Galerie

 

GETTING INVADED? GO TO THE MOVIES

This headline probably makes no sense at all, but in the next few pages it may clarify itself. First, we must look at the military action around the Free City of Danzig from the summer of 1942. The Iuftschubund ha its work cut out icr itself, as long-range bombers find their targets and the first signs of destruction arc show ing up in the civilian areas of Danzig. Soviet, British and American armies are applying pincers to what is left of Hitler’s Third Reich. The map clarifies the fronts during the spring of 1945.

The solid gray lines In the eastern and western extremities show where the fronts were in January, 1945 The broken gray lines show the progress of the Allied armies on March 8, 1945. Marshall Constantin Rokossovsky, commander of the Second White Russian Front drove for Danzig.(Pg 25) Generoloberst 4- star general) Geoig-Hans Reinhardt’s Army Group North stood in the way, but within two weeks of fighting, his forces were over-run. Reinhordt’s Fourth Army, led by General Hossbach, was bypassed 200 miles by the Soviets, causing a fast fighting retreat, attempting to open a corridor for the half-miU ion East Prussian civilians who were fleeing on wagons and on foot. Hossbock hod Reirihardt ‘s approval but not Guederian’s, resulting In on appearance before Hitler at the Reich Chancellery. Reinhardt was relieved of his command and replaced with a most unusual officer: Generoloberst Luther Rendulic, who once told his downbeat en troops, “Whenever things took blackest, and you don’t know what to do, beat your chest arid cry out, ‘I am a NationaL SociaList -- who moves mountains!’” Lucky for his troops, he wasn’t a bad military leader, in spite of his tendency toward operetta.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 107 - April - May - June - 2000, Page 19.