(6/10) Battlefield II The Battle of the Crimea Ep8 World War II

Videos Running Time 01:41:00 in 10 Parts

Battlefield II: The Battle of the Crimea"


This episode of "Battlefield" chronicles the German Armys campaign in the Crimea.
The campaign was conducted by the German 11th Army (XI), despite the incorrect map references to the 6th Army (VI).

The Crimea was a thorn in the belly of Army Group Souths advance on Rostov. Hitler also believed the Crimea could act as an alternative invasion route into the Caucasus. The task of conquering the Crimea would fall on Gen. Erich von Manstein. Mansteins 11th Army would consist of 4 Corps. Thirty, 49th Mountain, 54th, and the 3rd Romanian Corps were all assigned to the 11th Army. The Soviet Union would assemble a force of 235,000 men in various units.

The Battle of the Crimea officially began on September 24th, 1941. Gen. Mansteins first objective was to break resistance and breakthrough the Isthmus of Perekop. This invasion route was an obvious choice, and a necessary entrance into the Crimea. Manstein had no choice but to fight a battle of attrition in this area. Manstein achieved a breakthrough on October 28th, 1941.

The defenses of Sevastopol were extensive and well planned out. Three belts of defenses defended the approaches to the city. Manstein chose to center his offensive in the south. The Soviet defensive belt network was weaker in the south. However, the terrain was terrible. The offensive failed.

As Manstein was closing on Sevastopol, the Soviets launched attacks across the Kerch Peninsula. These attacks succeeded in pushing the Germans back. A series of excellent counter offensives succeeded; in clearing the Soviet presence out of the eastern Crimea, and inflicting 175,000 casualties on the Soviets.

After murderous attacks, bombardments and tough Soviet resistance Sevastopol fell on June 29, 1942. Gen. Manstein was promoted to Field Marshall.

In 1944 the Soviets crossed into the Kerch Peninsula once again. As the 17th Army retreated, the Soviets encircled all forces in the Crimea. When all hope seemed lost a botched seaborne extraction began. The German defense of the Crimea in 1944 was another complete Hitler influenced disaster.

Enjoy this episode of Battlefields

Category:

Education

Tags:

• World
• War
• II
• Russia
• Soviet
• Crimea
• Barbarossa
• German
• Wehrmacht
• Panzer
• Field
• Marshall
• Manstein
• 1944
• Sevastopol
• Germans
• Soviets
• Battlefield
• Hitler
• Army
• Group
• South

[witgw]

one problem with this video. There were no Pz. Kpfw. V. (Sd. Kfz. 171) tanks in 1942.

[HoustonGD]

Correct! Battlefiled II makes too many visual mistakes to even mention

[23Revan84]

Wow I never heard of operation bustardhunt, but Manstein is a genius and whoop 3 soviet formations or armies, even though he was understrengthed and under supplied, while he faced an army 2 to 1 advantage and greater supplies. The german commanders were something.

[sheemsheem]

manstien had real talent..

[sheemsheem]

wow...

[tjhoenecke]

@thatamazinggeek Well, a certain amount of that is inevitable in any such documentary of the era.

[tjhoenecke]

@23Revan84 "Inglourius Basterdhunt," no doubt. ;)

[JIMY45GR]

after the soviet offensive 300000 germans were killed mor e than 20000 prisoners and died  in siberia that was meisteins succes also!!!

[gpvx2007]

7,500 for 170,000!!! Manstein the most brilliant tactician in WW2!

[inteluck]

much of the film shown is from other theatres or areas, and at different (later) times.

[douasutesase]

22 pz division had czech tanks .

[lemonite1]

@32silvercoins Yeah, and those Russians were stubborn and persistent. They would have no problem giving up large chunks of land just to regroup for brutal counters. The Battle of Crimea is a Heavyweight title fight;constant push and pull....

[pursuinginsanity]

@MrHappyTruth No, the first action by Tigers was in October (or Nov.?) '42 (at Leningrad), while the seige of Sevastopol was finished in June '42. It's just one of *many* mistakes this episode makes, the first I noticed being the Roman numeral used for Manstein's 11th army is "VI" instead of "XI" - not to mention the fact that Roman numerals were used for Corps formations, while Arabic numerals were used for Army level formations. Sad.