U.S. TANKS SMASH GERMAN LINE IN NORMANDY; GAIN AS MUCH AS 5 MILES ON 25-MILE FRONT (7/27/44)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 7/27/44 | E.C. Daniel, Harold Denny, Hanson W. Baldwin, W.H. Lawrence, John MacCormac, George Horne, more

[henkster]

Panzer Group West sector:

[henkster]

7th Army Sector:

[henkster]

Order of Battle for LXXXIV Corps. A number of kampfgruppen and remnants previously listed are not listed any more. Panzer Lehr is still listed, but in reality, that division no longer exists:

[henkster]

I have been devoting a lot of my limited available time on these threads to the battles in Normandy. And thanks to Homer for hosting these daily posts, it has given me new insight into the Normandy campaign.

But it has been at the cost of not doing as much reading on the Soviet offensives that are unfolding in the East, and that has always been one of my favorite areas of study in World War 2. Yes, D-Day and it’s aftermath haven been pivotal points in World War 2, but what the Soviets have been doing to the Germans on the Eastern Front since June 22 is mind-boggling. Tax-chick (I still can’t get used to using that handle. Sorry) put it best by calling the Red Army “unstoppable.” At this point, they are. The Germans had prepared their defenses in the East as best they could for this onslaught, although they guessed wrong where it would be. And against those prepared defenses, the Soviets have destroyed the Wehrmacht at will. German divisions and corps that have stood for years as bulwarks have simply vanished. Even if the “butcher’s bill” has exacted a high price.

Oh, and we’re not done yet. There is still some unfinished business in Romania.

[EternalVigilance]

Not that Stalin cared much about the butcher’s bill.

[henkster]

“One death is a tragedy. One million deaths is a statistic.”

[EternalVigilance]

Yup.

[colorado tanker]

The Russians are so close to the pre-War German borders this is now an existential threat to Germany. The only course is to withdraw from the Baltics and use those troops to try to stop the Russians from crushing Warsaw and going straight to Berlin.

So, of course, that's not what Hitler will do.

[colorado tanker]

This was a rare occasion when Hanson Baldwin got one wrong. His column calling Normandy an Anzio-style stalemate was published right at the time of the breakout.

[Tax-chick]

If you get a prediction right, you get a round of applause for your brilliant perception. If you get it wrong ... oh, well, tomorrow is another news day!

[GeronL]

page 4

I wonder what this new NAZI weapon will be... heh

[Tax-chick]

Interesting item below that, “Marriages By Mail Sanctioned By Army.”

Interesting word, “sanctioned”: it can mean “approved” or “punished.” In this case, it’s “approved.’

[BroJoeK]

Colorado tanker: "This was a rare occasion when Hanson Baldwin got one wrong. "

Thanks for drawing attention to Hanson's column, go back and carefully read the whole thing.
You'll see that he again nailed it, from top to bottom.

Final paragraph:

"Against the broad picture of Europe at war, the Allies' strategic situation still seems excellent and, therefore, that of Germany appears almost hopeless.
But more vigor and drive and boldness [my dictionary defines those terms with one word: Patton] are needed, and less caution about our flanks, if the war in Europe is to be ended quickly, and particularly if the Allies in the west are to match the Russian gains in the east."

In short: target zeroed, fire for effect.