The confidentiality measures will be implemented immediately as Colonel Katukov said.
First, the soldiers were isolated from the workers in the factory... Originally, the tank soldiers had to learn the tank production process and basic maintenance with the workers. Now that is all over, and the maintenance courses are continued to be taught by the more outstanding tank soldiers and engineers in the army.
Secondly, the training venues are isolated.
Because there was nothing to keep secret about the original training, workers could enter and leave the training ground more freely.
But now, a wall of sandbags has been built around the entire perimeter, and sentries stand guard with guns and live ammunition.
Katukov even decided not to report the method.
The reason is...if it is reported, the Supreme Command will definitely spread this method to other troops, and the result will be that it will immediately spread to the German army.
"But..." Major Gavrilov asked worriedly: "If the Supreme Command holds the responsibility, how should we explain it?"
"This is just a spontaneous act of soldiers!" Katukov replied: "We didn't know it was so important that it deserved to be reported to the Supreme Command!"
This is of course not true, but it seems reasonable.
"But this may affect the combat effectiveness of other troops!"
"Maybe!" Katukov replied: "But most of their tanks are defending on the defensive line, and they basically don't use this method. Instead, the Germans are on the offensive... No, we can't let them know
!”
Major Gavrilov nodded in agreement, and at the same time glanced at Shulka, as if to say that the method invented by Shulka even posed a threat to Moscow.
Shulka could only act innocently. He did not expect such side effects at the time.
However, these confidentiality measures are actually not very necessary.
First of all, it is because the units that produce tanks at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory have implemented strict confidentiality systems, and these systems are still very successful. Because the German army had never known that the Soviet army had tanks like the T34 until they encountered it on the battlefield.
arrive.
Secondly, the training of the 4th Tank Brigade did not last for one week, that is, seven.
On the afternoon of the fifth day, while Shulka and others were still explaining and getting more familiar with the use of self-rescue trees, the assembly whistle sounded.
Without waiting for Shulka to ask, the instructor walked up to Shulka with a dead look on his face and said: "The enemy has surrounded Vyazma!"
The instructor does not need to participate in unit training. In the past few days, he has been handling the review of the unit's integration into the 4th Tank Brigade.
"How many people are surrounded?" Shulka asked.
"670,000!" the instructor replied: "Even more!"
Those were the Soviet 19th, 20th, 24th and 32nd armies.
This seems inevitable, because as mentioned before, the Soviet army lacks fast mobile troops for flexible mobile defense. Then, as long as the enemy concentrates its superior forces to open two gaps in the defense line and rush in depth... a natural formation will occur.
An encirclement.
But 670,000, that is already more than half of the troops guarding Moscow, which means that the enemy has opened the door to Moscow and Moscow is almost undefended.
Therefore, of course, the training of the 4th Tank Brigade ended here, otherwise it would be like what Colonel Katukov said...Moscow would have been captured before the training was completed.
The 4th Tank Brigade gathered urgently and drove to the train station.
The trip was so hurried that there was no time to carry heavy equipment except tanks... cars, artillery, anti-tank guns, etc. were all left in Stalingrad. Tanks are a must. If they don't bring them, there will be no fourth tank brigade.
.
The information received by the 333rd Regiment was that the heavy equipment would be replenished in Moscow, but in fact Moscow was also in a state of severe shortage of equipment... even unbelievably, it lacked rifles.
The main reason for the shortage of rifles is that groups of troops were defeated and captured, and groups of Moscow civilians were armed in the rear. The non-stop transportation of railway lines cannot satisfy this huge ammunition.
Transportation needs for troops, equipment, etc.
The 4th Tank Brigade was divided into two trains.
The station was so busy with all kinds of supplies and goods being shipped to Moscow, as well as loading and unloading workers, sent to frontline troops, etc., that the team of the 4th Tank Brigade was scattered, and the tanks also needed police to clear the way to maintain them, otherwise
It's impossible to move forward at all.
Then the tank crews were busy driving the tank slowly onto the flatbed truck along the slope, and fixed the tank on the flatbed truck with steel cables, triangular blocks, etc. After working for several hours, they finally set off in the evening before dark.
"How many tanks do we have?" Shulka asked.
He has been busy training since he was incorporated into the 4th Tank Brigade, so he doesn't know any basic information about the army, not even its organization.
"There are 72 vehicles in total!" the instructor replied: "There are still 17 vehicles in Moscow that were withdrawn from the front line!"
Shulka nodded. There were 89 vehicles in total. Although it was not too many, they were all T34s, which was a good armored force.
"They belong to two tank battalions!" the instructor continued: "The 8th and 9th Battalions of the 4th Tank Regiment! The other is the 333rd Mechanized Infantry Regiment, and in addition there is an anti-aircraft artillery battalion!"
Anti-aircraft artillery battalions are necessary for armored forces...What tanks fear most is the enemy's air power, so they must have anti-aircraft firepower.
"Comrade instructor!" Leonev asked: "The situation is very bad, isn't it?"
The instructor wanted to say something, but didn't know how to say it, because according to their usual practice, they should only say good things and not bad things, and then improve morale.
But this will obviously not be useful now, because everything will be exposed once we arrive in Moscow.
"Yes!" Shulka answered on his behalf: "The situation is indeed very bad. Hundreds of thousands of us are surrounded by the enemy again!"
The carriage fell into silence for an instant, with only the "clatter" of the train.
"But..." Shulka continued: "Which of the battles we experienced was the best? Brest? Or Kiev?
No, comrades! As you all know, every time it was a 'very bad situation', every time, we thought we could not live in this world, but we survived in the end, until now!
So, do you think this time will be an exception?"
"No, comrade company commander!"
"Do you think the Germans can defeat us?"
"No, comrade company commander!"
"Do you think anyone can defeat the 333rd Regiment?"
"No, comrade company commander!"
The soldiers' voices became louder and louder, and eventually it even affected the soldiers in other carriages to shout too.
"Very good!" Shulka nodded with satisfaction: "Comrades, remember one thing: we are not going to defend Moscow, we are going to teach the Germans a lesson!"
The soldiers then roared loudly like beasts, and their morale was quickly mobilized.