Battle of Baluussalmi

Battle of Baluussalmi
Part of the Estharian Civil War
Balambian troops scavenge the remains of an ambushed Republican convoy
Date 28 December 1932 - 5 February 1933 Location Baluussalmi, Balamb Result Balambian Victory
Belligerents
Second Estharian Republic Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance Archadia-Archedes Empire of Quenmin Trungdong	Balambian State United Kingdom Erebonian Empire Rubrum Gallia-Bruhl Ilari Secadia Levantine Sultanate Foreign volunteers
Commanders and leaders
Fernando Rojo Jose Morenas Giorgios Geld Alessandro Berdoli Thạch Hung Sõn Chiến Dhaki al-Neman	A.C.G. Lindholm Pasi Honkajonki Aníbal Fidalgo Daidoji Kitagawa
Strength
150,000 troops 120 tanks 70 guns 100 aircraft	50,500 troops 40 tanks 40 guns 50 aircraft
Casualties and losses
49,249 killed or wounded 40,000 died of wounds; frostbite 2,579 captured 79 tanks 49 guns 69 aircraft	2,700 killed or wounded 12 tanks 7 guns 12 aircraft

The Battle of Baluussalmi (28 December 1932 - 5 February 1933) was a battle fought between the Estharian Republicans and the Balambian forces during the Balambian War. It took place in and around the strategically important city of Baluussalmi, which was a key to gaining control of Northern Balamb. The battle would be the longest battle ever fought during the war, as well as the most important battle that took place in Balamb, with both sides, supported by their respective volunteers pitted their best units in a bid to control a city that would seal the fate of either side. It would also be the battle where the Republican forces suffered heavy casualties bought by a war of attrition, as many troops suffered diseases and froze to death. As a result, the battle was nicknamed by the Republicans as the Battle of Frozen Hell (Imperial: Kampf um die gefrorene Hölle/Quenminese: Trận chiến cho địa ngục băng giá) with the area around Baluussalmi being described as Frozen Hell as temperatures plummeted to -25°C by mid-January. The battle would also see the entrance of the Lucis Commonwealth forces into the conflict later that month.

Initially, the Republican forces were successful at forcing the Balambian forces to retreat from Baluussalmi. But aggressive Balambian Motti tactics allowed the Balambians to maintain their hold around the city by early January and fought a war of attrition, as temperatures plummeted, starving and freezing the Republicans within the city.