Battles of Târgu Frumos(1944)
Background
On 5 March 1944, Colonel General Ivan Konev, commander of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, commenced the Uman–Botoșani Offensive operation in Ukraine. This operation succeeded in separating the 1st Panzer Army (Army Group North) from the 8th Army (Otto Wöhler) in Army Group South by 17 March; by early April Soviet units approached the Romanian border. Advance of the Red Army 1943–1944. Glantz claims that starting with early April 1944, Stavka ordered the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts to mount a major offensive with strategic implications in eastern Romania. In Glantz's view, Stavkas strategic intentions were to break German and Romanian strategic defenses in northeastern Romania, capture the key cities of Iași and Chișinău, and afterwards project forces deep into Romanian territory, if possible as deep as Ploiești and Bucharest. By 5 April, Konev's front had crossed the upper reaches of Dniester and Prut Rivers, captured Hotin and Dorohoi, and approached Târgu Frumos and Botoșani regions—– northwest of Iași—facing only light Romanian resistance. On 8 April 1944, Konev ordered the 27th and 40th Armies to conduct a coordinated offensive southward along the Târgu Frumos axis, in close cooperation with Semyon Bogdanov's 2nd Tank Army.
Campaign: Jassy-Kishinev Offensive 1944
Forces Engaged
The Battle
Romanian 4th Army and German units used elastic defense to blunt Soviet armored thrusts around Iași and Târgu Frumos.
The First Battle of Târgu Frumos was fought during World War II between Axis powers commanded by Otto Wöhler and Soviet forces led by Ivan Konev. Historian David Glantz has described it as part of a failed Soviet invasion of Romania, while Russian and German sources have described it as part of the Târgu Frumos Operation.
“"The Romanian infantry and anti-tank gunners stood their ground with a new-found resolve — they were fighting for their own soil." — Hasso von Manteuffel, Grossdeutschland commander
Casualties & Outcome
~45,000 total Axis (Romanian and German); ~150,000 casualties and over 500 tanks destroyed (Soviet)
Romania / Germany achieved victory over Soviet Union.
After the end of the battle, the Großdeutschland Division erected a new defensive line to protect Târgu Frumos, which extended in a wide arc from northwest, northeast, and east of the town. Manteuffel ultimately placed the Großdeutschland Panzergrenadier Regiment on the divisional left wing northwest of the town and the Fusilier Regiment on its right wing northeast and east of the town, but he retained his Panzer Regiment in reserve assembly areas close to Târgu Frumos proper. Throughout 12 April, units from the Panzer Grenadier Regiment cleared Soviet remnants from the 206th Rifle and 3rd Guards Airborne Divisions from a small pocket west of the town and extended the regiment's defensive positions several miles forward southwestward of Heleșteni, west of Târgu Frumos, where the Großdeutschland defenses connected with those of the Romanian 1st Guards Division to form a continuous defensive front west of the town.
Historical Record
Significance & Legacy
Last major Axis defensive success in Romania. Gave false confidence before the August disaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When was the Battles of Târgu Frumos?
- The Battles of Târgu Frumos took place in 1944. Apr 8–Jun 6, 1944.
- Who won the Battles of Târgu Frumos?
- The Romania / Germany were victorious against the Soviet Union.
- What was the significance of the Battles of Târgu Frumos?
- Last major Axis defensive success in Romania. Gave false confidence before the August disaster.