Battle of Debrecen - Aftermath

Aftermath

Three corps of Malinovsky's 2nd Ukrainian Front had sustained significant losses in the fighting. The intended rapid 2nd Ukrainian Front assault on Budapest had been delayed, and Hungarian troops remained in the war as Germany's ally until the end of the war in Europe. The Nyíregyháza counter-attack was the last time that German forces were to defeat a full-strength Red Army force on even terms. By pinching off the breakthrough exploitation group of the 2nd Ukrainian Front offensive, the Germans were able to re-establish a stable front line position, and thus, prevent the 2nd Ukrainian Front's advance from becoming a catastrophe for Wöhler. The German success, was however short-lived as Nyíregyháza was captured by the Red Army on 30 October, and another powerful Red Army offensive opened to the south with Budapest again being its objective, with the Soviets reaching the area of the Hungarian capital on 7 November 1944.

While the 2nd Ukrainian Front was prevented from swiftly seizing the Hungarian capital, the Debrecen operation saw its forces advance anywhere from 60 to 120 miles further west into Hungary, leaving the 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian Fronts in position to renew the offensive towards Budapest. The tank battle at Debrecen itself had drawn the German Panzer units away from defending the approaches to Budapest. Finally, the Red Army thrust occupied the eastern third of Hungary, clearing the obstacle of the Transylvanian Alps and denying their use as a winter defense position for the Axis forces.