2nd Army (Germany)

The 2nd Army (German: "2. Armee Oberkommando") was a World War I and World War II field army.

First World War

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 propotion of the Army would be wiped out during the join Anglo-French offensive on the Somme.

Commanders

* General Karl von Bülow (1914–March 1915)
* General Georg von der Marwitz (December 1916-September 1918)

econd World War

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 1945 the army was pivotal in the defence of East and West Prussia before finally surrendering on 9 May 1945. [Beevor, Antony. "Berlin: The Downfall 1945", Penguin Books, 2002, ISBN 0-670-88695-5, pp.26,49,50,88,90,115-116,119,402]

Commanders

* General Maximilian Reichsfreiherr von Weichs (October 20 1939 - July 13 1942)
* General Hans von Salmuth (July 14 1942 - February 3 1943)
* General Walter Weiss (February 4 1943 - March 9 1945)
* General Dietrich von Saucken (March 10 1945 - May 9, 1945)

Footnotes