Battle of Brzesc Litewski

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2011}} {{Unreferenced|date=April 2008}} {{Campaignbox Polish September Campaign}} '''Battle of Brześć Litewski''' (also known as the ''Siege of Brześć'', ''Battle of Brest-Litovsk'' or simply ''Battle of Brześć'') was a World War II battle involving [[Nazi Germany|German]] and [[Second Polish Republic|Polish]] forces that took place between 14 and 17 September 1939, near the town of Brześć Litewski (now [[Brest, Belarus]]). After three days of heavy fights for the [[Brest Fortress|stronghold in the town of Brześć]], the Polish forces managed to successfully withdraw. ===Before the battle=== Initially, the Polish forces did not plan to defend the old [[Brest Fortress|fortress of Brześć]]. The town was located deep behind the Polish lines and was seen as a supply depot and organisation centre rather than a front-line fort. However, after the [[Battle of Wizna|Battles of Wizna]] and [[Battle of Mława|Mława]] the German XIX Panzer Corps under General [[Heinz Guderian]] broke through Polish lines and sped southward with the aim of flanking [[Warsaw]] from the East and cutting Poland in two. This swift attack, or [[Blitzkrieg]], (Lightning War) was a devastating military operational doctrine, developed by Germans between the World Wars. According to the secret protocol of the [[Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact]] of 23 August 1939, the region of Brześć was assigned to the Soviet "sphere of interest". However, since the [[Wehrmacht|German Army]] was advancing rapidly and the Soviets did not begin [[Soviet invasion of Poland|their invasion of Poland]], a need arose to secure the fortress. On 8 September the German foreign minister, [[Joachim von Ribbentrop]], notified the Soviet government that the German forces would have to violate the Soviet "sphere of interest". The ancient fortress of Brześć is at the confluence of [[Mukhavets|Muchawiec]] and [[Bug River]]s. Occupying the site of a medieval castle, it was strengthened and reconstructed in [[Napoleon Bonaparte|Napoleonic]] times and then again in 1847. Heavily damaged during World War I, the fortress was turned into a [[matériel]] depot and its central part into a prison. Although largely obsolete by contemporary standards, the fortress occupied a strategic position in the Polish lines and its defence could prevent German forces from crossing [[Polesia]] into [[Lesser Poland]] and [[Galicia (Central Europe)|Galicia]] to the south. The aim of the German XIX corps was to seize the fortress in order to prevent elements of a divided [[Narew Operational Group]] under General [[Czesław Młot-Fijałkowski|Młot-Fijałkowski]] from retreating southwards and joining the rest of the Polish forces. The German forces consisted of an entire armoured corps: the [[German 3rd Panzer Division|3rd Panzer]], [[German 2nd Motorised Division|2nd Motorised]] and [[German 20th Motorised Division|20th Motorised Divisions]]. At the end of the summer the fortress was housing the [[march battalion]]s of 82nd and 35th infantry regiments and elements of various smaller units. Moreover, a large number of newly mobilised reservists started to arrive at the fortress, awaiting forward deployment to their units. From these units General [[Konstanty Plisowski]] organized a force of roughly three infantry battalions, aided by an engineering battalion, several batteries of artillery and two companies of old [[FT-17]] tanks used for training, Nos. 112 and 113. ===Opposing forces=== The city of Brześć was defended by a small improvised force under General Plisowski. The Polish forces consisted of three infantry battalions, one engineering battalion, some artillery and were assisted by two armoured trains (numbers 55 & 53) commanded by Captains Mieczysław Malinowski and Andrzej Podgórski. The German forces consisted of the entire XIX Panzer Corps under General [[Heinz Guderian]]. ===Battle=== On 14 September 77 German tanks of the 2nd Battalion of the 8th Panzer Regiment, part of 10th Panzer Division, reached the area of Brześć and attempted to capture the fortress on the run. The probe attack was repelled by Polish infantry and the 113th company of light tanks, consisting of 12 obsolete FT-17 tanks. All the Polish tanks were destroyed, but the German forces were forced to retreat towards their initial positions. Polish [[Armoured train]] number 53 (PP53), which made a reconnaissance advance to [[Wysokie Litewskie]], was attacked by a scout patrol from the 10th Panzer Division. The crew from the train opened fire with artillery. Several other skirmishes were fought, but were inconclusive in any event.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} Later that day the German artillery arrived and started [[bombardment]] of both the fortress and the town. Heavy street fighting ensued.{{clarify|date=November 2010}} At dawn approximately half of the town was in German hands, the other half being defended by Polish infantry. The following day Polish defenders withdrew from the town, but heavy casualties on both sides prevented the German units from continuing the attacks on the fortress. Instead, it was constantly shelled with artillery and bombed by the [[Luftwaffe]]. Polish anti-tank artillery and AA guns were very scarce and did not provide enough support for the fighting infantry, but the German casualties were considerable.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} When reports told Polish General Plisowski that scout elements from the 3rd Panzer Division were seen near the railway station at Żabinka, north of [[Kobryn|Kobryń]], he sent PP55 to prevent his forces from being cut off. A platoon of 5 scout tanks left the train near Żabinka and attacked German armoured cars near a bridge on Muchawiec River. After losing three tanks the other two withdrew. A further attack by an assault platoon from the train failed. After a combined attack of the assault platoon and PP55 artillery, the Germans left the area of the Muchawiec bridge. When they returned, PP55 attacked another battle group of the 3rd Panzer Division (consisting of scout elements and the 5th Tank Regiment, supported by the 6th Battery of the 75th light artillery Regiment). After destroying a few armoured cars, the train withdrew towards Brześć and the train station was left in German hands. [[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-121-0007-24, Polen, polnische Panzer Renault FT-17.jpg|thumb|250px|A gate to the northern island of the fortress blocked by the FT-17 tanks]] The main assault finally started in the early morning of 16 September. The defenders had plenty of [[small arms]] ammunition and light arms thanks to the munitions depot in the fortress, but had almost no anti-tank weapons and insufficient artillery cover. Although the German infantry was repelled and the assault of German tanks was stopped by two FT-17 tanks sealing the northern gate of the fortress, by nightfall it became apparent that the German pressure made the situation very grave. Despite heavy losses, the German 20th Motorized Division and 10th Armoured Division captured the northern part of the citadel. Meanwhile, the combined 3rd Armoured Division and 2nd Armoured Division comprising the XXII^nd Armoured Corps entered the area. The Poles were unable to re-supply and the casualties rose to almost 40%.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} At dawn General Plisowski ordered part of the Polish forces to retreat from the easternmost fortifications and regroup to the other side of the river and southwards. The evacuation was completed by early morning, 17 September when the last unit crossing the bridge blew it up to hinder the Germans. An hour later elements of the German 76th infantry regiment entered the fortress – almost unopposed. The only Polish unit to remain in the fortress was the remnants of 82nd Infantry Regiment under Captain Radziszewski who decided to fight to the end.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} ==Aftermath== {{see also|German–Soviet military parade in Brest-Litovsk}} [[File:Armia Czerwona,Wehrmacht 23.09.1939 wspólna parada.jpg|thumb|right|Joint parade of the Wehrmacht and Red Army in [[Brest (Belarus)|Brest]] at the end of the Invasion of Poland. At the center Major General [[Heinz Guderian]] and Brigadier [[Semyon Krivoshein]]]] On 17 September 1939 the [[Red Army]] crossed the Polish border and started its quick advance westwards. The Soviet 29th tank brigade under Brigadier [[Semyon Krivoshein]] reached the area of Brześć later that day and took over the fortress from the [[Wehrmacht]]. During that event a joint [[German–Soviet military parade in Brest-Litovsk|German-Soviet parade]] was held in the town, after which the German forces left the area, crossed the [[Bug River]] and started their pursuit of the fleeing forces of general Plisowski. Some {{convert|40|km|abbr=off}} to the east the Polish improvised "Kobryń" Infantry Division under Colonel [[Adam Epler|Epler]] was ordered to retreat in tandem with Plisowski. After the [[Battle of Kobryn|Battle of Kobryń]] the division evaded encirclement and joined the forces of General Plisowski. The Polish forces were soon joined by the [[Podlaska Cavalry Brigade]] and together started to make their way towards [[Lwów]] and the ''[[Romanian Bridgehead]]''. Under command of General [[Franciszek Kleeberg]] they formed the bulwark of the remaining [[Polish Army]], fighting effectively against both the [[Wehrmacht]] and [[Red Army]] until the [[Battle of Kock (1939)|Battle of Kock]], that ended on 5 October 1939.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} The [[Brest Fortress]], handed over to the Soviets in accordance with the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was [[Defense of Brest Fortress|besieged and captured again]] by the Wehrmacht in the beginning of [[Operation Barbarossa]] in 1941. {{coord missing|Belarus}}