Manda (Amachan) goes to the Eastern Front

I haven’t been able to do any physical work on my project today due to tremors in my hands, I have however been to the doctor and did a lot of mental work. So here is a wall of text.

There are so many things that interest me in WWII, so to not be a hobby butterfly and focus on just one thing I have for now decided to stay in 1942 with this project. So that means that all German vehicles will be German Grey with the odd camouflage conversion done by the soldiers. The Soviet tanks were going to be some variety of green depending on which factory made which vehicle, also the odd additional camouflage may appear here.

The 9th Guards Cavalry Division stays, because that is really what I want to do. However the 20. Panzergrenadier Division did not exist back than, at least not under that name and since I am doing all the German vehicles in German Grey anyway I might just as well pick another division to represent the Germans in this phase of my Flames of War life. Now history time….

Wikipedia, the most reliable source of information (sarcasm), tells me that the 9th Guards Cavalry Division fought near Mozdok, Stavropol, Melitopol, Odessa, Debrecen, Budapest, and Prague. Some of these places you may recognize from a current eastern front conflict. Mozdok being the most interesting part for me as this was in 1942. “By September 1942, it had been transferred to the district of Gudermes and until January 1943 made bold raids on the enemy’s rear north of the city of Mozdok. During the liberation of the North Caucasus, he conducted offensive battles in the general direction of Stavropol, Rostov-on-Don.” (translated from Russian Wikipedia: https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/9-%D1%8F_%D0%B3%D0%B2%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%87%D1%8C%D1%8F_%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F_%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%8F)

So according to the following sources I am going to have a look at the 1st Panzer Army for my Germans.

Now this is an interesting looking list.

Order of battle (15 Nov 1942)

At the disposal of the 1. Panzerarmee

• General-Kommando z.b.V.
• Befehls-Stab Steinbauer
• 50. Infanterie-Division (part)

III. Panzerkorps

• Romanian 2nd Mountain Division
• 23. Panzer-Division + SS-Division “Wiking” (part)
• 13. Panzer-Division + verstärktes Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 99

LII. Armeekorps

• SS-Division “Wiking” (most) + 50. Infanterie-Division (part)
• 111. Infanterie-Division
• 370. Infanterie-Division

XXXX. Panzerkorps

• 3. Panzer-Division

(Source: https://www.axishistory.com/axis-nations/148-germany-heer/heer-armeen/2655-1-panzerarmee)

So, SS-Division “Wiking”, especially; Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS. “The Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS was formed in 1941 as SS Freiwilligen-Batallion Nordost and were made up of Finnish volunteers who had signed on the fight the Soviet Union (and no other countries) for two years, who also refused to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler and they were commanded primarily by Finnish officers, though there original demand to only be led by Finnish officers where never completly met.
It was sent from the training grounds at Gross-Born to the front at the Mius River in January 1942 were it was attached to the SS Wiking division (mot). It fought in the offensive battles along the Mius River and later in the Caucasus.
In May 1943 it was transferred away from the front, as the two years was at an end, and it was disbanded in July 1943.”

(Source: https://www.axishistory.com/books/122-germany-waffen-ss/germany-waffen-ss-minor-units/1396-finnisches-freiwilligen-bataillon-der-waffen-ss)

That sounds like a really interesting battalion to me, but I am going to struggle to really make people be able to tell that it is this battalion and this battalion only had a handful of companies of infantry and I also want do more than just infantry, so I using the entire SS-Division “Wiking” for my Germans. This should give me an interesting amount of units to choose from:

Order of battle

• SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 9 Germania
• SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 10 Westland
• SS-Panzer Regiment 5
• SS-Panzer Artillerie Regiment 5
• Finnisches Freiwilligen-Bataillon der Waffen-SS (until 1943)
• Estnisches SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Bataillon Narwa (1943-1944)
• SS-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 5
• SS-Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 5
• SS-Sturmgeschütz-Batterie 5
• SS-Flak-Abteilung 5
• SS-Werfer-Abteilung 5
• SS-Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung 5
• SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5
• SS-Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 5
• SS-Dina 5
• SS-Instandsetzungs-Abteilung 5
• SS-Wirtschafts-Bataillon 5
• SS-Sanitäts-Abteilung 5
• SS-Feldlazarett 5
• SS-Kriegsberichter-Zug 5
• SS-Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 5
• SS-Feldersatz-Bataillon 5

(Source: https://www.axishistory.com/books/119-germany-waffen-ss/germany-waffen-ss-divisions/1265-5-ss-panzer-division-wiking)

And we all know how pissed off some people can get when you make something historically accurate to represent a part of history that is controversial or sensitive.

Now most of the conflict around Mozdok took place around November and December of 1942, so am I going back to doing winter themes….. I am not sure yet.

On a side note, I was not expecting this from ChatGPT:

“When working on a historical project regarding the Waffen SS, there are several key considerations to keep in mind to ensure the project remains respectful, accurate, and ethically responsible. Here are some things you should avoid:

1. Glorification: Avoid glorifying or romanticizing the Waffen SS or any aspects of their actions. The Waffen SS was a military organization associated with the Nazi regime, and its involvement in atrocities and war crimes cannot be downplayed or glorified.
2. Bias and Propaganda: Ensure that your project remains objective and free from any biased perspectives or propaganda. Present the historical facts without distorting the truth to fit a particular narrative or agenda.
3. Misrepresentation: Be diligent in presenting accurate information. Misrepresenting events, dates, or individuals can lead to misinformation and misinterpretation of history.
4. Holocaust Denial: Under no circumstances should you engage in Holocaust denial or downplay the extent of the Holocaust. The Holocaust is an extensively documented historical event, and denying its occurrence is both factually incorrect and deeply disrespectful to the millions of victims.
5. Offensive Imagery: Avoid using any offensive or inappropriate imagery that could be hurtful to survivors, their families, or those directly affected by the events of the past.
6. Hate Speech: Refrain from using hate speech, discriminatory language, or promoting any form of hatred, racism, or discrimination related to the Waffen SS or any other historical subject.
7. Revisionism: Avoid historical revisionism, which involves distorting historical facts to portray a more favorable or sympathetic image of the Waffen SS. Stick to well-documented historical records and reputable sources.
8. Simplification: History is complex, and simplifying events or drawing broad conclusions without proper context can lead to a distorted understanding of the past. Present nuanced and multi-faceted perspectives.
9. Lack of Context: Provide sufficient historical context to help readers understand the events, social, and political circumstances surrounding the Waffen SS, and avoid presenting isolated facts without their broader historical background.
10. Insensitivity: Be mindful of the potential emotional impact of your work. The subject matter can be deeply sensitive to many people, so approach it with empathy and respect.

By avoiding these pitfalls and approaching your project with a responsible and respectful mindset, you can contribute to a better understanding of history while being considerate of those who may be affected by it.”

So I shall try not to tick any of these boxes, I think that should be doable mostly. Point 5 might be a bit difficult.