The Germans initially chose to surrender, blowing up their tanks as usual and waiting for the Soviets to arrive.
From this point of view, it would even be better for them to fight the Soviet army without organizing a defense line in Sopac.
But who knows?
Most German officers and soldiers do not have the idea of fighting the enemy one by one, so that the enemy will lose one point of combat effectiveness.
They look more at the outcome of the battle. If the battle can be won or there is even a hope of winning or they think they can win, then they will continue to fight.
But if they think there is no point in fighting and nothing can change the situation except killing more people, then they will choose to surrender.
For example, now... In fact, the conditions between the enemy and ourselves have not changed. Major General Andreas can still return to Sopac to fight on the unorganized defense line, and he can still fight according to his own ideas instead of Guderian's.
The problem is that the German army's thinking is different: they originally thought they could win, but now they know that this battle will be lost.
As a result, the German troops laid down their weapons in batches and surrendered to the 4th Tank Brigade.
When Shurka and others arrived, it was obvious that the Germans had made some attempts: they drove the tanks off the road, hoping to use the tank tracks to roll a passage beside the road, but they obviously failed.
It is true that there are very few anti-tank mines along the highway, but anti-infantry mines are not something that the tracks can withstand for a long time.
There are also some infantry who hope to advance through the minefield while detecting mines... but this also failed. As mentioned before, the drop in temperature froze the wooden shell mines, which in turn made them more difficult to detect and more difficult.
detonate.
This can be seen from the wreckage of tanks and corpses beside the road.
In the end, the German soldiers reluctantly chose to surrender.
"Shulka!" Just as Shulka was watching the tanks that were set on fire by the Germans like torches, the instructor at the other end shouted: "We have called a major general!"
It was no longer unusual to capture a major general Shulka, and he even thought that it would not make much difference whether he captured a major general or a second lieutenant, because they usually could not provide more valuable intelligence... After all, the 3rd Armored Division was already here
The whole army was wiped out.
But Shulka still walked in the direction of the instructor.
Sure enough, he was a German major general, standing in front of the Soviet guns with his chest held out.
German officers usually behave like this when they are captured. Shulka doesn't know if he wants to show his fearlessness or the glory of the imperial soldiers or something else... Shulka only knows that the Soviets don't care about this, they will be sent
Go to Siberia and endure the baptism of the cold wind. When you get there, you can still hold your head high and think you are noble. This is your real ability.
"We don't know what he's talking about!" the instructor said, "He seems to be very interested in demining tanks!"
Shulka took a closer look and saw the major general looking at the demining tank.
"Any questions?" Shulka asked in English.
The major general looked up at Shulka, then smiled bitterly and replied: "You may not believe it, but just now, I hoped to get such a tank!"
"I believe it!" Shulka replied: "Because you didn't, you became our captives!"
"Obviously, you have improved the previous minesweeper tanks!" the major general said:
"A very clever creation, you successfully defeated us with it!"
Shulka did not answer him, but said to him: "You should go with them, general, good luck to you!"
The major general shook his head and asked, "Do you think I will still have so-called 'good luck'?"
Shulka was speechless. It seemed that the major general already knew what was waiting for him.
The major general was quickly taken away by the soldiers, but for some reason he left a deep impression on Shulka... At the moment of being captured, he was not thinking about his own fate, but looking at the mine-clearing tank, defeating the German army at the same time
It is also an urgently needed equipment for the German army.
Perhaps this is how a professional soldier should behave. What they care more about is not their own life or death, but the key that determines the victory or defeat of the war. They will eagerly want to know or take a look at this key.
Shulka even believed that the reason why the major general surrendered with the others was to take the opportunity to see the demining tank up close.
For this victory, the Fourth Tank Brigade no longer cheered.
They seemed to be used to victory... Although behind this victory there was actually a series of overt and covert battles and even many twists and turns, but the soldiers did not know this. They only knew that they easily defeated the enemy this time.
"Retreat!" Following Major Zahakavich's order, the 4th Tank Brigade walked back along the road. As usual, they had to rush back to Moscow before dawn.
As for the defense of this area, it is left to the civil defense divisions.
After Guderian learned that the 3rd Armored Division had surrendered, he called von Bock: "We have been fooled, Marshal! The 3rd Armored Division is surrounded by the enemy, and I'm afraid not many people can escape!"
Von Bock was silent for a while, and then asked: "Why is this happening? Is our intelligence wrong?"
"No, Your Majesty Marshal!" Guderian replied: "The information you got is very likely to be accurate, because the number of Russian tanks is indeed limited. We think there are only more than thirty tanks, which is not much different from the number in the intelligence.
Discrepancies!"
"What's the problem?" said von Bock.
Von Bock felt a little guilty about this failure, because he had been urging Guderian to attack from beginning to end.
"The problem lies with their new equipment!" Guderian replied frustratedly: "They invented a mine-clearing tank that can clear mines quickly, so the minefields are useless to them... I did not consider this, otherwise, with tanks
The 4th Brigade has more than 30 tanks. I’m afraid it will be difficult to stop the 3rd Armored Division. Even if it fails, the 3rd Armored Division will die with them!”
"How many of their tanks did you destroy?" Von Bock asked.
"Maybe only five, or more, I don't know!"
Von Bock felt bitter for a while. The 3rd Armored Division...more than a hundred tanks ended up getting only five enemy tanks.
"I think there is only one way now, Marshal!" Guderian said: "Attack under the cover of the air force during the day, prepare for defense before dark, and use a large number of mines to block the position to prevent the enemy from counterattack! Attack slowly... The Russians
The T34s are very limited, and if they continue to be consumed like this, they will soon lose their combat effectiveness!"
Von Bock nodded, and then said: "So, do you want me to assign the air force to your direction to cooperate with you in combat?"
"No, Marshal!" Guderian replied: "I think Volokolamsk is more suitable for attack!"