Preparations for the Invasion of the Soviet Union
With intelligence reports indicating a Soviet army of over 450 divisions, most of them on or near our border, it was essential that we prepared a pre-emptive strike, as if the Russians struck first, while we would likely be able to hold their offensive, it would mean that Russian aircraft were within flying distance of important industries, and the oil fields at Piloesti and Lake Balaton. Therefore, it was imperative that we destroyed as much of the Red Army as possible at the border, before pushing the frontline back far enough that Soviet aircraft could not fly over our land, and no Soviet offensive could reach our precious cities in one bound.
With the alleged size of the Red Army, it is likely that through sheer mass they will be able to keep our forces out of Major cities and well at arms length from Moscow and Leningrad; our target from our first series of offensives will ideally to clear the Russians out up to the line of the Dnieper. Of course, if the situation allows, we will push further. The beginning of the offensive is scheduled to start on the morning of July 5th, and we shall be victorious.
Down in the Balkans, some friendly Croats agree to help us police Yugoslavia in return for a state of their own.
Now, the first section of our offensive is to push a bulge into the centre of the Soviet lines, and encircle and destroy troops defending the area around Brest Litovsk and Bielsk. This will hopefully split Soviet North/South communications to an extent, and make it harder for one front th reinforce another. They will also be slow to counter-attack, due to the difficulties of bringing up new troops through the Pripyet Marshes.
The Northern and Southern fronts will hold steady until the outcome of the central battle has been decided; forces in Memel will be allowed to pull back in the event of a Soviet attack, as our positions at Koenigsburg are heavily defended.
Now we shall see an overview of all of Germany's forces at the end of June 1941:
Army Group North, under Field Marshal Himmler with 31 divisions.
Army Group Centre, under Field Marshal Von Kaupisch, with 67 divisions and 800 fighters and 800 bombers.
Army Group South, under Field Marshal Von Rundstedt, containing 43 divisions and another 1600 planes
Army Group D, in Northern France, commanded by Field Marshal Fleck, with 21 divisions
Army Group E, in Southern France, commanded by Field Marshal Von Berendt, commanding 15 divisions
Army Group G, commanded by Field Marshal Von Kayser, controlling 21 divisions in Belgium, Holland and Denmark
AOK Norway, under General Von Hammerstein-Equord, commanding 32 divisions, including 9 Mountain divisions, earmarked for moving to support the Finnish, if they decide to join the war on our side.
And an overview of all Axis forces
While things are going
very badly for the Italians in Libya....it doesn't look like we will be able to count on any of their support in Russia.......
