Major Shaitan Singh
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March 6, 1945 began Operation Spring Awakening - a reflection of the last major German offensive of the war. Soviet troops rushed to Berlin, and in the meantime to the south, in Hungary, unfolded fierce battles for Budapest ...
Broken German tanks at Balaton
We have it known as Operation Spring Awakening, the Germans - the operation "Spring Awakening" or offensive in Plattenzee, from the Anglo-Saxons - offensive at Lake Balaton.
At first glance, it is strange to see the "defensive" operation of Soviet troops in the spring of 1945, on the threshold of "the enemy's lair." Recall that in the autumn of 1944 , Soviet troops Rodion Malinovsky ( 2nd Ukrainian Front) and Fyodor Tolbukhin ( 3rdUkrainian Front ) with varying degrees of success took the Hungarian capital. By mid-February Budapest fell.
German command decided to take revenge for the defeat and improvise counterattack southwest of Budapest, on both sides of the lake Plattenzee (Balaton).
The main strike force grouping was the 6th SS Panzer Army, had been transferred from the Western Front, where she was involved with varying degrees of success in the Ardennes operation against the Allies. Defend Budapest she had not had time, but to take revenge for the defeat meant.
Soviet troops in Budapest
Measures of secret German Army Group "South" (commander General Otto Wöhler) making serious. Thus, the Soviet intelligence service until the beginning of the operation failed to reveal the deployment of staff of the 6th SS Panzer Army.
But, of course, a major mechanized group was impossible to hide, and the Soviet leadership realized that on the shores of Lake Balaton is brewing torrid affair.
Another February 25-26, troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, opposed the Germans in these areas have received strict instructions to strengthen the anti-tank defense. The basis for this decision was teams in threatened areas with control of the commandersof the 26th and the 4th Guards Army.
"Spring Awakening" began March 6, 1945. 6th SS Panzer Army, with the support of the 6th Field Army dealt a blow to the northern shore of Lake Balaton in the general direction Dunafeldvar with access to the Danube. Auxiliary blow was delivered to the southern tip of the lake stretched in the direction of Kaposvar.
Balaton operation was going on stage last German armored forces. Here, on the picturesque banks were milled large mechanized reserves the Third Reich: SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler", "Hitler", "Das Reich", "Hohenstaufen", "Viking", "Death's Head" and Panzer division - only 10 (plus one Hungarian). In operation involved some heavy tank battalions - 501 th , 509 th , 560 th and "Feldhernhalle" (with tanks Pz. Kpfw VIB Tiger II, also known as "King Tiger").
German tank crews
Serious blow came: the junction of the 26th and the 4thGuards Army began to "break" command and further strengthen the defense, by bringing back the artillery and "Katyusha".
At this time, the hottest areas died in 1965 th and 1966 th fighter-antitank shelves.Pressure affected the Germans, and by 7 March Soviet troops began an organized roll back, taking a flexible defense on these frontiers and meeting the German tanks fire. By March 9 command was able to increase the density of artillery in breakthrough areas and attempts to fight off the German troops occupy advantageous bridgehead, crossing the channel between the Danube and Lake Balaton.
However, it was in the evening on March 9 Germanshave managed to break through the defense on the main site, and by 10 March Tolbuhin started throwing a fight last reserves.Offensive slowly sank, and exhausted by 15 March last impulse.
Many observers have noted that, despite the large-scale planning, execution, operation seemed unsuccessful. Maneuver forces between portions of the onset characteristic of German forces moving the beginning and middle of the war, was not. The offensive was conducted in the forehead, just after the failure of commanders resorted to tactical coverage (though often unsuccessful).
Broken German tanks at Balaton
As a result, the Germans were irrevocably lost at least 250 tanks and self-propelled guns (from 812, to the top of the available operations), while Soviet troops, relying on anti-tank artillery - only 165 tanks and self-propelled guns.
Famous tank commander Heinz Guderian in Germany, at the time head of the General Staff, in the heart called the results of the Balaton "Panzerwaffe grave."
Goals German command did not reach: maximum exposure was 30 km south-eastdirection, exit to the Danube did not happen. "Spring" is not "awakened" and the huge losses in technology have forced the Germans to stop. The Soviet command received pause that took advantage of to prepare final push in this sector - to Vienna.
Broken German tanks at Balaton
We have it known as Operation Spring Awakening, the Germans - the operation "Spring Awakening" or offensive in Plattenzee, from the Anglo-Saxons - offensive at Lake Balaton.
At first glance, it is strange to see the "defensive" operation of Soviet troops in the spring of 1945, on the threshold of "the enemy's lair." Recall that in the autumn of 1944 , Soviet troops Rodion Malinovsky ( 2nd Ukrainian Front) and Fyodor Tolbukhin ( 3rdUkrainian Front ) with varying degrees of success took the Hungarian capital. By mid-February Budapest fell.
German command decided to take revenge for the defeat and improvise counterattack southwest of Budapest, on both sides of the lake Plattenzee (Balaton).
The main strike force grouping was the 6th SS Panzer Army, had been transferred from the Western Front, where she was involved with varying degrees of success in the Ardennes operation against the Allies. Defend Budapest she had not had time, but to take revenge for the defeat meant.
Soviet troops in Budapest
Measures of secret German Army Group "South" (commander General Otto Wöhler) making serious. Thus, the Soviet intelligence service until the beginning of the operation failed to reveal the deployment of staff of the 6th SS Panzer Army.
But, of course, a major mechanized group was impossible to hide, and the Soviet leadership realized that on the shores of Lake Balaton is brewing torrid affair.
Another February 25-26, troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front, opposed the Germans in these areas have received strict instructions to strengthen the anti-tank defense. The basis for this decision was teams in threatened areas with control of the commandersof the 26th and the 4th Guards Army.
"Spring Awakening" began March 6, 1945. 6th SS Panzer Army, with the support of the 6th Field Army dealt a blow to the northern shore of Lake Balaton in the general direction Dunafeldvar with access to the Danube. Auxiliary blow was delivered to the southern tip of the lake stretched in the direction of Kaposvar.
Balaton operation was going on stage last German armored forces. Here, on the picturesque banks were milled large mechanized reserves the Third Reich: SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler", "Hitler", "Das Reich", "Hohenstaufen", "Viking", "Death's Head" and Panzer division - only 10 (plus one Hungarian). In operation involved some heavy tank battalions - 501 th , 509 th , 560 th and "Feldhernhalle" (with tanks Pz. Kpfw VIB Tiger II, also known as "King Tiger").
German tank crews
Serious blow came: the junction of the 26th and the 4thGuards Army began to "break" command and further strengthen the defense, by bringing back the artillery and "Katyusha".
At this time, the hottest areas died in 1965 th and 1966 th fighter-antitank shelves.Pressure affected the Germans, and by 7 March Soviet troops began an organized roll back, taking a flexible defense on these frontiers and meeting the German tanks fire. By March 9 command was able to increase the density of artillery in breakthrough areas and attempts to fight off the German troops occupy advantageous bridgehead, crossing the channel between the Danube and Lake Balaton.
However, it was in the evening on March 9 Germanshave managed to break through the defense on the main site, and by 10 March Tolbuhin started throwing a fight last reserves.Offensive slowly sank, and exhausted by 15 March last impulse.
Many observers have noted that, despite the large-scale planning, execution, operation seemed unsuccessful. Maneuver forces between portions of the onset characteristic of German forces moving the beginning and middle of the war, was not. The offensive was conducted in the forehead, just after the failure of commanders resorted to tactical coverage (though often unsuccessful).
Broken German tanks at Balaton
As a result, the Germans were irrevocably lost at least 250 tanks and self-propelled guns (from 812, to the top of the available operations), while Soviet troops, relying on anti-tank artillery - only 165 tanks and self-propelled guns.
Famous tank commander Heinz Guderian in Germany, at the time head of the General Staff, in the heart called the results of the Balaton "Panzerwaffe grave."
Goals German command did not reach: maximum exposure was 30 km south-eastdirection, exit to the Danube did not happen. "Spring" is not "awakened" and the huge losses in technology have forced the Germans to stop. The Soviet command received pause that took advantage of to prepare final push in this sector - to Vienna.
