📆 80 years ago, on 29 October 1944, the Budapest Offensive was launched by the Red Army during #WW2, aimed at defeating #Nazi forces in Hungary and forcing the country out of the war.

Hitler was determined to hold the Hungarian capital at any cost. He attached great importance to Nagykanizsa oil-producing area claiming he would rather surrender Berlin than lose Hungarian oil and Austria.

⚔️ Already by 2 November 1944, having crossed the Danube, Soviet troops approached Budapest. The Red Army successfully repelled a series of Nazi counterattacks at Balaton lake and encircled the city on 26 December 1944.

Soviet ultimatum to surrender in order to prevent bloodshed was ignored, with Soviet negotiators killed, which left the Red Army no other choice but assault.

⚔️ The takeover of Budapest entailed heavy fighting. The Red Army used a minimum of tanks engaging assault units supported by artillery instead. By 13 February 1944, persistent battles culminated with the capture of the city garrison led by General Karl-Pfeffer Wildenbruch.

❗️During the Budapest Offensive the Red Army defeated 56 enemy’s divisions with 188.000 soldiers and officers taken prisoners-of-war.

Some 70.000 Jewish prisoners were freed from the Budapest Ghetto. The whole southern flank of the Soviet-German front collapsed forcing Nazis to redeploy additional troops to the south.

☝️ The Red Army’s way to Prague and Vienna was opened.

#WWII #WeRemember #Victory80