Bratislava–Brno Offensive

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The Bratislava–Brno Offensive was an offensive conducted by the Red Army in western Slovakia and south Moravia towards the end of World War II. The offensive was held between 25 March and 5 May 1945 using the forces of the 2nd Ukrainian Front to capture the capital of Slovakia Bratislava and capital of Moravia Brno.[1]

Background

In the spring of 1945, the Red Army launched a major offensive on the southern wing of the Eastern Front. On 10 March, 4th Ukrainian Front began the Moravian-Ostrava Offensive and on 15 March 3rd Ukrainian Front began the Vienna Offensive. The 2nd Ukrainian Front, which was located between the 3rd and 4th Ukrainian Fronts, had to capture Bratislava and Brno.

Orders of Battle

USSR

The 2nd Ukrainian Front (commanded by Marshal Rodion Malinovsky; its chief of staff was Army General Matvei Zakharov) was composed of the following units.

Germany

Elements of Army Group South (commanded by Otto Wöhler)

Elements of Army Group Centre (commanded by Ferdinand Schörner)

Air support was provided by Luftflotte 4.

The offensive

Advance to Bratislava

At the beginning of the offensive the 7th Guards Army in a surprise night attack broke through German defense on the river Hron in a width of 17 kilometres (11 mi) and within two days advanced to Nové Zámky. On 26 March the Romanian 4th Army liberated Banská Bystrica, the centre of the last year defeated Slovak National Uprising. On 2 April the battle of Bratislava started, when the Soviet units captured the Airport in Vajnory. President Tiso and the government of the pupet Slovak State had already left the capital and by 5 April found the asylum in Austrian monastery Kremsmünster. The defense of Bratislava consisted of units of the German 6th Army and Hungarian 3rd Army. In the night to 3 April, Germans destroyed all mayor bridges over Danube. With the support of 27th Tank Brigade and Danube Flotilla Soviet soldiers of 23rd Rifle Corps and 25th Guards Rifle Corps (both of 7th Guards Army) pushed the enemy out of city. Bratislava was successfully captured in the second week of the operation, by the evening of 4 April 1945. The districts on the south bank of the Danube were captured the next day. Czechoslovak government and president moved to Bratislava on 8 May.[2]

Morava crossing

The next main obstacle to further Soviet advance was the Slovak-Moravian border created by the Morava river, which is in this section (between Devín and Hodonín) surrounded by riparian forests and wetland. In the springtime the flooded area was up to 8 kilometres (5 mi) wide. Despite this, on 6 April the first reconnaissance units of the 6th Guards Cavalry Corps crossed the river and the next day they secured the damaged bridge and railway embankment, which was the only way above water. The heavy battle for the town of Lanžhot lasted for four days, where the strong German defense was strengthened by more than 60 tanks, including the Tiger II heavy tank. Lanžhot was finally liberated on 11 April, but 25% of its houses were completely destroyed and another 60% were damaged. Soviet cavalry lost nearly 1,500 men and 2,000 horses, mostly as the result of long immersion in cold water.[3][4] The 53rd Army had crossed Morava river near Hodonín.[5]

Battle of Ořechov

After the breakthrough at river Morava Soviet units of 7th Mechanized Corps swiftly advanced to Jihlava river where they met the German division Feldherrnhalle. On 18 April the commander of Army Group Centre ordered to abolish the "Festung Brno" and to encounter the enemy on the approaches to the city. The Soviet advance was stopped at the town Rajhrad 15 kilometres (9 mi)south of Brno. The Soviet units however continued further west and by 10pm of the same day they reached the church of small village Ořechov, less than 12 km from the outskirt of Brno, which thus became within the range of Soviet artillery. The reconnaissance units of the 7th Mechanized Corps penetrated further north-west and captured several villages, including the village Popůvky. Some of the Soviet light tanks even reached the outskirt of Brno but were soon destroyed.[6]

Because the Feldherrnhalle division was behind the Jihlava river and this area was defended only by SS training units and Volksturm, the tanks of 16th Panzer-Division were called for the assistance in counterattack. In the evening of 19 April, German tanks and assault guns quickly penetrated the lines of exhausted Soviet soldiers, by fire at close range destroyed many Soviet tanks and recaptured the village Ořechov and the hillock with church. The next day, 20 April, German tanks of 16th Panzer-Division attacked towards the tanks of Feldherrnhalle division and together cut off and surrounded the Soviet reconnaissance at Popůvky. But the Germans did not have enough strength to completely destroy the encircled Soviets. Moreover, the commander of 16th Panzer-Division was captured by Czech partisans which badly affected its coordination with other German units. In the night 23rd/24th April, the 7th Mechanized Corps launched new attack and relieved the encircled units, the next day once more liberated Ořechov. The battle of Ořechov lasted seven days and was the greatest tank battle in the history of Moravia. The Red Army had lost 960 men and 35 armored vehicles, Germans had lost about 275-300 men and about 30 armored vehicles, the village Ořechov had suffered 23 casualties and 80% of houses destroyed.[6][7][8][9]

File:Sovětské tanky na Křenové ulici.gif
Soviet American- built M4 Sherman medium tank in Brno, April 1945

Liberation of Brno

The new Soviet assault was supported by 6th Guards Tank Army which had just arrived to the rear of 53rd Army after the fall of Vienna. While the 1st Guards Mechanized Cavalry Group renewed its attack on Brno, the 53rd Army launched the attack east of Brno, advancing towards Šlapanice and Slavkov. The army's advance broke through the German lines and the 6th Guards Tank Army advanced through the gap in the evening of 23 April. By the evening of 25 April the army's tanks reached the outskirts of Brno from the east, while the Mechanized Cavalry Group reached Brno from the south. The next morning the city centre was liberated and by noon also the Špilberk Castle, which until then served as the Brno Gestapo prison.[5]

Brno was liberated on 26 April 1945, but some of its northern districts were in German hands until 5 May. In the days following the liberation, armies of 2nd Ukrainian Front secured the western front line and expanded northwards to meet the forces of 4th Ukrainian Front and thus to outflank the German 1st Panzer Army. However, after the outbreak of Prague uprising Stavka changed the orders and the 2nd Ukrainian Front joined the Prague Offensive. Meanwhile, both Romanian armies advanced along the Morava river and before the end of the war liberated the towns of Otrokovice, Kroměříž and Prostějov.[5] Within the Soviet 53rd Army was also attached Czechoslovak Special Purpose Company. Its only purpose was to capture and secure the buildings for the needs of Czechoslovak government. However, because of the rapid end of war the government had relocated from Bratislava directly to Prague on 10 May. However, President Beneš spent almost one week in the liberated Brno.[10][11]

File:Hřbitov rudé armády - Ořechov.JPG
The Red Army cemetery in Ořechov, where 1,452 Soviet soldiers are interred.

Aftermath

During the offensive, Soviet forces had suffered casualties of nearly 17,000 killed.[12] Soviet sources reported that they had destroyed nine German divisions. The offensive had reportedly created conditions for the Prague Offensive.[13]

References

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External links

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