The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part VII

Brainstorming and informal planning for a potential CENTAG offensive option continued on. Many of CENTAG’s war plans assumed an offensive from the army group’s region would be directed north or northwest to blunt a major Soviet attack or breakthrough on the North German Plain. An embodiment of the cavalry coming to the rescue, so to …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part VI

It was 0315 in the morning. The commander of NATO’s Central Army Group (CENTAG) General Glenn Otis, US Army, received a call at his field headquarters from Brussels. The voice on the other end was the familiar nasal, New England-accented voice belonging to SACEUR. “Glenn, I want to let you know what’s going on up …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part V Charlie

Late in the evening, General John Galvin, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) received word that the first troops from 1st Cavalry Division were over the Leine. The news invigorated SACEUR’s deputies, as well as his staff. After two and a half weeks spent playing round-the-clock defense, NATO had possession of the ball. NORTHAG’s new …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part V Bravo

The Commander-In-Chief of the Western TVD, Marshal Nikolai Ogarkov was relieved of his duties at 1600 hours, CEST. It was to be another hour before General Snetkov learned of the news. A KGB officer arrived from Western TVD’s wartime command post in Poland to personally deliver the news of Ogarkov’s removal. The officer also informed …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part V Alpha

Disorientation continued to hamper Soviet commanders into the afternoon. From the divisional level straight up to the theater commander, there was no clear picture of the situation developing along the Leine or to its west. Fragments of information made their way to headquarters and then somehow ended up either being exaggerated and passed along or, …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part IV Charlie

0705- 3rd Shock Army’s forward command post was a scene of unrelenting tumult. Enemy jamming was gradually becoming less of a problem, but the situation on the other side of the Leine remained in a state of chaos. One tank division was moving forward into the attack, seemingly blind to what was going on to …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part IV Bravo

0445-The GAZ jeep holding the hapless officer from 8th Guards Tank Division’s command staff and his driver approach Greene from the west. The sky is beginning to brighten as the vehicle slows and pulls off the B-64 roadway onto a fire trail carved into the thick forest west of the town. It comes to a …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part IV Alpha

0220- With the bulk of 1/8 Cav having arrived outside of Luthorst, the battalion commander makes the decision to push forward with what he has on hand at present. The single company and support elements bringing up the rear would just have to catch up. Sunrise would come at 0530 or thereabouts, with first light …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part III

3rd Shock Army’s commander fervently hoped this day would bring better fortunes for his army group’s forward divisions. The two tank divisions pushing towards the Weser at Hoxter had been on the verge of breaking through the Belgian forces in front of them in the later afternoon of D+17. Follow on regiments were preparing to …

The Central Front D+17 (26 July, 1987) Part II

Once all factors were taken into account, NATO forces in Germany appeared to be in far better shape than anyone could’ve expected. The Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) General John Galvin reflected on this as midnight heralded the start of the eighteenth day of the Third World War. The aggregate data compiled from hundreds of …