In spite of all this, the Christmas pause was short lived. The Soviets waited out most of the day, the men eating deliveries of special rations, but the fuel trucks were still working overtime. Then, as midnight approached, Zhukov ordered the attack to resume. Just to irritate his enemy further, he also ordered a small spoiling attack at Moscow, where the Germans had sat on their side of the burned out city all summer, that portion of the front completely static.
The Soviets took Oboyan north of Prokhorovka, though 13th Panzer was still counterattacking in a desperate attempt to hold. West of that town, a hole had developed, and Steiner could not ignore it. He had the Brandenburgers on the trains just west of Belgorod, and the Russians were getting too close. He could not allow them to plow into those trains and interfere with that division’s assembly operation. So, with 1st and 2nd SS divisions formed up and ready, he turned them loose. It was not the backhand blow that Manstein had suggested, not the sly uppercut aimed at Kursk from within the neck that fed Model’s pocket. Instead he was going to punch the Russians right on the nose of that northern pincer, and bring it to a complete halt.
He could do that, but this bear had two massive clawed paws, and the situation on the Oskol River, which had been stable for the last five days, suddenly exploded. It had taken Rokossovsky all that time to sort out the massive mess of his crossing sites on the Don south of Voronezh, and get bridging equipment up. Now his troops surged over The Oskol River, swarming around the one rock in their path, the Nordland Regiment of the Wiking Division. Some units then moved due west towards Prokhorovka, others northwest towards Kursk.
If Steiner had deployed as Manstein wanted, they would have run right into three SS Panzer Divisions, but that had not happened. The massive buildup of troops from the southern pincer now began flowing over the Oskol River like water over a dam, from Valuyki in the south, as far north as Stary Oskol, where the Soviet 234th Rifle Division had already cut the rail line behind Model’s headquarters. The Wiking Division, with the Reichsführer Brigade had been relying on that river obstacle, and they could in no way hold such an extended front. The Nordland Regiment was cut off from the rest of the division, and began falling back, but to the northwest. Even Gille’s HQ was under attack, and had to retreat south away from Novy Oskol.
Behind the scenes, Manstein had been busy arranging trainloads of fuel, ammunition, food, spare parts and other supplies. There wasn’t a great deal to be had, but perhaps enough for ten days offensive, a nice spoiling attack. The problem now would be extricating Steiner’s Korps from that steamrolling Soviet advance. The Russians had already kicked in the back door behind Model, and they were in the house. It was clear to Manstein that 2nd Panzerarmee should be immediately with drawn, and become an attacking force as it moved towards the neck the Germans were holding open to Stary Oskol. He had to convince Hitler to allow this.
When he arrived at OKW, the mood there was somber. Halder gave him a look that spoke volumes. “Here you come again,” he said in a low voice. “But not this time, Manstein. Not this time. The Führer is in no mood to hear the word withdrawal. He ranted over what Kesselring did in Algeria for a week. Now you propose we abandon Voronezh?”
“We will lose it, one way or another. I am simply proposing we do not lose Model’s 2nd Panzerarmee along with it.”
Hitler heard that, turning to see the general, but with a sour expression this time. “Come to find more reinforcements?” he said darkly. “Well do not ask. The divisions we have moved to the north front will remain where they are.”
“Why?” said Manstein. “Are we planning to go to Leningrad tomorrow?”
“Why? Ask Halder why! I am told all the trains are in the south. I am told you have pulled the Brandenburg Division out of Volgograd. Who gave permission for that?”
“Being the theater commander appointed to Armeegruppe South,” said Manstein, “I need no permission. The division was needed elsewhere. Volgograd can wait. This was a wise redeployment.”
“Yes, Volgograd can wait. It should have been taken months ago! In fact, I recall that both you and Steiner promised it to me for Christmas. Well, Herr General, there was nothing under my tree this year. In fact, Sergei Kirov and his Generals have taken Tula. They have taken Orel, and now they have taken Kursk for good measure. They are also attacking at Moscow, though thank god the troops there know how to obey orders. They have held the city as I demanded, and I know exactly what you will say next. You want Model to give up Voronezh.”
“That would be wise at this juncture,” said Manstein. “Three days from now, it may not matter. The Russians will have closed the neck of that pocket, and Model will be completely cut off.”
“You have moved Steiner’s entire Korps there! What are they doing?” Hitler was now just a few degrees below the boiling point.
“He is already counterattacking, but against the northern pincer.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“There are two pincers involved, and they are very near meeting one another. Model should withdraw immediately.”
“Withdraw! Withdraw! That is all my Generals tell me whenever it snows. I will have the head of the next man who speaks that word to me!”
Now Manstein narrowed his eyes. “My Führer,” he said, stepping closer. “You may have my head any time you like, but while it remains on my shoulders, kindly allow me to use it!”
He put just a touch of anger there himself. They were words Manstein had spoken to Hitler in Fedorov’s history, during the great crisis and tragedy that had been Stalingrad. Now he spoke them here, instinctively knowing that the loss of Model’s troops would be a devastating blow to the army, and one that it would have great difficulty recovering from. Now he questioned the wisdom of even coming here to seek Hitler’s permission at all, thinking it might have been better to simply confront him with a fait accompli, ordering Model out himself. But that Army was under Rundstedt’s Armeegruppe Center, and he had no real authority there. All he could do now was make the best argument possible.
“Model is reporting the enemy has crossed the upper Oskol in force,” he said, mastering his temper. “They have cut the rail line to Prokhorovka and Kharkov. If we want to save that army, we must do so immediately. So yes, I advise he give up that useless position at Voronezh, and form a shock group here, right at Stary Oskol. He still has fuel and supplies to push southwest, and Steiner can attack up that same corridor. The two forces can link up in a few days. That army can still be saved, which would then put it in a perfect position to block the enemy advance on Kharkov, which is, after all, the final objective of their offensive.”
“And what about all these enemy divisions?” Hitler waved at the red lines drawn around Model’s Army. “They will all be free to operate against us.”
“They are mostly slow moving infantry divisions—too slow to pose a threat for weeks. All of their fast mobile divisions are already well to the southwest of the pocket, striving mightily to meet one another and finish that phase of their operations. Then they will lock arms, and go for Kharkov, shoulder to shoulder—unless we interpose Model’s Army between them, and do that now.”
“No!” Hitler flared again. “There will be no withdrawal from Voronezh! I forbid that! Look around you. Do you see von Rundstedt here? No, because he is at his position on the front obeying my orders. That is where you should be, not here, trying to stir more honey into my tea as before. Go! Leave at once. I order Steiner to counterattack, but Model stays right where he is.”