Shulka certainly took this into consideration, otherwise he would not have proposed this plan.
This is an irony. The reason why the swamp has become a survival route is not because it is a survival route, but because there are large numbers of retreating Soviet troops in other places, such as the north and south directions of the swamp... They attracted the attention of the German army.
strength, so there won't be many German fighters wasting time and ammunition in the open swamps.
In addition, Shulka finally chose the swamp instead of the forest as before to break out because he knew something that others didn't know.
When the officers were discussing how to break through to the north, toward the forest, Shulka suddenly thought of something: breaking out to the north might have been wrong from beginning to end, not only because of intelligence leaks or tactical issues, but also because of strategic issues.
.
The reason is simple. The German Army Group Center was the main force of the German army. After the war began, it advanced at an average speed of tens of kilometers per day until it reached Moscow three months later.
Then, it is obviously impossible to escape the siege of the German army by going north into the forest, because the infantry marching in the forest will never be able to match the advancing speed of the German army.
In other words, if you do this, you will never get out of the large encirclement of the German Army Group Center, unless you fight guerrillas in the forest until the Soviet Union launches a counterattack and hits here again a few years later.
But it's different if you go through a swamp.
The Pripyat Swamp divides the entire battlefield into the middle and lower parts. The lower part is the German Army Group South, which is not the main force of the German army. Its corresponding Soviet Kiev Special Military District (renamed the Southwest Front after the war broke out) and the Ao
The Dessa Military District (Southern Front) was the main force of the Soviet army.
As a result, the German army's progress in the south was relatively slow, and was even blocked by the Soviet army on the Dnieper River defense line and unable to move.
Knowing this, the situation becomes clear: only through the swamp can it be possible to escape from the German encirclement.
Major Gavrilov finally agreed to Shulka's proposal.
But of course, in order to avoid the previous situation, they had to lie to the soldiers again.
"Comrades!" Major Gavrilov rushed to the front line and gave a brief speech: "Although the plan may be leaked to the Germans by the traitors, after research and decision, we believe that there is no other choice but to proceed with the plan on July 7 as originally planned.
Point to the north to break out!"
"Oh no!"
Major Gavrilov's words caused an outcry:
"That's no different than sending yourself to death!"
"The Germans will have their machine guns waiting for us there!"
"Why don't we break out in a different direction?"
…
"Change another direction?" Major Gavrilov asked, "Then tell me, which direction can we change? East? West, or south?"
When Major Gavrilov said this, the soldiers fell silent.
Because on the surface, it seems that other directions are not good choices, except the north.
"Comrades!" Major Gavrilov continued: "You must know that only the forest can escape the pursuit of the Germans... because tanks and cars cannot drive into the forest, and airplanes cannot see people hiding under the branches and leaves of trees.
of us. And the forest is to the north, so we can only break out from the north, even if the Germans already know this, unless we can move the forest to another direction."
"Is there no other way?" someone asked.
"Comrade Vasikt!" Major Gavrilov replied: "If you have a better way, or anyone has a better way... tell me, you are always welcome at the headquarters!"
The soldiers were speechless, because there was no doubt that no one could do anything better.
A few people even came to test Shulka.
"Is that really what happened, Shulka?"
"What did you hear?"
…
Shulka could only spread his hands helplessly and replied: "Comrade, officers are also human beings. They also want to go back alive. Do you think they will make fun of their own lives?"
This statement is irrefutable because it is true.
"So, we are doomed?" someone asked again.
"Not necessarily!" Shulka comforted: "In two hours, the German army may not be able to deploy many troops, so we still have a chance!"
Many Soviet soldiers believed this explanation, because at this time they did not understand the speed and efficiency of the German army, and they were accustomed to using the Soviet army to estimate the German army, so...
"You're right! In two hours, they didn't even have time to finish the trenches. We still have a chance!"
"So..." Okunev said, "It's going to be a tough fight, huh?"
"Yes, of course!" Shulka nodded.
"Then, I won't keep them!" As he said that, Okunev took out all the cut tobacco from his pocket, and then rolled it into something like a cigar with old newspapers...
Okunev is a big smoker, but his tobacco is very limited, so he usually saves it, and rolls a cigarette at least half empty. Now it can be said that it is a luxury.
Later, when Okunev realized that this was not the case, he yelled angrily: "Shulka, you bastard, you should have stopped me when I ran out of tobacco, or at least gave me a wink!"
This lie actually had another purpose, which was to deceive the Germans.
Time passed by, and everyone was preparing for the attack one hour later, including Shulka.
Only then did Shulka have time to fully understand his equipment: an m1936 backpack with a lunch box, a piece of soap in a soap box, a toothbrush, tooth powder, a hair comb...
Shulka couldn't help but cursed as he rummaged through his backpack. The previous Shulka seemed to be a different Soviet person. There was no tobacco bag or vodka in the backpack. There wasn't even a hint of alcohol or cigarette smell, just some.
Sanitary ware, and these are precisely what the Soviets care least about.
"Can I ask a question?" Shulka raised the knife in his hand towards Okunev beside him: "How do I have this thing?"
"Don't you remember?" Okunev looked at Shulka in astonishment: "You exchanged the distributed mahogany tobacco and matches with Dictov for this!"
"Why did I change this..." Shulka was a little annoyed.
Okunev looked at Shulka with sympathy, and then added: "There are others!"
"What?" As soon as he asked, Shulka knew what it was. He found a mirror in his backpack.
Oh, great... Of course a shaver needs a mirror, but I don’t know what the previous Shulka used to replace it.
At this moment, someone dozens of meters away shouted: "Hey, come back, you cowards!"
Then there were several more gunshots.
No need to look, someone must have run towards the German camp and chosen to surrender.