AAR: Operation Barbarossa-Fortress Europa(no Massina please)
Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2010 8:33 pm
Blueprints for Victory
The sound of the long black boots were echoing all around the hall, which each steps taken by the gray-clad general walking on the wooden floor of the big mansion. The walls were full of large painting depicting several heroes of germany's past. At regular interval, german army soldiers were stationned along the wall, and as the general made his aprpoach, they all saluted with a Heil Hitler, adding th the echo in the big hall.
War had just broken out with the damned western allies just a week before. The german surged forward in Poland, and casualities had been heavy, and because of the general's plan. It had already taken all His little change to convince Adolf hitler of his plan, because OKH had been vehemently against it...So much, in fact that he was when his arguments became irritating to his superiors for changing the plan, he was honourably pushed out of the way by promotion to command a reserve corps of infantry. But history would not have it... Chance made it so than he got a chance to sit down right next to the Fuhrer in a diner by mid august. By now it was too late to have a perfect troop placement because the OKH had placed its assets in and around the polish border, but in a bold discussion with Hitler he was able to convince him of his way...
His "blueprint for victory" has he had called it, was complicated, but simple in its overall grand scheme. Overwhelm the western allies before they would have time to understand what happened to them. After a long, long night at hitler's side, over maps, figures, ratios of the german Army and most especially grand strategy, he was able to convince the fuhrer: They would agressivly pursue a decisive conclusion in the west right from the start putting Poland on the scene.
Phase 1: Destroy Belgium rapidly, and drive thru France as early as possible, Paris needing to fall before end of december.
Phase 2: Land and decisivly destroy british Power in europe thru the occupation of Britain, while driving thru Vichy France and Spain to achieve its surrender and subsquently occupy Gibraltar.
Phase 3: (optional): If ressources permit, launch a major offensive in Africa with a combined germano-italien force.
Phase 4: Land preparations for Barbarossa
Phase 5: Launch a decisive Barbarossa while building a major naval force
Phase 6: Occupy Moscow and establish a défensive Line running up from Rostov all the way to Leningrad and resist any russians attempts to reclaim their capital, while running a major naval battle.
Lost in his thoughts, he stopped in front of 2 black-clad SS guard. He made a head gesture and the 2 soldiers opened the door, giving way to a grandiose room, with a large window on the right, a big wooden table in the center, and in the back, a large and impressive fireplace where a raging fire was going on. His back on Manstein, hands held behind his back and looking at the fire was Adolf Hitler. Manstein had heard the reports of an infuriated Hitler on the subject of casualities in Poland... Removing all air cover for the campaign had been, indeed, a very bold stroke maybee for the west, but one that was not kindly received by the likes of Guderian and others, busy campaining in the east of the Oder. The polish force, un-hindered by air bombers and fighters had been rock solid in their defense of the country...
Berghoff meeting room between Hitlers and Anstein in 1939
The grand strategist thought for a moment that if only most of his colleagues could see farther than their own little noses, all would be good...
Hitler turned around and look with his always trouncing gaze, right to the back of Manstein head, it seemed. Ah! Herr MAnstein! What of the preparations in the West? The general was surprised about the dictator's reaction, since he had heard Hitler's reaction to casualities reports... As he would write in his memoirs in 1955 after his release from prison, " Hitler had a total disreguard for german life in the indidivual form of a Soldier (...) All troops were considered expandable for the great reich" (...)
Germans advance tthru the polish countryside
So there it was: Hitler was did not summon him to talk about casualities, but about the unflding of the plan in the west. He made a large gesture with his hand toward the big table where many maps seemed to lay and started toward it. Manstein followed suit. They both put their hands on the table with arms outstreched and started talking about the units placement.
" So, herr general", Hitler said condifently, "Luftflotte 1 and 2 are ready and positionend as well as all BF109 moved to their designated locations... As you requested 1st Panzerdivision, 1st Motirized and 4 INF corps are also ready to jump on the belgians". The dictator ended the last word and looked up to Manstein, expecting something. Manstein decided that he wanted simply to talk over the matter: " Yes, mein Fuhrer, all is ready and i am happy to say thatw e should make shortwork of Belgium, thus enabling the german army to compltly surprise the french, since probably most of the troops are not even up to their wartime positions..."
And the discussion, again, lasted till the early hours of the morning. The next day, the german troops would launch themselves in the war to end german humiliation from the Versailles treaty.
Polish forces resisting galliantly, every village has to be cleared up
Machine gun taking position to obliterate some polish
The sound of the long black boots were echoing all around the hall, which each steps taken by the gray-clad general walking on the wooden floor of the big mansion. The walls were full of large painting depicting several heroes of germany's past. At regular interval, german army soldiers were stationned along the wall, and as the general made his aprpoach, they all saluted with a Heil Hitler, adding th the echo in the big hall.
War had just broken out with the damned western allies just a week before. The german surged forward in Poland, and casualities had been heavy, and because of the general's plan. It had already taken all His little change to convince Adolf hitler of his plan, because OKH had been vehemently against it...So much, in fact that he was when his arguments became irritating to his superiors for changing the plan, he was honourably pushed out of the way by promotion to command a reserve corps of infantry. But history would not have it... Chance made it so than he got a chance to sit down right next to the Fuhrer in a diner by mid august. By now it was too late to have a perfect troop placement because the OKH had placed its assets in and around the polish border, but in a bold discussion with Hitler he was able to convince him of his way...
His "blueprint for victory" has he had called it, was complicated, but simple in its overall grand scheme. Overwhelm the western allies before they would have time to understand what happened to them. After a long, long night at hitler's side, over maps, figures, ratios of the german Army and most especially grand strategy, he was able to convince the fuhrer: They would agressivly pursue a decisive conclusion in the west right from the start putting Poland on the scene.
Phase 1: Destroy Belgium rapidly, and drive thru France as early as possible, Paris needing to fall before end of december.
Phase 2: Land and decisivly destroy british Power in europe thru the occupation of Britain, while driving thru Vichy France and Spain to achieve its surrender and subsquently occupy Gibraltar.
Phase 3: (optional): If ressources permit, launch a major offensive in Africa with a combined germano-italien force.
Phase 4: Land preparations for Barbarossa
Phase 5: Launch a decisive Barbarossa while building a major naval force
Phase 6: Occupy Moscow and establish a défensive Line running up from Rostov all the way to Leningrad and resist any russians attempts to reclaim their capital, while running a major naval battle.
Lost in his thoughts, he stopped in front of 2 black-clad SS guard. He made a head gesture and the 2 soldiers opened the door, giving way to a grandiose room, with a large window on the right, a big wooden table in the center, and in the back, a large and impressive fireplace where a raging fire was going on. His back on Manstein, hands held behind his back and looking at the fire was Adolf Hitler. Manstein had heard the reports of an infuriated Hitler on the subject of casualities in Poland... Removing all air cover for the campaign had been, indeed, a very bold stroke maybee for the west, but one that was not kindly received by the likes of Guderian and others, busy campaining in the east of the Oder. The polish force, un-hindered by air bombers and fighters had been rock solid in their defense of the country...
Berghoff meeting room between Hitlers and Anstein in 1939
The grand strategist thought for a moment that if only most of his colleagues could see farther than their own little noses, all would be good...
Hitler turned around and look with his always trouncing gaze, right to the back of Manstein head, it seemed. Ah! Herr MAnstein! What of the preparations in the West? The general was surprised about the dictator's reaction, since he had heard Hitler's reaction to casualities reports... As he would write in his memoirs in 1955 after his release from prison, " Hitler had a total disreguard for german life in the indidivual form of a Soldier (...) All troops were considered expandable for the great reich" (...)
Germans advance tthru the polish countryside
So there it was: Hitler was did not summon him to talk about casualities, but about the unflding of the plan in the west. He made a large gesture with his hand toward the big table where many maps seemed to lay and started toward it. Manstein followed suit. They both put their hands on the table with arms outstreched and started talking about the units placement.
" So, herr general", Hitler said condifently, "Luftflotte 1 and 2 are ready and positionend as well as all BF109 moved to their designated locations... As you requested 1st Panzerdivision, 1st Motirized and 4 INF corps are also ready to jump on the belgians". The dictator ended the last word and looked up to Manstein, expecting something. Manstein decided that he wanted simply to talk over the matter: " Yes, mein Fuhrer, all is ready and i am happy to say thatw e should make shortwork of Belgium, thus enabling the german army to compltly surprise the french, since probably most of the troops are not even up to their wartime positions..."
And the discussion, again, lasted till the early hours of the morning. The next day, the german troops would launch themselves in the war to end german humiliation from the Versailles treaty.
Polish forces resisting galliantly, every village has to be cleared up
Machine gun taking position to obliterate some polish
