On 8 Aug 1941, the Romanian General Staff issued Directive No. 31 calling for the capture of Odessa and the defeat of Soviet forces between the Dniester River and the Tiligulskiy Estuary. Surrounded on three sides, it was originally thought by the Axis leadership that Odessa would fall quickly, but the Soviet Black Sea Fleet was able to transport reinforcements and supplies into the city, preventing the city from being truly enveloped and blunting the first offensive. The second Axis offensive began on 16 Aug, seeing initial success in the first few days, but by 24 Aug, heavy casualties forced the attacks to pause for a few days. On 15 Sep, Soviet troops began to fall back to the southeast toward the city, and on the following day Romanian troops captured the heights northwest of the Gross-Liebenthal district of Odessa. The capture of Odessa is widely considered to be the greatest success of any minor Axis power during the war.