Army Group A
On the 26th of October 1939, the German military renamed Army Group South to Army Group A. This new formation took its place along the France, Germany border and Belgium, Germany border within the Eifel and Hunsrück mountain ranges. Gerd von Rundstedt served as commander while Erich von Manstein held the role of chief of staff. These two men had led the same unit during the Invasion of Poland in September and October 1939. The army group initially consisted of four out of eight field-army level commands assigned to the three army groups along the western frontier. Each of these armies possessed three corps each, placing the total at twelve army corps. Army Group A received the concentration of all German armored and motorized formations available for the upcoming campaign. Panzer Group Kleist alone contained 41,140 motorized vehicles including 1,222 tanks. This single formation represented around half of the entire German tank arm's stock at that time. The personnel strength of Panzer Group Kleist reached 134,370 soldiers.
Erich von Manstein developed his strategic conception inside the Koblenz Electoral Palace where Army Group A headquarters were located. He issued seven memoranda between the 31st of October 1939 and the 12th of January 1940 arguing for a shift in focus from Army Group B to Army Group A. Hitler met with Manstein on the 17th of February 1940 in Berlin and ordered the implementation of this plan. Franz Halder removed Manstein from his position as chief of staff after the meeting. Georg von Sodenstern replaced him as chief of staff despite opposing the new strategy. Gerd von Rundstedt himself expressed serious reservations about using motorized formations in the vanguard. Heinz Guderian of XIX Army Corps advocated for rapid armored assaults against these doubts. The Mechelen incident in January 1940 gave additional credibility to the plan by making encirclement appear plausible. Günther Blumentritt, Henning von Tresckow, and Rudolf Schmundt helped deliver the proposal to Hitler's desk. The final order placed the German Schwerpunkt southwards according to Manstein's design.
On the 14th of May 1940, Heinz Guderian ignored instructions from Army Group A leadership regarding his tank usage. He advanced out of their bridgehead at Monthermé without permission. On the 17th of May, Ewald von Kleist issued a holding order to Guderian after Hitler personally decreed a deceleration of the advance. This order remained in place until the 19th of May when it was revoked. By the 20th of May at 02:00 in the morning, the 2nd Rifle Regiment of 2nd Panzer Division reached Noyelles-sur-Mer. This left the northern sector of the French Army, the Belgian Army and the British Expeditionary Force cut off in the Low Countries. On the 24th of May 1940, Hitler ordered a halt outside Dunkirk despite Walther von Brauchitsch's objections. Kleist reported casualties of over 50% for his panzer group on the 23rd of May. The halting order was revoked on the 26th of May and Dunkirk captured on the 4th of June. Some 340,000 British and Allied soldiers were successfully evacuated out of Dunkirk while leaving behind much heavy equipment including 475 tanks.
On the 7th of July 1942, Army Group South split into two new formations during Case Blue. Army Group B took the northern sector directed towards Stalingrad while Army Group A moved south toward the Caucasus. Wilhelm List commanded Army Group A initially before Adolf Hitler assumed direct command on the 9th of September 1942. Hitler held this position until the 22nd of November when Ewald von Kleist returned to lead the unit. On the 23rd of July 1942, Hitler issued Führer Directive No. 45 making the split permanent. Army Group A received air support from elements of Luftflotte 4 under von Richthofen. By the 1st of August, the army group included the 1st German Panzer Army, the 17th German Army, and the 3rd Romanian Army. This configuration totaled nine army corps of German or Romanian nationality. The division of forces weakened Luftwaffe air support as overstretched aerial formations covered two divergent attacks. Hitler's decision to split the operation increased rather than decreased the distance between the two army groups.
By December 1942, desperate officers within Army Group A desired a withdrawal to the Don river. Kurt Zeitzler finally allowed the retreat after partial collapse of Army Group B in December 1942. Hitler forbade full retreat behind the Don and ordered 1st Panzer Army to split its forces. A northern segment crossed the Don at Rostov while a southern segment formed the Taman Peninsula creating the Kuban bridgehead. On the 27th of January 1943, a broad reorganization implemented this split. Army Group A transferred the northern group of 1st Panzer Army to Army Group Don. The southern group attached itself to 17th Army for defense of Crimea. Between March and August 1943, Germans shipped 337,353 tons of supply goods across the Kerch Strait. These shipments included 6,365 soldiers, 2,566 horses, 1,099 motor vehicles, 534 horsedrawn vehicles and 197 heavy guns. Axis strength in the bridgehead numbered roughly 200,000 soldiers opposed by 350,000 Soviet troops. Air support from the 1st German Air Corps helped equalize aerial balance starting mid-September.
On the 28th of October 1943, Soviet armored spearheads reached the Isthmus of Perekop where they were briefly halted. By the 1st of November, the connection between 6th Army and 17th Army was lost leaving 17th Army trapped on the Crimean peninsula. Hitler ordered Crimea held despite Erwin Jaenecke's autonomous evacuation preparations. On the 2nd of February 1944, the 17th Army consisted of multiple divisions including Fortress Commander Sevastopol units. Ion Antonescu doubted prospects of defending the isolated peninsula against strong Soviet formations. Hans Röttiger predicted relief would not be possible in the near future when dispatching news to Manstein. The Soviets launched probing attacks against the Perekop isthmus in late October 1943 defended by XXXXIX Mountain Corps. In early November, Soviet forces crossed the Strait of Kerch establishing bridgeheads north and south of Eltigen. A German-Romanian counter-thrust defeated these landing forces within three days of fighting. The 17th Army spent winter 1943/44 establishing defenses around the entire Crimean coastline using limited armor.
On the 10th of January 1945, Luftwaffe officer Robert Ritter von Greim estimated Allied air superiority at a ratio of 35:1 over German forces. On the 12th of January 1945, the Red Army launched its major winter offensive along the entire line with the 1st Ukrainian Front and 4th Ukrainian Front. Initial attack began at 04:00 in the morning from the Baranow bridgehead causing significant troubles for Army Group A staff. By the 19th of January, the 1st Ukrainian Front crossed into Silesia reaching the Oder on the 22nd of January. On the 25th of January 1945, Hitler renamed three army groups ending the final deployment of Army Group A. It became the new Army Group Center while old Army Group Center became Army Group North. The final formation existed for about five months marked by constant withdrawals from advancing Soviet forces. Army Group A left the Oder river line before its transformation was complete. No subsequent Army Group A was formed after this redesignation.
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Common questions
When was Army Group A renamed from Army Group South?
The German military renamed Army Group South to Army Group A on the 26th of October 1939. This new formation took its place along the France, Germany border and Belgium, Germany border within the Eifel and Hunsrück mountain ranges.
Who commanded Army Group A during the invasion of Poland in 1939?
Gerd von Rundstedt served as commander while Erich von Manstein held the role of chief of staff for Army Group A. These two men had led the same unit during the Invasion of Poland in September and October 1939.
What happened to Army Group A after the split into Case Blue in July 1942?
On the 7th of July 1942, Army Group South split into two new formations where Army Group A moved south toward the Caucasus. Wilhelm List commanded Army Group A initially before Adolf Hitler assumed direct command on the 9th of September 1942.
How many soldiers were evacuated from Dunkirk by Army Group A forces?
Some 340,000 British and Allied soldiers were successfully evacuated out of Dunkirk while leaving behind much heavy equipment including 475 tanks. The halting order was revoked on the 26th of May and Dunkirk captured on the 4th of June.
When did Army Group A cease to exist following its redesignation in January 1945?
Hitler renamed three army groups ending the final deployment of Army Group A on the 25th of January 1945. It became the new Army Group Center while old Army Group Center became Army Group North and no subsequent Army Group A was formed after this redesignation.