The Rise of the Third Reich

Korobkov was counting on the 1st Tank Army, but at this time the 1st Tank Army was "a mud tank crossing the river" and could not protect itself. The trouble they encountered was not the German tanks on the ground, but the flying tanks in the sky-Hs129 attack aircraft!

This clumsy, sturdy, and powerful twin-engine ground attack aircraft has a very single purpose. According to the design, it cannot carry bombs, but it has two 20mm cannons and one 37mm/50mm cannon. High-velocity armor-piercing projectiles launched in the air at a height of tens of meters hit the tank's weak top and rear.

Since the outbreak of the world revolution on June 1, this clumsy twin-engine aircraft has become a lingering shadow in the minds of the Soviet mechanized troops. As long as weather conditions permit, these aircraft will appear from time to time on the long route heading west. Above the convoy of the Soviet mechanized army, protected by Fokker Zeros and Fw-190s, they launched wave after wave of attacks until all the ammunition for the 20mm cannon, 37mm cannon and 50mm cannon was used up. It will leave behind a pile of smoldering and burning vehicle wreckage. Although the number of these hateful "flying tanks" was not large and could not cause too heavy losses to the marching Soviet army, the frequent bombings still greatly slowed down the troops' advance and also caused the high morale of the world's revolutionary fighters. Decreased slightly.

But on June 11, most of the internationalist fighters marching in Poland and Ukraine were pleasantly surprised to find that the "flying tanks" that had tormented them for a long time did not appear today! Not only did the "flying tank" not come, but the Ju87, which often partners with the Hs-129, also did not appear. The sky seemed to be back in the hands of the people overnight!

And just when most of the Red Army commanders and fighters were marching happily, imagining what miracle the Soviet Red Air Force had created last night, paralyzing the Germans' powerful air force. Hundreds of Hs-129 attacks and the same number of Ju87s are frantically attacking the main force of the Soviet 1st Tank Army (missing the 1st Tank Brigade) advancing towards Legionovo.

Corporal Erich Hartmann, who had just been promoted to lead aircraft (he was promoted because he shot down 7 Soviet aircraft in 10 days), was also flying his Fw-190A near noon on June 11. -4 fighter jets, following Stanbaz (the captain of the 4th machine unit) who had just become a second lieutenant, came to the sky above the Soviet 1st Tank Army convoy to participate in the aerial battle.

Looking down from an altitude of 4,000 meters, you can see a long line of Soviet tanks, troop-carrying trucks, wheeled armored vehicles, trucks or tracked vehicles towing artillery, and various tracked or wheeled auxiliary armored vehicles. It was completely unable to move, and there were burning vehicles or metal wreckage blown into weird shapes everywhere.

The Soviet army's anti-aircraft firepower was also unprecedentedly fierce. Countless tongues of flame intertwined together to form fire nets at low altitudes. However, the ugly-looking twin-engine aircraft that had been flying very slowly remained fearless amid the fire nets. Walking through the middle, firing out strings of blazing shells from time to time, blasting the T-34, KV-1 or other armored vehicles on the ground from the top and back!

In the air at 2,000 meters and 3,000 meters, the Ju87 bombers were screaming and launching dive attacks on the Soviet convoy on the ground. The bombs were dropped like raindrops, creating one high-rising fireball after another in the long line of Soviet convoys.

"Mig-3! MiG-3 found! Altitude 3800, direction 11 o'clock."

Lieutenant Steinbaz's voice came from Erich Hartmann's earphones: "There are four planes, let's knock them down. Be careful, be careful of the Russians' collision!"

In the past ten days of desperate battles, although the Soviet Red Air Force has been at a disadvantage, the German pilots have to admit the bravery of the Soviet pilots, because these Bolshevik pilots have a crazy tactic-air collision!

It's a plane with an injured or intact pilot that collides with an enemy plane!

Although this style of mutual destruction did not knock down many German planes, it caused a certain psychological shadow on the German pilots. Many German pilots were somewhat frightened when they collided head-on with Soviet aircraft, especially pilots who had witnessed collisions or been hit by Soviet aircraft.

However, Sergeant Erich Hartmann was a guy who did not believe in evil. Faced with a MiG-3 that rushed towards him with great force, he still did not hesitate to face it, then he pulled the trigger, firing a violent rain of bullets, and the This MiG-3 is shrouded in it. It may be that a shell hit the cockpit of the MiG-3. The high-speed aircraft suddenly lost the air, rolled a few times in the air, and then fell down, becoming Erich Hartmann. The 8th victory in the credit book.

"Comrade Voloch, the 1st Tank Army cannot be placed on the road like this and is beaten. It must be deployed as soon as possible." Korobkov, commander of the 4th Army, finally found him in a forest next to a road full of destroyed vehicles. The military headquarters of Major General Voloch, commander of the 1st Tank Corps.

"Comrade Commander, there is nothing we can do now. There are too many Nazi planes. There is nothing we can do..."

"We have to deploy even if we have no other choice!" Korobkov was anxious to death. "The German tank cluster is coming. If we don't deploy, will the 1st Tank Corps have to meet the enemy in a marching formation on the road?"

"What?" Voloch, commander of the 1st Tank Army, was shocked. "German armored group? How is this possible... The 16th Mechanized Army and the 28th Army are still ahead."

He originally did not know the situation of the 16th Mechanized Army and the 28th Army. His military column was bombed this morning, and the communication vehicle equipped with a radio was destroyed. Therefore, timely communication with the group army headquarters was interrupted. .

"Both the 16th Mechanized Army and the 28th Army have been defeated!" Major General Korobkov stamped his foot, "If the 1st Tank Army does not deploy immediately, our 4th Army will be doomed!"

"Ah..." Voloch couldn't believe his ears. How could two armies be defeated like this? How long has it been? They are the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army! Moreover, how will the 1st Tank Army be deployed now?

Because among the three corps of the 4th Group Army, the main force of the 1st Tank Corps came last, so in addition to being in marching formation all the way, the team stretched out for more than ten kilometers and is still being bombed. The road is blocked by vehicle debris. If you are dead, how can you close and expand with just one command?

Moreover, even if some troops are reluctantly deployed, how can it be possible to defeat the powerful German armored group? Since they could defeat the 16th Mechanized Army and the 28th Infantry Army one after another, their strength must not be weak. How could the 1st Tank Army defeat them with only 3 brigades (2 tank brigades and 1 motorized infantry brigade)?

"Comrade Commander, now... we should retreat temporarily." Voloch whispered the correct suggestion.

The 1st Tank Army could not save the situation, and forcing a decisive battle would only cause greater losses. It was better to retreat first. Moreover, retreating now will not cause immeasurable losses, because the city of Warsaw is still threatened by the 16th Army on the south road (Vlasov Road) and the 9th Army on the middle road (the infantry unit that is attacking the Warsaw Forest). Workers and peasants The main force of the Red Army was constantly coming from the east of the Bug River, so it was impossible for the German army to expand its results by chasing the 1st Tank Army.

What they are launching now should be a short counterattack, and it is already very good to push the 4th Army. If the 1st Tank Corps retreats, the German armored groups will most likely return victoriously.

"No, we can't retreat..."

Korobkov, commander of the 4th Army, and Telekin, the political commissar, spoke out against it almost at the same time.

"We must stop the Germans." Korobkov knew that he had ruined a big thing. If he ran away with his tail between his legs again, it would not be reform through labor, but would be shot.

"We should ask the front army headquarters for instructions." Political commissar Telekin said, "When the front army orders us to retreat, our group army must fight to the end!"

Telekin's words were much softer than Korobkov's, and he still left a way to survive. However, whether the 1st Tank Corps could withdraw safely depends on whether Pavlov can issue orders in time.

"Yes, yes, yes... send power to the front headquarters immediately," Korobkov came with a communication vehicle so he could keep in touch with his superiors and subordinates at any time. "Let's just say that our army group encountered a counterattack by three German armored divisions in Legionovo..."

…

"Comrade Commander, the 4th Army was defeated and suffered heavy losses... Korobkov asked for instructions to retreat to the Minsk area of ​​Poland to reorganize the troops." Major General Rimoschik, Chief of Staff of the Western Front, rushed into Pavlov 's office.

"What's going on?" Ponomarenko was also in the office, asking Pavlov for the latest battle situation. Hearing Major General Rimosik's words, he stood up suddenly.

"Comrade Political Commissar, the 4th Army was counterattacked by a German armored group... at least 3 armored divisions! Moreover, the Germans also dispatched more than 2,000 aircraft to bomb the 1st Tank Army. The losses were heavy!"

"Three armored divisions?"

Pavlov and Ponomarenko both took a breath. If the 4th Army ran into three German armored divisions, it would be understandable that they would be defeated.

"Then let the 4th Army retreat quickly." Ponomarenko, like other political commissars of the Soviet Red Army, was not an unreasonable fool. Moreover, the Red Army is now fighting abroad, and there is no problem at all in protecting the people of the country.

"No!" Pavlov's face was very ugly. "The 4th Army must hold on to the end!" He looked at Ponomarenko, who was puzzled, and said, "Otherwise, the German mechanized cluster may insert into the Polish enemy. The front line of Sksk, cutting off the retreat of the 9th Army and the 37th Army!”