The Rail War (; ; ) was the name for a World War II action of

Soviet partisans Soviet partisans were members of Resistance during World War II, resistance movements that fought a Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla war against Axis powers, Axis forces during World War II in the Soviet Union, the previously Territories of Poland an ...

and the German '' Kampfgruppen des NKFD'' as their auxiliary force in the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, especially in German-occupied Byelorussia and

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. The operations were carried out with the intention of disrupting German logistics via the destruction of rail lines, thus preventing the travel of equipment and manpower to the front.

Overview

In June 1943, the Central Committee of the

Communist Party of Byelorussia Communism () is a sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology within the socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a socioeconomic order centered on common ownership of the means of production, ...

adopted a resolution calling for the destruction of German rail lines, as well as a general strike of rail workers in order to prevent their reconstruction. It was also to be accompanied by intentional train wrecks and destruction of bridges and stations. Partisans during the Second World War frequently used tactics recommended by the CPB, but were most frequently used during Operations Rail War,

Concert A concert, often known informally as a gig or show, is a live performance of music in front of an audience. The performance may be carried by a single musician, in which case it is sometimes called a recital, or by a musical ensemble such as an ...

and Bagration. In fact, Ilya Starinov, one of the primary saboteurs, helped organise the latter two operations. Explosives were heavily used during the rail war to destroy German rail lines. Many partisans used explosives which had been developed for the express purpose of the rail war, but others used grenades or

improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional warfare, conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached t ...

s. German forces (including SS troops and the Kaminsky Brigade) conducted anti-partisan operations which killed 7000 partisans and left a swathe of blazing villages; Soviet air attacks were made against the partisan hunters. From 19 June 1944 over five nights 40,000 demolitions were laid; disabling mile upon mile of railway track and knocking out precious rolling stock. Data on the rail war differs between German and Soviet sources, but it is commonly agreed that the partisans caused large disruptions of German logistics. Between 1944 and 1945, medals dedicated to participation in the rail war were awarded in

Minsk Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...

References

{{reflist Rail transport in the Soviet Union Military history of the Soviet Union during World War II Battles and operations of the Eastern Front of World War II

Overview

See also

References