"General Hausser, according to the intelligence we have, large Russian troops are moving towards Prokhorovka in a steady stream." Manstein did not get angry, but said slowly: "Wait for two more days."
God, do you think you are confident that you can use two divisions to break through the new defense line composed of Russia's fresh troops?"
After listening to Manstein's words, Hausser thought carefully in his mind: Although he only has one division in his hands at the moment, with the combat effectiveness of the Skeleton Division, he has to break through the defenses held by one or two incomplete infantry divisions.
There shouldn't be much of a problem in our position. But once the opponent's reinforcements arrive, even if we add another flag guard, we will probably pay a heavy price if we want to break through the opponent's position.
After thinking about this, Hausser said into the microphone: "Marshal, I understand. I immediately ordered the troops to attack the Russian defense area."
As soon as he put down the phone, Hausser said to Max Simon, the commander of the Skeleton Division, who was sitting in his headquarters: "General Simon, Marshal Manstein ordered our army to immediately attack the Russian positions. I give this task to
Your division will complete it, and I hope you can break through the Russian defenses before dark."
"Your Excellency, Army Commander," Max Simon said hesitantly in response to the order given by Hauser: "We only have one division, and what is blocking us is a Russian army group."
"General Simon, you are worrying too much." Seeing Max Simon being so hesitant, Hausser was full of dissatisfaction. But he still said patiently: "Although the Russians have a group army, due to the actions carried out by our army,
With multiple attacks, their forces have been severely dispersed. The Russians standing in front of you now are just one or two infantry divisions with incomplete structures. With your strength, you can completely break through their defenses."
"Can't we wait for the Flag Guard Division to arrive before attacking the Russian positions?" Max Simon continued: "When our strength becomes stronger, we can easily destroy the resistance of the Russians in front of us.
."
"General Simon, I have the same idea as you. I also want to wait for the Flag Guard Division to arrive before attacking the Russians. This way I will be more certain of winning." Hausser said to Max Simon earnestly: "But
A large number of Russian reinforcements are coming towards the Prokhorovka area. If our attack is delayed longer, we will face more Russian troops in the future. Therefore, we must arrive before the Russian reinforcements arrive.
, quickly destroy their defenses, bypass Kursk's flanks, and encircle the Russian troops deployed in the salient."
Hausser's words made Max Simon realize that if he really had to wait until the Flag Guard Division arrived, the resistance his troops would face would be even more tenacious, and he should rush in before the Russian reinforcements arrived.
Before that, they attacked decisively and destroyed the Russian defenses in front.
"Understood, Army Commander, I will go back immediately to prepare for the attack."
An hour later, the 3rd Armored Regiment of the Skeleton Division, covering the two battalions of the 5th Grenadier Regiment, launched a fierce attack on the defense line of the Soviet 305th Division. The tactics adopted by Max Simon were for tanks to assault at the front, while
A large number of armored vehicles followed closely behind, while infantry followed at a distance.
The commanders and fighters of the 305th Division who stayed on the position were not equipped with rocket launchers that could destroy enemy tanks from a long distance like Sokov's troops. Facing the tanks that were speeding towards them, the commanders and fighters on the position could only climb out of the trenches and attack the enemy tanks.
When the tank approached him, he suddenly stood up from the ground and dropped the bomb.
However, what they did not expect was that the armored vehicles following behind were responsible for covering the tanks. Once they saw Soviet troops crawling out of the trenches and trying to blow up the tanks opening the way in front, the machine guns on the armored vehicles began to fire wildly.
, knocking down the commanders and fighters who tried to blow up the tanks.
The enemy tanks quickly crossed the first Soviet trench and rushed forward. Some of the armored vehicles that followed continued to move forward, while others stopped in front of the trenches, and soldiers in the vehicles swarmed over.
, and started a battle in the trenches with the Soviet army.
When the commander of the 305th Division learned that his defense line had been breached, he was stunned at first, and then ordered all personnel in the division to take up arms and join him in the counterattack, trying to block the gap opened by the Germans.
During the battle, the commanders and fighters performed extremely tenaciously, but when their troops and equipment were at a disadvantage, this bravery became a meaningless sacrifice. When the division commander led the charge with a submachine gun, a shell fell on him
There was an explosion around him, and the air wave knocked him to the ground.
Seeing the division commander fall, several soldiers immediately came forward to check. But the division commander soon struggled and staggered to his feet. A stream of blood dripped from his helmet, but he ignored the bandage and rushed towards it.
The soldiers around him shouted loudly: "Brothers, don't stop, charge forward! Drive the enemy out of our defense line."
But as more and more German soldiers poured into the breach, the counterattack organized by the Soviet division commander failed. When he was shot again and fell down, several soldiers immediately came over, put him on a stretcher, and carried him
Then retreat towards the rear.
The stretcher jolted, waking the division commander from his coma. He opened his eyes and asked loudly: "Where am I?"
"Comrade division commander," a staff officer approached the stretcher and said loudly to him: "The position has been lost. We will take you back to the rear for treatment."
"No, go back." The division commander roared angrily: "Even if we fight to the last person, we can't take a step back."
After hearing the division commander's order, the soldiers carrying the stretcher became hesitant. They didn't know whether they should carry the division commander and continue to retreat, or return to the battlefield immediately. Fortunately, the staff officer relieved them: "Continue to move forward."
To withdraw from the rear and carry the division commander back to the position now is to make him a prisoner. We must not let this happen."
On the battlefield, who would be willing to be a prisoner? Since the division staff ordered him to retreat, the soldiers carrying the stretcher did not hesitate and continued to carry the stretcher and trotted all the way. The division commander lying on the stretcher knew that the situation was over, even if
Even if he forced himself back to the position, he might not be able to reverse the situation. He could only sigh deeply, close his eyes tightly, and planned to wait until he arrived at the group army headquarters before explaining to the commander about the loss of the defense line.
The troops of the Skeleton Division broke through the defense line of the 305th Division and continued to advance. Soon, they came to the second line of defense stationed by the 658th Regiment. The German armor commander who led the assault never dreamed that they would be in
This line of defense suffered heavy losses, and in the end they had to retreat in despair to the first line of defense they had just occupied.
This chapter has been completed!