Chapter 17 The Strategy of the 7th Armored Division
It was already July 1st. The offensive of the German Army Group Center encountered a stubborn resistance outside Minsk, and the German advance had to be slowed down.
Because the 284th Guards Infantry Division had just obtained the title of Guards and successfully annihilated an enemy armored division, its morale reached its highest peak.
Yang Mingzhi ordered his troops to step up the construction of fortifications. He placed his 57mm anti-tank guns in front of the array. Each such gun was flanked by two 37mm secondary guns.
After a final count, there were only 52 RPG rockets left, of which the armor-piercing bombs had been exhausted.
The Soviet anti-tank capabilities had returned to their original form. Yang Mingzhi knew that even though the morale of the army was now high, it could not withstand the onslaught of a crazy German armored force.
The Desert Fox is very cunning, and he always avoids head-on confrontation with his opponents. It is more like he has eagle eyes, always able to detect the enemy's weaknesses, and then pursue them fiercely.
Therefore, Yang Mingzhi has absolutely no chance of defeating them. If there is, it is only 10%. That is, when the blockade is at its most critical moment, Kuznetsov's army, which is retreating on a large scale, can urgently move closer to him. This can force him to
Tactical evasion of the 7th Armored Division.
The early morning light illuminated the battlefield, and the land where the position was headed had been scorched and smashed. All the war dead were buried, leaving only the remains of the enemy armored units scattered on the ground.
Such magnanimity made Yang Mingzhi light up a cigarette.
He didn't smoke much at first, but after what happened after the war, he claimed to be very calm and calm, but his little heart was very honest and "racing", so he quickly took a few puffs of cigarettes to calm down his shock.
In the early morning, many soldiers got up early and stepped up their defensive offensives. He saw the new chemistry professor who also picked up a shovel and dug in the soil.
"Hey! Old sir, you don't need to work so hard." Yang Mingzhi grabbed him.
"But the Cheka people ordered us to obey the division commander's orders. All we have to do is strengthen our positions."
Yang Mingzhi shook his head, "You better forget it, let us soldiers fight this damn war. You are a scholar, and I hope you can survive. Maybe I will need you again in the future."
As the battalion commander, Yang Mingzhi asked the old guy to withdraw. He also threw away his scholar's attire and put on the clothes of an ordinary soldier, except that there was no armed belt. His students were all young and strong boys.
Everyone is eager to fight. Since they have endless strength, let them carry barbed wire and go to the trenches to pull up nets and drive wooden stakes.
My wife was still resting, and she and other health workers rescued the wounded soldiers until late at night.
This girl, who is only equivalent to a high school sophomore in the future world, showed a strong psychological quality during the war years. Even though her hands were covered with blood, she still used pliers to remove the bullets from the soldiers' wounds, or sutured the wounds roughly.
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"You should continue to sleep, we won't be able to have a good rest in the next few days." Yang Mingzhi thought silently in his heart, and he continued to stare at the west with his telescope.
In the early morning, Pugachev called him. The Cheka girl was still at the division headquarters, so she finally met Berekov.
"Your battalion directly destroyed the enemy's division headquarters? And killed the enemy? Judging from your appearance, you are not Russian."
Yang Mingzhi stood at attention and saluted. "Yes, comrade. You must know that our 284th Guards Division came from the Far East. I responded to the call of the motherland and joined the army."
Of course, these are all nonsense. Yang Mingzhi knows very well what the Cheka is, even if the Cheka has a new name now. If they investigate deeply, they can know their true identity. Obviously, the war is urgent now, and these people have no time to think about other things.
After some questioning, the girl called herself Yelentina, and she was still unmarried at the age of 25. These were not the main problems. The marriages of these intelligence officers could be delayed until they were thirty, so Yang Mingzhi asked more about her mission here.
It turns out that this person is quite a "war supervisor". The so-called Western Front has not yet completely collapsed, and all fighting is necessary. "The order given to the 284th Guards Division is to hold on to this line of defense until Kuznetsov retreats.
The troops have arrived."
This is a death order, and Pugachev must accept it. Therefore, he also needs a guarantee from Yang Mingzhi.
"Berekov, the battle in the future will be very difficult. I know that our defensive capabilities have been greatly reduced, but if we and the three infantry divisions of our friendly neighbors fail to defend, the enemy's armored divisions will be able to march straight in."
"Yes, I understand." Yang Mingzhi said seriously, "According to the intelligence before the prisoners were executed, the German 7th Armored Division is running towards our army, and it is him we will face in the future. Defeating this German army is the key to safeguarding the
The key to Minsk is that the large forces successfully withdraw around the city, and we can use this node to hold back the entire German Army Group Center."
Pugachev was very satisfied. This man had a keen insight into the entire battlefield and he should be his staff officer.
After putting forward this opinion, Yang Mingzhi thought about it and let it go. "I will continue to be the commander of my special anti-tank battalion. When encountering enemy troops, I will fight back. We still have some secret weapons left, and we hope that we can
Complete the blockade."
On the other hand, the 7th Armored Division is advancing, specifically its motorized division is advancing towards the 284th Division.
By noon on July 1, the Sixth Mechanized Army on the front line had already exchanged fire with the German army, and the German army seemed to be defeated. The army commander ordered the troops to pursue it in an attempt to repeat a new victory.
Pugachev felt itchy in his heart. He could no longer trust his stupid staff, so he simply went to the position and asked Yang Mingzhi for his opinion.
The Sixth Mechanized Army launched a counterattack?! Yang Mingzhi found it incredible. "Didn't they stick to their orders?"
"Bah! Why bother so much when the war starts? Maybe they can really annihilate the enemy?"
Yang Mingzhi thought for a moment, could this be a trap by the German army? No! It should be a trap.
He immediately faced Pugachev in panic: "The enemy will not be stupid enough to fight a decisive battle with 30,000 Soviet troops. Now these troops actually leave their positions. This is clearly a feint attack by the German army. We are the main target of their attack."
direction!"
Pugachev immediately tried his best and immediately pulled Yang Mingzhi to the division headquarters. A map marked the location of his own troops. Four infantry divisions defended the front of Minsk. The troops on the flanks had already exchanged fire with two armored groups of the flanking German army.
, thank God for the Stalin Defense Line built ten years ago, the German army encountered a group of Soviet bunkers that fought hard to block it, and their attack speed slowed down.
Yang Mingzhi realized that the enemy was using a strategy to divert the tiger away from the mountain, and his main force would definitely try to directly break through the defense line led by the infantry.
Yang Mingzhi leaned on the desk and said coldly: "Unless we successfully block this enemy, the city of Minsk will be defeated in two days at the earliest." He had already guessed that the enemy's large forces were making a strategic turn, and he
It will bypass the front of the Soviet Sixth Mechanized Corps and quickly penetrate its rear.
Therefore, the blocking battle will definitely begin the next day.
That night Yang Mingzhi forced himself to fall asleep, but he was too nervous and tossed and turned.
Yang Tao didn't want him to be like this. Even if there was going to be a war tomorrow, he should have a good rest. "Husband, you'd better sleep peacefully. No matter what happens tomorrow, we should calm down now."
"Oh, I worry when I think about tomorrow." Yang Mingzhi turned over and knelt on his wife. "Xiao Tao, the enemy we will face tomorrow is more powerful than the dead Kuhn. I have no confidence in defeating him.
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"Even so, you can't be discouraged. We have already come this far, and you can't change your promise. And I will pray that nothing will happen to us, and that you will lead everyone to victory. Right?"
"That's right." Yang Mingzhi sank down, his biological primitive impulses had been aroused. He finally avoided the matter that would make his wife pregnant at the wrong time, and after venting his anger, he finally fell asleep.
At five o'clock in the morning, a reconnaissance jeep headed towards the position like crazy. The scout reported that a large number of German tanks were moving. Suddenly, a rally call sounded in the military camp. Yang Mingzhi woke up, quickly put on his pants, and woke up his wife. "Today is a very special day."
A crucial day. Xiaotao, no matter what time, you must follow me and our battalion. If our infantry division is surrounded, only I can lead everyone to break out."
His words were full of hope, and Yang Tao nodded vigorously. His heart was already his, what other difficulties could he overcome?
Now, the German 7th Armored Division is advancing bravely, and the division commander von Funke ordered the tank vanguard to no longer target the 284th Guards Division.
Although these Soviet troops defeated Kuhn's division and massacred the prisoners. Feng Funke was very rational. He knew that the key to victory was not to destroy this army, but Minsk behind them.
He ordered the armored division and the motorized division to separate, and only a small number of tanks cooperated with the motorized division to attack the front of the Soviet 284th Division.
"Since it is found that only this Soviet army has secret weapons, we will bypass them. Our armored forces are still invincible, and our target immediately changes to Minsk. As long as we break through the defense line, our army can successfully enter the city and attack
A large encirclement by the Soviet Western Front can be achieved."
He gave such an order, and his tank crews immediately understood the mission they shouldered. The smooth advancement of the entire Army Group Center required the capture of Minsk, and the key to the battle was a breakthrough.
The two tank regiments violently attacked the friendly positions in the north of the 284th Division. Pugachev was surprised to discover this. Now the plan could no longer be adjusted because a large number of German troops had appeared in the distance.