One question I’ve always had about Fourth Guards Tank Army is how this particular fight came about. To what degree did the Soviets know about the planned Summer 2000 offensive by NATO? To what degree was Fourth Guards Tank Army prepped and stocked as an operational matter-of-course? To what degree was a gasoline-run Fourth Guards Tank Army intended for a Soviet offensive—a mission that was changed as a consequence of the NATO offensive? The answer is probably a combination of all three possibilities, as they naturally blend into each other. Still, it would be interesting to know how much the Soviets knew about NATO intentions. By the same token, how serious were the Soviets about using their mobile reserve offensively, if NATO did nothing but stand pat during the first part of the 2000 campaign season?
Webstral
|