1944-45 Hitlers last Gamble among Gambles

Discussions on High Command, strategy and the Armed Forces (Wehrmacht) in general.
Post Reply
PassandReviewofWW2
Member
Posts: 1248
Joined: 09 Aug 2016, 20:24
Location: Europe

1944-45 Hitlers last Gamble among Gambles

#1

Post by PassandReviewofWW2 » 24 Apr 2017, 18:34

Ref Source History German Heavy anti tank unit 653 Karl Heintz Munch

PassandReviewofWW2
Member
Posts: 1248
Joined: 09 Aug 2016, 20:24
Location: Europe

Re: 1944-45 Hitlers last Gamble among Gambles

#2

Post by PassandReviewofWW2 » 24 Apr 2017, 19:02

Hitlers 1944 Ardennes Offensive is refereed to as Hitlers last Gamble in the West.

During the Ardennes Offensive U S Forces such as General Pattons 3rd Army had to be shifted North toward Bastogne.

U S Commanders in the South estimeated that Combat Division in the South had already been shifted North for the Offensive, and that the Germans must be spread thin in the Area of Metz down to Swiss Border and that now was the time to to press the advance for a decisive breakthrough across the Rhine and into Germany.
General Eisenhower was not convinced , and did not want to take such risks, ordering Commanders in the South to hold in place.

At this time Hitler was also looking over the Map and deduced that U S and Allied Forces were Spread Thin in the Colmar Area, and after some discussion ordered planning for a number of subsidiary Offensives once the Advance in the Ardennes began to slow. These subsidiary Offensives would cut off U S Allied Forces to the North or South as the Situation Developed.

Operation Nordwind would be one of these Operations in the South, Col Hans Von Luck of the 21st Panzer Div reported the arrival of 74 New Panthers and Makr IV Panzers, and noted that there were no trained crews available, and that ad hoc crews had to be trained from troops at hand. In Concert with Operation Nordwind, Operation Solstice, Operation Dentist as well as other actions would commence during January 1945 with significant Armor/Assault Guns to spare.
To Oversee these Operations Himmler had complete authority to issue or countermand any action by Army Officers, and to that end SS Commanders with little or no experience began taking Command in the Field.

This over lapping Command Arrangement resulted in a lack of cooperation , as Units attacked individually in some areas while others stood idle.

During the Actions , the formation of the Heavy German Anti Tank Unit 653 Battalion was being implemented under Hitlers Orders, the Battalion authorized establishment was approx 41 J Tigers per Battalion, with its own complement of Infantry following in Halftracks or Trucks. The Battalion consisted of Approx 700 Enlisted with 247 NCO 19 Officers. 8-12 Flak Wagons either Ostwind or Wirbel wind

At one time the Battalion Strength mustered almost 35 J Tigers that under Hitlers orders were then parceled out across the Front to act as Blocking Units and Heavy Assault Guns , in either Platoon 3-4 J Tigers or Compant 7-12 J Tigers Strength. During Road Marches to assemble areas J Tigers suffered from Mechanical Problems of one type or another for all J Tigers.

In action the Heavy J Tigers could inflict heavy damage were to slow to maneuver against fast moving U S Allied Infantry, and Ground attack Aircraft


Post Reply

Return to “German Strategy & General German Military Discussion”