Operation Braunschweig
Encyclopedia
Operation Braunschweig named for the German city
, was the German summer offensive that began on 28 June 1942. The operation was initially named Fall Blau (Case Blue), which is the common name used for the whole offensive. The name was changed from Blau to Braunschweig on 30 June. The plans following the original Case Blue (originally named Blue I and Blue II) were renamed to Operation Clausewitz (1942) and Operation Dampfhammer. Clausewitz detailed the beginning of the operations of Army Group A
in July 1942, Dampfhammer the follow-up operations in July 1942.
In Führer Directive No. 45, dated 23 July 1942, Adolf Hitler
outlined new goals for Operation Braunschweig. The German forces were to advance towards the Caucasus
(Operation Edelweiss
) and Stalingrad (Operation Fischreiher)..
Hitler had personally intervened in the plans for this operation, and ordered a split in Army Group South
. This division of Army Group South had caused alarm in the General Staff, and Hitler was warned repeatedly about the dangers this division entailed. Later studies confirmed this split to be one of the main causes for the eventual demise of the German 6th Army in Stalingrad. Hitler persisted in this division of Army Group South for strategic reasons: acquiring the oilfields in the Kaukasus and cutting Soviet supply transports along the Volga through Stalingrad.
On July 23 1942 Hitler met with Chief of staff Lutze and SA Obergruppenführer Jüttner at the Werwolf headquarters. They discussed several events but the key discussion surrounded Directive Number 45, which was a continuance of Operation Braunschweig. In this meeting Hitler stated several directives that, “Army Group A
take take the Caucasus and Baku (Operation Edelweiss), while Army Group B
was supposed to conquer Stalingrad and, if possible, Astrakhan (operation Heron – Fischreiher because of the fish in the Volga River). Army Group North
was instructed to conquer Leningrad (Operation Fireworks because of artillery fire).”).”
The directive said:
The directives went on to explain just what each individual army should do in the up coming assault.
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, was the German summer offensive that began on 28 June 1942. The operation was initially named Fall Blau (Case Blue), which is the common name used for the whole offensive. The name was changed from Blau to Braunschweig on 30 June. The plans following the original Case Blue (originally named Blue I and Blue II) were renamed to Operation Clausewitz (1942) and Operation Dampfhammer. Clausewitz detailed the beginning of the operations of Army Group A
Army Group A
Army Group A was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.-Western Front, 1940:During the German invasion of the Low Countries and France Army Group A was under the command of General Gerd von Rundstedt, and was responsible for the break-out through the Ardennes...
in July 1942, Dampfhammer the follow-up operations in July 1942.
In Führer Directive No. 45, dated 23 July 1942, Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
outlined new goals for Operation Braunschweig. The German forces were to advance towards the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
(Operation Edelweiss
Operation Edelweiss
Operation Edelweiss , named after the mountain flower, was a German plan to gain control over the Caucasus and capture the oil fields of Baku during the Soviet-German War. The operation was authorised by Hitler on 23 July 1942...
) and Stalingrad (Operation Fischreiher)..
Hitler had personally intervened in the plans for this operation, and ordered a split in Army Group South
Army Group South
Army Group South was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.- Poland campaign :Germany used two army groups to invade Poland in 1939: Army Group North and Army Group South...
. This division of Army Group South had caused alarm in the General Staff, and Hitler was warned repeatedly about the dangers this division entailed. Later studies confirmed this split to be one of the main causes for the eventual demise of the German 6th Army in Stalingrad. Hitler persisted in this division of Army Group South for strategic reasons: acquiring the oilfields in the Kaukasus and cutting Soviet supply transports along the Volga through Stalingrad.
On July 23 1942 Hitler met with Chief of staff Lutze and SA Obergruppenführer Jüttner at the Werwolf headquarters. They discussed several events but the key discussion surrounded Directive Number 45, which was a continuance of Operation Braunschweig. In this meeting Hitler stated several directives that, “Army Group A
Army Group A
Army Group A was the name of a number of German Army Groups during World War II.-Western Front, 1940:During the German invasion of the Low Countries and France Army Group A was under the command of General Gerd von Rundstedt, and was responsible for the break-out through the Ardennes...
take take the Caucasus and Baku (Operation Edelweiss), while Army Group B
Army Group B
Army Group B was the name of three different German Army Groups that saw action during World War II.-Battle for France:The first was involved in the Western Campaign in 1940 in Belgium and the Netherlands which was to be aimed to conquer the Maas bridges after the German airborne actions in Rotterdam...
was supposed to conquer Stalingrad and, if possible, Astrakhan (operation Heron – Fischreiher because of the fish in the Volga River). Army Group North
Army Group North
Army Group North was a German strategic echelon formation commanding a grouping of Field Armies subordinated to the OKH during World War II. The army group coordinated the operations of attached separate army corps, reserve formations, rear services and logistics.- Formation :The Army Group North...
was instructed to conquer Leningrad (Operation Fireworks because of artillery fire).”).”
The directive said:
- “In a campaign of little more than three weeks, the ultimate goal I had set the south wing of the eastern front have already been accomplished. Only some rather weak enemy forces belonging to the armies of Timoshenko have managed to escape the envelopment and reach the bank of the Southern Don. These will presumably receive reinforcements from the Caucasus area.
- Currently the enemy is massing another army group in the Stalingrad area, where stiff resistance is to be expected.”
The directives went on to explain just what each individual army should do in the up coming assault.