Race to the Fulda

D+0 | 20 July 1989, 06:00hrs - 11:00hrs vs @ Eiterfeld

For first seven months of 1988, tension between the US and the Soviet Union has increased dramatically. The US continues to push for sanctions against the Soviet Union, which are causing significant issues for the Soviet economy. In July, 1988, the Warsaw Pact conducted major exercises in the Ukraine region of the Soviet Union. Following the exercises, units supposedly return to their normal bases. However, due to historically poor weather, the Soviets were able to move many units westward into East Germany and Czechoslovakia.

Reports had been coming in to the West German and American intelligence services for the last week. On July 15^th, NATO started recalling units and two days later, some began moving to their war plan positions. Intelligent experts believed that war might be coming, and that that the WP could launch an attack as early as July 24^th.

On July 16^th, Soviet Spetsnaz and sleepers, posing as citizens worried about provoking the Warsaw Pact, began conducting demonstrations across France and Germany. In some cases, explosions occurred around NATO troop staging areas, including the area near Frankfurt, where US V Corps was getting ready.

Like V (US) Corps, the III (West German) Korps was delayed by these attacks and started moving into positions late on July 19^th. Orders suggested that the earliest the Warsaw Pact could initiate hostilities would be July 24^th.

Hours later, at 0400 July 20^th, the Warsaw Pact aircraft took off from airfields across East Germany and Czechoslovakia and headed West to strike at targets across NATO. They were joined by missile strikes and more Spetsnaz attacks. Thirty minutes later, the lead ground elements crossed the Inner German border and the war had begun.

Scenario by Mike Johnstone | Map by William van der Sterren