Operation Wotan

Wotan may also designate a part of German East Wall defensive line or a code name for a German radar project.

Operation Wotan
Part of World War II (Eastern Front)
Date 9 September-November 1941 Location the outskirts of Moscow, Soviet Union Result Temporary draw, subsequent Soviet victory
Belligerents
Germany	Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Heinz Guderian Albert Kesselring Ewald von Kleist Erich Hoepner Maximilian von Weichs	Andrei Yeremenko Andrey Vlasov

Operation Wotan was a codename for the German tank operation with the goal of capturing Moscow during the World War II, developed mainly by Hitler.^[1] The name refers to Wotan, a Germanic god.

The operation was scheduled to be launched by Army Group South on September 9, 1941 and to last no more than eight weeks.^[1] The date was established on August, 29 in declaration addressed to the OKH. The start was slowed down by initial Soviet attacks of Semyon Budyonny and Semyon Timoshenko. However Guderian's tank units soon smashed the Soviet troops between Oryol and Kursk, forming a gap which was used by Kleist's 1st Panzer Group. It was decided to make the main strike towards the Dankov-Kasimov-Gorkiy direction, but it was changed by Albert Kesselring. However the German troops experienced severe difficulties concerning the casualties and the subsequent frosts. An opportunity for Soviet counter-offensive occurred shortly after.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Kenneth Macksey The Hitler Options. London: Greenhill/Stackpole, 1995

See also

• Battle of Moscow