Siege of Leningrad

The Siege of Leningrad lasted for approximately 872 days, from September 8, 1941, to January 27, 1944. It was one of the longest and most destructive sieges in history, conducted by German and Finnish forces against the Soviet city. The blockade was finally broken by a massive Soviet offensive during the Leningrad-Novgorod operation.

Civilians survived through strict rationing, including the "125 grams of bread" daily allowance for non-working dependents, which often contained sawdust and cellulose. Many resorted to eating pets, leather belts, and wallpaper paste as food supplies dwindled. The establishment of the "Road of Life" across the frozen Lake Ladoga was also crucial for bringing in minimal supplies and evacuating residents.

The "Road of Life" was a perilous transport route across the frozen Lake Ladoga that provided the only physical connection between besieged Leningrad and the rest of the Soviet Union. Trucks and horse-drawn sleds carried vital food, fuel, and medicine into the city during winter months. Over a million civilians, mostly women, children, and the elderly, were evacuated across this route.

The siege resulted in an estimated 1.5 million deaths, including over a million civilians who perished from starvation, exposure, and disease. Military casualties were also catastrophic for both the Soviet defenders and the Axis forces. It remains one of the deadliest operations of the Eastern Front in World War II.