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

1645 Three of 2nd Brigade/2nd Armored Division’s maneuver battalions move out from west of Salzhemmendorf. The fourth remains behind to act as the brigade reserve. To the north, the bulk of the British 4th Armoured Brigade emerges from Osterwald and moves in the direction of Oldendorf and Highway 1. The mission of the two NATO …

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

1330 The situation updates soared up the Soviet’s theater command and control network. At Group Soviet Forces Germany’s (GFSG) wartime command bunker in East Germany, General Snetkov reviewed the update and grew concerned. The Hameln attack’s timeline is precise. Delays and deviations now will only cause bigger problems. The general wants to push 3rd Shock …

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

*Author’s Note: I wasn’t intending for this entry to be short but work became an issue today. Unfortunately, this means Central Front D+12 will wrap up Sunday instead of Friday as I had planned. Sorry about that, guys.     0845 The initial reports of American armor to his division’s front did not surprise the …

The Northern Flank D+12 (21 July, 1987) Part II

Heavy fighting and potentially decisive action would take place place to the north and south of Norway in the later hours of D+12 and into the next day. In the Barents Sea, Strike Fleet Atlantic was moving to kick the door to the Soviet’s backyard wide open, and in the Baltic Sea a major Soviet …

The Northern Flank D+12 (21 July, 1987) Part I

As the hours crept by and Colonel General Vladimir Arkhipov became more current with the overall situation in his new command, he found himself growing more perturbed. It was clear that his predecessor had been a blundering fool with not even a basic understanding of modern war. This lack of knowledge was responsible for the …

The Southern Flank D+12 (21 July, 1987)

D+12 was a relatively quiet day on the Southern Flank, all things being equal. An intermission of sorts, with some participants exiting the field as others prepared to make their entrance. Whereas the combat in more northern areas of the European continent was constant and ferocious, the same did not hold true for Southern Europe, …

The Western Pacific D+12 (21 July, 1987) Part II

Although the atmosphere remained tense, the Sino-Soviet frontier had quieted down notably since the previous day. In the hours of pre-dawn darkness, the movement of Chinese and Soviet armored, and motorized vehicles around the border area came to an abrupt halt, as if by mutual agreement. This was not the case of course. However, the …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+12 (21 July, 1987) Part II

I gripped the phone, inhaled deeply and crafted an acceptable response to my commander’s comment. “Well, Nikolai Vasilyevich Kalinin, today will either bring a historic victory, or forever be remembered as a day of shame for the VDV. It is now up to my men to determine which it shall be.” –Taken from VDV At …

Arabian Peninsula/Persian Gulf D+12 (21 July, 1987) Part I

Iraq became an official combatant in the Third World War at 0145 hours Arabia Standard Time when the first Iraqi munitions were fired in anger against targets in Kuwait. After nearly two weeks of speculation, and preparing, the wait was over. Republican Guard troops seized Kuwaiti outposts along the border, and established lanes through the …

Air War on the Central Front D+11 (20 July, 1987) Part III

In the last moments of twilight, 2nd ATAF’s ground attack fighters made the last sorties against the Leine bridges, and targets of opportunity in the vicinity. Post-attack reconnaissance missions brought back photographs that revealed another temporary bridge destroyed, and heavy damage to the tank regiment then in the process of crossing the river. For the …