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What if in 1943, immediately after Kursk is called off and Sicily being invaded, the Germans withdraw to the Dnieper river line.

This is done in two stages.

1) the 17th army is withdrawn from the Kuban and the Crimea leaving only a small force to hold the Perekop isthmus, while the rest of the army spreads out and holds the river line waiting for the rest of the army to cross (and building defensive works).

2) After #1 is done, then the rest of the southern armies (Mainstein and Kliest's army groups) retreats behind the Dnieper (including the southern part) with the free 17th army holding the line and keeping the Soviets from crossing the river before the Germans can spread out behind.

Hitler would insist on the Nikopol and Zaporizhia bridgheads on the east bank held for economic reasons, but here the Germans aren't trying to maintain the Crimea and the defensive line follows the river to the Black sea.

Doing the above in this TL allows the Germans to withdraw behind the line without the Soviets being able to cross in several places during the retreat like they did OTL.

Its a wide river, 700 meters wide, would a successful withdraw allow the Germans to maintain the river line indefinitely (until lets say July 1944), avoiding the serious losses, August 43 through the Korsun pocket battle???

What would the benefits to German be of holding on to the Krivi Rog and Nikopol mines and Romanian oil for a few months longer??
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