Shulka did not return to his unit until the evening, when the Soviet bombing of the German 28th Infantry Division had basically ended.
Just as Shulka thought, the Soviet army divided the bombers into fifty groups to take turns bombing the 28th Infantry Division, which directly caused the German Air Force to not dare to act rashly.
Manstein discussed this with Lieutenant General Allen, commander of the Tenth Air Force.
"The 28th Infantry Division needs your cover, Lieutenant General Ellen!" Manstein said on the phone: "We are unable to advance because they are being bombed by the enemy!"
"I'm thinking about this too!" Lieutenant General Ellen replied.
"What's the meaning?"
"The Russians have been using some tactics frequently recently!" Lieutenant General Ellen said: "They used a small number of fighter planes to attract our attention, but when our main fleet rushed over them, their main force of bombers took the opportunity to bomb another location.
!”
Manstein couldn't help but say "oh".
"So, this is actually the same for us!" Lieutenant General Ellen replied: "It makes no difference whether we set off at any time and fly to any airspace for combat. The problem is..."
"I understand!" Manstein then put down the phone.
Obviously, the problem was not with Lieutenant General Ellen. Planes could fly to cover the 28th Infantry Division at any time as long as Manstein requested it.
The point is that if this is just a bait and German fighter planes fly over the 28th Infantry Division, it means that Zhankoy is likely to be bombed by the Russian army on a large scale, and at this time Zhankoy is the top priority.
.
Therefore, Manstein thought about it and finally endured it.
But who would have thought that the Soviet bombing of the 28th Infantry Division was one round after another with almost no gaps in between. Manstein endured it again and again, and finally couldn't help but call Lieutenant General Ellen.
"Can we send some fighter planes to stop them?" Manstein said: "I mean only some!"
"No problem, General!" Lieutenant General Ellen replied: "As I said before, air combat is the same wherever we fly!"
So twelve fighter planes took off from Yamiansk... After the German army occupied Yamiansk, they immediately repaired the airport there. Fighters and bombers then moved to the airport to become the forward base for German fighters.
Twelve fighter planes quickly arrived over the 28th Infantry Division and joined the battle to drive away the bombers.
However, just as they were doing this, dozens of Soviet fighter planes suddenly swooped down from the clouds and chased the German fighter planes, firing wildly.
The German fighters were caught off guard and lost three of them immediately. The remaining nine were surrounded by enemy planes... The Soviet army's fifty bombers plus thirty fighters totaled eight times the number of German fighters.
many.
Although bombers did not pose a great threat to German fighters, the problem was that it was difficult for German pilots to find their targets, which were fighters, among them.
So after losing three more fighters in a few minutes of fighting, the German fighters had no choice but to withdraw from the battle.
"That's a trap!" Lieutenant General Ellen said to Manstein: "They seem to know that we will do this!"
"Why don't we show them some advantages!" Manstein said: "Send our main force up and beat them all down!"
"Maybe before that!" Lieutenant General Ellen replied: "But now, it doesn't seem to make much sense, because it's getting dark, General, and their air raids will stop soon!"
Manstein looked out the window, and then replied helplessly: "You are right, we should continue to keep an eye on Zhankoy!"
After putting down the phone, Manstein vaguely felt that he had encountered an opponent. He believed that if the opponent could do this, that is, all this was designed by the opponent, including small-scale batch bombing by bombers to make the German army in a dilemma, then
There must be someone in the Russian military who knows him well enough.
Who could this person be?
Lieutenant General Kozlov, commander of the Russian Crimean Front?
Manstein believed that he did not have this ability, because he had known him when he was the commander of the Caucasus Front and knew that he, like most Russian commanders, was not good at using strategies.
So it's that High Command representative Mahlis?
This is even more impossible. He is a famous idiot. Only Stalin himself doesn't know it.
Then Manstein remembered a person, the "breakout hero".
The reason why I think of "Breakout Hero" is because Manstein had fought against him once before.
To be precise, Manstein came to Kiev to clean up the mess... The German army was originally in a good situation in the direction of Kiev, but was defeated by a sergeant. This sergeant is now the "breakout hero".
Manstein threw the document in his hand on the table and asked the adjutant: "Detrich, do you know the number of the Russian landing force? Especially the tank force that penetrated Zhanyiko!"
"No, general!" the adjutant replied: "Due to the sudden situation of the war, we haven't found this yet!"
This is just one aspect. On the other hand, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade has been attacking and advancing.
As mentioned before, one of the advantages of attacking is that the wounded, logistics, etc. are all at the rear, and the battle is always won (only when the battle is won can we move forward), so it is difficult for the opponent to catch and take prisoners and ask questions.
"Find a way to conduct reconnaissance!" Manstein said: "I want to know whether the designation of this unit is the 1st Guards Tank Brigade!"
"1st Guards Tank Brigade?" The adjutant couldn't help but widen his eyes: "Are you talking about the 'T34' unit that repeatedly defeated our armored forces in Moscow?"
"Yes!" said Manstein. "What's the problem?"
"No, no, general!" the adjutant replied, "I'll make arrangements right away!"
Watching the adjutant leave, Manstein shook his head.
The adjutant was worried about the 1st Guards Tank Brigade itself, but Manstein was more worried about a person in this unit.
The news was quickly confirmed.
It was not difficult to implement. The adjutant asked a few Ukrainians to go directly to the road where the enemy passed to inquire... When the German army attacked, the army usually brought a few Ukrainian guerrillas to act as guides and translators. They could do a good job at this time.
Take advantage of it.
Then the adjutant hurriedly ran back to the headquarters and reported to Manstein: "You guessed it, General! That is indeed the 1st Guards Tank Brigade. They were transferred to the Caucasus from the Moscow battlefield not long ago!"
Manstein nodded silently.
This means that his previous guess was correct. His opponent has always been the former "sergeant" who is now the "breakout hero"!