Niš operation

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|

Niš operation

Part of the Eastern and Yugoslav fronts of the European theatre of World War II
| Date| October 8–14, 1944

|

Location|

Niš, Occupied Serbia

Result|  Allied victory
Belligerents

* Bulgaria
* Yugoslav Partisans
* Soviet Union

Germany

* Government of National Salvation

Chetniks
Commanders and leaders

* Kiril Stanchev[1]
* Koča Popović
* Sergey Biryuzov

|  Hans Felber
Milan Nedić
Ljubo Patak
Units involved

Bulgaria

* 2nd Bulgarian Army
* 4th Division
* 6th Division
* 9th Division
* 12th Division
* 2nd Cavalry Division
* 1st Sofia Guard Division
* 4th Border Brigade
* Armoured Brigade
* others

National Liberation Army

* 13th Corps
* 22nd Division
* 24th Division
* 46th Division
* 47th Division
* 2nd Proletarian Division
* 14th Corps
* 45th Division
* Partisan Detachments

Soviet Union

* Elements of 57th Army
* IX Aviation Corps

Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS

* 7th SS Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
* 11th Luftwaffe Field Division
* 22nd Infantry Division
* 37th Flak Regiment
* Police Battalions

Serbian collaborators

* Serbian State Guard garrison

Chetniks

* Chetnik bands

Strength
* 80,000 men

* 21,500 men
* 154 guns
* 164 mortars
* 38 tanks
* 18 airplanes
Casualties and losses
* 1,545 dead or wounded[2]

* 5,200 dead or wounded
* 3,580 captured
* 97 captured guns
* 720 captured machine guns
* 1,100 captured vehicles

* v
* t
* e

World War II in Yugoslavia

1941

* Axis invasion
* Bombing of Belgrade
* Bombing of Sarajevo

Uprisings

* Uprising in Bosnia and Herzegovina

*     * Sanski Most
* Eastern Herzegovina
* Drvar uprising
* Rogatica
* Olovo

* Uprising in Croatia

*     * Srb uprising

* Uprising in Serbia

*     * Bela Crkva
* Loznica
* Banja Koviljača
* Šabac
* Kruševac
* Mačva
* Uzice
* Kraljevo
* Trešnjica
* Novi Pazar
* Mihailovic
* Sjenica

* Uprising in Montenegro

*     * Bullseye
* Pljevlja

1942

* Dražgoše
* Southeast Croatia
* Hydra
* Prijedor
* Nanos
* Trio
* Chetnik sabotage of Axis communication lines
* Montenegro
* Kozara
* Partisan Long March
* Kupres
* Livno
* Alfa
* Kopaonik
* Bihać

1943

* Case White
* Greenwood–Rootham
* Otto
* Fungus
* Hoathley 1
* Case Black
* Typical
* Zvornik
* Davidson
* Grčarice
* Turjak Castle
* Maclean
* Višegrad
* Bombing of Podgorica
* Bombing of Zadar
* Delphin
* Rogers
* Kugelblitz
* Kočevje

1944

* Maibaum
* Bombing of Belgrade
* Raid on Mljet
* Raid on Šolta
* Dafoe
* Lindsay
* Rösselsprung
* Andrijevica
* Halyard
* Ožbalt
* Ratweek
* Serbia
* Belgrade
* Niš
* Stracin–Kumanovo
* Vukov Klanac
* Bregalnitsa–Strumica
* Kosovo
* Syrmian Front
* Floxo
* Niš airspace incident
* Batina
* Knin
* Desivojca

1945

* Trnovo
* Mostar
* Bombing of Zagreb
* Spring Awakening
* Transdanubian Hills
* Lika-Primorje
* Nagykanizsa-Körmend
* Sarajevo
* Lijevče Field
* Trieste
* Zelengora
* Poljana
* Odžak

* * *

* Axis occupation of Serbia
* Hungarian occupation
* Kosovo during World War II
* World War II in the Slovene Lands
* World War II in Yugoslav Macedonia
* Air warfare in Yugoslavia
* Allied bombing campaign

Niš operation (Serbian: Нишка операција, Bulgarian: Нишка операция) was an offensive operation of the Bulgarian army, supported by Yugoslav Partisans against German Army Group E to secure the left flank of the Third Ukrainian Front of the Red Army.[3][4][5]

It was held from October 8–14, 1944. Second Bulgarian Army, in cooperation with Yugoslav People's Liberation Army and IX Air Corps of the Red Army was ordered to destroy the German troops and to seize Niš. Its enemy was 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen, or about 21 500 people from 13 infantry battalions, featuring 154 guns, 164 mortars, 38 tanks and 18 aircraft. Their task was to cover the retreat of 300,000 German soldiers from the composition of the Army Group "E". Bulgarian troops entered the brunt along the River Southern Morava. On October 10, the Sofia armored brigade, consisting of about 150 tanks, most of which Panzer IV, and the rest Panzer 38(t) and Panzer 35(t), aided by ca. 40 Leichter Panzerspähwagen, and 50 Sturmgeschütz III,[6] penetrated in the defense of the Germans and forced them to retreat west of the Southern Morava. On October 12 and 13 Bulgarian troops continue pursuit. On October 14 parts of the VI Infantry Division, using the jab from the south of the armored brigade seized Niš and completely pushed the Nazis. Losses of the Wehrmacht amounted up to 5200 killed and 3850 prisoners of war, but they managed to hold its position in the Vardar corridor to the withdrawal of the remaining German troops.

## Battle Order

[edit]

### Allied units

[edit]

Bulgarian Army:

* 2nd Army (Major General Kiril Stanchev) (on Oct. 1 - 79,079 men)
* 4th Infantry Division
* 6th Infantry Division
* 9th Infantry Division
* 12th Infantry Division
* 2nd Cavalry Division
* 1st Guards Infantry Division
* Armored Brigade (had German equipment: 78 Maybach T-IV (= PzKw IV), 35 Skoda tanks (= PzKw 35(t)), 10 Prague tanks (= PzKw 38(t)), 23 Maybach T-III (= StuG III)
* 4th Frontier Guard Brigade

NOVJ:

* 13th Serbian Corps (Ljubo Vuckovic) (estimate based on average number of men per division, 35,000 - 45,000 men)
* 22nd Serbian Division
* 24th Serbian Division
* 46th Serbian Division
* 47th Serbian Division
* 2nd Proletarian Division
* 45th Serbian Division
* Ten local partisan detachments

## See also

[edit]

* Stratsin–Kumanovo operation
* Kosovo operation
* Bregalnitsa–Strumica operation

## Citations

[edit]

1. ^ Nedev, Nedyo (2007). Три държавни преврата или Кимон Георгиев и неговото време. София: „Сиела". p. 651\. ISBN 978-954-28-0163-4.
2. ^ Peychev, A.; et al. (1975). Bulgaria's participation in the defeat of Nazi Germany (1st ed.). Durzhavno Voenno Izdatelstvo. p. 65.
3. ^ Christopher Chant. The Encyclopedia of Codenames of World War II (Routledge Revivals; 2013); ISBN 1134647875, p. 209.
4. ^ Elisabeth Barker et al., British Political and Military Strategy in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe in 1944, Springer (1988); ISBN 1349193798, p. 249.
5. ^ Jozo Tomasevich. War and Revolution in Yugoslavia: 1941–1945, Volume 2, Stanford University Press (2001); ISBN 0804779244, p. 156.
6. ^ Матев, К. Бронетанкова техника 1935 – 1945, С., Анжела, 2000.

* v
* t
* e

World War II in Yugoslavia

1941|

* Invasion of Yugoslavia
* Uprising in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* May 1941 Sanski Most revolt
* June uprising in eastern Herzegovina
* Siege of Rogatica
* Olovo
* Uprising in Serbia
* Battle of Loznica
* Battle of Banja Koviljača
* Attack on Šabac
* Mačva operation
* Battle of Trešnjica
* Kruševac
* Kraljevo
* Operation Uzice
* Operation Mihailovic
* Novi Pazar
* Sjenica
* Uprising in Montenegro
* Battle of Pljevlja
* Uprising in Croatia
* Croatian Partisans
* Srb uprising
* Karadak-Gollak Uprising (1941–1951)

1942|

* Operations Southeast Croatia and Ozren
* Operation Trio
* Chetnik sabotage of Axis communication lines
* Kozara Offensive
* Operation Alfa
* Operation Kopaonik

1943|

* Case White
* Case Black
* Siege of Turjak
* Operation Kugelblitz
* Battle of Višegrad

1944|

* Operations Kugelblitz and Schneesturm
* Operation Rösselsprung
* Operation Rübezahl
* Belgrade offensive
* Operation Draufgänger
* Battle of Jelova Gora
* Kosovo Operation
* Battle of Knin
* Battle of Tuzla
* Battle of Batina

1945|

* Syrmian Front
* Mostar operation
* Sarajevo Operation
* Battle of Lijevče Field
* Battle of Zelengora
* Battle of Poljana
* Battle of Odžak

Croatia|

* Zagreb in World War II

Macedonia|

* World War II in Yugoslav Macedonia

Serbia|

* Kosovo during World War II

Slovenia|

* World War II in the Slovene Lands

Strategic bombing|

* Belgrade
* 1941
* 1944
* Podgorica
* Sarajevo
* Zadar
* Zagreb

see also

Factions in the Yugoslav Front
People of the Yugoslav Front

* v
* t
* e

Wars and battles involving Serbs

Medieval|

| Serbian–Bulgarian|

* Bulgar–Serb War (839–842)
* Bulgar–Serb War (853)
* Bulgarian–Serbian wars of 917–924
* Bulgarian–Serbian border revolt
* Bulgarian-Serb War (998)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1202)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1203)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1290)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1291)
* Bulgarian-Serbian War (1330)
* Battle of Velbazhd

|

Serbian–Ottoman|

* Early skirmishes
* Battle of Gallipoli
* Battle of Stephaniana
* Battle of Demotika in 1352
* Battle of Sırp Sındığı in 1364
* Fall of the Serbian Empire
* Battle of Maritsa in 1371
* Battle of Dubravnica in 1381
* Battle of Savra in 1385
* Battle of Pločnik in 1386
* Battle of Kosovo in 1389
* Serbian Despotate
* Battle of Karanovasa
* Battle of Tripolje in 1402
* Siege of Novo Brdo in 1412
* Battle of Vitosha Pass in 1413
* Battle of Carmorlu
* First Scutari War
* Second Scutari War
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1425
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1427
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1437
* Battle of Trnava (1430)
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1438
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia (1439–1444)
* Crusade of Varna
* Battle of Nish (1443)
* Battle of Zlatitsa in 1443
* Battle of Kunovica in 1444
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia (1454–1455)
* Battle of Kruševac in 1454
* Battle of Leskovac in 1454
* Ottoman invasion of Serbia in 1456
* Siege of Belgrade
* Siege of Smederevo
* Ottoman invasion and conquest of Serbia in 1459
* Battle of Breadfield in 1479
* Ottoman conquest of Zeta in 1499

Serbian–Byzantine|

* Serb Uprising of 1038–1042
* Battle of Bar
* Slav Uprising in Pomoravlje
* Battle of Zvečan (1094)
* Battle of Haram
* Siege of Ras (1127)
* Battle of Tara (1150)
* Byzantine–Hungarian War (1149–1155)
* Siege of Braničevo (1154)
* Battle of Pantina
* Byzantine–Hungarian War (1127–1129)
* Byzantine civil war of 1321–1328
* Serbian invasion of Macedonia led by Syrgiannes Palaiologos (1334)
* Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347

Other|

* Hungarian invasions of Europe
* Magyar–Serb conflict
* Byzantine–Hungarian War (1127–1129)
* Battle of Sirmium
* Battle of Gacko
* Serbian conflict with the Nogai Horde
* Mongol invasion of Bulgaria and Serbia
* Mačva War
* Hungarian–Serbian War (1321-1324)
* War of Hum (1326–1329)
* Serbian civil war of 1331
* Serbian nobility conflict (1369)
* Battle of Rovine
* Battle of Nicopolis
* Battle of Ankara
* Battle of Kosmidion
* Battle of Çamurlu
* Battle of Despotovac
* Siege of Belgrade (1440)
* Battle of Kosovo (1448)
* Fall of Constantinople

Foreign rule|

| Habsburgs|

* Jovan Nenad's uprising
* Hungarian campaign of 1527–1528
* Battle of Gorjani
* Battle of Szőlős
* Battle of Sződfalva
* Battle of Keresztes
* Great Turkish War
* Siege of Belgrade (1688)
* Battle of Batočina
* Battle of Niš (1689)
* Siege of Belgrade (1690)
* Battle of Lugos
* Rákóczi's War of Independence
* Battle of Saint Gotthard (1705)
* Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718)
* Siege of Belgrade (1717)
* Russo-Turkish War (1735–1739)
* Battle of Zsibó
* Battle of Trenčín
* Battle of Petrovaradin
* Battle of Banja Luka
* Austro-Turkish War (1788–1791)

|

Ottomans|

* Long War (Ottoman wars) (1593–1606)
* Banat Uprising (1594)
* Serb Uprising of 1596–1597
* Battle of Mohács (1687)
* Uprising in Vučitrn
* Serb uprising of 1737–1739
* Kočina Krajina Serb rebellion
* Battle of Martinići (1796)
* Battle of Krusi
* Battle of Lopate

Venice|

* Morean War
* Cretan War (1645–1669)
* Great Turkish War
* Battle on Vrtijeljka
* Battle of Slankamen
* Battle of Senta

Russia|

* Serbian Hussar Regiment
* Pruth River Campaign
* War of the Polish Succession
* Russo-Swedish War (1741–1743)
* Seven Years' War

19th century|

| Serbian Revolution|

* First Serbian Uprising
* Vračar
* Rudnik
* Svileuva
* Batočina and Jagodina
* Kragujevac
* Drlupa
* Čokešina
* Šabac
* Požarevac
* Karanovac
* Adakale
* Ivankovac
* Rudnik
* Vrbica
* Mišar
* Deligrad
* Belgrade (1806)
* Liberation of Belgrade
* Loznica
* Malajnica and Štubik
* Čegar
* Jasika
* Prahovo
* Suvodol
* Drina
* Varvarin
* Loznica
* Mačva
* Ravnje
* Hadži Prodan's Revolt
* Second Serbian Uprising
* Ljubić
* Čačak
* Palež
* Požarevac
* Rudnik
* Družetić
* Kragujevac
* Jagodina
* Karanovac
* Batočina
* Užice
* Valjevo
* Batočina

|

Ottoman|

* Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1852–1853)
* Battle of Grahovac
* Battle of Kolašin
* Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1861–1862)
* Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1876–1878)
* Battle of Vučji Do
* Battle of Fundina
* Battles for Plav and Gusinje
* Velika attacks
* Battle of Novšiće
* Battle of Murino

Other|

* Kumanovo uprising
* Adriatic campaign of 1807–1814
* Jančić's rebellion
* Priest Jovica's Rebellion
* Several battles of Hungarian Revolution of 1848
* Battle of Vršac (1849)
* Serbian-Turkish Wars (1876–1878)
* Battle of Vranje
* Siege of Cattaro
* Herzegovina uprising (1852–1862)
* Krivošije uprising (1869)
* Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
* AU-BiH War
* Battle of Jajce (1878)
* Battle of Vitez (1878)
* Battle of Sarajevo (1878)
* Serbo-Bulgarian War
* Battle of Pirot
* Battle of Slivnitsa

20th century|

| Macedonian Struggle|

* Fight on Šuplji Kamen
* Fight on Čelopek
* Fight in Tabanovce
* Fight in Velika Hoča
* Fight on Čelopek (1906)
* Battle of Pirot (1913)

|

Balkan Wars|

* First Balkan War
* Battle of Kumanovo
* Battle of Prilep
* Battle of Monastir
* Siege of Scutari
* Siege of Adrianople
* Siege of Odrin (1912–1913)
* Second Balkan War
* Battle of Bregalnica
* Battle of Kalimanci
* Battle of Knjaževac
* Siege of Vidin (1913)
* Ohrid–Debar uprising

World War I|

* Montenegrin campaign
* Battle of Mojkovac
* Battle of Lovćen
* Serbian campaign
* Battle of Cer
* Battle of the Crna Bend (1916)
* Battle of Bazargic
* Battle of Dobro Pole
* Battle of the Drina
* Battle of Florina
* Battle of Kaymakchalan
* Battle of Kolubara
* Kosovo offensive (1915)
* Liberation of Serbia, Albania and Montenegro (1918)
* Battle of Malka Nidzhe
* Macedonian front
* Monastir offensive
* Morava Offensive
* Ovče Pole Offensive
* Vardar offensive
* Srem Offensive
* Toplica Uprising

Interwar|

* Carinthia War
* Uprising in Drenica
* Christmas Uprising
* Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War
* Albanian-Yugoslav Border War (1921)
* Drenica-Junik Uprising

World War II|

* Invasion of Yugoslavia
* Uprising in Serbia (1941)
* Uprising in Montenegro (1941)
* June 1941 uprising in eastern Herzegovina
* Battle of Novi Pazar
* Battle of Pljevlja
* Battle of Kozara
* Battle of Loznica (1941)
* Battle of Livno
* Battle of Neretva
* Battle of the Sutjeska
* Raid on Drvar
* Battle of Knin
* Battle of Mostar
* Battle of Lijevče Field
* 1942 Montenegro offensive
* Bihać Operation
* Battle of Batina
* Belgrade Offensive
* Capture of Banja Koviljača
* Case Black
* Case White
* Operation Draufgänger
* Kozara Offensive
* Battle of Kupres (1942)
* Battle of Višegrad
* Mostar operation
* Nagykanizsa–Körmend Offensive
* Niš operation
* Battle of Odžak
* Capture of Olovo (1941)
* Operation Alfa
* Operation Delphin
* Operation Kopaonik
* Operation Kugelblitz
* Operation Mihailovic
* Operation Southeast Croatia
* Operation Trio
* Operation Uzice
* Battle of Poljana
* Operation Prijedor
* Siege of Rogatica (1941)
* Operation Rösselsprung (1944)
* Kosovo Operation (1944)
* Operation Spring Awakening
* Srb uprising
* Stratsin-Kumanovo operation
* Syrmian Front
* Battle of Zvornik
* Battle of Sarajevo (1945)
* Battle of Zelengora

Croatian War|

* Pakrac clash
* Plitvice Lakes incident
* Battle of Borovo Selo
* Operation Stinger
* 1991 Yugoslav campaign in Croatia
* Battle of Osijek
* Battle of Vukovar
* Battle of Gospić
* Battle of Šibenik
* Battle of Zadar
* Battle of Kusonje
* Battle of the Barracks
* Siege of Varaždin Barracks
* Siege of Bjelovar Barracks
* Battle of the Dalmatian Channels
* Siege of Dubrovnik
* Operation Otkos 10
* Operation Orkan 91
* Operation Whirlwind
* Operation Baranja
* Operation Jackal
* Battle of the Miljevci Plateau
* Operation Tiger
* Operation Maslenica
* Operation Medak Pocket
* Operation Winter '94
* Operation Flash
* Operation Summer '95
* Operation Storm

Bosnian War|

* Battle of Bosanski Brod
* Battle of Kupres
* Siege of Sarajevo
* Siege of Srebrenica
* Siege of Goražde
* Siege of Doboj
* Operation Jackal
* Siege of Bihać (1992–95)
* Operation Vrbas '92
* Operation Corridor 92
* Operation Bura
* Kravica attack
* Siege of Mostar
* Operation Irma
* Operation Bøllebank
* Operation Tiger
* Battle of Kupres
* Operation Amanda
* Operation Spider
* Operation Winter '94
* Battle of Vlašić
* Operation Leap 1
* Battle of Orašje
* Operation Leap 2
* Operation Summer '95
* Battle of Vrbanja Bridge
* Battle of Vozuća
* Operation Miracle
* Operation Mistral 2
* Operation Sana
* Operation Una
* Operation Southern Move
* NATO intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina
* 1995 Pale air strikes
* Operation Deny Flight
* Operation Deliberate Force
* Operation Maritime Monitor

Kosovo War|

* Insurgency in Kosovo
* Albanian–Yugoslav border incident (December 1998)
* Albania–Yugoslav border incident (April 1999)
* April 23, 1998, Albanian–Yugoslav border ambush
* Attack on Orahovac
* Attack on Prekaz
* Battle of Lođa
* Battle of Oraovica
* Battle of Belaćevac Mine
* Battle of Podujevo
* December 14, 1998, Albanian–Yugoslav border ambush
* Battle of Glođane
* July 18, 1998, Albanian–Yugoslav border clashes
* Battle of Junik
* Battle of Košare
* Insurgency in the Preševo Valley
* Prizren incident (1999)
* NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
* Dubrava Prison bombings and executions
* 1999 F-117A shootdown

21st century|

| Peacekeeping|

* Central African Republic
* Cyprus
* DR Congo
* Ivory Coast
* Lebanon
* Liberia
* Mali
* Somalia

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