1st Ukrainian Front
The 1st Ukrainian Front' (Russian: Пéрвый Укрáинский фронт) was a major formation of the Soviet Army during World War II, being equivalent to a Western army group.
| 1st Ukrainian Front | |
|---|---|
.jpg) The commanders and soldiers of the 1st Ukrainian Front at the Moscow Victory Parade. June 24, 1945. | |
| Active | 1943–45 |
| Country | .svg.png){kind=small} |
| Branch |  |
| Type | Army group |
| Role | Co-ordination and conduct of Red Army Operations in Ukraine, Poland, and Germany |
| Size | Several Armies |
| Engagements | Korsun-Shevchenkivskyy Hube's Pocket Lvov-Sandomierz Operation Vistula-Oder Offensive Silesian Offensives Battle of Breslau (1945) Berlin Halbe Encirclement Prague |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | General Nikolai F. Vatutin (October 1943-March 1944) Marshal Georgy K. Zhukov (March 1944-May 1944) Marshal Ivan S. Konev (May 1944-May 1945) |
Wartime
On October 20, 1943, the Voronezh Front was renamed to the 1st Ukrainian Front. This name change reflected the westward advance of the Red Army in its campaign against the German Wehrmacht, leaving Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic behind and moving into Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. The front participated or conducted battles in Ukraine, Poland, Germany, and Czechoslovakia during 1944 and 1945.
During 1944, the front participated with other fronts in the battles of Korsun-Shevchenkivskyy, and the battle of Hube's Pocket in Ukraine. It conducted the Lviv-Sandomierz Offensive, during which the Front was controlling the Soviet 1st Guards Tank Army, 3rd Guards Tank Army, 4th Tank Army, 3rd Guards, 5th Guards Army, 13th, 38th, and 60th Armies. It then took part in the battle for Ternopil'.
In 1945 the front participated in the Vistula-Oder offensive, and conducted the Silesian and Prague Operations, and the siege of Breslau. It also participated in the Berlin operations in Germany and Poland. The front also conducted the major part of the Halbe Encirclement, in which most of the German 9th Army was destroyed south of Berlin. By this time the Polish Second Army was operating as part of the Front. Finally 1st Ukrainian Front provided the defence against the counter-attacks by Armee Wenck which aimed to relieve Berlin and the 9th Army. The Prague Offensive was the final battle of World War II in Europe.
Following the war, the Front headquarters formed the Central Group of Forces of the Red Army in Austria and Hungary till 1955, and reinstituted in 1968 in Czechoslovakia as a legacy of the Prague Spring events.
Commanders
- General Nikolai F. Vatutin (October 1943 – March 1944)
- Marshal Georgy K. Zhukov (March–May 1944)
- Marshal Ivan S. Konev (May 1944 – May 1945)
Armies
The armies that were part of the 1st Ukrainian Front included:
- 13th Army (1943–45) (Carpathian Military District)
- 27th Army (1943–44) (2nd Ukrainian Front)
- 38th Army (1943–44) (4th Ukrainian Front)
- 40th Army (1943–44) (2nd Ukrainian Front)
- 47th Army (1943-43) (2nd Belorussian Front)
- 60th Army (1943–44) (4th Ukrainian Front)
- 3rd Guards Tank Army (1943–45) (Group of Soviet Forces in Germany)
- 2nd Air Army (1943–?) ?
References
- Konev, I.S. Aufzeichnungen eines Frontbefehlshabers
- Konev, I.S. Das Jahr 1945
- Ziemke, E.F. Stalingrad to Berlin
- Tissier, Tony Slaughter at Halbe
- Duffy, Christopher Red Storm on the Reich
- Antill, P., Battle for Berlin: April – May 1945.