ABSTRACT

From the Soviet standpoint, if there was any area where the battle was over before it began, it was along the Vilnius axis. The German intelligence view was fairly accurate, probably because the city of Kaunas was an excellent intelligence collection point, for the reasons already stated. The Germans assessed that there were a number of Soviet rifle and motorized divisions along the border, backed up by 2nd and 5th Tank Divisions and several separate tank brigades (see Figure 75). These were assessed to be organized as part of 3rd Mechanized and 16th Rifle Corps. As may be seen from the actual situation (Figure 76), that portrayal was fairly accurate.