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Lower Silesian offensive

May 07, 2024

The Lower Silesian offensive (Russian: Нижне-Силезская наступательная операция) was a Soviet offensive on the Eastern Front of World War II in 1945, involving forces of the 1st Ukrainian Front under Marshal Ivan Konev. It cleared German troops from much of Lower Silesia and besieged a large German force in the provincial capital, Breslau. The offensive began on February 8 and continued until February 24, when the Soviets ceased their offensive having captured a small bridgehead across the Neisse River near Forst. The offensive directly succeeded the Vistula–Oder offensive, in which Konev's troops had driven the German Army Group A from Poland, liberating Kraków and taking bridgeheads over the Oder.

Lower Silesian offensive
Part of the Silesian offensives on the Eastern Front of World War II

Russian map of the Silesian offensives
Date8–24 February 1945
Location
Lower Silesia
Result Soviet victory
Belligerents
 Germany  Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Ferdinand Schörner Ivan Konev

Deployments edit

Red Army edit

Wehrmacht edit

The offensive edit

Konev intended to break out of the Steinau and Ohlau bridgeheads, which had been secured at the end of the Vistula–Oder offensive, on February 8. He preceded the initial attack with a fifty-minute artillery bombardment, his troops crossing the start lines at 06:00.[1] By the end of the day the Front's spearheads had penetrated some 60km. The 3rd Guards Tank Army was ordered to wheel southwards and then eastwards in order to encircle the city of Breslau from the rear, while the 4th Tank Army continued its push westwards from the Steinau bridgehead.

By February 15, forces from the two bridgeheads had surrounded Breslau while 3rd Guards Tank Army had closed the gap to the west, only elements of the German 269th Infantry Division managing to withdraw. Another 35,000 troops and 80,000 civilians had been blockaded in Breslau.[2] The resulting Siege of Breslau lasted until the very end of the war.

The 4th Tank Army, in the meantime, had pushed far ahead towards the Neisse River, against some resistance from Fourth Panzer Army. On February 14, two German corps (the Großdeutschland and XXIV Panzer Corps) mounted a sudden counter-attack that left Lelyushenko's force in a desperate fight to avoid encirclement.[3] The Germans were unable to close the encirclement, and ceased attacking operations within five days, when the 52nd Army and 3rd Guards Tank Army were able to secure the flanks of Lelyushenko's position.

On February 24, faced with heavy German reinforcements, Konev closed the offensive phase of operations, having secured a small bridgehead across the Neisse near Forst. This effectively defined the start lines in that sector for the Battle of Berlin, or Berlin offensive, two months later.

Aftermath edit

Schoerner attempted to win back some territory during March with successful counter-attacks at Lauban and Striegau. An offensive to relieve Breslau was however disrupted by an offensive on the 1st Ukrainian Front's right flank to the south-east: the Upper Silesian offensive.

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Duffy, p.132
  2. ^ Duffy, p.134
  3. ^ Duffy, p.135

References edit

  • Duffy, C. Red Storm on the Reich: The Soviet March on Germany, 1945, Routledge, 1991, ISBN 0-415-22829-8
  • David M. Glantz, : Myths and Realities: A Survey Essay

Further reading edit

  • Ryszard Majewski, Dolny Śląsk 1945. Wyzwolenie [Lower Silesia 1945. Liberation], 1982
  • B. Dolata, Wyzwolenie Dolnego Śląska w 1945 [Liberation of Lower Silesia in 1945], Wyd. Ossolineum, 1970

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lower Silesian Offensive.
  • Photos from the times of World War II in Lower Silesia (in Polish)

May 07, 2024
lower, silesian, offensive, this, article, includes, list, general, references, lacks, sufficient, corresponding, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, october, 2008, learn, when, remove, this, message,. This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations October 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message The Lower Silesian offensive Russian Nizhne Silezskaya nastupatelnaya operaciya was a Soviet offensive on the Eastern Front of World War II in 1945 involving forces of the 1st Ukrainian Front under Marshal Ivan Konev It cleared German troops from much of Lower Silesia and besieged a large German force in the provincial capital Breslau The offensive began on February 8 and continued until February 24 when the Soviets ceased their offensive having captured a small bridgehead across the Neisse River near Forst The offensive directly succeeded the Vistula Oder offensive in which Konev s troops had driven the German Army Group A from Poland liberating Krakow and taking bridgeheads over the Oder Lower Silesian offensivePart of the Silesian offensives on the Eastern Front of World War IIRussian map of the Silesian offensivesDate8 24 February 1945LocationLower SilesiaResultSoviet victoryBelligerents Germany Soviet UnionCommanders and leadersFerdinand SchornerIvan Konev Contents 1 Deployments 1 1 Red Army 1 2 Wehrmacht 2 The offensive 3 Aftermath 4 Footnotes 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksDeployments editRed Army edit Northern wing of 1st Ukrainian Front Marshal Ivan Konev 3rd Guards Tank Army General Pavel Rybalko 4th Tank Army Major General Dmitry Lelyushenko 3rd Guards Army 5th Guards Army 6th Army Lt Gen V A Gluzdovskii 52nd Army 2nd Air Army Wehrmacht edit Northern wing of Army Group A redesignated Army Group Centre Field Marshal Ferdinand Schoerner Seventeenth Army General Friedrich Schulz XXXXVIII Panzer Corps LVII Panzer Corps XVII Corps VIII Corps Garrison of Fortress Breslau Fourth Panzer Army General Fritz Hubert Graser XXIV Panzer Corps Panzerkorps Grossdeutschland XXXX Panzer Corps Gruppe FriedrichThe offensive editKonev intended to break out of the Steinau and Ohlau bridgeheads which had been secured at the end of the Vistula Oder offensive on February 8 He preceded the initial attack with a fifty minute artillery bombardment his troops crossing the start lines at 06 00 1 By the end of the day the Front s spearheads had penetrated some 60km The 3rd Guards Tank Army was ordered to wheel southwards and then eastwards in order to encircle the city of Breslau from the rear while the 4th Tank Army continued its push westwards from the Steinau bridgehead By February 15 forces from the two bridgeheads had surrounded Breslau while 3rd Guards Tank Army had closed the gap to the west only elements of the German 269th Infantry Division managing to withdraw Another 35 000 troops and 80 000 civilians had been blockaded in Breslau 2 The resulting Siege of Breslau lasted until the very end of the war The 4th Tank Army in the meantime had pushed far ahead towards the Neisse River against some resistance from Fourth Panzer Army On February 14 two German corps the Grossdeutschland and XXIV Panzer Corps mounted a sudden counter attack that left Lelyushenko s force in a desperate fight to avoid encirclement 3 The Germans were unable to close the encirclement and ceased attacking operations within five days when the 52nd Army and 3rd Guards Tank Army were able to secure the flanks of Lelyushenko s position On February 24 faced with heavy German reinforcements Konev closed the offensive phase of operations having secured a small bridgehead across the Neisse near Forst This effectively defined the start lines in that sector for the Battle of Berlin or Berlin offensive two months later Aftermath editSchoerner attempted to win back some territory during March with successful counter attacks at Lauban and Striegau An offensive to relieve Breslau was however disrupted by an offensive on the 1st Ukrainian Front s right flank to the south east the Upper Silesian offensive Footnotes edit Duffy p 132 Duffy p 134 Duffy p 135References editDuffy C Red Storm on the Reich The Soviet March on Germany 1945 Routledge 1991 ISBN 0 415 22829 8 David M Glantz The Soviet German War 1941 45 Myths and Realities A Survey EssayFurther reading editRyszard Majewski Dolny Slask 1945 Wyzwolenie Lower Silesia 1945 Liberation 1982 B Dolata Wyzwolenie Dolnego Slaska w 1945 Liberation of Lower Silesia in 1945 Wyd Ossolineum 1970External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lower Silesian Offensive Photos from the times of World War II in Lower Silesia in Polish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lower Silesian offensive amp oldid 1170301529, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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