"You are right, Comrade Commander." Samek nodded after hearing this and said: "I want to inform General Afunin and immediately order the troops to repair the fortifications in the snow. Otherwise, if it freezes all night, the ground will freeze hard.
It’s not that easy to dig fortifications.”
While Samyko was on the phone, Zakharov asked Sokov: "Comrade Sokov, I want to ask you a question. If the Allies do not open a second battlefield behind the Germans, how many troops will we need?"
How long will it take to completely defeat the Germans?"
Facing this question raised by Zakharov, Sokov was silent for a long time and said slowly: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, if the Allies do not open a second battlefield, then the Germans can safely and boldly send more
Troops were deployed on the Eastern Front to prevent us from advancing on Berlin.
If this situation really occurs, it means that our army can only rely on its own strength to defeat the German army. Even if we can win the final victory, I am afraid we will pay an extremely heavy price."
"What you said makes sense." Zakharov nodded after hearing this and continued to ask Sokov: "Comrade Sokov, do you think the Allies will really open a second battlefield?"
Sokov was speechless, thinking that he had just talked about this matter specifically, so why was Zakharov still struggling with it? But since the other party asked, he could only say truthfully: "The United States sees it very clearly.
If we are allowed to work alone, maybe in two years, those countries occupied by the Germans will become our allies because the Germans were defeated by us. This is seriously inconsistent with the United States' European policy. In order to prevent
When this situation occurs, it is only a matter of time before the United States opens a second battlefield."
"Comrade Sokov," Zakharov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, then pulled him aside and asked in a low voice: "Tell me, if the United States wants to open a second battlefield, where will they choose?
place?"
For a moment, Sokov didn't know how to answer the other party. When it comes to where the Allied forces will open the second battlefield, apart from the United States Department of Defense, only he, a time traveler, knows best.
Seeing Sokov's silence, Zakharov's face was filled with a smile and he lowered his voice and said: "Comrade Sokov, it's not just a day or two since you and I have been dealing with each other. Now I want to ask you for some help.
You won’t refuse, right?”
"Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army," Sokov said with a wry smile: "I am just a group army commander, not a strategic researcher. I really don't know where the United States plans to establish the second battlefield."
"This is not the place to talk. Let's talk somewhere else." Zakharov said to Sokov: "I have something very important and I want to talk to you in private."
Hearing what Zakharov said, Sokov realized that the other party must have something important, so he said politely: "There is a room next to it. There are few people there usually. We can go there to talk."
After the two came to the next room, Zakharov closed the door himself, then took out a square map from his bag, unfolded it, put it on the table, and said to Sokov
: "Comrade Sokov, please help me find the location where the Allied forces may open a second battlefield."
Seeing that Zakharov was so abnormal, Sokov couldn't help but curiously asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, I have a question. Why are you so eager to know the location of the Allied forces' opening of the second battlefield?"
"Comrade Sokov, since you asked, I will tell you secretly." Zakharov said with some embarrassment: "Recently there is a vacancy for deputy chief of the General Staff, and I want to fight for it."
Although Zakharov did not finish what he said, Sokov already understood what he meant: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, I understand what you mean. You want to increase the number of troops by studying and judging the location of the Allied forces to open a second battlefield.
The odds of you competing for the vice president position. Am I right?"
"Yes, Comrade Sokov, your guess is completely correct." Seeing that Sokov had guessed his intention, Zakharov no longer concealed it, but said sincerely: "I wonder if you are willing to help me.
Is this busy?"
If he were still in the war room at this moment, in front of so many people, Sokov would naturally not say anything to Zakharov, lest people talk too much and cause unnecessary trouble to himself. But now this room
If there were only himself and Zakharov, the situation would be different.
"Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army," Sokov pushed the map on the table towards Zakharov, pointing to the French coastline and said: "If I were the commander of the Allied Forces, then I would organize a fleet to cross the English Channel, in France
Seize a strategic landing site in the north to create conditions for opening up a second battlefield in Europe and ultimately defeating Germany."
"Northern France?!" After hearing what Sokov said, Zakharov stared at the northern part of France on the map, looking for a possible landing site for the Allied forces. After a long time, he raised his head again, his face full of confusion.
Smile: "Comrade Sokov, I found it. It's Calais, it must be Calais. This is the closest port to the British mainland."
"Yes, Calais is indeed the closest port city to the British mainland." Sokov asked calmly: "But since you can think of it, can't the German high command see it? I think the Germans are looking for Calais.
There must be a large number of troops and strong fortifications deployed in the direction from which we are coming. If the Allies force a landing here, the casualties will be astronomical."
"In war, there are no immortals." Unexpectedly, Zakharov said disapprovingly: "In order to defeat the Germans, I feel that no matter how high the price is, it is completely worth it."
"Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army," Sokov said slowly: "Since you can guess the landing place, it may be Calais, then the Germans can also think of it, so they are bound to arrange it on the beach of Calais.
There were a large number of anti-landing obstacles. If the Allied forces wanted to successfully land on French soil, they would definitely suffer heavy casualties.
It is completely unacceptable to the Allied commanders to inflict huge casualties on the troops and only occupy a beachhead. In order to avoid huge casualties of the troops, the Allied commanders will definitely change the location of the landing site to reduce the risk of heavy casualties.
Troop casualties.”
"Once the Allied commander changes the location of the landing site, I believe that it won't be long before the mole lurking in the command will send this information out through the radio." Sokov said: "And the top German officials know this news.
Afterwards, the original deployment will be adjusted accordingly to resist possible attacks by the Allies."
"Comrade Sokov, listening to what you say, it seems that the Allies have to make huge sacrifices to capture a small landing site in France." Zakharov frowned and said, "You have nothing to do. Come on.
What about reducing Allied casualties?”
"There is a way." Sokov said unhurriedly: "That is to create a fake landing point, through a series of fake actions, and spread a large amount of false information, so that the Germans will misjudge and think that
The Allied attack target is Calais."
Zakharov understood what Sokov wanted to express, but he still asked humbly: "Comrade Sokov, I think you should tell me that the Allied forces will choose Calais as the landing site?"
"No," Sokov shook his head and said, "Although from a geographical point of view, Calais is undoubtedly the best choice. But as I just said, since everyone knows that Calais is a short distance from the British mainland.
In the nearest port city, in order to prevent the Allied forces from landing, the Germans will definitely build a large number of fortifications and heavy defenses here, thereby making it more difficult for the Allied forces to capture this city."
"So according to my analysis, the Allied forces will definitely choose Normandy in northern France as the location of their attack."
As soon as Sokov's words came out, Zakharov immediately put forward a counter-argument: "Comrade Sokov, I don't understand, since the Allies have invaded Italy from the Mediterranean, and the Italians have hardly resisted. Then why don't they use battleships?"
Mobilize personnel, pass through the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, and then attack northward from Italy to form a north-south pincer attack with our army on Germany, but why do we have to risk huge risks and land in Normandy?"
"I think Normandy was chosen because the climate there is a temperate maritime climate and due to the warm Atlantic current, the tide rises in the summer, making it suitable for landing operations. Then the Allies used strategic deception, causing the German high command to make wrong judgments, which not only ensured the sudden landing operations
It also ensured the smooth progress of the campaign and had a significant impact on the entire campaign."
Seeing that Sokov easily rejected his opinion, Zakharov not only did not get angry, but said with interest: "Comrade Sokov, if you were the Allied commander, what would you do?"
The answer to this question is ready, Sokov said without hesitation: "If I were the Allied commander, I would have successfully used double agents, electronic jamming, and the use of effective naval and air force feints in southeastern England.
A series of measures such as the concentration of camouflaged troops and ships in the area, coupled with strict confidentiality measures, caused the German high command to make wrong judgments about the location and time of the Allied landings for a long time.
The advantage of this is that even after the Allied forces successfully landed in Normandy, they would still be considered by the Germans as a diversionary feint. This resulted in most of the German forces and weapons on the Western Front being wasted in the Calais area, while in the Calais area
Normandy was unable to resist the Allied landings due to its weak military strength."
After Sokov said this, he paused intentionally to let Zakharov digest it. Unexpectedly, Zakharov asked again: "Comrade Sokov, you haven't answered my question yet.
"
"What's the problem?" Sokov asked in confusion.
"Well, that's what I just asked, why not attack from Italy?"
Seeing that Zakharov has been struggling with this issue, Sokov said with some helplessness: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, there are many reasons. First of all, the terrain for Italy's northward attack is too poor.
You must know that Italy and Germany are separated by a tall Alps. The average altitude of the Alps reaches about 3,000 meters. It is the birthplace of many large rivers in Europe. Tens of thousands of Allied troops want to cross the Alps to attack Germany. Then
Undoubtedly, they are causing trouble for themselves. The Germans can take advantage of the favorable terrain and counterattack from a high position. The mountainous terrain is not conducive to large group operations, and the Allied tanks and armored vehicles cannot be deployed at all."
"As far as I know, after Italy surrendered, the Allies also tried to advance northward from the Alps, but the Germans had already built the Gustav Line on the Alps, and no less than 10 Allied soldiers died under the Alps.
Thousands of people.
The last point is the issue of logistical supplies. Normandy is very close to Britain, and Allied soldiers only need to cross the short English Channel to land in Western Europe. If they attack from Italy, how will tens of thousands of officers and soldiers be transported to Italy?
It is also very difficult for Britain and the United States to transport troops jointly, and it will also be attacked by German submarines and suffer unnecessary losses."
When Sokov was explaining his point of view, Zakharov took notes quickly with a pen and paper. While recording, he gave Sokov a thumbs up: "Comrade Sokov, I really didn't expect that you
You see the problem so thoroughly. I think you should stop being a commander and join the General Staff. Maybe in ten or twenty years, you can also become the Chief of General Staff of our army."
"Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, you are really honored." Sokov knew very well that the Soviet Army has always had a tradition of despising staff officers. Even if he became the Chief of General Staff, I am afraid he would still be looked down upon by many people. He said haha
Said: "I think the most suitable place for me is to command operations at the forefront."
Zakharov put away his notebook and said to Sokov with a solemn expression: "Comrade Sokov, except for this room, you'd better forget what we just talked about immediately. I don't want a third person."
Know.”
Sokov was worried that he had revealed the secret of the Normandy landing, which might bring him a lot of inconvenience in the future. When Zakharov said this, he felt much lighter and said repeatedly: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, we
Weren’t we just talking about the customs and customs of various places? I think most people are not interested in such content.”
"That's right." Seeing Sokov being so polite, Zakharov also echoed: "The two of us were indeed talking about some local customs just now, and it's not a big deal. Hahahaha!"
When the two returned to the war room, Samyko came over and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have faithfully conveyed your order to General Afnin. He said that he would organize manpower overnight.
, dig fortifications in some important areas to prepare for possible attacks by the German army."
"Very good, very good." Sokov nodded and added: "I remember that the 18th Guards Corps also has two artillery regiments, and asked General Afnin not to forget to deploy artillery positions. In this way, when the infantry
When the position is attacked by the Germans, they can provide timely artillery support."
"Comrade Commander," Samyko reminded with a smile after waiting for Sokov to finish: "Today's 18th Guards Army is not going in alone. They are operating jointly with General Kravchenko's 6th Tank Army.
.Once a fight breaks out, General Kravchenko will not only provide them with artillery support, but also dispatch tanks to attack the German offensive troops and completely disrupt the enemy's offensive steps."
"Yes, yes, there are General Kravchenko's troops who are jointly operating with them." Sokov raised his hand and slapped his forehead, and said with some annoyance: "How could I forget such an important thing?
