Slovak-Hungarian War
| date | March 23 to April 4, 1939 |
|---|---|
| place | Eastern Slovakia , Central Europe |
| output | Victory of the Hungarians |
| consequences | Surrender of an eastern Slovak strip of land to Hungary. |
| Peace treaty | April 4 in Budapest |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| 3 infantry regiments, 2 artillery regiments, 9 armored reconnaissance vehicles, 3 tanks |
5 infantry battalions, 2 cavalry battalions , 1 motorized battalion 3 armored reconnaissance vehicles 70 small tanks 5 light tanks |
| losses | |
|
22 dead, |
8 dead, |
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The Slovak-Hungarian War , also known as the Little War ( Hungarian : Kis háború, Slovak : Malá vojna), was fought from March 23 to April 4, 1939 between the Slovak state and the Kingdom of Hungary in the east of what is now Slovakia .
prehistory
In autumn 1938, Czechoslovakia had to cede its border areas to the German Reich and (November 2, 1938) Hungary in accordance with the Munich Agreement and the First Vienna Arbitration . On 14./15. In March 1939, under German pressure, Slovakia declared its independence as the First Slovak Republic , which was also recognized by Hungary. At the same time, the so-called remaining Czech Republic was occupied by German troops and incorporated into the Reich as the Reich Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia . The Carpatho-Ukraine declared its independence, but was immediately occupied by Hungary.
On March 22, 1939, a commission to establish the new joint Slovak-Hungarian eastern border ended its work. Likewise, the last former Czechoslovak troops were withdrawn from the now Hungarian Carpathian Russia to the rest of the Czech Republic, whereupon Hungary probably assumed that there were no more troops on Slovak territory.
Course of war
1 - Bratislava bridgehead , until October 15, 1947 Hungarian territory
2 - Southern Slovakia, as a result of the Vienna arbitration from November 2, 1938 to spring / 8. May 1945 annexed by Hungary
3 - strips of land in eastern Slovakia around the places Stakčín and Sobrance , as a result of the war from April 4, 1939 to spring / 8. May 1945 annexed by Hungary
4 - Devín (Thebes) and Petržalka municipalities , from 1./20. Annexed by Germany from November 1938 to 1945
5 - German protection zone, established as a result of the protection treaty with Slovakia on March 23, 1939
On the following day, March 23, 1939, Hungarian units attacked Slovakia from occupied Carpathian Ukraine without prior declaration of war , under orders to advance as far west as possible. The surprised Slovak troop units , which were supported by some Czech units still remaining in Slovakia, launched a counter-offensive on March 24th. A large part of the fighting was carried out by the air forces. 13 Slovaks were killed in the bombing of a Slovak air force base near Spišská Nová Ves ; this attack reinforced the anti-Hungarian stance of the Slovak population.
Although a ceasefire was negotiated for March 24th, the fighting continued through March 31st.
As a result of the protection treaty concluded between the German Reich and Slovakia on March 23, 1939, a conversation took place between the Slovak Prime Minister Tiso and a spokesman for the Reich in Žilina . Tiso wanted the German Reich to provide military support through arms aid. This was refused, but he was promised direct intervention by German Wehrmacht units in eastern Slovakia. Tiso again rejected this offer: Slovakia should not get into disputes with third powers as a result of a possible chain reaction.
At the beginning of April, Slovak-Hungarian negotiations took place. As a result, a contract was signed in Budapest on April 4, in which Slovakia had to cede a strip of land in the east of the country around the places Stakčín and Sobrance with an area of 1,697 km², 69,930 inhabitants and 78 municipalities to Hungary.
Slovakia had 22 soldiers and 36 civilians killed in this war, eight soldiers and 15 civilians died on the Hungarian side.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Jozef Tiso: The Truth About Slovakia , o. O., 1948, p. 52.