Absolutely one of the great retreats in military history. By 1944 Hitler's policy of holding territory above economy of forces resulted in most German units on the Southern Front being totally burned out. When the Russians broke through on both sides of the 1st Panzer Army, they had a massive preponderance in infantry and tanks.
Initially Hube wanted to drive due south-west, since only light Soviet forces were present in that direction. However, he followed his superior Eric Von Manstein, Commander in Chief Army Group South's orders to break out to the west. This, in spite of serious misgivings over the massive Soviet armored forces and supporting infantry in that direction.
Hube did a superb job of keeping his forces moving, and changing fronts. At the same time, Eric Von Manstein, fought battles with both Hitler and the Russians to free up the forces necessary to drive a corridor through to Hube.
Both men were successful. Hube drove due west and linked up with reinforcements gathered by Manstein and wrested from Hitler. The resulting breakout disrupted the supply lines on the Soviet armored forces and brought them to a halt, for the time-being.
Unfortunately, as a result of the confrontations necessary to get Hitler's approval, Manstein was subsequently removed from his position. The German Army on the Eastern Front never recovered from the loss of his military genius.
