approaching the shore because of the wave is incorrect. You can pick up people without going to the shore, but taking them on board 500-1000 m from the shore.
I ask you to order not to stop the evacuation and do everything possible to evacuate the heroes of Sevastopol.
Russian archive: Great Patriotic. General base during the Great Patriotic War: Documents and materials. 1942 year. T. 23 (12-2). M., 1999.S. 205.
The heroic defense of Sevastopol against German troops (11th Army of Colonel-General E. Manstein) and Romanian formations lasted from October 30, 1941 to July 4, 1942. Part of the SDR included formations of the Black Sea Fleet (commanded by Vice-Admiral F.S. Oktyabrsky) and the Primorsky Army (commanded by Major General I.E. Petrov)
The second defense of Sevastopol lasted 250 days and largely determined the further development of all hostilities: the enemy could not continue the offensive, and the Soviet troops managed to concentrate and give the enemy a fierce rebuff. The second World War once again proved an important geopolitical and strategic importance The Crimean Peninsula and Sevastopol, which was of strategic importance for both sides.
Crimean aviation had the ability to strike at the oil fields of Romania, causing serious damage to the enemy. For the Germans, the peninsula was the main obstacle on the way to the Caucasus and the Volga, a springboard for a further offensive.
By the beginning of the war, the Sevastopol defensive area was one of the most fortified places in the world and included dozens of gun positions, minefields, two coastal armored turret batteries (BB) (a memorial complex is in operation today), armed with large-caliber artillery. Knowing this, the Germans threw their best forces against the defenders of the city.
The offensive on Sevastopol began after a powerful bombing raid on November 2, 1941. The enemy completely surrounded the city, the battles were going on along the entire perimeter, but for 10 days the offensive did not bring much results.
Air raids did not stop day or night and, according to eyewitnesses, day after day they became more powerful.
A second assault was undertaken on December 17. To suppress the fire of Soviet troops, the Germans conducted a massive artillery preparation, in which they used super-powerful large-caliber mortars and howitzers, including legendary cannon"Dora".
The city was practically razed to the ground, but the enemy was again unable to advance and was repulsed. Having suffered heavy losses, the Wehrmacht troops were forced to stop.
After that, there was a relative calm, although the airstrikes did not stop. The Soviet artillery was partially destroyed, so enemy aircraft constantly hung over the city.
The last assault on Sevastopol began on June 7, 1942. For 10 days, there were fierce battles along the entire perimeter of the region, but in the end, by the 17th, the Nazis captured a number of important positions - the Eagle's Nest at the foot, the Stalin fort and the BB-30 fortification. In fact, the city was taken.
On June 30, the military command announced the evacuation of the senior and senior personnel of the army and navy. Under cover of darkness, the command and party leadership left the city in submarines. Major General Novikov was left at the head of the remaining units in the city.
Troops flocked to Cape Chersonesos for evacuation. As a result, in the BB-35 area there were 78,230 Soviet servicemen who had almost no ammunition.
Retreating through the dungeons and dungeons, the soldiers fought to the last bullet, defending every room and refusing to lay down their weapons.
The soldiers who took refuge were smoked out with suffocating gas ... The forces were not equal, after several days of fighting, almost all the defenders of the city were either destroyed or captured. The Nazis shot a significant part of the garrison and local residents on the spot, immediately after the capture of the city.
Having lost the Crimea and Sevastopol, the Soviet army lost a strategically important area, and the way for a further German offensive in the Caucasus was open.
However, the huge losses suffered by the Wehrmacht army made this offensive almost impossible.
The second defense of Sevastopol largely decided the outcome of all further hostilities and did not allow the Germans to realize their plan. By stopping the Germans in Crimea, Soviet troops were able to concentrate their forces for a retaliatory strike and turn the tide of hostilities
For 250 days, the heroes of Sevastopol held back the superior enemy forces and at the cost of their lives stopped the advance of the Germans to the Caucasus and the Volga. Let's talk only about some of them.
Noah Adamia (1917-142) - commanded a platoon of machine gunners and was a sniper instructor of the 7th Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet, personally in battles he destroyed more than 200 enemies and knocked out two tanks. On June 21, 1942, he was surrounded by 11 machine gunners.
After a fierce battle with the enemy, he managed to break through the ring and get to his own. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but never received the award - he disappeared on July 3, 1942.
Ivan Bogatyr (1919-1982) - June 7, 1942 in the Balaklava region, after a long battle, Ivan was the only survivor of the defenders. Despite being seriously wounded, the soldier continued to hold back the enemy for 5 hours, until reinforcements arrived. For courage and courage he was awarded the Order of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
Ivan Golubets (1916-1942) - on March 25, 1942, he saved ships from destruction in Streletskaya Bay. The sailor saw two shells hit a patrol boat standing by the coast, on board of which there were deep mines.
Without hesitation, he threw himself onto the flaming ship. Together with a friend, they managed to throw almost all the shells into the water, but they themselves did not escape. For the displayed courage he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Philip Sergeevich Oktyabrsky (1899-1969) - since March 1939 - commander of the Sevastopol defense region. He was in charge of the defense until he received the order for the evacuation. In 1944, he made a significant contribution to the liberation of the Caucasus and the Crimean Peninsula, for which he received the rank of admiral.
After the end of hostilities, he continued to command the Black Sea Fleet until 1948. Then he was the 1st Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces. From 1957 to 1960 - head of the Black Sea Higher Naval School named after P.S. Nakhimov. In 1958 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for his skillful leadership of the fleet.
October 27, 1941
- the Germans broke through the defenses of the Soviet troops at Perekop and broke into the Crimea
November 11-21, 1941
- the first planned attack on Sevastopol. The invaders attacked the city along the entire perimeter, but advanced only 12 km.
December 17, 1941
- the second assault.
May 18, 1942- the number of the grouping of German troops in Sevastopol increased to 150 thousand people.
June 7, 1942- the third assault on the city. By the 17th, German troops practically captured the northern defense spectrum of Sevastopol.
June 30, 1942- at a meeting of the military council of the Black Sea Fleet and the PA, the decision of the Supreme High Command to leave Sevastopol was announced.
July 4, 1942- termination of the organized defense of Sevastopol.
From the Soviet Information Bureau, May 9, 1944:
Having broken the stubborn resistance of the enemy, our troops at night, several hours ago, took by storm the fortress and the most important naval base on the Black Sea - the city of Sevastopol. Thus, the last center of German resistance in the Crimea was eliminated, and the Crimea was completely cleared of the German fascist invaders.
76 years ago, on October 30, 1941, the heroic defense of Sevastopol began, which lasted 250 days - until July 4, 1942.
Sevastopol was among the first cities of the USSR on June 22, 1941, at 3:15 am, was raided by fascist aircraft. The first to strike the fascist aircraft was the anti-aircraft artillery battery of the Black Sea Fleet N 74, commanded by Lieutenant I.G. Kozovnik. After her, the 76th, 80th, 78th and 75th batteries opened fire and successfully repelled the first raid of the fascists.
By the decision of city organizations, the headquarters of the Black Sea Fleet, the soldiers of the garrison and the Sevastopol residents in a short time, by November 1, 1941, erected three defense lines around Sevastopol: rear, main and forward with dogs, bunkers and other defensive structures. This work was headed by the engineering department of the fleet, led by a military engineer of the 1st rank V.G. Paramonov.
On October 23, 1941, by decision of the Crimean Regional Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks), an extraordinary body of power was created in Sevastopol - the City Defense Committee, which included the first secretary of the city party committee B.A. Borisov (chairman of the committee), chairman of the city executive committee V.P. Efremov, head of the garrison, Rear Admiral G.V. Zhukov (soon he was replaced by Major General of the Coastal Service P.A.Morgunov), the head of the local air defense V.I. Kulibaba and the head of the city department of the NKVD K.P. Nefedov.
On October 29, 1941, a state of siege was introduced in Sevastopol. On October 30, the 54th coastal battery of the Black Sea Fleet under the command of Lieutenant I.I. Zaika delivered the first blow to the motorized column of the 11th German army of General Manstein. For three days the artillerymen fought incessant fierce battles with the advancing fascists. Almost simultaneously with the artillerymen, units of the Marine Corps entered the battle, formed from cadets of the naval school and sailors of warships and coastal units of the fleet, with the support of coastal and anti-aircraft artillery batteries.
On November 7, to unite all the forces of the Main Base of the Black Sea Fleet, the Sevastopol Defense Region (SOR) was created. On November 7, for the operational leadership of the defense, the Headquarters of the Supreme Command entrusted the leadership of the SOR to the commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Vice Admiral F.S. Oktyabrsky. For the convenience of troop control, the SOR was divided into four sectors, which were headed by experienced division commanders - P.G. Novikov, I.A. Laskin, T.K. Kolomiets, V.F. Vorobiev.
After the failure of the attempt to capture Sevastopol on the move, the fascist German command carried out three offensives on the city: the first began on November 11, 1941, the second on December 17, 1941, and the third on June 7, 1942.
During the days of the defense, the inhabitants of the city showed military and labor heroism. The workers of the Marine Plant under fire from the enemy repaired ships, created military equipment day and night, equipped two armored trains, built and equipped the floating battery No. 3, called "Don't touch me", which reliably covered the city from Nazi air raids from the sea. The Germans called it "Death Square". In the mine workings (adits) on the coast of the Sevastopol Bay, underground special plants were created for the production of weapons and ammunition and for sewing underwear, shoes and uniforms. Here, underground, there were outpatient clinics, a canteen, a club, a school, a nursery and a kindergarten, and later - a hospital and a bakery.
The defenders of the city were constantly supported by the ships of the fleet. Breaking into the besieged Sevastopol, they delivered reinforcements, ammunition, food, took the wounded, old people, women and children to the mainland, fired artillery fire at enemy positions. And when surface ships could no longer break through to Sevastopol, their task was bravely performed by submarine crews. Unbending courage and dedication were shown during the days of the defense by the medical workers of the fleet and the city. For 8 months of defense, they saved the lives of tens of thousands of people, returned to service 30,927 wounded and 10,686 sick.
The defense of Sevastopol lasted 250 days. It was of great military-political and strategic importance, pinning down large enemy forces on the southern wing of the Soviet-German front and preventing him from launching an offensive into the Caucasus. In the course of the defense, clear interaction was achieved between the army, navy and aviation as a result of the creation of a single command and the correct organization of control. In the struggle for the city, the enemy lost about 300 thousand people killed and wounded.
The Sevastopol defense went down in history as an example of mass heroism and self-sacrifice of the city's defenders. More than 30 people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. On December 22, 1942, the medal "For the Defense of Sevastopol" was established, which was awarded to over 30 thousand people.
