0204_01: Crisis in the West - PzC 06 Korsun '44

Near Vinograd, 60km south of Korsun, February 4th 1944: On the western side of the outer encirclement, III Panzer Korps had assembled 16th and 17th Panzer Divisions to attack towards Vaselyi Kut, the recognized crossing point of the Gniloy Tikich river in the area, then they would wheel to the east and relieve the pocket. The original plan had included the SSLAH and 1st Panzer Division, but on the night of February 1st, a surprise thaw had changed the snows to thick, black, oozing mud, slowing down their approach. The attack was launched without them and, initially, smashed through the Soviet defenses of 104th Rifle Corps. The Soviet High Command saw this as a crisis, and rushed any available units to stop the thrust. Gradually, the sea of mud and Soviet positions slowed the onslaught to a crawl. III Pz Korps did make it to the river, and establish a bridgehead, but there they stalled. This gave rise to the decision to have them withdraw from the narrow salient they had punched in the line, to regroup, and make another attempt on a different route in the days to come. [Size medium]