Battle of Târgu Frumos
The Battle of Târgu Frumos, also known as the Battles of Târgu Frumos, occurred during 1944 in World War II in and around the town of Târgu Frumos in Iaşi County, Moldavia, Romania.
It was fought between Soviet forces (the Red Army) and Axis forces (the Wehrmacht and Romanian forces) and was within the Soviet Union's overall First Jassy-Kishinev Offensive.
The term may apply to either one of two periods of intense combat, or it may refer to the entire scope of conflict in the area over a longer time. For example, a military unit or an individual can be said to have served in the battle.
- First Battle of Târgu Frumos, 9–12 April 1944: the Red Army took the town but was pushed out
- Second Battle of Târgu Frumos, 2–8 May 1944: the German forces held again
Soviet historians did not consider this to be a significant battle but have come around to identifying it separately.
The battle has been used in military education as an example of how a mobile defense can defeat an armoured spearhead.