Operation Ostra Brama
| Operacja Ostra Brama | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Operation Tempest, World War II | ||||||||
 Dislocation of Polish and German units at the start of the fighting |
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| Belligerents | ||||||||
 Polish Secret State (Armia Krajowa) |
 Germany
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 Soviet Union
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| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
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Aleksander Krzyżanowski Antoni Olechnowicz Czesław Dębicki |
Rainer Stahel | Ivan Chernyakhovsky | ||||||
| Strength | ||||||||
| 4200 | 7700 | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
| ~500 | Unknown | |||||||
Operation Ostra Brama (lit. Operation Sharp Gate, English: Operation Gate of Dawn) was an armed conflict during World War II between the Polish Home Army and the Nazi German occupiers of Vilnius (Polish: Wilno). It began on 7 July 1944, as part of a Polish national uprising, Operation Tempest, and lasted until 14 July 1944. Though the Germans were defeated, the following day the Soviet Red Army entered the city and the Soviet NKVD proceeded to intern Polish soldiers and to arrest their officers. Several days later, the remains of the Polish Home Army retreated into the forests, and the Soviets were in control of the city.
From the Polish point of view, while the German defeat constitutes a Polish tactical victory, the ensuing destruction of the Polish units by the Soviets resulted in a strategic defeat, especially considering the goals of Operation Tempest. From the Soviet point of view, the operation was a complete success, as both the Germans and the Poles loyal to the London government suffered a defeat.
The main reason for the operation was for propaganda purposes - to claim rights for Wilna.
Operation 'Ostra Brama' was meant to be carried out during an expected state of confusion among German units in Wilno, who would be in fear of upcoming, overwhelming, Soviet forces. Polish command most likely did not anticipate successfully taking the city and it was clear that Armia Krajowa were not capable for it as Germans had strong positions in fortified Wilno. The plan for capturing Wilno resembled plans for the Warsaw Uprising.
On 12 June 1944 General Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski, Commander-in-Chief of the Home Army, issued an order to prepare a plan of liberating Wilno from German hands. The Home Army districts of Wilno and Navahrudak planned to take control of the city before the Soviets could reach it. The Commander of the Home Army District in Wilno, lieutenant colonel Aleksander Krzyżanowski "Wilk", decided to regroup all the partisan units in the northeastern part of Poland for the assault, both from inside and outside of the city.
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