Antonescu insisted Odessa be captured by Romanian forces alone, without German help, to establish military credibility with Berlin and justify post-war territorial claims. The decision prolonged the siege and multiplied casualties.
Campaign: Operation Barbarossa — Southern Sector
Forces Engaged
Romanian troops on Odessa street (Polsky spusk) during the occupation, c. 1942 (c. 1942) — Unknown author. Public domain.
Victor
Romania
Commander: Iosif Iacobici
Strength:160,000
Defeated
Soviet Union
Commander: Ivan Petrov
Strength:86,000
The Battle
It is easy to put a border around this flag image (c. 2006) — User:Zscout370. Public domain.
Romanian 4th Army besieged the fortified Black Sea port for 73 days. The Soviet garrison evacuated to Sevastopol.
The siege of Odessa, known to the Soviets as the defence of Odessa, lasted from 8 August until 16 October 1941, during the early phase of Operation Barbarossa, the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II.
“"The smell of the dead in the sunflower fields under the Odessa sun is something one never forgets." — Romanian subaltern, cited in Axworthy
Parade organized at Arcul de Triumf for the return of the Romanian troops from Odessa in November 1941 The operations at Odessa highlighted significant weaknesses in the Romanian Army, leading both military and political leaders in the country to call for a discontinuation of military operations against the Soviet Union. Antonescu ignored such objections, regarding continued participation and eventual victory on the Eastern Front as necessary for the restoration of Romania's territorial integrity. On the other hand, the capture of Odessa enabled Antonescu to surpass Mussolini in prestige, as the latter had no comparable spoils. Odessa was the most important wartime conquest – without substantial German support – by any of the minor European Axis powers. The siege of Odessa partly overlapped with the Battle of Kiev (7 July – 26 September 1941).
Historical Record
70 лет обороны Одессы (1941). Оригинальная почтовая марка. Укрпочта, 2011. На марке изображена советская медаль "За оборону Одессы". (c. 2011) — Post of Ukraine. Public domain.Defense of Odessa: Anti-tank gun platoon commander Lieutenant Vasily Gavrilovich Kabanenko (164th Separate Anti-Tank Battalion, 25th Rifle Division) gives a command to his gun crew during a German tan (c. 1941) — Георгий Зельма, фотохроника ТАСС. Public domain.Soviet gun crew in action at Odessa in 1941. (c. 1941) — Unknown authorUnknown author. Public domain.Heinkel he 114 san diego air and space museum 2 — related to Siege of Odessa (1941) (c. 2012) — Unknown authorUnknown author. Public domain.Bucharest: Entry of the Romanian troops from Odessa, heavy artillery, from below, with triumphal arch (c. 1941) — Willy Pragher. CC BY 3.0 de.Военно-морской флаг СССР 1935–1950 гг. (c. 2008) — User:Permjak. Public domain.Map of the Eastern Front (WWII), 1941-06-21 to 1941-09-09 (c. 2006) — Gdr. CC BY-SA 3.0.70 лет обороны Одессы (1941). Оригинальная почтовая марка. Укрпочта, 2011. На марке изображена советская медаль "За оборону Одессы". (c. 2011) — Post of Ukraine. Public domain.It is easy to put a border around this flag image (c. 2006) — User:Zscout370. Public domain.Defense of Odessa: Anti-tank gun platoon commander Lieutenant Vasily Gavrilovich Kabanenko (164th Separate Anti-Tank Battalion, 25th Rifle Division) gives a command to his gun crew during a German tan (c. 1941) — Георгий Зельма, фотохроника ТАСС. Public domain.Soviet gun crew in action at Odessa in 1941. (c. 1941) — Unknown authorUnknown author. Public domain.Heinkel he 114 san diego air and space museum 2 — related to Siege of Odessa (1941) (c. 2012) — Unknown authorUnknown author. Public domain.Bucharest: Entry of the Romanian troops from Odessa, heavy artillery, from below, with triumphal arch (c. 1941) — Willy Pragher. CC BY 3.0 de.Военно-морской флаг СССР 1935–1950 гг. (c. 2008) — User:Permjak. Public domain.Map of the Eastern Front (WWII), 1941-06-21 to 1941-09-09 (c. 2006) — Gdr. CC BY-SA 3.0.
Significance & Legacy
Largest independent military operation ever undertaken by a minor Axis power.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the Siege of Odessa?
The Siege of Odessa took place in 1941. Aug 8–Oct 16, 1941.
Who won the Siege of Odessa?
The Romania were victorious against the Soviet Union.
What was the significance of the Siege of Odessa?
Largest independent military operation ever undertaken by a minor Axis power.
