Red Moscow

For Tolbukhin, cutting off the German army's supply line and retreat was nothing more than helping others. In the end, when the merits were rewarded, the victory he had paid a huge price might be ignored. And the immediate thing that can make him a success is to take out Zaporizhia, where Manstein's headquarters is located, and eliminate or severely damage the retreat of the German 17th Army.

Biryuzov, the chief of staff of the Southern Front, said with some concerns: "Comrade commander, is this appropriate? If the enemy in Kharkov is really allowed to withdraw to the Dnieper River smoothly, it will be difficult for us to fight in the next step." It's very detrimental."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Tolbukhin did not immediately explain anything to Biryuzov, but asked rhetorically: "If the enemy in Kharkov wants to break through, do you think we can stop the enemy by throwing all our troops into battle?" ?"

Biryuzov thought for a while, then slowly shook his head, "I don't think so."

"That's right," Tolbukhin said with a solemn expression: "Once the enemy withdrawing from Kharkov is blocked by us, they will definitely try their best to break through and cause great casualties to our blocking troops. It is better to use these troops to attack instead of expending troops in blocking warfare."

Biryuzov agreed with Tolbukhin's statement. A few days ago, in order to prevent the enemy in the Donbas from reinforcing Kharkov, he successively mobilized the forces of four army groups. Although he successfully smashed the German reinforcement plan, The troops also suffered great casualties. However, he still asked with great concern: "If the superiors track it down, how should we deal with it?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you don't have to worry about this." Since Tolbukhin planned to use the main force of the front army to attack Zaporozhye and the German 17th Army, he naturally had his own plan: "Now we are responsible for cutting off the German army. The three group armies on the retreat route used one or two divisions respectively. In other words, we have no less than five divisions to cut off the enemy's retreat route, so the superiors probably won't blame us."

After Hoth and Wheeler's troops withdrew from Kharkov, they were intercepted by Southern Front forces along the way. As Tolbukhin predicted, in order to open the passage, the German army would launch a desperate attack as soon as they encountered blocking, first bombarding with artillery, then using tanks to cover the infantry charge, and even calling for planes to attack the defenders' positions. Indiscriminate bombing.

Of the five divisions deployed by the Southern Front on the road leading to the Dnieper River, in less than half a day, two divisions were defeated by Huot and Weller's troops, and more than half of the troops were killed or injured.

After Biryuzov learned that the blocking troops had suffered heavy casualties, he quickly asked Tolbukhin for instructions: "Comrade Commander, it took less than half a day for the enemy to break through the direction of our two divisions in succession. See if you can send troops Go for reinforcements?"

"It's not necessary." Tolbukhin shook his head and said, "Now our focus is not on blocking the enemy who withdraws from Kharkov, but on continuing to attack the German 17th Army. Carry out the next combat operation well."

The troops that broke out from Kharkov were approaching the Dnieper River step by step. This fact made Manstein very happy. As long as the troops arrived at the designated location, they would be able to get rid of the fate of being surrounded by the Soviet army. But at the same time, he was worried about the 17th Army in the Donets Basin.

He asked his chief of staff, General Busey: "Chief of staff, now that the Russian Southern Front is attacking the 17th Army, what do you think we should do?"

When Busse heard this question from Manstein, he immediately replied without hesitation: "We should send a telegram to the 17th Army, ordering them to hold the Donets Basin at all costs and wait for the reinforcements we send."

"However, General Busse. Judging from the current situation, we need at least six armored divisions to defend the Donets Basin." Manstein said with a wry smile, "Where can I find them six armored divisions?"

Busse was silenced by Manstein's words. As the chief of staff of the army group, he naturally knew very well that from the Battle of Kursk to the present, the German army lost a lot of soldiers, but the supplies from the superiors came in very little and very slowly. Now let alone six armored divisions, even two armored divisions may not be able to piece together.

"Then what should we do?" Busse asked Manstein softly: "Should the 17th Army be ordered to abandon their defense zone and also withdraw to the Dnieper River?"

"From the analysis of the current situation, it is obviously unrealistic to continue to hold on to the Donets Basin without getting a new armored division." Manstein frowned and said, "The best way is to withdraw the troops from there immediately. come out."

"Your Excellency the Marshal," Busse waited for Manstein to finish speaking, and carefully reminded the other party: "Would you like to report this matter to the Führer and hear his opinion?"

In fact, even if Busey didn't say anything, Manstein planned to report the matter to Mustache. Although he is the marshal of the empire, he must get permission from Mustache to order an army group to abandon the defense zone.

The call was quickly connected to Mustache's office. After hearing Manstein's voice, Chief of General Staff Zeitzler asked with some expectation: "Your Excellency, Marshal, is it our troops who broke out from Kharkov? Already reached the Dnieper?"

"Not yet, Mr. Chief of the General Staff." Manstein responded politely: "However, based on the analysis of their current attack speed, they will reach the Dnieper River by tomorrow night at the latest."

"Oh, so that's the case." Zeitzler continued to ask, "May I ask why you called?"

"That's it, Your Excellency the Chief of the General Staff." Manstein did not go around in circles, but said bluntly: "The Russians have now broken through the defense line of Hollett's Sixth Army and are attacking the Seventeenth Army in the Donets Basin. Offensive. I beg you to allow this army to withdraw from the Donets Basin to the Dnieper."

Although Zeitzler is the chief of the army's general staff, he still dare not issue an order to give up the position of an army group and retreat casually. He glanced at the mustache sitting not far away, and began to mutter in his heart how to reply to the other party.

Mustache noticed Zeitzler's strangeness, and asked first, "Zeitzler, who is calling?"

"Marshal Manstein."

Mustache got up and walked over, took the microphone in Zeitzler's hand, and said loudly in his ear: "Manstein, it's me. Do you have anything to report to me?"

"Yes, my Führer." Manstein said quickly and respectfully when he heard Mustache's voice coming from the receiver, "I have something important to report to you."

"Speak." Mustache said briefly.

"That's right, my head of state." Manstein said cautiously: "I plan to withdraw the 17th Army in the Donets Basin to the Dnieper River area. They are being attacked by the Russian Southern Army at the moment. , there is a possibility of being annihilated.”

"No, Manstein." Mustache refused Manstein's request without thinking. He just agreed to allow the defenders of Kharkov to retreat two days ago. If he agrees to the retreat of the 17th Army stationed in the Donets Basin today, it will not be a mess. "The 17th Army cannot retreat."

"My head of state." Although his proposal was rejected by Mustache, Manstein said unwillingly: "If you want to continue to hold on to the Donets Basin, then you must provide them with at least six armored divisions. If Without these forces, the exposed salient on the Mius cannot be defended."

Hearing that the problem was so serious, Mustache couldn't help but fell silent.

Seeing that the mustache was silent, Manstein knew that the other party was weighing the pros and cons, so he said while the iron was hot: "My head of state, I think we must shrink the line of defense. In this way, we can follow a shorter and more favorable line of defense. Block the Russians. You know, the reason why we were able to defeat the Russians in the Dnieper River Valley at the beginning of the year was because we shrunk the defense line and gave up many cities, so that the Russians had to send a large number of troops to defend those cities, thereby weakening the their fighting power."

When Mustache was silent, he suddenly heard Manstein say: "My Führer, under the current circumstances, I ask you to grant me the right to exercise autonomy."

Mustache's pupils constricted violently. For him, no word was more shocking than the phrase "autonomous exercise of rights". For a general to make such a request to himself is tantamount to betrayal, even if this person is his most trusted Manstein.

"No!" Mustache replied resolutely: "Marshal Manstein, I will not give you the right to control yourself."

Just when Manstein was feeling lost, he suddenly heard Mustache say: "Don't take any action, I will rush over to deal with it myself."

Manstein didn't expect Mustache to reply him in such a way that the other party hung up the phone for a long time, and he was still holding the phone in a daze. Seeing that Manstein was silent, Busse next to him asked anxiously, "Your Excellency, Marshal, I wonder what the Führer said?"

Only then did Manstein come to his senses. After he put down the phone, he sighed heavily and said to Busser: "The head of state won't let us take any action, he will rush over to deal with it himself."

"Ah?!" Hearing what Manstein said, Busey asked in surprise, "So the head of state is coming?"

"Yes, I guess he will arrive by dark at the latest. You should send someone to arrange his accommodation."

The Soviet army always thought that Manstein's headquarters was located in Zaporozhye, but unexpectedly, his current headquarters is in Vinnytsia, which is in front of the road of a large-scale Soviet offensive.

Since Mustache is coming, his safety must be guaranteed. Therefore, on the basis of the original defenders, Manstein transferred the 23rd Armored Division and the two infantry divisions of the 11th Army to be responsible for the defense of Vinnitsa.

But Mustache's plane did not land at the airstrip in Vinnytsia until the next day. As soon as he arrived in Vinnytsia, he summoned Manstein and the commanders of his armies to a meeting.

In order to persuade the mustache, Manstein called on the resigned commander of the 11th Army, Laus, and the commander of the 23rd Armored Division, General von Forman, and hoped that they could say something good about him at the meeting. Because these two generals had achieved a series of huge victories in the battle with the Soviet army, Mustache would not have any doubts about what they said.

After the meeting began, Manstein first spoke. He cited two figures in a heavy tone to explain the plight of the troops: "My head, the Southern Army Group, has lost a total of 178,000 people in the past few months of fighting. , but only received 33,000 supplements, and there is still a vacancy of 145,000. The 6th Army of Hollett lost 23,830 men between July 17 and August 21, and received 3,312 supplementary troops. People, short of 20,000; General von Mackensen's 1st Panzer Army lost 27,291, supplemented by 6,174, and lacked 21,000."

Mustache listened to the series of numbers reported by Manstein, and the expression on his face did not change at all. To him, the numbers of casualties were just groups of numbers, not real people.

Seeing that the data he had reported did not attract the necessary attention from Mustache, Manstein felt a burst of disappointment in his heart. He turned to Hollett who was sitting at the conference table and said, "General Hollett, please tell the head of state the balance of power between the enemy and us."

When General Howlett heard Manstein call his name, he quickly stood up, bowed slightly to the mustache, and said: "My head of state, please allow me to report to you the current balance of power between the enemy and us." About the troops All kinds of data are firmly recorded in Hollett's mind. Without reading any written documents, he directly reported to Mustache: "My 29th Army has 8,706 people left, facing 69,000 Russians. ;The 17th Army has only 9,284 people left, facing 49,500 Russians; the situation of the 4th Army is slightly better, with 13,143 people left, facing 18,000 Russians. Our total strength is 31,133 Russians are not working hard enough 136,500 people.

In terms of tank strength, Tolbukhin has 165 tanks that can be put into battle, while we can only use 7 tanks and 37 breakthrough tanks. "

As soon as Hollett's report was over, Manstein went on to say: "My head, the Russians are strengthening their strength. With our current strength, it is impossible to hold on. Except for the 6th Army, the 1st Panzer Army The situation was not good either. Also, the 4th Panzer Army and the 8th Army, which had just been withdrawn from Kharkov, were not in a position to hold back the Russian breakthrough to the Dnieper for long.

In addition, as far as I know, the southern flank of the Central Army Group, which is the defense zone of the Second Army, is also very dangerous and may be attacked by the Russians at any time. "

After introducing the current situation to Mustache, Manstein said again: "My head of state, if you insist on sticking to the Donets Basin, you must send us at least 12 divisions, of which there must be 6 armored divisions; Or, we will abandon the Donets Basin, and at the same time free up the necessary troops in the army group as a reserve. Other than that, I can't think of any good way."

After listening to Manstein and Hollett's introduction, Mustache realized that the situation in front of him was very difficult, and the loss of personnel of various troops was also very serious. He stood up, thanked the officers who participated in the meeting, and then emphasized: "Gentlemen, we cannot retreat, we must stick to the existing defenses, and repeatedly compete with the Russians for every inch of land, until the Russians are aware of them." The attack is futile so far."

"But, my head of state." As soon as the mustache finished speaking, Manstein retorted: "I still insist on my opinion, either send us new troops, or withdraw from the Donets area, there is no third party." There's a way to go."