While the Soviet army was resting and recuperating, the German army took the time to reorganize the command structure of Army Group South.
As soon as Reichenau took office, he immediately summoned Manstein, the commander of the 11th Army who had just flown in from Leningrad.
The reason is that Reichenau knew that Manstein was resourceful and capable of fighting well... In fact, there were not many people in the German army who did not know this at this time.
For example, he formulated the Schlieffen Plan to attack France, which enabled the German army to force France to surrender and the British army to withdraw to the island in more than a month.
Another example is the assault gun proposed by Manstein, which has also proven to be effective in actual combat.
In addition, not long ago, Manstein served as the commander of the 56th Armored Corps in Army Group North. The 56th Armored Corps led by him rushed 200 kilometers into the Soviet Union within four days after the war started, catching the Soviet army by surprise.
His fighting style was similar to Rommel's fighting the British army on the African battlefield, so he was also highly appreciated by Hitler.
"General!" Reichenau simply shook hands with Manstein and then got to the point: "I think you already know the situation. Army Group South is in trouble. Just like the head of state said, we were almost overwhelmed.
The enemy is divided into three sections!"
"Yes, I have learned something about the situation!" Manstein replied. He carefully read the relevant information on the plane that arrived.
"To be honest, I was surprised that this battle would have this result!" Manstein said: "We seemed to have been winning, from western Ukraine to the Dnieper River, and even defeated Russia after crossing the Dnieper River.
The Southern Front of the People. But just one defeat in the battle... leads to the loss of the entire battle!"
"Yes!" Reichenau nodded in agreement: "Although I know it may not be appropriate to say this, I think there is no problem with Marshal Rundstedt's command, at least in my opinion there is no big problem. But
We still lost!"
"The Russians are much smarter than we thought, Marshal!" Manstein said: "Or it can be said that the Russians in Ukraine are smarter!"
"We heard this guy was playing a role!" Reichenau handed Manstein a document.
Manstein couldn't help but be startled after opening the file. He raised his head and looked at Reichenau doubtfully, and asked: "A sergeant?"
"Yes, a sergeant!" Reichenau replied: "They call him the 'escape hero'. He fled with the skirmishers from the Brest Fortress to Kiev and then fought to Odessa. From the beginning of the war to
Now it spans almost the entire Ukraine."
Manstein couldn't believe it. He was a nobleman, and a nobleman who had been serving as a general for generations. He had received a good military education since he was a child, and he believed that these were very important. The talk of war by uneducated people was just empty talk.
And the sergeant in front of me...if he were a sergeant, it would be impossible for him to have received military education.
Looking through the documents, Manstein was even more convinced of this, because he saw that this sergeant named Shulka was a private before the war broke out.
In other words, not only has he not received higher military education, but he may even have failed basic military training.
"Your Majesty Marshal!" Manstein asked while flipping through the documents: "Could this... be a way for the Russians to deceive us?"
"What do you mean?" Reichenau asked.
"They were worried about attracting our attention!" Manstein said: "For example, our assassination, so they pushed a soldier who was not worth mentioning to the stage!"
"No, General!" Reichenau denied Manstein's words without thinking: "We also had similar ideas, but after we tracked the Battle of Brest Fortress in detail..."
As he spoke, Reichenau stepped forward, turned back a few pages of the document in Manstein's hand, pointed at a few paragraphs and said: "These suggestions that I have marked are confirmed to have come from the 'escape hero' himself."
Mouth!"
"Confirmed?"
"Yes!" Reichenau replied: "We interrogated every prisoner, as well as the people we deployed inside them! What's more, the highest-ranking commander of the Brest Fortress was just a major. I don't think they need
Doing it to hide a major!"
Manstein couldn't help but nodded after hearing this, and then he carefully read the description in the document.
Then the more he looked, the more surprised he became. Some of the suggestions in Manstein's opinion should not happen, but it did happen.
For example, he mobilized the German troops surrounding the Brest Fortress as if he knew what was happening.
Another example is the layered defense tactics and camouflage tactics used on the front lines in Kiev. Would a sergeant have such knowledge?
What makes Manstein most incredible is that the strategy to counter-encirclement the German Army Group South was probably the work of this "escape hero"...
"This is impossible!" Manstein said: "Have you checked the origin of this staff sergeant? His graduation school, family, and other information!"
"Of course I have checked!" Reichenau spread his hands: "But it's nothing special. He comes from a peasant family and only received a primary school education!"
"Elementary school?!" Manstein shook his head: "Either the information is wrong, or this guy is a military genius!"
Of course, Manstein did not know that there was a third option, which was that Shulka did not need to be educated in this time and space to have even richer and even advanced knowledge and experience that was proven to be correct.
"Let's put this 'escape hero' aside for now!" Reichenau said: "The head of state is more concerned about how we can solve this dilemma!"
"I don't care about that!" Manstein replied.
"What?" Reichenau couldn't help being stunned when he heard this: "What do you mean?"
"What we are worried about has always been Moscow, Marshal!" Manstein explained: "That is the heart of Russia, the political and military center, and the transportation hub. Capturing it is more important than anything else. If the head of state
If the plan to encircle Kiev succeeds, we may not have enough time to attack Moscow... You know, it only takes a few months before winter is coming!"
"You mean..." Reichenau asked: "We abandon the battlefield in Ukraine?"
"It's not that we gave up completely!" Manstein replied: "They did cut off our supply lines from Romania and Poland to Kiev, but our 1st and 2nd Armored Groups defeated the Russians on the east bank of the Dnieper River.
The Southern Front and Briansko Front have captured a large amount of supplies and equipment. In addition, they have joined forces with the Central Army Group to obtain supplies from the Central Army Group. Therefore, why do we only think about withdrawing the main force of the Southern Army Group to the west instead of simply
Let them cross the Dnieper River and continue the attack?"