Operation Kremlin
Encyclopedia
Operation Kremlin was a successful German
deception
operation against Soviet forces in May-June 1942.
After German troops captured the city of Kharkov in October 1941, the German High Command
planned an offensive to destroy the Soviet forces toward the southern sector of the Eastern Front
. To divert the attention of the Soviets from that thrust (which would lead to the Battle of Stalingrad
), on May 29, 1942, the High Command ordered "the earliest possible resumption of the attack on Moscow
" by Army Group Centre
.
Two factors made Operation Kremlin plausible to the Soviet High Command
: first, it coincided with Soviet thinking — which the Germans did not know; second, its premise — to simulate a repeat of the late 1941 drive to Moscow — had a firm foundation. In fact, it arguably made more strategic sense than the actual offensive (Operation Blau), which was directed at the oil fields in southern Russia
. The directive given to the Army Group, which assigned two panzer
divisions the identical missions that they had received in the previous autumn, could have been taken for the real thing, even those German officers who were in the know, and most of them were kept in the dark, which even made it more believable.
As part of Operation Kremlin, the Luftwaffe
increased reconnaissance
flights over and around Moscow, officers in charge of prisoner-of-war interrogations were given lists of questions to ask regarding Moscow's defenses, and sealed packets of Moscow maps were distributed down to regimental level. A readiness date of August 1 was planned.
Although postwar Soviet accounts insisted Operation Kremlin had failed, the Soviet High Command and the General Staff were in fact misled by the deception; Joseph Stalin
and top Soviet generals had no doubt that the Germans would launch another offensive on Moscow in mid-1942. On June 28, Operation Blau began.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
deception
Deception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
operation against Soviet forces in May-June 1942.
After German troops captured the city of Kharkov in October 1941, the German High Command
Oberkommando der Wehrmacht
The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht was part of the command structure of the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II.- Genesis :...
planned an offensive to destroy the Soviet forces toward the southern sector of the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
. To divert the attention of the Soviets from that thrust (which would lead to the Battle of Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
), on May 29, 1942, the High Command ordered "the earliest possible resumption of the attack on Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
" by Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre
Army Group Centre was the name of two distinct German strategic army groups that fought on the Eastern Front in World War II. The first Army Group Centre was created on 22 June 1941, as one of three German Army formations assigned to the invasion of the Soviet Union...
.
Two factors made Operation Kremlin plausible to the Soviet High Command
Stavka
Stavka was the term used to refer to a command element of the armed forces from the time of the Kievan Rus′, more formally during the history of Imperial Russia as administrative staff and General Headquarters during late 19th Century Imperial Russian armed forces and those of the Soviet Union...
: first, it coincided with Soviet thinking — which the Germans did not know; second, its premise — to simulate a repeat of the late 1941 drive to Moscow — had a firm foundation. In fact, it arguably made more strategic sense than the actual offensive (Operation Blau), which was directed at the oil fields in southern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The directive given to the Army Group, which assigned two panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
divisions the identical missions that they had received in the previous autumn, could have been taken for the real thing, even those German officers who were in the know, and most of them were kept in the dark, which even made it more believable.
As part of Operation Kremlin, the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
increased reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
flights over and around Moscow, officers in charge of prisoner-of-war interrogations were given lists of questions to ask regarding Moscow's defenses, and sealed packets of Moscow maps were distributed down to regimental level. A readiness date of August 1 was planned.
Although postwar Soviet accounts insisted Operation Kremlin had failed, the Soviet High Command and the General Staff were in fact misled by the deception; Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
and top Soviet generals had no doubt that the Germans would launch another offensive on Moscow in mid-1942. On June 28, Operation Blau began.