Kamenets-Podolsky Pocket - Hube's Pocket

Hube's Pocket

Hube now ordered the pocket to be reduced in size, shortening the position's lines to increase defence density. Just before the 1st Ukrainian Front had completed the encirclement, Hube had requested from the OKH the authority to use mobile defence tactics during the breakout, a request which was quickly turned down. However, once the encirclement was complete, the situation changed. The heavy snow meant that the few supplies which were delivered, were insufficient to maintain the Army's fighting strength. The neighbouring German Armies—the 8th Army to the south-east and 4th Panzer Army to the north-west—were unable to attempt a full-scale relief operation. Then, Zhukov sent a terse ultimatum: surrender, or every German soldier in the pocket would be shown no quarter.

Hube responded by ordering that the organization of the forces in the kessel be restructured. The four Corps were to be dissolved, and reformed into three Korpsgruppen (corps groups): General der Infanterie Hans Gollnick—commander of XLVI Panzer Corps—was to form Korpsgruppe Gollick; General der Panzertruppen Hermann Breith of III Panzer Corps was to form Korpsgruppe Breith; LIX Army Corps′ General der Infanterie Kurt von der Chevallerie was to form Korpsgruppe von der Chevallerie.

While the composition of forces in the pocket was being reorganized, Manstein had been arguing with Hitler for the trapped Army to be allowed to attempt a breakout, and that a relief force should be sent to assist in the breakout. After one heated argument, Hitler gave in and ordered Hube to attempt a breakout. The decision for the direction of the breakout was difficult. Hube wanted to attempt to head south, over the Dniester and into Romania. Manstein realized that such a move would rob his Army Group of a Panzer Army which was desperately needed, because a long withdrawal would be required in order to move the Army from Romania back to the front line. The weak Hungarian VII Corps was holding a sector of the front to the west of the Kamenets-Podolsky pocket. A breakout to the west would allow the 1st Panzer Army to rejoin the front almost immediately. Manstein ordered Hube to break out to this area to provide support for the Hungarian troops.

Hube's Army was to break out toward Tarnopol, where relief forces—led by Paul Hausser′s II SS Panzer Corps—were to meet them. From Kamenets-Podolsky to Tarnopol was a distance of over 250 km (160 mi), over several rivers, and across muddy terrain. To add to this, the west was where Hube expected to meet the strongest enemy resistance. He divided his forces into two columns and prepared to head west.