Battle of Kasenberg
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The Battle of Kasenberg (Vierz: Schlacht um Kasenberg; Luepolan: Kasenbergska Bitva) was a decisive battle in the Great War, fought between the Luepola and the Vierz Empire over the Vierz city of Kasenberg from October 1944 to May 1945. With the participation of over 3 million personnel, 2 million military casualties, and over 50,000 civilian casualties, it remains both the largest and bloodiest battle in world history.
The failure of Operation Magni in 1942 left much of Vierzland's southern flank vulnerable, but both Luepolan and Vierz forces focused their efforts on the Battle of Vyzinia. Luepola's failure to conquer Vyzinia led to it refocusing its efforts on conquering southern Vierzland with the aim of forcing a quick surrender. Luepolan forces launched Operation ________ in the summer of 1944, and reached the outskirts of Kasenberg in October. The Luepolan air force subjected the city to days of bombings in preparation for their invasion of the city. On the ground, Luepola's Votanska Front engaged the Vierz Southern Army Group within the city limits, where the battle transformed into close quarters urban combat.
For months, neither side gained a definite advantage, with both armies repeatedly capturing, losing, and recapturing various parts of the city. The intervention of the Savic 2nd Army and the Vierz 5th Air Fleet helped turn the tide in favour of Vierzland, with Vierz aerial forces laying pervasive damage to Luepolan logistical networks. Luepolan forces became outmanned and outgunned, and were pushed out of the city borders in May 1945. Fighting continued in the outlying suburbs for weeks, but Luepolan forces were forced from the metropolitan area entirely by the end of the summer.
Aerial bombings and urban warfare destroyed over 90% of the city over the course of almost seven months. Thousands of civilians were evacuated, and most became internally displaced people due to the destruction of their homes. Before the war, Kasenberg was the second-largest city in Vierzland; it fell to being the fourth-largest as a result of the battle.