Michael Myagkov: battle for the Caucasus determined the outcome of the Great Patriotic War

The Battle for the Caucasus in 1942-1943 was one of the turning points in the Great Patriotic War, the Scientific Director of the Russian Military-Historical Society, Professor of the MFA of Russia, Mikhail Myagkov, told Vestnik Kavkaza.

According to him, in July 1942, when the battle for the Caucasus began, the position of the Soviet troops in the Caucasus was critical. "Our commanders worried that the Germans would be able to break through to Tuapse, and will come through the passes to the republics of the Caucasus, and in the east, breaking the Terek River, fall directly on Grozny, seizing Mozdok, Malgobek and Ordzhonikidze," he said.

In this case, the enemy's army would have access to our oil fields, and the outcome of the war would have been a foregone conclusion. "When the battle began, the Germans managed to break through three main points: the Western Caucasus - Tuapse direction, the central - Sukhumi direction and, of course, the Terek river and Grozny. The main points which kept the defense of the Caucasus were Grozny, Malgobek and the Elkhot gate. You can add toWestern Caucasus and Tuapse too," Myagkov said.

As a result, the Soviet army managed to defend this important region, winning several key battles. "The turning point occurred in October-November 1942, during the battle for the Elkhot gate. The situation would have been hopeless. But we managed to encircle the German group and destroy its tanks. The Germans could not break through here, and we began to prepare for a counter-offensive, the Germans switched to tight defense," the historian said.
According to the professor, the successful defense of Grozny and Tuapse played the most important role: the enemy was not able to capture the city. "Several times the Germans tried to enter Tuapse, but our tight defense did not allow it to be done," the historian said.

According to Myagkov, the triumph of our army in the Caucasus was extremely important for the further course of the war. "It was a great victory, which was of great moral, political and military importance. She would not let the Germans take our raw materials, oil and bread of the Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories," the professor said.

The people of the North Caucasus made an enormous contribution to the victory, the historian stressed. "Firstly, they served in the Soviet Army. Secondly, victory in the mountains would have been impossible without the help of local guides," Myagkov said.

 

Unfortunately, the historian pointed out, the government made some mistakes in the military policy in the North Caucasus. "In particular, Beria refused the formation of national units, and those that were formed from the North Caucasus people were dismissed. This decision, however, was canceled later," he said.

 

"In 1943 the wrong decision to return Chechens, Ingush, Balkars, Kabardians from the front was made again, those who fought with dignity, and were awarded and injured," Myagkov noted.

 

Transcaucasian republics also played an important role, these areas provided our army with everything we needed. "A great number of the wounded were treated in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan," the expert said.

 

"When the enemy cut our transport route along the Volga, making it impossible to communicate directly with the center and the south of the country, Azerbaijan established the supply of oil across the Caspian Sea. Additional railway lines were built," he added.

 

"We would not have won this war if Baku, our oil capital, had not continued to operate without interruption, Mikhail Myagkov concluded.

The people of the North Caucasus have made an enormous contribution to the victory, the historian stressed. "Firstly, they served in the Soviet Army.  Secondly, the victory in a mountains would be impossible without the help of local guides," Myagkov said.Unfortunately, the historian pointed out, the government made some mistakes in the military policy in the North Caucasus. "In particular, Beria refused the formation of national parts, and those, that have been formed from the North Caucasus people, were dismissed. This decision, however, was canceled later," he said."In 1943 the wrong decision to return Chechens, Ingush, Balkars, Kabardians from the front was made again, those who fought with dignity, and were awarded and injured," Myagkov noted.Transcaucasian republics also played an important role, these areas provided our army with everything we needed. "A great number of the wounded were treated in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan," the expert said."When the enemy cut our transport route along the Volga, making it impossible to communicate  directly with the center and the south of the country, Azerbaijan has established the supply of oil across the Caspian Sea. Additional railway lines were built," he added."We would not have won this war, if Baku, our oil capital, do not continue to operate uninterruptedly, Mikhail Myagkov concluded.