Eastern Gamble
0600 August 27th 1944
Milan, Northern Italy
Three divisions had completed their redeployment from France. Ringel would be the first to benefit from such redeployments; the number of British divisions in Italy were starting to worry him.
Their destination would now be Rimini.
0500 August 27th 1944
Stryj, Poland
Among the high-ranked generals of the Wehrmacht, Rommel was the most nervous at the moment. He could not believe he was at the verge of winning a battle against such odds and encircling a hundred divisions.
He was tormented by the probability that the Soviets could've been preparing a trap for him. This fear haunted him night and day since he ordered to commence the encirclement. Nevertheless, the battle of Stryj was seeing its ending stage.
1100 August 27th 1944
Stanislawow, Poland
3. SS Panzerkorps, led by Lt. General Grasser, was no longer alone as nine other divisions blocked any attempt at breaking the defense. Now that his hands weren't tied anymore, Grasser could now complete the last step to the encirclement along with the other twelve divisions already marching from South.
Soviet troops in Stryj would begin to tremble in fear at the sight of Germans everywhere surrounding them.
1900 August 27th 1944
Eastern Front
As the Luftwaffe didn't prove to be the decisive factor, and as losses to attrition were mounting to the already mauled squadrons, Göring authorized the whole Luftwaffe to rest and to not carry out any operation in the future till they were at maximum strenght, if not for emergency situations.
With Rommel going to win in Stryj, he didn't really need planes anyways; the Luftwaffe needed rest and repairs, and now it was time to let them have it.
0230 August 29th 1944
3. SS Panzerkorps, Beltsy, Romania
"Herr Rommel, urgent message from 3. SS Panzerkorps!" an aide hastily entered the tent in which Rommel was examinating a map, or at least he was trying to. He had not slept for days and now the news of such message made him shatter in fear.
"Could this possibly be a message of defeat? What are you waiting there! It's urgent, isn't it? Hand me tha-that message over!" Rommel's voice tried to be firm and loud, but such tense days made his voice sound like it came from the netherworld.
He did not even dismissed the aide as he eagerly opened the message; his eyes quickly rolled through the words looking for whatever spelled "disaster!" or "defeat" or "alarming".
"From: 3. SS Panzerkorps
To: VII. Armeekorps
3. SS Panzerkorps entered the territory of Beltsy at 0200 August 29th with no resistance met whatsoever. Soviet troops in Stryj completely encircled. We expect a counterattack soon. Further reinforcements coming in 20 hours..."
Rommel could not read any further as the words "completely encircled" had destroyed whatever little mental integrity had left. As all his fear and disbelief, that mixture of hope and angst, that pain that haunted him for days had been vanquished by this short and cold message from Grasser, and immediately turned to utter joy mixed with incredulity, he felt as he was about to pass out. He didn't, but he felt really weak nonetheless.
In twenty minutes, he immediately met Model to inform him about the news.
"Erwin, what happened to you? Have you been awake for all this time?"
"I couldn't stand the feat of being responsible of either the victory of my fatherland... or her downfall. Now, Walther..." he could not really stand the feat, and it was clearly visible to Model, as while he was extracting Grasser's message, his hands were trembling.
"Does that mean... Erwin, are there any complications...?
"None, not at all Walther... it's just too beautiful to believe it, that's all..."
Model grabbed the message and quickly realized that this was to be 1944's most important happening, perhaps superior to that of the failure of Operation Overlord. A bunch of poorly equipped German divisions that had not even received the forty or so divisions returning from France, had surrounded and cut off ninety six Soviet divisions in one of the worst years for Germany's fortunes.
"That's unbelievable indeed and I have no words to add to it... my good Rommel, you are exhausted. Let me finish off the damned Ruskies in Stryj while you get a period of rest. You deserve it."
"That's an order I agree with much delight."
"Indeed you should. I will immediately forward such delightful news to von Manstein and then to von Rundstedt." The two had nothing more to add, as the news spoke by itself.
0250 August 29th 1944
VII. Armeekorps Headquarters, Zamosc, Poland
Rommel had just shortly returned from his meeting with Model. He was eager to fulfill that order, but surprisingly enough the same aide entered his tent.
"Herr Rommel, 3. SS Panzerkorps has--"
"Another message?" Rommel gasped "Once again? Hand me it over..."
Once again he feared a second message could've been a signal that the Soviets had instantly turned the tables. Fortunately for him - and his nerves - it was not.
"From: 3. SS Panzerkorps
To: VII. Armeekorps
Scouts reports the territory of Chisinev to be completely vacant. Possible isolation of twenty Soviet divisions in Ismail."
He could not believe he had the occasion to encircle one hundred and twenty divisions.
If the Soviets are not able to break the defenses of Stalislawow before reinforcements' arrival, these would be the final days of one-hundred twenty Soviet divisions.
0300 August 29th 1944
12. Armee, Beltsy, Romania
General Glokke was the first to bring reinforcements to Grasser. One hour after the arrival of Grasser, the Soviets had attacked him and the odds were not favourable at all.
Reinforcements progressively arrived delaying a possible German setback. They would not retreat at any cost, this time.
0300 August 30th 1944
Avranches, France
The US had many troops to spare. Some of them were sent to France for a vacation, but they did not know that France was now under German possession.
It was not good news for the Americans, as Hausser too planned a similar vacation for some of his troops in the beaches of France.
They now had many more friends to play with: ten thousand roughly.
1300 August 30th 1944
Beltsy, Romania
The arrival of VII. Korps perfectly equipped divisions finally persuaded the Soviets to stop their attack shortly thereafter.
The Soviets had probably spent their last attempt at breaking the encirclement.