Operation Blue: 18-Year Old Class


Figure 1.--Here German youth who look to be about 18 years old are undergoing infantry training. We are not sure if this was officer training are basic recruit training. It looks to be at one of the NAZI Party schools, note the uniform of the officer at the right. He is not wearing a Wehrmach uniform, The photograph is undated, but was probably taken in early-1942. It appeared in the 1943 edition of 'Jungen--eure Welt!', the annual NAZI year book for boys. Put your cursor on the image to see the text on the page. The section is labeled 'Infantry Training'. Perhaps our German readers can translate.

Historians often describe the desperate German defensive forces in the last year of the War as 'scraping the bottom of the barrel'. In fact after the huge losses before Moscow (1941-42), the Wehrmmact was already doing this in 1942. Operation Blue, the German Summer Offensive in 1942, had to be limited to one sector of the front. Offensives of the scale of Barbarossa were no longer possible. Hitler chose the south because of the resources the German war economy needed, especially oil from the Caucauses. This surprised the Soviets who were expecting another assault on Moscow. The 1942 Summer Offensive was largely fought by rushing the current year class of 18-year old conscripts to the front. These inexperienced youths would comprise a major proprtion of the rebuilt Ostheer (Eastern Army). Compared to Barbarossa, Operation Blue was an offensive on a shoe-string. Even so, it was surely the most complex Wehrmacht operation of the War. And because of the limited resources and complexity, there was a narrow margin of victory. With America now in the War, 1942 would be Germany's final opportunity to win the War before the United Staytes could mobilize its resources and bring them to bear on Germany. One of the several weaknesses of Blue was the large number of young, inexperienced troops. Hitler was well aware of this, he told his generals, "The operation must begin with success; young troops mustn't suffer any setbacks. Young troops need special support. The operation must proceed in such a way that our young divisions get used to the enemy." (March 28, 1942). [Hadler, p. 3:420.] They did not, however get that special support. And older soldiers, especially in Stalingrad, remarked that the new recruits lacked the needed toughness. It must be said, however, that one of the toughest fighting German divisions of the War was the 12th SS Panzer Division which fought arioubd Caen after D-Day. It was composed largely of 18-year old Hitler Youth boys. The difference here was they were not conscripts, but ardent NAZIs that had volunteered to fight in the War. The resulting disaster at Stalingrad (January 1943), further weakened the Wehrmnacht and creating a massive manpower shortage, not only because of the rebuilding Red Army, but because the growing Allied strength in the West.

Rebuilding the Ostheer

Historians often describe the desperate German defensive forces in the last year of the War as 'scraping the bottom of the barrel'. In fact after the huge losses before Moscow (1941-42), the Wehrmmact was already doing this in 1942. Operation Blue, the German Summer Offensive in 1942, had to be limited to one sector of the front. Offensives of the scale of Barbarossa were no longer possible. Hitler chose the south because of the resources the German war economy needed, especially oil from the Caucauses. This surprised the Soviets who were expecting another assault on Moscow. The 1942 Summer Offensive was largely fought by rushing the current year class of 18-year old conscripts to the front. These inexperienced youths would comprise a major portion of the rebuilt Ostheer (Eastern Army).

Limited Resources

Compared to Barbarossa, Operation Blue was an offensive on a shoe-string. It only covered part of the Eastern Front. Men and equipment were not available for the entire front. And greater relaince would have to be made on units of Germany's Axis allies (Hungary, Italy, and Romania). The Italians and Romanians had participated in Barbarossa. The Hugarian had not, but now Hitler demanded Hungarian participation. Despite the limited resources, Blue was surely the most complex Wehrmacht operation of the War. And because of the limited resources and complexity, there was a narrow margin of victory. It was a gamble Hitler had to take what ever the resources available. With America now in the War, 1942 would be Germany's final opportunity to win the War before the United States could mobilize its vast resources and bring them to bear on Germany. And Hitler believed that while his resources had been reduced, the Red Army had been mortally wounded and was no longer capable of major resistance.

Inexperienced Troops

One of the several weaknesses of Blue was the large number of young, inexperienced troops from the 1942 18-year old induction class. Hitler was well aware of this, he told his generals, "The operation must begin with success; young troops mustn't suffer any setbacks. Young troops need special support. The operation must proceed in such a way that our young divisions get used to the enemy." (March 28, 1942). [Hadler, p. 3:420.] They did not, however get that special support. There were early victories, but then the battle focused on Stalingrad. And older soldiers, especially in Stalingrad, remarked that the new recruits lacked the needed toughness. Young, inexperienced troops do not necesarily lack toughness. One of the toughest fighting German divisions of the War was the inexprienced 12th SS Panzer Division which by the fortunes of war was deployed south of Normandy after it was created. The division fought around Caen after D-Day. It was a Waffen-SS division composed largely of 18-year old Hitler Youth boys with veterans for the officers abnd NCOs. The difference here was that they were not conscripts, but ardent NAZIs that had volunteered an anxious to fight. And they prevented Montgomery from taking Caen which he was suposed to do on the first day of the invasion. Although outnumbered, they fought off a series of British abd Canadian attacks. The 12th Hitler Youth Division, however, was decimated in the process. Only a hanfull of the boys made it back to the Reich.

Last Year

The resulting disaster at Stalingrad (January 1943), further weakened the Wehrmnacht and creating a massive manpower shortage. And the Wehrmach faced a rebuilding Red Army and growing Allied strength in the West. The German 18-year old classes were not enough to stem the vast Soviet and Allied armies pressing in on the Reich from all sides. Workers well past military age were drafted. In the final year of the War, Hitler formed the Volksstrum to defend his crumbling Reich. It consisted of boys down to 16 yeas of age and old men. In actuality even younger boys were forced into the military as Hitler Youth units were pressed into th fight.

Sources

Hadler, Franz. March 28 entry, Kriegstagebuck. Vol. III: Der Russlandfeldzug bis zum Marsch auf Stalingrad" ((Stuttgart: W. Kohlhammer Verlag, 1964).

Uterm, Wilh. Jungen--eure Welt!: Das Jungenjahrbuch. Boys - Your World. (Zentralv., Franz E. Nachf., Gmbh.: Munich, 1943). 488p. This was the Year Book of the German Boy. This was Vol. VI of the series. Because of deteriorating conditions, an edition was not published in 1944. The book is a compilation of articles of interest to the German Youth in their teens. There are sections on current events, politics, the war, arts and crafts, games, sports, wildlife, and similar content.






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Created: 9:22 AM 12/31/2010
Last updated: 6:24 PM 11/2/2013