This small battle once again proved that "the number of troops is better than the number of troops"... But it seems wrong. Shulka believes that the greater effect of this battle should be to catch the enemy off guard:
This group of German troops were chasing the fleeing Soviet troops in the rear, and their vigilance was very low. In addition, the Soviet troops' tactics were well coordinated when they started fighting. They were stunned by an overwhelming firepower from the beginning, and then charged again...
This almost drove the bayonet into their chests before the opponent could react, so it was reasonable for the German army to collapse quickly.
However, the Soviet army did not charge too hard. After all, its purpose was not to counterattack and not to kill all the enemies... The German army had much more troops than the Soviet army in this local area. The follow-up troops were either a battalion or even a regiment, such as the 333rd Regiment.
Two severely undermanned companies were simply not enough to fill the gap between their teeth.
So after giving an order, the Soviet troops who had pursued them for a certain distance withdrew to the shore.
The German troops surged up again and entered a stalemate with the Soviet troops.
Actual combat can easily fall into a stalemate, which is mainly caused by the development of equipment.
Before the invention of the machine gun, there were not many situations like this. Usually there were many people and a group charge would solve the problem.
After the invention of the machine gun, it was just a row of bullets that "squeaked". Group charges with large numbers of people were ineffective. The enemy and we were often at each other's throats and no one could charge forward, so trench warfare formed.
This kind of stalemate was also common in World War II, but tanks, aircraft, and artillery could be used to break this stalemate.
The first battalion's defense at this time was actually telling the Germans... that it was time to send tanks up.
However, as soon as the tanks came up, Shulka and others were almost frightened.
There was a "rumble" of motors in the darkness, and occasionally there was the "gurgle" of tanks knocking down trees.
Shulka asked someone to fire a flare, and saw German tanks and armored vehicles everywhere in the snow, densely packed in row after row, with black "crosses" pressing up like a dark cloud.
Perhaps it was because it was dark and it was difficult to see the road, and there were German soldiers in front of them using signal lights to direct them, so they did not advance very fast.
Before Shulka could take a serious look, the whistling sound of artillery shells was heard in the air. The German army launched a charge against the first battalion's defense line. The dozen tanks led by it drove straight in this direction under the cover of infantry.
"Retreat!" Captain Venyakov shouted amidst the explosion of artillery shells.
The soldiers quickly put away their weapons and retreated. Of course, they did not forget to lay mines behind them before running... This is basic common sense for retreat, and the two companies must cover each other for retreat, otherwise they will not be able to escape.
Can withstand enemy bullets from behind.
Shurka was in a bit of a panic during the retreat. He fell down several times on the way. If his comrades had not picked up Shurka in time, he, the "breakout hero", would have been captured by the enemy in this small battle.
But in the end Shurka ran back to the trench without any danger, and then sat down in the trench and gasped.
"What's wrong, Comrade Shulka?" the instructor asked, "You seemed to be frightened just now!"
"Yes!" Shulka replied breathlessly.
"Comrade Company Commander must be too excited!" the veteran continued: "I thought that so many tanks would soon be blown into the lake!"
The surrounding soldiers laughed in unison.
Shulka didn't bother to explain. He was indeed a little panicked just now. Running on the snow was a little different. He had to jump up and down like a rabbit. Usually Shulka didn't find it difficult, but
It won't work if you run too fast.
As for the other Soviet troops... they have long been used to all this.
But being a hero is good, and soldiers will spontaneously understand it in other directions.
The Germans were not in a hurry to pursue them. They followed the tanks and slowly advanced behind them.
Then, several tanks drove up on the lake, and then several more... and soon one after another drove up.
At this time, Shulka's worried heart was completely relieved, and the Germans had no doubts at all.
The German army had no reason to doubt. This was not only because it was dark and the Soviet army's camouflage was well done, but also because even the German army could not believe such a coincidence in the world... They chose the direction of night attack and large-scale breakthrough.
It's exactly where the enemy has laid a trap.
Rokossovsky was a little excited. He called the battalion headquarters and asked: "How is the situation?"
"Everything is normal!" Captain Venyakov replied: "The enemy was fooled. In fact...it was the enemy who broke in on their own, much more than we imagined!"
"Yes!" Rokossovsky replied: "The main armored force of a motorized division and an infantry division. The enemy armored division is also moving in your direction. Block them. Reinforcements will be here soon!"
This is a German tactic. Once a breakthrough is successfully opened somewhere, the main force of its troops will pour in from the breakthrough like a flood that bursts a dike, and then use the high mobility of the armored forces to quickly penetrate behind the enemy's troops and kill them.
Split surround.
"Yes, Comrade General!" Captain Venyakov replied.
The battle started in the next second. The German army discovered the location of the Soviet defense line and then used artillery to bombard the defense line.
However, the German army did not pay attention to the Soviet defense line.
Commanding this unit is Major General Felix, commander of the German 14th Motorized Infantry Division. At this time, he was confidently reporting to Holt on the phone: "Yes, General, we have broken through the enemy's defense line. Although the follow-up
There is another line of defense, but it is not worth mentioning... It is not complete, it is a simple defense line built of snow, and it has very few troops!"
Holt was a little worried and explained: "There is a lake in front of you, pay attention to your tanks!"
"Yes, General!" Major General Felix replied: "I think if we break through this line of defense, we will reach the lake!"
This shows that the Germans did not reconnoiter the terrain.
In fact, they have always attached great importance to intelligence. At this time, there was a lake clearly marked on their map. However, they were deceived by the Soviet army's disguise... As Shulka said
Yes, there can't be any rocks on the lake, and of course there won't be trees, shrubs, or a hut.
Therefore, they took it for granted that they had not reached their destination yet, and that the lake should be farther away, behind the Soviet defense line.
That's what Major General Felix thought, so he shouted an order on the walkie-talkie: "Go forward! Run their defense lines under the tracks!"
"This time!" Looking at the rumbling tanks moving forward, Major General Felix said to his adjutant: "Not even the 4th Tank Brigade can save them!"