The Central Front D+20 (29 July, 1987) Part I

General John Galvin, Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, had so far enjoyed a good war. This statement can assumably be misconstrued as trite or highly offensive by an outsider. But for many senior NATO officers who served in Europe during the mid to late 1970s, the veracity of the assessment is beyond reproach. If this …

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+11 (20 July, 1987) Part I

NATO forces had been chased across the Leine completely. Soviet tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and troops were pressed up against the eastern bank of the river. The 56th Guards Motor Rifle Division was spread at Brüggen, Alfeld, and Freden. The division’s engineering battalion had been savaged by an air attack on its assembly area the …