drove on to Dresden, gaining bridgeheads on the River Spree north of Bautzen and destroying German forces in the Muskauer Forst. The following day Soviet units of the 7th Mechanized Corps captured parts of Bautzen and secured the line south of Niesky, taking Weißenberg and trapping several German formations. Świerczewski decided to prioritize the taking of Dresden over securing his southern flank, deviating from the plan he was given by Konev. Meanwhile, Schörner was concentrating his units (the "Görlitz Group") in the Görlitz (Zgorzelec) and Reichenbach region, and planned to launch a counteroffensive at the southern flank of the Polish Army. His aim was to stop the 1st Front's advance and break through to Berlin to relieve the trapped 9th Army. The Germans were pinning their hopes on the idea that the Soviets might be fended off long enough for the city to be surrendered to the Western Allies. The concentration of Schörner's units went unnoticed by Soviet and Polish reconnaissance. Prelude Opposing forces German forces were composed of elements of the 4th Panzer Army and commanded by the headquarters for the Grossdeutschland and 57th Armored Corps. For the battle, the Germans had two armored divisions (the 20th and Hermann Göring), two mechanized divisions (the Brandenburg and Hermann Göring 2), an infantry division (the 17th) as well as an infantry division battle group (the remnants of the 545th Volksgrenadier Division). This force comprised some 50,000 soldiers, 300 tanks, and 600 guns. The supply train of the 10th SS Panzer Division was also present near Bautzen. The Polish Second Army consisted of five infantry divisions: (5th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th, the 1st Armored Corps, and smaller units), about 84,000–90,000 men, and 500 tanks. Many of them were new recruits inexperienced in combat, incorporated from the recently retaken Polish territories. The quality of the officer corps has also been questioned. One of the major problems facing the People's Army was the lack of a qualified cadre; a 1944 estimate showed that the army had one officer for each 1,200 soldiers. Many of the officers in the Polish Army were Soviet officers of Polish descent. Overall, the German units were smaller than the Polish forces, their equipment more worn and supplies inferior. Polish sources describe the Germans as more experienced, however the German sources accentuate their mix of experienced soldiers and inexperienced recruits of Hitlerjugend and Volkssturm units. Battle Drive on Dresden