The Soviet Chief of General Staff Zhukov took the lead in planning the "Operation Mars" combat plan with the theme of preemptive strike. It has been going on for nearly half a month since its inception.
This combat plan reflects Zhukov's typical style. The Soviet army attempted to launch a multi-line attack on the German Eastern Barrier defense line with 19 armies in the north, center and south directions, with the overwhelming momentum of Mount Tai. The main attack direction was located in the former Hungary.
Facade of the area of the southern German province.
According to Zhukov's plan, the main force of the four Soviet armies was supposed to cut through the German defense line from here, encircle and annihilate the 300,000 SS troops stationed in this area according to Soviet intelligence, and then move northward, and together with the other 15 armies, launch a pincer attack into the hinterland of Warsaw.
to carry out a large-scale offensive and then encircle and annihilate the heavy German troops stationed in western Poland.
Unfortunately, Zhukov's campaign deployment obviously underestimated the German defense's tenacity and counterattack capabilities.
The German army on the Eastern Front in 1941 was among the best in the world in terms of fighting will and combat quality.
Moreover, after Germany annexed Hungary, it had been operating in this southern province for nearly 20 years and knew this battlefield well.
The SS troops who retreated strategically relied on the deep defense they had already established in the Carpathian Mountain terrain, built towns and villages into fortresses to support the defense line, and accurately deployed a crossfire network to kill and break through the Soviet assault troops.
In addition, the German army also has a strong strategic reserve on the eastern battlefield. After the battle broke out, reinforcements were continuously sent to various battlefields, especially Model, which focused on taking care of the southern province.
Just after it was delivered to Model, supplementary forces of 3 armored divisions and 1 motorized infantry division arrived in half a month. These SS troops were basically drawn from the SS ranks on the Western Front.
Transferred to the Eastern Front.
Because the Battle of Britain went so smoothly, the Wehrmacht and SS Strategic Reserves on the Western Front, totaling 27 divisions, were basically all arranged for transportation to fight on the Eastern Front.
Moreover, even the Allied forces still fighting in the British mainland were arranged to leave all French and Norwegian troops one month later to assist part of the German army, namely one task force armored division and three infantry divisions, to continue the extermination.
The remaining British resistance forces.
The vacated 7 German infantry divisions and 3 parachute divisions will be gradually transferred back to the German mainland for repair and replenishment according to the situation after basically all the strategic reserves on the Western Front are transferred to the Eastern Front. They will serve as the Empire's domestic strategic reserves at any time.
Be prepared to enter any battlefield next.
Now, on the entire Soviet-German battlefield, the Soviet army seems to have made some progress ranging from 10 to 25 kilometers in the north, center, and south. However, they have also shown fatigue due to the tenacious deep defense of the German army and have to
Turn offense into defense.
In the north, the Soviet combat troops of 24 divisions suffered heavy losses in the assault on the German defense lines and completely lost their offensive capabilities. The people of the three Baltic countries had long been strongly dissatisfied with the Soviet occupation and rule, so after receiving the German secret
After passing the joint message, they immediately launched an insurrection against the Soviet government in the rear, disrupting the rear of the Soviet army in the north.
Subsequently, the Soviet army turned to suppress the uprisings in the three Baltic countries. Although the suppression effect was significant, it had to further weaken the offensive against the German northern defense line, so that in the end it gradually stopped the offensive and was unable to launch a new round of offensive.
The middle road was a key foreshadowing in Zhukov's deployment. It was originally intended to respond to the offensive in the south, and finally turned into a pincer offensive. However, due to the zigzag defensive position built by the German army in advance, it effectively killed a large number of Soviet soldiers.
, and the German veteran General Lundstedt, who was stationed in the middle, also seized the opportunity and cooperated with the armored group commanded by General Bock to counterattack many times.
The two famous German generals used the zigzag-shaped interlocking offensive and defensive positions to encircle and suppress the Soviet troops that broke into the two zigzags many times through assaults. After annihilating all the enemy troops, they immediately retreated to the rear of the position, and they succeeded every time.
In the past half month, 30 divisions of the Soviet army on the middle route have been annihilated in the German zigzag formation, and another 70 divisions have lost more than 50% of their personnel.
As for the southern theater, which Zhukov valued most and was regarded by the Soviet army as the key to the battle, except for the large area vacated by the German SS's active retreat at the beginning, there was no record of praise.
In the south, the Soviet army simultaneously mobilized the Kiev Special Military District (i.e., the Southwest Front Army) and the Odessa Military District (the Southern Front Army), fully combining the strength of the two front armies.
Among them, the Southwest Front Army is also known as the strongest military region in the Soviet Union. The troops in this military region, in terms of the strength and equipment of each equivalent unit, are due to its super-saturated large establishment units, and have a certain impact on the German troops in the same unit.
There was an obvious numerical advantage. However, because the quality of the German army was far superior to that of the Soviet Red Army at this time, the advantage brought by the large organization was not so obvious.
Of course, General Pavlov, the commander-in-chief of the Western Front within the Soviet Army, actually disagreed with the fact that the Southwest Front was the strongest military district unit in the Soviet Union.
Perhaps it was because of the bad blood between Zhukov and Pavlov during that exercise, or perhaps because Stalin wanted to retain his always strong strategic reserve.
Therefore, basically all available troops on the entire Western Front of the Soviet Union were invested in this offensive. Only Pavlov's Western Front Army was left behind as a strategic reserve, and Stalin directly decided when to launch it.
Use, where to use.?
In this way, it is actually good for the two bitter enemies Zhukov and Pavlov. At least Zhukov does not need to deploy Pavlov's troops who are not in harmony with him, and Pavlov does not need to accept Zhukov's instructions.
Give pointers.
Although Zhukov was temporarily promoted to deputy commander-in-chief of the Soviet army by Stalin because of this large-scale battle (the commander-in-chief was left to Stalin himself), Pavlov had always been jealous of Zhukov's position.
Pavlov wanted to remove Zhukov from the position of deputy commander-in-chief!
In the Soviet military circles, this is no longer a secret.
"While we were stagnant at the front, Pavlov was conducting a massive military parade in the rear!"
Within Zhukov's general headquarters, the deputy commander-in-chief was completely angered by Pavlov's colleague's little actions.
"What does he want to do? Take advantage of my embarrassment to show off his power!" Zhukov scolded angrily.
Zhukov was not a person who gave up easily. Faced with the bad news coming from all fronts, he still used his strong willpower to prepare to make a desperate move and integrate all the reserves in his hands into the offensive force.
However, in the face of a powerful enemy, Pavlov's small actions in the rear really disgusted Zhukov, who wanted to devote himself to the war.