Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh Offensive

Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh Offensive
Part of World War II
Date January 13[1]–27, 1943 Location Ostrogozhsk, Rossosh Result Soviet victory
Belligerents
Hungary Italy	Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Gusztáv Jány Italo Gariboldi	Pavel Rybalko
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
96000 - 135000[2] [3]	7,000 casualties

The Ostrogozhsk–Rossosh Offensive (Russian: Острогожско-Россошанская операция) was an offensive of the Voronezh Front on the Eastern Front of World War II against the Hungarian 2nd Army and partially Italian 8th Army. The offensive is better known as part of Operation Little Saturn, made in support of the Stalingrad encirclement. The offensive was supported from the south by the right flank of the Soviet 6th Army and the 3rd Guards Tank Army of Pavel Rybalko.

Notes and references

1. Some sources give January 12 as the start of the operation. On this day the combat reconnaissance ("probing") was carried out by Soviet advance guard troops. The major Soviet forces were put into action on the next day.
2. "in two weeks of fighting the Hungarian Army suffered terrible losses. Out of 200,000 men 40,000 KIA, 35,000 WIA and 60,000 became POW." - Ignac Romsics: The history of Hungary in the 20th century, 255p., Osiris, 1999.; ISBN 963 379 548 6
3. "On 1 January 1943, the strength of the army was 204,334 men... on 6 April it was only 108,318. 28,044 WIA arrived home until April, 26,000 soldier captured by the Soviets and cca. 42,000 KIA or frozen. ... (The) casualties of the infantry in the first lines were enormous." - Krisztián Ungváry: The Hungarian Army in the Second World War,196p., Osiris, 2005.;ISBN 963 389 685 1

Further reading

• (Russian) Голиков Ф. И. Острогожско-Россошанская операция, Военно-исторический журнал, 1973, № 1.
• (German) Thomas Schlemmer (Hrsg.) : Die Italiener an der Ostfront 1942/43: Dokumente zu Mussolinis Krieg gegen die Sowjetunion (übersetzt von Georg Kuck). München, Oldenbourg, 2005, 291 pages, Literaturverz. S. [275] – 283. Schriftenreihe der Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte 91, ISBN 3-486-57847-2.
• (German) V. P. Morozov: Westlich von Woronesh: Kurzer militärhistorischer Abriss der ..., veröffentlicht 1959, Verlag des Ministeriums für Nationale Verteidigung, 202 pages.
• (Italian) Alessandro Massignani: Alpini e Tedeschi sul Don. Edizioni Gino Rossato, Novale-Valdagno (Vicenza) 1991.
• (Italian) Mario Rigoni Stern: Ritorno sul Don. Einaudi 1973, Edizione collana Nuovi Coralli, ISBN 88-06-38026-5.

External links

• A day to day documentation of the pocket of Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh, the losses and the breakthrough of the humble rest troops
• Follow-up of the german 387. Infanteriedivision (sister division of 389. Infanteriedivision), especially: January 1943 (German)
• Follow-up of the german 387. Infanteriedivision, especially: January 1943 (German)
• Ostrogozhsk-Rossosh Offensive (Russian 40th Army (Russian)