Fall of Kaposvár

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Fall of Kaposvár
Part of the Ruvelkan Civil War
Date3 July 1918 – 28 August 1918
Location
Result

Imperial Separatist victory

  • Surrender of Red Army forces
  • Communist government officials flee Ruvelka
  • Official establishment of the Principality of Ruvelka
Territorial
changes
Imperial Separatists gain control of remaining Communist territories
Belligerents
Ruvelka Imperial Separatists Ruvelkan Socialist Republic
Commanders and leaders
Ruvelka Kátálin Dorman
Ruvelka Paloma Keresztes
Rebeka Vass
Adrián Katona
Fruzsina Illes
Units involved
Army Group Center
Army Group South
MS Peoples’ Army
1st Army
2nd Army
Strength
~950,000 ~500,000
Casualties and losses
~60,000 ~110,000

The Fall of Kaposvár was the final battle of the western theater of the Ruvelkan Civil War that lasted from early July 1918 to late August 1918. Following a number of decisive victories in 1917, the Imperial Separatist Volunteer Guard seized the initiative from the Communist Red Army and proceeded to push the Communists northward until they were encircled in their capital city of Kaposvár. General Katona, the Communist Chief of the General Staff, initially refused an offer for surrender in the hopes that the Communist 3rd Army would possibly be able to lift the siege after having successfully defeated Anarchist forces near Kenderes.

The 3rd Army, under the command of Krisztina Pataki, began a grueling march through the rugged terrain of the Matra mountains at a rushed pace making it as far as the outskirts of Balatonalmadi before being intercepted by Kristóf Barta’s Army Group East on 18 August. Pataki attempted to break through Barta’s lines three times with her exhausted troops before being decisively defeated on 20 August, forcing her to withdraw south. Although she had regrouped her troops on 21 August, it was unlikely she could make another successful attempt to lift the siege.

Communist forces in Kaposvár continued to refuse surrender until Shock Troops of Army Group South made a successful assault on the southern side of the city in 25 August. With supplies and ammunition running low, General Katona ultimately decided to surrender unconditionally on 28 August effectively ending the war in the west.