The decisive influence on the shaping of the organization and tactics of the German infantry before the outbreak of World War II was, on the one hand, the experience of the previous World War, but also theoretical works created in the 1920s and 1930s, which often emphasized the need to perceive the German infantry as a tool waging an offensive war. This affected both the equipment and the organization of the German infantry division, which during the September campaign of 1939 consisted of 3 infantry regiments, each of which was divided into 3 infantry battalions, an artillery company and an anti-tank company. In addition, there were numerous support units, including: an artillery regiment with 4 artillery squadrons (including one heavy), an anti-tank battalion, a sapper battalion and a communications battalion. In total, the so-called infantry division In the first mobilization wave, there were approximately 17,700 people and had a significant artillery component, but also was abundantly equipped with machine guns. It also had modern and efficient - for those times - means of communication and command. In the course of the war, infantry divisions underwent transformation - in 1943 some of them were transformed into armored grenadier divisions. However, from 1943, the standard division of the "traditional" infantry consisted of approx. 12,500 men (and not approx. 17,700 as in 1939), and its artillery component - especially heavy artillery - was also reduced in it, while its anti-tank defense was significantly improved. It is assumed that during the entire Second World War, about 350 infantry divisions served in the Wehrmacht.
The Battle of Moscow, also known as Operation "Typhoon" (the German code name for the operation) or the defensive Moscow operation, is one of the largest land battles of the Second World War that was fought in Europe. It was a direct consequence of the German aggression against the USSR of June 22, 1941 (Operation Barbarossa) and was aimed at the capture of the Soviet capital by the Wehrmacht. This great battle began on October 2, 1941 and ended on January 7, 1942, with the German offensive being halted as early as December 1941. It is estimated that about 1 million took part in it on the German side. soldiers, 1,700 tanks and assault guns, and approx. 950 aircraft. About 1.2 million fought on the Soviet side. soldiers, 1,000 tanks and assault guns, and about 650 aircraft. The operation started successfully for the German side, which at the very beginning, near Wiaźma and Brańsk, locked up significant Soviet forces in two large cauldrons, and later either destroyed them or captured them. Soviet losses at this stage were estimated at approx. 670 thousand. people! However, after this great success, the pace of the German attack began to slow down due to the worsening weather conditions, but also the stiffening resistance of the Soviet troops and - probably above all - insufficient logistics on its own side. However, the German troops managed to get closer to Moscow at the end of November 1941, and they were only 20 kilometers away from the Kremlin! However, the German troops were too exhausted and completely unprepared for fighting in winter conditions to continue the attack. The Soviet side made perfect use of this, which on 5-6 December 1941 launched a counter-offensive, pushing the German army towards the west. The battle ended with a considerable, strategic success of the Red Army.
