The decisive battle against the Third Reich

The Caucasus was quiet that day, including Mount Kazbek.

The Soviets were unable to launch another attack because they lacked supplies and ammunition. If they attacked again, they would not even be able to survive on the Caucasus Mountains.

The German army was unable to launch a counterattack because the Soviet army occupied the fortifications and part of the supplies on Kazbek Peak. On the other hand, the German army was seriously short of troops. Including a company reinforced by the 1st Infantry Regiment, there were only 500 soldiers left. Many people still have fighting ability.

In this case, although the Soviet army was very vulnerable, it was almost impossible for more than 500 people to counterattack and regain their fortifications.

Colonel Frecco once considered using helicopters to continue transporting reinforcements to launch a counterattack, but ultimately gave up... The Soviet troops occupied high ground and were equipped with anti-aircraft machine guns. In this case, helicopters were dispatched to Kazbek Peak Reinforcements are undoubtedly very dangerous, and the whole army may be wiped out before the reinforcements can send enough helicopters.

As a result, the enemy and we stopped fighting in unison, just like two beasts that were exhausted from fighting. No one dared to take action easily. They each hid in their own nests, licking their wounds and waiting to fight again next year.

However, the Soviet army's nightmare did not stop there.

It should be said that their nightmare has just begun... Because the airport was bombed, the Soviet army had completely lost air superiority. German fighter planes could soar unscrupulously over the Caucasus Mountains. In addition, the German army also established radar warfare on the Caucasus Mountains, so The Soviet army did not even dare to take off fighter planes that dropped supplies.

This forced the Soviet army to use manpower to transport supplies to the Soviet army in the Caucasus Mountains. However, the difficulty of transportation in the snow-capped mountains is beyond anyone's imagination... A person is carrying a large bag of supplies to transport upwards, and the person may not reach the supplies. It's all consumed.

With no choice, Zhukov could only order to withdraw half of the troops on the mountain. Of course, apart from carrying a small amount of food before going down the mountain, bullets, rifles, etc. were all left on the mountain.

But it was not that easy to withdraw, so countless people froze to death, starved to death, got lost and disappeared on the road. Only more than 3,000 people of the 20,000 people could be withdrawn.

On the other side, the Soviet army guarding the Caucasus is still unable to survive. In the words of Soviet soldiers, there is no hope of survival.

Sometimes they couldn't bear the pain of slowly starving to death, and charged frantically towards the German positions...either killing the enemy and grabbing their food, or dying in battle, which was better than dying of starvation.

In the end, Zhukov came up with a way. He recruited people from the people and troops who were good at climbing and familiar with the terrain to form a transport team, and built supply roads with ropes section by section... that is, leaving ropes on some cliffs to transport them. Lifting the food up saves a lot of manpower and material resources.

But even so, the Soviet army could only barely maintain its strength, and deaths from starvation and freezing still occurred from time to time.

For this victory, Marshal Manstein personally called the 1st Mountain Division headquarters to commend Qinchuan.

"Well done, Major!" Manstein said: "Last night I was still thinking about how to seize air superiority and hold Mount Kazbek. I even thought about how to bypass Mount Kazbek if the Soviets broke through. How to deal with the rear area, but today... all problems are no longer a problem! "

After a pause, Manstein continued: "You know? Our air force commander, Major General Lorenz, expressed his protest to me!"

"Why?" Qin Chuan asked.

"Because this was originally their job!" Manstein said: "But now you have been asked to finish it. You blew up at least more than 600 Soviet fighter planes that day... Therefore, Major General Lorenz and the troops he led The Air Force is going to lose its jobs!”

As he spoke, Manstein burst into laughter.

"It's just a joke, Major!" Marshal Manstein said: "I think they should be lucky to have you as their comrade, the 1st Mountain Division, the Air Force, and of course me!"

Qin Chuan couldn't help but be a little moved, because he knew that Manstein was different from Rommel. Manstein was a nobleman. The nobles of this era generally had a sense of superiority in their hearts, especially those who were as capable as Manstein. , talented and high-ranking nobles, especially Manstein, who was the nephew of former German President von Hindenburg.

But Manstein would say that he was lucky to have Qin Chuan as a "comrade-in-arms" instead of a "subordinate", which showed that Manstein had a very high opinion of Qin Chuan and could even be on an equal footing with him.

After Qin Chuan hung up the phone, Major General Freco gave Qin Chuan a box and said, "Major, this is what the marshal ordered me to give to you..."

Qin Chuan opened the box and saw a set of military ranks, including the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Qin Chuan looked at Major General Freco in confusion. Major General Freco nodded and said, "You are already a lieutenant colonel, major! No...you should be called lieutenant colonel."

Colonel Slain couldn't help but protested: "General, the awarding of majors should be completed by the 21st Armored Division!"

"But you are still under my command, right?" Major General Frecco replied.

"That's only temporary!" said Colonel Slain, "and now that the war is over, it won't be long!"

"So..." Major General Frecco said, "I just want to take advantage of this moment!"

Then Major General Freco patted Qin Chuan on the shoulder and said: "I am honored to award you the rank of lieutenant colonel, lieutenant colonel. Oh my God, I personally awarded you the rank of 'Legendary Sergeant'. Thinking about it is exciting, and I That’s a lot more to brag about, isn’t it?”

Qin Chuan and Colonel Slain couldn't help but feel dumbfounded.

"Oh, and this!" Major General Frecco took out an armband from the box and put it on Qin Chuan's right arm.

Qin Chuan took a look and saw that it was a black edelweiss. Everyone in the First Mountain Division was wearing one.

Qin Chuan knew what this meant... The edelweiss was not only the symbol of the mountain division, but also symbolized bravery. It was a flower of bravery.

The reason is that it is usually produced in the Alps, at altitudes above 1,700 meters, and only grows on very rare rocky surfaces. Anyone who can get it must have extraordinary courage and perseverance.

Qin Chuan stood upright and saluted Major General Frecco.

For Qin Chuan, things like military rank no longer mean much, because the reputation or energy he currently possesses far exceeds his military rank or position.

For example, the previous Major General Lex fell into trouble at the hands of Qin Chuan.

But this edelweiss has a different meaning. It seems to mean that Qin Chuan has become a member of the Mountain Division.