Zapadnaya Litsa River
Encyclopedia
Zapadnaya Litsa River is a river
in the north of the Kola Peninsula
in Murmansk Oblast
, Russia
. It is 107 km in length. The area of its basin
is 1,190 km². The Zapadnaya Litsa River originates on the Kuchintundra and flows into the Barents Sea
. Its biggest tributary
is the Lebyazhka River.
From 1941 - 1944 the Litsa River formed the Arctic frontline between German/Finnish troops west of the river -trying to capture Murmansk
- and Soviet troops on the east, defending the city. This frontier was of vital importance for both sides, as Murmansk was the only Soviet harbour left in Europe and formed the lifeline for Allied supplies to the Red Army
. During the stalemate that lasted four years, thousands perished in the tundras on both sides of the river. At the time the Litsa valley was called Death Valley (Долина смерти, Dolina smerti) by the Soviets; though later the expression Valley of Honor (Долина славы, Dolina slavy) became fashionable.
The defense of Murmansk succeeded; the Germans never reached the city and the supply lines were not seriously interrupted, although the Germans bombed Murmansk to rubble from occupied Norway. See also: Operation Silver Fox
and Operation Platinum Fox
.
The remains of the WW II fighting (trenches, pillboxes, defense pits etc.) can be visited with some specialised travel agencies .
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the north of the Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
in Murmansk Oblast
Murmansk Oblast
Murmansk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located in the northwestern part of Russia. Its administrative center is the city of Murmansk.-Geography:...
, 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...
. It is 107 km in length. The area of its basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
is 1,190 km². The Zapadnaya Litsa River originates on the Kuchintundra and flows into the Barents Sea
Barents Sea
The Barents Sea is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located north of Norway and Russia. Known in the Middle Ages as the Murman Sea, the sea takes its current name from the Dutch navigator Willem Barents...
. Its biggest tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
is the Lebyazhka River.
From 1941 - 1944 the Litsa River formed the Arctic frontline between German/Finnish troops west of the river -trying to capture Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
- and Soviet troops on the east, defending the city. This frontier was of vital importance for both sides, as Murmansk was the only Soviet harbour left in Europe and formed the lifeline for Allied supplies to the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. During the stalemate that lasted four years, thousands perished in the tundras on both sides of the river. At the time the Litsa valley was called Death Valley (Долина смерти, Dolina smerti) by the Soviets; though later the expression Valley of Honor (Долина славы, Dolina slavy) became fashionable.
The defense of Murmansk succeeded; the Germans never reached the city and the supply lines were not seriously interrupted, although the Germans bombed Murmansk to rubble from occupied Norway. See also: Operation Silver Fox
Operation Silver Fox
Operation Silver Fox was a joint German–Finnish military operation plan during World War II, though it was mainly operated and engaged by Germans. Its main goal was the capture of the key Soviet port at Murmansk through attacks from Finnish and Norwegian territory.The operation had to be three...
and Operation Platinum Fox
Operation Platinum Fox
Operation Platinfuchs was a German and Finnish military offensive launched during World War II. Platinfuchs took place on the Eastern Front and had the objective of capturing the Barents Sea port of Murmansk...
.
The remains of the WW II fighting (trenches, pillboxes, defense pits etc.) can be visited with some specialised travel agencies .