When did the Belgrade offensive take place in World War II?
The Belgrade offensive lasted from the 15th of September to the 24th of November 1944. Belgrade itself was fully overrun by joint Soviet and Yugoslav forces on the 20th of October 1944.
Questions about Belgrade offensive
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Which armies participated in the Belgrade offensive?
The offensive was a joint operation involving the Soviet Red Army's 3rd Ukrainian Front, the Yugoslav Partisans' 1st Army Corps, and the Bulgarian Army. The Soviet 2nd Ukrainian Front also contributed supporting operations from the north. In total, three Bulgarian armies numbering around 340,000 men were positioned on the Yugoslav-Bulgarian border by early October 1944.
What was the role of Tito and Stalin in planning the Belgrade offensive?
Marshal Josip Broz Tito arrived in Soviet-controlled Romania on the 21st of September 1944 and flew to Moscow to meet with Joseph Stalin. The two leaders reached a specific agreement allowing Bulgarian troops to operate on Yugoslav territory as part of the offensive, which was a key enabling condition for the operation.
What was Operation Ratweek and how did it affect the Belgrade offensive?
Operation Ratweek was an Allied campaign of air and ground attacks on German transport lines and installations, launched on the 1st of September 1944. It severely disrupted German troop movements; the 117th Jager Division was loaded onto forty-four trains in Athens on the 19th of September, but only seventeen of those trains had reached Belgrade by the 8th of October.
What happened to the forced laborers found in Bor during the Belgrade offensive?
On the 3rd of October 1944, Yugoslav partisan brigades liberated Bor and freed approximately 1,700 forced laborers found there, most of them Jews from Hungary.
How is the Belgrade offensive commemorated today?
A Medal "For the Liberation of Belgrade" was established by a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on the 19th of June 1945. The Liberators of Belgrade Memorial, containing the remains of over 3,500 Yugoslav Partisans and Red Army soldiers, is the site of anniversary ceremonies. Senior Russian officials including Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin have attended commemorations in person, with Medvedev representing Russia at the 75th anniversary in 2019 as Prime Minister.