The ótarjáBattle of Salgótarján occurred in 1919 between Czechoslovak troops and the Hungarian Soviet Republic, around the coal mining city of Salgótarján.
Background
At the end of World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed, and a multitude of National Councils were established to take power. In Budapest, the liberal establishment was overthrown in the Aster Revolution, and a coalition government of nationalists and social democrats took power, lead by Mihály Károlyi. On 16 November 1918, Hungary was declared an independent republic. Mainwhile, on 30 October, the Slovak National Council issues the Martin Declaration, declaring union with the newly established Czechoslovakia.
In early November, Czech troops entered Slovakia to enforce the claim. After some clashes with local formations, the Entente powers pressured Hungary to withdraw. Over December 1918 and January 1919, Hungary handed over most of the current Slovak territory, mostly peacefully. The demarcation line between Hungary and Czechoslovakia, the so-called Pichon-line, was dictated to the Károlyi Government by Fernand Vix on 23 December. It runs on the Danube and Ipoly rivers to Rimavská Sobota (Rimaszombat), then follows a straight line to the Uzh river. This line is only slightly different then the permanent border dictated in the 12 June Note, and then the Treaty of Trianon.
This border fell short of the Czechoslovak proposal, presented to the Paris Peace Conference on February 5, 1919, which claimed the North Hungarian Mountains including the industrial city of Miskolc, the vital rail connection via Balassagyarmat, and the coal mining city of Salgótarján.
In Hungary, further entente territorial demands caused the collapse of the Károlyi regime and a coalition of communists and social democrats took power. They declared the dictatorship of the proletariat and the Hungarian Soviet Republic. The new soviet government rejected entente demands. After further negotiations by Jan Smuts failed, Romania launched a military intervention on 16 April. The newly formed Red Army collapsed, and fled beyond the river Tisza. Seeing Hungarian weakness, on April 27, Czechoslovakia joined the intervention against Soviet Hungary.
Battle
The Czechoslovak attack begun towards Carpathean Ruthenia on 27 April. In the following days, the whole front east of the Danube begun to advance. The Czechoslovak 6th Division overrun the Red Army's 5th Division and captured Miskolc on 2 May. To its west, the Czechoslovak 2nd Brigade crossed the demarcation line towards Salgótarján on 30 April. Salgótarján was defended by 80th Brigade under 3rd (previously 40th) Division. Hungarian defenders were outnumbered, further weakened by re-deployments to the Romanian front. On 28 May, the 80th Brigade was reduced to 2494 men, 24 machine guns and 4 batteries.
Initial Czechoslovak advance (30 April - 10 May) 2nd Brigade advanced in three columns. The central column advanced south from Rimavská Sobota. On the first day of the attack, 10th company defending Rimavské Janovce (Jánosi) fled to Jesenské (Feled). They were returned to position by a commissar, but next day they were ordered to withdraw to Hajnáčka (Ajnácskő) from fear of encirclement. The Czechoslovaks entered Rimavské Janovce on 2 May. This retreat opened up a gap to the east of 80th Brigade.
On 2 May, the Czechoslovak 2nd Briade lanched its full-scale attack to capture Salgótarján. On the eastern flank, Rimaszécs (Rimavská Seč) fell to Czechoslovakia on that day. On the western flank, attacks against Nagydaróc (Veľké Dravce) were initially resisted by defending 9th Company, but its numbers were depleted to just 40 men. They were forced to retreat by the evening of 2 May, after outflanked by Guszona (Husiná) To the west, there were attacks against Fülekkelecsény (Fiľakovské Kľačany) and Rapp (Rapovce). After a day of resistance, at 14:00 3 May, 3rd Battalion command ordered a retreat, which quickly turned chaotic. A new defensive line was only established at Somoskőújfalu.
To re-establish connection with Hungarian 60th Brigade to the east, 8th Company was ordered to advance to Pétervására, but they were held down at Mátranovák to train new recruits. They resumed their march on the evening of 4 May, however the company mutinied, replaced their captain and retreated back to Mátranovák by the evening of 5 May.