When We Were Young: A US Doomsday AAR

[TheVenetian]

When We Were Young

Hello everyone, this is my first attempt at an AAR and I hope some of you will enjoy it, I'll be playing as the US in the "Doomsday" Scenario.

Difficulty: Hard/Furious
No Cheats
No Modifications

"It will be all over by Christmas."

- Josef Stalin, October 2, 1945; regarding the state of World War III.


Insignia of the United States 17th Airborne Division, nicknamed the "Golden Talons."


-Table of Contents-

Introduction

Chapter I: The Bloody Road of Pieve di Cadore
Chapter II: Treviso

[Chief Savage Ma]

I love Doomsday scenarios. They really spark the imagination.

[TheVenetian]

@ Chief Savage Ma: I love this scenario as well, a great spark to the imagination indeed. Hopefully I come out victorious.

Introduction

The Second World War came to a close in by September of 1945, the war in Europe in ending in May while the war in the Pacific ending in September. By October tensions between the former allies: The United States, United Kingdom, France and the Soviet Union was heating up, in late September border clashes occured along the Comintern-Allied divisions in war-torn Germany. By October these minor clashes exploded into another full-scale world war, even more catostrophic and deadly than the one that had just finished. World War Three as it became to be known would determine the final world power: The United States or Soviet Union and their respective Allies. The men who fought in this final titanic struggle would never forget it, a memory that would be carried with everyone for the rest of their lives. "We shall never forget."


The United States dropped two atomic bombs against the Soviet Union in response to the opening stages of the war, Moscow lie in ruins. But the Soviet Government had already fled to Leningrad leaving the eternal city of the Kremlin to its fate, the walls of the Kremlin however remained standing after the bombings.


The European Front on the opening hours of the full-scale war, Soviet troops outnumbered the Allies in great numbers along with their Communist allies were determined to end the war by Christmas, with the Allied Armies nearly in full in Europe, this was the deciesive front for defeat here surely meant defeat in the war. God Bless the soldiers about to enter combat to save Capitalism and Freedom.


US movement in Korea ordered all units to retreat to the safehaven of Daegu where the city port would prove vital to the Asian Theatre of war. The city and port must be held at all costs, no matter the consequences.


-----


"Captain get up."

"What is it Sergeant?"

"The Soviets have launched a massive assault in Germany, Austria and Korea."

"What the hell? Are you joking?"

"Never, Captain Miller we have orders from command..."

"And?"

"We move towards Venice, the Soviets are moving in and we must hold them along the Italian border in time for new forces to organize and arrive."

"And tell me, does command give us any orders Paul?"

"Stop and kill the enemy."

"That couldn't be any simpler, are the men ready?"

"Ready as they are ever going to be."

"Christ, we finish one war; now a new one starts. Just as we survived one world war, now we must survive the inevitable once again. The Bulge and Operation Varsity, now this. Sergeant you are dismissed, thankyou." The captain grapped his carbine and his helmet and placed it on his head, he took a deep breathe and looked at his watch: 2 o'clock in the morning. He stepped outside of his tent and was shocked at his sight, his entire battalion stood outside in full military gear with their minds ready for war and looked at him in the eyes.

The fields outside of Trento erupted into roars, "HURRAH!" shouted every soldier holding up their weapons. The sight brought a rare smile to the captain, who simply smiled at his men and nodded in acknowledgement. Captain Miller began to walk from his tent under the cover of a bright full moon on a dark morning through the Italian country-side. His men knew their jobs, they all followed their captain to an uncertain future...

[Lt Hilsdorf]

Sweet, more Doomsday AAR's!

Subscribed

[Nathan Madien]

Cool. I look forward to it.

[El Pip]

You could well be in for a challenge on this one, which is always interesting to follow.

[TheVenetian]

@ Lt Hilsdorf: Thanks, I love the doomsday scenario myself.

@ Nathan Madien: Thanks and hopefully I can make something out of this.

@ El Pip: I think this scenario along with Gotterdammerung (as the Axis) are the hardest scenarios in the game.

[TheVenetian]

~ October 6, 1945. Outskirts of the Italian village of Pieve di Cadore.



Captain Miller and his men walked along the old country-side road leading into the Italian village. The tall brush and green grass sheilded their movements as they moved in close. The US 17th Airborne Division was spread out all across the Provence of Belluno country-side. They men sat at the crossroads of the old worn-down Italian country-side, as the village held the only road leading south towards the city of Venice and the "Golden Taloons" were the only US combat division in the area to defend the Soviet war machine at the moment from entering the Italian city, which could cause a domino effect along the Italian Front and lead to another early Italian exit from a world war.
An American paratrooper in his green-cut camouflaged uniform ran up to Captain Miller with his Thompson machine gun in his hand and took a knee beside the battalion captain.

"Captain, Lt. Woods wants to push his squad into the flank of the village, make sure there is no chance to be completely caught in a cross-fire," said First Sergeant Paul Krause to his superior commander.

Captain Miller simply nodded and the sergeant ran back to the rear of the lines to relay the information. Justin Miller peared over the small hill leading into the village and rose his hand with a fixed fist and called out for this sniper to come forward, "Johnson! Johnson!?"

The American corporal ran forward, "Yeah cap?"

"See if there are any enemy snipers in that tower of the church."

Damien Johnson peared through his scope and could see nothing, he checked again and check a third time before quiting, "Nothing."

"Okay, stay down," Miller said as he looked behind him and saw Lt. Woods's men moving off to the side, "listen up, wait for my command. Corrigan, come up!"

"Yes?"

"We moving in, ready?"

"Ready."

The captain quickly stood up from the side of the dirt road where he was safely hidden from potential enemy soldiers and ran forward shouting, "Okay let's move!" The rest of the 300 to 400 men along the road pressed forward gripping their rifles all nervous of a Soviet ambush ready to be in place. The captain came to the side of the first building and called for his men to halt, he looked to his left and saw Lt. Woods advancing in the street, recognizing his captain he gave a solid head nod and continued into the village. "Alright, squad commanders take your men and fan out, sweep the village and clear it of anything supicious," Miller stepped out into the center of the street and began to signal his soldiers forward. For the next hour they found nothing in the village but some Italian folks whom haven't already left the village as the Soviets were closing in. "Get me battalion command!" he took a pause as he picked up the phone on the radio, "Colonel Stanley, there's nothing here. How about you."

"Empty."

"It appears as if we beat the Soviets here, I'm at the village of Pieve di Cadore, what are my orders."

"Fortify and stall any Soviet military forces."

"Thanks," Captain Miller hung up the phone and was in turn tapped on the back by Lt. Imes.

"There's no Russians here, just some Italians, maybe two or three hundred people perhaps. The priest still here says the other half of the people had fled south a few days ago in fear of the Russians, there are no Russians here."

"Lieutentant, position your men, we hold the town until further notice."

"Aye captain. Alright boys lets move!"

The night quickly fell over the small Italian village and the soldiers took rest in the many homes and shops in the village with their battle-stations ready. The moon was covered by a deep and dark cloud coverage, thunder could be heard over the distance.

~ Morning October 7, 1945.

A deafining screach could be heard over the skies and landed directly in the center of the village, a massive explosion ensued.

"Get up! Get up! Let's go! The Russians aren't throwing coffee at us! That means you Mild lets go!"

The American soldiers rushed indoors and waited out the Russian artillery which continued to pound the village.

"Johnson! God dammit, Shifty! Get over here!"

Damien 'Shifty' Johnson ran through the blanket of artillery fire and rested beside Captain Miller, "Yeah?"

"Can you get yourself into the church tower. Good, get her done. Alright everybody stay down!"

A thundering noise could be heard moving forward, it crept closer and closer and two American soldiers were casually talking in by a shop window when a massive Russian tank, T-34/85 appeared in the window.

"Shit, get down!"

The tank completely obliterated the shop which collapsed on the soldiers, both got up and fled the area as the Soviet tank moved in. The streets erupted into pitch and heated gun-battle between Soviet tanks, infantry and American paratroopers. Another Soviet tank moved down the street towards a broken down building inside full of American soldies pouring fire upon the enemy.

"Don't repant! What the hell? Sergeant get your a** back here are you mad!?"

Sergeant Krause ran out in the middle of the street with his Thompson in his firm clutch and boarded the Soviet T-34 alone and opened the hatch and screamed out, "Czinger get over here, I need a grenade!" Private Michael Czinger rushed out of the torn business shop and entered the crossfires of the street.



Out in the bright morning sun the Soviet tank, in full camoflauge continued to stroll down the street. Sergeant Paul pointed his Thompson inside the tank turret and blindly fired inside, Private Czinger climbed on the same side of the tank and chucked a grenade inside, the sergeant shouted in response, "Alright let's get the hell out of here!" The two American soldiers jumped off the tank and the sergeant turned back and squized off a short burst and a Russian soldier turning the corner fell straight to the street dead. A few moments later the Soviet tank exploded in a great ball of smoke and the hatch flew open again as the Soviet crew began to exit the burning tank.

Staff Sergeant Franklyn Corrigan stepped up from the cover of a wrecked shop and shouted, "Okay boys, give 'em hell!" Twelve American soldiers opened up a hail storm of bullets at the Tank men who simply appeared from the hatch and fell down the sides of the turret and landed on the road beneathe them.

The village road was covered with Russian soldiers in their long and drapping green uniforms aiming blindly at American soldiers and were falling at an astounishing rate. In the hail of bullets Corrigan looked out into the streets, "What the hell?" he fell to the ground as a Russian tank shell whizzed past his head and shattered the building directly behind the Staff Sergeant. He quickly got up with his Thompson and lit up a nearby Russian soldier and fled into an alley between the destroyed building and another. In the center of the street an American bazooka team moved directly in the line of fire, and both men quickly fell from Russian fire and the T-34 moved straight towards a squad of American men.

Lt. Imes grapped by the shoulder Private Adam Wirkus and tossed him into the street and then climbed out of the shattered window and ran forward, "Follow me, we need to get that bazooka!" The two soldiers ran directly into a storm of Russian bullets, "Take the gun, I'll load you Adam! Come on!"

The private nervously picked up the bazooka and aimed it and squized the trigger in a haste, nothing happened. "Are we jammed?"

"No! I didn't load it! We need it to come closer or we won't do any damage. Aim for the small slit between the turret and the hull! And wait for my command."

The tank advanced to within 30 feet of the men, crawling forward and firing off a massive thunder roar from its' 85mm gun. The young private shouted back, "God dammit lieutantant! You're going to get me killed!"

"Okay now!"

The rocket shot out and nailed its mark, a small but effective explosion erupted knocking the turret of the T-34 loose, no one exited the tank. Soon afterwards the Russians began to fall back from the village under the cover of 2 remaining tanks screening the infantry who suffered dearly in the assault. After a quick brush with death, and 20 minutes a fighting the village was clear of firing, littered with 3 downed Soviet tanks and around 100 Russian soldiers. Captain Miller called his commanders together, a lone Russian conscript ran from his cover beside a fence back for the Russian lines and was picked off in the head in a flash by Shifty in tower of the church, only gaining a quick glance from Miller and the other squad commanders.

"Report."

"All here," said Sergeant Krause.

"Casualties?"

"Twenty-one," said Staff Sergeant Corrigan, "seven dead and fourteen wounded."

"Not bad, enemy?"

"Easily at least one-hundred," commented 2nd Lt. Woods.

Captain Miller walked forward into the middle of the road and looked at a destroyed Russian tank, and turned back to face his commanders, "This is just the beginning."

[Stuntdawg5]

Awesome. I always wanted to see a US Doomsday AAR. Keep it up man!

[Nathan Madien]

Quite an understatement you have, Captain Miller.

@ El Pip: I think this scenario along with Gotterdammerung (as the Axis) are the hardest scenarios in the game.

Yes, but Axis Gotterdammerung AARs seem to be a dime a dozen.

[El Pip]

Yes, but Axis Gotterdammerung AARs seem to be a dime a dozen.

I'm given to understand you get a free one inside every special pack of Kellogg's breakfast cereal.

[stabsoffizier]

Usually I am just luerking around here but this AAR really got me going. KUTGW and update soon.

*subscribed*

[Enewald]

Ah, yank style doomsday scenerio. Definetly interesting.

[TheVenetian]

@ Stuntdawg5: Thanks.

@ Nathan Median and El Pip: Very true, alot of Gotterdammerung AARs are around, I'm actually surprised there arne't that many Doomday one's around.

@ stabsoffizier: Glad you liked it and welcome aboard.

@ Enewald: Hopefully you will enjoy it then.

[TheVenetian]

~ October 7, 1945. 10:45 AM

Captain Miller walked out into the streets to view the carnage that had befallen the Soviet attackers, knocking on the hull of a wrecked T-34 and turned back to Staff Sergeant Corrigan, "I want you to get the rest of the Italian people out of this place, the Soviets are going to return in stronger force. This was just a leading element, probably a company."

"Got it, okay! First platoon second squad on me, let's move!"

Private David Papson walked up to the captain holding his radio in firm grip, he tapped the captain on his shoulder, "Battalion HQ sir, Colonel Stanley wants to know are situation."

"I'm busy planning out our defenses, you tell the colonel that son."

"He said he wanted to talk to you in person."

"I'm busy, tell him what I just said, understood?"

"Yes captain."

Occassional Russian artillery shells exploded nearby and the US soldiers were waiting in their positions expecting a Russian counter-attack for the village. Captain Miller was talking with Lt. Imes in his make-shift command center, the village bakery which was in ruins. They looked at the map placed on the ground depicting the surrounding area.

"Alright, look. The only road leading to the main highway that leads to Venice is right outside. The Russians will throw all their armour against us, just as they did this morning only in greater force, we must hold them here and wait for the First Corps to arrive. Have we positioned the two 75's?"

"Yes captain, all on the center road."

The noise of advancing tracks could be heard coming closer, through the smoke of the tank engines and the burning fire of the previously destroyed vehicles and buildings appeared several Soviet tanks with their commanders fully exposed, hands raised in the air. As their arms moved down and Russian shouts were commanded the tanks opened all across the village and the infantry stormed infront, passing some the front-line American soldiers hiding in the ruins and alleys, simply watching the Russians pass them; holding their breathe and praying to God.

Suddenly a Russian soldier was shot through his head, his blood passing through the air and the as he fell to the ground the American forces unleashed on their Russian enemies. At the 75mm Anti-Tank gun, the gunners took firm aim at an advancing T-34 and opened, knocking the turret clear off the hull of the massive war machine.

"Okay, don't lighten up! Pour it on 'em boys!" shouted Captain Miller, who swung from his shoulders his M1 Rifle and picked off several Russian soldiers in the village road.

Through the alleys as a Soviet SU-57 passed, American soldiers tossed out grenades obliterating the advancing halftrack and killing all Russian crew members and their support infantry.

The road was crowded and the air was filled with English and Russian orders, over the hill a Russian 30mm Anti-Aircraft team moved into position.

"Okay take out that tank!" American soldiers moved into action and began to climb the hall of the IS-2 Heavy Tank, the American soldiers were suddenly and tragically turn to pieces by the Soviet AA gun and the Soviet infantry in the streets. Body parts were split as the Americans were hit in the square broad chest by the Russian 30mm shells.

Sergeant Krause looked at the Russian AA team and was determined to end the horror, "Czinger, Mild on me. Let's get that AA gun, move!"



The three soldiers moved off into the side streets to try and outflank the team and they paused along the side of a home and the sergeant looked out into the street and saw a patrol of Russian soldiers advancing across the street, "Okay I got a Russian patrol, let's take 'em out."

Sergeant Krause slowly with his Thompson clutched in both hands moved out into the street calmly aiming his sub-machine gun at the Russian patrol advancing across his face about 30 feet down the road towards the main street. Aiming down the sight he began to unleash a hailstorm of bullets which was followed up by Corporal Erik Mild and Private Czinger following suit with their rifles and picked off the entire patrol of 12 men, one of which jumped behind the walls of a chicken pen and then moved out into the street only to be shot dead by Cpl. Mild. Suddenly a Russian artillery shell shattered the adjacent house causing all men to fall to the ground.

The open street fighting continued with American soldiers falling along with their Russian oponents at a quick rate. From his position in the church tower Cpl. Shifty Johnson took one last shot and took the words of Private Daniel Smith, "Let's get out of here Shifty, the Russians are going to obliterate this tower," Smith left the bell tower and began to run down the stairs. In his scope Shifty picked off one last Russian soldier in the chest and began to move down the stairs to catch up with Dan. Outside a Russian T-34 paused in the streets and moved her turret and her barrell directly at the church tower and fired, in less than a split-second the church tower exploded and was engulfed in a huge cloud of smoke.

Inside the stairwell the explosion knocked Private Smith several feet down the stairs and he immediatley picked himself up and looked behind him, "SHIFTY!?" Private Smith rushed up to find nothing but ruble before his eyes and he frantically removed the ruble to find his companion, whose arm suddenly appeared through the ruins and with Dan's help he was freed from the ruins. His uniform was stained in a pure powder white along with his face, Johnson sneezed and shoock his head and the two ran outside into the streets passing the Russians who have already over-run the church.

Sergeant Krause and his trouppe appeared off the flank of the Russian AA team and unleashed hell upon the four soldiers manning the gun, falling in less than a second. "Okay let's get the hell outta here!" yelled Cpl. Mild and they quickly ran down the street as Russian soldiers appeared behind them blindly firing and not hitting any of them.

From the bakery Captain Miller looked directly at a Russian tank, "Clear out!" and his soldiers tossed themselves over the edge of the shattered window glass into the street as the Russian tank wiped the bakery completely away. "Go! Get up! Go! Go! Go!"

Beside the edge of another village home Staff Sergeant Tom Simon walked infront of his men, unable to see 5 feet infront of them due to a Russian smoke screen. He bluntly looked at his men and took his Thompson from his shoulder and pointed into the smoke and said, "Gentlemen. Prepare to defend yourselves." He began to spray and pray into the smoke and could here the screams of Russian soldiers, and in a flash at least 20 Russians appeared from the screen charging directly at six American soldiers. Simon's Thompson jammed and he promptly tossed it to the ground and pulled out his Colt and continued to shoot at the Russians who were falling dead at his feet. The assault stopped and his men moved to a more secure postion.

All across the village American soldiers were falling backwards as Sergeant Corrigan came back with his small platoon that had escorted the Italian people to safety, an American soldier firing behind a dirt mound questioned, "Where the hell is the calvary?"

"Are you mad," responded Corrigan. "We are the calvary!"

Russian soldiers passed the dead crew of both American AT guns and pressed for the remaining soldiers at the outskirts of the village, only to be turned back in a flash by four American Mustangs which spat 50 caliber shells out at the Russians who quickly sought cover by retreating out of the town.

~ 2 hours later.

Captain Miller had pulled out his men from the village and took up heavy defensive positions outside of it along the road and the country-side. Of 142 men that were under his command only 87 made it out of the village alive. Russians casualties were however even more staggering as Captain Miller estimated at least 400 Russians had been killed. The sun broke out of the cloud coverage and rain began to fall and cleaned the stained faces of the American paratroopers, still days from being releaved by the advancing US I corps.

~ October 11, 1945.

After a few more days of speratic fighting against the Russians the US I corps arrived to releave the battered 17th Airborne which suffered 1800 casualties stemming the Russian advance. The next Russian assualt was easily and quickly halted. By October 19, after a week of little combat the Italian Front was at the moment secure, the same couldn't be said for the German Front.


The current state of the war in Europe according to US military maps published for battalion commanders on October 19, 1945.


The 17th Airborne on October 19, recovering from the battles along Pieve di Cadore lasting from October 7 until October 11, the division was listed as a priority after the fighting to bring the division back up to full strength.

[Nathan Madien]

Nice update.

By the way, where did you come up with the AAR title? It reminds me of something.

[Enewald]

Ah, in this game the soviets don't suffer from manpower lack...
Sham shame, one can not kill the red bear...

[El Pip]

Good combat description and a nice update.

I wonder if the Soviets will give the division time to be reinforced, or if they will try and just roll over them before that can happen?

[TheVenetian]

@ Nathan Madien: Thanks, as for the title I got it from the song by the Killers "When You Were Young" and just changed 'We' with 'You'. Maybe that is why it seems familiar, otherwise I wouldn't know. (Great song btw)

@ Enewald: The Soviets never have manpower problems, the only major player that never does. Even with US or Germany or China you begin to lose manpower quickly when in a full war, I'm nervous that my reinforcment slider along with alot of production will sap my MP sometime by 1946.

@ El Pip: Thanks, and they Soviets will probably try another attack, this time I'll have more men, but they haven't attacked Venice in six days; if that's any good news.

[TheVenetian]

~ Battalion Headquarter's, 507th US Parachute Infantry Regiment, 8 miles from the Italian Village of Pieve di Cadore.

The members of "Parma" Company had fallen back to their battalion headquarters under the orders of Lt. Colonel William Stanley who wanted to bring the 17th Airborne Division into a fixed and organize position, rather than be scattered among the Italian country-side. The individual regiments reported to their respective headquarters, all established 3 miles apart: the 193rd and 194th Glider Infantry Regiments along with the 507th, 513th and 517th Parachute Infantry Regiments.

The battles along Pieve di Cadore, which hit the 507th and the 513th the hardest saw a total 867 reported casualties of which 412 were killed between October 7 until October 11.

Major James Hoffman waited for Captain Miller to report, the captain entered the major's tent where he calmly waited for his captain. "Sorry you got stuck in that village, it had the only road leading to the highway directly behind us. I figured that all the Russian armoured units must have been moving directly at you."

"The men fought well," replied Captain Miller.

"I'm not as much concerned with the performance of your men, I already know with you as their commander they will perform to the best of their abilities. My worry is with you. You my friend are one of the few senior officers will still have left from World War Two, and being third-in-line due to seniority over the other company commanders I feared that you may have been killed."

"You thoughts are at the least of my concern major, I'm just doing my job."

"I realize that, now there was something else you wanted to tell me correct?"

"Yes sir, I want to put in Sergeant Paul Krause along with Lieutentant Nicholas Imes for Bronze stars. Both men made some courageous and un-necassary acts of bravery."

"To them I bet you it was necessary. Very well, I'll look into it Captain. Dismissed."

Captain Miller with his helmet still fixed on his head walked outside into the muddy fields and looked upon a very disorganized unit. He continued to walk towards his company placed on along the edge of command HQ. Justin Miller slowly took a seat on top of a wooden stump taking his helmet off and placing it directly beside his feet along with his rifle. He clutched his head began to cry.


Major Hoffman.


As nightfall encircled the camps, the moon was no where to be seen, the only light in the camps where the fires made by the soldiers. Camped inside a infantry truck several soldiers were enjoying the time of war: Cpl. Erik Mild, Private Michael Czinger, Sergeant Paul Krause, Staff Sergeant Shane Page and Cpl. Damien 'Shifty' Johnson.

"Can anyone else cook besides Paul?" questioned Czinger, "Christ it smells like you cooking up a dead rat with a disease."

"I know you'll like it though, great German-Irish combinations; the best food in the world."

"Don't be talking bad about the sarge over here," said Shane Page placing his hand on his fellow sergeant's shoulder and shrugging it back and forth, "he did some important moves in the battles."

"I would prefer if I could cook without my arms being flung all over the place Shane," laughed Paul with a big and bright smile.

"Ah, look he is human; he just smiled," commented Erik.

"All I got to say is I want the first taste of the German-Irish crap the sarge is making," said Shifty.

The sergeant tasted his food and poured it into the helmet of Cpl. Johnson who took a quick taste and his eyes grew wide.

"It must be pretty good, just look at Shifty's eyes," said Czinger. Krause proceded to spread out the food to everyone. "Thank god it's not raining, we have no cover over this truck."

"That was irrelevant," said Shane to Mike.

The captain moved beside the truck and popped his head around to be greeted by his soldiers.

"It looks like you guys are enjoying the food, who cooked?"

"Krause," said the whole group.

"Okay, is it good?"

"Very," said Czinger going back to another spoon full.

"Well," said the sergeant, "enjoy it, we're moving south in one hour to link up with members of the First Corps, their tanks to be specific. Oh by the way, Krause."

"Yeah?"

"I put you in for a bronze star, thought you might like to know that. Well gentlemen, I'll see you guys in about fifty-eight minutes."

~ By morning the Fifteenth Army, commanded by Field Marshal George C. Marshall had positioned his eight divisions in a perimeter along the main highways leading to the city of Venice.

The 17th Airborne was placed on the crucial right flank of the battle-lines, holding this was a top priority for if they were overrun the entire 15th Army would surely crumble under the Russian attacks. The men began to dig-in knowing what was ahead of the them.

Over radio, Field Marshal Dwight D. Eisenhower; supreme commander of the Allied Forces in Europe made an announcement for all front-line divisions and armies to hold their ground against the face of Soviet attacks, while in comparision Josef Stalin had just issued orders for his commanders to enter Paris by the end of November and end the war with Europe under his command by Christmas. Without the proper numbers to match the Soviet Red Army the Allies could do one thing and one thing only, play the defensive game and wait for newly commissioned divisions and armies to come over sea from America and Britain and across the Franco-German highways from France.


US tanks moving to forward positions along the Italian country-side.