Source: U.S. War Department "Handbook On German Military Forces" (Mar'45)
Officially released from restricted status by the U.S. Army Center For Military History.
GENERAL
In German doctrine the object of the defense (Verteidigung, or
Abwehr) is to half the hostile attack, or to gain time pending
development of a more favorable situation for resumption of
the offensive. Thus German and U.S. doctrine are essentially
the same: only the offensive leads to decisive successes.
In the last two years German defensive operations have become
increasingly passive in nature. The Germans formerly placed
the greatest stress on immediate and violent counterattacks
as effective means of destroying the attacking enemy. This
required great mobility and large reserves. At present more
emphasis is placed on the construction of defensive positions,
and counterattacks are frequently local in character. It is
most likely that this passive type of defense is only an
expedient due to German shortages of mobile equipment and
manpower.
2. ORGANIZATION FOR DEFENSE.
a. GENERAL.
The Germans attempt to break a hostile attack in front of the
main line of resistance (Hauptkampflinie), at the forward limit
of the battle position (Hauptkampffeld), or to force the enemy
to abandon his attack.
As in U.S. practice, the commander usually determines from the
map the main battlefield and assigns a general line as guide for
the location of the main line of resistance, to ensure
continuity of the defensive position. Lower echelon commanders
fix the main line of resistance on the ground, since only
on the terrain, after thorough reconnaissance, can the details
of the defense be decided. A recent official German directive
states, however, that reconnaissance must not delay the
construction of defensive positions.
Organization of the defensive position follows a conventional
pattern and includes an advanced position (Vorgeschobene Stellung),
and an outpost position (Gefechtsvorposten), both of which
usually are under immediate command of the area commander.
A reserve position may also be provided.
The width and depth of a German defense area depend upon
the terrain and the proportional strength of friendly and
hostile forces. In general, however, the width of a
defensive sector assigned to a unit is approximately twice
the width of the sector when the same unit attacks.
Normal sectors are: platoon, 220 to 550 yards; company,
440 to 1,100 yards; battalion, 880 to 2,200 yards; regiment,
2,200 to 3,300 yards; division, 6,600 to 11,000 yards.
b. ADVANCED POSITION.
The Germans organize the advanced position 5,000 to 7,000
yards in front of the main line of resistance, within the range
of their medium artillery. A position is selected which will
prevent seizure by the enemy of important terrain features,
provide good observation points for friendly artillery, and,
if possible, deceive the enemy as to the location of the main
line of resistance. Troops manning these positions attempt
to make the enemy employ his forces prematurely and,
if possible, in the wrong direction.
The forces in the advanced position are usually reconnaissance
detachments, which include machine-gun, armored-car, and
antitank-gun units, the fire power and mobility of which make
them suitable for this type of employment. In general they
occupy important features, such as railroads, river crossings,
cross-roads, and commanding ground. Forces in advanced
positions are not expected to hold at all cost; in the face
of superior enemy fire they retire along predetermined routes
under cover of their medium artillery.
c. OUTPOST POSITIONS.
Outpost positions normally are established 2,000 to 5,000
yards in front of the main line of resistance. When the fronts
are stabilized, the outpost position is the only position
forward of the main line of resistance. The location, which
depends upon the terrain, is always within range of friendly
light artillery.
German outpost positions are occupied in strength varying
from platoons to companies, depending upon the mission, terrain,
width of the sector, and the number of troops available.
Often they are only weakly occupied as long as the advanced
positions are in front of them. Ordinarily outposts are
established by infantry units drawn from the main battle
position, supported by the fire of close-support weapons
such as mortars and infantry guns. Antitank guns often are
attached to these outpost units to repel hostile armored
reconnaissance units. The main weapon, however, is the
light machine gun which opens fire at ranges of about
1,300 yards, while riflemen commence fire at about 850 yards.
Firing positions are selected by the Germans to facilitate
unobserved withdrawal of the outposts to the main battle
position when hostile pressure becomes too strong. Several
alternate positions are prepared for each weapon, and shifts
are made by day and night to make it difficult for the
opponent to detect and dislodge the outpost troops.
Positions normally are selected at the edge of the woods,
villages, hedgerows, or hills. A good field of fire is
considered mandatory, and the organization of firing positions
is simple. Numerous dummy positions are constructed, including
knee-deep trenches filled with leaves to simulate depth and
occupancy. During the day, positions are manned by guards;
at night, advanced listening posts, particularly alert at
dusk and dawn, warn the troops of the enemy's approach.
Small, prepared attacks with limited objectives under the
protection of the outposts are utilized to interfere with the
hostile preparations and secure information.
Withdrawal of the outposts is conducted so as not to hinder
the fire of the main battle position. After the outposts are
abandoned, they are likely to be covered by carefully
registered fire of heavy weapons in order to prevent their
occupation by the enemy.
d. MAIN LINE OF RESISTANCE.
The Germans organize their battle position in depth, with
individual strongpoints connected to form an uninterrupted belt.
The strongpoints, constructed for all-around defense, and
surrounded by barbed-wire obstacles and mine belts, contain
one or more heavy weapons supplemented by machine guns,
mortars, and riflemen. The smallest strongpoint is occupied
by a reinforced squad. Squad strongpoints normally are
incorporated into platoon strongpoints, and the latter
into company strongpoints, etc.
The Germans make the maximum use of reverse slopes in their
defensive positions. Forward-slope positions are usually
avoided as they are detected too early by the enemy and are
likely to be destroyed by mass fire. Since organization
of a position in woods requires much time and labor, and
strong occupation is requisite to compensate for poor
observation, the Germans also avoid woods when time is
short and labor scarce. Battle positions are laid out so that
woods are neither in, nor directly in front or in rear of,
defensive installations. The Germans believe, however, that
when it is possible to establish a well prepared position in a
woods, a position so located offers the same advantages as
a reverse slope.
When the Germans decide to construct defensive positions on
terrain divided by a stream, they organize bridgeheads on the
bank on the hostile side where the terrain facilitates
crossings. Where the river forms a re-entrant bend into
enemy-held terrain, a second position is constructed at the
base of the bend. On narrow rivers and creeks, the entire
German main line of resistance is on the hostile side
of the river, and the stream becomes the tank obstacle of the
position. (See anti-mechanized defense._ When the friendly
side of the river consists of swampland, it is used as an
obstacle, and the hostile bank is not included in the
defense system.
Ghe Germans endeavor to provide all parts of their position
with strong support from artillery and heavy infantry weapons.
A detailed fire plan is prepared in advance by the infantry and
coordinated with the artillery plan. Provision is made for
fire in front of the forward limit of the battle position,
which is partly protected by minefields and other obstacles.
Alternate positions are dug so that support weapons may
be shifted and dired rapidly. The mass of the artillery
lays concentrated fire both close to and well in front of
the main line of resistance, and is sited to cover the spaces
between the effective fire zones of front-line units.
The Germans in general adhere to the principle of "effect
before cover" in determining priorities for constructing
the various installations in a defensive position. First they
build combat trenches; erect infantry obstacles such as
barbed-wire fences; and construct machine-gun positions,
dugouts, foxholes, and antitank positions. They clear
fields of fire by careful cutting of underbrush but try
to avoid cutting down trees in order to preserve concealment of
the position. The underbrush is left in front of the
position as far as 1 to 3 yards. They organize observation
posts for artillery and heavy infantry weapons, increase
the depth of the battle position, dig communication
trenches and emplacements for the heavy infantry weapons,
and build command posts. Finally, they construct emplacements
for the artillery, dig antitank ditches within the
battle position, and build dummy positions.
The Germans insist on thorough camouflage. Whenever practicable,
trenches and wire obstacles are placed along natural terrain
lines such as rows of brush or edges of fields. Trenches
are dug zig-zag at obtuse angles, 330 to 660 yards long,
depending on the terrain. Machine-guns are emplaced in trenches
1 to 3 yards in length. To avoid silhouettes, the Germans
heap more earth behind the trenches than in front. Dugouts
for riflemen and for machine-gun positions normally provide
sufficient protection against enemy artillery and mortar fire.
Whenever possible, three layers of logs and earth are used as cover.
e. RESERVE POSITION.
Occasionally a reserve position is organized and troops in the
main battle position retire to it, but only under heavy pressure.
This reserve position is constructed far enough to the rear to
compel hostile artillery to displace forward in order to
bring it under fire. Motorized reserve units normally are
kept there for counterattacks which are planned in advance.
f. ANTIMECHANIZED DEFENSE.
In constructing a defensive position the Germans stress
construction of obstacles and antitank defenses. If possible,
they select tank-proof terrain, and natural tank obstacles,
such as steep slopes, are improved. Very steep forward slopes are
made at least 8 yards deep, while uphill slopes are made 2-3 yards
high. Originally the Germans constructed antitank ditches well
forward of the main line of resistance, but experience taught
them that such ditches offered favorable jumping-off positions
for hostile infantry and also revealed the location of the
main line of resistance. At the present time, therefore,
antitank ditches normally are dug in the area between the main
line of resistance and the artillery positions. They are
built in an uninterrupted line to avoid leaving passages that
can be exploited by the enemy.
All crossings essential to assure the maneuverability of friendly
troops are built so that they can be blown up on the shortest
notice.
The Germans are aware that obstacles of any kind are effective
only when covered by fire from various weapons. Consequently,
there usually are trenches behind the antitank ditches from
which machine-gun and antitank-gun fire can cover the entire
length of the tank obstacle.
The Germans learned that dense minefields in front of their
positions were an inadequate tank obstacle, because the enemy
usually neutralized them by massed artillery fire or by
concentrated air bombardment before launching a large-scale
attack. Now German minefields normally are laid within the
main battle position, and only single mines are dispersed in
pattern at wide intervals in front of the main line of
resistance. Particular stress is placed on the mining of
roads. Routes of withdrawal which have to be left open are
prepared for mining, and, if time does not permit placing
of actual mines, dummy mines are installed.
The Germans employ many kinds of tank obstacles. They recently
have used static flame throwers dug into the ground. Usually
sited in pairs and in conjunction with other tank obstacles,
they are fired by well concealed personnel as soon as hostile
tanks come within range.
German antitank guns are disposed in depth, with some well
forward. They often are dug in and carefully concealed to
prevent the enemy from discovering the location and strength
of the antitank defenses prior to attack. In emplacing
antitank guns, the Germans prefer positions in enfilade
or on reverse slopes. They normally employ two to three
antitank guns in each position, protecting them from
infantry attacks with light machine guns. Ranges at which
the Germans open fire upon hostile tanks vary according to
the caliber of the gun and it's position. Although single
antitank guns sometimes engage enemy tanks at ranges up to
1,000 yards, main antitank defenses usually hold their fire
until the range is reduced to about 150 to 300 yards.
The employment of close-combat antitank teams supplements
the antitank defense. When the hostile tank attack
is repulsed, the antitank guns move to alternate positions.
The Germans emphasize that the use of smoke can be of great
assistance in defeating enemy tank attacks. Smoke shells are
fired into the attacking formation about one-third the
distance back from the leading echelon. Thus the Germans
avoid blinding their own antitank gunners, and leading
hostile tanks not only are left without adequate support
but are silhouetted against the smoke. The Germans also rely
on the smoke being sucked into the tanks and forcing the
crews to dismount.
3. CONDUCT OF THE DEFENSE.
German defense of a position, whether hastily prepared or
complete in all details, is conducted on the same principles.
Unless they are compelled by manpower and materiel shortages
to rely on the strength of their positions, the Germans
prefer heavy concentrations of fire and powerful, coordinated
counterattacks by mobile reserves of all arms. They apply the
principle of selecting a point of main effort (Schwerpunkt)
to the defense as well as to the attack. This principle
necessarily is applied in reverse order in the defensive,
the main effort being made opposite the point where the
enemy is making his main attack.
German artillery attempts to disrupt a hostile attack
before it reaches the defensive positions. The Germans state
that it is invaluable to install observation posts
simultaneously in the main line of resistance, in the advanced
position, and in the immediate vicinity of the gun position.
Thus they try to keep a hostile force constantly under
observation and fire even when it achieves a penetration.
The artillery regiment commander controls the fire as long as
possible, although requests for artillery barrages may be
made by unit commanders as low as platoon leaders.
Capabilities of German heavy mortars, which like all other
support weapons usually are sited on reverse slopes, are
exploited, with a present trend toward mortar-fire concentration.
When a part of the battle position is lost, the area is taken
under artillery fire to annihilate enemy forces which may
have penetrated it. The Germans normally organize reserve
units, even when only relatively few troops are available.
Immediate local counterthrusts by infantry elements and
support weapons near the penetration endeavor to hurl back
the enemy before he has an opportunity to establish himself.
These small counterthrusts, which normally closely follow the
artillery fire, preferably are directed at the flanks of
the penetrations.
When the enemy succeeds in making a large penetration or
breakthrough, the German higher echelon commander decides
whether a general counterattack should be launched to restore
the position or whether the main battle position should be
established farther to the rear. The counterattack is directed
against the hostile flank, where possible, and is prepared
thoroughly. Assembly area, time, objective, zone, artillery
support, and employment of tanks, self-propelled artillery,
assault guns, and air units are controlled by one commander.
German antiaircraft defense, which is unable to give
adequate protection everywhere because of Allied air supremacy,
is concentrated at important points. The main mission of the light
and medium antiaircraft artillery is the protection of roads.
Accuracy of Allied air reconnaissance compels the German
antiaircraft artillery to change positions from day to day,
the changeover being made during the night. The Germans also
enforce a preliminary two-hour fire silence in the new
position to try to trap enemy fighter-bombers. Searchlights
often are placed parallel to a protected road to prevent
enemy aircraft from illuminating the roads by flares. This
is particularly important since the Germans normally bring
forward their relief troops, rations, and ammunition during
the night.
