“My Führer, I can tell you that in one word—Volkov.”
“Volkov? What did he have to do with this?”
“His offensive across the Volga north of the city has been stalled for some time, because the Soviets poured massive reinforcements into that sector. In one sense this was helpful for us, as those were troops that might have otherwise gone to the battle for Moscow. Yet now, Volkov’s position west of the Volga has collapsed. He gave the order to withdraw east of the river two weeks ago, and this has changed everything. I sent reports to this effect at that time. Were they heeded?”
“Halder has turned this entire headquarters into a shambles!” Hitler fumed. “I was not aware of this development until it was too late.”
“Well that is the reason the enemy has fresh, well tested troops to make this attack in the Kursk sector. Once Volkov withdrew, the defense on the Volga could be managed by a single army posting good divisions on the few available crossing points along the river. This left the bulk of the troops, possibly three or four field armies, free to be moves west to Kursk. Halder informed me there was a new enemy offensive underway there, but I was not aware of its extent.”
Hitler shook his head, his anger barely contained. “Under the circumstances, your big offensive in the south will have to be postponed. I will need your mobile troops and the new Panzer Brigades, to deal with this Kursk situation. Can you move them?”
Manstein studied the map. “My Führer, realizing the gravity of the situation, and knowing that you would take immediate steps to salvage it, I have already taken the liberty of withdrawing 14th Panzer Korps from the snout of the Wolf’s head, here. I am moving them west, back through Valyuki to Belgorod. As for the SS Korps, it is only now being relieved by newly arriving infantry. We have the enemy well contained on the Crimean peninsula. They are holed up in Sevastopol, and have no offensive capability there. So I took the liberty of sending the Italians there to relieve 17th Army. Those infantry divisions are well rested, and they can take over positions in the Wolf’s Head while I move the SS west to deal with this Kursk offensive. Once we restore the front there, then we can meet to plan how best to undo the enemy gains in the north. In the meantime, who has taken charge of 2nd Panzer Armee if Guderian was recalled?”
“I am managing that personally.”
“My Führer, as you will have much to do in the vicinity of Smolensk, may I suggest that Model take command in Guderian’s place?”
“Model? He is just a division commander.”
“I know the man. He has a particular genius for defensive operations like this. If you give him the latitude he needs for a flexible defense, rest assured, that that segment of the front will be rendered secure. Then we can focus on Smolensk. That city is vital. The Russians are attempting to cut the lines of communication back through Minsk, and this will take some smart generalship to undo. I will coordinate with Model in the east, and let us see what kind of pressure we can bring to bear. This may help relieve the situation around Smolensk. In the meantime, you will need a good man on the scene there to see that your orders are properly carried out. I recommend Rundstedt, but my Führer, you must allow him to make adjustments to the front lines to secure a proper defensive front again.”
“If you mean withdrawals, then I will have no patience with such a strategy.” Hitler folded his arms, his dark eyes smoldering.
“Tactical withdrawals may be necessary in certain circumstances,” said Manstein. “A blanket stand fast order ignores the situation on the ground, and communication to this headquarters may be spotty at best. We may think a division is securely in place, when it fact it may have its flank or rear areas exposed.”
“Then they should adopt an all around defense. The ground must be held. We have fought for it too long, and at great cost.”
“Mere terrain,” said Manstein dismissively. “There will be segments of that ground that are of no use to us. Look here, this sector being held by three valuable infantry Korps is one good example. See how the Soviets are attempting to encircle it? Note the lack of good roads into that area and then realize supplying those troops will be damn near impossible. Yet if those valuable infantry divisions were here,” Manstein pointed to the vital road from Smolensk to Orsha further west. “Then they would be well concentrated, and possibly capable of counteroffensive operations that will be impossible to contemplate where they are posted now. This is smart generalship.”
Manstein pulled off his gloves, then decided to reinforce his advice with flattery. “I am certain you would have seen this if properly informed of the situation on the ground. You would have ordered those troops to this vital road sector at all costs. Look how this Soviet push down from Vitsyebsk is so desperately reaching for that area as an objective. We must not allow them to occupy that ground. However… this position just southwest of Vitsyebsk should be held—not one backward step! We will need it later when we retake that city and pocket all these enemy forces west of Smolensk. As for this last pincer west of Orsha, it was meant merely to cut the rail lines coming up from Minsk and Vilnus. It is not a serious threat, and Armee Group North should be able to deal with it.”
Manstein’s manner, a calm deliberation that exuded confidence, impressed Hitler. While the entire center of German operations had been flung into disorder and distress, Manstein’s southern front was still secure, and so much so that all its mobile units could now be moved to stop the enemy offensive from Kursk. He had just pointed out things in the long sinuous front lines that Hitler’s mind had never even seen, let alone understood. His casual remark about the recapture of Vitsyebsk hinted at plans and strategies already hatching in his mind to restore the situation. It made Hitler feel as though the disaster he had been facing was now salvageable, and gave him some heart.
“Very well,” he said. “I will see that the orders go out to move those troops as you advise.”
“Excellent,” said Manstein. “With your permission, I will return to the front and get to work! Remember—Model and Rundstedt. They are your eyes and ears on the ground. Rely on them. They will not let you down.”
Chapter 6
The man who would now take command of 2nd Panzer Armee would become a whirlwind of dynamic energy on the field to replace the lassitude that had fallen on Guderian in those final terrible months in the snow. Model now began establishing his new line of strongpoints behind the river, and then he slowly pulled units out to build mobile kampfgruppes behind that line, also sending equipment and vehicles into certain units to begin building at least one or two divisions up to full strength. He had his shield well in hand, but now he needed a sword.
By the time Manstein returned to organize his counterattack the winter was slowly thawing into late March, though temperatures were still very cold, and the ground remained firm. He had selected the key road and rail hub at Belgorod north of Kharkov to form up his legions, with the 14th Panzer Korps north of that city, and his SS Korps to the northwest. Further west, the big second offensive launched from Kursk had already pushed outliers some 200 kilometers to the southwest. These were mostly small, fast moving cavalry, recon, and light tank units, probing forward on a wide front. Fighting continued well behind them, where the main attack had enveloped and swarmed around the unlucky 42nd Infantry Korps under General Kuntze near Oboyan. He was seeing his three divisions systematically destroyed, regiment by regiment being isolated and then stormed by continuous waves of Red infantry supported by tanks.