M60A3TTS
Posts: 4014
Joined: 5/13/2011 Status: offline
|
Well in July of 1942, the admin bill would be higher still. Stalin had ordered the recently mobilized 6th Reserve Army to Voronezh. That formation would be re-designated 60th Army. Now consider, Marshal Timoshenko has met with disaster at Kharkov that only ended about five weeks prior. Elements of German Army Group Center are fighting in Voronezh amidst this front reorganization. The new commander of the Voronezh Front, Vatutin, has been in his new job for a week. He will be given orders from the Stavka to attack with 60th Army in conjunction with attacks of Bryansk Front from north to south to attempt to drive the Germans out of Voronezh. But Vatutin isn't happy with the commander of 60th Army, General Maxim Antonyuk, and wants to replace him. In his place, Vatutin wants to replace him with someone... a. who has been a general officer for two months b. who has been in command of his unit for one month c. who just lost at least 2/3 of this unit in Voronezh d. who happens to have just turned 35 years old last month If you thought you knew Stalin at that time, you would have to have thought, not a chance in the world. He hasn't been listening to his generals up to now, why should he start, especially with the facts above? Well this time, he did. And that is how the future commander of 3rd Belorussian Front, Ivan Cherniakhovsky, would get his one and only army command.
|