Hello, and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast, Episode

144, The Siege of Leningrad, Part 1.

The German soldiers facing Leningrad considered the balance of their job over.

They had fought through hundreds of kilometers dealt with numerous counterattacks, had won

most of them, but now it was time to take the city before them.

But then came rumors that the city would not be attacked directly.

Some had heard that the city now surrounded would be starved into submission.

Others heard that the Finns were working their way south from above the city.

Still, however, the end played out.

It was still the end.

But if they did get a chance to fight their way into the city, that was alright too.

Army Group North had lost some 80,000 men in getting here.

The end of the struggle would be dedicated to them in the form of revenge.

As covered last time, the Germans captured of Schlisselberg on September 9th at the bottom

left corner of Lake La Doga, cut off Leningrad's ground communications with the rest of the

country.

This had been the last part before a true ring was established around the city, which allowed

the Germans to declare to the world and themselves that Leningrad was thus cut off and was now

considered a secondary theater of war.

And thus labeled Hitler was not willing to lose any more men of Army Group North.

So announced that the city would be allowed to starve to death.

But besides now that Army Group North had accomplished its mission, really all but accomplished

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