The Central Front D+12 (21 July, 1987) Part I

As the thirteenth day of World War III came to life, SACEUR sat in his office pouring over maps of the Federal Republic and reflected on the progress of the war in Germany. Thick red blotches denoted West German territory now held by the enemy, and red arrows of varying sizes showed the direction, and strength of numerous Soviet and Warsaw Pact advances. The Soviets controlled a respectable slice of West Germany from the Danish border in the north to the small town of Pförring in the south. The deepest penetration was about 103 kilometers to date. This was the advance moving towards the Weser in the NORTHAG area. Penetrations in the central and southern regions were considerably less. Many of the centuries-old grand cities in West Germany were feeling the direct effects of the war. Hamburg, although declared a free city early in the fighting, had been entered and occupied by Soviet troops. Hanover was threatened. Regensburg, and its imposing Classical buildings suffered heavy damage through days of fighting and was now under the control of Czech forces.

As grim as the tally of occupied territory and cities might seem, it was not an accurate interpretation of the present situation on the ground for NATO. The alliance’s land and air forces were holding up well given the circumstances. In some areas they were exceeding expectations. By this point of the war, according to many of the pre-war studies done over the last ten years, either the Soviets would be across the Rhine, or Germany would be a radioactive parking lot. Had this war kicked off a decade earlier, SACEUR was certain that one of those two scenarios would’ve become reality.

1977 was a point in time when the US Army was just beginning to dust itself off from the Vietnam experience and take a long, hard look at what needed to be accomplished to assure victory in Europe if the Soviets ever jumped across the fence. Innovative doctrines were created, and put into practice, desperately needed advanced weapons systems were ordered, and then in 1981 the Reagan buildup helped the US military find itself again and concentrate on fighting, and defeating the Soviet Union in a future war. After Reagan’s inauguration, America’s NATO allies began their own rearming programs that, to varying extents, improved readiness, and capabilities.

When war started on 9 July, 1987 none of these rearming programs had been fully completed. NATO was forced to go to war with the forces it had on hand, not the ones it would’ve liked to have. Yet the amount of reforms, and rearming was enough to keep SACEUR’s army groups, and tactical air forces performing at a high level. The war was far from over, SACEUR believed, but he was in as good a position now as he could hope for.

All attention remained fixed on the NORTHAG region. North of Hanover, the Dutch and West Germans were holding. The Soviet attempt to break through, envelop Hanover from the north and reach the Weser from there had obviously failed. It did not appear as if SACEUR’s Soviet counterpart was going to waste any of his reinforcing divisions north of Hanover. At least for the moment.

Southwest of the city, along the banks of the Weser was where the fate of Germany, and likely the entire NATO alliance would be decided. If the Soviets managed to breakthrough NATO forces there and cross the river, their follow-on divisions would be positioned to race for the Ruhr Valley, and the Rhine with little in their path to stop them. Eventually, any thrust could be defeated, but not before the damage was done. The West German government might very well decide enough is enough if Soviet tanks began laying waste to its industrial heartland, and then arrived at the banks of the Rhine. Even Helmut Kohl, as ardent an anti-communist as there was, probably would not be able to withstand the tide of calls for a ceasefire. His government would collapse, and the Federal Republic’s new leaders would most likely sue for peace.

It fell to SACEUR to prevent this nightmare scenario from happening. The American general had a plan for this, but it all depended upon his Northern Army Group’s ability to keep the Soviets away from the Weser for at least forty-eight hours. Given the NORTHAG commander’s reluctance to defend forward of the river, SACEUR was concerned he may not get the time he needed. Sir Martin (General Martin Farndale, BAOR, and NORTHAG commanding general) was a highly capable commander who’d proven his mettle many times in the past twelve days. Unfortunately, the dynamic of the war was changing, and Farndale was proving reluctant to change with it. He was too good of a commander to relieve less than 24 hours away from what could be the pivotal battle of the war. But Farndale was going to need some help whether he realized it or not.

SACEUR and the commander of III Corps were prepared to provide this help when the time came. Whether Farndale wanted it or not.