Failure before Moscow a Red/BW Joint TL
- Thread starter BlairWitch749
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BlairWitch749
Banned
Before the storm (Chapter 10)
Stavka Supreme HQ Spring 1942
Stalin: You may began comrade Marshal Zhukov
Zhukov: Thank you comrade Stalin. As you all know our great winter counteroffensive has driven the fascists completely out of the Rodina. Our reserves are at present, spent and our supply lines are overstretched and delayed by the muddy nature of the roads. Our western allies inform us that they have some intention of opening a major second front this coming summer
Stalin: I have made a momentous decision. After we destroy the fascists and capture Germany we will turn our attention to our true enemies. THE WESTERN CAPITALISTS PIGS. I want us to drive them right off the continent after Hitler's crew has been finished.
Zhukov: I have several recommendations that would help us to defeat the west comrade Stalin
Stalin: Proceed
Zhukov: 1 we should prepare a diversionsary offensive to coincide with the western landing in France. I would prefer it be in the area of Litovsk. The Germans seem to have their strongest reserves in that area. After German strategic reserves are committed to attack the French landings and our Litovsk feint we will then launch the balance of our forces primarily built around the 2nd and 5th guards tank armies and the 1,3,9th Guards rifle armies. I intend to launch them about 100 km south of the Baltic with the objective of slicing off army group north. Our strategic objective will be Danzig then seeing how events develop BERLIN!
Stalin: A most ambitious plan comrade Marshal. What other recommendations do you have to assist our great endevour?
Zhukov: I would like to pull 2 corps of the Siberians out of the line so they may play instructor to our newly organizing forces. They have been the most successful of our troops in killing the invaders their lessons need to be passed on. Also we need to reintegrate the thousands of liberated soldiers the Germans left in our wake. I also suggest releasing some of the soldiers who are currently in the Gulag on a conditional parole "Kill the invader and prove your loyalty to the motherland" This would greatly increase our effective numbers which is sorely needed to combat the power of the capitalists
Stalin: These are serious moves Marshal. But our task is a serious one. I shall approve all your recommendations. You will direct the new offensive personally. Do not fail me! It is going to be a cold winter in Siberia!
Guderian as the new minister of the war economy was playing a three dimensional chess game and every hand was losing. The newly reconstituted Army Group Center and Army Group North had almost no armored components at all. New production was slow as he forced the armaments industry with threats of being sent to concentration camps to produce upgraded armored vehicles to defend the fatherland. At least the Panzer MK 4 now had the PAK 40 anti tank gun and could defeat the T-34 at most the normal battle ranges. Guderian was desperate to pull every possible Panzer MK 4 off the line so that it could be sent back to the factory to be retooled with the new gun but the severely thin nature of the German lines just couldn't let the armor have any rest.
His herculean efforts did manage to create a panzer reserve for the entire front of 450 Panzer MK 4's and 250 assault guns with the long 75mm gun. It wasn't much but at least it gave the Germans some tactical flexability to take the shock out of Zhukov's spearheads. Unfortunately for Guderian his work and the desperate nature of the Eastern front left all other theaters desperate for armor and men. The Africa Corps and 1st Panzer Army continued to guard the southern portion of the front with their older tanks. The MK 4's were slowly withdrawn for retooling. They could at least count on having seasoned personel and talented commanders. The reserve for army group north and center was under the direct command of Erwin Rommel who was also the defacto leader of Army Group Center.
A portrait of the Reichsminister for economy
The air defense of the Reich suffered terribly. Severe shortage of armor had forced Hitler to release nearly all of the home defense AA batteries so they could hold back the flood of Soviet tanks. Nearly all aircraft assigned to home defense and to the west were committed to the eastern front to substitute for armored vehicles. Those that were still in the west continued their training before going to the slaughter of the east. The lack of fighters and FLAK guns allowed the British and American bomber fleets to roam at will over Germany dumping their deadly cargoes and hurting war production. The Hindenburg rail yards in Austria were utterly gutted by low flying British night bombers costing Germany 52 tanks ready for delivery to the front. This was not a unique event either.
Guderian went to Hitler asking for him to reactivate the SA as a sort of home guard to relive the line infantry divisions still in France the low countries and Norway. Hitler complained to him that the old men couldn't contain the French resistance and then stunned Guderian by releasing 75,000 skilled workers involved in war production to be drafted into the infantry. Guderian was furious saying that the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine were a bunch of useless shits and should release all their personel to the army and that the workers who made weapons for the troops should be let to stay. Raeder and Goring easily out manuevered the Panzer General and kept their men for hoped new offensives.
Guderian was burning out his spirits in a losing cause. Although his intelligence on the red army wasn't that bad he couldn't grasp the scope of what the winter counter offensive had done. By recapturing the Donets basin, Ukraine and Belaraus the Russians had greatly revived their manufacturing capability and were now pumping out t-34's at a rate of over 2000 per month. Veteran Siberian troops were passing on their lessons of how to attack German tanks successfuly. Most telling of all the infantry quality of the Red Army was greatly improving. Zhukov interviewed several successful company commanders and created new tables of organization first in the guards divisions then throughout the armys. The bolt action rifle was only kept for the snipers and nearly all of the troops were equipped with rapid firing sub machine guns. Grenades were emphasized far beyond marksmanship and morale soared. The Soviets now knew they could beat the Germans... they could beat the whole world
to be continued...
your thoughts?
Zhukov who was the Marshal Ney of Stalin's army
Stavka Supreme HQ Spring 1942
Stalin: You may began comrade Marshal Zhukov
Zhukov: Thank you comrade Stalin. As you all know our great winter counteroffensive has driven the fascists completely out of the Rodina. Our reserves are at present, spent and our supply lines are overstretched and delayed by the muddy nature of the roads. Our western allies inform us that they have some intention of opening a major second front this coming summer
Stalin: I have made a momentous decision. After we destroy the fascists and capture Germany we will turn our attention to our true enemies. THE WESTERN CAPITALISTS PIGS. I want us to drive them right off the continent after Hitler's crew has been finished.
Zhukov: I have several recommendations that would help us to defeat the west comrade Stalin
Stalin: Proceed
Zhukov: 1 we should prepare a diversionsary offensive to coincide with the western landing in France. I would prefer it be in the area of Litovsk. The Germans seem to have their strongest reserves in that area. After German strategic reserves are committed to attack the French landings and our Litovsk feint we will then launch the balance of our forces primarily built around the 2nd and 5th guards tank armies and the 1,3,9th Guards rifle armies. I intend to launch them about 100 km south of the Baltic with the objective of slicing off army group north. Our strategic objective will be Danzig then seeing how events develop BERLIN!
Stalin: A most ambitious plan comrade Marshal. What other recommendations do you have to assist our great endevour?
Zhukov: I would like to pull 2 corps of the Siberians out of the line so they may play instructor to our newly organizing forces. They have been the most successful of our troops in killing the invaders their lessons need to be passed on. Also we need to reintegrate the thousands of liberated soldiers the Germans left in our wake. I also suggest releasing some of the soldiers who are currently in the Gulag on a conditional parole "Kill the invader and prove your loyalty to the motherland" This would greatly increase our effective numbers which is sorely needed to combat the power of the capitalists
Stalin: These are serious moves Marshal. But our task is a serious one. I shall approve all your recommendations. You will direct the new offensive personally. Do not fail me! It is going to be a cold winter in Siberia!
Guderian as the new minister of the war economy was playing a three dimensional chess game and every hand was losing. The newly reconstituted Army Group Center and Army Group North had almost no armored components at all. New production was slow as he forced the armaments industry with threats of being sent to concentration camps to produce upgraded armored vehicles to defend the fatherland. At least the Panzer MK 4 now had the PAK 40 anti tank gun and could defeat the T-34 at most the normal battle ranges. Guderian was desperate to pull every possible Panzer MK 4 off the line so that it could be sent back to the factory to be retooled with the new gun but the severely thin nature of the German lines just couldn't let the armor have any rest.
His herculean efforts did manage to create a panzer reserve for the entire front of 450 Panzer MK 4's and 250 assault guns with the long 75mm gun. It wasn't much but at least it gave the Germans some tactical flexability to take the shock out of Zhukov's spearheads. Unfortunately for Guderian his work and the desperate nature of the Eastern front left all other theaters desperate for armor and men. The Africa Corps and 1st Panzer Army continued to guard the southern portion of the front with their older tanks. The MK 4's were slowly withdrawn for retooling. They could at least count on having seasoned personel and talented commanders. The reserve for army group north and center was under the direct command of Erwin Rommel who was also the defacto leader of Army Group Center.
A portrait of the Reichsminister for economy
The air defense of the Reich suffered terribly. Severe shortage of armor had forced Hitler to release nearly all of the home defense AA batteries so they could hold back the flood of Soviet tanks. Nearly all aircraft assigned to home defense and to the west were committed to the eastern front to substitute for armored vehicles. Those that were still in the west continued their training before going to the slaughter of the east. The lack of fighters and FLAK guns allowed the British and American bomber fleets to roam at will over Germany dumping their deadly cargoes and hurting war production. The Hindenburg rail yards in Austria were utterly gutted by low flying British night bombers costing Germany 52 tanks ready for delivery to the front. This was not a unique event either.
Guderian went to Hitler asking for him to reactivate the SA as a sort of home guard to relive the line infantry divisions still in France the low countries and Norway. Hitler complained to him that the old men couldn't contain the French resistance and then stunned Guderian by releasing 75,000 skilled workers involved in war production to be drafted into the infantry. Guderian was furious saying that the Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine were a bunch of useless shits and should release all their personel to the army and that the workers who made weapons for the troops should be let to stay. Raeder and Goring easily out manuevered the Panzer General and kept their men for hoped new offensives.
Guderian was burning out his spirits in a losing cause. Although his intelligence on the red army wasn't that bad he couldn't grasp the scope of what the winter counter offensive had done. By recapturing the Donets basin, Ukraine and Belaraus the Russians had greatly revived their manufacturing capability and were now pumping out t-34's at a rate of over 2000 per month. Veteran Siberian troops were passing on their lessons of how to attack German tanks successfuly. Most telling of all the infantry quality of the Red Army was greatly improving. Zhukov interviewed several successful company commanders and created new tables of organization first in the guards divisions then throughout the armys. The bolt action rifle was only kept for the snipers and nearly all of the troops were equipped with rapid firing sub machine guns. Grenades were emphasized far beyond marksmanship and morale soared. The Soviets now knew they could beat the Germans... they could beat the whole world
to be continued...
your thoughts?
Zhukov who was the Marshal Ney of Stalin's army
Last edited:
SLEDGEHAMMER (CHAPTER 11)
On August the 1st the French resistance rose from the underground and went into the streets. All throughout the day German command posts and supply depots were bombed, sometimes through suicide on the part of the bomber with accounts of trucks laden with explosives striking depots and men running into groups of Germans before blowing themselves up. Men and women of the resistance began to take control of streets and sometimes entire villages for a short time. One famous example was the town of Oradur Sur Glen where the resistance aided by villagers hanged the villages Vichy collaborators before the Germans retook the town and massacred everyone who had not already fled.
Field Marshall Von Wietzelben, the German commander of the 7th Army was more than concerned by this development, he was terrified. He knew that German forces could crush this uprising but little could be spared for the defence of France from an amphibious invasion. Many of his colleauges had agreed with him that an Allied invasion was inevitable but that it would happen in 1943 and that any notion of it happening this year was absurd. This uprising proved them wrong. Why would the French throw themselves at the German occupiers in such a suicidal fashion unless they had back up?
He was proven right on the morning of August 2nd when 140,000 Allied troops landed on the Beaches near Cherbourg whilst a force of nearly 7000 Britons stormed the port itself. At Urville-Nacequeville 70,000 Americans landed at Red Beach and Blue Beach were they met almost no resistance due to the fact that the coastal artillery just outside the beaches were suffering from a lack of ammunition after the the disruption of the uprising and the majority of any ammunition being dedicated to putting down said revolt. By the end of the day American forces were engaging the Germans in the west of Cherbourg
In the east 30,000 Canadians and Free French stormed the beaches of Maupertus-Sur-Mer and also advanced without much resistance with the coastal defenses there not yet ready and the defenders also suffering from a lack of ammunition. The French fought with particular fanaticism and in the madness of the landing local Canadian commandrs warned them of creating a gap inbetween the the two beacheads. By the end of the day Franco-Canadian forces were also pushing into Cherbourg.
Canadian troops advance up "Purple" beach
Further west 40.000 Britons landed at Landemer but became badly pinned down by German firepower in the region. The Germans whilst outnumbered had the advantage of large amounts of ammunition and had also recieved 12 of the new Panzer IV's and soon the two sides were engaged in a brutal tooth and nail struggle. As the sun rose higher into the sky it looked at some moments like the German may actually push the British bac into the sea and thus put the entire operation in jeapordy however local help from the Resistance and Allied superiority allowed the British to establish a beachead albeit at heavy cost with 17% casualties.
The assault on the port itself quicly turned into complete chaos as the majority of the first wave were either dead or wounded within an hour after the naval and air bombardment had proved ineffectual. The bombardments were stepped up as the remnants of the first wave tried desperately to defend their foothold from the coastal defenses. The second wave landed with less trouble but nevertheless took high casualites as the Germans refused to budge from their positions around the port and by the end of the day it was obvious that an evacuation may be neccessary however Lord Mountbatten, Supreme Commabder of the Operation refused to budge and ordered the belegured troops to hold out until they were rescued by Allied troops penetrating the cities defenses from east and west.
British troops of the first wave lay dead near Cherbourg
All throughout the year the Spaniards were recieving equipmen and supplies via Lend-Lease. American workers had came to help rebuild the battered country as well as large supplies of oil and coal and by early summer Spain was well on her way to economic recovery. The freed up workers had been trained thoroughly by the existing Spanish army especially ex-members the Blue Division who had experienced modern warfare first hand and had fought alongside the Germans. This experience was extremely valuable in instructing their fellow Spaniards in how to fight the German and by the end of summer they were also giving lectures to green American troops.
On August 3rd, a quarter of a million Spaniards crossed the Border into Vichy France. The attack began on the early hours of the morning and completely suprised the Vichy defenders who never believed that a fellow fascist power and friend would betray them. The effect was comparable to Barbarossa albeit on a smaller scale as the Spanish tore through the Vichy defenses, whose feeble army was mainly tied down helping the Germans contain the uprising. Many in the French forces changed sides quicly after surrendering as the Spanish sped through the south meeting almost no resistance. By the end of the day they had raised the Frenh flag over Toulouse and Marseille to the cheers of the Vichy population. However a conundrum met the Spanish as the liberated the camps of Republican refugees who had fled after the civil war. Many in the camps panicked and worried that the Spanish would keep them in the camps or maybe even ill them lie the Nazis were rumoured to be doing to their dissenters. It was to their complete suprise when Spanish officers stood up in crates and announced an amnesty for all inmates and pay to anyone who would join the fight against the Nazis. After 2 years of horror under the Germans there were few who did not jump at the chance to get revenge and soon liberated inmates were being spread throughout the Spanish Army.
Spanish planes bombing Marseille
By the end of the week most of the South had been liberated and Cherbourg had been successfully captured with the port facilities reasonably intact. The survivors of the disastorous raid on the port were found starving and almost out of ammunition. Only dozens had survived. However now the allies had a port and the first of a 16 division strong invasion force were now diembaring off the transports to liberate France. Vichy France had all but collapsed and the uprising remained uncrushed as the Allies rolled up France.
On August the 1st the French resistance rose from the underground and went into the streets. All throughout the day German command posts and supply depots were bombed, sometimes through suicide on the part of the bomber with accounts of trucks laden with explosives striking depots and men running into groups of Germans before blowing themselves up. Men and women of the resistance began to take control of streets and sometimes entire villages for a short time. One famous example was the town of Oradur Sur Glen where the resistance aided by villagers hanged the villages Vichy collaborators before the Germans retook the town and massacred everyone who had not already fled.
Field Marshall Von Wietzelben, the German commander of the 7th Army was more than concerned by this development, he was terrified. He knew that German forces could crush this uprising but little could be spared for the defence of France from an amphibious invasion. Many of his colleauges had agreed with him that an Allied invasion was inevitable but that it would happen in 1943 and that any notion of it happening this year was absurd. This uprising proved them wrong. Why would the French throw themselves at the German occupiers in such a suicidal fashion unless they had back up?
He was proven right on the morning of August 2nd when 140,000 Allied troops landed on the Beaches near Cherbourg whilst a force of nearly 7000 Britons stormed the port itself. At Urville-Nacequeville 70,000 Americans landed at Red Beach and Blue Beach were they met almost no resistance due to the fact that the coastal artillery just outside the beaches were suffering from a lack of ammunition after the the disruption of the uprising and the majority of any ammunition being dedicated to putting down said revolt. By the end of the day American forces were engaging the Germans in the west of Cherbourg
In the east 30,000 Canadians and Free French stormed the beaches of Maupertus-Sur-Mer and also advanced without much resistance with the coastal defenses there not yet ready and the defenders also suffering from a lack of ammunition. The French fought with particular fanaticism and in the madness of the landing local Canadian commandrs warned them of creating a gap inbetween the the two beacheads. By the end of the day Franco-Canadian forces were also pushing into Cherbourg.
Canadian troops advance up "Purple" beach
Further west 40.000 Britons landed at Landemer but became badly pinned down by German firepower in the region. The Germans whilst outnumbered had the advantage of large amounts of ammunition and had also recieved 12 of the new Panzer IV's and soon the two sides were engaged in a brutal tooth and nail struggle. As the sun rose higher into the sky it looked at some moments like the German may actually push the British bac into the sea and thus put the entire operation in jeapordy however local help from the Resistance and Allied superiority allowed the British to establish a beachead albeit at heavy cost with 17% casualties.
The assault on the port itself quicly turned into complete chaos as the majority of the first wave were either dead or wounded within an hour after the naval and air bombardment had proved ineffectual. The bombardments were stepped up as the remnants of the first wave tried desperately to defend their foothold from the coastal defenses. The second wave landed with less trouble but nevertheless took high casualites as the Germans refused to budge from their positions around the port and by the end of the day it was obvious that an evacuation may be neccessary however Lord Mountbatten, Supreme Commabder of the Operation refused to budge and ordered the belegured troops to hold out until they were rescued by Allied troops penetrating the cities defenses from east and west.
British troops of the first wave lay dead near Cherbourg
All throughout the year the Spaniards were recieving equipmen and supplies via Lend-Lease. American workers had came to help rebuild the battered country as well as large supplies of oil and coal and by early summer Spain was well on her way to economic recovery. The freed up workers had been trained thoroughly by the existing Spanish army especially ex-members the Blue Division who had experienced modern warfare first hand and had fought alongside the Germans. This experience was extremely valuable in instructing their fellow Spaniards in how to fight the German and by the end of summer they were also giving lectures to green American troops.
On August 3rd, a quarter of a million Spaniards crossed the Border into Vichy France. The attack began on the early hours of the morning and completely suprised the Vichy defenders who never believed that a fellow fascist power and friend would betray them. The effect was comparable to Barbarossa albeit on a smaller scale as the Spanish tore through the Vichy defenses, whose feeble army was mainly tied down helping the Germans contain the uprising. Many in the French forces changed sides quicly after surrendering as the Spanish sped through the south meeting almost no resistance. By the end of the day they had raised the Frenh flag over Toulouse and Marseille to the cheers of the Vichy population. However a conundrum met the Spanish as the liberated the camps of Republican refugees who had fled after the civil war. Many in the camps panicked and worried that the Spanish would keep them in the camps or maybe even ill them lie the Nazis were rumoured to be doing to their dissenters. It was to their complete suprise when Spanish officers stood up in crates and announced an amnesty for all inmates and pay to anyone who would join the fight against the Nazis. After 2 years of horror under the Germans there were few who did not jump at the chance to get revenge and soon liberated inmates were being spread throughout the Spanish Army.
Spanish planes bombing Marseille
By the end of the week most of the South had been liberated and Cherbourg had been successfully captured with the port facilities reasonably intact. The survivors of the disastorous raid on the port were found starving and almost out of ammunition. Only dozens had survived. However now the allies had a port and the first of a 16 division strong invasion force were now diembaring off the transports to liberate France. Vichy France had all but collapsed and the uprising remained uncrushed as the Allies rolled up France.
BlairWitch749
Banned
An impossible strategic situation (Chapter 12)
The fuhrer headquarters August 1942
Adolf Hitler poured over his tactical and topographical maps. The allies were landing in strength all over the Contein peninsula and a Spainish field army was surging through the Rhone valley almost unopposed. His ten understrength infantry divisions and two rebuilding armored divisions in the west had much less than one hundred thousand men and less than a hundred and fifty German tanks. Now that Americans and British were through the beach defenses little stood in their way till they reached the west wall.
Hitler ordered Guderian to release part of the precious eastern reserve to drive the allies into the sea and teach that god damn traitor Franco a lesson. Guderian loudly complained that it would take a long time for them to get there and it was better to just fall back on the west wall call up the SA to man it and try to hold the allies over the winter untill new forces could be raised to launch panzer counter attacks. Guderian was overruled yet again and 250 tanks and 100 assualt guns left their assembly areas east of warsaw headed to the western front
The Minister of armaments overrule yet again
In any case it ended up being as Guderian said. It would take weeks for the Panzers to arrive on the Western front. The allies rapidly built up their lodgement around Cherbourg and poured men and material through as fast as the ships could be turned around. The capture of the airfield constellation around Caen proved critical to increasing the range and presence of the air umbrella. High command west now under the leadership of Field Marshal Kesselring if it had reserves available would have blocked off the peninsula and penned the allies in a WW1 type stalement but this wasn't to be. Rapidly advancing Spainish motorized divisions were surging through the country overrunning critical fuel depots and installations and succoring the increasingly impossible to contain French resistance.
Albert Kesselring the leader of high command west after his predecessor was removed for defeatism
It was all taken out of Kesselring's hands shortly after. The long quiet eastern front erupted in front of Brest-Litovsk. 4 Rifle armies and 2 tank armies surged forward to once again encircle the city and drive deep into central Poland. The Africa Corps and the 1st Panzer army fought back hard but suffered from cleverly placed Soviet anti tank fronts. The German tanks also lacked the necessary infantry support to hold any ground they retook. Covering Soviet infantry proved decisive they were no long afraid of the Germans instead they used their lessons from the winter, base of fire, double envelopements and fire blocks on withdrawal routes. Both sides took heavy losses as the Soviets were compelled to stop and lick their wounds after a 47 kilometer advance. Every last reserve Guderian had so carefully built up had to be committed either to stopping the flood in the west or slowing down Zhukov's southern drive.
By October 3rd the Germans were in complete chaos..... and thats when Zhukov unleashed his true storm
to be continued
your thoughts
The fuhrer headquarters August 1942
Adolf Hitler poured over his tactical and topographical maps. The allies were landing in strength all over the Contein peninsula and a Spainish field army was surging through the Rhone valley almost unopposed. His ten understrength infantry divisions and two rebuilding armored divisions in the west had much less than one hundred thousand men and less than a hundred and fifty German tanks. Now that Americans and British were through the beach defenses little stood in their way till they reached the west wall.
Hitler ordered Guderian to release part of the precious eastern reserve to drive the allies into the sea and teach that god damn traitor Franco a lesson. Guderian loudly complained that it would take a long time for them to get there and it was better to just fall back on the west wall call up the SA to man it and try to hold the allies over the winter untill new forces could be raised to launch panzer counter attacks. Guderian was overruled yet again and 250 tanks and 100 assualt guns left their assembly areas east of warsaw headed to the western front
The Minister of armaments overrule yet again
In any case it ended up being as Guderian said. It would take weeks for the Panzers to arrive on the Western front. The allies rapidly built up their lodgement around Cherbourg and poured men and material through as fast as the ships could be turned around. The capture of the airfield constellation around Caen proved critical to increasing the range and presence of the air umbrella. High command west now under the leadership of Field Marshal Kesselring if it had reserves available would have blocked off the peninsula and penned the allies in a WW1 type stalement but this wasn't to be. Rapidly advancing Spainish motorized divisions were surging through the country overrunning critical fuel depots and installations and succoring the increasingly impossible to contain French resistance.
Albert Kesselring the leader of high command west after his predecessor was removed for defeatism
It was all taken out of Kesselring's hands shortly after. The long quiet eastern front erupted in front of Brest-Litovsk. 4 Rifle armies and 2 tank armies surged forward to once again encircle the city and drive deep into central Poland. The Africa Corps and the 1st Panzer army fought back hard but suffered from cleverly placed Soviet anti tank fronts. The German tanks also lacked the necessary infantry support to hold any ground they retook. Covering Soviet infantry proved decisive they were no long afraid of the Germans instead they used their lessons from the winter, base of fire, double envelopements and fire blocks on withdrawal routes. Both sides took heavy losses as the Soviets were compelled to stop and lick their wounds after a 47 kilometer advance. Every last reserve Guderian had so carefully built up had to be committed either to stopping the flood in the west or slowing down Zhukov's southern drive.
By October 3rd the Germans were in complete chaos..... and thats when Zhukov unleashed his true storm
to be continued
your thoughts
BlairWitch749
Banned
The God of War (Chapter 12 part 2)
The Russo German border September 1942
Georgi Zhukov made his final inspections for Operation Mars (a name he had coined himself, privately he loved the idea of being the god of war) He had authored the plans of attack himself. The Germans had committed all of their operational reserves to slow down the Western allies and the Russian Southern advance. Rumania had ordered the German legation out of the country and changed sides greatly reducing Germany's fuel reserves. At 0 hour Mars would be unleashed. Tens of thousands of tanks, artillery pieces, aircraft and huge stocks of ammunition built up over the previous 6 months steadied themselves on the line.
Political officers and propaganda whipped up the Red Army into a frenzy.
Bread for bread blood for blood!
Kill the fascists who raped your motherland!
Kill the Germans this is your mother's prayer, do not count days do not count miles only count the number of Germans you have killed
This work was later criticized particularly by the western allies as turning the anger of the Soviets a to a hot burning fury. Just like when the Africa Corps had made their debut on the Russian front... the guards Russian infantry now with high morale and well supplied with tommy guns and grenades would scream NO MERCY NO MERCY NO QUARTER. Few prisoners if any would be taken. This was to be a blood battle
Russian forces on the advance for operation Mars.
On September 14th when German reserves were non existant and their armor committed Zhukov unleashed his forces. Over 4000 bombing sorties were launched against airfields, rail yards, assembly points, ammo depots and front line positions. 12000 artillery pieces fired over 2 million rounds at the Germans from the light 76mm field guns to the heaviest railway cannons. The Germans 100 kilometers south of the Baltic were pulverized. Zhukov concentrated nearly all of his fire power on a 19 kilometer front. The two infantry regiments from the 1st East Prussian Wolfhound infantry division were nearly wiped out. Corps of T-34's laden with veteran infantry surged through the breach to cause havoc and drive like hell for Danzig.
A Russian Guards soldier advancing through western Poland
After the whole was blown in the front specially trained groups of Russian infantry equipped with explosive charges and backed by KV-1 tanks flowed north and south of the breach rolling up the German static infantry lines. In 48 hours Army Group North was in serious trouble as the Guards Tank armies were surging nearly unopposed through western Poland. Busch who had taken over for the defeatist Leeb at Army Group North desperately tried to stem the tide committing cooks, clerks and even Hitler Youth detachments to try to stem Zhukov's tide. They utterly lacked the weapons to stop a T-34 and the infantry quality of the Russians was greatly increased over the previous year. Army Group North's flank was rolled up and they were pinned against the sea as Zhukov's unstoppable Siberian armored corps surged into Danzig and captured it after a brisk bloodbath in which bombers and artillery were liberally employed.
Germany now faced a critical situation
to be continued...
your thoughts
Russian troops capture city hall in Danzig
The Russo German border September 1942
Georgi Zhukov made his final inspections for Operation Mars (a name he had coined himself, privately he loved the idea of being the god of war) He had authored the plans of attack himself. The Germans had committed all of their operational reserves to slow down the Western allies and the Russian Southern advance. Rumania had ordered the German legation out of the country and changed sides greatly reducing Germany's fuel reserves. At 0 hour Mars would be unleashed. Tens of thousands of tanks, artillery pieces, aircraft and huge stocks of ammunition built up over the previous 6 months steadied themselves on the line.
Political officers and propaganda whipped up the Red Army into a frenzy.
Bread for bread blood for blood!
Kill the fascists who raped your motherland!
Kill the Germans this is your mother's prayer, do not count days do not count miles only count the number of Germans you have killed
This work was later criticized particularly by the western allies as turning the anger of the Soviets a to a hot burning fury. Just like when the Africa Corps had made their debut on the Russian front... the guards Russian infantry now with high morale and well supplied with tommy guns and grenades would scream NO MERCY NO MERCY NO QUARTER. Few prisoners if any would be taken. This was to be a blood battle
Russian forces on the advance for operation Mars.
On September 14th when German reserves were non existant and their armor committed Zhukov unleashed his forces. Over 4000 bombing sorties were launched against airfields, rail yards, assembly points, ammo depots and front line positions. 12000 artillery pieces fired over 2 million rounds at the Germans from the light 76mm field guns to the heaviest railway cannons. The Germans 100 kilometers south of the Baltic were pulverized. Zhukov concentrated nearly all of his fire power on a 19 kilometer front. The two infantry regiments from the 1st East Prussian Wolfhound infantry division were nearly wiped out. Corps of T-34's laden with veteran infantry surged through the breach to cause havoc and drive like hell for Danzig.
A Russian Guards soldier advancing through western Poland
After the whole was blown in the front specially trained groups of Russian infantry equipped with explosive charges and backed by KV-1 tanks flowed north and south of the breach rolling up the German static infantry lines. In 48 hours Army Group North was in serious trouble as the Guards Tank armies were surging nearly unopposed through western Poland. Busch who had taken over for the defeatist Leeb at Army Group North desperately tried to stem the tide committing cooks, clerks and even Hitler Youth detachments to try to stem Zhukov's tide. They utterly lacked the weapons to stop a T-34 and the infantry quality of the Russians was greatly increased over the previous year. Army Group North's flank was rolled up and they were pinned against the sea as Zhukov's unstoppable Siberian armored corps surged into Danzig and captured it after a brisk bloodbath in which bombers and artillery were liberally employed.
Germany now faced a critical situation
to be continued...
your thoughts
Russian troops capture city hall in Danzig
To the Rhine (Chapter 13)
The Spanish drive north had finallly run out of steam around Dijon however the damage had been done. The Germans could not force the allies to a stalemate in the north whilst the Spanish had gone forward with full speed and by August 17 the remaining 5 battered German divisions in the west of France were trapped in what would become known as the Nantes pocket as the Spanish and anglo-Americans met for the first time. This was a staggering victory for the allies as the entire front was blown open.
Through their campaign they had been greeted as both liberators and occupiers. In many cases the local communists in the resistance had refused to cooperate with the Spaniards and in a few isolated incidents the Spanish troops fought the local communists in vicious hand to hand battles. This led to outrage by Stalin who had never been easy with the Spanish joining the allied cause in the first place. He argued that the Spanish were purging the communists from the resistance in an effort to wipe out communism in France, the Spanish argued that the communists were being diretly ordered from Moscow to disrupt their advance as much as possible and take over the country in a violent revolution. Neither side backed down and both in the midst of controversy threatened to make a separate peace with the Germans. It was only Francos fear of Allied and/0r German reprisal and Stalins clear advantage on the Eastern Front which prevented this from happening. However this would leave very painful, open wounds.
By mid September Paris had been taken by the Free French. The crowds flocked out to meet their patriotic liberators as General De Gualle paraded thorugh the same route as the Germans had in 1940 and the French in 1918 before them. Shortly after Reims fell as well and on September the 29th, Antwerp followed suit. For the western allies approval for the war had never been higher. Any talk of a vote of no confidence in parliament was laughed out and in Spain Franco had found a cause to unite his people behind, something which every Spaniard despised; the Nazis.
The falangists in the government had violently opposed going to war with Germany in the first place and the financial and economic incentives had kept them quiet at best. Fearful of a coup, Franco purged his own government of Falangists. Some were forced into early retirement, others were jailed and in extreme cases some street thugs were hanged. By the end of September what Franco called "The Falangist infection" had been destroyed and anyone else who opposed the war kept their mouth tightly shut.
In Germany the string of Western victories had come as just as muh as a shock as the ones in the East. Kesselring now begged Hitler for more troops stating that the entire front would collapse if this alarming rate of advance was not addressed. OKH truthfully replied that the front in Russia was even nearer to collapse and had to take priority. With this in mind he was ordered to abandon France and the Low Countries altogether and focus whatever was left on the west wall. Even Hitler agreed with this outlook, the reality of the fall of Danzig had not been lost on him. So throughout Autumn Germn troops solemnly retreated eastwards as the cheering occupied peoples welcomed the allies. German morale plummeted, it was clear now to the entire country that the war was lost. The only question now was who would take Germany first; east or west?
For Mussolini the situation was nearly as bad as it was for Hitler. Except he was not nearly as feared or had the sdame amount of control Hitler had. Whilst a coup inside the Nazi party or the Army was considered madness he knew that behind his back serious discussions were going on over the future of both him and Italy's role in the Axis. Since September all of the Italys western border had been surrounded by Spanish troops. The allies had pressured Franco to drive into northern Italy but he had bluffed at the time that the main focus should remain on France and unless the italians launched a counter-attack they would be let be for now. However intense discussions between Franco and Mussolini and managed to get Il Duce to pull Italian troops out of France on October 2nd and soon he had managed to negotiate a truce between Italy and the allied forces and tals were held in recently liberated Marseille.
The Italians went there hoping to ensure Italian independence and that their present holdings would be respected. The Soviets and the French demanded immediate unconditional surrender. For the west they reminded the French and the Soviets that as the war was reaching a final critical stage no troops could be spared for Italian occupation. Ironically the Italians backed this position as they tried desperately to at least avoid Soviet occupation.
By the 20th of October an agreement had been reached. Italy would withdraw all forces from outside it's 1937 borders and would leave the Axis. The grand fascist council would remain in chrage just now however Italy would face a limited occupation at the end of the war and democratic elections would be held, where the Fascists would be allowed to run alongside any other party. It was in no doubt a defeat for Mussolini but not a critical one and he could use the time it would take for Germany to be defeated to great effect.
The reaction of the Italian surrender in Berlin was one of cold bitterness. Hitler nearly had a stroke according to aides and they noted later that often the veins in his forehead would how as he ranted on about "the traitors to Fascism". He ordered an all out attack on Italy but was quickly informed of the absurdity of this order. Not only were German border forces feeble but the Italians were still a force to be reconed with and a a third front would likely lead to immenent collapse.
The Axis was unravelling...
The Spanish drive north had finallly run out of steam around Dijon however the damage had been done. The Germans could not force the allies to a stalemate in the north whilst the Spanish had gone forward with full speed and by August 17 the remaining 5 battered German divisions in the west of France were trapped in what would become known as the Nantes pocket as the Spanish and anglo-Americans met for the first time. This was a staggering victory for the allies as the entire front was blown open.
Through their campaign they had been greeted as both liberators and occupiers. In many cases the local communists in the resistance had refused to cooperate with the Spaniards and in a few isolated incidents the Spanish troops fought the local communists in vicious hand to hand battles. This led to outrage by Stalin who had never been easy with the Spanish joining the allied cause in the first place. He argued that the Spanish were purging the communists from the resistance in an effort to wipe out communism in France, the Spanish argued that the communists were being diretly ordered from Moscow to disrupt their advance as much as possible and take over the country in a violent revolution. Neither side backed down and both in the midst of controversy threatened to make a separate peace with the Germans. It was only Francos fear of Allied and/0r German reprisal and Stalins clear advantage on the Eastern Front which prevented this from happening. However this would leave very painful, open wounds.
By mid September Paris had been taken by the Free French. The crowds flocked out to meet their patriotic liberators as General De Gualle paraded thorugh the same route as the Germans had in 1940 and the French in 1918 before them. Shortly after Reims fell as well and on September the 29th, Antwerp followed suit. For the western allies approval for the war had never been higher. Any talk of a vote of no confidence in parliament was laughed out and in Spain Franco had found a cause to unite his people behind, something which every Spaniard despised; the Nazis.
The falangists in the government had violently opposed going to war with Germany in the first place and the financial and economic incentives had kept them quiet at best. Fearful of a coup, Franco purged his own government of Falangists. Some were forced into early retirement, others were jailed and in extreme cases some street thugs were hanged. By the end of September what Franco called "The Falangist infection" had been destroyed and anyone else who opposed the war kept their mouth tightly shut.
In Germany the string of Western victories had come as just as muh as a shock as the ones in the East. Kesselring now begged Hitler for more troops stating that the entire front would collapse if this alarming rate of advance was not addressed. OKH truthfully replied that the front in Russia was even nearer to collapse and had to take priority. With this in mind he was ordered to abandon France and the Low Countries altogether and focus whatever was left on the west wall. Even Hitler agreed with this outlook, the reality of the fall of Danzig had not been lost on him. So throughout Autumn Germn troops solemnly retreated eastwards as the cheering occupied peoples welcomed the allies. German morale plummeted, it was clear now to the entire country that the war was lost. The only question now was who would take Germany first; east or west?
For Mussolini the situation was nearly as bad as it was for Hitler. Except he was not nearly as feared or had the sdame amount of control Hitler had. Whilst a coup inside the Nazi party or the Army was considered madness he knew that behind his back serious discussions were going on over the future of both him and Italy's role in the Axis. Since September all of the Italys western border had been surrounded by Spanish troops. The allies had pressured Franco to drive into northern Italy but he had bluffed at the time that the main focus should remain on France and unless the italians launched a counter-attack they would be let be for now. However intense discussions between Franco and Mussolini and managed to get Il Duce to pull Italian troops out of France on October 2nd and soon he had managed to negotiate a truce between Italy and the allied forces and tals were held in recently liberated Marseille.
The Italians went there hoping to ensure Italian independence and that their present holdings would be respected. The Soviets and the French demanded immediate unconditional surrender. For the west they reminded the French and the Soviets that as the war was reaching a final critical stage no troops could be spared for Italian occupation. Ironically the Italians backed this position as they tried desperately to at least avoid Soviet occupation.
By the 20th of October an agreement had been reached. Italy would withdraw all forces from outside it's 1937 borders and would leave the Axis. The grand fascist council would remain in chrage just now however Italy would face a limited occupation at the end of the war and democratic elections would be held, where the Fascists would be allowed to run alongside any other party. It was in no doubt a defeat for Mussolini but not a critical one and he could use the time it would take for Germany to be defeated to great effect.
The reaction of the Italian surrender in Berlin was one of cold bitterness. Hitler nearly had a stroke according to aides and they noted later that often the veins in his forehead would how as he ranted on about "the traitors to Fascism". He ordered an all out attack on Italy but was quickly informed of the absurdity of this order. Not only were German border forces feeble but the Italians were still a force to be reconed with and a a third front would likely lead to immenent collapse.
The Axis was unravelling...
Oh I like it. I just finished reading through this thing and it's nice. Plausible, too, in most parts though I'm not sure of Hitler freaking out quite so badly and so often. True, he did in OTL, but that was much later in the war & after years of injections from his quack "doctor." Over all however it works for me. 
BlairWitch749
Banned
Oh I like it. I just finished reading through this thing and it's nice. Plausible, too, in most parts though I'm not sure of Hitler freaking out quite so badly and so often. True, he did in OTL, but that was much later in the war & after years of injections from his quack "doctor." Over all however it works for me.
He stopped being rational in the winter of 1941... when he fired Rundsted, Guderian, and Bock.... (the grownups )and just ordered fanatical holding of all territory
Epic
I just read through the whole TL. EPIC WIN. Your titles are very dramatic and the story is heading towards several different kinds of awesome.
I have a question: If the war seamlessly shifts from a dogpile against the Nazis to USSR vs The World, would it all still be considered World War 2? Personally, I think it should stay known as one war if there isn't actually a day of rest between them.
I just read through the whole TL. EPIC WIN. Your titles are very dramatic and the story is heading towards several different kinds of awesome.
I have a question: If the war seamlessly shifts from a dogpile against the Nazis to USSR vs The World, would it all still be considered World War 2? Personally, I think it should stay known as one war if there isn't actually a day of rest between them.
Ah, true. Forgot about that.
It would be nice to see the Soviets go down as well by the end of all this, if it doesn't result in too much of a bloodbath. A post-war world with no totalitarian ideologies running rampant could hardly help being an improvement.
BlairWitch749
Banned
Manstein killed himself... Rrommel and Guderian are still linchpin characters for the moment
NEMESIS (CHAPTER 14)
By the end of October, Army Group North was facing a desperate strategic situations, they had been trapped in the remains of East Prussia and North Eastern Poland and Zhukov. Hitler ordered that the entire pocket become a giant Festung against the Soviets but with such a large area, a hostile populace and a severe lack of ammunition and supplies Busch knew that he could not hold the area for much longer than a fortnight. He begged for evacuation and Rommel even had plans drawn up for a dunkirk style plan which would involve the usage the majority of the German navy and Rhine river barges. Hitler, however stayed stubborn on the matter and announced that there would be retreat even by individual boats and that any soldier found abandoning his post would be shot on the spot. Zhukov knew that the Army Goup was too weak to mount any counter offensive even in conjuction with central German forces and that thus they were not much if a threat. Hence he used newly formed divisions of liberated Soviet prisoners and frsh conscripts to hold them in their pocket until Germany proper had been destroyed.
Soviet prisoners being liberated near Lwow face immediate remobilisation, an order gratefully accepted by the majority of Soviet troops who sought revenge against their brutal captors
As the Germans broke into an all out retreat similar to the winter of 1941 (albeit on a smaller scale) the Soviets began to discover the horrors that the Nazis had commited during their occupation. In camps such as Treblinka and Autswisch it was discoevered that the German had begun to slaughter Jews, homosexuals, communists and other peoples they labeled as below them. The first rumours of his had been hinted when during the quick battle of Warsaw the Jewish ghetto had risen up and they had revealed deportations to the Red Army. At first the allies had feared they were being sent to be used as slave labour but the reality was much worse. Soviet troops found large piles of hair, glasses, shoes gold fillings and jewelry which had been stripped from the bodies of the dead.
Soviet troops were encouraged to visit these camps whenever they had leave before the final battle, for new conscripts it was more or less compulsory and Anglo-America envoys were invited to inspect them for themselves. Clement Attlee, the most prominent member of the Brtish army was rumoured to have been seen weeping at the horrors he had seen after a Soviet staff officer told him that what he had seen was the camp after two weeks of Soviet liberation were food and clothing had been rushed in and that he shoul have seen it a fortnight before hand.
Every Soviet soldier who saw the camps and many who saw the footage on the newsreels were giving a feeling much greater than high morale. After the war psychologists would crudely brand it as "Bloodlust".
Zhukov however did not visit any of the camps, he wished to keep a level head for the coming battle. One which would be the final encore of the Third Reich. By Halloween the Soviets had crossed the Oder at several points after a botched attempt failed to destroy all the bridges over the river allowing no less than 4 full strength Soviet infantry armies and 2 tank armies to smash the Germans around Seelow and quickly encircled Berlin. Zhukovs two pincers finally met at Nauen completing encirclement in rejoice.
Now came the battle for the City itself.
The Germans, who had not expected Danzig to fall so quickly or for Army Group North to be trapped, had not been able to oganise a proper defense of the city and thus desperately all troops caught in the enciriclement were hurriedly evacuated to the city as the Soviets quickly followed, hungry for the kill. All males aged 10 - 80 were immediately drafted and oredered to find whatever they could find. Also for the first time in the war the Germans drafted large amounts of women.
Hitler decided to remain in the city declaring that the final battle would be fought there and Germanys fate hung in the balance. Goering promised him that he could supply the city from the air and that he could at least limited air superiority in the sector.
Wary of this the Soviets sent whatever air untis available to fight over the capital with the western allies also sending large amounts of fighters and bombers over the city. By mid-Novemeber the Soviets were beginning toi advance inside the city and bombing became impractical however the Luftwaffe had been gutted trying to save their capital and after a fortnight of constant fighting in the air the Allies were the clear victor.
However the fighting continued all throughout November as the Germans fought with a mix of fear and fanaticism. No quarter was spared on either side with both the oviets and the Germans shooting their prisoners and deserters regardless of age or sex.
As the Soviets came increasingly closer to Hitlers modified air shelter under the chancellery he ordered Rommel on the outside to launch an all out counter-attack to save the city. He knew this was madness but also knew that SS agents were watching him and his family very closely. So on November 25th he launched the final Germana offenisve of the war using every unit he could find by stripping Army Group South and West.
Captured T-34's were used extensively by the Germans in the winter counter-offensive were they became desperate for any armour whatsoever
The counter attack caught the Soviets by suprise however once they regained their composure the offenive was quickly brought to a halt by the sheer wieght of Soviet numbers, firepower and air control. By the November 30th the offensive petered out after only advancing 4 miles. It was not known to Rommel that the day before Hitler and the Nazi elite inside Berlin had killed themselves.
As word got out he drastically ordered a purge of what was left of the SS in his command and all German troops in the East retreated west were they hoped the might be better treated by the western allies who had crossed the defenceless Rhine and liberated the north during the Battle of Berlin. Days after Berlin had fallen Army Group North was shattered by the Soviets and a week after wards the rear guard forces Rommel had left behind led by Heinrici were butchered.
Germanys war was over.
The Soviets and the West were about to meet on the Weser.
By the end of October, Army Group North was facing a desperate strategic situations, they had been trapped in the remains of East Prussia and North Eastern Poland and Zhukov. Hitler ordered that the entire pocket become a giant Festung against the Soviets but with such a large area, a hostile populace and a severe lack of ammunition and supplies Busch knew that he could not hold the area for much longer than a fortnight. He begged for evacuation and Rommel even had plans drawn up for a dunkirk style plan which would involve the usage the majority of the German navy and Rhine river barges. Hitler, however stayed stubborn on the matter and announced that there would be retreat even by individual boats and that any soldier found abandoning his post would be shot on the spot. Zhukov knew that the Army Goup was too weak to mount any counter offensive even in conjuction with central German forces and that thus they were not much if a threat. Hence he used newly formed divisions of liberated Soviet prisoners and frsh conscripts to hold them in their pocket until Germany proper had been destroyed.
Soviet prisoners being liberated near Lwow face immediate remobilisation, an order gratefully accepted by the majority of Soviet troops who sought revenge against their brutal captors
As the Germans broke into an all out retreat similar to the winter of 1941 (albeit on a smaller scale) the Soviets began to discover the horrors that the Nazis had commited during their occupation. In camps such as Treblinka and Autswisch it was discoevered that the German had begun to slaughter Jews, homosexuals, communists and other peoples they labeled as below them. The first rumours of his had been hinted when during the quick battle of Warsaw the Jewish ghetto had risen up and they had revealed deportations to the Red Army. At first the allies had feared they were being sent to be used as slave labour but the reality was much worse. Soviet troops found large piles of hair, glasses, shoes gold fillings and jewelry which had been stripped from the bodies of the dead.
Soviet troops were encouraged to visit these camps whenever they had leave before the final battle, for new conscripts it was more or less compulsory and Anglo-America envoys were invited to inspect them for themselves. Clement Attlee, the most prominent member of the Brtish army was rumoured to have been seen weeping at the horrors he had seen after a Soviet staff officer told him that what he had seen was the camp after two weeks of Soviet liberation were food and clothing had been rushed in and that he shoul have seen it a fortnight before hand.
Every Soviet soldier who saw the camps and many who saw the footage on the newsreels were giving a feeling much greater than high morale. After the war psychologists would crudely brand it as "Bloodlust".
Zhukov however did not visit any of the camps, he wished to keep a level head for the coming battle. One which would be the final encore of the Third Reich. By Halloween the Soviets had crossed the Oder at several points after a botched attempt failed to destroy all the bridges over the river allowing no less than 4 full strength Soviet infantry armies and 2 tank armies to smash the Germans around Seelow and quickly encircled Berlin. Zhukovs two pincers finally met at Nauen completing encirclement in rejoice.
Now came the battle for the City itself.
The Germans, who had not expected Danzig to fall so quickly or for Army Group North to be trapped, had not been able to oganise a proper defense of the city and thus desperately all troops caught in the enciriclement were hurriedly evacuated to the city as the Soviets quickly followed, hungry for the kill. All males aged 10 - 80 were immediately drafted and oredered to find whatever they could find. Also for the first time in the war the Germans drafted large amounts of women.
Hitler decided to remain in the city declaring that the final battle would be fought there and Germanys fate hung in the balance. Goering promised him that he could supply the city from the air and that he could at least limited air superiority in the sector.
Wary of this the Soviets sent whatever air untis available to fight over the capital with the western allies also sending large amounts of fighters and bombers over the city. By mid-Novemeber the Soviets were beginning toi advance inside the city and bombing became impractical however the Luftwaffe had been gutted trying to save their capital and after a fortnight of constant fighting in the air the Allies were the clear victor.
However the fighting continued all throughout November as the Germans fought with a mix of fear and fanaticism. No quarter was spared on either side with both the oviets and the Germans shooting their prisoners and deserters regardless of age or sex.
As the Soviets came increasingly closer to Hitlers modified air shelter under the chancellery he ordered Rommel on the outside to launch an all out counter-attack to save the city. He knew this was madness but also knew that SS agents were watching him and his family very closely. So on November 25th he launched the final Germana offenisve of the war using every unit he could find by stripping Army Group South and West.
Captured T-34's were used extensively by the Germans in the winter counter-offensive were they became desperate for any armour whatsoever
The counter attack caught the Soviets by suprise however once they regained their composure the offenive was quickly brought to a halt by the sheer wieght of Soviet numbers, firepower and air control. By the November 30th the offensive petered out after only advancing 4 miles. It was not known to Rommel that the day before Hitler and the Nazi elite inside Berlin had killed themselves.
As word got out he drastically ordered a purge of what was left of the SS in his command and all German troops in the East retreated west were they hoped the might be better treated by the western allies who had crossed the defenceless Rhine and liberated the north during the Battle of Berlin. Days after Berlin had fallen Army Group North was shattered by the Soviets and a week after wards the rear guard forces Rommel had left behind led by Heinrici were butchered.
Germanys war was over.
The Soviets and the West were about to meet on the Weser.
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