February 7th, 1944
Šiauliai Offensive
A botched ending
Southwest of the Panther Line (Latvia and Lithuania) - After almost a week of wading in the woods and in the rain, the 4th Marines Division finally takes Ventspils and Liepāja. A long and painful journey from the east coast of the peninsula ended in the cold of a Baltic winter, in sabotaged and hostile ports.
The riflemen took a long time to reach their objectives - the fault of their isolation, in a region that the enemy had rigged with traps. It was also due to a number of guerrilla actions by local elements. But let the Latvians be reassured! The Red Army and the NKVD will not forget them, as they will not forget the Lithuanians or the Estonians!
Those concerned are fully aware of this. In fact, Courland seems deserted today... Like the Finns of Viipuri four years earlier, tens of thousands of Balts have fled, never to return. In the West, public opinion will not know much about it and in Washington, the only capital that could have done something about it (in line with past negotiations on Finland), seems to have already taken its distance*.
With their flank pressed against the Baltic, the Germans of the Memel Group quietly deploy further south, between Karklė and Vėžaičiai. On their right, the VI. ArmeeKorps (Ernst von Leyser) and the 5. SS-Panzer Wiking have passed Kelmė and are moving toward Kvėdarna. Von Leyser and Steiner are now not far from their goal... As they turn west, they pass crowds of panicking refugees, who continue along the main road to Tauragė... where the planes of Comrade Rybalchenko's 13th Air Force will not fail to find them. It is necessary to take advantage of the return of good weather!
The strafing of these miserable anti-Soviets is however not without risk - between bad encounters (rare but always possible!), breakdowns and unexpected gusts of wind, several Falcons will not return. Thus, the Yak 1 of lieutenant Ivan Baranovsky (7 victories) had to land on a frozen lake of the region - but the ice layer was thin...Baranovsky and his plane will be found only 60 years later, perfectly preserved by the clear and cold waters. The restored Yak is now prominently displayed at the Niagara Aerospace Museum in Buffalo.
Meanwhile, the 1st Army easily captures Šiauliai. Alexei Kurkin is the first - figuratively, and almost literally! - to enter the ancient Livonian city, symbol of a campaign that has now objectively failed. Here stands, an irritating sign of bourgeois nationalism, the Kryžių Kalnas: the Hill of Crosses, an eminence planted with a thousand rosaries and other religious emblems symbolizing the constant struggle of Lithuanians for their independence since the 16th century. It was a place of remembrance from 1920 to 1940.
Of course, the Soviets did not take long to clear all this junk with the bulldozer**!
To the left of Kurkin, the 4th Army also enters Panevėžys - the main crossing on the Nevėžis, now undefended. Nikolai Gusev thus takes over a city where communism has not left only good memories, between summary executions in the local sugar factory and the exile of many inhabitants to Siberia***. But this is not his problem, and his army obliquely moves towards Grinkiškis to hold the link with Kurkin, leaving the 2nd Baltic Front - and the 12th Armored Corps, which had arrived in the meantime - to ensure its left. However, he does not fear the Germans (I. AK and 1. LFD) who are already in the Šiluva woods and approaching Kelmė... However, in order to overtake them, Butkov's tanks need supplies, and gasoline is scarce - especially since other Fronts now have priority...
In the south-east, the 7th Army has just completed mopping up what remained of the 32. ID and KorpsAbteilung C.
It resumes its progression towards the south and Kupiškis, hoping to join the 1st Belorussian Front coming from Minsk. A challenge... Even if it is not the 96. ID, in Troškūnai, which is likely to hinder it! In front of Alexey Krutikov, the 15th Armored Corps (Fyodor Rudkin) is at Kupiškis. Hardly less isolated at the point than the 10th CB, further south.
Finally, Morozov's 42nd Army does not really encounter any obstacles. It takes over Svėdasai, pushing the 254. ID (Alfred Thielmann), 505. schw. Pz. Abt (Hauptmann Werner Freiherr von Beschwitz) duo further back. It threatens Utena, thus the fallback route of the 16. Armee, which nevertheless rushes to escape the trap. And it is the Landsers of the sector, reinforced by the StuG III of the 184. StuG Abt (Major Ernst Schmidt), from the reserve of the 18. Armee, who must hold the door open for him.
.........
Southeast of the Panther Line (Latvia and Lithuania) - The retreat does not in the least disorganize Christian Hansen's 16. Armee - this will disappoint some people in Moscow, but Kirill Meretskov had predicted it.
On the left flank, the II. ArmeeKorps (Paul Laux) descends at its own pace from Lašai to the Utena road, supported as it should be by the 185. StuG Abt (Major Fritz Glossner). From Obeliai, the 7th Guards Army (Nikolai Berzarin) is the only one to push. Anton Lopatin's 34th Army wastes time to bypass the multiple lakes of the Imbradas region, in order not to have to turn back... And under his nose, the Fascists march on the Daugavpils-Kaunas road without him being able to do anything about it.
The X. ArmeeKorps (Thomas-Emil von Wickede) defends Zarasai as solidly as ever, allowing the passage of the 122. ID (Gustav Hundt - in second line) but also and especially that of the 13. SS-Grenadier Kurland (Carl Friedrich von Pückler-Burghauss) and the 655. schw. PzJ. Abt (Karl-Max Freiherr von Hofenfels). The PanzerJägers must go as quickly as possible to Degučiai to help the 19. Waffen-Grenadier Brigade der SS (lettische) and to settle their score to impudent Bolsheviks infiltrated since the day before on their rear. The meeting will probably take place in the middle of the night - not ideal, especially since Hofenfels does not yet know who exactly he is going to face! On the other hand, he knows that if he fails, it will mean the encirclement of the 16. Armee - a real cataclysm for HG Nord!
It is therefore necessary to act quickly, even if it means taking risks - especially since at Daugavpils, Andrei Zigin's 39th Army has taken a firm foothold on the south bank and is preparing bridges to bring Boris Bakharov's 13th Armored Corps through. The few German delaying elements still on the spot - as courageous as insufficient, because the bank in question is practically not urbanized! - will not be able to hold out for long. The Lielā Iela (Lielā Street), which runs along the bank, is already taken. The fall of the Laukesu Iela, which overlooks the road to Silene (and which is therefore the fallback route for the defenders) is only a matter of hours.
The I. FliegerKorps (Oberst Erhart Krafft von Delmensingen) does its best to delay the inevitable. Thus, the Junkers 88 of III/KG.1 and the Heinkel 177 of IV/KG.1 will courageously strike the red communication routes. Confronted with the fighters of the 14th Air Force (I.P. Zhuravlev), and in spite of the protection of the Fw 190A of I/JG.54 Grunhertz, who claim 14 Yaks and MiGs for three Würgers, they lose six of theirs and their bombs cannot prevent the wave from passing. Further down, the Fw 190 F of II/SG.1 try to destroy the bridges in low level, without any notable result - and the flak shoots down four of them.
Further back, the 10th Mechanized Corps (N.D. Vedeneyev) enters the city without being really worried.
Finally, at Krāslava, Ivan Kirichenko's 14th BC finishes crossing and reaches Skrudaliena. The 55th Army of Vladimir Smiridov remains behind him, in Kaplava.
Operation Bagration
The Rhine Gold
Bagration North (1st Belorussian Front) - Meanwhile, the withdrawal of the former defenders of Silene accelerates. The new pressure of the 2nd Baltic Front, combined with that of the 1st Belorussian Front, encouraged them to do so. And the multiple interventions of the VVS on the battlefieldconfirm that it is more than time to evacuate this salient.
The XXIII. ArmeeKorps (Hans von Funck) and VIII. ArmeeKorps (Gustav Höhne) make a new leap back towards Zarasai (held by the 16. Armee) and Visaginas - trying not to move too far away from the main axes, because the time is not to gain time anymore but to run away! This flight towards the south is controlled but real; Hans von Funck's men, totally exhausted by nine days of uninterrupted fighting, can no longer pretend to resist... Fortunately for them, they are covered by those of the VIII. AK and, in their wake, the 20th Army continues to skate in the mud. Vladimir Kurassov also gives Silene too much effort to try to outdo his comrades from the north - so he is content to flank the 2. Armee by wading in the vicinity of Turmantas.
Further south, the 10th Armored Corps turns back after having already passed the Akusas lake and reaches Užpaliai. It is only 20 kilometers away from the 42nd Army, coming from the north. However, Alexei Popov's T-34s turn back on Zhukov's direct order, given after a very stormy discussion with his colleagues - but also, in theory, subordinates - Markian Popov and Kirill Meretskov of the Baltic Fronts.
It is true that Georgi Zhukov is a marshal and a member of the Stavka. But he is in charge of the 1st Belarussian Front, which puts him on a par with Popov and Meretskov. However, he now claims to coordinate the action of Šiauliai's forces with his own in order to consolidate for his own benefit the triumph of Bagration - while avoiding the loss of armored corps, as formerly in the Carpathians! Because the marshal is perfectly informed, thanks to the aerial reconnaissance, of what could happen to the 10th CB if it persisted towards the west. Wisdom would dictate to postpone and regroup... However, as proud as he feels he could be after two years of war, unable to delegate to his subordinates and trying to take care of the smallest detail, Zhukov cannot stand contradiction. But his "Front Commander colleagues" do not see why they should change their plans for the sake of this marshal who has no mandate from Moscow to command them!
In the face of these very uncollectivist considerations (where is the team spirit, comrades?), there lacks here an official representative of the Stavka who could have coordinated the things.
Representative that Stalin, eager to become again the only arbitrator between the Fronts, has well kept to name! It is therefore a failure. The Baltic Fronts continue according to the plan and the 1st Belarusian Front, humiliated, withdraws the 10th Armored Corps in order not to risk losing it in vain. Thus, the Red Army may have missed (but perhaps only!) the opportunity of a historic encirclement. In the evening Alexei Popov approaches Degučiain, where the SS of the Kurland and the 655. schw. PzJ. Abt are already there.
Further south, past the Pabradė marshes - which noticeably hinder the coordination of the 1st Belarussian Front - things are still going poorly for the Axis. Faced with the combined assaults of Vasiliy Kuznetsov's 63rd Army and the Oslikovsky Group, the 123. ID (Louis Tronnier) loses its footing at Krikštėnai and retreats towards Ukmergė, dragging the 253. ID (Hans Junck). Informed, Eberhard Rodt - the newly appointed commander of the XL. PanzerKorps - decides to allow his left flank to withdraw behind the Šventoji, a tributary of the Neris, which crosses the region from east to west. For him like for Kurt von der Chevallerie, leader of the 4. PzA - and for Model as well, no doubt - it is obvious that holding this part of Lithuania is no longer of any interest except to allow the 16. Armee to get out of there.
The former North Neptun has to keep the road to Kaunas open - nothing more. And the Landsers retreat under the bombs, pursued by frontovikis rejuvenated by the success, but starting to run out of energy and ammunition.
During this time, Rodt always gains time against Katukov's tanks, dispersed from Gabriliava to Žiežmariai, thanks to a succession of ambushes where the 226. StuG Abt (Major Herbert Keysler), for once at ease, despite the action of the Red Air Force. Behind them, there is Kaunas, but also the confluence of the Niemen and the Šventoji. Only 30 kilometers before the river!
.........
Bagration Center and South (2nd Belorussian Front and 1. PanzerArmee) - Flat calm at Bakšty, between the 1st Guards Army of Ivan Chistiakov and the LXXII. ArmeeKorps of Anton Grasser.
At nightfall, the Soviet sends elements in reconnaissance, guided by some Partisans. All of them come back with the same impression - the Fascists are numerous, quite well armed, but they are young. Very young, even. Which is obviously a good sign!
Another very good sign: the 3rd Guards Army of Ivan Zakharkin enters Navahrudak, while Kuzma Galitsky's 2nd Shock Army advances from Yatra towards Novajeĺnia.
Theoretically, this area is a strategic dead end - indeed, it overlooks the loops of the Niemen River, which is an impassable terrain for offensives. However, in the current configuration, we could perhaps draw some benefit from it! Because the Soviets suspect that the Fascists do not have much in front - in fact, for the moment, the only defender of this area is the 357. ID, in Bielica! Of course, it will also be necessary to silence those damn Poles - but that's for the right people to do...
For his part, Model is preparing to move his HQ back again, this time from Lida to Suwałki. He is therefore preparing to abandon the entire region (which he has kept anyway only to not panic Hitler!) and to retreat behind the Niemen to Hrodna with all his people. At the Wolf's Lair, few are fooled, and the others perspire: at the rate things are going, HG Mitte should move directly to the Wolfsschanze, it would save time! In fact, between Suwałki and Rastenburg, there are only 97 kilometers. No doubt it will soon be necessary to tell the Führer... even if, for the time being, no one dares to do so!
Indifferent to this gossip, Model nevertheless continues his titanic work - the 1. PanzerArmee of Harpe has finally passed the Shara. Good! It immediately undertakes to defend it from Masty to Ivatsevitchy, covered by Neptun South - which does not forget to blow up the bridges when leaving. The XII. ArmeeKorps (Edgar Röhricht) - which is not worth much anymore - in the north, the XXXIX. PanzerKorps (Otto Schünemann) in the south and the XLI. PanzerKorps (Hellmuth Weidling) in the center, with the 904. StuG. It is planned that this last corps will definitively join Harpe's army, to try to compensate for its losses.
Five and a half divisions and two StuG Abt, plus a river and South Neptun still in place...
That's enough to see it through, and it allows to send the 10. Panzergrenadier (August Schmidt) and the 501. schw. Pz Abt (Major Erich Löwe) further north, with the 4. PzA. Von der Chevallerie needs them much more, it is obvious. Moving towards Masty via Zelva, these units will not be there until tomorrow at best.
In the meantime, the Red Army hits the Shara. The 4th Guards and the 3rd Shock reach the Slonim crossing points, while the 1st Tank Army cautiously advances toward Čemiely, preceded by Panfilov's 7th Armored Corps and especially by the 54th and 15th Armies. The Sasnovy Bor crossroads finally fall... It is about time! Behind these forces, the rest of the 2nd Belarusian Front reorganizes and waits for the next step.
Tankist (Evgeny Bessonov)
Turnaround
"After 24 hours of driving - well, driving, that's saying a lot! - at full speed without encountering any opposition except for pink flamingos and some babushkas, our platoon suddenly received the order to turn back. Apparently, the Fascists were no longer in that direction... Andrei grumbled - from the first echelon, we were logically at the back of the formation. So, once again, with his muse in front of us."
Lvov-Kovel Offensive
The spear of Wotan
Rovne region (North of Ukraine) - The French did not make a mistake... As early as 07:30, the guns of the 3rd Ukrainian Front enter in action against the lines of the 6. Armee of Maximilian De Angelis - never quite recovered from Zitadelle, then from Kutusov.
Ivan Konev aligns four armies and three mechanized or armored corps against it... this may seem small compared to the avalanche that engulfed Belarus. But it is more than enough - and in more ways than one. First of all, the formations of the 3rd Ukrainian Front are not standard: many specific units reinforce the main axes of attack - brigades and regiments of tanks and assault guns, artillery and "special mortars", engineers and crossings... This is already a lot, because on the other side, the troops of the Wehrmacht are very tired and their reserves left towards the north. But in addition, during its redeployments, the 3rd Ukrainian Front concentrated with discretion, taking advantage of the air cover offered by the VVS: it only has to hold (or rather to push) on 70 kilometers. This, with 400,000 men and 750 tanks - more than 10 tanks and 700 men per kilometer! And we have to add the 2nd Tank Army which is waiting behind, ready to rush towards Rovne and then Lutsk as soon as the Manstein Line is breached! Routes of approach already marked out, lockers provided and full tanks, Serguei Bogdanov is impatient.
Before that, the frontovikis will however have to make a great effort - their opponents have had three months to entrench themselves; moreover, these fortifications are bordered by a "wet cut": the Horyn, on a significant part of their length. It will thus have to go by force! On the principle, this does not bother Konev more than that, he who does not hesitate to use energetic means to motivate his subordinates! His brutality is not without altering his popularity (which he does not care about) compared to his rival, Georgi Zhukov. Not that the latter is himself a paragon of humanity and gentleness - he is far from it! But his threats and insults are almost laughable, compared to the savagery of Ivan Konev, who sometimes personally beats his subordinates****! Souvenir, undoubtedly, of his period of political commissar during the civil war unlike all his colleagues, the head of the 3rd Ukrainian Front was a communist before he became a soldier.
And his troops are advancing - in force, after an energetic shelling, and with a hard-on when necessary.
Thus, on the road to Berezne, the new 65th Army of General Ivan Boldin goes along the Sluch and strikes at the junction between the XLIV. ArmeeKorps (Friedrich Köchling), which had only one and a half division - and the XVII. ArmeeKorps (Wilhelm Schneckenburger), straddling the Sluch and one of whose two divisions had no experience of the Eastern Front. The 218. ID (Viktor Lang), recently arrived from Denmark - the weather was better there! - takes the brunt of the shock and has to retreat very quickly to Mokvyn, to try to entrench itself in the wooded hills south of Berezne.
On its right, the 377. ID (Arnold Szelinski) tries to help: it leaves Holubne in the direction of Drukhiv to flank the Red. It then found itself confronted with the 7th Mechanical Corps (I.V. Tutarinov), whose mission was to prevent this kind of thing, while waiting for an operation. Szelinski can only turn back in a hurry, leaving the 218. ID to fend for itself. In the evening, there is already fighting in the suburbs of Berezne, while the 389. ID (Walter Hahm) abandons its positions in the swamps of Mykhalyn to march to the sound of the cannon and to assist its neighbor.
Twenty kilometers to the southwest, the 37th Army of Vasily Chuikov has the formidable honor of avenging the affront of last fall (the death of General Vatutin!) by finally forcing the Kostopil lock, with the support of the 19th Armored Corps (I.D. Vasilev). This time, no dispersion, let alone descent to Rovne! The axis of progression is clear: the 37th Army first goes up towards Sarny, leaving to others the task of crossing the Horyn. Under a beautiful sky full of red stars, the 37th Army faced strong opposition: two of the three divisions of the LV. ArmeeKorps (Horst Grossmann), reinforced by the StuG III of the 210. StuG Abt (Major Herbert Sichelschmidt), and in difficult terrain. Obviously, the progression will be affected - and losses too. Chuikov knows this very well - just as he knows that his role is likely to be limited, should he have to cover the flank of Boldin. And that, he is not resigned to it! He sends his first waves to the assault, after a deluge of artillery fire, without considering the losses. In doing so, he obeyed his superiors as well as the doctrine in force*****.
In the evening, the 37th Army is able to push back the 294. ID (Johannes Block) by 6 kilometers and they are between Lisopil' and Mashcha. As soon as Kostopil is overtaken, the 19th Armored Corps could finally leave from its ungrateful fire support missions in the forest to make the weight of its steel felt...
And De Angelis is not likely to send reinforcements to LV. AK from the other side of the Horyn - indeed, it is rather this sector which would need it! Also indifferent to the losses, the 5th Shock Army of Ivan Chernyakovsky attacks frontally from Mnyshyn to Shkariv, along the main Korets-Rovne road, despite the enemy fortifications. In this sector, the German defenses are... modest. The XXIX. AK (Erich Brandenberger) has only two divisions: the 62. ID and 331. ID. We were waiting for the enemy elsewhere! And then we had to hold the road to Sarny, which was not wet... In fact, one counted especially on the support of the 8. Armee of Weiß (which however had to send people to Belarus). In short, the Axis suffers - the first Russian waves too, but the Landsers have no reinforcements! In the evening, the first two lines are taken - the 62. ID (Botho von Hülsen) has already had to retreat 4 kilometers and calls for help. All that the 6. Armee can send him, it will be the 249. StuG Abt (Major Kurt Schaff). And the 152. PzJ Abt - if the staff of the Heeresgruppe is willing. In the meantime, Chernyakovsky prepares the passage of the 20th Armored Corps (Pavel Poluboiarov).
And finally, in the south of the 6. Armee front, at the end of the former Geländer des Todes, Andrei Vlassov starts again from his positions acquired so dearly last year to directly push towards Rovne, even if it means neglecting his left flank... or crossing back part of his forces, to Kolesnyky. Surprised by this unexpected action, the 331. ID (Karl-Ludwig Rhein) - to whom the 62. ID was asking for help! - loses its footing and withdraws towards Novosilky leaving to the 385. ID (thus to the 8. Armee) the task of managing the continuation. Here, obviously, things start very well for the Soviets.
.........
Region of Ternopol (south of Ukraine) - At the same time, starting from the north of Ternopol, the 1st Ukrainian Front rises to the attack. Aleksandr Vassilevsky- who theoretically still commands this formation, even if, in fact, he left the hand to Ivan Petrov for the bulk of the operational - must force a large sector of wooded hills from the Brody salient. It is logical: by doing so, the Red Army strikes where it is expected, immobilizing the bulk of the left wing of the 8. Armee, while leaving the Bagramyan's 2nd Ukrainian Front the task of bordering the right in the Zboriv region - a sector evacuated by the Axis after the defection of Romania in order to shorten the lines.
This is entirely logical - so the Ostheer is not really surprised, especially with what is the north. In addition, Walter Weiß suspects that before trying to advance towards Lvov, the Bolshevik will naturally try to widen his salient by the north, by advancing in the region of Berestetchko in order to cover his right flank. All this is true - however, there is a difference between guessing a maneuver and having the means to counter it.
The 8. Armee has only four armored divisions (three in line and one in reserve) to oppose the Soviets! And Vassilevsky knows perfectly well where they are, thanks to the meticulous reconnaissance carried out according to the instructions of a Zhukov who tried - even from Belarus! - to delay the date of Lvov-Kovel by a few hours.
So be it... From Velyka Radohoshch and the southern banks of the Viliya, Lev Skvirsky's 26th Army easily overtakes the 385. ID (Eberhard von Schuckmann) - which has other worries north with Vlassov - and the Korps Abteilung G (Hans Bergen), which regroups the remains of three divisions destroyed last year. The Russians cross the river banks and sink 6 kilometers into the plain, at the junction of the two formations until Illyashivka. In a non-decisive sector, of course, but it is a good omen.
From Shumisk, the 3rd Army (M.S. Shumilov) continuously shells the 384. ID (Hans de Salengre-Drabbe), where many blue soldiers from the Rheingold levy are killed without even having seen a Red! Then, without losing time, he sends his barges to force the passage between Rokhmaniv and Myrove. In the evening, he is already in Obych, while the 8th Mechanized Corps (V.N. Baskakov) is preparing to cross.
It is thus already certain that the IX. ArmeeKorps (Heinrich Clößner) will not get through without support. A few months earlier, Walter Weiß would have sent him reinforcements from his right. But now this is impossible - on the road to Kremenets, the 205. ID (Ernst Biehler), undermanned and only able to rely on the 223. ID (Friedrich Fangohr) to support it immediately - faces itself the 5th Guards Army (Vyacheslav Tsvetaev), which is already approaching the city, thus the banks of the Ikva, and threatens to break through all its device! And there again, as soon as the first obstacle is crossed, an armored corps is waiting (the 3rd AC, of Vasily Badanov).
Finally, it is paradoxically in the Brody area that things are going well for the Heer. Not having a strong numerical superiority, the 9th Guards Army waits for the III. PanzerKorps (Hermann Balck) - which is defending against it - to go and see elsewhere. Nikolai Pukhov is therefore content for the time being with harassment actions. Be patient, comrades...
Deaf anxiety
HG NordUkraine (Kovel), 17:30 - Despite his National Socialist views and Bavarian origins, Feldmarschall Ferdinand Schörner is no Model, let alone Manstein. However, he is not the absolute incompetent that Soviet historiography will complacently describe. It is true that the man is brutal and Nazi to the core, but he had also been in the army since 1911. He served at Caporetto. In that war, he commanded hardened mountain troops in the Balkans and then in Russia (in the Arctic). Accustomed to victories, he sensed that the affair was not looking good at all - moreover, the report of his subordinate in the 8. Armee, Walter Weiß, does not reassure him, notwithstanding the current language: "Herr GeneralFeldmarschall, the Bolsheviks have launched a strong offensive on my left flank, in the direction of Lutsk. It is probable that, at first, they hope to support the action of their forces against the 6. Armee of De Angelis, before marching towards the west and Lvov or Chervonohrad. I can repel them - but this would require clearing the Zolotchiv barrier, thus the direct route from Lvov, to the enemy. So I ask for the sending of reinforcements, or else the authorization to break contact until Dubno, the time to launch a counter-offensive from my right towards Pidkamin'."
This counter-offensive would undoubtedly be feasible, but it would mean throwing all one's reserves in a gamble that might not be decisive... What to do? Send the panzers to the left and fall into the trap of the enemy, who must be expecting it, even hoping for it? Stall for time and hope for a miracle? To retreat to Dubno? None of these solutions is good - but Schörner does not forget that he commands a group of armies.
- You must not open the road to Lutsk - De Angelis is already in trouble and I fear that he won't be able to hold on if you retreat to his right. I will ask for permission to evacuate the 3. PanzerArmee from Olevsk. As soon as this maneuver is initiated, you will withdraw in coordination with the 6. Armee, and then we will punish these dogs. In the meantime, save time. Send on your left one or two divisions of the III. PzK - the GrossDeutschland will take over on the front. But above all, do not retreat too quickly.
You have to save troops and keep the ground, to spare the goat and the cabbage, so to speak...without forgetting the Führer. An uncomfortable situation - but what else could we expect in February 1944 in the Ostheer?
- Zum Befehl. Heil Hitler!
Proletarians aviators of all countries, unite!
"The great departure is about to be given. Immobile at the foot of their planes, the pilots of the GC/52 Besançon are waiting for the order that will mean the end of the training and the beginning of serious things. They are all there: Tulasne, Albert, Risso, La Poype, Béguin, Mahé, Miquel...helmeted, booted, the map holder on the shoulder, the Russian colt "TT" (made in Tula) on the belt. The tovaritch polkovnik Schoumoff - the comrade-colonel Schumov, commander of the base, comes to address his wishes to them. Colonel Valin is also there. The moment is serious, and yet the mood has never been so cheerful.
That's it. A rocket goes up in the sky. The engines whirr. The twenty-one MiG 9s are shaking like greyhounds in their boxes. They take off. They roll over the packed snow and take off flawlessly, patrol after patrol.
It's a beautiful day. We feel good. The MiG works perfectly. No navigation to be done: a Pe-2 bomber accompanies the GC. It is only to follow it... In Russia, the winter navigation is delicate, especially when a group has to go up to the fire. It is necessary to know the front line in a very precise way, and nothing is less easy. The Soviet staff has therefore charged a Pe-2 to play the role of pilot plane. The Pe-2 is a twin-engine, three-seater bomber, double drift, fine and of delicate piloting - even for our colleagues of the GB/52. It is usually in charge of fast reconnaissance and light bombing missions in semi-diving. When it became a scout, it was called "Chturman" - the guide. All the regiments have one, their "navigator in charge". Ours, of course, is Soviet. As soon as we landed on our advanced ground near the front, the work began."
(Captain François de Geoffre, Escadron Franche-Comté/Vistule, Charles Corlet ed. 1952, reed. 1996)
* In early March 1943, Roosevelt told New York Archbishop Francis Spellman: "The peoples of Europe will simply have to get used to Soviet domination, hoping that within ten to twenty years they will be able to live peacefully with the Russians." A few days later, in Teheran, he went further by indicating directly to Stalin that "the three Baltic countries have already been part of Russia in history - including recent history - and the United States has no plans to wage war for them against the Soviet Union."
** The Soviet regime will attempt at least three times to permanently annihilate the site, never succeeded because of the multiple deposits and... plantations of religious objects carried out at night! It counts today 150,000 of these objects.
*** After the war, the Soviet authorities will undertake to make Panevėžys an important industrial center, establishing many national enterprises - which will lead to the destruction of a large part of the historic center dating back to the 16th century. Only strong protests will prevent a total destruction!
**** Mikhail Gromov, who worked with Konev for a time on aviation issues, said of him: "I respect Konev. But he is rude and brutal like an axe. He can hit you with a stick and then quickly calm down and sometimes even admit he was wrong. How many times has he cursed to bake me in the oven!" Regarding this case of beating with a stick, Alexander Golovanov (also from the VVS), will tell: "When I told him about it, he told me that it was better for this man to be hit in the face than to be transferred to the court, because there they would have shot him!"
***** "The key to success for the 1944 offensive was speed. If the right tempo was not imposed from the start, the Germans would not be destabilized and forced into an increasingly uncomfortable position of simple reaction. The fight would then risk to become a simple battle of attrition, like Suvorov or Kutusov the previous year. The losses would be heavy and the result not decisive. It was therefore more logical for the leaders that the first echelons undergo, if necessary, very heavy losses to guarantee an early breakthrough, so that the operating forces could then ensure the destruction of the enemy by rapid, inexpensive, and above all, decisive maneuvers." (C.J. Dick, From Defeat to Victory: the Eastern Front, Winter 1944 - Kansas Universitary Press, 2016).
