1945 Spring Offensive

1945 Spring Offensive

The spring offensive occurred after the Yalta Conference and although many soldiers considered throwing down their arms, they continued to fight. After the war, Harold Macmillan stated that the II Polish Corps showed marvelous dignity in this situation: “they had lost their country, but they kept their honor,” he wrote. As the Carpathian Division began their offensive by crossing the Senio River on April 9, 1945, a terrible accident occurred. General Anders and General Mark Clark together observed American bombers dropping bombs on the German defense when one aircraft released its bombs prematurely and hit the Carpathian Division. Thirty-eight officers and soldiers were killed and 188 wounded. General Anders had to visit the scene of the accident itself to persuade the men to continue. Despite the accident, the attack went on by evening the 3^rd Carpathian Division made its way to the far bank of the Senio River. The next day, heavy fighting continued between the Senio and Santerno as the 98^th German Infantry and the 26^th German Panzer Divisions tried to hold their positions.

The Poles broke through the Santerno River and encountered the 1^st German Parachute Rifle Division, the same division that had earlier defended the German position in Monte Cassino. The Germans fought stubbornly but were forced to withdraw on April 20, pursued by Polish infantry and tanks. General Mark Clark then asked General Anders to take Bologna and the center of the town was reached by the Poles in the morning of April 21, 1945. The II Polish Corps would not fight again.

<<Previous Battle Main Page