The Siege of Leningrad
WHAT WAS THE SIEGE OF LENINGRAD?
Between 8 September 1941 and 27 January 1944, the Soviet city of Leningrad was cut off from the rest of the Soviet Union and suffered bombardment as well as a military blockade by Nazi forces. Lasting for 872 days, it was one of the longest sieges in history, as well as one of the most brutal periods of World War II.
WHERE IS LENINGRAD, AND HOW DID THE CITY GET ITS NAME?
The city of Leningrad – now known by its original name of St Petersburg – is a port city on the Baltic Sea in what is now Russia. It was founded by Tsar Peter I, who established the city in the early 18th century and named it for his patron saint, the apostle Saint Peter. At the outbreak of World War I, its name was deemed too German, so
