1941. Radio intelligence about enemy headquarters
The following abbreviations are used in the article: А - field army AK - army corps, IN - military district, GraA - Army Group, Spacecraft - Red Army, u (md) - motorized corps (division), pd - infantry division Goals Difference - intelligence materials, Ro - intelligence department of the headquarters RU - Reconnaissance of the General Staff of the spacecraft, TGr - tank Group, mk (td) - tank corps (division).
In the previous part RM were examined about the headquarters of the corps, which came to the leadership of the Soviet Union and the spacecraft in 1941. The reliability of these RMs again proved unsatisfactory. At the end of May, seven mk were located in East Prussia and former Poland. None of them were discovered by intelligence. Before the start of the war, there were ten of these corps, and again not one of them was discovered by intelligence ...
Intelligence only regularly reported the presence of AK, but this information was largely unreliable. Intelligence also did not reveal the fact of the redeployment of the headquarters of the corps, TGr, armies and GRA (fronts) closer to the border. In the final part, we will consider the RMs that arrived in the RO of the border districts from radio intelligence.
Radio intelligence knew everything
There was a version that radio intelligence supplied only reliable information before the war. Radio intelligence allegedly knew the handwriting of all German radio operators and could determine whether radio stations belong to specific formations or associations.
It should be noted that the OSNAZ radio divisions located near the border were subordinate to the RO of the HE headquarters and therefore their information was included in the RO reports. Consequently, some important materials could not exist that passed by the RO and supposedly got into the secret archives of the RU.
The analysis of the information provided in the summary No. 1 of RU dated 22.6.41 and in the memoirs of the former head of the RU coincide with the Republic of Moldova (RU reports dated 31.5.41 and 15.6.41), which were received three weeks before the start of the war and were published. This can only indicate that no other ("sensational") materials in the archives do not exist.
According to the author, the absence of other published RM RMs for June 1941 (until June 22) is due to the fact that our intelligence was not able to adequately detect the movement of headquarters and troops of the invasion group directly to the border. This made it possible to blame the executed generals for the tragic events of June 22, 1941, and after the death of I.V. Stalin - and himself.
Radio intelligence about the completeness of intelligence
Lieutenant General P.S. Shmyrev served in radio reconnaissance for 50 years, and 15 of them led this service. Peter Spiridonovich supplied the author of the book “The Golden Ear of Military Intelligence” with documents, materials and presented them to his colleagues.
The book notes that June 22 attack was tactically sudden for the spacecraft and this is from the words of radio scouts, who, according to a made-up version, were obliged to know about the German troops coming to their original positions. Before the war, radio scouts could only record: on what wavelength, approximately from which settlement did German radio stations get in touch. By the signal strength, they judged how large radio stations were used. Subscribers in other settlements were also registered. They tried to identify the main and subordinate radio stations by radio broadcasts. According to intelligence intelligence about the locations of the headquarters, they also tried to determine the subordination of the headquarters radio networks among themselves. If the RM of undercover intelligence was incorrect, then the conclusions about the belonging of the radio networks to the specific headquarters of the German troops also turned out to be unreliable.
There is not a word in the book that Stalin and the “traitors-generals” did not heed the reliable information received from radio intelligence. Therefore, there was no such information. Also in the book there is no mention of the detection by the radio reconnaissance of the headquarters of German GrA, TGr and MK, and even more so about the intercepted Dortmund signal. Only the captured German documents in the initial period of the war allowed us to move from the technical characteristics of the enemy radio stations to the understanding of operational information.
Most of our military were aware of the inevitability of a war with Nazi Germany, but tactically the June 22 attack was unexpected. A.K. Bushuev:
On 21.6.41, the direction-finding station was deployed to the border exercises in the Lyubich Ruda area. According to the site’s information on radio intelligence, the site was deployed two kilometers from the border. The arriving division commander expressed dissatisfaction with the chosen position, located too close to the border. At dawn on June 22, Lieutenant Bushuyev arrived at the post office in Lubocha Ruda to report to the horde commander on the chosen new position. Here he was at the start of the war. The point at this time is still near the border. The personnel of the station, with the exception of Lieutenant Bushuyev with a driver and five killed servicemen, was captured along with all his equipment. The commander of the 394th horde is in the apartment on the morning of June 22 and unexpectedly wakes up to the sound of torn bombs. Is it possible to state on the basis of this fact that radio intelligence knew about the beginning of the war at dawn on June 22?
There are similar recollections of the head of the radio direction finding point of the 474th horde of ZAPOVO:
A radio intelligence site says:
Probably they could not find out about the remaining TGr troops from open negotiations. It should be noted that the 63rd and 79th MDs were not in the Wehrmacht. Consider the summary of RU from 28.6.41:
Only a week after the outbreak of war, our intelligence managed to get the first information about the 2nd and 3rd TGr, which in the summary are called armies. According to the 3rd TGr, even on June 28, reconnaissance is not aware of the presence of the 57th military unit (12 and 19 TD, 18 MD) and its subordinate 6th AK. It turns out that the writers “know” more than the radio intelligence officers ... Nothing is said about the complete command of the situation in the book on the radio intelligence of the Navy.
Radio intelligence
In the published materials there is little information about the information received from radio intelligence before the outbreak of war. Therefore, it is difficult to verify the reliability of these RMs, but we will try. The first mention of radio intelligence data dates back to 2.10.40. Probably, this information was obtained from open negotiations.
RU Summary: “According to radio intelligence, in the Konskie-Jedbouzh region [122 km southwest of Warsaw - author's note] expected arrival of the 1st and 178th fronts, in connection with which the premises are being prepared ... "
Again we are faced with two exact designations of the front and the area where they are expected to be. And again, 100% misinformation. 1st Fri 13.9.40 went to East Prussia and is already located in Koenigsberg. The 178th frd never existed. There can be no talk of the 78th Front, which is located in the West. The radio intelligence provided by the Republic of Moldova resembles the situation with false signs on the shoulder straps of the German military. Only now the German command uses radio and air ...
The following mention of intelligence is available in RO KOVO (20.5.41):
Information about the deployment of the headquarters of the Romanian army was obtained from the intelligence sources of the RO, and the radio communications intercepted by radio intelligence were tied to the locations of the headquarters.
Continued Summary:
At the end of April, the same data established the increased movement of military echelons in the area of Braila, Bacau, Roman, Pashkani, Iasi ... According to radio intelligence, aircraft masters and wireless telegraphists aviation enlisted in the Air Force ... According to radio intelligence, 27.4 at Braila station [30 km from the Soviet-Romanian border. - Note Aut.] unloaded German motorized part ...
It is very likely that these RMs are obtained from open negotiations. The place of unloading of the German motorized unit is doubtful, since there were no German motorized or tank units on the territory of Northern Dobrudja and Moldova before the war. However, the intelligence intelligence of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the NKVD border troops repeatedly confirmed their presence in a significant amount ...
Since the beginning of April, undercover intelligence has provided overestimated information about the presence of German troops in the Romanian border areas (RU summary from 4.4.41): "German troops in Moldova and Northern Dobrudja in total about 9 infantry and one motorized division ..." By 22.6.41, it was already said that there were up to 16 divisions (including up to 2 TD and 6 MD), but these RMs were not disproved by radio intelligence either. Let us analyze the only published report that contains detailed information that came from radio intelligence.
Special communication of the headquarters of Pribovo (5.6.41):
Radio scouts could only identify the main radio station in Berlin and the subordinate radio stations without indicating the headquarters designation. During this period, the headquarters of the 18th A, 8th AK and 1st VO are stationed in Koenigsberg. Which of these subscribers was supported by radio communication with? Radio intelligence officers do not know this and therefore do not indicate it. We can assume that we are talking about the headquarters of the 18th A.
In Danzig there is the headquarters of the 20th Military District, and to the east, in the town of Elbeng, there is the command of the GR “Sever”, which neither radio intelligence nor undercover intelligence could detect before the outbreak of war. This is probably why, when Danzig is mentioned, then we should talk about radio communications with the North.
There are no major headquarters in Stettin except for the headquarters of the 2nd VO. What should the radio talks from Berlin with this headquarters be about? It is impossible to find out. The only thing that comes to mind is sea airfields and air observation posts located on the coast.
The radio connection with Poznan and Breslau is a connection with the command of the State Center and the South, which are also not detected by our intelligence.
Continuation of special messages:
The report talks about the army radio network. Our intelligence knows that the headquarters of the 18th A is located in Koenigsberg. Consequently, this should be the negotiations of the headquarters of the 18th A with subordinate headquarters. Radio intelligence does not answer the question: what radio networks are we talking about? Either the 18th A with subordinate corps, or the 8th AK with subordinate divisions, or the 1st VO with subordinate commandant's offices?
Intelligence is confident that the headquarters of the 12th AK is located in Insterburg. From 14.4.41, the headquarters of the 5th AK relocated from Belgium appears in Ortelsburg. The headquarters of this corps was never subordinated to the 18th A. What could be talked about between the headquarters of a foreign army and the headquarters of the AK, subordinated to 9th A? The author would suggest that negotiations were recorded with the headquarters of the 4th TGr, which was stationed near Allenstein. Other units or associations subordinate to 18th A were absent in the area.
In the town of Letzen, according to RM intelligence, there is an AK headquarters, and in Stallupenen - the 214th Infantry Regiment. In fact, from April 1941, the headquarters of the 26th Front was stationed in Letzen, which in May 1941 was subordinate to the 38th AK. The corps headquarters is located southwest of Koenigsberg. It is possible that these networks were discovered by radio intelligence.
Since May 1941, the headquarters of the 121st infantry division, subordinated to the 2nd AK (headquarters - Gumbinen), has been deployed not far from the city of Stallupenen. The 2nd AK until the middle of April 1941 was subordinated to the 18th A, and from April 22nd to the headquarters of the 9th A.
Continuation of special messages: “The radio network of 12 AK with the main walkie-talkie in Insterburg was not marked in the reporting period”.
Since March 1941 (possibly earlier), the 12th and 7th AKs (mention of it will be slightly lower) are subordinate to 4th A and maintained contact with its headquarters. Therefore, they did not need to negotiate with the headquarters of the 12th and 7th AK with the headquarters of a foreign army.
The problem was also that the radio network of the 12th AK could not be present in Insterburg, because the headquarters of this corps from December 1940 to the end of April 1941 was in Gnesen. In May 1941, he was relocated to Radom, and in early June he received an order to go to the border in the town of Biala Podlaska. It is not known who exactly the undercover and radio intelligence mistook for the headquarters of the 12th AK in Insterburg ... One can only say that the accurate and double-checked RM turned out to be misinformation. One of two conclusions suggests itself: either the German command conducted a radio game on the air, or the radio reconnaissance could not provide anything other than data on radio networks ...
Continuation of special messages: “The radio network of 20 AK on the previous wave of 970 mt [mt - meter - author's note] did not work. The main work was carried out - Danzig with subordinates in Chojnice and Koscezhina on a wave of 133 mt and with a radio station in Elbing on a wave of 64 mt ".
According to intelligence, the headquarters of the 20th AK is stationed in Danzig, which is confused with the headquarters of the 20th VO. 285th is stationed near Khoitice, and 207th security divisions are stationed at Kosyozhin. In Elbing, the management of the GRA Sever is deployed. Presumably, we are talking about the connection of a certain headquarters subordinate to the rear protection service of the GRA "North" with subordinate divisions.
Continuation of special messages: “The radio network of the corps Stettin worked as part of: the main - Stettin; subordinates: Neustattin (on a wave of 258 mt.), Stralsund, Shpyulp (on a wave of 133 mt) ".
The radio network that was mistaken for the corps group network is actually the headquarters of the 2nd Military District. Subordinate radio stations: Neustattin, Stralsund and Schlup are commandant's offices (from a large number) that are subordinate to the 2nd Military District. The headquarters of the security forces and the commander of the rear area of the GR Sever (RHG101) are also located in Neustattin. Once again, the intelligence data does not say anything about the true designations of the subscribers.
Continuation of special messages: “The radio network of 7 buildings. The main radio station is Tilsit; subordinate Shilute ".
According to intelligence, in Tilsit is the headquarters of the 7th AK. The headquarters of the 7th AK from the end of April until 16.6.41 is deployed near Warsaw in the city of Zegrze. The indication of him in the RM as of 1.6.41, as well as the alleged presence of the communications battalion of the 7th AK, can only testify to the misinformation slipped by the German command.
Who is so confidently monitored in Tilsit by our intelligence and radio intelligence? In fact, the headquarters of the 26th AK, which is subordinate to the 18th A., has been located in Tilsit since the end of April. The headquarters of the 61st infantry division from the 26th AK is located in Shilute. Again, we came across a pattern: as soon as accurate and cross-checked data appearing in the Republic of Moldova indicating the number of the unit or headquarters, in the vast majority of cases, this turns out to be misinformation ...
Continuation of special messages: “A radio network in the district of Letzen. Home - Letzen; subordinates: Allenstein, Angerburg, Suwalki ".
As mentioned above, the headquarters of the 26th front is located in Letzen. The 9th A headquarters and the advanced group of the 3rd TGr headquarters are stationed not far from it. It is possible that one of the two indicated subscribers was mistaken for a radio station in Letzen.
Slave radio station in Allenstein. Near Allenstein there is a headquarters of the 39th mk (from the 3rd TGr), headquarters of the 41st mk (from the 4th TGr) and the 403rd security division, subordinate to the 9th A. Who spoke to whom and who the radio stations had in mind the scouts are not clear ...
The city of Angerburg belongs to the zone of responsibility of the 16th A, and it was not possible to attach the headquarters or units (from the division and above) to this city - they are not there.
In Suwalki the headquarters of the 6th front from the 6th AK, subordinate to the 9th A.
It can be seen that radio stations are fixed by radio intelligence, which are tied to settlements, in which there are no headquarters ...
Continuation of special messages: “The radio network of Warsaw. Home - Warsaw; subordinates: Prasnysh, Radom, Dzialdovo ".
Headquarters of 4th A is located in Warsaw. In Prasnysh, the presence of military units or headquarters was not found. Nearby is the training camp "Mlawa" (not to be confused with the city of Mlawa). Perhaps a connection was established with him.
In the city of Radom there is the headquarters of the 12th AK, subordinate to the 4th A. North of Dzialdovo is the 5th front and 57th microns from the 3rd TGr. It is difficult to say again with whom exactly could conduct radio talks from Warsaw ...
Consider one of the last pre-war reports that talk about radio intelligence.
Special communication of the headquarters of ZAPOVO (according to data on 20.6.41):
According to intelligence and radio intelligence in the city of Radin (Radzun) is the headquarters of the corps. From the evening of June 16, 1941 until the evening of June 19, there were no corps headquarters in this city.
In the city of Lukov in the evening of 16.6.41 there was not just the headquarters of the corps, but the headquarters of the 24th uJune 19, which is already at the border. In the evening of June 19, the headquarters of the 53rd AK is deployed in Lukov. There were corps headquarters in the indicated city, but neither intelligence intelligence nor radio intelligence could detect their replacement and relocation closer to the border.
In the city of Mezhirechye (Miedzyrzeche) from June 16 to 20 there were no constantly corps headquarters, except for those moving to the border. Somewhere from June 18-19, the headquarters of the 2nd TGr proceeded through the city. From June 20, the headquarters of 4th A. began to be located in the city. No reconnaissance was detected on the movements of the 2nd TGr and 4th A headquarters to the border.
According to radio intelligence, in the Warsaw area there are two radio stations that communicate with Berlin. Of the major radio stations in this area, we can only talk about stations at the headquarters of 4th A and 2nd TGr. The headquarters of the 2nd TGr was not discovered by the intelligence services before the war, as a large headquarters of a mobile group. The headquarters number of 4th A is confused with the headquarters of 8th A. Headquarters of 8th A has long been featured in the Republic of Moldova, which has been repeatedly checked, although it has not existed since the autumn of 1939. But someone constantly lights it up. Otherwise, the information about the exact number of the army cannot be explained ... Intelligence is also mistakenly tracking the mythical and only headquarters of the front in the East - the headquarters of the Eastern group. However, this headquarters has not commanded troops in the East since September 1940. It was also misinformation ...
Conclusions
The following conclusions can be made.
1. The management of the spacecraft and airplanes needed information on the presence and location of large headquarters.
This is evidenced by the special message of RU shortly before the war: “We ask that the means at your disposal help the RU verify, identify and clarify the following issues: The deployment of the headquarters of the German armies and the headquarters of army groups in all theaters of military operations of Germany against the USSR”.
General Vladimirov directly reproaches intelligence that the 1st TGr was not discovered: "The concentration of the 1st TGr before the 5th Army ... was not noted at all ...".
Similar words are also reflected in the memoirs of the head of the KOVO operational department, Marshal Baghramyan: “After all, neither the drug dealer, nor the chief of the General Staff knew that the German motorized corps had rushed from Sokal to Radzehuv in a region free of our troops and that the same corps was trying to break through from Ustilug to Lutsk ...”
The former head of the Republic of Uzbekistan after the war cites as a merit of intelligence: “Soviet military intelligence knew and continuously monitored the massive transfer of troops to our border ... This is most convincingly evidenced, for example, by the last report of our GRU before Hitler Germany’s attack on the USSR ... This is report No. 5 of June 15, 1941 ...
As part of this mass of troops, the locations of the headquarters of seven armies, twenty-two corps were found and recorded ... The vast majority of them had numbers for these divisions and armies, as well as numbers for half of the corps departments ... ".
We analyzed in detail the indicated summary and some other RM. This information was largely unreliable ...
2. Scouts tried to get RM at any cost, but massive German misinformation at all levels and through many countries did not allow us to reliably determine the concentration of German troops and large headquarters, as well as their exit from the depths directly to the border.
The headquarters of PribOVO, KOVO and ZAPOVO until June 21 were convinced that most German troops were located quite far from the border. This is evidenced by the maps of the headquarters of all three districts and intelligence reports of RO Pribovo dated June 17 and 21, 1941. In KOVO, the movement of German troops was associated with the expected exercises. In ZapOVO they managed to reveal the approach of the German troops, but the district commander disciplinedly followed instructions from Moscow. Misinformation about the pending exercises of the German troops came from other intelligence.
Special message of the NKGB (20.6.41): “... It has been officially announced that the other day large maneuvers of the German army will be carried out, in connection with which the population is called upon to maintain calm ...”
3. One of the most unpleasant intelligence mistakes was not detecting enemy mobile groups: TGr and mk. Without the presence of such groups, the German command could not start a war. Otherwise, you could put an end to the blitzkrieg ...
In the 2nd part of the article it was shown that intelligence data on the presence of tank divisions were unreliable. For example, in three places where, according to reliable data, there were three etc., they simply did not exist until the end of May 1941. In the spring, an article will be presented on intelligence data regarding the German mobile forces: cavalry, motorized and tank troops.
Information