3 July 1944 : with capture of Minsk, Soviet momentum continued from Byelorussia into Poland. German Ostfront strategic position totally compromised as Army Group Center collapsed into isolated pockets or in westward retreat. Rapid Soviet salient would soon cut-off Army Group North in Baltic region, while in the south Army Group North Ukraine could not transfer armor reserves in time to thwart Soviet breakthrough.

Maps above and Rollover ( Rollover JPG link ) depict stark condition of German frontlines at start of Soviet offensive 23 June 1944, and its aftermath on 7 August 1944 when lines stabilized, Soviets gained about 350 miles across a 700-mile front. Army Group Centre - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Group_Center

Originally, when Germans invaded Soviet Union in 1941, their field armies south of Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Center) in Ukraine/Caucasus regions was called Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South). However, Soviet counter-offensives in Spring 1944 drove deep salient into Army Group South lines. Hence, German Wehrmacht reorganized Army Group South on 30 March 1944 into two combat groups : 1) Army Group North Ukraine, responsible for holding southern flank of Army Group Center, 2) Army Group South Ukraine, responsible for defense of Romania and its vital oil fields for Reich logistics. However, German military intelligence failed to ascertain Soviet intent and transferred bulk of armor reserves from Army Group Center to its southern flank Army Group North Ukraine, thus paving the way for such massive Soviet victory. Operation Bagration: Soviet Offensive of 1944 - www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/world_war_2/3421346.html?showAll=y&c=y

Panzer Alarmheit (armor fire brigades) to the rescue as Germans finally halted Soviet advances about 20 miles east of Polish capitol Warsaw in August 1944. Three veteran German Panzer Divisions were thrust into this breach : 1) Waffen-SS Wiking, 2) Luftwaffe Hermann Goering, 3) Heer 4th Panzer. With Warsaw being a major rail junction, German Panzerzug (PZ) armor trains were also thrown into battle to hold the line, battle reports indicated PZ63 defended Lemberg <Lvov>, PZ11 held San river crossing at Rozvadov, PZ66 held Platerov bridgehead on Bug river, PZ68 held Siedlice on Warsaw / Brest-Litovsk rail line, PZ74 and PZ75 thrown in to protect Rembertov (German Ostfront Armored Train Replacement Unit headquarter) east of Warsaw. German Armored Trains - www.avalanchepress.com/GermanTrains.php

• Additional info : BP42 and BP 44 German Armoured Trains - www.matadormodels.co.uk/tank_museum/bp4_bp44.htm

As this battle ensued, new German crisis arose when Polish Home Army launched a rebellion against German occupation within Warsaw city itself on 1 August 1944. Warsaw Uprising (1944) - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warsaw_Uprising

Inset 1 : Panther tanks from SS-Wiking Panzer Division recon Polish countryside for Soviet armor thrust, this was one of three Panzer Alarmheit divisions deployed east of Warsaw-Poland against advancing Soviets. Rollover : Foreground Panther 822 referred to 8th Company - 2nd Platoon - 2nd tank in platoon. 5th SS Panzerdivision Wiking is considered to be an elite Waffen-SS division (on par with other Waffen-SS divisions such as SS-Leibstandarte, SS-Das Reich, SS-Hitlerjugend, etc). Given its multi-ethnic volunteers of Germans, Dutch, Danes, Norwegians, Finns, Belgian-Walloons, Belgian-Flemings, and Balkan Volksdeutsche, some claim (political affiliation aside) it upheld tradition of a Pan-European Army akin to 19th-century Napoleon army or modern era NATO military alliance. 5th SS Panzergrenadier Division Wiking - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_SS_Panzergrenadier_Division_Wiking

• Additional info : SS-Wiking Division - axis101.bizland.com/Wiking1.htm

As Army Group Center began its collapse in late June 1944, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler continual refusal to sanction timely withdraw from encirclement contributed to debacle. By 1 July 1944, Army Group Center ceased to exist as viable combat formation, Germans lost about 100,000 men, 17 divisions wiped from order of battle, 50 divisions at half strength as its survivors conducted fighting retreat towards Warsaw. Postwar era witnessed incessant debates between Western Allies and Soviets over who really won WW2, be it Normandy-France landings in western Europe, or Soviet Bagration offensive in eastern Europe. All be it stated, Germans did loss over 3 million dead on eastern European battlefields, which was about 75% of their casualties. Even during final 1945 Allied advances into western Germany, Germans still deployed majority of armor formations against Soviets in Ostfront, thus good indication of their priorities.

Related Model and History : Battle of Normandy-France July 1944 and SS-Frundsburg Hetzer tank destroyer - UweMilitaria.org/2-Track/Hetzer/12.html

Hitler's No Retreat order was based on political, racial, and military considerations. Assuming direct military control in Dec 1941 after failed winter offensive against Moscow and faltering German frontlines from Soviet counter-offensives. Given his perception of Aryan racial superiority over the Slavs, National Socialism ideology over Soviet Bolshevikism, and German military machinery which already conquered northern - western - southern Europe, thought of German forces compelled to retreat was totally indignant, hence better to Zum Letzte Patrone (to the last cartridge or fight to the last man) than disgrace German military prowess.

Immediate consequence of Army Group Center disaster was attempted assassination of Hitler by senior Wehrmacht officers during a conference at the Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair) 20 July 1944: Fuhrer's East Prussia headquarters. Führerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze (Sperrkreis I) - www.geocities.com/Pentagon/7087/uk022.htm

The bombing only wounded Hitler, about 5,000 conspirators were executed in ensuing months with massive purge of German senior military ranks. After this incident, Hitler no longer made public appearances, his last public photo event was a brief Hitlerjugend awards ceremony outside Berlin Bunker on 20 April 1945. Note, an attitude of class superiority was held by German Wehrmacht upper echelons since majority possessed affluent aristocratic lineages. Contrasted with Hitler and his Nazi adherents originated from middle and working classes. In addition, Hitler being a WW1 veteran and personally witnessed mass casualties from trench/gas warfare, privately distrusted most German Military High Command. Assassination attempt only exacerbated this distrust out in the open. Assassination Attempts on Hitler's Life - members.iinet.net.au/~gduncan/assassination_attempts.html

Inset 2 : Second Panzer Alarmheit, Tiger tanks from Hermann Goering Panzer Division takes up position near Magnuszew to halt Soviet advances south of Warsaw-Poland, August 1944. Rollover : close-up of Zimmerit paste applied on Tiger hull with some sections already flaked off. This ceramic paste introduced in mid-1943 to thwart enemy magnetic satchel charges, it was no longer applied by late-1944.

In WW2 German Luftwaffe (air force) controlled ground forces which fought along side Army and Waffen-SS units. Originally, these forces were fallschirmjager (paratrooper) and mobile anti-aircraft units, but Hermann Goering unit was considered elite status (due to personal vestiges by German Luftwaffe Commander-in-Chief Hermann Goering) and thus steadily expanded from regiment to panzergrenadier to ultimate panzer division status. Hermann Göring Division - www.hermanngoring.co.uk

Due to chronic frontline manpower shortage, Luftwaffe Field Divisions also formed from non-essential Air Force personnel (ex. logistics, administrative, headquarter staff) in Oct 1942, but their leadership and performance was so dismal that by Nov 1943 they were transferred in-masse to Heer (army) command. Luftwaffe Ground Troops - members.aol.com/ItalyWW2/Luftwaffe.htm

Related Model and History : Hermann Goering biography and Horch FLAK PKW model - UweMilitaria.org/1-Wheel/HorchFlak30/25.html

Inset 3 : Panzer IV tanks of 4th Panzer Division, engaged in fighting retreat until German armor reinforcements were deployed east of Warsaw. These Panzers mounted schurzen and track applique armor, Landser (infantry) were carried to give them transportation along with defense against enemy anti-tank artillery ambushes (men would dismount, outflank, and assault these gun posts). 4th Panzer was stationed at Kowel-Poland in April-July 1944 to bolster defense of Heeresgruppe Nordukraine (Army Group North Ukraine). But with destruction of Army Group Center, 4th Panzer attempted to stem Soviet offensive without success. 4.Panzer-Division - www.feldgrau.com/heer4p.html

Note, pre-WW2 Kowel was part of Poland, during WW2 city annexed into Greater German Reich, post-WW2 saw Soviets seized major portions of eastern Poland (Kowel included) to redress territorial losses incurred from WW1. With 1991 Soviet Union collapse, Kowel is now part of nation Ukraine.

Rollover : Small German inscription STUR HEIL (stolid well-being) on right turret schurzen, colloquially meaning Dogged Endurance. Babelfish Online Translation - babelfish.altavista.com