Chapter five hundred and seventy eight reinforcements only one person
When Model's appointment was conveyed to the SS headquarters in the southern provinces, there were expressions of astonishment everywhere.
For Model, this was indeed an exceptional promotion. Not long ago, he was just an SS regional commander in Berlin. Later, because of the Führer's favor, he was transferred to the Southern Province to serve as Steve's assistant.
Deputy, coordinates defense line construction.
But now, in less than three months, Model has been promoted to another level, becoming a commander in charge of his own affairs, taking over a total of 12 SS combat divisions, and assuming the post of commander of the SS Carpathian Army.
For Model, this is a very good exceptional promotion. Among the entire SS, the only one with a higher status than him is Reinhardt's first confidant, who single-handedly established the SS.
It's Steve.
Of course, this is not to say that Model was lucky and was promoted easily.
In fact, what he inherited was a veritable mess.
Because the Soviet army had almost assembled more than 2,000 armored fighting vehicles, mainly T-26 tanks, which were concentrated in the southern province of Germany, which was the eastern border of the original Hungary.
The Sixth Army on the northern flank of the SS was in trouble due to the sudden death of Commander Reichenau, and the effectiveness of its command system declined, making it unable to coordinate and communicate with the SS in a timely manner.
Therefore, Steve's first reaction at that time was to shrink his troops and avoid losses, so as to organize defense by taking advantage of the geographical advantages in the Krpathian Mountains and its northern area up to the Dniester River.
There is nothing wrong with this arrangement. After all, when the southern province of Germany was still called the Kingdom of Hungary, the Hungarian Defense Forces successfully organized a military force in World War I by virtue of guarding the Carpathian Pass.
Russian offensive.
However, the retreat of the SS, due to deviations in communication with the 6th Army, resulted in a vacuum zone of more than ten kilometers on the northern flank of the SS in the southern province.
Around this area, only the strategic point Sarok City is stationed with the 26th SS Motorized Infantry Division. Once the 26th Motorized Infantry Division is broken through by the Soviet army, the entire northern flank of the Korpathian Army will be in
Under the threat of the Soviet army.
As soon as Model arrived at the headquarters, he greeted the staff officers with almost no unnecessary words, took out a map he had prepared long ago, placed it on the rectangular conference table at the headquarters and began to explain his deployment.
.
He pointed to a ring road in Sarok City on the map: "Order the peripheral defense forces of the 26th Infantry Division to shrink to the city's second ring defense line. By retreating here, although it seems that we have lost many peripheral positions, defense
The depth is only a few dozen kilometers. However, our forces are more concentrated and our defense intensity is much stronger than before."
"Furthermore, due to the obstruction of several surrounding mountains, the Soviet army has limited options for attacking routes here, and the room for tactical changes is much smaller than fighting us on the periphery."
"But General," Model's new operational staff officer Braunlock immediately reminded: "As a result, the defense will be reduced a lot, but we will also be unable to maintain our long-term position because we gave up our peripheral positions.
The persistence of time. The force the Soviet army may use is definitely twice or even more than three times that of the 26th Division, and there may also be a large number of armored forces. Taking the initiative to give up depth may not be a wise choice."
Braunlock's concerns are justified. After all, he has stayed here longer than Model. He has more experience and is more familiar with the terrifying human wave tactics of the previous Soviet army.
Although the Soviets have huge deficiencies in their tactical coordination, troop quality, and combat methods. However, the other side can fill it with human lives without caring. The Soviet army only needs to inflict huge casualties to offset their battles.
The disadvantage of lack of ability.
After all, the biggest direct consequence of these disadvantages is to cause many unnecessary casualties.
Against an enemy who doesn't care about casualties, it's obviously not enough to use advantageous lines of defense to fight a defensive battle.
Model's predecessor was more inclined to trade space for time.
After listening to the concerns of the combat staff, Model just smiled slightly, took out a pen and tapped on the map between the third ring road outside the second ring road of Sarok City and the crisscrossing interregional highways: "Give up this.
With a wide area, we can liberate the combat effectiveness of at least one regiment of the 26th Infantry Division, change from passive to active, free up troops, and respond to the counterattack after we launch a counterattack!
After saying this, Model stood up: "According to the calculations I made before I came here, judging from the strength of the defense line that we re-arranged after shrinking, if the Soviet army's strength is not ten times that of ours, they want to penetrate the defense line.
Under the best circumstances, it would require about eight hours of high-intensity continuous attacks. But in my battle plan, I will not give them the opportunity to attack at will."
"What's more..." Model paused and said contemptuously: "I don't think the Soviet army can achieve the attack intensity I set based on our German army standards."
Hearing this, anyone who has attended a military academy should understand that Model had been prepared for coming here. Otherwise, he would not have been able to speak out such a large set of tactical arrangements.
As for the clear tactical arrangements, what Braunlock and other staff officers were most concerned about next was Model's strategic arrangements for counterattack.
Braunock, who had been moved by Model's previous analysis, did not care about his position against shrinking the military force a few minutes ago. In the blink of an eye, he immediately asked the new commander some flattering questions.
: "Commander, you must have brought a lot of troops over for this counterattack, right? Are they the SS officers and soldiers transferred from the Western Front?"
Unknowingly, Braunock's title for Model has changed from "General Model" at the beginning to "Commander" now.
Not to mention that it was just a change of title, not to mention that it made people feel less unfamiliar. Calling Model with the position of commander also represented Braunrock's recognition of Model's military level.
When they met for the first time, Model's confident and practical tactical analysis was more able to win the respect and recognition of the soldiers present than those fancy opening remarks.
However, what Model said next made Blayrock, who was happily waiting for the good news, come to nothing.
"Troops?" Model laughed, waved his hand and said, "I didn't bring any troops. When it comes to the counterattack troops that reinforce the group army, I am the only one in total."
There is only one reinforcement! Braunlock almost vomited blood after hearing this.
Will one more person and one less person be useful in the face of the Soviets' human sea tactics?
