Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Official website of the State –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
December 5, 1941, marked a turning point not only in the Great Patriotic War but in world history as a whole. On that day, Soviet troops launched a counteroffensive along a front stretching over a thousand kilometers—from Tver (then Kalinin) to Yelets. This decision, made by the Supreme High Command Headquarters (SHGK), marked the beginning of the defeat of Nazi forces near Moscow and halted the seemingly unstoppable blitzkrieg.
Until the last drop of blood
By that time, the enemy was 20–30 kilometers from the capital. Moscow was already circled in red on Hitler's maps. Operation Typhoon, launched in late September, was supposed to capture the city before the frost set in. However, the enemy's plans were destined to fail.
Delays near Smolensk, fierce battles near Kiev, and the Red Army's stubborn resistance—all this cost the Wehrmacht precious time. By December, the German force was exhausted, depleted, and unprepared for winter. Its soldiers were in summer uniforms, their equipment was not adapted to the cold, and their morale was shattered. "The Russians fight to the last man. They very rarely surrender," wrote Franz Halder, Chief of the Wehrmacht General Staff and later one of the instigators of the assassination attempt on the Führer, in his diary with alarm.
Counterattack
Meanwhile, a powerful reserve was being formed in our rear. Siberian and Far Eastern divisions, dressed in white camouflage uniforms, approached the front lines. By early December, the Western, Kalinin, and Southwestern Fronts numbered over a million men, more than 7,600 guns and mortars, nearly 800 tanks, and about a thousand combat aircraft.
On the morning of December 5, troops of the Kalinin Front attacked from the north. The following day, forces from the Western and Southwestern Fronts attacked from the flanks and rear of the Nazis. Soviet units, lacking deep defensive lines, acted decisively and quickly. Fierce battles unfolded on the approaches to Klin, Istra, Tula, and Yelets.
A month later, German forces were pushed back 250 kilometers west. Enemy losses during the first ten days of the counteroffensive exceeded 150,000 killed and wounded, and approximately 800 tanks were destroyed. Army Group Center commander Fedor von Bock complained that his troops were "exhausted."
Eternal memory
This date became a symbol not only of military valor but also of the rebirth of faith in victory. Moscow stood firm, the Soviet Union did not break—for the first time since the invasion of our land, the enemy retreated.
In 1995, December 5th was officially included in the law "On Days of Military Glory of Russia." It reminds us that sometimes the most important step is the first counterattack.
The First Management University community honors with deep respect the memory of those who stopped the enemy on the outskirts of Moscow in December 1941—among them were our faculty and students. Their heroic deed is not only a chapter in history but also a lesson for the future: even in the most difficult circumstances, determination, preparation, and unity among the people can change the course of events.
Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: December 4, 2025.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.