Fantasque Time Line (France Fights On) - English Translation

[Wings]

March 16th, 1943

Spring awakening
Ternopol - The Hungarian 7th Corps is ordered to take Proskurov and to clear the surrounding area of the remnants of the Soviet 13th Army. The Hungarian command pushes two infantry divisions towards the city and sends the third one eastwards to try to follow the German advance. Meanwhile, the Luftwaffe carries out several raids against the encircled troops while the available artillery (Soviet cannons offered to the Hungarians the day before, plus some tubes left by the 7. Panzer) starts to shell the city.
.........
Rovno - The Hungarian 4th Army Corps receives - at last - the order to move. Hitler asks Admiral Horthy for his agreement to use these three divisions on the left flank of Manstein's counter-attack, in order to clear the German divisions facing the 26th SSoviet Army. The Hungarian leader accepts. He obtains the promise of assistance from the maintenance services of the Wehrmacht to repair about twenty T-34 tanks abandoned by the 1st Armored Guards Corps in front of Ternopol.

1st Ukrainian Front
The withdrawal of the 13th Army continues. Pressed by Zhukov, Pukhov places the bulk of his mobile forces and crams all the soldiers they can carry into the available vehicles.
In the rear guard, Katukov and Chanchibadze (Krivoshein, wounded on March 13th, was evacuated to Kiev) use their last armored vehicles to try to keep the German forces at bay. But the struggle is unequal: Rudolf Schmidt has a clear quantitative and qualitative superiority, while the Luftwaffe returns in force to overpower the Soviet planes. As for the temperature, it is not yet high enough to turn the ground into mud.
Consequently, the forty kilometers between Medzhibozh and Letichev become hell for the Soviet forces, assailed on all sides by the planes and tanks, losing men and material at each kilometer in a growing disorganization.
.........
The two other armies engaged by the northern pincer of Manstein know various fortunes. Well held by Muzychenko and especially weakly pressed by the only 6. Panzer, the 4th Guards Army withdraws in good order. On the other hand, the 58th Army continues to suffer severe blows under the assaults of Kempf's four armored divisions. More and more unable to control events, criticized by Zhukov for not holding his troops, Shcherbakov leaves more and more of the initiative to his subordinates. The 58th Army dissociates into several parts acting independently of each other, under Kempf's interested eyes. Kempf proposes to Manstein a plan of operation to finish off this Soviet formation, a plan that is immediately accepted and intended to be put into practice the next day.

2nd Ukrainian Front
In the middle of the afternoon, Pukhov receives good news. The vanguard of the 13th Army finally comes into contact with armor of the 5th Guards Army in Remezov, a few kilometers west of Letichev. As soon as he is informed, Zhukov orders Remezov and Rybalko to push their units to establish a collection line on the Volk River, intended to receive the 13th Army but also the 58th Army, supposed to go up to the northeast.
But Bagramyan is annoyed by the harassment undertaken by the divisions of the 17. Armee on his left flank: if Hollidt certainly does not have the means to launch serious attacks, he can (and does) carry out brief operations on Soviet communication routes and logistic convoys, forcing the 10th Army to dilute its forces to hold the ground.
Above all, the commander of the 2nd Ukrainian Front understands that his left wing would not be part of the game. Seriously slowed down by a fierce Romanian defense at Ocniţa and by the bombardment of the bridges over the Dniester, the 16th and 59th Armies withdraw. Nevertheless, aerial reconnaissance detects a possible crossing point at Neporotova [Neporotove], about twenty kilometers north of Ocniţa. From there, the Soviets would be only about fifty kilometers east of Kamenets-Podolski.

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1943

Rastenburg - The arrival of Soviet tanks at Letichev is spotted by German Focke-Wulf 189. Contacted by radio, Manstein relativizes the threat. With the Hungarians on his northern flank and eight armored divisions in his game, he believes he has the situation well in hand. He therefore outlines the next steps in his counter-attack (without ever mentioning von Kluge, or almost, to his great irritation): press the 4th Guards Army to the north, eliminate the 58th Army in the south, and then turn all his forces against the two Soviet armies and the remains of the 13th Army around Letichev.
By maneuvering in this way, Manstein assures Hitler that he would be able to capture tens of thousands of Soviet soldiers and completely destabilize the enemy's defense in the Ukraine. The Führer agrees and orders the immediate application of these measures. Hitler also demands an acceleration of the operations in order to push the advantage acquired as far as possible, before the weather deteriorates.

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1943

Great Saturn
Operation Aster
The withdrawal of the 11. Armee, named "operation Aster" by Reinhardt's staff, began at nightfall the day before. Each unit was given a precise plan and a theoretically reserved route to extract itself in the best possible conditions. The corps leaders were all instructed to keep as much equipment as possible, but to save their men first.
Aster starts with the withdrawal under the noses of the 9th Army of the 6th Romanian ID and the 83. and 95. ID. It is then the turn of the formations facing the 2nd Shock Army (215. and 225. ID, 11th and 14th ID, plus remnants of 8th and 15th ID). Finally, the forces agglomerated around the LIV. ArmeeKorps (50., 321. and 339. ID, as well as the 20th ID and the 5th BC), the most exposed, break the fight and run towards the south-west. At dawn, all formations retreat west of the railroad line leading to Odessa. Only Balta remains occupied by a sacrificed force, to break the will of the Soviets to pursue.
In the morning, the awakening is painful for the Soviet generals. Rokossovsky accused the blow but immediately takes measures to restore the situation. There is no more reason to wait for the adversary to wear out, it is necessary to take him by the throat before he takes shelter. The 47th and 14th Armies are ordered to concentrate their efforts on Balta, with support of the two available armored corps. The 62nd Army is sent to Ananyev, now undefended, through the former German positions.
But the movements are poorly coordinated. Furious to have been fooled, the Soviet generals act with too much haste and give headlong into the detachments left behind by the 11. Armee. Called to the rescue, the 4th Air Army is also caught unaware, part of its resources being now devoted to the siege of Odessa. And the available aircraft have to face German fighters mobilized in thanks to Reinhardt's insistent requests to the Luftwaffe for a Flak carefully arranged in protection of bridges and roads.
However, fearing to be overrun, Reinhardt accelerates the withdrawal movement. Braving the Soviet raids, dozens of crossing points open between Rybnitsa and Tiraspol see the columns in flight pass.

Siege of Odessa
The preparation of the siege by the Soviets continues. The day is mainly dedicated to the establishment of secure and redundant links between the headquarters of the different armies involved in the siege. In the rear, a major effort is made to facilitate logistics: depots are set up out of reach of the enemy's heavy artillery and the existing roads are reinforced as much as possible. The infantry continues its tedious work of building up positions, taking advantage of the rising temperatures which softens the ground to dig as long as the earth did not yet turn into mud.
Tolbukhin also receives confirmation that his demands in terms of artillery have been heard. By decision of Stalin, five regiments and one special mortar battalion of the Guard, two regiments specialized in counter-battery missions and above all a complete brigade of artillery called "high-powered" (the latter with twenty-four howitzers and twelve 280 mm howitzers, these ones mounted on tracks) are drawn from the reserves of the Stavka and start their journey towards the south. In exchange, the two cavalry corps engaged in Great Saturn, which had no business in a siege, join the Stavka reserves.
In the air, photo reconnaissance flights continue with regularity.

 

[Wings]

March 16th, 1943

Italian Front - The cat and mouse game continues between the unlucky German sniper and the shooters of the US tracking team. Around noon, after a fourth missed shot, he is spotted.
The coordinates are transmitted to a 105 battery, when at the moment of introducing the shell, a counter-order arrives from the chief of the American snipers. The latter justifies himself: "This guy hasn't killed anyone yet. If we shoot him, not only will we have to start all over again with the next guy, but the Germans might put someone in his place who is really competent. So we'll just follow him until the day when he will shoot someone...".
The Testa di Ferro, a little rested, redeploys in front of the woods north of Farnese, where the Germans have created a defensive mole.
On the French side, the decision is still not made around Monte Martano, despite massive raids by B-25s of the 21st and 23rd EB.
Faced with what seemed to be the beginnings of an offensive by the British X Corps, the commander of the Grossdeutschland decides to send a Kampfgruppe around Monteleone di Spoletto to reinforce the 263. ID, which has recently arrived in this sector.
However, this is not where the British would launch their main attack. The 137th Brigade of the 46th Infantry Division attacks beyond Vindoli with the support of elements of the 8th RTR of the 1st Army Tank Brigade. The small valley is quickly crossed from west to east and the attackers threaten the rear of Cittareale, which the Germans, still under the pressure of the 44th ID in the south, finally abandon. To the east of the X Corps sector, the 5th Indian Division has to fight to cross the Arli bridge, which the Germans had blown up. The German device is eventually overrun; the engineers install a new bridge during the night.
In the V Corps sector, the 2nd South African Brigade is in line on the left of the Canadians.
It is in charge of clearing the Folignano sector, south of Ascoli Piceno. However, at nightfall, the stronghold of the San Marco Pass, which dominates and locks the accesses to the city is still holding out.

Polish Air Force (French Command) B-25 Mitchell, Italian Campaign, March 1943

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Bremen - The first target of the diversionary operation called Whitebait, Bremen was not, however, the first target of the Royal Air Force bombers, which often, if not regularly, visited the skies over the Hanseatic city - the fault of the many docks and shipyards in the region, not to mention the Focke-Wulf factory or the ND Hütte steelworks. Little surprise then for the inhabitants woken up by the sound of the engines and the staccato of anti-aircraft guns of all calibers.
Can we talk about routine when we talk about bombing? If it looks like it for the aviators trapped in their cockpits, clad in their flight suits to fight against the cold, it is much less so for the inhabitants, who are fighting against the fires or trying to protect themselves from the explosions of bombs. War tragedies for all, the implacable destiny or chance of the projectile of a ton cutting innocent lives, or the dull anguish of the attacker who has become a game in the night, watched over by hunters whose eyes are helped by the magic of the waves... Here too, the duel continues between measures and countermeasures, detection and jamming. Chance for some, fights for others, the only winner remains the Grim Reaper.
Nevertheless, this is the last time the British pass through. The relay will soon be taken, by day, by the four-engine USAAF aircraft.

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Imphal, India (British Empire) - "We've got a deal, as they say in the United States," comments the Special Foreign Affairs Commissioner for Xinjiang and Sechuan, Wu Zexiang, commented with a satisfied smile. Finally! sigh all the participants, exhausted by weeks of negotiations between Chinese and Soviets which looked like a roller coaster (as a French observer commented). The Imphal agreements are supposed to calm and rationalize relations between the USSR and China "at least until the end of the conflicts between the Soviet Union and Germany on the one hand, and between the Republic of China and Japan on the other". The following is only a succinct statement of the main points.
"In order to encourage the development of the Republic of China's production capacity, the USSR undertakes to trade with the Republic of China only in a limited number of products and in quantities previously determined by a Sino-Soviet Trade Commission which will be established in Chongqing.
A specific customs tax on USSR products, in addition to the customs duties already in force, will be introduced by the Republic of China as of June 30th, 1943.
The Sovinstorg trading company keeps its prerogatives mining sites in Kashgar and Altai [these are uranium mines]. The mining tax due to the Xinjiang government will be increased from 5% to 15%. The other sites operated by Sovinstorg, including the oil fields, will be the sole responsibility and usufruct of the Republic of China, as soon as the the departure of the Soviet personnel previously in charge of these sites is done.
The aircraft manufacturing plant in Dihua remains the property of the government of the Soviet Union. Within the framework of the military aid program set up by the USSR for the benefit of the Republic of China, it is agreed that 1/10 of the production will be destined to the Chinese war effort.
The repatriation of all Soviet personnel whose presence in the province of Xinjiang province will be made superfluous by the present agreements will be carried out as soon as possible.
The security and protection of the operating sites to be managed by Sovinstorg may be jointly provided by the forces of the Republic of China and the USSR, on a case-by-case basis. The security and operation of the Dihua aviation plant and airfield will be provided jointly by personnel of both countries. The security of the USSR consulates in the province will continue to be the responsibility of the Soviet Union and the personnel of both countries. The security of the USSR consulates in the province will continue to be the responsibility of the Soviet Union.
The escort of the supply convoys, generously sent by the People of the fraternal USSR to the People of the Republic of China, will be jointly assured by troops of the Republic of China and the USSR. Nevertheless, the Soviet elements involved in this escort will have to depend on units based in the USSR or directly from the military mission of the Embassy of the Soviet Union in Chongqing. These elements shall not remain in Xinjiang after the completion of their escort mission.
Any further Soviet military presence on Xinjiang soil is no longer considered desirable, and could be so again only if the two countries were to become cobelligerent in one of the conflicts concerning them.
The USSR recognizes the Republic of China as a single entity, and Xinjiang Province as a full member of that entity."
Whew!
Signature. Photographs. Congratulations. Photographs. Banquet. Photographs. Handshake. Photographs. Smiles. Photographs.
At the end of the evening, exhausted, the negotiators return to their hotel rooms to pack their bags. Nevertheless, some Western and Chinese observers stay to discuss until late in the night.
If, in the Chinese ranks, many celebrate the agreement with enthusiasm, proclaiming that it is "our very own Tin Mines agreement," others are still wondering about the strange evolution of the Soviet attitude since the opening negotiations in Imphal in early November. For months, the Soviets have been inflexible, to the point that on many occasions the Chinese delegation and even some Western arbiters almost left the negotiating table. And in a few weeks, they gave in on everything, even on a point specifying that the Xinjiang government would have the right to take over a business run by a foreigner (i.e., nationalize) "at a reasonable market price" - which made the British angry, who themselves retain some interests in the province, as evidenced by the fact that they have had a consul in Kashgar for many years.
What does this mean? The night owls who remake, if not the world, at least the negotiations, are perplexed. For some, the Red Army, if it has won great victories, it has also suffered enormous losses and no longer has the means to justify its ambitions. A French journalist suggests on the contrary that the Soviets have only "retreated to better jump" and that they reserved for the Chinese "a dog of their own", an expression that he has great difficulty in translating to the few Chinese present. Smiling Americans prefer to try to convince, and perhaps to convince themselves, that this agreement is nothing more than a victory for the diplomacy of the United Nations, under the benevolent and peacemaking aegis of the United States of America.
At the end of the night, everyone finally agrees on one point: the future will enlighten us, and maybe soon enough...

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Quonset Point - Lagadec: "The 7F gunners compare the .50 turreted TBF with the unfortunate Lewis on the Swordfish's gun carriage and promise to make a real massacre of enemy fighters. Navigators only get a .30, but that's better than nothing. Besides, it's in the bellied position, which is appreciated in many ways."

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Stockholm - Georg Duckwitz spares no effort. His trip to Berlin was unsuccessful. However, he first explained that the deportation of the Jews from Denmark would be frowned upon by the Danes on the one hand, and by the neutral countries on the other, under the pretext that the country is officially neutral. Then, he recalls that the instructions concerning the Jews of the Scandinavian countries (issued after the Wannsee conference) specifies that the Final Solution could, in this part of the world, wait until the Reich had won, because of the small size of the Jewish population in Scandinavia. Unfortunately, the answer was that since the victory had been delayed a little, it had been decided that Scandinavia should also become Judenfrei as soon as possible...
But Duckwitz is not discouraged. Today, taking advantage of a trip to Sweden to discuss the modalities of passage through Swedish territorial waters of Danish merchant ships requisitioned by Germany, he meets with Prime Minister Hansson to propose the evacuation of the Jews from Denmark to Sweden! Hansson shows his good will and support for this noble project, but prefers not to take a public stand. The reaction of the Führer would be unpredictable...

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Buna pocket (operation Postern, phase 3)
Triangle sector
The Japanese soldiers have just left the tiny hamlet where they spent the night. For once, it is sunny, but in this vegetal hell, it only makes the greenery more suffocating without even drying out the muddy ground. The men advance with their ears open, watching for any noise that could betray the enemy. But it's a waste of time. In the trees, birds and monkeys are engaged in a real shouting contest. Only a few distant gusts of wind and artillery fire manage to break through the background noise.
The Nipponese follow a narrow river, widely deployed in skirmishes on both banks.
A large part of this sector of the pocket had fallen to the Australians and their group had to reconnoiter a village a little further on. If the enemy has not yet taken it, they will have to fortify it. And if the Australians are there, they will have to drive them out.
Suddenly, the man walking in front of Private Hiro Katsuki starts shooting to the left, between the trees. Katsuki didn't see anything, but he hurriedly moves to the right to take cover in the shelter of a trunk. He then sees the first houses of the village, miserable shacks. The Australians are there! The soldiers deploy to attack in spite of a rain of grenades that kill two attackers.
A little behind, Toshiro Hamada clutches his Model 96 machine gun. The heavy machine gun makes it difficult to run, but its firepower reassures him. The vanguard has met the enemy. From the gunfire and explosions he hears, it's a tough one. Hamada arrives near a large rock that emerges from the muddy ground. All around, the imperial soldiers have dug themselves in as best they can to escape enemy fire - for the moment, only rifles and machine guns.
Hamada puts his FM in battery and spits it out, increasing the volume of sound and calming the Australians somewhat. The indiscriminate bursts of fire, however, only serve to chop up the vegetation. But they inspire respect in the enemy, who is quick to show it. As Hamada changes magazines before resuming his shooting, several bullets ricochet against the rock that sheltered him. He flattens himself in the mud, just in time to avoid the burst of a grenade that explodes in front of his shelter. He stands up, hands clutching his weapon and mows down an Australian in full flight. Then he continues to shoot to cover the withdrawal of his section - he has just shot two more enemies when he is wounded by a grenade that throws him to the ground. Stunned, he is picked up by one of his companions, who lays him across his shoulders and retreats with the others.
.........
Sergeant Ryuchi Kimata arrives in the opposite direction with reinforcements. A dispatch rider warns him that the troop sent forward has encountered a well-armed and more numerous enemy occupying prepared positions. The scouts retreat, but the enemy follows.
Now, what worried Sergeant Kimata most is the silence. There are no more sounds of battle, so there is nothing to guide him to the enemy, who could be anywhere. Moreover, this silence can mean two things. Either the troop that he has just reinforced has retreated by another track than the one he is following, or... it has been annihilated.
At the bend in a tree, the sergeant comes face to face with an Australian. The surprise is mutual, but the Japanese's reflexes are a little better. His enemy collapses, shot in the chest.
As if this shot had triggered a chain reaction, others burst all around.
In an instant, it is a heavy firefight. All around Kimata, people are fighting at close range. The enemies are coming from all sides; at such close range, but too far away for the bayonets, their machine guns give them a clear advantage and the Japanese retreat.
.........
All day long, skirmishes multiply, causing many deaths. The Japanese are severely beaten, but the Australians do not advance much because the opposition remains fierce.

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Kiska - In its turn and despite the bad weather, the submarine I-5 delivers a full Daihatsu barge of supplies. During the night, it takes the southern route again.
.........
Attu - The light cruiser Kashima, the transport Akagi Maru and the destroyers Inazuma and Yamagumo arrive in the vicinity of Massacre Bay at dusk. At the end of the evening, despite the darkness, they decide to enter the bay to land on Massacre Beach the second half of the 302nd Independent Battalion. Indeed, the weather is improving steadily.
.........
Between Adak and Attu - Meanwhile, the Landcrab squadron is heading towards Attu...

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

3rd Ukrainian Front
The 56. and 79. ID are attacked during the night by Soviet infantry elements around Olevsk and Lopatichi. Launched without artillery preparation, these attacks surprise the Germans in their positions. Hand-to-hand fighting lasts all night before the attackers withdraw at dawn under cover of smoke shells. The leader of the 56th Army, Ryzhov, cables Vatutin that the German defenses are too dense and that he will not be able to penetrate them with his own means.
However, the attack has the merit of drawing Hitler's attention back to this part of the front, Paulus having sent numerous worried reports and once again demands the sending of reinforcements.

Spring awakening
Proskurov - At dawn, the soldiers of the Hungarian 7th Corps launch an assault on a city in ruins. If the resistance is fierce in the factory district in the south-east of the city, it quickly collapses elsewhere, for lack of heavy weapons and the will to fight. Many of the Frontoviki are wounded or demoralized, without officers to command them. After some serious fighting in the morning, the rest of the day consists mainly of cleaning up andd collecting prisoners.
In the evening, a report sent to Horthy and Manstein claims nearly 5,000 Soviet soldiers killed or captured, as well as the capture of several dozen artillery pieces of all calibers. In response, Hitler announces that he is awarding the Iron Cross to the commander of the 7th Hungarian Corps.

1st and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts
Medzhibozh-Derazhnya pocket - The day of March 17th marks the beginning of a three-day battle opposing on one side the two jaws of the German pincer, commanded by Schmidt and Kempf, on the other side forces of the 1st Ukrainian Front, supported by elements of the 2nd Ukrainian Front (Bagramyan's right wing is in fact helping the 1st Front). The fighting is concentrated in the quadrilateral formed by the towns of Medzhibozh, Letichev, Derazhnya and Kopystine [Kopystyn]. After the war, German memorialists will talk about the "Medzhibozh cauldron", the Soviets will talk about the failure of the Berdichev-Proskurov operation. A French historian from the Service Historique de la Défense (Historical Service of the Defense) will find another name: "The last triumph of the Panzers".
On paper, Manstein has six armored divisions for the two jaws of his forceps (the 6. Panzer stopped pursuing the 4th Guards Army while waiting for the arrival of the 4th Hungarian AC; the 24. Panzer reorganized east of Zagintsy). In agreement with his subordinates, he distributes his troops according to the efforts required.
- In the south, the 5., 8. and 23. Panzers of Kempf will have to attack and destroy the 58th Soviet Army.
- In the north, the 2., 4. and 7. Panzers of Schmidt will have to deal with a stronger game: the first two Panzers will have to engage the 5th Guards Army head-on, with the 7. Panzer having to infiltrate from the north to assault the right flank. The two heavy tank battalions, refreshed as best they can, are therefore convoyed during the night of March 16th to 17th to the north of the southern Bug to reinforce the frontal assault.
Operations begin at dawn. The airmen of both sides are fully committed, even though the number of aircraft in the sky is decreasing more and more. On the ground, the fighting is of a rare violence : facing German tanks which impose themselves without contesting in long-distance engagements, Soviet infantrymen and tankers were looking for contact.
contact.
In the north, the 2nd Guards Armored Corps distinguishes itself on several occasions by its relentless efforts in counter-attack. In the rear, Zhukov urges Pukhov to extract as many men as possible from the mousetrap that threatens to close at any moment, and Remezov to hold the collection line. In spite of everything, Schmidt manages to clean Kopystin [Kopystyn] and to seize Masivtsy [Masivtsi] and Pirogovtsy [Pyrohivtsi]. At nightfall, it is the road junction of Goloskov [Holoskiv] that concentrates the clashes.
In the south, Kempf leads his three Panzer divisions to attack the 58th Army. Already fragmented, the Soviet formation is slowly dismantled with the support of the Luftwaffe. The village of Zyankovsty [Zyan'kivtsi] is taken and the equivalent of an infantry division, deployed in or around the village or its surroundings, is annihilated. The last organized units, commanded by Shcherbakov himself, retreat to Derazhnya.
.........
Crossings of the Dniester - General Lukin receives notification from his vanguards of the seizure of a bridge over the Dniester, near the village of Neporotova. Immediately, engineering units are sent to reinforce the structure and to launch other bridges over the river.
Informed, Bagramyan confirms in return the presence of a German division (the 321. ID) in Kamenets-Podolski.
The Armenian general understands that his left wing would never arrive in time to save the 1st Ukrainian Front, but sees in the capture of this city an ideal starting point for future operations. A plan to seize the Dniester on both sides of Kamenets, between Khotin and Moguilev-Podolski, is sent to Stalin for approval.

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Great Saturn
Operation Aster
The German-Romanian pocket is shrinking at a glance. During the day, each unit gulps down an average of twenty to thirty kilometers, under the enemy fire. Better organized than the day before, the Soviets manage to catch up with some of them, without being able to prevent the withdrawal of the bulk of the 11. Armee.
Rokossovsky orders to stick to the retreating units and to try to seize bridgeheads on the right bank of the Dniester. The 38th Army is thus credited with being the first Soviet army to cross the river in the Sokola [Socola] and Poyyana [Poiana] sectors, and further north at Kot [Cot]. But the crossings are slowed down by the increasing thaw and by the lack of motorized vehicles on the Soviet side (on the German-Romanian side, horse-drawn vehicles have been abandoned).

Siege of Odessa
Kubanka (northeast of Odessa) - After two days of relative calm on the Odessa front, the deployment of besieging units is completed. The serious business will resume.
A quarter of an hour before daybreak, infernal whistles resound. Three regiments of special mortars of the Guard have just started a saturation fire aimed at the Romanian positions around Kubanka. A real rain of 132 mm rockets falls on the trench lines, digging craters and spraying with shrapnel everything that had the misfortune to be above the ground.
The German-Romanian artillery retaliates. The large calibers of the coastal batteries would make the pyrotechnic deployment of the Soviets almost ridiculous... if the engaged pieces were more numerous.
At first light, Russian observation planes, Polikarpov R-5 and PO-2, come to turn over the battlefield. A very active Flak manages to shoot down some of them, but this does not prevent them from pointing out the positions occupied by the batteries. 122 mm A-19 guns then open fire, for an accurate counter-battery fire.
Just as the firing seems to subside, a mechanical rumble echoes across the battlefield. KV-1 and T-34 tanks are advancing, supporting the 3rd ID's offensive. It is the northeast branch of a pincer offensive. To the south-east, the 24th ID attacks shortly after.
The confrontation lasts all day without the Soviets managing to break through. Indeed, the Romanians multiply Czech hedgehogs, barbed wire and an arsenal of various mines.
.........
Gnilyakovo (northwest of Odessa) - The 18th Army of General Petrov attacks in turn.
Unlike his colleague Batov, he chooses to attack on a broad front. His offensive is staggered by one hour, so that his A-19 guns and 203 and 280 mm howitzers could exploit the information obtained by the observation planes to target the artillery positions of the German-Romanians.
Only then do the 132 mm rockets begin to spray the Romanian lines. The sectors richest in bunkers are treated by 310 mm rockets fired by BM 13/12.
Then, the infantry attacks, accompanied only by small T-50s. At the end of the day, the Soviets manage to seize some outposts. The night does not interrupt the fighting and intermittent gunfire breaks out in the overrun trenches.

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Italian Front - In the far west, the American 1st Armored Division, after having been refurbished for six weeks, comes to take its place on the front south of Capalbio. General Devers agrees that General Dawley could mount an operation called "Viper" at II Corps level. To make the movement of the 1st AD as discreet as possible, the Italians are asked to engage in combat to "make some noise" in their sector.
This noise takes the form of an attack by the Testa di Ferro Division, a little shaken up, towards the woods north of Farnese. But the Germans are well entrenched with many PaK-38 of 50 mm which regularly hit the light armored AS42 and AB41 armoured vehicles. In the afternoon, the 81st RI of the Trento launches a diversionary attack on the wing to try to destabilize the German position.
More in the east, the relief of the French 3rd armored division continues with the rise in line of the 6th BMLE, which comes to position itself on the right of the Tancrémont Brigade, facing Marsciano, behind the infantry of the 83rd DIA. Meanwhile, the Magnan Brigade of the 83rd DIA is still struggling on the slopes of Monte Martano, where the Germans defend themselves with fiercely. In fact, several companies of the 263. ID have come for a few days to reinforce the Panzergrenadiers who has been defending the sector for more than a month.
On the Xth Corps front, the 5th Indian Division spent the day in mopping-up operations in the hills around the Arli bridge, while the 44th ID advances north of Cittareale but does not insist. On the other hand, the 46th ID is in action! While the 137th Brigade advances in the Vindoli valley to Castel San Giovanni, the armoured vehicles of the 1st Army Tank Brigade, with the help of the 270th Royal Engineer Btn, take the snow-covered roads westwards to threaten Monteleone di Spoletto on the eastern side. Caught on the flank and under pressure by the 138th Brigade, the Germans finally retreat. The tanks and infantrymen join forces at the end of the afternoon at the Trivio farms.
On the V AC front, the 2nd South African Brigade and the Commando n°3 takes position during the night to take the San Marco Pass.

 

[Wings]

March 17th, 1943

Zagreb - Siegfried Kasche, Reich ambassador to the independent (and fascist) state of Croatia, sends a telegram to his ministry to inform it of the discrete contact between the Reds of Tito and the Germans. The Abwehr of Sarajevo takes charge of the negotiations, which look promising. The Partisans are ready to conclude a cease-fire, secret but effective, under three conditions: exchange of prisoners, recognition of the Partisans as a regular armed force (which would prevent them from being shot at any time), and non-support of the Germans to the Chetniks if they entered again in conflict with the Reds.

 

[Wings]

March 18th, 1943

Vegesack - The Vulkan shipyard is attacked by 73 B-17s and 24 B-24s. The attackers carefully avoid the Frisian Islands, but are spotted by radar. The German fighters shoot down 7 B-17s and 4 B-24s.

 

[Wings]

March 18th, 1943

Lübeck - Almost a year after the first-ever Bomber Command attack on a German city itself rather than on military targets, the former capital of the Hanseatic League is seeing the shadows of the bombers resurface in its skies. This time, no more twin-engine planes: only Lancaster and Halifax four-engine planes are in the running against the night fighters and the Flak, and carry more incendiary or conventional bombs.
Another innovation comes from the route taken by the British: instead of arriving directly on the city by flying over German territory, the pilots go much further north, through Denmark, and then turn on their target over the island of Falster, while trying new jamming by radio waves. This itinerary makes them detectable from Peenemünde, where some rocket specialists were awakened from their sleep by the roar of the sirens.
Renovations or new buildings are once again set on fire, but this time the Nazi Party could not provide for the needs of the population as it had done the previous year with a lot of propaganda: the bombing of German cities has become too common to arouse such interest.
Not to mention that we have just arrested some dignitaries who had made some foodstuffs disappear last year...

 

[Wings]

March 18th, 1943

Italian-Swiss border - The Italian town of Campione is located in the Swiss canton of Ticino, on the shores of Lake Lugano, on the side of a mountain, is the Italian town of Campione. It is less than a kilometer from the border between Italy and Switzerland, but by road, you have to multiply the distance by 15! One might as well say that it is with a certain circumspection and even, for some of its inhabitants, with a certain interest, that the enclave witnessed the events of the end of 1942, which saw a part of Italy, under the authority of the King, conclude an armistice with the Allies and then side against its former German partners, while the rest of the country, under the leadership of a Mussolini who escaped from prison in epic conditions, linked its fate to that of the Reich.
In Switzerland (which provided the postal link between Campione and the rest of the world), one man is nevertheless interested in this picturesque little piece of Italy, in theory Mussolinian, since the Duce's followers remain in power in the local administration and have raised the Republican flag. Allen Dulles is "station chief" of the OSS in the Swiss Confederation, which means that he is in charge of American intelligence for a large part of occupied Europe. His priority is certainly, for the time being, on the side of France, where he must support the networks in order to prepare the next Allied landings, but Dulles is already thinking about the next step, and among other things about the fact that he has to prevent the north of Italy from going to the Reds the day after the Allied victory. To do this, he has to show the Italians that the Americans are in the forefront of the anti-fascist struggle.
Since it is temporarily impossible to attack Salo, why not start with a small symbolic action?
The information gathered by the OSS agents sent to Salo assures that the vast majority of the six hundred inhabitants of Campione openly display anti-fascist or royalist opinions, which, recently, has been more or less the same thing.
The carabinieri garrison is overcrowded with half a dozen men whose Mussolini fanaticism is not obvious. A local anti-fascist called De Baggis shows the greatest desire to bring the small alpine town back into the royal fold. So Dulles has agents 809 (Donald Jones) and 812 (an Italian named Magistrati) distribute a score of rifles and machine guns, ammunition and a hundred grenades. Enough to allow the Royalists to confront the carabinieri and the members of the local branch of the Fascist Party!
At dawn, the uprising begins with the attack of the local gendarmerie...and ends immediately, without a single shot being fired. The carabinieri willingly bending to the popular will, accepting even to be imprisoned for a few hours for the form in their own prison. As for the ultras of the fascist party, one will not see the shadow of them... Questioned by De Baggis, the members of the fascist forces declare themselves royalists at heart and before the end of the morning, the 3 square kilometers of Campione d'Italia (two of which are under the water of the lake of Lugano) swap the flag of the Republic of Salo for that of the Kingdom of Italy! Agent 812, in the communiqué of victory addressed to Dulles, recommends however to claim with Badoglio the sending as fast as possible of a royal commissioner in order to prevent a protest of the Swiss, who always hate to see the waves of the World War come to lick their threshold...
Dulles and De Baggis will nevertheless dread for several weeks a reaction of Mussolini and his German masters - isn't there a risk that a commando will be sent to reconquer this little piece of mountain (and lake)? But nothing will come, except for a few protests from Salo, which did not succeed, Switzerland having remembered that it only recognized the royal regime. Campione can joyfully celebrate its return to the bosom of legal Italy!
Later on, the village makes a more concrete contribution to the war.
"Our agents moved into the enclave, set up a radio station to keep in touch with the Partisan units in the mountains, and organized a guerrilla training camp, which we would not have been able to set up in Switzerland. Once the training was over, the partisans slipped out of the Campione enclave, crossed a thin strip of Swiss land and entered occupied Italy, to join the groups of anti-fascist fighters who were hiding there," said Allen Dulles (The Secret Surrender, Harper & Row, 1966).
However, the inhabitants of Campione had not thought about some of the consequences of their revolution.
Dulles: "Cut off from Fascist Italy, they ran into financial problems and turned to me for help, which I did not expect on that scale. This crisis was overcome, however, thanks to an expedient devised by Campione's leaders themselves. With our help, they were able to issue a series of special stamps to commemorate the reunion of the enclave with the Kingdom of Italy.
These stamps obviously became collector's items for all philatelists of the world. More mail was sold than Campione could send for generations; enough money came into the coffers to cover the budget deficit. The people of Campione were lucratively employed in writing letters sent to all countries to collectors who wanted to receive rare stamps.
These stamps, now in great demand, are today all that remains of this microscopic episode of the war... Apart, of course, from the successful comedy film by Michel Hazanavicius, OSS 117 - Le Champion de Campione, with Jean Dujardin in the role of Donald Jones, who is not very faithful to his historical model (starting with his number...).

 

[Wings]

March 18th, 1943

Copenhagen - Having just returned from Sweden, Duckwitz, driven by the urgency of the situation, meets the leader of the Danish Social Democratic Party, Hans Hedtoft (who, however, had only an unofficial role since his removal from the party leadership two years earlier, at the "suggestion" of the Occupier, irritated by his criticism). Duckwitz reveals to Hedtoft the Nazi plan for a general round-up on the evening of Purim. That is, in three days!
At last Duckwitz had knocked on the right door. Hedtoft immediately informs Henriques, an important Danish Jewish figure, and Chief Rabbi Melchior.

 

[Wings]

March 18th, 1943

Buna pocket (operation Postern, phase 3)
Triangle sector - at night
While the Australians are entrenching themselves for the night in the village attacked the day before by the Japanese, the latter prepare a new attack. Shortly after midnight, a frontal assault is launched to attract the attention of the defenders. Meanwhile, under the cover of darkness, another group goes around the village to attack it from the flank.
Private Katsuki is part of this group. Posted on a small eminence, he throws grenades with his "knee-mortar" in the direction of the enemy positions to cover his comrades who are approaching the village.
The night is torn by the strobe flashes accompanying the brutal staccato of the automatic weapons. As the grenades explode, they produce a brief, faint orange flame.
Against this background, the men appear only as moving shadows, because they are constantly talking: in the almost total darkness, language is all that differentiates friend from foe. The silencers are the target of both sides.
After a first confrontation that turns into carnage but allowed them to seize part of the village, the Japanese relaunch their assault. This time, however, they met with a more solid resistance, because the sacrifice of their companions in the first line had allowed the Australians to recover. The surprise effect dissipated, the Japanese have to fight for
every meter.
After the injury suffered in the afternoon, Toshiro Hamada regains his senses and an FM. He accompanies a section that reaches a small path. Australian fire stops them, but they are able to deploy in defense of an advantageous position along the trail, which gives them protection, as any adversary attempting to cross it becomes visible. In the night, the group is attacked several times, but all assaults are repulsed with only slight losses.
At first light, the Japanese advance is stopped, but the night is clearly in their favor. They seize the entire village and repel the counter-attacks of the Australians by inflicting them heavy losses.
.........
Triangle sector - daytime
A Chi-Ha tank wearing a beautiful brown and khaki camouflage leads the way for Captain Miyake's command car, which stumbles along the bad dirt road in front of his infantrymen. The objective of Miyake's group is to get around the tip of the enemy advance to the right to retake the fortified positions to the northeast. In the meantime, a frontal assault is to strike the center of the Australian positions, where a sizeable force is located.
At first, everything seems to be going well. The blockhouses encountered are unoccupied and the soldiers can move in without difficulty. But when Miyake orders them to turn left to the enemy's central position, the Chi-Ha sees an AC1 Sentinel tank appear whose first shell tears off the turret of the unfortunate Japanese. Behind the enemy tank, Australian infantrymen rush in. However, the Japanese succeed in repelling the first attack, while showering the Sentinel with grenades... in vain.
A second attack is immediately launched by the Australians. In this direction, they have the advantage to attack the pillboxes, which are not meant to be defended on this side and they change hands once again.
Meanwhile, the main Japanese attack in the center makes little progress despite heavy artillery support. The fighting continues throughout the day and the slightest hill, the slightest village is taken and recaptured several times.
On their right wing, the Japanese renew the operation with a Shinhoto Chi-Ha tank, equipped with a 47 mm gun, more efficient than the 57 of the basic Chi-Ha. But if the 47 is efficient against the M3 Light and if it has a chance against the M4, the Sentinel's skin is harder. The combat is brief. Each armor hits its opponent twice, but if the Australian gets away with scratches, the Japanese is nothing but flaming scrap.
.........
After two days of fighting, the Japanese have retaken some of the Triangle's positions, but the latter are indefensible without the large central pillbox. And for this meager advantage, the Nipponese sacrificed many people. This does not prevent the Australians from considering the night of March 17th-18th to probably be the worst moment of the siege of Buna.

 

[Wings]

March 18th, 1943

Between Kiska and Attu, two hours before dawn - The I-5 is heading south under a clear sky when its lookouts spot the bow waves of several fast ships. They are American battleships and their escort - the I-5, of course, cannot identify them, but it is obvious that they are warships. The submarine dives just in time to escape two of the destroyers...
Luckily for the I-5, the destroyers did not have the time to prolong their hunt. After an hour, the submarine manages to resurface to send an alert message.
.........
Attu - In front of Massacre Beach, the Japanese ships, alerted by the I-5, sound the end of the unloading - a good part of the crates are even pushed into the water - and tryto escape. But when they emerge from Massacre Bay, it is to discover, silhouetted by the sunrise two battleships and their escort!
Curiously, the four Japanese could still escape - they still have a bit of a lead, the American battleships are not much faster than the Kashima and the Akagi Maru (they do not exceed 21 knots, compared to 18 for the Kashima and 19 for its companion) and their mission is not to hunt down small unlucky enemy ships. But the commander of the Kashima*, CF Takada Sakae, is unaware of this - he seems to have believed that the two battleships to be much faster**. So he orders the other three ships to flee, while he sacrifices himself to distract the enemy...
For the New Mexico and the Mississippi, the execution of the Kashima is a task of little interest, which only delays them in their main task. When the unfortunate cruiser is sent by the bottom, they start to shell Massacre Beach, they are indeed more than half an hour behind schedule. This does not help the men of the 302nd Battalion, who have nowhere to hide. After an hour of shelling by the 24 14-inch guns of the two battleships, the transports are able to land the 38th Infantry Rgt without any real opposition. Everything goes well as the weather is (relatively) good***.
In the mountains overlooking Chichagof Harbor, Colonel Yamasaki learns that, although he had received some reinforcements, most of the expected supplies are at the bottom of Massacre Bay or has been destroyed by the shells of the battleships... But above all, its three battalions (or what is left of them) are now sandwiched in the middle of a small icy island.
Some G4M coming from Paramushiro, taking advantage of the clearing, try a bombardment, but they are chased away by numerous P-38 and P-40 patrols. At least they were able to report to Tokyo the desperate situation in which the "Attu Occupation Force" is now. Then begins an exchange of messages between the Army and Navy staffs that are more bitter than sweet. If, on each side, it is clear who is responsible for the failure that seems inescapable (the other side, of course!), it is more difficult to formulate a plan to get out of it.

* The Kashima is a 6,300-ton ship belonging to a class of three vessels designed as school cruisers. These ships are only capable of 18 knots and are weakly armed (4 pieces of 140 mm in two double turrets, 2 pieces of 127 mm AA, 4 pieces of 25 mm, 4 torpedo tubes of 533 mm and a seaplane).
** Just before taking command of the Kashima, CF Sakae had served on the battleship Mutsu, which was capable of 27 knots.
*** Nevertheless, LV Gator will not register with the US CP, under the pretext that, in essence, weather and politics have nothing to do with each other...