Global Conflict by Tom Zola

Global Conflict by Tom Zola

Author:Tom Zola [Zola, Tom]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9783964030306
Publisher: EK-2 Publishing
Published: 2019-12-21T05:00:00+00:00


Mtsensk, Soviet Union, June 16th, 1943

Eventually Field Marshal von Manstein had decided to conduct another operation in the Eastern theater; a hastily scheduled counteroffensive of the Wehrmacht was intended to win both banks of the Oka River off the town of Tula, using two wedge-shaped attack columns, one out of the Oryol area and one out of the Smolensk area. Tula itself had to be taken too. Von Manstein had decided on a limited, small-scale offensive. His troops were no longer capable of a big push anyway. But the defensive successes of the past weeks had torn gaps in the Russian lines, which the enemy was currently hardly able to fill. Von Manstein wanted to push right into these gaps. If the offensive was successful, the German-occupied territory would be significantly expanded, but without creating a new salient that would just need more forces to defend than a straightened front line. In addition, this would push the Germans way up to within 180 kilometers of Moscow, thus positioning Reich forces dangerously close to the enemy's capital again. Finally Moscow seemed to be in reach once more.

In the north, Panzer Corps engaged the enemy from Smolensk. In the south, Kampfgruppe Hoth, created from the combat formations Sieckenius and Becker as well as the 15th Panzer Division, would strike.

Von Manstein's Chief of Staff, after struggling with the Commander-in-Chief East for quite some time, had finally received another active command when taking over his own combat formation – albeit for a limited time. Of course, the forces involved in this assault were much smaller than at Operation Citadel, although the area of operations was approximately the same size. There were two reasons for the minimal-manpower approach: First of all, the Wehrmacht could hardly spare any more troops for an attack. On the other hand, this time they did not have to chew their way through a 30-kilometer-deep defensive network of the enemy, which had been installed during six months of painstaking work. The positions of Ivans in front of and around Tula were no more than a chain of hurriedly dug-out foxholes. In addition, the enemy units in the AO were weakened and demoralized. Von Manstein therefore planned a quick raid with two panzer spearheads. They were intended to smash the enemy before he realized what was happening. After that the march to Tula would actually be just a march, and not a series of battles.

The plan also provided for panzergrenadier units to follow the spearheads, securing the flanks before regular infantry took over the land and began digging themselves in. Once again, von Manstein was able to bring in considerable air forces for this approximately last German offensive of 1943. The blow against Tula offered him the opportunity to regain territories that the Reich had once won, and then lost back to the Soviets as the war tilted.

"At last our side is doing something again. It was high time," Münster was pleased to say.

"Not if you don't finally step on the gas," Engelmann countered, and caught an irritated look from his driver.



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