The Northern Flank D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part II

Soviet ambassador to Finland Vladimir Sobolev had hoped to conduct the meeting with Finnish President Mauno Koivisto earlier in the morning. The Finns had been insistent on 10 AM, however. Reluctantly, Sobolev conceded the matter with Moscow’s blessing. He arrived at the Presidential Palace and was escorted to Koivisto’s office, still uncertain what the end …

The Northern Flank D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part I

Author’s Note: I originally intended to post the Baltic Approaches D+3 Part III this morning and then learned that I left it on a flash drive back in my Washington office. I’ll catch up with that later next week. In the meantime, the Northern Flank beckons. 😊 At 0300 hours local time on D+3 the …

Baltic Approaches D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part II

The 174th Panzer Battalion succeeded in holding the Soviet 80th tank regiment long enough for the remainder of its parent brigade to disengage and fall back in good order through friendly lines. The 174th then followed suit, and the battle was finally handed off to the 16th Panzergrenadier Brigade. The fighting that ran through the …

Baltic Approaches D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part I

Colonel-General Ivan Korbutov was the Northern Group of Forces (NGF) commander. He had assumed command of operations in Schleswig-Holstein when the 2nd Guards Tank Army handed off operations in this sector to the NGF, and attached Polish forces. His command now consisted of the 6th Guards Motor Rifle Division (MRD) 20th Tank Division (TD) group …

The Central Front D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part III

Supply, fuel, and munition expenditures were also on SACEUR’s mind as D+3 progressed. Like his land commanders, General Galvin was keenly aware that NATO ground and air forces were burning through everything from tank rounds, to spare parts at a brisk clip. Fortunately, NATO war stocks contained enough munitions and material for ten days of  …

The Central Front D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part II

Conditions in the CENTAG area were favorable to NATO forces for much of D+3. Enemy pressure against the West German III Corps and US V Corps diminished by the early afternoon hours. Meanwhile, in Bavaria, US VII Corps was contending with probing attacks launched by East German motor rifle divisions while the West German II …

The Central Front D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part I

General Snetkov had stretched the truth when he informed Ligachev that his northern army groups had identified weak points in NATO lines. They hadn’t --yet. Snetkov was determined to make sure that changed in the next twenty four hours, however. Upon returning to his headquarters, the general issued orders to 2nd Guards Tank Army and …

Air War on the Central Front D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part II

As the day progressed the level of enemy air activity remained low in comparison to what it had been in the opening days of the fighting. It was becoming evident the Soviet and Warsaw Pact air forces in Eastern Europe were on the doorstep of a reconsolidation period. Mid-morning Intelligence reports making their way to …

Air War on the Central Front: D+3 (12 July, 1987)

In the early morning hours of D+3, General Bill Kirk, USAF reflected on the progress of the air war on the Central Front thus far. The four star general wore two hats, serving as Commander in Chief, U.S. Air Forces in Europe/Commander, Allied Air Forces Central Europe. Like a good number of his NATO and …

A Meeting Outside of Berlin D+3 (12 July, 1987) Part II

Word of the request for chemical weapons release by 8th Guards Army’s commander arrived at the Kremlin during a strained meeting of the Politburo. The slow progress in Germany, coupled with setbacks in other theaters had been starting to fray the nerves of some Politburo members. News that an army group commander had already requesting …