USSR 1941

  Chapter 121 Paradox

   Sanjiang, please recommend a ticket!

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   Major Gavrilov frowned in the temporary headquarters.

  As he imagined, the war did not develop smoothly.

  The superiors underestimated the enemy a little. They thought that if the 9th Army could break through the breakthrough of the German 6th Army, it would definitely be able to break through the German defense line in front of them. After all, there was only one German regiment standing in front of them.

But the facts prove that the battlefield is often not a simple comparison of forces. The German regiment guarded a traffic artery: this is a crossroads, the intersection of several roads, and there is a high ground on each side. The German army seized the high ground and deployed artillery. There is a long passage only a few hundred meters wide in the middle of the condescending suppression on the high ground, which makes it impossible for the Soviet army to deploy its troops, and can only go up one by one.

  Actually, this cannot simply be said to be underestimating the enemy. It should be said that the Soviet army is not yet familiar with the "blitzkrieg" tactics.

   "Comrade Major!" At this moment, the communications soldier handed the phone to Major Gavrilov and said, "Comrade Vavilic!"

  Colonel Wavilic is the commander of the 131st Motorized Division. Not long ago, he was the commander of the regiment. Because the original division commander made a mistake in the battle and was dismissed, he was promoted to division commander.

   At this time, there were many such situations in the Soviet army, especially when the initial battle was not smooth, the commanders were dismissed or even shot because of incompetence. Countless, even Pavlov was not spared.

"What's going on?" Colonel Vavilic on the phone asked, "Comrade Gavrilov, I hope you understand the situation we're facing...Romanian troops are massing on our right flank and Italian mechanized troops are coming towards us from the left. Come close, if we are blocked by the Germans in front of us, we will be surrounded by them and fight hard!"

   "I understand, Comrade Vavilic!" Major Gavrilov replied: "But we are not prepared enough, the attack is too hasty, we should at least wait for the artillery to catch up and suppress the enemy's artillery!"

   "The enemy has only one regiment, and they have no tanks!" Colonel Wavilic said: "Our artillery will come up, but what you need more is courage, understand? The courage to attack the enemy!"

   This is a common problem among Soviet commanders. They always simply attribute the failure of the battle to the lack of bravery of the soldiers... This is a good excuse, which can both cover up their incompetence and find an excuse for their failed command.

   If the battle is won, they are complacent: Look, this is the battle I command.

  If they lose a battle, they throw their hands up: It's not a matter of command, as long as they fight bravely, they can win...are they brave enough? Obviously not, because some of them escaped back alive!

   "Break through the enemy's defense line within half an hour, understand?" Colonel Wavilic ordered: "Otherwise, you will go up in person!"

   Gavrilov reluctantly replied "Yes", and then turned his attention to Commissar Fuming standing beside him.

   Political Commissar Fuming shook his head and cursed: "This is an idiot, their command only has one word, and that is 'brave'! Maybe we can let him try it himself!"

Major Gavrilov shook his head and replied: "Although he is an idiot, one thing is right. The situation is very urgent. The enemy is outflanking us from both sides. If we don't quickly defeat the Germans blocking us, the consequences will be disastrous. ..."

   This is the crux of the "blitzkrieg".

   The most taboo thing in "blitzkrieg" is to be entangled by the enemy and fall into a hard fight. If this is the case, it will not be "blitzkrieg".

   And there will definitely be some traffic arteries that troops must pass through, such as bridges, traffic hubs, and so on.

  The German approach was to use Brandenburg units to infiltrate the enemy, or use paratroopers to airborne to seize these points, and then the armored forces could pass through.

  At this time, the Soviet army obviously did not have these resources, so they could only attack by force.

  If the Soviet army has the same "No. 3" and "No. 4" tanks as the German army, as well as infantry tanks, infantry guns, and air-to-ground coordination capabilities, it will be fine.

  But... the newly formed 9th Army obviously failed to reach this level.

   "Maybe!" Political Commissar Fuming pointed to the map and said, "We can only find a way to take the highlands on both sides first..."

Major Gavrilov shook his head: "The Germans have deployed a condescending defense company on the highlands on both sides, and they are integrated with the ground defense line. We cannot capture these two highlands in a short time unless we can break through The front line of defense is attacking from the rear of the high ground!"

   This leads to a paradox: To break through the defense line, you must take down the high ground on both sides, and to win the two side high ground, you must break through the defense line...

When Major Gavrilov and Commissar Fumin didn't know what to do, a communications soldier entered the headquarters and reported: "Comrade Major, a soldier has just been withdrawn from the battlefield. Second Lieutenant Davydov asked him to contact you! I have important information to report to you!"

  Major Gavrilov was a little puzzled, what intelligence report could he get off the battlefield?

  What Political Commissar Fuming thought of was...the soldier might just use this as an excuse to cover up the fact that he was a deserter.

   But with the mentality of "I'd rather believe it than believe it," Major Gavrilov still let him in.

"Comrade Major, Comrade Political Commissar!" A soldier covered in mud and blood stains walked into the headquarters, and then stood up and reported: "I am Vitenka, the signal soldier of the third company. The company commander ordered me to report to you. The third company is lurking." In the anti-tank trench more than 200 meters in front of the enemy's front line..."

   "Ambush? You mean ambush?" Major Gavrilov's eyes widened: "A whole company?"

   "Yes!" The signalman replied: "There are seven more tanks!" (Note: The signalman did not know that one tank was lost!)

   "Great!" Major Gavrilov exclaimed in surprise and joy: "This way we can break into the enemy's defense line before the enemy's artillery is ready!"

   "Yes!" Political Commissar Fuming agreed: "As long as we concentrate our artillery to bombard the enemy's line of defense and suppress their anti-tank guns!"

   While speaking, Political Commissar Fumin asked the messenger: "Did Comrade Davydov plan it like this?"

   "Yes, Comrade Commissar!" The signal soldier replied: "But this is Comrade Shulka's plan..."

   "Shulka!" Major Gavrilov laughed: "I should have known it was him a long time ago. Besides him, who else can make the enemy hard to defend!"

   Commissar Fumin looked at Major Gavrilov with strange eyes, and asked, "Comrade Major, you actually sent Shulka to the battlefield?!"

   "Don't look at me like that, Comrade Political Commissar!" Major Gavrilov replied with some embarrassment: "If we can't break through the line of defense, we will go to the battlefield!"