the field artillery journal - Fort Sill - U.S. Army

The 4th Ukraine Army Group (Col. Gen. Ivan Y. Petrov) was in line on affording another bridgehead over the Tisza River. Until 18 Oct there was
the east of Hungary, and the 2nd Ukraine Army Group (Marshal Rodio Y. no further material change in the line, although the great tank battle near
Malinovsky)
was on the south. The enemy were mixed Hungarians and Debreczen kept on. The German retreat from Transylvania, according to
Germans. The line on 19 Sep was
their accounts, proceeded without interference.
Dukla (?)—Jasliska (R)—Dolina (R)—Nadworna (R)—Delatyn (R)—Kuty (R)— The line at the end of the period was
Radauti (G)—Suceava (R)—Falticeni (R)—Gheorgheni (R)—Odorhei (R)— Dukla Pass (G)—southeast along the Carpathian Mountains with all passes
Targul Mures (G)—Turda (G)—Huedin (G)—Beius (G)—Ineu (?)—Arad (G). in Russian hands to Raho (Rachov) (G)—Sighet (?)—Baia Mare (G)—
The general form of the front was a German salient occupying a large part Valea-lui-Mihai (?)—Debreczen (G)—Hajduszoboszlo (R)—Abadszalok
of Transylvania.
At the beginning of the period
about 30 Russians and Romanian divisions
(R)—Mezoetur (G)—Koeroes River—Tisza
bridgeheads south of Csongrad and at Szeged).
River (with Russian
were engaged in an offensive between Turda and Gheorgheni, both inclusive
on a front of about 125 miles. A secondary effort
was an attack against the
Dukla
and adjacent passes, on the opposite side of Transylvania.
YUGOSLAVIA
At the beginning of the period the line was
Notwithstanding continuous attacks the Russian
advance was for a time Arad (G)—Timisoara (G)—east boundary of Yugoslavia to include the
slow. Romanian troops ent ered Targul Mures on 28 Sep, thereby opening a Bulgarian frontier.
route across the Muresul River. They then pushed
on at once with main The Russian forces belonged to the 3d Ukrainian Army Group (Gen.
effort toward Reghin further
up the valley. The Russian offensive was now Feodor Tolbukhin). He was aided by a large force of Yugoslav Partisans
extended westward along the entire line to Arad. Due to the terrain, and belonging to Marshal Tito's command, and by the regular Bulgar Army,
partly to lack of troops, this front was not entirely continuous; the battles which had recently shifted sides in the war.
centered about the main lines of communication. Main Russian efforts At the beginning of September, the Germans had commenced to evacuate
were toward Reghin, Cluj, Oradea, and Bekescaba.
Greece and the Aegean Islands. Much of this movement passed through
After considerable minor fighting the Russians launched a major offensive Salonika. From there the line of communications lay via the Vardar and
on 3 Oct in the sector from Arad to Oradea. At the time the frontier between Morava valleys through Belgrade. There were a good road and a railroad. An
Hungary and Transylvania was entirely in Axis hands. German and alternative route diverged at Skoplje to the
northwest, and with both road and
Hungarian troops met the attack by strong counterattacks particularly in the railroad passed through Sarajevo
and on into Germany. On account of
vicinity of Oradea, where the terrain was suitable for operations of armored mountain grades this was a less desirable line, but it was practicable.
troops. For three days there was heavy fighting, with the Russians gaining Yugoslav partisans often attacked this line, but had never succeeded in
west of Arad only. On 6 Oct their incessant attacks began to make closing it. The Russian mission
was to close the main German line of
appreciable progress. Next day the advance in the center reached the line communications,
and if possible cut off all German forces to the south.
Oroshaza—Bekescaba. The flanks had not kept up and were in rear.
The Russians were not immediately prepared to undertake a serious
The Axis commander now ordered a retreat to in rear of the Koeroes
River, which involved withdrawal of his right and
center but not his left, which at Oradea was already
on this line. This maneuver tended to cover
Budapest, which it seems was presumed to have
been the Russian objective.
Next day—the 18th—the Russians forced a
crossing of the Koeroes River west of Oradea.
Armored troops dashed across. Instead of marching
offensive. They did not
move until 27 Sep, when they started
toward Budapest they went north toward
Debreczen. They arrived opposite that city on the
9th.
There were strong German and Hungarian
armored forces in this area, which is generally flat
and excellent for maneuvers of motorized forces.
These intercepted the Russians southwest of
Debreczen. A long battle resulted with both
armored forces seeking to encircle its opponent.
Other Russian forces reached the line of the
Koeroes River on the 9th and established a
bridgehead on the west bank south of Csongrad. The
Axis managed to find troops to seal this operation.
German GHQ issued orders for the evacuation of all
of Transylvania, where there was a large Germanheld
salient. It seems probable that the line to which
the withdrawal was directed was the Tisza (Theiss)
River. This would shorten the front by 175 miles, and
release 15 or more divisions. At this time most of the
salient was under daily Russian attack, and some
withdrawal had already been forced.
In the meantime the great tank battle south of
Debreczen continued. Each side claims to have
inflicted extraordinary tank losses on the opposite
side. There was no decision. The Russians could not
take Debreczen, and the Germans were unable to
drive them off. It became a battle of attrition.
On 12 Oct the Russians organized a new attack to Near the end of the period British troops occupied Athens (1) and took over Corfu (2) after the few
turn Debreczen from the south. This forced a crossing of remaining Germans on the
island had surrendered. Yugoslav and Bulgarian forces captured Nish (3).
the Koeroes River 45 miles southwest of Debreczen, The Russians, aided by
Marshal Tito's men, reached the Nish-Belgrade railway in another sector
when armored troops dashed 35 miles forward to between Aleksinac and Cuprija and took Arandjelovac (4). They and the Yugoslavs were fighting
Abadszalok on the Tisza River before being intercepted. inside Belgrade, according
to a Tito communique, after a push up through Ripanj and Kumodraz
The Russian left captured Szeged on the 11th, (inset). Soviet and Rumanian troops advanced in Transylvania between Gherla and Mintiu
(5).