9/15/1939 - 9/21/1939
2.Army/IV. Corps siezed Nuremburg in the early hours of September 18th. The advance took the Germans completely by surprise and the city fell without a struggle. At the same time, 3.Army/II. Tank Corps attacked Linz
The Battle Of Linz (9/18/1939): II. Tank Corps (2 Armored Divisions and 1 Motorized Division) face off against a single German Division. The Germans, caught by surprise are totally overwhelmed. With losses of only 300 men, the Czech tankers captured over 3000 Germans and forced the defenders to flee in disarray. The II. Tank Corps charges on, reaching Salzburg on the 20th. From their, they motor on towards Munich.
The Battle of Nuremburg (9/18/1939-9/21/1939): IV. Corps was attacked by 2 German Infantry Divisions in an evening attack on 9/18. The 3 Czech Infantry Divisions,, though still pacifying the city, fought back vigourously, (one of which, fresh from Linz, was at 70% strength). IV. Corps blunted the German counter-attack, but was unable to make any headway until reinforced on the morning of the 20th with 1.Army/XII. Reserve Corps (2 Militia Divisions). Perhaps in an open field, the Militiamen would have been cut to pieces, but the Germans were already shaken by the Czech invasion and by their inability to push them from Nuremburg. The flank assault, even by half-trained, poorly equiped reserve troops, served to rout the shocked Germans. While the Germans lost almost 18,000 soldiers (a third of them captured in the rout), In the battle, the Czech army lost around 5000 men, most of them regular infantry.
The Battle of Vienna (9/20/1939-9/21/1939): III. Heavy Tank Corps (2 Med. Tank Divisions, 1 Mot. Infantry Division) advance on the old Austrian Capital, defended by 3 fresh German Infantry Divisions and the defenders of Linz (70%). The over-stretch Czech tanks aren't able to manuever well in the tight old city streets. The outnumbered Czech Infantry are driven out of the city as well. The defeat costs the Czech army some 9000 of their most elite soldiers as well as 120 of the T-40 medium tanks, roughly a quarter of the Tank Corps' vehicles. German losses are negligable in this first land defeat of the Czech Army.
The Air War (9/15/1939-9/21/1939): I. Air Corps, covering the garrison in Winterberg, is severly mauled by 5 German air fleets, losing 22% of their aircraft, over 88 fighters out of a total strength of 400. The Germans lose around 70 airplanes, but they muster over 30 air units compared to 3 for the Czech Air Force.
II. Air Corps is completely grounded after being mauled by German air units over Vienna. They lose over 70 aircraft as well, leaving the unit at 60% strength.
The air war is virtually over. Despite the Czech gains on the ground, the air losses did not bode well for their war effort, especially in combination with two other developments in the political arena.
Politics (9/15/1939-9/21/1939): Edvard Benes' became furious at the French, screaming at their ambassador in a virulent exchange. The Poles were holding off the bulk of the German Army, but they could not stand forever. The Czech Army, at great risk, had advanced into southern Germany. The German army was distracted and heavily occupied. Benes begged his allies to attack and finish off their enemy. The French Army mustered over 100 Divisions and they were facing only around 8 German garrison divisions.
The French agreed to a joint advance on Munich, but not a single French soldier crossed the Rhine. It was an opportunity missed and the Czech soldiers, fighting for their lives, never did forgive their allies' inactivity.
On the same day that Benes was exchanging harsh words with the Ambassador, Hungary joined the war on Germany's side. Czechoslovakia faced a certain invasion from the south.
