Bessarabia Offensive

The Bessarabia Offensive, known in the Soviet Union as the May Offensive, was a military campaign launched by the Soviet Army against the Allied Pact starting on May 2, 1943. The attack was focused against the primarily Canadian and Romanian forces in the Besserabia region of Romania. Though the attack did achieve tactical surprise, it was expected on a strategic level, and it failed to break through the Allied lines, merely pushing them back. The Soviet Army also encircled the Romanian 11th Infantry and elements of the Canadian 4th Armoured and 3rd Infantry divisions in Iasi, but failed to destroy them or force their surrender; instead, the Iasi Pocket disrupted the Soviet supply line and tied down Soviet forces.