Third Battle of Oituz
The Third Battle of Oituz was a confrontation between Romanian and, to a lesser extent, Russian forces on one side and German and Austro-Hungarian forces on the other, during the Romanian Campaign of World War I. The battle took place primarily in the Oituz valley on the border between Hungary and Romania, from 8 to 22 August 1917.
For other battles at the same location, see First Battle of Oituz and Second Battle of Oituz.Prelude and order of battle[edit]
The Austro-Hungarian First Army planned to attack Romanian positions along the Oituz valley, primarily using the Gerok Group, which had recently participated in the Battle of Mărăști. The 8th Corps would undertake the main effort; it comprised one German and two Austro-Hungarian infantry divisions deployed between Valea Dofteanei and Măgura Cașinului, and two Austro-Hungarian cavalry divisions in reserve. In front of them, the Romanian Second Army deployed the 2nd and 4th Corps, with a total of six infantry divisions (1st, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 9th, 12th) and two reserve battalions. The attack would be carried out on a 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) front, and the Romanians were outnumbered 4 to 1. Several kilometres behind the Romanian lines was the Trotuș River valley, which led to the rear of the Romanian and Russian front; thus, a successful Central Powers offensive at Oituz could have had potentially disastrous effects for the Allied war effort in Romania.