AAR 3

[The following is a personal narrative based on a wargame seminar at USMAPS on the battle of Kanev 1943.]

Dearest Comrades,

I am Comrade Jahn, former G-3 officer for the Russian 40th Army. I am currently a prisoner Northern Siberia, but several weeks ago I was part of the glorious Russian campaign at Kanev. Several events took place before the battle that made us believe that the Russian Army would be given an unprecedented opportunity to exploit the German situation and deal a devastating blow to the German army. Following the exhausting battles for Kursk in July, the Germans were not prepared for the ferocious Soviet onslaught in August. By late August, the Red Army had penetrated the Nazi line in several places, and Army Group South finally convinced Hitler to approve a withdrawal behind the Dnepr River. The great retreat began, as the Germans carried out a devastating "scorched earth" policy. The Red Army's Voronezh Front was quick to launch their race to the Dnepr. The prize was great---if the Germans reached it first, it could be the cornerstone to a mighty East Wall; if the Red Army got there first, the Wehrmacht could be trapped on the wrong side of the river.

As the G-3 officer I was tasked to come up with possible courses of action for the 40th Army. I came up with three courses of action based on the intelligence reports I received from the G-2, the status reports from the G-1, logistical reports from the G-4, and partisan reports from the G-5. The G-4 reported that we were up against strong resistance from the 19th Panzer Grenadier division near the town of Pereslav, but if we got past them we would be able to cross the Dnepr at either the town Rishechev or Kanev. There was a bridgehead at Rishechev, and an intact bridge at Kanev. The G-1 reported that our assets were in and around the town of Jagotin. The G-4 reported that we were doing well with supplies, and suggested that we have our main supply base at Jagotin. The G-5 reported partisan activity in the towns of Rishechev and Bukrin.

Our mission was to seize a crossing of the Dnepr River in order to cut off the German retreat and disallow them from setting up defenses on the river. We had to accomplish this mission within the first five days of the campaign for it to be successful. Based on all of this information and consultation with the G-3 officers of the Voronezh front, the 8th Airborne Corps, and the G-3 of the 3 Guard Tank Army I drafted three possible courses of action for the 40th Army. In the first course of action the entire 40th Army would move to the town of Rishechev and coordinate with the 8th Airborne to force a crossing.

In the second course of action, the entire 40th Army would coordinate an attack on Bridge at Kanev with both the 3rd GTA and the 8th ABN. The final course of action was to send the 51 Rifle Corps to Kanev to support the 3rd GTA, and the 42nd Rifle Corps with the 10th Guard Tank Corps and the Army assets to Rishechev to force a crossing there. The courses of action were code-named Saturn, Mars, and Marturn, respectively. The final decision was to use operation Marturn. Intelligence reports on third day of the campaign revealed that the Dnepr was low and therefore fordable in most places along its course. This information changed our plans slightly and we did not head as far North as Rishechev; we moved to force a crossing in the "Dnepr Bulge" just north of the town of Pereslav.

I was moving south along with the 6th Guard Tank Corps of the 3rd GTA in pursuit of the German 10th Panzer Grenadier Division. I was attached to the 3rd GTA to report on their activities to the commander of the 40th Army.

In the heat of battle, I became lost, and the Germans captured me. They recognized my rank and brought me before the commander of the 10th so he could gain intelligence from me. The commander of the 10th Panzer Grenadier division impressed me greatly, but I told him I cold not betray my comrades at arms. He was moved by this display of loyalty and courage so he allowed me to remain at his side for the rest of the battle. I witnessed a courageous defense by the Germans; they fought savagely, and with tactical cunning that I had not witnessed in the Russian Army. I was so impressed that I confided in the German commander all of the information that I knew, but the Russians were successful in their assault on the Dnepr River, and the 10th Panzer Grenadiers were captured. My betrayal was suspected, and that is why I am writing this from a Siberian prison as my last confession. I have betrayed the workers and common people of Russia. Be merciful, and tell my family that I was killed in battle. I cannot live on with this burden of shame.

Comrade Conrad Jahn
Former G-3, Russian 40th Army