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15-03-2015, 06:44

Kwajalein-Eniwetok campaign

Kwajalein-Eniwetok campaign

Battle of Kursk, July 1943: the German pincers failed to close on the Soviets



Kursk, Battle of (1943). In spring 1943, the German High Command planned a massive offensive against the Soviet salient around Kursk on the central front. Yet again they sought to execute a giant pincer movement, with two strong attacks at the base of the salient to encircle the Soviet forces. Codenamed Operation “Citadel” (Zitadelle), the attack was to avenge the disaster at Stalingrad and also act as the springboard for the destruction of the Soviet Union’s southern flank. The Germans painstakingly mustered a force of 900,000 men, 2,700 tanks and assault guns, 10,000 artillery pieces and 2,000 aircraft. Meanwhile, Soviet intelligence and the perspicacity of the Red Army commanders provided clear indications of the German plan. Zhukov therefore was able to make exhaustive preparations for a defensive battle that he would then transform into a counterattack against his weakened foe. German delays in launching the offensive allowed Zhukov to accumulate even greater resources than his opponents. So astute was the Soviet anticipation of events that, on July 4, in the north of the salient, Rokossovsky’s Central Front opened a four-hour artillery barrage before the beginning of the offensive by Model’s German Ninth Army. Stubborn Soviet defence in strong prepared positions restricted Model’s advance to 5 miles (8km) on the first day. Progress was more rapid in the south where Hoth’s Fourth Panzer Army made a substantial penetration of Vatutin’s Voronezh Front. But



There seemed to be no end to the Soviet minefields and their apparently limitless reserves of men and tanks frustrated the increasingly exhausted German forces. By July 12, Hoth’s armour had lost some 50 percent of its equipment and in the north of the salient a Soviet counterattack quickly drove the Germans back to their start line. Even Hitler realized “Citadel” was doomed to fail and, on July 13, he issued the first orders that marked the termination of the offensive. Now it was the turn of the Red Army to launch its own offensive and Zhukov’s reserve, the Steppe Front, had recaptured Kharkov by the end of August. Kursk left the German army irrevocably weakened and marked the beginning of the Soviet Union’s irreversible dominance of the Eastern Front. MS.



Kusaka, Vice Adm Ryunosuke



(1893-1971). Jap. Aircraft carrier specialist. As cos to Adm Nagumo, played a large part in formulating plans for the Pearl Harbor and Midway attacks. In 1944 again cos to the commander of the Combined Fleet, Adm Toyoda.



Kut-al-Amara campaign (191517) see MESOPOTAMIAN CAMPAIGN.



Kuznetsov Adm Nikolai G (190274). Russian. Became Chief of Naval Forces in 1939 in the aftermath of Stalin’s purges. to Kuznetsov, the Russian navy was alert to the German attack in 1941, although its role in the war was minor. He persuaded Stalin to permit the navy an air arm.



Kwajalein-Eniwetok campaign



(1944). Following the conquest of the Gilberts (see Tarawa campaign), the next move in the US amphibious campaign in the Central Pacific was the subjection of the Marshall Islands. Nimitz determined on the capture of Kwaja-lein and Eniwetok atolls in the western Marshalls, where the establishment of US bases would neutralize Japanese strongholds (Maloelap and Wotje) in the eastern Marshalls. Nimitz deployed Fifth Fleet (Vice Adm Spruance), Fifth Amphibious Force (Vice Adm Turner) and V Amphibious Corps (Maj Gen H M Smith). Japanese air power in the area was successfully suppressed by the carriers of Task Force 58 (Rear Adm Mits-cher) and a logistics base was secured by unopposed landings on Majuro atoll, about 250 miles (400km) southeast of Kwajalein, January 30,1944.



On February 1, in Operation “Flintlock”, 4th Marine Division (Maj Gen Harry Schmidt) assaulted Roi-Namur, on the north of Kwajalein lagoon, while 7th Infantry Division (Maj Gen Charles H Corlett) landed on Kwajalein Island, 40 miles (64km) to the south. Both operations were preceded by heavy air and naval bombardment and supported from artillery positions established on smaller islands seized the day before. Kwajalein atoll’s 87 islands were secured by February 6, when



41,000 US troops (490 dead; 1,300 wounded) had landed. Only a handful of the 8,400-strong Japanese garrison (Rear Adm M Akiyama) survived.



Massive pre-invasion bombardment and the initial establishment of artillery positions again minimized US casualties in Operation “Catchpole”, February 17, when Amphibious Group 2 (Rear Adm Harry Hill) landed Marines of Tactical Group 1 (Brig Gen Thomas Watson) on Engebi Island, Eniwetok atoll. Eniwetok Island was secured by 7th Infantry Division, landing February 19, and the conquest was completed by the Marines’ seizure of Parry Island, February 22. Of the 3,500 Japanese defenders (Maj Gen Yoshima Nishida), only a few hundred Korean labour troops survived; US losses were some 350 killed and 870 wounded. RO’N.



 

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