German Army headquarters wanted to capture the bridges over the Drava intact, and from 1 April had issued orders to Generaloberst Maximilian von Weichs's 2nd Army to conduct preliminary operations aimed at seizing the bridge at Barcs and the railway bridge at Zákány by coup de main. As a result, limited objective attacks were launched along the line of the Drava by the XXXXVI Motorised Corps of General der Panzertruppe Heinrich von Vietinghoff, despite the fact that they were not expected to launch offensive operations until 10 April.
