"Pah!" The furious Sidel slapped the third regiment commander hard on the face.
He couldn't believe that the most elite armored regiment of the French 1st Armored Division, accompanied by an attack of 100 Renault FT-17 light tanks, was repelled by 5,000 militiamen! And more than once, in three consecutive days
Retreat thirteen times in a row! You know, those on the high ground ahead are five thousand extremely exhausted infantrymen without heavy weapons or anti-tank weapons!
France's most elite armored force actually retreated in front of such a team, even leaving the remains of 43 tanks on the high ground!
This was not what made Sidel the most angry. What made him most angry was that he clearly felt that the French army, which had always been proud of him, and the main force of the 3rd Regiment, which he had always been proud of, had begun to feel timid!
After the group of militiamen on the opposite high ground continued to fight with a desperate fighting style, the courage of the soldiers dissipated at a speed visible to the naked eye. They were no longer as proud as before. When the desperate enemies showed their desperate side, they
Turn around and back away, exposing your weak spine!
If it weren't for Sidle's rigorous training on weekdays, which left them with a profound reaction to retreat tactics, I'm afraid such a failure would have been even more unbearable!
It's a pity that no matter how strict the training is, it can't add something to their bones. What the French army lacks now is such an indescribable thing, even if they have the most sophisticated offensive weapons in Europe and the most advanced offensive weapons.
With good individual combat capabilities and the most rigorous training, they are just a mediocre first-class troop!
Looking at the numb and silent Third Regiment Commander in front of him, Sidell took a deep breath, steeled himself and said in a stern tone: "The First Armored Division will never allow failure. You have one last chance before Marshal Pétain personally intervenes."
.This time, you must stick to that high ground for me. Even if you are the only one left in the end, you must take down this high ground for me!"
Having said this, Sidell sighed secretly in his heart, and then said, "Go ahead, I'll let the second regiment go with you."
Seeing the once arrogant Third Regiment Commander of the First Armored Division silently retreating, de Gaulle, who had been standing beside him, suddenly felt a little sad.
This was actually a disguised compromise by Sidell. He did not force the three regiments to take the high ground alone and regain their dignity on their own. Instead, he sent another regiment. The two regiments now have a combined strength of nearly
Three hundred tanks attack the infantry position on the opposite side, which is roughly equal in number to them. Even if it is a one-to-one ratio, they should take down the high ground.
No matter what kind of elite division the 1st Armored Division was in the eyes of its colleagues, it was no longer a reliable force in de Gaulle's eyes.
Now, the glory has been far away from this emerging armored force in France. Even if this unknown highland is captured, the glory only belongs to those SS soldiers who would rather die than surrender, and belong to those who once looked down upon in the eyes of de Gaulle, who did not understand.
The Germans, who lack romantic elegance and only know how to fight and destroy, are not the team composed of proud French people who won the last world war!
From the rear of the 1st Armored Division's attack position, the huge engine roar of the Brock 210 bomber mainly equipped by the French Air Force came. De Gaulle suddenly felt that things were a bit ironic. In such a battle, the French army, known as the first army in Europe, still needed
Air Force support?
On the attack position of the 1st Armored Division, the soldiers of the 2nd Regiment who had just gathered in place looked at each other with an indescribable look in their eyes. The battle for the high ground had reached the final moment. In a few more days,
Hours later, the frighteningly tenacious Germans were finally about to be crushed by their armored torrent!
When they thought of this, all the officers and soldiers of the First Armored Division couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.
To be honest, this feeling of relief was not there when they first received the combat mission.
The French soldiers who won the world war have always been proud.
However, the group of militiamen on the opposite position were so tenacious that it was frightening!
However, now, this group of militiamen finally no longer have the capital to continue fighting.
Although the Third Regiment's repeated attacks over the past three days failed to capture the high ground, it also caused great damage to the Germans on the high ground. If it weren't for the fanatical soldiers of the SS, who repeatedly carried explosive packs and charged into the tanks.
They pounced. Even the French tanks couldn't stop them.
Looking at the Bullock 210 bombers roaring overhead and listening to the artillery fire that wasted no time, every French officer and soldier present believed that the Germans could no longer hold on.
…
Hans von Furmanred, as the only SS Thousand Leader still alive after the battle for the Highlands, Hans glanced back at the indiscriminate bombardment of the French army, and then turned his head back with a sneer.
, and then execute the retreat order.
Since the last French attack was repulsed, Steve, as the commander-in-chief of the SS, ordered the withdrawal of the highlands. After checking the losses of the SS forward troops, Steve estimated that the remaining several hundred
The remaining SS soldiers were unable to repel the next French attack.
Therefore, Steve decisively withdrew these troops with practical combat experience.
As the SS commander with the highest official position on the front line, Hans von Furmanred was appointed by Steve to organize the retreat.
After receiving the order, Hans immediately summoned all the ten and hundred commanders who were still alive and issued a retreat order. Immediately afterwards, countless SS officers and soldiers in black uniforms left the trenches and lined up to leave the position. One after another, black
The "long dragon" merged into the woods behind a high ground. Within thirty minutes, there was no longer an SS soldier on the high ground.
After another thirty minutes or so, the French air force and artillery jointly bombed the empty position, and the high-intensity bombing lasted for nearly forty minutes.
Hans was very curious. What would the expressions on the faces of the Frenchmen be like when they found that there was nothing on the battlefield?
In the accompaniment of the French bombing, the corners of Hans's mouth slightly raised. I heard that Commander-in-Chief Steve had gathered 20,000 new troops who were arriving one after another, and the new anti-tank guns shipped from the rear were also arriving in the Ruhr Industrial Zone.
.
The Frenchman who has wasted countless hours in this unknown highland is destined to return empty-handed in the future.
…
"Yes, Marshal! We have captured the high ground occupied by the enemy. Yes, Marshal! This area is completely in our hands." Sidell wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and reported to Marshal Pétain who was questioning him.
.
"That is to say, for three whole days, you have not made any progress. Until now, you are still staying ten kilometers away from the Liruer Industrial Zone!" Marshal Pétain on the other end of the phone paused, and then spoke in a lower voice.
The voice asked: "And in the end, you poured a base number of artillery shells from the entire division on the deserted high ground, and even mobilized the Air Force bombers to accompany you for fun!"
At this moment, Sidell blushed and shouted loudly: "Marshal, I will be responsible for this! I am willing to bear all responsibilities!"
Petain, who was on the other end of the phone, naturally couldn't see Sidell's red face. However, after hearing Sidell's loud reply, Petain also gave Sidell another chance: "Tomorrow, I will fly to the front line to take command in person."
Department. Before that, I hope your troops can launch a round of fire reconnaissance on the remaining two German highland troops."
Understanding that Marshal Pétain, who had been kind to him, was giving him a chance, Sidell immediately promised: "Please rest assured, Marshal, our First Armored Division will definitely clarify the German firepower deployment within this afternoon."
If Sidell could see it, he would find that Pétain at this moment was not as calm as the voice on the phone. At least, Pétain's hand holding the phone hard with exposed veins revealed Pétain's
anxiety.
However, Pétain on the phone still had a steady voice: "Don't be careless anymore. If you read the daily casualty reports of the Battle of Verdun, you will realize how terrifying the Germans' tenacious will is."
.”
After listening to the old marshal's teachings, Sidell's eyes gradually dimmed, and he slowly replied helplessly: "I think I have realized it."
The Battle of Verdun, which determined the life and death of the two empires, has always been regarded by Sidell as the pride of France. He always believed that the French army dared to hold on to the fortress area despite suffering 380,000 casualties.
The national spirit symbol of sacrifice and bravery.
But when he thought about it now, weren't the Germans who caused 380,000 casualties to the French army not tenacious and brave? Compared with this critical battle of the 1st Armored Division under his own command, Sidell was a little scared.
After the discovery, shouldn’t the really scary people at the beginning be the Germans who bravely attacked the Verdun Fortress?