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Belgrade operation

(Beogradska operacija)

History

Joint operation of the Yugoslav partisans and the Soviet army with goal of liberation Belgrade, Yugoslav and Serbian capital, from German occupation.

Strong German defense of Belgrade and Serbia in general was result of Army Group E which was retreating from Greece where its task was occupation and defense in case of Allied landings. Most direct retreat route was Salonica-Nis-Belgrade railway since river valleys also provided good road network, after this line was cut Army Group E retreat route was moved through Kosovo - Mostar - Sarajevo. There were also Germans troops retreating from Bulgaria and from Romania via Danube.

Operation

Cooperation between Yugoslav Partisans and Red Army was agreed between Stalin and Tito who arrived in Moscow on 19 September 1944 from Vis island. Agreement also give USSR official permission to enter Yugoslav territory in order to help with liberation. Orders were issued on 21 September to 1st Army Group located around Valjevo where it was receiving airdrops from Allied bases in Italy to advance and link up with Red Army for advance on Belgrade. Operations details where agreed between Josip Broz Tito and Chief of staff of 3rd Ukrainian front General S.S. Birjuzov in Romanian city of Craiova on 5 October. Agreement with Bulgaria about their participation was also signed there.

Link up with 4th Guard Motorized Corps took place in front of Mladenovac on 12 October surprising its commander Zhdanov who wasn't informed of the large Yugoslav force coming to meet him. Lacking joint command cooperation between two armies took more of a spontaneous form as the battle progressed with both armies attempting to coordinate with each other and by 16 October both armies become largely mixed with Partisans receiving benefit of Soviet armor and artillery support and Red Army benefit of infantry familiar with terrain.

Orders of Battle

Reference

  • Beogradska operacija, Beograd 1964
  • Za pobedu i slobodu: Beogradska operacija - Učesnici govore, Beograd 1985