USSR 1941

  Chapter 54 Denial

  Major Gavrilov's unit was incorporated into the 27th Infantry Army of the Southwest Front Army under the designation of the 333 regiment that night, and they were ordered to station on the north side of the Mogilev fortification area (No. 12).

  The so-called "Stalin Line of Defense" is connected by dozens of such fortification areas, with a total length of 1,200 kilometers, from the Karelian Isthmus in the north to the Black Sea coast in the south.

  These fortification areas are not simple trenches or tunnels. They are solid fortifications made of reinforced concrete. The front wall is 1.5 meters thick, equipped with Maxim machine guns and 37MM artillery, and the defense depth is 1 to 6 kilometers.

  The first task of the 333rd regiment is to be familiar with the fortification area.

   The company responsible for assisting them is a company originally stationed here. The commander is Master Avdeevich, a somewhat dull middle-aged man, but he has been stationed here for two years and knows everything here.

  Because he had two big beards on his mouth, the soldiers called him Uncle Beard.

"The ammunition depot is on the east side, and we can continuously send ammunition to the bunker on the front line through three traffic trenches!" The bearded uncle pointed to the map and introduced to the soldiers: "The bunker is double-layered, and the lower floor is an air-raid shelter, but I think He's not much use..."

   "Why?" A soldier asked.

   "Because when you hide inside, the enemy will stuff the explosive packs through the perforations!"

  …

   Shulka is hardly listening, his mind is always thinking about what to do next

   It stands to reason that the line of defense connected by such a strong fortification area is enough to withstand the attack of German tanks.

  The problem is that this line of defense is not yet complete.

There are many reasons.

  First of all, it was a strategic issue for the Soviet Union. They preferred offense to defense, so they always delayed and delayed the construction of this line of defense. It took more than ten years from the start of construction in 1928 to build a big one.

  Secondly, as mentioned before, the Soviet Union and Germany divided Poland and expanded the line of defense westward, which directly caused the construction of this line of defense to stop in 1939.

Again, the tactical thinking of the Soviets was still stuck in World War I, thinking that the main force of the enemy’s attack was infantry, so a large number of Maxim machine guns were used in the fortifications of the defense line, only a small amount of 37MM anti-tank guns, and 76MM anti-tank guns were even rarer. , and it was removed from an old tank turret.

   As a result, the defense line is often helpless in the face of hordes of attacking German tanks, and can only watch the Germans advance under the cover of tanks.

   "Shuerka!" Agata appeared at the door and called softly, motioning to go out.

   Shulka glanced at Pukarev in front of him. Now in principle, he can't desert.

  However, Shulka was sure that Pukarev had discovered this but pretended not to see it, apparently acquiescing to Shulka's desertion.

  Since this is the case, Shulka confessed to the actor, and then slipped out through the back door with a low waist.

   “We were sent to a field hospital in Kyiv!” Agata said.

   "Oh, that's good!" Shulka said.

   At least it means they can stay away from the war for a while.

"We don't have much time!" said Agata. "I have to tell you something important. Allow me to speak to Major Gavrilov so that he may send you with me to Kyiv." , you know, they need guards!"

   At this moment Shulka understood something...Agata has connections.

  He should have thought of this a long time ago. It is not easy to become a great man in peacetime, let alone a female soldier who manages the library.

   Shulka wanted to accept Agata's suggestion, but after thinking about it, he shook his head and refused.

   "No, Agata!" Shulka said: "I can't go to Kyiv!"

   "Why?" Agata was puzzled and a little angry: "You may die here, Shulka, even if you are a hero or you are very smart, bullets and shells don't care about these!"

   "You're right!" Shulka said, "But... I just can't go, not because I want to be a hero, I just..."

   "Think for me, Shulka!" Agata shook Shulka's hand in desperation: "I don't want you to die, don't you understand?"

   "I understand, Agata!" Shulka hesitated for a while, but shook his head and said: "But I have my reasons, I can't do this! Thank you very much..."

  Agata was stunned for a while, and tears suddenly fell from his eyes: "Idiot, you idiot!"

   Then he turned around and ran away while wiping his tears, without looking back.

  Looking at Agata's back, Shulka couldn't help but sighed.

  Agata must have thought that Shulka rejected her, but that was not the case.

  Although she has not been in contact with Agata for a long time, Shulka has inexplicably taken a liking to her... This is actually not surprising. Under the pressure of war, it is easy to develop feelings.

  The problem is that Shulka does have his own difficulties.

  So what if I accepted Agata's suggestion?

  Go to Kyiv as a guard?

   If you only care about immediate interests, this may be a good choice, because it can at least allow Shulka to live safely for a while.

but…

  In more than two months, the entire Kyiv will be surrounded by the German army. This battle is called the largest siege in history. A total of 660,000 Soviet troops were captured, and the Soviet Southwest Front Army was almost wiped out.

  If Shulka is on the front lines, maybe he can change things with his knowledge.

   But if you go to Kyiv as a guard, maybe you have to wait to be surrounded.

   So Shulka was telling the truth, he didn't want to be a hero or reject Agata, he just had to.

  But Agata obviously didn't think so.

   Dazed for a while, Shulka turned and returned to the venue.

   Helplessly, although Shulka chose to stay, he didn't know how to solve the problem in front of him.

  Helping the Soviets hold off the Germans?

  I am only one person, even if I know how the situation of the war will develop, the Soviet army is guarding a line of defense full of holes, but it is facing a world-class army with strict discipline and good at interspersed combat. It is not easy to defend.

   Shulka even wanted to meet the commander of the front army or someone who could influence the situation of the battle and talk to him.

   But that obviously doesn't work.

   First of all, his own people are soft-spoken, and they will not believe his words at all.

  Secondly, Shulka cannot explain why he knows this.

   More importantly... the commander of the front army has no right to command, and it is actually Moscow who directs the battle.

   Unless Shulka can convince Moscow, everything is in vain.

   Just thinking about it, the bearded uncle said: "That's about it. Next, we should go to practice. We don't have much time, and the enemy will launch an attack as soon as the sky is bright, so... Good luck!"

  (end of this chapter)