Operation Greif

Operation Greif
T/3 Jack C. Kitzerow · Public domain · source
Name	Operation Greif
Part of	Battle of the Bulge

Operation Greif was a special operation conducted during World War II by Waffen-SS commandos, led by Otto Skorzeny, with the primary objective of capturing key bridges and causing chaos behind Allied lines. The operation was part of the larger Battle of the Bulge, a major German counterattack launched through the Ardennes forest, involving forces such as the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler and the 6th Panzer Army. The operation involved English-speaking German soldiers, dressed in United States Army uniforms, who were tasked with infiltrating Allied lines and disrupting communication and supply lines, similar to the tactics employed by the Brandenburgers during Operation Barbarossa. This operation was also influenced by the experiences of Joachim von Kortzfleisch and other Abwehr operatives who had conducted similar missions behind Soviet lines.

Background

The concept of Operation Greif was born out of the need to support the Battle of the Bulge by creating confusion and disrupting the Allied command structure, much like the Italian Social Republic's Decima Flottiglia MAS had done in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II. Adolf Hitler personally approved the plan, which was developed by Otto Skorzeny, a veteran of Special Forces operations, including the rescue of Benito Mussolini from Gran Sasso. Skorzeny's team, consisting of Waffen-SS commandos from the 150th Panzer Brigade, was tasked with infiltrating Allied lines, dressed in United States Army uniforms, and causing chaos by spreading false information, disrupting communication lines, and capturing key bridges, such as those over the Meuse River. The operation was also influenced by the experiences of Friedrich von der Heydte and his Kampfgeschwader 200 unit, which had conducted similar missions behind Allied lines.

Planning and Preparation

The planning and preparation for Operation Greif involved the selection of English-speaking German soldiers, who were then trained in United States Army procedures and protocols, with the help of Max Wünsche and other Waffen-SS officers who had experience in Special Forces operations. The commandos were equipped with United States Army uniforms, vehicles, and equipment, including M4 Sherman tanks and M3 Half-track armored personnel carriers, which were captured or reproduced to ensure authenticity, similar to the tactics employed by the Luftwaffe's Kampfgeschwader 200 unit. The team was divided into small groups, each with a specific objective, such as capturing key bridges, including those over the Our River and the Sauer River, or disrupting communication lines, similar to the missions conducted by the Brandenburgers during Operation Barbarossa. The operation was carefully planned to coincide with the launch of the Battle of the Bulge, with the goal of creating maximum confusion and disruption behind Allied lines, similar to the effects of the Italian Social Republic's Decima Flottiglia MAS in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II.

Execution

The execution of Operation Greif began on December 16, 1944, as the Waffen-SS commandos, dressed in United States Army uniforms, infiltrated Allied lines, using their knowledge of English and United States Army procedures to blend in, similar to the tactics employed by the Abwehr operatives who had conducted similar missions behind Soviet lines. The commandos were able to capture several key bridges, including those over the Meuse River and the Our River, and disrupt communication lines, causing confusion and chaos behind Allied lines, similar to the effects of the Luftwaffe's Kampfgeschwader 200 unit. However, the operation was not without its challenges, as many of the commandos were captured or killed by Allied forces, who were suspicious of the German soldiers in United States Army uniforms, including George S. Patton's Third Army and Omar Bradley's Twelfth United States Army Group. Despite these challenges, the operation was able to achieve some of its objectives, including the capture of key bridges and the disruption of communication lines, similar to the successes of the Brandenburgers during Operation Barbarossa.

Aftermath

The aftermath of Operation Greif saw the Allied forces regrouping and reassessing their strategy, as they realized the extent of the German operation, which was influenced by the experiences of Friedrich von der Heydte and his Kampfgeschwader 200 unit. The operation had caused significant confusion and disruption behind Allied lines, but ultimately, it was not enough to change the course of the Battle of the Bulge, which ended in a decisive Allied victory, with the help of Dwight D. Eisenhower's Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force and Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group. The Waffen-SS commandos who had participated in the operation were either captured or killed, and Otto Skorzeny was forced to go into hiding, eventually escaping to Argentina with the help of Juan Perón and the OSS. The operation was widely publicized, and it became a legendary example of Special Forces operations, studied by military historians and tacticians around the world, including those at the United States Military Academy and the Royal Military College, Duntroon.

Significance

The significance of Operation Greif lies in its innovative use of Special Forces tactics and its ability to create confusion and disruption behind Allied lines, similar to the effects of the Italian Social Republic's Decima Flottiglia MAS in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II. The operation demonstrated the potential of Special Forces operations to influence the outcome of a battle, and it paved the way for future Special Forces operations, including those conducted by the United States Army Special Forces and the British Special Air Service. The operation also highlighted the importance of intelligence gathering and counterintelligence operations, as the Allied forces were able to uncover the German plan and take steps to counter it, with the help of Allan Pinkerton's Pinkerton National Detective Agency and William Joseph Donovan's Office of Strategic Services. Today, Operation Greif is remembered as a daring and innovative operation that pushed the boundaries of Special Forces tactics, and it continues to be studied by military historians and tacticians around the world, including those at the United States Naval Academy and the Royal Military College of Canada.

Category:World War II operations