Lesson of War
D+0 | 20 July 1989, 12:00hrs - 16:00hrs vs @ Koenigsfeld
At the same time, East German TV viewers were bombarded with an unwanted dose of Der Schwarze Kanal while the cavalrymen of the 2-2 ACR conducted their usual patrol of the border.
Operating out of Camp Harris (Camp Coburg), located in the town of Coburg, the 2-2 ACR had a privileged position to note any unusual developments or movements on the other side of the border. Despite the scenic and peaceful landscape, the border was actually a massive defensive zone with a deadly system of barriers. Metal fences, coupled with barbed wire, warning devices, watch towers, and concrete walls, constituted a significant barrier to anyone thinking about crossing it. From its camp at Hof, vehicle and foot patrols were conducted, all under the watchful eye of helicopters.
On this evening, at the end of their patrol, the troopers of Ghost Troop reported that the sound of engines could be heard in the distance. This, by itself, was not unheard of. What was more alarming was that their short-range communications were being jammed adjacent to the border. As a report was filled and ready to send to 2 ACR HHT, the sound of low-flying jets on an east-west route could be heard. As the alert level was raised, Camp Harris was amongst the first targets for Soviet SSMs. The Camp was quickly engulfed by chaos as the war nobody expected would come came crashing down from the sky. The camp reaction force quickly sprang into action, and the evacuation started in earnest. All contact with their higher HQ had been lost.
What Ghost Troop heard was the approaching advance column of the Soviet 39th Mechanized Div. The Division Commander of the 39th Mechanized Div knew his task. He had the advantage over his peers in that his division had one of the closest targets to reach. He had the disadvantage however that he would have to cut across a sector that had forces from 4 different divisions of 2 different nationalities. He was banking on chaos and high tempo to allow him to quickly slice the enemy force in two while driving a deep wedge aimed first at Bamberg and afterward at Nürnberg. The Command Staff of the division spent an anxious 19th making sure that all last-minute preparations were in place. The CO and the political officer sat, for the first time in years, following the DFF evening broadcast. As soon as Unser Sandmännchen was canceled, the 39th Mechanized Div HQ exploded into a hive of activity.
The situation at the front developed reasonably quickly. As the NATO communications were jammed, Soviet forces breached the frontier whilst SSMs and tactical aviation pummeled high-value targets. Even though it was expected, it did not make the situation any less confusing, nor did it prevent chaos from ensuing. The throng of refugees started far quicker than NATO expected. The command paralysis in NATO was real due to indecision and the efficient communication jamming by the other side. Units at the front were temporarily left to their own devices. They had been trained to operate like this. But that did not prevent mistakes, inaction, or excess of zeal.
The 39th Mechanized Div blasted through the defense. Engineers and artillery made short work of the border obstacles. Within minutes, APCs and Tanks were rolling into West Germany. If there was one thing that the CO of the 39th Mechanized Div instilled in his junior officers, it was the need for tempo. The offensive could not stop. They had to advance, advance, advance. One thing that would be said in the future: he was blessed with officers who listened to him. The 39th Mechanized Div skirted Coburg, following parallel to the main road to Bamberg. They penetrated into a void in NATO's defense and advanced through a corridor bound by four NATO formations that initially expected each other to make the counter. The forward detachment knew it was vital to reach the Main and cross it as quickly as possible. That was just what they did. By this time, local NATO forces were also a hive of activity. NATO aerial forces had begun to offer a degree of protection. Jamming was also starting to be localized rather than a blanket. The commander of the West German PzG Bn 102 was still struggling to get clear orders or even a decent idea of what was happening around him. At about the same time, the advanced forces of the 39th Mechanized Div were approaching the main road connecting Bamberg to Bayreuth. Scouts from the PzG Bn 103 collided with them. In a moment of rash decision-making, the CO of the PzG Bn 102 decided to pull his scouts and launch a hasty attack with whatever forces he could quickly mobilize against the 39th Mechanized Div. After all, what resistance could a small, poorly trained Soviet advance force offer?
Scenario by Jo Lima; Mike Johnstone | Map by William van der Sterren