Chapter 2
Unifying Central Europe (cont)
Hard on the heels of the union, or
Anschluss with Austria, Germany fires her first shots in anger since the close of the Great War. The ethnic Germans of western Hungary will be reunited with the growing Fatherland! The remainder of the population will have the glorious opportunity to be Germanicized!
The invasion force consists of two large armies; 1. Armee operating from Vienna and 2. Armee based in the province of Graz. Order of Battle is as follows.
German Invasion Force - Field Marshal von Blomberg
1. Armee - General von Rundstedt
I. Armee Korps - Lt. Gen. von Grebe Jr
57. Infantry Division - Lt. Gen. von Grebe Jr
60. Infantry Division - Mj. Gen. Angry Gorilla
52. Infantry Division - Mj. Gen. Churchill J.
II. Armee Korps - Lt. Gen. von Smirnoff
46. Infantry Divison - Lt. Gen. von Smirnoff
35. Infantry Division - Mj. Gen. Schwarz A.
25. Infantry Division - Mj. Gen. von Muffin
X. Panzer Korps - Lt. Gen. von Kleist
1. Panzer Division - Lt. Gen. von Kleist
3. SS. Panzer Division 'Totenkopf' - Mj. Gen. Torres F.
2. Panzer Division - Mj. Gen. TheRealKestrel
XI. Panzer Korps - Lt. Gen. Hausser
8. Panzer Division - Lt. Gen. Hausser
2. SS. Panzer Division 'Das Reich' - Mj. Gen. von Dutchie
7. Panzer Division - Mj. Gen. Kemper
2. Armee - Field Marshal von Blomberg
XXX Gebirgs Korps - Lt. Gen. von Kluge
6. Gebirgsjager Division - Lt. Gen. von Kluge
2. Gebirgsjager Division - Mj. Gen. Mico
4. Gebirgsjager Division - Mj. Gen. Sternreiter
XXXI. Gebirgs Korps - Lt. Gen. Schorner
1. Apenjager Division - Lt. Gen. Schorner
1. Gebirgsjager Division - Mj. Gen. Student
3. Gebirgsjager Division - Mj. Gen. Erb
XII. Panzer Korps - Lt. General Hoth
6. Panzer Division - Lt. Gen. Hoth
10. Panzer Division - Mj. Gen. Guderian
4. Panzer Division - Mj. General von Manstein
XIII. Panzer Korps - Lt. Gen. von Middelkerke E.
5. Panzer Division - Lt. Gen. von Middelkerke E.
3. Panzer Division - Mj. Gen. Geyr von Schweppenburg
1. Kavallerie Division - Mj. Gen. von Kortzfleisch
Also supporting the attack are 2 80 cm railway artillery pieces and their supporting infantry divisions.
The Luftwaffe allocates Mj. Gen. Oracle's Luftflotte I, Mj. Gen. Udet's Luftflotte IV, and Mj. Gen' Lohr's StG 2/51 to the operation.
1st Armee has orders to drive through Gyor and prepare for a direct assault on the capital city of Budapest.
2nd Armee will assist in the opening drive, then outflank the Hungarians with a strong thrust through the southern plains.
The 80cm guns each fire some 16 of their 7 ton projectiles, targeting fortifications, communications centers, and troop concentrations.
The actual attack now begins on April 11 with a crushing attack on Gyor by 2 large armies, including 4 Panzer Korps.
Due to miscommunication, poor logistics, and simple traffic jams, the sheer numbers of German troops is actually detrimental to the assault. Unfortunately for the Magyars, the end result is never in doubt, however.
Above Dresden, wandering Hungarian bombers learn the cost of penetrating German airspace when they are intercepted by Mj. Gen. von Greim's 109s.
Meanwhile, though slowed by Hungarian reinforcements, the battle for Gyor is drawing to a close.
2. Armee's armored elements make a rapid advance towards Pecs. Hungarian reserves, hustling to the frontier, run smack into Hoth's armor, which has advanced nearly 200 miles in 3 days.
XII. and XIII. Panzerkorps push more forces to the front in Pecs...
...and the battle swiftly ends in the German's favor.
Not everything goes according to plan. Lohr's Stuka formations press too far ahead of fighter cover, and are bounced by Hungarian interceptors.
Lt. Gen. Hoth's advance continues, as XII. and XIII. Panzerkorps drive the Hungarians out of the eastern hills.
Gen. von Rundstedt orchestrates an assault on the capital, with I and II Armee Korps attacking from the west, with the mobile X and XI Panzer Korps swinging around to drive into Budapest from the south.
Lt. Gen. Hoth, with his flank now securely anchored on the Romanian border, has no difficulty repulsing a counter attack.
The siege of Budapest and the counterattack on Debrecen both end April 21. At this point the conflict is essentially over already.
The final destruction of the Hungarian forces takes place at Miskolc.
Surrounded on all sides, and with no hope for foreign intervention, the defenders put up only light resistance.
With their capital city occupied and their armed forces utterly destroyed, Hungary capitulates and becomes part of
Grossdeutschland.
Elements of Mj. Gen. Jack Churchill's 52. Infantry Division march victoriously through Budapest.
Victory is complete! That being said, too many young men from the Fatherland have joined the rolls of honor...