"Your Excellency, Marshal," Holt couldn't help being stunned when he heard Manstein ordering his troops to break out overnight. After a long time, he said cautiously: "We have five garrison troops in Belgorod.
divisions, including two armored divisions, and artillery units. If a breakout operation is carried out at night, it will be difficult for the tanks and artillery to take them away."
"Since you can't take it away, throw it all away." Manstein said on the phone: "Except for the weapons and ammunition carried by the infantry and the necessary military supplies, all the rest of the baggage is thrown away. The artillery used by the artillery,
After dismantling, bury them deeply on the spot. Anyway, you still have enough artillery in the Kharkov area; the tank crew abandoned all the tanks and followed the troops to move to Kharkov..."
Listening to Manstein's arrangements, Holt's eyebrows could not help but twist into knots. He thought to himself: If according to Manstein's arrangements, tanks, artillery and baggage were abandoned, the troops would be able to withdraw from Belgorod by then.
Of the troops, all that is left are the infantry with the weakest combat effectiveness.
He couldn't bear his troops to be broken up like this, so as soon as Manstein finished speaking, he retorted: "Your Excellency, Marshal, I think that instead of abandoning so many tanks, artillery and baggage during the night breakout, it is better to wait until tomorrow.
We will continue to fight the Russians after daybreak, and it will not be too late to break out as soon as it gets dark. At least we can consume the Russians' effective strength to the maximum extent, which will also be very helpful for our subsequent defense in Kharkov.
.”
"General Huot," seeing that Huot actually questioned his decision, Manstein said displeasedly: "Do you really think that the defenders in Belgorod can hold on until dark tomorrow?"
"I think there should be no problem." Manstein replied with a solemn expression: "You know, the Russian troops attacking from the northwest and north today fought for a whole day, and the distance they advanced was very limited. I plan to wait until tomorrow
After daybreak, if we organize troops to carry out counterattacks in these two directions, we may be able to drive them out of the city completely."
"General Holt, theoretically speaking, your idea is correct." Manstein said calmly: "I also believe that with your ability, you can rush into the city from the northwest and north.
Russians, all drive out of the city."
Holt did not expect that Manstein actually agreed with his point of view. He was very surprised and asked tentatively: "Marshal, since you think I have the ability to drive the Russians away from the city, why do you want us to break out overnight?"
?”
"If you were dealing with ordinary Russian troops, I would never give you such an order. After all, with your strength, you can rely on Belgorod's defenses to resist the Russian attack," Manstein said.
When he got here, he couldn't help but sigh and repeated what he said not long ago: "But now you are facing Sokov's troops. In the day's battle, he not only captured the entire west of the city, but even controlled
A part of the south of the city. If he gets reinforcements tomorrow and intensifies his offensive against you, do you think the defenders in the city can hold the city? If their retreat is cut off, how many troops will they have after the city is lost?
Safe evacuation to Kharkov?”
Manstein's words made Huot fall into deep thought. Although the two Russian troops attacking from the northwest and north had very limited results, the offensive of Sokov's troops was frightening. Not only did they remove themselves from the city
The central headquarters rushed out and even controlled most of the areas in the west of the city and some areas in the south of the city. If they are supplemented tomorrow, they will definitely continue to expand their results. By then, the city's defenders may be able to retreat southward.
will be cut off.
"General Holt, are you still there?" Manstein noticed that there was suddenly no sound in the receiver. He quickly tapped the receiver twice with his fingers and raised his voice at the same time and asked: "Are you still listening?"
"Yes, Marshal, I am still listening." Hott asked reluctantly: "I am considering whether Sokov's troops can be supplemented. After all, after the early fortress operation, the Russians' effective strength was severely damaged.
With such a big weakening, I feel that in a short period of time, I may not be able to send troops to reinforce Sokov..."
Before Holt could finish speaking, Manstein interrupted him: "Have you forgotten Katukov who fought with you in the Oboyan area? According to our reconnaissance, the First Tank Army under his command is heading towards
Drive into Belgorod and arrive outside the city at noon tomorrow at the latest."
The name of Katukov made Hott gasp. He knew very well that Katukov was a great tank general in the Soviet army. The combat effectiveness of the troops he commanded was more powerful than other Soviet troops. Otherwise, his troops would
It won't be blocked in the Oboyan area for that long.
"I understand, Your Majesty Marshal." Katukov's approaching tank army became the last straw that broke the camel's back. Holt put away his luck and said into the microphone with lingering fear: "I will immediately
Follow your orders and give the troops retreat and breakout orders. We must quickly withdraw from Belgorod and retreat to Kharkov before the Russians discover our intentions."
"General Holt, I think some troops may not receive your retreat and breakout orders. For these troops, there is no need to worry about them anymore." Manstein knew that if he wanted to hold on to the safety of the main force in Belgorod,
To withdraw south, you must leave some troops to contain the Soviet troops: "In order to ensure that your main force can retreat to Kharkov, you must leave some troops as bait to contain the Russians and make them confused about our intentions.
.”
Holt issued retreat orders to all the troops he could contact. He warned the commanders of the troops that if the troops were discovered by the Russian troops during the retreat, they must decisively adopt breakout tactics and tear apart the Russian blocking positions.
, allowing more troops to successfully exit Belgorod.
But what Holt and Manstein were worried about did not happen during the retreat.
When the German army began to retreat, both the Steppe Front Army in the northwest and the Voronezh Front Army in the north noticed the enemy's movements. However, the Soviet commanders made huge mistakes in their judgment. They never dreamed that the Germans would evacuate overnight.
Belgorod thought that the enemy was preparing to counterattack under the cover of night.
The Soviet commanders made wrong judgments and naturally gave completely wrong instructions to the troops. They ordered all the troops in the city to enter combat positions and prepare for the German counterattack.
The commanders and soldiers who received the order were awakened from their sleep and hurriedly entered the positions they had just occupied, making ready for battle and preparing to meet the German counterattack that might be launched at night.
Seeing that the Soviet army did not realize their intention to retreat, the German commanders secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They left some troops to hold on to their original positions, and made some noise from time to time to attract the attention of the Soviet army;
They quietly withdrew from Belgorod from the south of the city.
The Soviet troops in the northwest and north did not realize the true intentions of the Germans, but the 332nd Division, which was the first to retreat, alerted Sokov's troops when it moved south of the city.
