The decisive battle against the Third Reich

The 21st Armored Division rested at the state farm for two full days.

In fact, it can't be said to be a rest, because they have to build a defense line here to face the Stalingrad defense line southward.

This is not a difficult task in the state-owned farm, because the soil in this area is still very suitable for building defense lines, and it is also very suitable for armored troops to maneuver. It is flat and dry. Except for a few crisscrossing ditches used for irrigation, it can almost Let the tank drive.

Of course, the German army did not let the tanks do this because they did not want to destroy vegetables and wheat.

Paulus even sent an infantry regiment to the state farm to harvest wheat... This is understandable. From the German army's point of view, wheat on the front line is not just a wheat problem. The German army needs to move wheat from Kharkov or even To transport a bag of wheat further away from Berlin to the front, it would cost the same weight or more in gasoline on average.

From this perspective, the wheat is just wheat plus gasoline. This does not include how much ammunition can be transported by the saved transportation capacity, so the value is completely different.

Truckloads of supplies and ammunition were brought up from the 6th Army. The artillery, tanks and even the 1st Infantry Regiment's intermediate-power ammunition were replenished. Maybe it only takes one more day, that is, after the troops have some ammunition reserves. The attack on Stalingrad has officially begun... Ammunition reserves are a must, because once the battle begins, the rate of ammunition loss will often far exceed the rate of replenishment. Therefore, in order to avoid discontinuous attacks due to exhaustion of ammunition and giving the enemy time to breathe, a base ammunition reserve is generally required before attacking.

However, what everyone did not expect was that the Soviet army took action before the German army.

At 5:30 in the morning that day, just as the soldiers had just emerged from their tents and gathered in front of the farm's ditch to wash up, suddenly bursts of artillery roars were heard in the distance, and at the same time there were dozens of Soviet-style fighter jets. Fighter planes hovered in the sky and dive-bombed the ground from time to time.

"In the direction of Lennok!" Dominic said.

"Major!" Colonel Slain waved to Qinchuan, and Qinchuan realized that an emergency meeting was about to be held.

The meeting was held in the headquarters of General Strike. He pointed to the map and said to a group of officers gathered around the map: "We have just received news that the Soviet Stalingrad Front has two divisions along the Volga River. Launching an attack on our defense line, at the same time, the Southeastern Front and the 62nd Army in Stalingrad also cooperated with them in launching an attack. Our troops in Yerzovka and Renok were attacked on three sides!”

This was an inevitable problem for the German troops stationed along the Volgo River. Their position itself was surrounded by the Soviet army on three sides... This was also one of the costs of encircling Stalingrad.

"Obviously!" General Strike said: "The Soviets want to restore contact with Stalingrad. They even used the air force!"

This situation is rare because, as mentioned before, there is a big gap between the strength of the Soviet Air Force and the German Air Force.

"We should go to reinforce Lennok!" Colonel Olbridge said: "They are only ten kilometers away from us!"

"I think the superiors will do the same!" General Strike replied: "Because we are the only armored division nearby! But... they may send us to reinforce Yeltsovka instead of Renok, because that direction is The Soviets have two divisions and it is said that they have many tanks!”

So the situation became clear. Yerzovka was the place that really needed reinforcements from the 21st Armored Division, which was twenty kilometers away from the state farm.

But Qin Chuan remained silent. After a while, Qin Chuan said: "General, I don't think we should reinforce Yerzovka!"

"Why?" General Strike asked doubtfully.

"I don't think Yerzovka is the main target of the Soviets!" Qin Chuan said: "They seem to intend to transfer us there!"

"You mean..."

"We have been to Yerzovka before!" Qinchuan said: "There are many canyons crisscrossed there, as well as dry river beds and ravines. Such terrain is not suitable for mechanized troops such as tanks to fight. Why did the Soviets Choose to break through from here?”

"Perhaps they want to attack from three sides!" Colonel Slain said: "You must know that the Soviets also have gunboats and fishing boats. Once they annihilate the 297th Infantry Division stationed there, their southeastern front army can A steady stream of troops were transported from the other side of the Volga River to cooperate with the Stalingrad Front in launching a counterattack against our army, just like our cooperation with the 6th Army!"

What Colonel Slain said makes sense, because the German army used this method when attacking Karachi Port. The 21st Armored Division attacked from the shore, and the 6th Army forced the crossing from the river.

"Maybe so!" Qin Chuan replied: "But the Soviets used aircraft in this direction, and there were a lot of them... This seems to be telling us that this is the focus of their attack. This may not mean anything. , However, as mentioned before, the complex terrain in the Yerzovka area is not suitable for mechanized troop movement. Didn’t the Soviets think that they would be easily counterattacked by our army if they landed here? "

Hearing this, several officers couldn't help but be stunned.

Qinchuan was right. The terrain of Yerzovka was complex and difficult to maneuver, but the terrain around Renok was flat. This made the German armor very suitable for launching a counterattack toward Renok from the flanks. The Soviet tanks in Yerzovka even Still unable to move even an inch, they could only fight at a slow pace and in a scattered formation.

"Major, are you saying that the Soviets intend to move us to the direction of Yeltsovka?" Major General Strike asked.

"Yes, General!" Qin Chuan replied.

"Major!" Colonel Olbridge said with a smile: "You think the Soviets are too smart. If they were Americans or British, they might use such deception, but the Soviets..."

The officers also nodded in agreement. Not to mention cheating, the Soviet officers had always been fooled by the German officers.

But... because of this, once the Soviets used some tricks, it was easy for the Germans to be fooled.

General Strike asked again: "Major, if the Soviets' target is not Yeltsovka, where do you think it will be?"

"Kotluban!" Qin Chuan pointed to the map and said: "That is the midpoint of our defense line, and then go south along the road until the state-owned farm is flat... This is not only suitable for armored forces to break through, but it will also kill us all Surrounded east of Cote Luban!”