Hungarian–Czechoslovak War

Hungarian–Czechoslovak war
Part of the 1918–20 revolutions and interventions in Hungary
Territory recovered by the Hungarian Soviet Republic (light red) in today Slovakia and minor parts in today Hungary, in May–June 1919
Date December 1918 – June 1919 Location present-day Slovakia Result Hungarian military victory Formation of the Slovak Soviet Republic Hungarian retreat after diplomatic negotiations
Belligerents
First Hungarian Republic (until 21 March 1919) Hungarian Soviet Republic (from 21 March 1919)	First Czechoslovak Republic
Commanders and leaders
Béla Kun Aurél Stromfeld Ferenc Julier Vilmos Böhm	Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk František Schöbl Josef Štika Josef Šnejdárek Josef Votruba
Strength
100,000	20,000
Casualties and losses
unknown dead ~450 captured	864

Béla Kun

Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk

The Hungarian–Czechoslovak War or Northern Campaign (Hungarian: északi hadjárat) was fought between the Hungarian Soviet Republic and the First Czechoslovak Republic from April to June 1919.

At the end of 1918, the final year of World War I, the collapse of Austria-Hungary led to the declaration of the formed Czechoslovakia. The newly established country wanted to ensure the success of their territorial demands and started an attack. During the war, the Hungarian Red Army fought separate battles against troops from Czechoslovakia and Romania, while France was also highly involved diplomatically in the conflicts, too. By its final stage, more than 120,000 troops on both sides were involved.

Appealing to Hungarians with promises of regaining the land lost until then to neighboring countries within a week of his rise to power, Béla Kun declared war upon Czechoslovakia, which would increase his domestic support by making good on his promise to restore Hungary's borders. The Hungarian army recruited men between 19 and 25 years of age. Industrial workers from Budapest volunteered. Many former Austro-Hungarian officers re-enlisted through patriotism. The Hungarian army moved its 1st and 5th artillery divisions (40 battalions) to Upper Hungary (partially modern day Slovakia). The Hungarian counterattack lauched on 9 May 1919 in the area of Hatvan. On 20 May 1919, Colonel Aurél Stromfeld, attacked in force and routed Czechoslovak troops from Miskolc, also recapturing Košice and Prešov, thus successfully separated the Czechoslovak and Romanian armies from each other. Through this successful action, Hungary controlled territory up to its old northern borders; regained control of industrial areas around Miskolc, Salgótarján and Banská Štiavnica.

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