Battle of Tuchola Forest

Battle of Tuchola Forest Part of the Invasion of Poland Date 1–5 September 1939 Location Near Tuchola Forest, Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland Result German victory Belligerents Germany Poland Commanders and leaders Gunther von Kluge Heinz Guderian Adolf Strauß Władysław Bortnowski Stanisław Grzmot-Skotnicki Józef Werobej Juliusz Drapella Casualties and losses Unknown Unknown

Invasion of Poland Battle of the Border Chojnice Krojanty Lasy Królewskie Mokra Pszczyna Grudziądz Mława Jordanów Fraustadt Węgierska Górka Tuchola Forest Częstochowa Mikołów Bukowiec Slovak invasion Baltic coast Westerplatte Danzig Danzig Bay Worek Plan Gdynia Hel Kępa Oksywska 4–10 September Tomaszów Mazowiecki Wizna Łódź Borowa Góra Piotrków Różan Pułtusk Radom Łomża Barak Wola Cyrusowa Northern Front Siege of Warsaw Bzura Kałuszyn Węgrów Wilno Modlin Kobryń Brześć 2nd Tomaszów Lubelski Wólka Węglowa Kampinos Forest Krasnystaw Łomianki Krasnobród Kock Southern Front Przemyśl Jarosław 1st Tomaszów Lubelski Jaworów Janów Forest Cześniki Lwów Soviet invasion of Poland Sarny Wilno Husynne Grodno Władypol Szack Wytyczno Parczew, Jabłoń and Milanów

The Battle of Tuchola Forest (German: Schlacht in der Tucheler Heide, Polish: Bitwa w Borach Tucholskich) refers to one of the first battles of the Second World War during the Invasion of Poland, 1939. The battle started on 1 September and ended on 5 September with a major German victory. Due to lack of coordination and poor command of forces on the Polish side and German numerical and tactical superiority, the Germans managed to cripple the Polish Army of Pomerania and connect mainland Germany with East Prussia, breaking through the Polish Corridor.^[1]

Prelude

Positions of Polish and German forces before the battle. Map by Lonio17.

Tuchola Forest (Polish: Bory Tucholskie, German: Tucheler Heide) in Westprussia,^[2] since 1920 Treaty of Versailles in the Polish Corridor, is a large forest territory. Because of its difficult terrain it was viewed by the Poles as good defensive terrain. The German troops, on the other hand, had their Truppenübungsplatz Gruppe exercise area there until 1919, and were familiar with it, like Heinz Guderian, who had been born in nearby Kulm.^[3]

Polish forces in the theater were composed of elements of the Pomeranian Army: 9th Infantry Division under colonel Józef Werobej, the 27th Infantry Division^[4]:53 under general Juliusz Drapella, and Czersk Operational Group under gen. Stanisław Grzmot-Skotnicki.

German forces in the theater were composed of elements of the 4th German Army under general Günther von Kluge, specifically 19th Panzer Corps (commanded by general Heinz Guderian), and 2nd Army Corps under general Adolf Strauß. Those units were based in Western Pomerania (west of the corridor).

19th Panzer Corps consisted of the 2nd Motorized Division under general Paul Bader, the 20th Motorized Division under general Mauritz von Wiktorin and the 3rd Panzer Division under general Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg. 2nd Army Corps was composed of two infantry divisions: the 3rd Infantry Division under general Walter Lichel and 32nd Infantry Division under general Franz Böhme.

Battle

Despite several tactical Polish victories, including the Skirmish of Krojanty on 1 September, a famous Polish cavalry charge, and the destruction of a German armored train near Chojnice, German forces were able to advance quickly.

Not all Polish forces were in position by 1 September and the German advance managed to generate confusion in the Polish forces. In addition, communications problems meant that the Polish forces did not act cohesively. The Poles were forced to abandon plans for a counterattack and retreated, pursued by more mobile German motorized and armored troops. The German forces had a significant amount of armor support, including over 300 tanks commanded by the famous panzer expert, General Heinz Guderian.

Most of the Polish forces were surrounded by 3 September. Some were destroyed, while others managed to break through towards Bydgoszcz.

Aftermath

Most of the Polish forces were destroyed by 5 September. The Germans were able to break through the Polish Corridor. Some German forces were ordered to erase pockets of Polish resistance in fortified areas on the Baltic Coast, while others continued their push south-east, deeper into Polish territory.

On 6 September, Adolf Hitler visited Guderian and congratulated him on his swift progress.^[5]

Order of Battle

Polish

German

References

1. ↑ Christer Jörgensen, Chris Mann, Strategy and Tactics: Tank Warfare, Zenith Imprint, 2001, ISBN 0-7603-1016-5, p.35 Google Print
2. ↑ 1896 Map of West-East Prussia with Tucheler Heide south of Danziger Bucht Bay
3. ↑ Heinz Guderian: Erinnerungen eines Soldaten, "Ich hatte am 3.9 ... meinen Sohn Kurt wiedergesehen und mich dabei an den Türmen von Kulm, meiner Geburtsstadt, erfreut, die vom Ostufer der Weichsel herüberwinkten. Am 4.9 ... bei ihren Waldgefechten und endete auf dem alten deutschen Truppenübungsplatz Gruppe westlich Graudenz.", 1951,
4. ↑ Zaloga, S.J., 2002, Poland 1939, Oxford: Osprey Publishing Ltd., ISBN 9781841764085
5. ↑ Martin Gilbert, The Second World War: A Complete History, Owl Books, 2004, ISBN 0-8050-7623-9 Google Print, p.6

Further reading

• Steven J. Zaloga, Polish Army, 1939–1945, Osprey Publishing, 1982, ISBN 0-85045-417-4,

External links

• (Polish) Bitwa w Borach Tucholskich

Coordinates: 53°36′00″N 18°00′00″E / 53.600000°N 18.000000°E / 53.600000; 18.000000