Ninth Stalinist strike: East Carpathian operation
Thus, only Hungary remained on the side of the Third Reich, as well as the puppet regimes of Slovakia, Croatia and Serbia. True, the Hungarian leadership also showed weakness. As the Soviet troops approached the Hungarian borders, the ruler (regent) of the Hungarian kingdom Miklos Horthy displaced the pro-German government in August 1944, and on October 15 announced a truce with the USSR. However, Hungary, unlike Romania, did not manage to withdraw from the Hitler coalition. In the Hungarian capital, a coup d'état supported by Berlin took place, Horthy’s son was kidnapped and taken hostage. Under pressure from Hitler, the dictator Horthy was forced to transfer power to the leader of the Nazi pro-German party "Crossed Arrows" Ferents Salash and move to Germany. Hungary remained an ally of Germany, and its territory became the scene of fierce fighting.
The beginning of the liberation of Czechoslovakia. Slovak uprising
The victories won by the Soviet forces in the Jassy-Kishinev operation (Stalin's seventh strike: Yassko-Chisinau Cannes), the liberation from the German troops of Romania and Bulgaria radically changed the military-strategic situation in the Balkan Peninsula. The strategic front of the German army was broken for hundreds of kilometers, the Red Army advanced southwestward to 750 km. The German group "Southern Ukraine" has ceased to exist. The Carpathian group of the Wehrmacht was deeply enveloped by the Soviet armies. In the Black Sea, the Soviet fleet received complete supremacy.
Soviet troops came close to the borders of Hungary, Slovakia and Yugoslavia. A favorable situation has developed for the liberation of Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and Hungary. It intensified all the more because of the success of the Red Army, the resistance movement in these countries intensified even more. Thus, in Czechoslovakia, the liberation movement, despite the bloody terror and mass repressions of the Nazis, was continuously growing. Especially widespread was the resistance movement in Slovakia.
Slovakia in this period was formally an "independent state", which was led by a puppet government headed by Joseph Tiso. Slovak troops took part in the war with the USSR against 22 June 1941. However, they were noted for low combat capability and were more used to fight partisans. In the future, the Slovak division suffered a series of heavy defeats in the battles in the southern strategic direction. Hundreds of soldiers went over to the Red Army (many of them took part in the formation of the First Czechoslovak Brigade as part of the Red Army), others joined the partisan detachments. As a result, the German command sent the remnants of the demoralized Slovak troops to Italy, Romania and Hungary, where they were used as builders. In addition, the Slovak troops began to use for the equipment of the defensive line in the Beskids (a system of mountain ranges in the northern and western part of the Carpathians).
When it became clear that the war was lost by Germany, Slovakia thought about how to get out of the war with the least losses. The resistance movement has become widespread. In the summer of 1944, partisan groups began to be transferred from the USSR to Slovakia, weapon, ammunition, medicines and other materials. In Slovakia, large partisan detachments began to be formed, which consisted of Slovaks, as well as Soviet groups, detachments and brigades that were deployed from outside. So, on the night of 25 in July 1944 in the Cantor Valley, near Ruzomberk, a group was dropped under the command of Senior Lieutenant Peter Alekseevich Velichko. She became the basis for the 1 th Slovak partisan brigade them. M.R. Stefanik. In total, until the end of the war 53 organizational groups were transferred to Slovakia.
Slovak troops were loyal to the partisans. So, 9 August 1944, the Slovak army received an order to begin hostilities against the partisans in the Low Tatras. But the soldiers warned the partisans and refused to fight with them. The partisans began to openly act in a number of settlements. In the city of Martin, they handed out weapons and recorded volunteers into their ranks.
Almost simultaneously, the uprising began to unite the Slovak army. Slovak Ground Forces Commander Jan Golian prepared an uprising plan that was approved by the Czechoslovak government in exile. However, the uprising began before it was planned. On August 27, partisans took Ruzomberok. Rebellious Slovak soldiers killed 22 German officers passing by at a train station who refused to surrender. It was a German military mission that was returning from Romania to Germany. In response, German troops began the occupation of Slovakia. They also had a legitimate reason. On August 23, the Tiso government asked Hitler to help in the fight against partisans. As a result, significant forces were sent to suppress the uprising - up to 30 thousand soldiers, including tank Tatra division.
29 August Golian ordered the beginning of the uprising. On the side of the rebels crossed soldiers t. East Slovak Army, which began to form in connection with the approach of the Red Army to the borders of Slovakia. The center of the Slovak uprising was the city of Banska Bystrica. By September 5 in the rebel army there were about 78 thousand soldiers and partisans who had 28 tanks and SPGs, 200 guns and 34 aircraft.
However, the Wehrmacht immediately blocked the Dukel Pass, through which the Red Army was to help. Taking advantage of the military experience and armament of the Wehrmacht, with the support of the Slovak units, which remained loyal to the Tiso regime, they began to crowd the rebels. In the west of the country, the Slovak military almost did not resist the Germans. 27 October 1944 Germans took the Banska Bistrita and the rebels switched to guerrilla actions, ceasing open resistance.
Slovak rebels
East Carpathian operation
Forces of the parties. During the pursuit of German troops after the end of the Lvov-Sandomir operation (Lviv-Sandomierz operation) The troops of the left wing of the 1 of the Ukrainian Front, commanded by Marshal of the Soviet Union Ivan Konev and the 4 of the Ukrainian Front, under the command of Colonel-General Ivan Petrov reached the foothills of the Eastern Carpathians. In the further offensive in this direction, the 38 Army KS Moskalenko, the 1 Guards Cavalry Corps of V. K. Baranov, the 25 Tank Corps of E. I. Fomin, and the Czechoslovak Army 1 of L. Svoboda took part. (left wing of the 1 of the Ukrainian Front). From the 4 of the Ukrainian Front in the operation participated: 1-I Guards Army A. A. Grechko, 18-I Army E. P. Zhuravleva and 17-i Guards Rifle Corps. A few days before the start of operation 4, the Ukrainian front was reinforced by the 3 body of the mountain rifle corps. The mountain arrows had experience in fighting the mountains of the Caucasus and the Crimea, and had special equipment. As part of the upcoming units was 246 thousand people (in the course of the battle, several more large units were thrown and the number of troops increased to 378 thousand people), more than 5 thousand guns and mortars, 322 tank and ACS, 1165 combat aircraft.
Soviet troops opposed the Heinrici Army Group. It consisted of: 1-I tank army commanded by Gothard Heinrici and part of the 1-I Hungarian army. The German army group numbered about 300 thousand people, 3250 guns, 100 tanks and SAU, 450 aircraft. German and Hungarian troops relied on powerful deep-echeloned (up to 60 km) defense in the highlands, the breakthrough of which required long and thorough preparation.
Plan of operation Initially, the Soviet Stavka did not plan to storm the powerful positions of the enemy in the Eastern Carpathians. 26 August Stake ordered the 4 of the Ukrainian front to go on the defensive and postpone the previously planned offensive. In connection with the successful movement of the troops of the 2 of the Ukrainian Front to the rear of the Carpathian Wehrmacht group, it was possible to free Slovakia without storming the enemy fortifications in the Eastern Carpathians, using a bypass maneuver from the south.
However, the situation was such that the USSR had to assist the Slovak national uprising. Back in December 1943, the Soviet-Czechoslovak Treaty of Friendship and Mutual Assistance was signed in the Kremlin. 31 August 1944, the Czechoslovak ambassador in Moscow Fierlinger appealed to the Soviet government to help the uprising in Slovakia. Therefore, despite all the difficulties of overcoming the Carpathians by tired troops, the Soviet 2 Headquarters of September gave the order to conduct the East Carpathian operation. Political considerations were higher than the operational expediency of such an offensive.
They decided to launch an offensive at the junction of the 1 and 4 of the Ukrainian fronts. The main attacks were carried out from the Krosno and Sanok area through the passes of Duklinsky and Lupkovsky and further to Presov. Soviet troops were to enter Slovakia and unite with the Slovak forces. The 38 Army Moskalenko, reinforced by the Czechoslovak, tank and cavalry corps, was to break through the enemy defenses on the 8-kilometer stretch in the Krosno region. The 1-I Grechko Guards Army, supported by several tank, artillery, and mountain-rifle corps, was to crack the German defenses in the Sanok area. In addition, in the future, the troops of the 4 of the Ukrainian Front were to launch an offensive on the Uzhgorod, Mukachevo and Rakhov directions.
Thus, the Eastern Carpathian strategic operation consisted of two front-line operations: the Carpathian-Dukla operation, which was conducted by the 1 Ukrainian Front and the Carpathian-Uzhgorod operation in the offensive zone of the 4-Ukrainian Front.
Given the urgency of the situation, only a few days were spent on preparation. From that moment on, the USSR began large-scale military assistance to the insurgents. On the line of the Ukrainian headquarters of the partisan movement, 15 of organizing groups (more than 200 people) were transferred on airplanes. They began to ship weapons, ammunition and other military equipment on airplanes. September 17 The 1944 separate Czechoslovak Fighter Aviation Regiment (1 machines) was sent to Slovakia in 20, in the beginning of October the 2 Separate Czechoslovak Airborne Brigade.
A major role in the success of the operation was to play a sudden breakthrough of the Soviet troops through the mountains. The Czechoslovak military said they controlled the Carpathian passes. However, it soon became clear that the passes are in German hands. The rebels were cut off in Central Slovakia, to which the Soviet troops could not quickly get. Thus, the Soviet command had to decide on a risky operation - the troops needed to overcome 50-60 km to the Carpathians, then take well-fortified and hard-to-reach passes by storm.
Offensive
The Soviet offensive began at dawn on September 8. S. M. Shtemenko in his work “General Staff during the War” noted that the offensive had to be launched in bad weather conditions. Rain, blurred roads and poor visibility made it difficult to advance. 2-I and 8-I air armies could not act in full force. However, the Soviet troops were able to deliver a strong blow to the enemy on the approaches to the main ridge of the Eastern Carpathians. But the Germans acted skillfully and decisively. The German command, relying on advantageous positions in a mountainous and wooded area, sought to close the way to Slovakia and Transylvania for the Soviet troops. Slovak troops in this area, who supported the rebels, were quickly disarmed. The German command managed to withdraw large forces to all main directions, retaining passes and freedom of maneuver from the depths. As the Soviet troops advanced to the passes, the resistance of the German forces increased. By mid-September, Soviet troops penetrated the enemy’s defenses only on 12 — 23 km. Although the whole operation was planned to a depth of 90 — 95 km and a duration of 5 days.
The entire complexity of the operation is characterized by the environment of the cavalrymen of Baranov. During the September 10-11 heavy battles, Soviet troops broke through the first lane of the enemy’s defenses and in a narrow sector of the 1,5-2 km - the second lane. The command decided to throw the 1 th Guards Corps into this narrow gap. At night, the corps made a breakthrough to the rear of the enemy. However, on September 14, German troops closed the gap. All attempts to reestablish communication with Baranov’s corps were unsuccessful. The cavalrymen were in a difficult situation - small stocks of ammunition came to an end, exhausted food and fodder. Supply had to be organized from the air. The horses were tired, in the mountains the cavalry lost mobility. German troops gradually squeezed the noose around the guards. To help out the cavalry, the 4 th Guards Tank Corps of Poluboyarov and the 31 Tank Corps of Grigoriev taught the order to go to the rear of the enemy's Dukla group.
Army Moskalenko and Grechko literally gnawed at enemy lines. The fighting went with great tension. The German command pulled up to the dangerous area, additional troops and equipment, reserves. As a result, a situation developed where the German troops in the breakout areas initially surpassed the Soviet formations in tanks and self-propelled guns 2 times. The German command set up a powerful grouping in a dangerous direction, deployed infantry divisions to the 5, which were removed from relatively calm front sectors. The Soviet command had to additionally enter into battle two tank corps. However, the introduction of fresh forces in the battle could not turn the tide in favor of the Soviet troops.
To prevent the enemy from freely transferring troops from one front to another, and thereby alleviate the position of the assault force, September 18 received an order to go on the offensive part of the 18 Army and 17 Guards Rifle Corps of the 4 Ukrainian Front. As a result, the overall offensive front expanded to 400 km.
18-I army Zhuravleva, using the weakening of the battle formations of the enemy in secondary areas and applying deep roundabout maneuvers of its resistance centers and strong points, September 18 was able to overcome the main Carpathian ridge. The Soviet soldiers captured the Russian, Uzhoksky, Veretsky, Yablonitsky and other passes and continued their advance down the south-western and southern slopes of the Eastern Carpathians. The Zhuravlev army began to develop an offensive against Uzhgorod and Mukachevo. On the southern flank of the front 17-th Guards Rifle Corps was advancing from the area of the Delyatin on Yasini.
In addition, the troops of the 2-th Ukrainian Front (40-I army) during the Debrecen operation occupied the part of the Hungarian plain adjacent to the Carpathians. Yes, and there was no strength to resist, 1-I of the Hungarian army was almost completely defeated. For the army group "Heinrici" there was a threat of a strike from the south-west direction and environment. Under this threat, the German-Hungarian troops began to retreat.
The commander of the 4-th Ukrainian Front Petrov was able to organize the pursuit of the enemy’s withdrawing forces. The Soviet troops, knocking the enemy's rearguards, 16 of October, captured the city of Rakhiv, and 18 of October, in cooperation with units of the 40 army of the 2 of the Ukrainian front, the city of Sighet. The troops of 4 of the Ukrainian Front broke through into the valley of the Tisza River and began to rapidly develop an attack on the city of Chop. October 26 was taken Mukachev, October 27 - Uzhgorod and October 29 - Chop. The further attack of the 18 army and the 17 Guards Rifle Corps was stopped at the turn of Chop - Snina. The troops were tired, the Slovak uprising was defeated, and the German command redeployed fresh forces and conducted a series of strong counterattacks.
On the right flank of the Soviet front, things were worse. The actions of the 38 and 1 of the Guards armies were not so successful. They continued to break through the powerful defenses of the enemy. It was not possible to fundamentally reverse the situation and the introduction into battle of two new mobile units: the 4 Guards Tank Corps of P. P. Poluboyarov and the 31 Tank Corps of V. E. Grigoriev. Only by the end of September, the advancing troops reached the Main Carpathian Range. The troops of the 38 Army captured the Dukel Pass and entered Czechoslovakia. Part of the 1 Guards Army broke through the enemy defenses in the area of the Lupkov Pass and also reached the Czechoslovak border. Repeated subsequent attempts to move on were not successful. Until the end of October, Soviet and Czechoslovak troops fought stubbornly against the enemy, but could not break through his defenses. The Germans were pulling reinforcements and constantly going over to counterattacks. In late October, both Soviet fronts went over to the defensive.
The commander of the 1 Guards Army A. A. Grechko (second from right) with officers of the army headquarters on the Arpad line. Carpathians. October 1944
Results
The objectives of the operation were not fully achieved. The Slovak uprising could not be helped. German troops broke the direct resistance of the Slovak forces, captured the leaders of the uprising. The remnants of the rebels switched to guerrilla actions. They fought until the liberation of Czechoslovakia by the Red Army. I must say that in fact it was the last serious victory of the Wehrmacht over the army of another state. This was largely due to the mistakes of the Czechoslovak military and political leadership, which overestimated its strength, underestimated the power and speed of the Wehrmacht. Slovaks clearly rushed. The Czechoslovak government in London was in a hurry to establish itself in Czechoslovakia, but it miscalculated.
As Konev noted in his memoirs, “dictated by political considerations, undertaken in support of the national antifascist uprising of the Slovak people, this operation cost us dearly, although it has taught us a lot.” The Soviet troops lost over 130 thousand people in this operation (irrevocable about 27 thousand people). German-Hungarian losses are estimated at 90 thousand.
However, there were positive results. The army group "Heinrici" suffered a serious defeat, was forced to retreat, losing an important defensive line. The 1-I Hungarian army was defeated. Soviet troops occupied an important strategic frontier - the Eastern Carpathians, liberated Transcarpathian Ukraine, part of Eastern Slovakia. Conditions emerged for the further liberation of Czechoslovakia, the northern flank was secured for the Soviet offensive on Budapest.
Monument at the site of the battle for Dukla Pass
To be continued ...
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