The Kuban 1943 by Robert Forczyk & Steve Noon

Author:Robert Forczyk & Steve Noon
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781472822604
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2017-10-16T16:00:00+00:00

The Soviet 9th Army tried repeatedly to infiltrate through the marshy Lagoon area and outflank the Germans, but every attempt was repulsed with heavy casualties. Here, Soviet infantrymen try to use personal flotation rings to move through one of the marshes. Once spotted, German machine guns and mortars would rip these infiltration groups apart. (From the fonds of the RGAKFD in Krasnogorsk via Stavka)

Zhukov’s delegation included an unusual amount of brass: Marshal Aleksandr A. Novikov, commander of the VVS, Admiral Nikolai G. Kuznetsov, head of the Soviet Navy, and General-leytenant Sergei M. Shtemenko, head of operations in the General Staff. Zhukov was scathing in his report to Stalin and described Maslennikov’s forces as ‘carelessly and casually organized’, which was not far from the truth. Novikov reorganized the 4th VA and convinced Stavka to release additional air reserves for service in the Kuban, including the 3rd Fighter Aviation Corps, 2nd Bomber Aviation Corps, the 2nd Composite Aviation Corps and the 287th Fighter Aviation Division; this amounted to about 460 fighters, 165 bombers and 170 Il-2 Sturmoviks. On 24 April, the 5th VA headquarters was transferred to the Steppe Front and all its units attached to the 4th VA. With the aircraft from 5th VA and the Stavka reserves, the VVS would have almost 1,200 aircraft to support the next Kuban offensive.

On the ground, the scheme of manoeuvre remained essentially the same, with Grechko’s 56th Army as the main effort, but Zhukov also demanded that the 9th and 37th armies make significant supporting attacks to prevent 17.Armee from just focusing on one sector. In particular, Zhukov ordered the 9th Army to assemble small boats so it could attack through the marshy Lagoon area and cross the Kuban River. In order to reinforce the main effort, Zhukov requested substantial reinforcements from the Stavka reserves to augment 56th Army’s firepower. Due to Zhukov’s intervention, Grechko was provided with two regiments of self-propelled artillery with 40 assault guns, four Guards Mortar battalions with 72 300mm multiple rocket launchers and 50 Lend-Lease tanks, as well as 3,000 veteran troops. Zhukov’s plan for the next offensive against the Krymskaya position was quickly approved on 24 April and he was given five additional days before beginning the operation in order for reinforcements and additional supplies to arrive.

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