Battle of Romania (1944)

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Battle of Romania

Bucharesters greet the Red Army entering the city on August 31, 1944.

Date	August to September 1944
Location	Eastern Romania
Result	Soviet Victory

Combatants

Soviet Union

Germany Heeresgruppe Südukraine, Romania

Commanders

Army Generals Rodion Malinovsky and Fyodor Tolbukhin

Generaloberst Johannes Friessner

Strength

1,341,200, 1,874 tanks and assault guns

ca. 500,000 German, 405,000 Romanian, 170 tanks, 800 aircraft

Casualties

ca. 13,197 irrecoverable, 53,933 wounded/sick

at least 200,000 to 250,000 German irrecoverable, Romanian 185,000

Eastern Front
Barbarossa – Baltic Sea – Finland – Leningrad and Baltics – Crimea and Caucasus – Moscow – 1st Rzhev-Vyazma – 2nd Kharkov – Stalingrad – Velikiye Luki – 2nd Rzhev-Sychevka – Kursk – 2nd Smolensk – Dnieper – 2nd Kiev – Korsun – Hube's Pocket – Belorussia – Lvov-Sandomierz – Balkans – Hungary – Vistula-Oder – Königsberg – Berlin – Prague

Soviet Operations in the Balkans 1944
Târgul Frumos – Romania – Yugoslavia

The Battle of the Romania 1944 denotes combat operations usually referred to as 'Jassy–Kishinev Operation' (Russian: Ясско-Кишинёвская операция) between the German Wehrmacht and the Red Army in Eastern Romania during late August and early September of 1944. The Red Army's 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts engaged German Heeresgruppe Südukraine, which consisted of German and Romanian formations, in an operation to occupy Romania and destroy the German formations in the sector. The result of the battle was complete victory for the Red Army, and a switch of Romania from the Axis to the Allied camp.

See also: Romania during World War II

1 Setting the stage
2 A failure of Intelligence
3 The Soviet Plan
4 Progress of the battle
5 Losses
6 Formations and units involved
7 Sources

[edit] Setting the stage

During 1944, the Wehrmacht was pressed back along its entire frontline in the east. By May 1944 the Heeresgruppe Südukraine was pushed back towards the pre-war Romanian frontier, and managed to establish a line on the Dnestr River, which was however breached in two places by Red Army bridgeheads. After June, calm returned to the sector, allowing the rebuilding of the German formations.

While up to June 1944 Heeresgruppe Südukraine was one of the most powerful German formations in terms of armour, it had been denuded during the summer, with most of its armoured formations moved to the northern and central front, in order to stem Red Army advances in the Baltics, Byelorussia, northern Ukraine, and Poland. On the eve of the offensive, the only armoured formations left were 1st Romanian Armoured Division, and German 13.Panzerdivision and 10.Panzergrenadierdivision.

See also: Battle of Târgul Frumos

[edit] A failure of Intelligence

Soviet deception operations prior to the attack worked well, and the German commander Generaloberst Friessner stated on 21 August, the day before the attack, that he did not expect an attack, and if there were one, it would be a minor attack.

[edit] The Soviet Plan

STAVKA's plan for the battle was based on a double envelopment by 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts.

2nd Ukrainian Front was to break through north of Jassy, and then commit mobile formations to seize the Prut River crossings before the withdrawing German formations of 6. Armee could make it there. It was then to introduce 6th Tank Army into the battle to seize the Siret river crossings and the Focşani Gap, a fortified line between the Siret river and the Danube.

3rd Ukrainian Front was to attack out of its bridgehead across the Dnestr River near Tiraspol, and then insert mobile formations with a mission to head north and meet the mobile formations of 2nd Ukrainian Front. This would lead to the encirclement of the German forces near Chişinău.

Following the successful encirclement, 6th Tank Army and 4th Guards Mechanized Corps were to be launched towards Bucharest and the Ploieşti oil fields.

[edit] Progress of the battle

[edit] General

Both 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Front undertook one major effort, leading to a double envelopment of German 6. Armee and parts of 8. Armee. The German/Romanian frontline collapsed within two days of the start of the offensive, and 6th Guards Mechanized Corps was inserted as the main mobile group of the offensive. The initial break-in in 6th Army sector was 40km deep and destroyed rear-area supply installations by the evening of the 21st. By 23 August, 13.Panzerdivision had dissolved as a coherent fighting force, and 6. Armee had been encircled to a depth of 100km. The Red Army mobile group managed to cut of the retreat of the German formations into Hungary. Isolated pockets of German formations were trying to fight their way through, but only small remnants managed to escape the encirclement.

[edit] Detailed Study of Soviet Breakthrough

Operations of 3rd Ukrainian Front (Commander Army General Tolbukhin)

Main effort of the front is in the sector of the 37th Army (Commander Lieutenant General Scharochin). Main effort of 37th Army is 66th Rifle Corps and 6th Guards Rifle Corps. The 37th Army has a 4km wide breakthrough frontage assigned to it. It is divided in two groupings, two corps up, one corps reserve. According to plan, it is supposed to break through the depth of the German/Romanian defense in 7 days, to a distance of 110-120km, with the distance to be covered in the first four days 15km each.

66th Rifle Corps (Commanded by Major General Kuprijanow) consisting of two groupings (61st Guards Rifle Division, 333rd Rifle Division up, 244th Rifle Division in reserve). Attached are 46th Gun Artillery Brigade, 152nd Howitzer Artillery Regiment, 184th and 1245th Tank Destroyer Regiment, 10th Mortar Regiment, 26th Light Artillery Brigade, 87th Recoilless Mortar Regiment, 92nd and 52nd Tank Regiment, 398th Assault Gun Regiment, two Pioneer Assault Battalions, and two Light Flamethrower Companies.

Corps frontage 4km
Corps breakthrough frontage 3.5km (61st Rifle Division 1.5km, 333rd Rifle Division2km)

Densities per kilometer of frontage:

Rifle battalions 7.7
Guns/mortars 248
Tanks and assault guns 18

Superiority

Infantry 1:3
Artillery 1:7
Tanks and assault guns 1:11.2

There is no man-power information for the divisions, but expect them to have between 7,000 - 7,500 men each, 61st Guards Rifle Division maybe 8,000-9,000. The soldiers were prepared over the course of August by exercising in areas similar to those they had to attack, and being brought up to speed on special tactics needed to overcome the enemy in their sector.

Density in 61st Guards Rifle Division sector per kilometer of frontage:

Rifle battalions 6.0
Guns/mortars 234
Tanks and assault guns 18

Density in 333rd Rifle Division sector per kilometer of frontage:

Rifle battalions 4.5
Guns/mortars 231
Tanks and assault guns 18

The initial attack 333rd Rifle Division did not establish a reserve and put three regiments up in the first line. 61st Guards Rifle Division attacked in a classic two regiment up, one reserve formation. This proved to be lucky, since its right wing of 188th Guards(?) Rifle Regiment got stuck in front of the strongpoint Ploptuschbej. 189th Guards Rifle Regiment on the left wing made good progress though, as did 333rd Rifle Division on its left. The commander of 61st Guards Rifle Division therefore inserted his reserve (187th Guards Rifle Regiment ) behind 189th Guards Rifle Regiment to exploit the break-in. When darkness came, 244th Rifle Division was inserted to break through the second line of defense. It lost its way though, and only arrived at 2300, by which time elements of 13. Panzerdivision were counterattacking.

The German/Romanian opposition was XXX. and XXIX. AK, with 15th, 306th German ID, 4th Romanian Mountain Division, and 21st Romanian ID. 13. Panzerdivision was in reserve. At the end of day one, 4th Romanian Mountain, and 21st Romanian Divisions were almost completely destroyed, while German 15. and 306. Infanteriedivision were heavily damaged (according to a German source: 306. ID lost 50% in the barrage, and was destroyed apart from local strongpoints by evening). Almost no artillery survived the fire preparation.

13. Panzerdivision counter-attacked 66th Rifle Corps on day one, and tried to stop it on day two but to no avail. A study on the division's history says 'The Russian dictated the course of events.' 13. Panzerdivision at the time was a materially understrength, but high manpower unit, with a high proportion of recent reinforcements. It only had Panzer IV, Sturmgesschütze and self-propelled anti-tank guns. The division was at the end of the second day in a condition that it was incapable to attack or of meaningful resistance.

At the end of day two, the Red Army stood deep in the rear of German 6th Army. No more organised re-supply of forces would be forthcoming, and 6th Army was doomed to be encircled and destroyed. Franz-Josef Strauss, who was to become a very important German politician after the war, served with the Panzerregiment of 13. Panzerdivision. He comments that the division had ceased to exist as a tactical unit on day three of the Soviet offensive: 'The enemy was everywhere.'

The comment on the result of 66th Rifle Corps operations in Mazulenko is: 'Because of the reinforcement of the Corps and the deep battle arrangements of troops and units the enemy defenses were broken through at high speed.'

Comments by German survivors on the initial attack were: 'By the end of the barrage, Russian tanks were deep into our position.' (Hoffmann). A German battalion commander (Hauptmann Hans Diebisch, Commander II./IR579, 306.ID) commented: 'The fire assets of the German defense were literally destroyed by the Soviet fighter bombers attacking the main line of resistance and the rear positions. When the Russian infantry suddenly appeared inside the positions of the battalion and it tried to retreat, the Russian air force made this impossible. The battalion was dispersed und partly destroyed through the fire of the air force, mortars and machine guns.'

[edit] German-Romanian Combat

Concurrently, a coup d'état deposed the Romanian leader Marshal Ion Antonescu. German military formations tried to intervene, but were unable to achieve anything due to the Soviet attacks. German military formations guarding the Ploieşti oil fields were then attacked by Romanian troops, and attempted to withdraw to Hungary, again suffering heavy losses in the process.

[edit] The alleged Romanian collapse

It is often alleged that the speed and totality of the German collapse were caused by Romanian betrayal. A study of the combat operations indicates that this is probably not correct. Romanian formations did resist the Soviet attack in many cases, but were ill-equipped to defend themselves effectively against a modern army, due to a lack of modern anti-tank, artillery, and anti-air weapons. In contrast to German claims, it appears that Romanian 1st Armoured Division did offer resistance against the Soviet breakthrough, but was quickly defeated. The actual surrender of Romania took place at a time when the Red Army already stood deep inside Romania, and German 6th Army had been cut off.

[edit] Consequences

The German formations suffered very high irrecoverable losses of ca. 200,000 men, while Soviet losses were extremely low for an operation of this size. The Soviet advance into Yugoslavia which was possible following the battle forced the rapid withdrawal of German formations in Greece and Yugoslavia to rescue them from being cut off.

On the political level, the attack led to a coup d'état in Romania, and the switch of Romania from the Axis to the Allies. Almost immediately, a small border war between Romania and Germany's ally Hungary erupted over territory that Romania was forced to cede to Hungary in 1940, as a result of the Second Vienna Award.

[edit] Losses

[edit] Soviet losses

Men:

13,197 irrecoverable
53,933 wounded/sick.

Material

75 tanks and self-propelled guns
108 guns and mortars
111 aircraft

[edit] German losses

Men:

>250,000 men irrecoverable losses, unknown number of wounded.

Material:

83 tanks and self-propelled guns (other sources ^{[attribution needed]} claim 830)
3,500 guns
3,300 motor vehicles (other sources ^{[attribution needed]} claim 35,000)
330 planes

Formations and commands completely or largely destroyed:

6. Armee
- Command Staffs
  - IV. Armeekorps
  - VII. Armeekorps
  - XXX. Armeekorps
  - XXXXIV. Armeekorps
  - LII. Armeekorps

- Divisions
  - 13. Panzerdivision
  - 9. Infanteriedivision
  - 15. Infanteriedivision
  - 62. Infanteriedivision
  - 76. Infanteriedivision
  - 79. Infanteriedivision
  - 106. Infanteriedivision
  - 161. Infanteriedivision
  - 257. Infanteriedivision
  - 258. Infanteriedivision
  - 282. Infanteriedivision
  - 294. Infanteriedivision
  - 302. Infanteriedivision
  - 306. Infanteriedivision
  - 320. Infanteriedivision
  - 335. Infanteriedivision
  - 370. Infanteriedivision
  - 376. Infanteriedivision
  - 384. Infanteriedivision
  - 153. Feldausbildungsdivision

8. Armee
- 10. Panzergrenadierdivision
Luftflotte 4
- 5. Flakdivision

[edit] Romanian losses

8,305 KIA
24,989 WIA
153,883MIA and POW

[edit] Formations and units involved

[edit] Soviet

2nd Ukrainian Front - Army General Rodion Malinovsky
- 6th Guards Tank Army - Major General A.G. Kravchenko
- 18th Tank Corps - Major General V.I. Polozkov
- Cavalry-Mechanized Group Gorshkov - Major General S.I. Gorshkov
  - 5th Guards Cavalry Corps
  - 23rd Tank Corps - Lieutenant General A.O. Akhmanov
- 4th Guards Army - Galanin
- 27th Army - Lieutenant General S.G. Trofimenko
- 52nd Army - Koroteev
- 7th Guards Army - Shumilov
- 40th Army - Lieutenant General F.F. Zhmachenko
- 53rd Army - Lieutenant General I.M. Managarov
3rd Ukrainian Front - Army General F.I. Tolbukhin
- 5th Shock Army - Berzarin
- 4th Guards Mechanized Corps - Major General V.I. Zhdanov
- 7th Mechanized Corps - Major General F.G. Katkov
- 57th Army - Lieutenant General N.A. Gagen
- 46th Army - Lieutenant General I.T. Shlemin
- 37th Army - Major General M.N. Scharokhin
  - 6th Guards Rifle Corps
  - 66th Rifle Corps
Black Sea Fleet

[edit] German

Army Group South Ukraine
- 6. Armee
  - 13. Panzerdivision
  - 306. Infanteriedivision
  - 76. Infanteriedivision
- 8. Armee
  - 10. Panzergrenadierdivision

[edit] Romanian

[edit] Sources

Glantz, D., House, J. 'When Titans Clashed'
Glantz, D. 'Notes from the Art of War Symposium on the Iassy-Kishinev Operation'
Mazulenko, A. 'Die Zerschlagung der Heeresgruppe Südukraine'
Hoffmann, D. 'Die Magdeburger Division'
Kissel, H. 'Die Katastrophe in Rumänien'
Ziemke, E.F. 'Stalingrad to Berlin'

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