| 2. Armee 2nd Army |
|
|---|---|
| Active | |
| Country | German Empire Nazi Germany |
| Type | Army |
| Engagements | World War I World War II |
The 2nd Army (German: 2. Armee Oberkommando) was a World War I and World War II field army.
Contents |
The 2nd Army during World War I, fought on the Western Front and took part in the Schlieffen Plan offensive against France and Belgium in August 1914. Commanded by General Karl von Bülow, the 2nd Army's mission was to support the 1st Army (Germany)'s sweep around the left flank of the French Army and encircle Paris, bringing a rapid conclusion to the war. The 2nd Army laid siege to, and took the Belgian fortresses around Namur, and fought General Charles Lanrezac's French 5th Army at the Battle of Charleroi on August 23-24, 1914 and again at St. Quentin on August 29-30, 1914.
A large proportion of the Army would be wiped out during the joint Anglo-French offensive on the Somme.
The 2nd Army was activated on October 20, 1939 with General Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Weichs in command. First seeing service in France, the army was involved in the invasion of the Balkans, before offensive operations in the Ukraine as part of Operation Barbarossa.
In 1942 the II. Armee covers the northern wing of opération Fall Blau operating in the suroundings of Voronej and suffered a major defeat during the soviet winter offensive that followed the battle of Stalingrad.
In 1945 the army was pivotal in the defence of East and West Prussia before finally surrendering on 9 May 1945.[1]
|
|||||||||||