The Germans built a total of three pontoon bridges, crossed the river almost non-stop throughout the night, and finally transported the 1st Armored Group across the river before dawn the next day.
When standing on the east bank of the Dnieper River, General Kleist breathed a sigh of relief...Only five tanks and three cars were lost in the river crossing last night.
In this case, the loss of only five tanks across the river is acceptable. If the Russians discover it and use artillery fire to block it... Admiral Kleist can't even imagine that scenario.
But there was no end to the war. Admiral Kleist looked at the map somewhat triumphantly, and then ordered: "Attack, target Romney!"
"Yes, General!"
The communications soldier conveyed the order, and then the tanks' motors roared. Hundreds of tanks driving ahead were slowly advancing under the cover of the rain, covering the infantry, and they were like sharp knives that penetrated the positions of the Southern Jiangsu Front...
The Soviet army was stunned by the overwhelming tank group that suddenly appeared in front of them. They did not understand when the German tanks crossed the river until they were run over by the tank tracks in the trench.
Then came the collapse of the Southern Jiangsu Front. They simply didn't know how to face these steel monsters.
Equally shocked was Moscow.
Originally, they thought that under the obstruction of Yelimenko and Budyonny, the German army would not be able to complete the encirclement so quickly, which meant that the Southwest Front Army could withdraw at any time.
But now... everything is over, and the Southwest Front has only a dead end.
Only then did Moscow hastily order General Kilponos to break out.
At this time in history, General Kilponos was rejected because of his repeated requests for a breakout. When he received the breakout order, he could not believe it was true. He actually asked for a written order from Moscow before executing it, thus delaying precious time.
of more than ten hours.
Of course, Admiral Kilponos no longer needs to do this at this time.
In fact, Western Theater Commander Timoshenko knew about it, so he contacted General Kilponos immediately.
"The Germans have crossed the Dnieper River!" Timoshenko said anxiously: "I think you must know it!"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal!" Admiral Kilponos replied: "I know!"
"If you knew it in advance, why didn't you report it to me?" Timoshenko asked angrily: "Do you know how much damage this caused to the Southern Front?"
"If I report to you, Comrade Marshal!" Admiral Kirponos replied: "Will that change anything? Will Moscow agree to abandon the Kiev breakout, or will it encircle the Germans and defeat them?"
After hearing this, Timoshenko was speechless, because the facts seemed to be as Kirponos said, nothing could be changed. Moscow would stick to their so-called "persistence" plan, which at most would be to strengthen the east of the Dnieper River.
The defenses on the shore alerted German troops from crossing the river elsewhere.
After thinking for a while, Timoshenko said: "Well, I hope you are ready for this!"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal!" Admiral Kilponos replied: "We are ready!"
As soon as the contact with Timoshenko was severed, the telegram from Moscow arrived.
"Order: The Southwest Front abandons Kiev and organizes a breakout!"
General Kilponos smiled while holding the telegram and said to the signalman: "Call back: I cannot execute this order because I think...the time has come for the Southwest Front to attack!"
With that said, General Kilponos gave the order: "Order the 9th Mechanized Army to attack!"
"Yes, attack!"
"attack!"
…
Orders were passed down one after another, and the mechanized 9th Army, which had been prepared for a long time, came out of the warehouse. Tanks, cars, soldiers... everyone was in high spirits after resting for a few days.
The first to launch the attack was the Mechanized 5th Army on the Kiev defense line.
It is said to be the 5th Mechanized Army, but since all the light and medium tanks were transferred to the 9th Army, they only have some heavy tanks that are inconvenient to maneuver and have a high failure rate.
This is when they come into play.
One after another, KV1 and KV2 slowly climbed out of the bunker, like clumsy elephants, and then drove towards the German defense line unsteadily... Since the front of the position was muddy, some of them had just started driving.
Not far away, he got stuck and couldn't move.
But this did not affect other tanks to continue to advance, although the speed was slow but step by step. The Germans fired at these tanks with anti-tank guns, but these shells hit them and they were as if they were being tickled and there was no movement at all.
Following closely behind these tanks were the soldiers of the Soviet 5th Airborne Brigade... During this period, they had used their own strength to force the Germans back three kilometers and hold on to their position.
The German defense line was quickly broken through, because no one could withstand the impact of the Soviet heavy tanks.
However, these heavy tanks have almost completed their mission here... More than 30 tanks have only moved forward a short distance, and only five can continue to move forward, and there is no way to face the enemy's trenches.
, that small ditch is an insurmountable obstacle for them.
The German troops who fled to the second trench thought that the Soviet offensive was over, but they soon discovered that this judgment was wrong.
The Soviet offensive has just begun...
Amidst a burst of shouts and the sound of motors, the Soviet tank group suddenly appeared in front of them.
The Soviet tank group was advancing so fast that the Germans had no time to set up their anti-tank guns. Their first reaction was to raise their rifles and try to stop the tanks heading towards them.
But this was obviously in vain. The tanks rushed forward with mud and water like crazy monsters, and then ruthlessly trampled the German troops under their "feet".
Shurka's 131st Motorized Division followed the tank division, so they didn't feel much fighting. They only saw corpses on both sides of the trunk, abandoned artillery pieces, machine guns, etc., and piles of them.
Meat squashed by tracks.
Of course, this meat paste is not completely flattened. It is often a deep tank track mark in the middle. The organs on both sides that have not been crushed, such as hands and feet, are still intact, and are connected to the flesh in the middle through some bloody things.
On the mud.
That way, it's like using a rolling pin to make a deep mark in the middle of the dough.
Then……
There were several sounds of vomiting in the carriage.
There are many new recruits in the platoon, recruits who have never experienced war.
However, this is not easy even for a "veteran" like Shulka.
Shulka turned his attention to the rifle in his hand, not daring to look at the flesh and blood and broken limbs outside.