Izvorni znanstveni članak
Activities of Soviet and Bulgarian Military Units in the Struggle for the Liberation of Međimurje and Podravina In 1945
Goran Hutinec
orcid.org/0000-0002-2788-5246
; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Sažetak
The participation of the Red Army and the 1st Bulgarian Army in the liberation of Međimurje and Podravina began with attacks by Red Army aviators in March and early April 1945, when traffic nodes such as Čakovec were bombed along retreating German troops attacked. The ground forces took action only a few days later, advancing from the east and north to the west. Bulgarian units were the first to enter Međimurje in the eastern part, and the Red Army troops in Međimurje became more involved only a few days later after crossing the Mura river and arriving in the hilly area of northwestern Međimurje, near Štrigova, where they struck at the last existing German line of defense. There, the mobile warfare and rapid progress specific to the previous battles north of the Drava and Mura rivers turned into a positional, often trench warfare with many casualties on both sides. In mid-April fierce battles were fought near Šafarsko, Štrigova and especially at elevation 339 near Robadje. Despite heavy human losses, Soviet and Bulgarian progress was very slow, and only the concentration of several divisions aided by strong artillery units enabled them to occupy geographically dominant positions. Fighting weakened considerably in the second half of April, following a decisive attack in which German troops were forced to withdraw from Šafarsko, were banished from Štrigova, and lost a key elevation of 339. After these successes, the Red Army ceded its positions south of the Mura river to troops of the first Bulgarian army and withdrew all of its units from Međimurje to Prekmurje, preparing for the final battles of World War II. Bulgarian troops continued to defend the occupied positions for several more weeks, and in late April, in cooperation with the third Yugoslav Army, they started to advance along the Drava river from the area near Valpovo and Donji Miholjac, which in mid-May resulted in the liberation of a number of Podravina towns all the way to Varaždin. In mid-May, Bulgarian soldiers ended their war journey in the Drava valley near Dravograd, where they took part in battles against columns that were trying to break through from the NDH (the Independent State of Croatia) to the west.
Ključne riječi
Međimurje; Podravina; World War II; Red Army; Bulgarian Army
Hrčak ID:
278986
URI
Datum izdavanja:
1.12.2021.
Posjeta: 704 *