page_title: Moravia–Ostrava Offensive
section_title: Prelude
hierarchical_section_title: Moravia–Ostrava Offensive / Prelude
caption_attribution_description: Čeština: Ostravská operace
context_page_description: The Moravia–Ostrava Offensive Operation was an offensive by the Red Army during World War II that lasted from March 10 to May 6, 1945, and was the Soviet conquest of present-day Eastern Czech Republic.
context_section_description: In the spring of 1945, the frontline on the southwestern border of Lesser Poland ran from Wieliczka via Jaworzno and Gliwice to Międzylesie. 
  The 4th Ukrainian Front (Colonel General Ivan Petrov) and the right wing of the southern 2nd Ukrainian Front (Rodion Malinovsky) were far behind the other fronts of the Red Army. On the western part of the High Tatras, a frontal arch had formed, covering the northeastern and southeastern borders of Slovakia. The 4th Ukrainian Front, located in front of the western Carpathian ridge and between Dukla and Kaschau, had 317,300 men, 2,900 guns and mortars, 184 tanks and self-propelled guns and 416 aircraft at the beginning of March 1945.
   
  The enemy Army group Heinrici (German 1st Panzer Army and 1st Hungarian Army), under command of Gotthard Heinrici  counted over 150,000 men, 1,500 guns and mortars, 100 tanks and 120 aircraft.
caption: Moravian-Ostrava Operation.
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