The Offensive
The offensive began on August 6 with further penetrations by the 2nd Belorussian Front west of Byalistok.
The approaches to Osowiec were heavily defended; the 1st Guards Assault Engineer Brigade was required to establish river crossings under fire. Units of the Front stormed and took the fortress, after a heavy air bombardment by Major-General Georgiy Baidukov's 4th Strike Aviation Corps, on August 14. Joseph Stalin's Order no. 166 for that day noted the capture of the fortress and congratulated the units and commanders involved.
August 14 is noted as the end of the offensive in official Soviet historiography, but in fact attempts continued to seize bridgeheads over the Narew throughout the remainder of August. The 49th Army, however, found that the German defences on the approaches to Lomza were difficult to overcome, sustaining many casualties (even losing a divisional commander, Major-General Iakimovich of the 343rd Rifle Division, in their attempt to force the defensive lines).
Lomza itself was not taken until mid-September; there were intense battles along the Narew as Second Army was progressively reinforced and attempted to crush the bridgeheads.
Read more about this topic: Osovets Offensive
Famous quotes containing the word offensive:
“Hats divide generally into three classes: offensive hats, defensive hats, and shrapnel.”
—Katharine Whitehorn (b. 1926)
“How much atonement is enough? The bombing must be allowed as at least part-payment: those of our young people who are concerned about the moral problem posed by the Allied air offensive should at least consider the moral problem that would have been posed if the German civilian population had not suffered at all.”
—Clive James (b. 1939)