Battle of Daugavpils
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Battle of Daugavpils (otherwise known as the Battle of Dyneburg) was the final battle of the joint Polish and Latvian Operation Winter against the Red Army. It took place in late December of 1919 in the area around the city of Daugavpils. The fights in the area started on September 28 and ended in January of 1920.
From Polish perspective it was a part of the Polish-Bolshevik War, while in Latvia it is referred to as a part of Latvian War of Liberation.
The Polish commander of the 1st Legions Infantry Division general (later Marshal of Poland) Edward Rydz-Śmigły in late autumn of 1919 proposed that a joint Polish-Latvian operation against the Bolshevik forces be commenced. The front lines in the area were relatively peaceful and the city of Daugavpils could be captured relatively easily, especially that the Red Army was concentrating its forces further southwards. However, lack of support from the side of the Polish headquarters, as well as personal conflicts with general Stanisław Szeptycki resulted in Rydz-Śmigły's plan being refused.
However, the situation changed in December of 1919, after an alliance had been signed between the governments of Poland and Latvia. General Śmigły-Rydz was given the command over a small operational group composed of his 1st Legions Division, as well as the 3rd Legions Infantry Division and several minor Latvian auxiliary forces.
The Polish-Latvian forces reached the area of the Daugavpils fortress almost unopposed. However, the counter-attack by the Red Army was far stronger than expected. Also, the heavy fights for the city and its surroundings took place in harsh conditions: the area was covered with more than 1 metre of snow and the temperature dropped below -30 C°.
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