BlairWitch749
Banned
This is a continuation of my thread Manstein in Africa This portion shall examine the German home front, preparations from Barbarossa May 1942 and the General Axis war effort. This may be considered book 2 of the series. While Rommel is the linchpin character many of the chapters here will not examine him directly, at this point he is only a corps commander among many despite his favor at the highest levels of the German high command. Your comments are always welcomed and desired as they are an excellent jumping off point (the entire campaign for full moon came about from your suggestions. And even the entire concept of Rommel in the east came from suggestions from when I wrote the preview chapters). I hope you enjoy part 2 - BW749
Manstein's lessons must be spread (Chapter 1)
Hitler's military HQ Berlin June 1941
Adolf Hitler had followed the progress of the Italian infantry and armored divisions in Africa closely. The idea to have Hermann Balck (1st rifle regiment/7th Panzer/Africa Corps commander in sequence) train their men in the brutality of war had been Hitler's alone. Manstein had added to the success by integrating the small arms weapons systems which eased ammunition supply issues and increased morale and comradery amongst the German and Italian troops.
Mussolini was thrilled by his victories and by Manstein's gracious praise of the Italian army which was improving daily under their German teachers. Relations between the two nations became tighter and more friendly than they had ever been. Manstein had been able to change the nature of the axis from parallel war to coalition war with much success.
The two dictators enjoyed much warmer relations after Manstein's integration of their weapons systems
Looking at this success changed some of Hitler's thinking about Barbarossa. He had originally intended to only tell Mussolini about the invasion after the fact and assign only subsidiary roles to the Hungarians, Rumanians and other Axis players. Now Hitler saw that with the proper instruction that his allies were quite capable of holding their own or in fact achieving considerable victories in the name of Fascism.
Against the advice of some of the General staff who feared lapses in Italian operational security at this time Hitler invited his brother dictator to Vienna for a conference and great banquet.
Mussolini was as bombastic as ever and many toasts were made to the progress of the Panzer Army Africa, Manstein, and Bastico. Hitler via his interpreter spelled out his plans for the future:
Hitler: Senor Mussolini, I would like to tonight inform that you that I intend to invade the Soviet Union this coming May and wipe out communism from the earth
Mussolini: The Italian army and people must participate in such an action. Have you come here tonight to ask for my help
Hitler: Of course, I wouldn't dream of taking on such a massive enterprise without your partnership
Mussolini: Has your high command studied how Italy might assist in the great crusade
Hitler: Yes they have and I have conducted interviews with Manstein, Bastico, Balck and several other officers into how it should be arranged
Mussolini: What do they recommend?
Hitler: I would request Italy commit two field armies of 20 divisions to our battle whilst not drawing away any forces currently committed to the Panzer Army Africa. These two armies will form our southern flank and drive deep into the Ukraine with Kiev as their first campaign objective.
Mussolini: We have the necessary number of forces available although they are not up to the standard of the troops currently in Africa.
Hitler: We have many months to prepare and I have considered this in some detail. I would invite you to send you divisions to the Southern part of Poland where we are establishing some large troop training grounds. I will task my 1st East Prussian Wolfhound Infantry Division and our veteran 6th Panzer Division to play professor to the forces you dispatch. We have several new weapons systems coming on line and I intend to release surplus stocks to your army so they may field similar weapons to ours just like in Africa
Mussolini: This arrangement is excellent and will work based on our previous example. Manstein's idea's about unifying our war effort must be spread
Hitler: Then it is agreed. I will dispatch Goring and Jodl to Rome to make the necessary arrangements with your high command in a few days.
Another round of toasts went around the room although Hitler himself kept it to sparkling water. He was pleased that Mussolini was on board wholeheartedly and this now increased his strategic options.
The two dictators agree to Mussolini's participation in Barbarossa
Similar agreements were set up with the governments of Hungary and Rumania. There was some significant squabbling amongst the German high command as to who should lead the training missions.
Hitler wanted Rommel to command the training missions but Jodl and Halder put up a united front and correctly pointed out that Rommel wasn't the diplomatic sort and he had made a name for himself not only beating but humiliating the Italian and Rumanian armies in WW1. So the tasks were broken up as follows
Training the Italian Army
1st Infantry
6th Panzer
Training leader Ewald Von Kleist
Training the Hungarian Army
10th Motorized Infantry
Training leader Hans Von Arnim
Training the Rumanian Army
SS Leibstandarte
78th Assault Infantry
Training lead Frederich Paulus and Erhard Raus
The inclusion of Paulus to Rumania had been partially diplomatic. He had never had a field command but instead had been a staff officer and then replaced Manstein as quartermaster general. Paulus's wife was Romanian and this was seen as a very positive influence on events. Raus did most of the heavy lifting whilst Paulus supervised and learned as much as his hosts.
The leader of the training mission to the Rumanian army.
Hitler repeated his successful tactic from Africa of granting German weapons licenses to his allies. He also gave orders for Nikolas Von Falkenhorst to return home from Norway and to come see him.
Their meeting would change some of the very nature of Barbarossa
to be continued...
your thoughts on our first installment?
Manstein's lessons must be spread (Chapter 1)
Hitler's military HQ Berlin June 1941
Adolf Hitler had followed the progress of the Italian infantry and armored divisions in Africa closely. The idea to have Hermann Balck (1st rifle regiment/7th Panzer/Africa Corps commander in sequence) train their men in the brutality of war had been Hitler's alone. Manstein had added to the success by integrating the small arms weapons systems which eased ammunition supply issues and increased morale and comradery amongst the German and Italian troops.
Mussolini was thrilled by his victories and by Manstein's gracious praise of the Italian army which was improving daily under their German teachers. Relations between the two nations became tighter and more friendly than they had ever been. Manstein had been able to change the nature of the axis from parallel war to coalition war with much success.
The two dictators enjoyed much warmer relations after Manstein's integration of their weapons systems
Looking at this success changed some of Hitler's thinking about Barbarossa. He had originally intended to only tell Mussolini about the invasion after the fact and assign only subsidiary roles to the Hungarians, Rumanians and other Axis players. Now Hitler saw that with the proper instruction that his allies were quite capable of holding their own or in fact achieving considerable victories in the name of Fascism.
Against the advice of some of the General staff who feared lapses in Italian operational security at this time Hitler invited his brother dictator to Vienna for a conference and great banquet.
Mussolini was as bombastic as ever and many toasts were made to the progress of the Panzer Army Africa, Manstein, and Bastico. Hitler via his interpreter spelled out his plans for the future:
Hitler: Senor Mussolini, I would like to tonight inform that you that I intend to invade the Soviet Union this coming May and wipe out communism from the earth
Mussolini: The Italian army and people must participate in such an action. Have you come here tonight to ask for my help
Hitler: Of course, I wouldn't dream of taking on such a massive enterprise without your partnership
Mussolini: Has your high command studied how Italy might assist in the great crusade
Hitler: Yes they have and I have conducted interviews with Manstein, Bastico, Balck and several other officers into how it should be arranged
Mussolini: What do they recommend?
Hitler: I would request Italy commit two field armies of 20 divisions to our battle whilst not drawing away any forces currently committed to the Panzer Army Africa. These two armies will form our southern flank and drive deep into the Ukraine with Kiev as their first campaign objective.
Mussolini: We have the necessary number of forces available although they are not up to the standard of the troops currently in Africa.
Hitler: We have many months to prepare and I have considered this in some detail. I would invite you to send you divisions to the Southern part of Poland where we are establishing some large troop training grounds. I will task my 1st East Prussian Wolfhound Infantry Division and our veteran 6th Panzer Division to play professor to the forces you dispatch. We have several new weapons systems coming on line and I intend to release surplus stocks to your army so they may field similar weapons to ours just like in Africa
Mussolini: This arrangement is excellent and will work based on our previous example. Manstein's idea's about unifying our war effort must be spread
Hitler: Then it is agreed. I will dispatch Goring and Jodl to Rome to make the necessary arrangements with your high command in a few days.
Another round of toasts went around the room although Hitler himself kept it to sparkling water. He was pleased that Mussolini was on board wholeheartedly and this now increased his strategic options.
The two dictators agree to Mussolini's participation in Barbarossa
Similar agreements were set up with the governments of Hungary and Rumania. There was some significant squabbling amongst the German high command as to who should lead the training missions.
Hitler wanted Rommel to command the training missions but Jodl and Halder put up a united front and correctly pointed out that Rommel wasn't the diplomatic sort and he had made a name for himself not only beating but humiliating the Italian and Rumanian armies in WW1. So the tasks were broken up as follows
Training the Italian Army
1st Infantry
6th Panzer
Training leader Ewald Von Kleist
Training the Hungarian Army
10th Motorized Infantry
Training leader Hans Von Arnim
Training the Rumanian Army
SS Leibstandarte
78th Assault Infantry
Training lead Frederich Paulus and Erhard Raus
The inclusion of Paulus to Rumania had been partially diplomatic. He had never had a field command but instead had been a staff officer and then replaced Manstein as quartermaster general. Paulus's wife was Romanian and this was seen as a very positive influence on events. Raus did most of the heavy lifting whilst Paulus supervised and learned as much as his hosts.
The leader of the training mission to the Rumanian army.
Hitler repeated his successful tactic from Africa of granting German weapons licenses to his allies. He also gave orders for Nikolas Von Falkenhorst to return home from Norway and to come see him.
Their meeting would change some of the very nature of Barbarossa
to be continued...
your thoughts on our first installment?
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aulus is not half Romanian,but his wife is Romanian
