14. The Battle of Expectation

[dragos]

by Maria Sinescu

According to the German General Headquarters' overall concept on the military operations on the Southern Flank of the Eastern European Front, the German-Romanian troops on the territory of Romania were assigned, trough the Order No.28, dated June 22, 1941, issued by General Ion Antonescu, the task of "creating the axis of the strategic maneuver and of pinpointing maximum enemy forces", to be able to launch, later on, the offensive. Consequently, by July 2, 1941, the German-Romanian forces conducted active defensive operations on a wide front, in varied terrain behind the Prut river and in Northem Bukovina's mountainous area.

Altough the military operations unleashed on June 22, 1941, at dawn, had a local character, they were dynamic and enthusiastic. From Northem Bukovina, to where the Danube flows into the Blak Sea, the Romanian and the German forces carried out inroads and reconnaissance tasks either in the beautiful Bukovina's places or across the Prut, in Bessarabia, and they succeeded in gaining a number of bridgeheads. Simultaneously, the Romanian Air Force units, which greatly contributed to this stage of the military operations, conducted reconnaissance and air strike missions to the directions: Chisinau (Kishinev), Basarabenca and Bolgrad, Cetatea Alba. In response, the Soviet Air Force also conducted many air attacks on eastem Romanian localities, including the capital. At the same time, the Soviet warships and the forces in southern Bessarabia attempted at "breaking" up the front with a view to penetrate into the Danube Delta and they even succeeded in occupying some localities along the Chilia branch of the river.

The forces deployed along the Prut river carried out incursions east of the river and established bridgeheads at Albita, Oancea, Falciu, Bogdanesti, Ranzesti, Cotu Morii, Giurgiulesti, Orofteanca, Badarai, Sculeni, Stanca, Lingurari, Trifesti, Tutora, Cahul, Satu Nou, Varatec, Chetris, Ungheni, Stefanesti, Serbeni. The last were secured during the night of July 1/2, 1941, then they were maintained and enlarged for the forthcoming offensive.

Generaly, the bridgeheads east of the Prut were not maintained (except for the ones in Badarai and Sculeni and until the night of June 29/30 - the one in Bogdanesti). On the river front, the Romanian units, due to the specific nature of the terrain, conducted their tasks in insolation, which facilitated the Soviet troops' operation with the effect that they occupied several sectors of the Chilia branch.

The losses recorded up to June 30, 1941 amounted to 442 dead, 659 wounded and 374 missing in action.

The Romanian military operations carried out between June 22-July 2, 1941, although they had a local nature, prepared, as General Ion Antonescu put it on July 1, 1941 - "the offensive that was to completely crush the Soviet troops on the southern wing" and to liberate the Romanian territory invaded by the Soviets in 1940.

[Florin]

[quote]
The Romanian military operations carried out between June 22-July 2, 1941, although they had a local nature, prepared, as General Ion Antonescu put it on July 1, 1941 - "the offensive that was to completely crush the Soviet troops on the southern wing" and to liberate the Romanian territory invaded by the Soviets in 1940.[/quote]

From another point of view, there were 9 precious days in which the Soviet forces lost any trace of surprise, and became fully aware of the enemy about to come.

In the same first days in Poland the German forces succeeded deep advances and destroyed 1600 Soviet planes on ground, especially because of the surprise factor. The Germans advanced on average 80 km from the first day, and in some points 300 km in the first 4 days. However, it would be unreasonable to expect this from the Romanians.
The Germans did not face rivers when they started the fight on June 22.
Also, like every other army in Europe excepting those of Germany and Soviet Union, the Romanian army did not have big compact units of tanks and armored vehicles, able to advance up to 200 km per day if possible.

[MMM]

And we didn't have anything to surprise the Soviet with! Anyway, the Soviet troops were to withdraw because of the advance of the Center and North Army Groups. We were just a minor partner in Barbarossa, for very good reasons!
The Romanian Army had some accomplishments in this "Battle of Expectations", though not in the Danube Delta! Suvorov has the theory according to which the Soviet troops in that particular area carried on with their planned attack, regardless the conditions' change. Interesting point...

[Petre]

Source : https://ost-front.info/news/3632/

Order of Mountain Corps, 21 june, 1941
Translation rom - rus N. Agapii

NARA–T312-R358-932301-932302
Comandamentul Corpului Munte
Gura Humorului
21 iunie 1941.
Nr. 31.420
Strict Secret
ORDINUL Nr. 19 / 21 iunie 1941.
Conform Ordinului Nr. 31.410 / 21 iunie 1941, cifrat :
1. Mâine, 22 iunie 1941, la 3:15 dimineata, Armata germana porneste ofensiva contra trupelor ruse pe toata întinderea frontului.
2. Corpul Munte cu toate fortele apara aliniamentul principal defensiv, conf. Ordinului Nr. 18 / 19.06.1941.
3. Pentru ducerea operatiei este necesar ca trupele (MU) din prima linie, pe 22 iunie 1941 la 3:15 dimineata sa execute raiduri cu scopul de a captura prizonieri pentru strângerea de informatii.
4. Actiunea va fi executata prin surprindere, doar cu unitatile de infanterie, bine sustinute cu focul armelor automate si cu grenade ofensive.
Pentru realizarea acestui scop, actiunea va fi executata de :
a) Bg.4 mixta munte – pe directia Seletin si Shipotele Sucevei, precum si din raionul Duha(?) Rija spre nord.
b) Bg.1 mixta munte – pe directia Putna, Ciudei.
c) Div.7 inf cu sprijinul Bg.(8) cav, în locul ales de Div.7 inf.
Atât comandantii cât si trupele stabilite pentru ofensiva, vor fi dintre cele mai mult pregatite, bine instruite si bine motivate.
Artileria si trupele aflate pe pozitiile de rezistenta, vor fi gate pentru atacuri de raspuns în situatia unei reactii a inamicului.
5. Despre rezultatele actiunii informati imediat comandamentul corespunzator.
Prizonierii vor fi adusi în modul cel mai rapid cu ajutoare la P.C. al Corpului Munte / Gura Humorului, împreuna cu toate documentele gasite asupra lor.
Comandantul Corpului Munte,
Gen.div. Gh. Avramescu
Sef Stat-major
Locot.col. I. Chirchiu

[Petre]

Source : https://ost-front.info/news/3566/

Order of Mountain Corps, No.1 / 21 june, 1941
Translation rom - rus N. Agapii

NARA-T312-R358-932233-932234

Corpul Munte
Cart. Gen. (?) : Gura Humorului
Nr. 31.502 / 23 iunie 1941 Strict Secret
Prin curier ofiter.
ORDINUL NR: 1 din 23 iunie 1941
I. Inamicul
La 22 iunie a.c. ocupa o pozitie defensiva.
Acesta s-a opus cercetarii noastre si atacurilor pe linia de granita, pe care de regula o aparau unitati întarite de graniceri. Artileria inamicului n-a actionat. Inamicul a executat fara succes contraatacuri cu subunitati de taria pâna la companie pe directia la est de Bahrinesti si punctul Ropacel (Ropcea - ?).
La granita dispune de numeroase puncte de sprijin ale punctelor de tragere(?), fortificate si separate de santuri si sârma ghimpata. În seara de 22 iunie 1941 unitati de cavalerie si mecanizate au fost redirectionate de la Cernauti pe directia Tereblecea.
2. Trupele aliate.
Cu fortele cercetarii si prin incursiunile Div. 7 inf s-a reusit ruperea liniei defensive a inamicului de pe granita pe sectorul Vashcauti-Fântâna Alba, patrunzând în adâncime 1-2 km.
3. Misiunea Corpului Munte (Bg.1 si 4 mt, grupul mecanizat si Div.7 inf) la data de 23 iunie 1941.
- apara aliniamentul defensiv ocupat.
- trimite patrule de cercetare pentru a stabili contactul cu inamicul si a obtine informatii, în special pe frontul Div. 7 inf, în conformitate cu ordinele date în aceasta privinta.
4. Cercetarea va fi orientata pentru obtinerea urmatoarelor informatii :
A) Sa precizeze referitor la trupele terestre :
- care este aliniamentul defensiv real
- câmpurile de mine
- raionul unde artileria lor este cea mai activa
B) Cercetarea aeriana tactica - Cercetare pe traseele :
Siret, Ciudei, Banila pe Siret, Sipotele pe Siret, Toraceni, Vijnita, Berhomet pe Siret, Storojinet, Siret.
Seletin, valea Putilei si Ceremusului, Sneatîn, Storojinet, Radauti.
Se confirma prezenta unei MU. Tereblecea. De verificat prezenta MU mecanizate în zona Tereblecea.

Cdt Corpul Munte
Gen.maior Gh. Avramescu
Sef St. Major
Cpt. I. Chirchiu