Welcome to Russian History Retold, Episode 223, The Siege of Leningrad, Part 2.

Last time we covered the early days of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union

by Nazi Germany. Today we cover the progress the invasion was making with the focus on the

people within Leningrad and their growing sense of foreboding. We are now in mid-August

1941 with the German Army nearing Leningrad's city limits. In the previous two months, over

300,000 refugees from Preskov and Novgorod flooded into the city, over two million men

and women, man the defensive positions. The offensive to capture Leningrad was stopped

due to fierce resistance on July 23rd. This infuriated Edolf Hitler, who visited the

troops of Army Group North on July 27th. He ordered Field Marshal Wilhelm Ritter von

Loeb to take the city by December or else. The or else was to take place on January 15th,

1942 when Hitler relieved von Loeb of his command, replacing him with Field Marshal Georg von

Kuchler. Kuchler would remain as commander of Army Group North throughout the remainder of

the siege. Kuchler's actions during his time as commander was defined by his support of the

Nazi Party of Verneestungskrik or the Planned War of Annihilation. Postwar, Kuchler would

be found guilty of war crimes against humanity. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Kuchler

was released in 1953 after serving only eight years. Before we dive into the beginning

of the siege of Leningrad, let's find out what else is going on in the world in August

and September 1941. In the U.S., NBC and CBS, TV commenced commercial television operations.

The Ecuadorian Peruvian War of 1941 was fought. There would be a total of three conflicts

fought by those two countries in the 20th century. Joe DiMaggio gets a base hit in 56 games

in a row and the Nazi's plan of the final solution to the Jewish question is completed. With

Vermacht forces about 100 kilometers or 62 miles away, German artillery begins bombarding

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