Battle of Lysenkograd

## **Background**

After the German Empire‘s victory over the entente in the Great War in 1919, Belarus and Ukraine as well as the Baltic countries were annexed by Mitteleuropa.

The newly established Soviet Republics of Russia was totally destroyed by the brutal Civil War. Poor harvest, famine and lack of industry plagued the country. On the 14th Party Congress, the First Five-Year Plan was announced. Under the leadership of Agronomist Trofim Lysenko, Central Asia was turned into arable agricultural territory.

During the Five-Year Plan in the 1950s, the Turkmeni canal was built. The workers who constructed the canal settled into a small settlement, that later grew and eventually became the big port city of Lysenkograd. Trade and oil boomed the economy of the city throughout the decades.

As of early 1990s, the city had a population of more than 1,125,000 people from all regions of the U.S.S.R., including China and Korea.

In 1993, the Second World War broke between the International and the Central Powers. In the summer of 1994, the Central Powers opened 'Operation Attila', an attempt to invade and destroy the Soviet infrastructural output of Central Asia.

Perhaps the most important battle of the front, was the battle of Lysenkograd.

## Operation of War

### Central Powers

The objective of the German advancing troops into Lysenkograd is to capture the harbors and industrial centers of the Turkmeni canal. German 'Army Group Turkmenistan' advancement into Lysenkograd is organized as following: 42nd Armeekorps - 78,000 personnel 68th Armeekorps - 150,000 personnel 11th Armeekorps - 370,000 personnel 47th Armeekorps - 335,000 personnel 82nd Armeekorps - 67,000 personnel Artillery - 3,750 Tanks - 760 Aircraft - 1,200

Total personnel - 1,000,000

As of November, the objective of the 68th, 11th and the 47th Armeekorps is to capture Lysenkograd. The 42nd Armeekorps has surrounded the Soviet 66th army in the smaller port city of Aylabat. The 82nd Armeekorps is clashing with the Soviet 59th army over the Trans-Turkmeni railway.

### Soviet Forces

The objective of the Soviet Forces is to protect Lysenkograd and the Turkmeni canal. Soviet 'Lysenkograd front' counter-attack is organized as following; 66th Army - 95,000 1st Lysenkograd Guard Army - 255,000 2nd Lysenkograd Guard Army - 340,000 21st Army - 115,500 59th Army - 70,000 13th Afghan Reserve Army - 200,000 2nd Caspian navy (Britain) - 47,000 Artillery - 7,400 Tanks - 1,300 Aircraft - 3,250

Total personnel - 1,122,000

## Defeat & Operation Pravda

On 20th October, a cargo supply route to the city was opened by the British-Soviet navy. The sieged 66th army in Aylabat protected by ports, and made this support possible.

On November 27, the 13th Afghan Reserve Army arrived to the suburb area of eastern Lysenkograd. On the same day the British 2nd navy stationed on the Caspian sea arrived on the small port city on the Kert-Yakha peninsula.

On the 28th of November, 'Operation Pravda' began when the 13th Afghan Reserve army attacked from the east, and the British 2nd Caspian army landed on the port city of Tselek-Tepe from the west.

The two armies had the objective to surround the German 68th, 11th and 47th armies, a total 855,000 troops.

On the morning of December 6th, the Soviet 66th and the 13th Afghan Reserve armies united, and the German armies were under siege in Lysenkograd.

On the same day, the 68th Armeekorps, of which 65 thousand had survived, escaped from the northern ports of Lysenkograd. In the evening of December 8th, thousands of German soldiers capitulated.

The remaining German troops had to retreat. Most of them were heading towards the port cities of Fort-Sevcenko and Turkmenbasy.

## Casualties

### The International Civilians Central Powers

Personnel - 720,000 550,000 Personnel - 600,000

Artillery - 5,400 POW - 250,000

Tanks - 900 Artillery - 3,100

Aircraft - 560 Tanks - 550

Aircraft - 300