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The Cold War Years. Part 5.

Posted: 26/07/2012 in Cold War
Tags: 1 BR Corps, 1 British Corps, 1 German Corps, 1 Netherlands Corps, 120mm tank gun, 1st Armoured Division, ACE, AFCENT, AFNORTH, Allied Command Europe, barrel thermal sleeve, Berlin, Bovington Tank Museum, CENTAG, Central Army Group, Chieftain Main Battle Tank, Chieftain Mark 10, Chieftain power-pack, Chieftain TOGS, Cold War, East Berlin, Fiction, GDR, German, German Democratic Republic, Germany, History, Images, Intelligence gathering, Iron Curtain, L11A5 tank gun, Leyland L60 engine, NATO, NORTHAG, Northern Army Group, Photography, Photos, Pictures, SHAPE, Soviet Army, Soviet Union, Stillbrew armour, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, Thermal Observation and Gunnery System, Video, Warsaw Pact, WW3, WWIII

The Cold War Years – Part 5.

I am 21,000 words into the first novel of my new ‘Cold War’ series. There will be three books in total, covering the hypothetical invasion of West Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany, by the Warsaw Pact in the mid 1980′s. Book 1, ‘The Red Effect’, will encompass the intelligence build up leading to the Warsaw Pact strike against the NATO forces lined up against them.

The Cold War era started very soon after the end of the second world war, when the communist east, led by the Soviet Union, and the Western world, led by the United States and its NATO allies, faced each across what became known as the ‘Iron Curtain’.

The capital of Germany, Berlin, was divided into four Sectors. The consequence being, that the three Western Allied powers now controlled territory deep within the Soviet Union Zone of Germany.

Over time, the tensions between the four Allied powers increased, eventually resulting in the Berlin blockade in 1948, when the Soviets attempted to starve West Berlin into submission and force the other three Allied powers out. This failed and the Soviets eventually relented, but an ever-increasing number of East Germans fled to the West; between 150,000 and 300,000 a year during 1951-1953. As a consequence restrictions were placed on movement between the divided country. From 1961, the border was closed and Berlin completely encircled, first by barbed wire, then bricks and finally a concrete wall, along with the infamous ‘death strip’.

Access was now restricted between Berlin and the West. A wall, 124 mile miles in length, was placed around the three sectors of West Berlin, cutting off the city from the rest of the world.

An Iconic picture of the face-off between the West and the East. The Cold War truly starts – October 1961.

I shall cover various aspects of the two opposing forces, providing the backdrop and background information in preparation for the release of my three novels. In the meantime, you could always read my WW2, Devils with Wings series.

In 1984/85, the Warsaw Pact was already a significant force, the Soviet Union in particular. To counter this NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, assembled its own force of arms along the Iron Curtain. Not just as a show force against the communist ideals purported by the East, but because the likelihood of Warsaw Pact troops, led by the Soviet Union, crossing the Inner German Border was a real possibility.

Although SHAPE, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, was referenced to Europe for legal reasons, its activities were extended beyond those borders in 2003. SHAPE’s motto is Vigilia Pretium Liberatis, Latin for ‘The Price of Freedom is Vigilance’. In 1951, General Eisenhower signed the activation order for ACE, Allied Command Europe. The key subordinate commands being Allied Forces Northern Europe, AFNORTH, Allied Forces Central Europe, AFCENT, the commands I shall be covering in this and future posts, and AFSOUTH, Allied Forces Southern Europe.

Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe – Emblem

Allied Forces Central Europe.

Allied Forces Central Europe, AFCENT, would have to take the brunt of any attack by the Warsaw Pact forces. With responsibility for Parts of Europe stretching from Denmark to the borders of Austria, it had three subordinate commands. The two key ones, Northern Army Group, NORTHAG, and Central Army Group, CENTAG. For this and the next Post, I will concentrate on NORTHAG.

Northern Army Group Insignia. During the building of the Joint Headquarters, a Frankish battle axe was discovered and subsequently used as their emblem. They chose it because the Franks were a West-European tribe defending against attackers from the East.

During the 1980′s there was a genuine fear that the Warsaw Pact would come storming across the Inner German Border.

For the defence of the Federal Republic of Germany, NATO used a ‘layer-cake’ principle. The country was sectioned into layers, with a designated Army Corps taking responsibility for its defence.

Northern Army Group consisted of four Army Corps; 1 Dutch Corps in the north, beneath that 1 German Corps, 1 British Corps and 1 Belgian Corps. NORTHAG’s area of responsibility ran from the North German Plains, south of the river Elbe, to the city of Kassel. Below Kassel was the responsibility of CENTAG and north of the Elbe was the responsibility of Allied Land Forces Command.

Crossing the Inner German Border, the Warsaw Pact was expected to attack on possibly two key fronts. The ‘North German Plains’, ideal terrain for their particularly large tank forces, and from the ‘Thurungian Bulge’, punching through the ‘Fulda Gap’, Frankfurt a mere 62 miles from the Inner German Border at that point.

In the 1950′s, NATO supported the ‘Rhine Defence Concept’, using the wide river as a major barrier to an invading army. The defence line would be along the Rhine and east of the Rhine would be used as a ‘delaying zone’, enabling NATO to pull in reinforcements and reserves. In the late 1950′s, the defence line moved closer to the Inner German Border, the concept of ‘Defence in Depth’. By the 1960′s, West Germany, by now more of an ally than a conquered country, had major concerns about German Cities being left undefended and open to Soviet Occupation. So, by the 1970′s, the concept of a ‘Forward Defence’ was born. Northern Army Group had a tough task. Each of their Army Corps would have a ‘covering force area’, where they would delay the enemy while they moved their forces into position, and a ‘main battle area’, where the bulk of their forces would dig in. Behind them, in the Corps rear area, they would also have to find the forces to defend against Warsaw Pact Assault Brigades, Airborne Divisions dropping behind their lines to secure bridges and attack key nuclear weapons stocks and communications centres. Not forgetting Spetsnaz activity.

Task Force Bravo, later re-designated 22 Armoured Brigade, its Headquarters in Bergen-Hohne, was part of 1st Armoured Division.

NORTHAG had four Army Corps in its lineup (1980′s).

I (NL) Corps

Netherlands

1e Devisie (mechanised division).

1 x Panzer Brigade and 2 x Mechanised Brigades
Divisional Artillery Group
Approximately 245 x Leopard 1v
5 x Mechanised Infantry Infantry Battalions
60 x M109A3

4e Devisie (mechanised division)

1 x Panzer Brigade and 2 x Mechanised Brigades
Divisional Artillery Group
244 x Leopard 2A4
5 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions
60 x M109A3

5e Devisie

1 x Panzer Brigade and 2 x Mechanised Brigades
Divisional Artillery Group
140 x Leopard 1v and 104 Leopard 2A4
5 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions

101e Infantry Brigade (reserve)

2 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions and 2 x Infantry Battalions.

1 (NL) Corps Artillery

22 x M270 MRLS
6 x Lance Missile Launchers
48 x M110A2
20 x M109A2

1 (NL) Corps also had integral reconnaissance and Air Defence units.

1 (NL) Corps, also potentially had the German 3rd Panzer Division as part of their Corps. 13 x Leopard 1A5 and 220 x Leopard 2. 5 x Panzer Grenadier Battalions and a Divisional Artillery Group. 18 x M110A2, 18 x FH-70, 16 x LARS and 16 x MLRS

1 (GE) Corps

Germany

1st Panzer Division

2 x Panzer Brigades and 1 x Panzer Grenadier Brigade.
1 x Artillery Regiment
261 x Leopard 2 and 13 x Leopard 1A5
5 x Grenadier Battalions
18 x M110A2, 18 x FH-70, 16 x LARS and 16 x MLRS

7th Panzer Division

2 x Panzer Brigades and 1 x Panzer Grenadier Brigade
1 x Artillery Regiment
261 x Leopard 2 and 13 x Leopard 1A5
5 x Panzer Grenadier Battalions
18 x M110A2, 18 x FH-70, 16 x LARS and 16 x MLRS

11th Panzer Grenadier Division

1 x Panzer Brigade and 2 x Panzer Grenadier Brigades
1 x Artillery Regiment
192 x Leopard 2 and 26 x Leopard 1
7 x Panzer Grenadier Battalions
18 x M110A2, 18 x FH-70, 16 x LARS and 16 x MLRS

27th Airborne Brigade

4 x Airborne Battalions

Each 1 (GE) Corps Brigade, also had integral armoured reconnaissance and Air Defence. Also artillery, in the form of M109A3G.

1 (BR) Corps

Britain

1st Armoured Division

3 x Armoured Brigades
Parachute Regiment Group
Divisional Artillery Group
168 x Challenger 1 and 114 x Chieftain
5 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions
3 x Parachute Battalions
48 x M109A2 and 24 x Abbot

2nd Infantry Division

2 x Infantry Brigades and 1 x Airmobile Brigade
Divisional Artillery Group
15 x Infantry Battalions
60 x FH-70

3rd Armoured Division

3 x Armoured Brigades
Divisional Artillery Group
224 x Challenger 1
5 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions
24 x M109A2 and 48 x Abbot

4th Armoured Division

2 x Armoured Brigades and 1 x Infantry Brigade
Divisional Artillery Group
171 x Chieftain
5 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions
6 x Infantry Battalions
48 x M109A2 and 24 x FH-70

1st Artillery Brigade

3 x Heavy Artillery Regiments and 1 x Missile Regiment.
24 x M107, 24 x M270 MLRS and 12 x Lance Missile Launchers.
.

1 (BE) Corps

Belgium

1er Infantry Division

3 x Armoured Mechanised Brigades
Divisional Artillery Group
120 x Leopard 1
6 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions
54 x M109A2

16de Panzer Division

1 x Panzer Brigade and 2 x Armoured Mechanised Brigades
Divisional Artillery Group
160 x Leopard 1
6 x Mechanised Infantry Battalions
54 x M109A2

Corps Artillery

36 x M109A2, 12 x M110A2 and 4 x Lance Missile Launchers.

On the face of it, quite a significant force. Over 2,000 tanks. There were also light tanks for reconnaissance and anti-tank systems in support. But, when you consider that NORTHAG could potentially be up against 3 Shock Army and 20 Guards Tank Army, the 1st Strategic Echelon of the Soviet Union from the Group of Soviet Forces Germany, which had over 2,000 main battle tanks, it would be a testing time. Then you would need to consider the 2nd Strategic Echelon, followed by the Strategic Reserves. On top of that, NORTHAG would probably have to contend with at least 2 Airborne Division drops behind the lines and numerous Airborne Brigade Assaults, along with numerous Spetsnaz operations. But, don’t forget the other Warsaw Pact members, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Poland.

I shall cover the Chieftain Main Battle Tank for the rest of this Post, but future Posts will look at more of 1 BR Corps, CENTAG and the Group of Soviet Forces Germany. Although Challenger 1, was slowly being introduced, the Chieftain was the mainstay of the British forces for most of the early to mid 80′s.

Chieftain Mark 10.

The L11A5, 120mm, high-velocity rifled tank gun prominent.

The fume extractor can be seen half way down the barrel which is also wrapped in thermal sleeve to minimise distortion of the tube. Otherwise, loss of accuracy would occur at long ranges due to the differential heating or cooling.

Hortsmann suspension with 12 pairs of twin wheels in six bogies.

The tracks are Dry pin, rubber padded with 96 links per track.

The Mark 10/11 had stillbrew passive armour added to the frontal aspect of the turret and around the driver’s position. It gave added protection against Hollow Charged Weapons such as the Sagger Anti-Tank Missile and the RPG-7, but with very little additional weight for the already 56 ton tank.

On the right hand side of the turret, as you are facing the tank, and on the left in this picture, you can see part of the TOGS, Thermal Observation and Gunnery System.

The upgraded Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) Filtration system can be seen on the back of the turret.

Steel towing cable lashed to the side.

Stillbrew armour clearly visible on this Mark 11.

Twin wheels in six bogies.

The Leyland L60 Engine power-pack for the Chieftain

6-cylinder (12-piston) liquid-cooled two-stroke, multi-fuelled engine producing 750bhp at 2100rpm.

The multi-fuel element, a NATO directive, meant that the engine was complicated and difficult to maintain. It was plagued with problems in the early days.

Smoke projectors, six each side of the turret.

Weighing in at 56 tons, it could still reach a speed of 20mph off road and 30mph on road

Mark 11 on the left and Mark 10 on the right.

The Chieftain carried 64 rounds of 120mm and 6,800 rounds of 7.62mm.

The L11 series 120mm rifled tank gun could fire a variety of projectiles, including the L23A1 ADFSDS-T (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot Tracer) and L31 HESH (High Explosive Squash Head).

The Glacis armour was 120mm thick.

Chieftains in motion.

My intention is not to portray a particular message, but just share some of my research and experiences with you. This is the first of my new ‘Cold War’ series, supporting the writing of my new ‘Cold War’ series of novels, covering the hypothetical invasion of West Germany by the Warsaw Pact in the 80′s. ‘The Red Effect’. so keep your eyes peeled.

The equipment Photographs and Blog are copyrighted to Harvey Black

The Cold War Years. Part 3

Posted: 03/07/2012 in Cold War
Tags: Assured Mutual Destruction, battlefield tactical nuclear weapons, Berlin, Berlin Sectors, Berlin Wall, Bovington Tank Museum, Canadian Leopard, Cold War, East Berlin, Fiction, FRG, GDR, GDR Border Guards, German, German Democratic Republic, Germany, History, Honest-John M-31, Honest-John nuclear missile, ICBM, Intelligence gathering, Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, IRBM, kiloton, Lance nuclear missile, Leopard C1, megaton, MG-52 Lance, MIRV, Missile, motor rifle troops, NATO, Nuclear War, nuclear warhead, PBV, Pershing I, Pershing II, Photography, Photos, Pictures, Pluton Nuclear Missile, Politics, Rifled 105mm gun, Russia, S-3 nuclear missile, Sabre missile, Sarin, Sarin nerve agent, Soviet Army, Soviet Union, SRBM, SS-20, SSM, Strategic arsenal, Tactical Surface to Surface Missile, TEL, Transporter Erector Loader, Video, warhead, Warsaw Pact, WW2, WW3, WWIII

The Cold War Years – Part 3.

I am 15,500 words into the first novel of my new ‘Cold War’ series. There will be three books in total, covering the hypothetical invasion of West Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany, by the Warsaw Pact in the mid 1980′s. Book 1, ‘The Red Effect’, will encompass the intelligence build up leading to the Warsaw Pact strike against the NATO forces lined up against them.

The capital of Germany, Berlin, was divided into four Sectors. The consequence being, that the three Western Allied powers now controlled territory deep within the Soviet Union Zone of Germany.

Access was now restricted between Berlin and the West. A wall, 124 mile miles in length, was placed around the three sectors of West Berlin, cutting off the city from the rest of the world.

Remains of the Berlin Wall. Berlin 2012.

An Iconic picture of the face-off between the West and the East. The Cold War starts – October 1961

Another iconic picture of a GDR Border Guard fleeing across the barbed wire to the West -Berlin 1961

In 1984/85, the Warsaw Pact was already a significant force, the Soviet Union in particular.

The majority of the Strategic Nuclear forces for both NATO and the Warsaw Pact were very much land or submarine based. Although I need to cover the Strategic Airforce for both sides, for this post i want to cover another element of the nuclear arsenal available. During the 80′s another nuclear delivery means came into being, the Intermediate Range Nuclear Missile and the Tactical Nuclear Missile.

The Soviet Union had 378 x SS-20 (Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles, IRBM)

SS-20 IRBM.

SS-20 was deployed from 1976 to 1988.

NATO reporting name was SS-20, Sabre. Range of 3,400 miles and carried a warhead of 3 x 150 kiloton MIRVs.

IRBM’s in NATO forces were attached to their ground forces rather than held back as a strategic force. Saying that, the decision to use them would sit with the highest political levels as the use of tactical nuclear weapons could escalate to a full scale nuclear exchange.

United States – 4 x Pershing I/II SSM (Surface to Surface Missile) battalions and 8 x Lance SSM battalions.

United Kingdom – 1 x Lance SSM Missile Regiment (12 Lance)

Federal Republic of Germany – 4 x Lance SSM Battalions.

France – 18 x S-3 IRBM’s and 5 x SSM Regiments with Pluton.

Netherlands – 1 x SSM Battalion (4 x Lance).

Belgium – 1 x Lance SSM Battalion (4 x Lance).

Italy – 1 x Lance SSM Battalion (4 x Lance).

Turkey – 4 x SSM Battalions with Honest John.

Greece – 2 x SSM Battalions with Honest John (8 x missiles).

Pershing I, carried on its own TEL (Transporter, Erector and Loader). Range of 460 miles, it was very much a theatre nuclear weapon. It carried a range of nuclear warheads from 60 to 400 kilotons.

Pershing II. This weapon was developed as there was a requirement for a smaller warhead, but with greater accuracy. Theatre, or tactical, nuclear weapons were coming of age. It had a range of 1,100 miles and a 5 to 80 kiloton warhead. For the first time there was a real risk of nuclear weapons being used on a conventional battlefield.

MG-52 Lance was a mobile, tactical surface-to-surface missile.

Although the United States would arm it with conventional or nuclear warheads, Britain would only use it as a nuclear asset.

Range of 75 miles, a true tactical weapon.

Carried a variety of warheads up to 100 kilotons.

Honest-John was the first nuclear capable surface-to-surface missile in the United States arsenal.

Honest-John, M-31, had a range of just over 15 miles and could carry a 20 kiloton warhead. It was also capable of carrying a Sarin nerve gas, cluster munitions.

The S-3 was a two-stage, solid propellant Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile. A range of 3,500 kilometres carrying a warhead of 1.2 megatons. It couldn’t really function as a battlefield tactical weapon.

With its own TEL, Pluton was a Short-Range tactical Ballistic Missile (SRBM). A conventional, or a 15 or 25 kiloton nuclear warhead. It had an operational range of 80 miles.

There were also the conventional forces lined up along the Inner German Border, the visible barrier between the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR), or better known as West and East Germany. I shall be covering their organisation and equipment over the coming months.

Leopard C1 Tank.

Leopard 1, the Canadian variant.

Leopard C1, Main Battle Tank. They had a 105mm, L7 gun, developed by Britain’s Royal Ordnance Factories.

Multi-fuel, 10 cylinder engine, 830 hp. 10-70mm of RHA armour, this tank was used by the Canadian Army.

42.5 tons, crew of 4 and a top speed of 40mph.

A 105mm gun was its main weapon, supported by 2 x 7.62mm MGs

105mm rifled barrel.

This was the preferred replacement for the British Centurion as the new Chieftain was seen as too powerful for anything other than a global conflict

A great tank.

Leopards on the move.

Photographs and Blog are copyrighted to Harvey Black

The Cold War Years. Part 1

Posted: 25/06/2012 in Cold War
Tags: 115mm gun, Adolf Hitler, Berlin, Berlin Sectors, Berlin Wall, Blockade., Bovington Tank Museum, British Military Train, Cold War, East Berlin, Fiction, FRG, GDR, GDR Border Guards, German, German Democratic Republic, Germany, Grand Forks Air Base, History, ICBM, Infrared searchlight, Intelligence gathering, Iraq, kiloton, LGM-30F, LGM-30G, megaton, minuteman II, minuteman III, MIRV, Missile, missile silo, motor rifle troops, NATO, Nuclear War, PBV, Photography, Photos, Pictures, Politics, Reichstag, Russia, solid-propellant, Soviet Army, Soviet Infantry, Soviet Union, SS-11, SS-13, SS-17, SS-18, SS-19, T-62, Thiokol, warhead, Warsaw Pact, WW2, WW3, WWIII

The Cold War Years – Part 1.

I am 10,000 words into the first novel of my new ‘Cold War’ series. There will be three books in total, covering the hypothetical invasion of West Germany, the Federal Republic of Germany, by the Warsaw Pact in the mid 1980′s. Book 1, ‘The Red Effect’, will encompass the intelligence build up leading to the Warsaw Pact strike against the NATO forces lined up against them.

The capital of Germany, Berlin, was divided into four Sectors. The consequence being, that the three Western Allied powers now controlled territory deep within the Soviet Union Zone of Germany.

Access was now restricted between Berlin and the West. A wall, 124 mile miles in length, was placed around the three sectors of West Berlin, cutting off the city from the rest of the world.

The badly damaged Reichstag. Berlin 1945

An Iconic picture of the face-off between the West and the East. The Cold War starts – October 1961

Another iconic picture of a GDR Border Guard fleeing across the barbed wire to the West -Berlin 1961

The Reichstag, showing the Berlin Wall in situ behind it. – West Berlin 1981.

In 1984/85, the Warsaw Pact was already a significant force, the Soviet Union in particular. For this, and the next Post, I will cover the Soviet and NATO strategic inventory, which was being modernised by both the Warsaw Pact and NATO.

SS-19. In 1984/5, the Soviet Union had some 360 of these ICBM’s (Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles), most of them of the mod. 3 variety, with 6 MIRV’s (Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicles), basically multiple nuclear warheads.

The SS-19, deployed in 1982, was 27 metres in length, 2.5 metres wide and weighed in excess of 100,000 kilograms. It had a two-stage liquid fuel propulsion system with a PBV (Post-Boost Vehicle for a hot launch) which gave it a range of up to 10,000 kilometres. Mod 3 would carry a 550 kiloton yield (MIRV), whereas the Mod 2, would carry a 5 megaton yield warhead.

Apart from the SS-19′s, the most modern ICBM in their armoury, the Soviet Union had 520 x SS-11, 60 x SS-13, 150 x SS-17 (many being deployed with 4 MIRV’s) and 308 x SS-18 (Being upgraded to carry 10 MIRV’s).

Minuteman III missile inside its Silo, 60 miles from Grand Forks Air Base, late 1980.

NATO too, in particular the United States, modernised their nuclear arsenal in the race to reach a state of ‘mutual assured destruction’. NATOs strategy was dependent on the Soviet Union believing that NATO would respond with an all out, devastating nuclear response to any aggressive moves they might make, whether Nuclear or Conventional. The focus very much on the Iron Curtain hot spot that stretched along the Inner German Border, although there were many incidents that came close to inciting a nuclear exchange.

NATO’s strategic forces (I shall cover bombers and submarines at a later date) were underpinned by the United Staes, United Kingdom and France. The US had 450 x LGM-30F (minuteman II), 550 x LGM-30G with 3 MIRV (minuteman III) and 37 x Titan 2, phasing out by the end of 1987.

A minuteman III missile being launched. An ICBM, with a three-stage power plant, consisting of three solid-propellant rocket motors; first stage – Thiokol; second stage – Aerojet-General; third stage – United Technologies Chemical Systems Division.

With a height of 18 metres, diameter of just under 2 metres it weighed significantly less than the SS-19, at 36,000 kilograms. But it still had a range of over 6,000 miles and could travel at a speed in excess of 15,000 mph, Mach 23! It carried a warhead of 170 kilotons, 350 kilotons or up to 450 kilotons. With three MIRV’s, this was capable of a significant punch.

The British and French nuclear forces were very much submarine and air launched (apart from tactical nuclear weapons), I will cover those at a later date.

The T-62 might be an old tank, but in the early days it was the mainstay of the Soviet Army.

Weighing in the region of 40 tons, it could still travel at a top speed of nearly 50mph with its V-12, 38 litre engine.

This one, on display in the Bovington Tank Museum, was captured from the Iraqi forces during the 1991 Gulf War.

Infrared searchlight on the right of the turret, next to the 115mm main gun.

These days the Infrared could easily be detected by modern equipment.

A Soviet T-62 in East Berlin. - East Berlin, 1984

t-54/55 on parade – East Berlin 1984

Although it can be classed as an insignificant tank, and maybe not even referred to as a Main Battle Tank, when up against T-64′s, T-72′s and T-80′s, it is still very much in use across the world. One thing I would like to point out, in 1984/5, the Soviet Union had 35,000 T-54/55/62′s in service. The British Army at that time had less than a 1,000 MBTs. Quality versus quantity? Would we have had enough ammunition?

Photographs are copyrighted to Harvey Black

Berlin, The Cold War Years Part 4.

Posted: 03/05/2012 in Cold War, WW2
Tags: ACRV, Adolf Hitler, Bat M, Bebelplatz, Berlin, Berlin Cathedral, Berlin Sectors, Berlin Wall, Berliner Dom, Blockade., BMP 1, BMP 2, BMP2, Cold War, Culture, Deutschen Kunst Museum, East Berlin, FROG 7, FROG 7 Resupply, GDR, German, Germany, Graffiti, GRU, GSFG, Heinrich Strack, Herman Goring, Hind D, Hip helicopter, History, Intelligence gathering, International Congress Centre, Joseph Goebbels, Karlshorst, KGB, Luftwaffe, MICV, Military Mission Sign, Missile, motor rifle troops, NATO, Parachuting, Photography, Photos, Pictures, Reich Aviation Ministry, RM-70, Russia, SA-13 Gopher, SA-2 Guideline, SA-4 Ganef, SA-8 Gecko, SA-9 Gaskin, Sagger, Self propelled artillery, Soviet Army, Spandrel, T-62, T-72, Tank mine plough attachment, Tatra 813, Trabant, Treptow Park Soviet Memorial, Ural 375, Volkspolitzei, VOPO, Warsaw Pact, WW2

Berlin, the Cold War Years – Part 4.

At the end of World War 2, what remained of pre-war Germany was divided into four zones of occupation. Each of the Allied powers; the United Kingdom, United States, France and Russia, controlled one of them.

The capital of Germany, Berlin, was also divided into four Sectors. The consequence being, that the three Western Allied powers now controlled territory deep within the Soviet Union Zone of Germany.

Access was now restricted between Berlin and the West. A wall, 124 mile miles in length, was placed around the three sectors of West Berlin, cutting off the city from the rest of the world.

Remnants of the infamous Berlin Wall – February 2012

Having free, unhindered access to East Berlin and Museum Island was a real treat for me. Below is the Der Deutschen Kunst Museum, the House of Art Museum.

Deutschen Kunst Museum – Berlin – February 2012

Deutschen Kunst Museum, Berlin. Joseph Goebbels visiting – 1937

Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-H02648,_München,_Goebbels_im_Haus_der_Deutschen_Kunst.jpg

Also on the Island, the Berliner Dom, or Berlin Cathedral. In the 1940′s, it suffered considerable damage from bomb blast waves and incendiaries. Over the years it has been slowly restored.

Berliner Dom – February 2012

With my passion for military history, I naturally wanted to see this building below, Wilhelmstrasse 81-85. Luftwaffe Historians would know that in 1933, the newly formed Reich Aviation Ministry, headed by Hermann Goering, occupied it. The complex was demolished in 1935 and was re-built. The building you see today, with over 2,000 rooms.

Wilhelmstrasse 81-85, Berlin - February 2012

The Bebelplatz is known as the site of the infamous Nazi book burning ceremony held on the evening of the 10th May, 1933. Today, a memorial by Micha Ullman, consisting of a glass plate set into the cobblestones, shows empty book cases below.

Bebelplatz, Berlin – February 2012

At the end of the day the GDR, and East Berlin, were occupied by the Soviet Union and their military were ever present.

Russian T-62 driving passed a Kindergarten - East Berlin 1983

There were ‘Restricted Areas’ where the Soviets preferred us not to go. We naturally ignored them. I got this one to take home as a souvenir.

Russian helicopter taking an interest in us. Hip (Mi-8) – East Berlin 1983

This one is a deadly Hind-D (Mi-24). The worlds first Attack Helicopter. East Berlin – 1983

Below are some photographs of the Treptow Soviet Memorial. Although the GDR was part of the Warsaw Pact, the Soviets were still very much an occupying power. The memorial below, to the Soviet soldiers killed in WW2, is of a significant size.

Main entrance. The people give you an indication of its size. East Berlin – February 2012

View from the main entrance. Note the vertical slabs either side – East Berlin, February 2012

Each slab was carved with a scene depicting elements of WW2 – February 2012

Treptow Park Memorial – East Berlin, February 2012

The view looking back towards the entrance. East Berlin, February 2012.

For an interlude, I will share a few shots of my very first parachute jump. I did my jumps between my first tour in Northern Ireland and coming to Berlin. I completed my jumps with the Dutch Commandos, my first one landing on my feet, arse and head. Not quite the perfect roll I had anticipated.

Gulp, I’m ready. 1981

Yes that is me. My chute did open.

Yes you do have to carry your own chute back!

One key event that occurred every year, was the military parade to celebrate the formation of the GDR. This was naturally a key concern for the western allies. A country we didn’t officially recognise, holding a military parade on our doorstep. It was also an opportunity to disguise the movement of troops for a potential attack.

Troops start to flood in on the outskirts of East Berlin – 1984

First one is a FROG (Free Rocket Over Ground) 7 resupply, the second a FROG 7 TEL (Transporter, Erector, Launcher). FROG 7′s played a key part in the missile attacks on Israel during the Yom Kippur War.

Ural 375 – East Berlin 1984

Troops also arrived by rail – East Berlin – 1984

BRDM at the front and two ACRV’s, Armoured Command and Reconnaissance Vehicle. East Berlin 1984

Many of the troops were camped out at various parks and car parks on the outskirts. East Berlin 1984

Night time operations were a regular part of our life, often staying out for days at a time. East Berlin 1984

Posing shot… - East Berlin 1984

Then the fun and games begin….

Can you spot him? East Berlin 1983

See him now?

And another.

The VOPO were never far away. East Berlin 1984

The more troops and equipment that arrived, the more reinforcements to make life difficult for us. East Berlin 1984

Underside photographs were a key goal. This one showing a mine plough attachment. Weld thickness would also help in determining the thickness of a tanks armour. East Berlin 1984.

This is of a BMP-2, moving at the time. East Berlin 1984.

The tensions steadily got worse. Don’t forget, we didn’t recognise the GDR government, let a alone the Police. West Berlin police had no authority over us either, as we were also an occupying power in West Berlin. East Berlin 1984.

The glasses were fashionable at the time!

BMP-2, the latest MICV, Mechanised Infantry Combat Vehicle, in the GDR and Soviet arsenal. An AT-5, Spandrel anti-tank missile sits on top of the turret. East Berlin 1984.