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Antecedents
4 months before the beginning of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Union's foreign minister took steps to request reinforcements of war material from the Allied forces. The Allies agreed. -
Period: to
Allies assemble 35 merchant ships in a small Icelandic village
Its purpose was to transfer armaments to the Russian port of Murmansk. -
Disembarkation of convoy PQ 17
The convoy carried 297 unarmed aircraft of various types, 594 medium tanks, 4200 vehicles, 156 tons of military aid of various types. -
Two merchant ships have problems with ice and have to turn back
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Nazi reconnaissance planes detect the convoy
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Convoy enters fog and is tracked by submarines
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Convoy approaches the island of Oslo
They entered the Nazi attack radius. The Nazis launched an offensive that, due to excessive speed, ran aground. -
Allied forces disperse the convoys and withdraw the escort
Allied forces sighted a large Nazi fleet and believed it to be an attack, so they dispersed the convoys and withdrew the escort. -
Nazis take the opportunity to attack
the Nazis deployed strike force A which caused the loss of 12 ships on the same day. -
Final phase
Losses increase to 23 ships and only 10 reach Arkangel port as Murmansk was under shelling