Nexus Deep (Kirov Series Book 31)

by Schettler, John

  “The Turks weren’t shooting at him,” said Zeitzler. “But that cannot be said for Volkov.”

  “How many divisions does this free up?” asked Kluge.

  “Twenty,” said Zeitzler, a light in his eyes like a man finding gold. There was a noticeable relief among them all, as if all the tension in the room had oozed away in the wake of the Führer.

  “Twenty divisions,” said Manstein. “And four of them good Panzer Divisions. As the Führer was kind enough to give me first pick, I choose 3rd Panzerkorps, if only because it is closer in Syria than the 47th is in Baghdad. Hube will come in vary handy if I bring him up on the southern shoulder of this bridgehead. But I also need infantry. How many line divisions are there?”

  “Six,” said Zeitzler. “You will want to split them in two, but may I suggest the following disposition? You take Hube as you wish, and then 47th Panzerkorps will go to Kluge with 3rd and 4th Panzer. Take any three line-infantry for your front, General Manstein, and the remaining three will go into OKW Reserve to be used when most needed. Let us send Kübler to Italy with the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Mountain Divisions, along with the two Fallschirmjager Divisions in Student’s command. I would like to place 6th Mountain Division in the Crimea—a nice cupboard to tuck it away, while keeping it close to both the Caucasus and the Donets Basin. The SS Prinz Eugen and the 104th Jager Divisions can go back to anti-partisan duty in Serbia and Croatia. As for Cyprus, it will be hanging out like a sore thumb, so let us put the 78th Sturm there.”

  “We should evacuate that island,” said Kluge.

  “Perhaps, but it has useful aerodromes that allow us to cover Northern Syria. If the British do get any notion of advancing to that frontier, we at least have some foil with the Luftwaffe.”

  “You might think so,” said Manstein, “but we did not have air superiority in either Syria or Iraq, so if the British do cut a deal with Turkey, nothing we have on Cyprus will impede them. I see it as nothing more than another liability, tying up a good infantry division or two with garrison duty. See if you can work on that with Hitler.”

  “Very well,” said Zeitzler. “Then the 78th goes to either Rhodes or Crete. Both those islands shield Greece, and Hitler is quite nervous about a British move into the Balkans.”

  “He should not worry. The British will not invade the Balkans. To do so, they would first need to reduce Crete and Rhodes, then invade and occupy Greece.”

  “Yet what if Turkey was as gracious to Churchill as he was to us? Can you imagine them gaining free passage through Turkey, and then lining up their forces on the Turkish border to invade Bulgaria?”

  “It will never happen,” said Manstein. “You heard the Führer. We will wreck those rail lines and it would take them months to rebuild a logistical network through Turkey. Besides, even if they were on the Turkish border, it would be a year before they became a threat to us.”

  “They could move up the Black Sea Coast and be behind our Dnieper line,” said Zeitzler.

  “Well, they’ll be quite late. It’s 600 miles from the Turkish border to the Dnieper. At this moment, the Soviets are only 90 miles from that objective. Which army do you think will get there first?”

  “A good point,” said Zeitzler. “Yet suppose the Allies go for Vienna instead? The Russians are 900 miles from there at this moment. The Turkish frontier is only 660 miles.”

  “Let us wait and see where the Soviets are by the time the British are marching through Istanbul,” said Manstein with a grin.

  That ended the discussion concerning the Balkans.

  “I think we have only assigned 19 divisions,” said Manstein, going over the list in his head again.

  “Very astute,” said Zeitzler. “Not counting the Brandenburgers, we are still left with 10th Motorized from Iraq. I would like to hold on to that one as well. There are any number of places where it might be useful.”

  “Is it converting to a Panzergrenadier Division?”

  “Not yet. There is still something to be said for a good fast infantry division. We’ll leave it that way, but find some Panzerjagers to give it some defense against armor.”

  “How long will 24th Panzerkorps be away?”

  “Perhaps a month. The 24th Division is in fairly good shape, the 22nd practically wrecked. The 23rd is in the middle, both numerically and in terms of its overall condition.”

  “It will at least be good to know that we have all three in Germany,” said Manstein, “because we will need them sooner than we think.”

  “Indeed. Then we have covered everything,” said Zeitzler. “The only card left unplayed in this hand is the Brandenburg Division, and the Fuhrer will undoubtedly keep it close to his chest. I realize that you get only two divisions, General Kluge, but at the moment, the crisis is in the south. Is this agreeable?”

  “I have no objection,” said Kluge. “I am sure that the Field Marshal will remember my generosity should I ever need him.”

  “I will indeed,” said Manstein. “And I also see that we have left nothing for Untergang —all the better. Do you really think the Führer means to launch this offensive? These five extra divisions will come in very handy on my front, but they will be barely enough to hold the line and allow me to build a mobile reserve. Ivan has tried us twice, and he still wants Kharkov. He is already at the front door, and knocking loudly.”

  “Yes, unfortunately, Hitler means to attack towards Leningrad,” said Zeitzler. “He has plenty of infantry, but those six mobile divisions will not get him very far. Three of them are old motorized infantry divisions converted to Panzergrenadiers. However, there are divisions refitting in Germany, notably the 24th Panzer Korps, and they will most likely be committed to this attack. Then he has that hodge-podge that Himmler scraped together. How has the Nordland Division performed?”

  “It is a stubborn defender,” said Manstein, “but lacks the skill necessary to make it a good offensive division.”

  “Well, Himmler may come calling for it before July. Keep that in mind. He wanted it as part of his new SS Korps for Untergang , and I think he has delusions of seeing it lead the way to Leningrad.”

  “Zeitzler,” said the Field Marshal, “if you can drag your feet on this ill-conceived plan, I suggest you do so. The Soviets will have multiple lines of defense waiting for that offensive.”

  “Possibly,” said Zeitzler. “It may end up a lot of percussion without any real music. I certainly don’t think it will get very far, but perhaps that is what the Führer needs to make him understand the seriousness of our situation on this front. How did we get here, gentlemen? Eighteen months ago, we were burning Moscow!”

  “I think Beria started that fire,” said Manstein. “At least this is what I have learned. And I think if Hitler tries to light another one in Leningrad, he will be courting more than a rude awakening. The Soviets will be waiting for him, and after they stop him, don’t think they will just sit and congratulate themselves. If these offensives toward Kharkov teach us anything, then we had better learn the lesson, and the Führer had better learn it as well if he wants to be the head “School Master.”

  Chapter 26

  Montgomery would lose the argument surrounding his Sicily invasion, but win one small consolation prize concerning Malta. The fact that Churchill still endowed it with a position of great importance for the future security of British interests in the Med, made its capture a foregone conclusion. Britain had reclaimed the Rock of Gibraltar, and now she would reclaim Malta as well.

  The enemy garrison was not strong. Even the Luftwaffe had been withdrawing most of its key air assets to Sicily, leaving long range recon, and a few fighter squadrons on the island. Two battalions of the San Marco Marines held the place, with a battalion of the Folgore Parachute Brigade, and the Italians had more planes there than the Germans, until the Allies began visiting the fields with daily fighter sweeps. The RAF was working hard to neutralize that outpost as a viable air base for the Axis, and then hammering key installations on Sicily daily as well,
particularly the fields near Gerbini, Lentini, Palermo and Sigonella near Catania.

  These attacks would also further the notion that Sicily was to be the next target of the Allies war effort, and as German troops began to make a steady withdrawal from first Iran, and then Syria, Churchill heaved a sigh of great relief. He had sweat blood to build a defense in both theaters, and now all that effort left a pool of seasoned divisions in the Middle East, forces that he could put to many uses in his mind.

  The Prime Minister was still looking for some consideration of an attack into Greece and the Balkans, and he was also actively trying to reopen diplomatic channels with Turkey. In spite of that, Marshall, and the American Joint Chiefs, could see no reason why any concerted effort should be made there, and considered it a waste of both time and resources. They continued to press for an invasion of northern France in 1943, though Marshall conceded that removing Italy from the Enemy camp and restoring control of the entire Mediterranean Sea to the Allies was desirable, but he wanted action soon, and waiting another month to clear both Pantelleria and Malta before attacking Sicily would push that start date into July or even August.

  Sardinia was not considered as great a strategic prize as Sicily, or an invasion of Southern Italy itself. In fact, Churchill once remarked that the former would be a “glorious campaign” and the latter a mere convenience.” Yet Sardinia could be invaded for half the cost in men and material, and once occupied, it presented the Allies with a good base to support an immediate attack on Rome. He did not see that coming from the Husky Operation for many long months. In this he was quite correct, for in the real history, Sicily was not cleared until mid-August, the landing at Salerno was staged on September 9, Naples entered on October 1, the Anzio landings staged January 22 of 1944, and Rome was not entered until June of that year. That was a long year from June of 1943 to June of 1944 before Rome was in hand, and Marshall believed the road through Sardinia would get there much sooner.

  And so it was decided—Operation Brimstone would be the next Allied Offensive in the Med. While Husky was a major operation planning to lift eight divisions to Sicily, the attack on Sardinia would require only half that force. The actual draft plan, as developed by the Allies in the real history, (but not implemented) is presented here (in part) just as it was written.

  OUTLINE PLAN FOR THE SEIZURE OF SARDINIA

  I) OBJECTIVE: To seize and hold SARDINIA.

  a. To conduct an air offensive from NORTH AFRICA in order to reduce Sardinian fixed defenses and air bases, to neutralize air forces in ITALY and CORSICA, and to interdict movement of reinforcements and supplies by air and sea from ITALY proper to SARDINIA. Simultaneously to conduct intensive submarine operations against sea routes between SARDINIA and ITALY.

  b. To gain beachheads on the west and southwest coasts of the Island, under limited fighter protection from escort carriers and at extreme range - from bases in NORTH AFRICA. Simultaneously to carry out diversionary landings with commando troops on other coastal points, and parachute attacks on airfields and vital communications inland.

  c. To capture landing fields in the ORISTANO-VILLACIDRO-IGLESIAS area, and to establish shore based support aviation thereon.

  d. d. To advance overland to capture CAGLIARI and the sur-rounding airdromes, and to land follow-up forces at the port of CAGLIARI.

  e. To secure CAGLIARI from a counterattack from the northeast by an advance to the line TORTOLI-LACDNI-ORISTANO.

  f. To reduce the remainder of the Island in the following order:

  Advance to the line OROSEI-NUORO-MACOMER-BOSA MARINA. Occupy the PORTO TORRES, SASSARI, ALGHERI area, then complete occupation of the MADDALENA-TERRANOVA area.

  g. To consolidate the Island against counterattack by sea or air.

  h. To occupy CORSICA, or to neutralize the offensive capability of CORSICA by air and sea action, and commando raids.

  II) MAJOR FORCES REQUIRED.

  a. Ground:

  4 Infantry Divisions

  2 Armored Combat Teams

  2 Parachute Regiments.

  b. Air:

  7 Fighter Groups

  6 Bomb Groups.

  c. Naval:

  3 BB, 3 CV, 6 ACV, 10 CA & CL 44 DD

  15 ss

  4. Availability.

  All forces and shipping required should be available in the area.

  d. Probable AXIS strength to be encountered.

  The last intelligence estimate (May 3, 1943) of forces (all Italian) in SARDINIA was: Two Infantry Divisions (Each of two Inf. Regts. and one Blackshirt Legion), Two Coastal Divisions, One Separate Infantry Battalion, One Sardinian Cav. Regiment, Twelve Bns. Fascist Militia, including three tank bns., Three Bersaglieri (cyclist) Bns.; Fixed defenses include coast defense and antiaircraft artillery at all main ports.

  NOTE: If the garrison of SARDINIA is appreciably reinforced, the above estimates of the forces required must be increased. If one German division were added to the present Sardinian garrison, it is estimated that two additional divisions would be required in the assaulting force.

  * * *

  Monty took the stage again for an encore, but this time the map behind him was not Sicily, but Sardinia. Now the final plan for Brimstone had been devised, and he was briefing Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, Anderson, Alexander and the Air Marshals. His Husky plan had been cancelled, and so to ease the sting, he was given final say on the dispositions for the Brimstone plan.

  “Being half as big as the Husky Operation,” he began, “Brimstone can be mounted twice as fast. So instead of waiting for Malta and going for Sicily in late July or early August, we can now move in June. Ports supporting the invasion are Tunis, Bizerte, Bone, Algiers, Palma in the Baleric Islands, and Barcelona. Those last two cannot provide air cover, but the big new Allied airfield on Menorca is closer, only 230 miles from west coast of Sardinia. To put that in perspective, Cagliari on Sardinia is only 140 miles from bases near Bizerte, and that is closer than any point on Sicily from those same fields.”

  “Our Spitfires have the range for that,” said Tedder, “and the American P-38’s and Mustangs can handle it quite easily.”

  “Indeed,” said Montgomery. “It won’t be quite as good as using Malta to cover the landing sites I selected for Sicily. They were only 80 miles from that island, but as you say, our aircraft are quite capable, and we’ll also have close support from the carriers. And by the by, the operations against Pantelleria and Malta will still proceed, as they will be good cover to convince the Germans Sicily is our next target. As a secondary benefit, they’ll aid the eventual effort to clear the passage through the Sicilian Narrows for east-west shipping traffic. We’ll also open the door in the event we need to land on Sicily as originally planned.”

  “Let’s hope that won’t be necessary,” said Eisenhower. “Marshall came around to this, but largely because he wants to pull shipping and assault boat assets out of the Med as soon as possible. He could see three or four landings looming behind the Husky operation, and Brimstone just seemed so much cleaner.”

  “Well,” said Montgomery, “Brimstone is the plan. While it will need carriers for close air support at the outset, we’re counting on seizing airfields on Sardinia as quickly as possible. Cagliari is a principle objective, both for its airfields and the decent port there that will be used to bring in follow on divisions. However, the actual landing sites chosen will not make a direct attack on Cagliari, which is protected by shore batteries, coastal forts, and minefields. Instead it would be taken from the landward side.”

  “The landward side?” said Patton. “Well where do we land?”

  “The primary beaches would be to the northwest at the Gulf of Oristano, which offers a good coastal strip five miles long. From there, the main attack will proceed southeast towards Cagliari, through the broad lowland region known as the Campidano Plain. That will be a drive of only 45 miles, with favorable terrain, and as it cuts the main roads to the north, it will force any enemy retreat to use the slower r
oads along the east coast of the island. A secondary landing would occur on the southwest coast at Porto Paglia, which would then drive through Gonessa and Iglesias, and due east through a lowland valley to Cagliari.”

  “What about Sassari in the North?”

  “It will be a secondary objective,” said Montgomery. “The airfield there might be seized by airborne assault, but it’s not written into the plan.”

  “Well why don’t we give it to Matt Ridgeway and the 82nd Airborne?” said Patton. “They did a hell of a job in Tunisia—flew right over the German lines and kicked Rommel right in the ass. They could do the same thing here.”

  “We may have a role for Ridgeway,” said Eisenhower, “but let’s defer that for the time being. Let’s have a look at our starters first. What’s the lineup, General?

  “I’m afraid we now suffer from an embarrassment of riches,” said Monty. You chaps have eight divisions, and between our 8th and 5th Armies, we have another ten. Add to that the newly arrived 1st Canadian Division and the Free French Division, and we’re looking at twenty divisions. Unfortunately, the plan calls for only four, and possibly six, so that leaves quite a bit out in the cold. Add to that the fact that we have another ten divisions in Iraq, and for the first time it seems as though we have more forces than we could possibly use.”

  “Don’t worry,” said Eisenhower. “Marshall wants seven divisions shipped back to the UK for Sledgehammer and Roundup, and I’m sure Churchill will find good use for the Iraq Force in Burma.”

  “Actually, I think we’ll have a go at Ceylon,” said Monty. “Rubber supplies are getting very tight, and Churchill wants it back. That said, to the matter at hand. With so much to choose from, we thought we would include forces from each command, and also invite some newcomers to the table. So I’ve asked each commanding officer to nominate candidates, and General O’Connor’s 8th Army has put forward the 51st Highland Division, augmented by the 1st Armored Brigade. I’ve chosen my old 3rd Infantry, and General Patton has selected your 1st Infantry Division augmented by a Combat Command under General Abrams. That’s the principle landing force. We will also keep one more division in floating reserve, and this time we’ve invited a newcomer to the party—the 1st Canadian.”