The decisive battle against the Third Reich

That night, Major General Allen indeed organized two battalions to launch a tragic attack on the highlands... The reason why it was said to be a "tragic" rather than a "violent" attack was because the US military's offensive could not pose a threat to the Enna Highlands at all. .

Major General Allen's idea may be correct. Without firepower advantage or terrain advantage, the only way to capture the high ground is to use the cover of night.

The problem is that night battles tend to favor the side with good quality, because soldiers with good quality can consciously form a tacit understanding with their comrades. They can cooperate and coordinate with their comrades around them without saying anything or looking at them.

On the other hand, the team with poor quality needs to use gestures, commands, etc. to complete coordination. In case of confusion, accidental injuries are inevitable.

The US military obviously belonged to the latter, so the attack of the two battalions could only leave a pile of corpses in front of the high ground.

Patton didn't understand what was going on. He once thought that the 1st Infantry Division was not fighting resolutely. At the same time, he also believed that the enemy on the Enna Heights was just a small German force.

Because the Third Division on the left wing has advanced 80 kilometers in two days, the British army's advance speed is even more staggering. They advanced 110 kilometers, killing and wounding only 300 casualties. More than 6,000 people were killed, 23,000 enemy soldiers were captured, 67 cannons were captured, and 28 tanks were destroyed.

Of course, most of these are results obtained from the Italian army.

On the other hand, the US military...the 1st Infantry Division alone suffered more than 800 casualties. What was particularly frustrating was that the 1st Infantry Division was blocked in front of the Onna Defense Line and could not move.

This situation quickly attracted Eisenhower's attention.

"What happened to the First Infantry Division?" Eisenhower asked.

"General!" Patton certainly had to speak for his troops at this time: "Our supplies are far from meeting the needs of the battlefield. The British army has landed 80,000 people, 7,000 vehicles, 200 tanks and 900 artillery pieces, and we... … Until now, only one infantry division and 50 tanks have been landed. All our transportation capabilities are barely enough to support frontline soldiers. We don’t even dare to send these 50 tanks to the battlefield because we haven’t reserved enough for them. of burning and ammunition!”

Of course, Eisenhower also knew the disparity in objective conditions between the British and American armies, but he still criticized: "That's not the reason, Joe! As you reported, the progress of the 3rd Infantry Division, which was not optimistic, was very disappointing. smoothly!"

Just when Patton didn't know how to explain it, the staff officer handed Patton a photo.

Barton glanced at it inadvertently, then widened his eyes and asked, "Where did you find it?"

"Onna, General!"

"Are you sure it's Onna?"

"Yes, General!" the staff officer replied: "Without a doubt!"

"Ike!" Patton said to Eisenhower on the other end of the phone, holding the photo: "Do you know what our pilots discovered?"

"What?"

"A tank, a tank on fire!" Patton said.

Eisenhower didn't understand what Patton meant. It was not normal for a tank to be on fire on the battlefield.

Then Patton explained: "The difference is that this is a No. 4 tank hidden in the forest... It was obviously unfortunately ignited by the incendiary bomb dropped by our bomber! I think this is the No. 1 tank The reason why the infantry division couldn’t advance even half a step in Enna!”

"You mean..."

"Yes!" Patton replied: "I think they hid their armored forces in Enna, not Palermo or Messina as we thought! This means...the main force of the Germans is in Enna. I I believe that what the 1st Infantry Division encountered was definitely not a small force!”

Of course Eisenhower knew the importance of this matter, so he replied: "I will send the photos over right away!"

On the other hand, Qin Chuan received a call from Colonel Slain.

"Something is not good!" Colonel Slain said: "One of our Panzer IV tanks was exposed. There was a reconnaissance plane overhead at the time of the incident. We have reason to believe that the enemy already knows that we are hiding the tank near Enna!"

Qinchuan couldn't help but frowned. If the enemy suspected that the main force of the German army was in Enna and made adjustments, not only would the German army's raid plan be ruined, but the enemy would also surround Enna from all sides.

"What is General Rommel's plan?" Qin Chuan asked.

"Many people think that we should launch an attack in advance, but General Rommel thinks that we should wait a little longer!" Colonel Slain said: "He thinks that the conditions for our attack are not mature yet, and we need to wait for at least one day!"

Qinchuan agreed. This was mainly because the British army had not yet entered the Mount Etna area, and it was difficult for the German infantry to entangle them in flat areas.

After thinking about it, Qin Chuan said: "Maybe we can do this..."

At the Allied Command, Eisenhower had just received the aerial photos sent by Patton and immediately handed them to Montgomery.

"Weren't we always looking for the German armored division?" Eisenhower said: "I think we found it!"

"Where?" Montgomery's eyes couldn't help but light up: "Palermo?"

"No, we found it in Onna!"

"Enna? This is impossible!" Montgomery couldn't help laughing: "If they put the armored division there, they would only be surrounded by us. In fact, Enna is already surrounded by us!"

"Perhaps you are right!" Eisenhower said: "But have you ever thought that the Germans may launch a counterattack against us?"

"Counterattack? As far as we know, the Germans only have two infantry divisions, one armored division and one mechanized infantry division in Sicily!" Montgomery said: "Two infantry divisions are already in front of us, and Enna probably has a mechanized infantry division." Division. Then, the Germans only have one armored division left. Do you think it is enough to launch a counterattack against us?"

"I don't know!" Eisenhower said: "But we should believe this..."

"Ike!" Montgomery said, "That's just a German tank!"

"But it's a Panzer IV!" Eilinghower said: "The Germans' main tank!"

"General!" At this time, a staff officer handed Montgomery a photo and said, "Our reconnaissance plane took it not long ago!"

"Where was it taken?" Montgomery asked.

"Onna, General!"

Montgomery couldn't help but be stunned. After observing the tank, a smile gradually appeared on his face.

Then, Montgomery handed the photo to Eilinghower and said: "Look, another Panzer IV tank is on fire, also in Enna! But did you find anything?"