To be precise, it was not that Shulka was chosen to side with him, but that he felt that he could not bear the risk of possible failure, even if it was only "possible"... The Battle of Stalingrad involved so much, it even
It was related to the fate of the Soviet Union, and Zolotarev did not dare to take this risk.
On the other side, Manstein sent the air force to reconnoiter the area east of Miloway.
Then the answer came quickly.
"Your Excellency, Marshal!" the adjutant reported to Manstein with a telegram: "The enemy armored forces were found, at least one armored division and one infantry division. They are heading towards Karachi along the railway and highway. They are still 60 kilometers away from Karachi.
!”
Manstein did not hesitate and ordered: "Order the air force to stop the enemy's advance at all costs!"
"Yes!" The adjutant turned around and then looked back and asked: "Do we need to let the 1st Armored Division return to Karachi?"
"It's too late!" Manstein shook his head helplessly.
The Russian armored forces are only 60 kilometers away from Karachi. If they travel day and night, they are expected to reach Karachi tonight and launch the offensive.
At this time, the 2nd Armored Division is far away in Miloway, a hundred kilometers away from Karachi. Even if the 2nd Armored Division returns to Karachi immediately, it will not be able to quench the thirst. What's more, it will be intercepted by enemy air power or guerrillas along the way...
...Air power is not bad in this, because the German army has the advantage in air superiority. All the Russian army can do is blow up a certain train station or blow up the railway like they did before. The German army only needs to repair it along the way.
The difficulty is that the guerrillas are everywhere. The railway line of more than 100 kilometers is an excellent target for the guerrillas. Unless the German army can guard the post every step of the way, there is no way to stop the guerrillas from sneaking up on the railway.
Plant an anti-tank mine or explosives.
More importantly, the Russian army only sent one armored division and one infantry division to Karachi... Although this may only be the first batch of troops to attack Karachi, it also means that the 51st Group Army may still have troops in the direction of Miloway.
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If Manstein transfers the 2nd Armored Division back to Karachi, then the Russian army may organize an attack on Miloway again... This is the advantage of the Russian army's large number of troops, which makes it difficult for Manstein to think about the beginning and the end.
Therefore, Manstein did not do this. He ordered the 1st Armored Division to continue to organize the defense line in Milowe.
In the direction of Karachi, he planned to transfer an armored regiment from the 6th Armored Division on the northern flank of Karachi to defend the south, and at the same time let the air force bomb the Russian troops attacking Karachi with all their strength.
Manstein's idea was to have the German Air Force continue to bomb the Russian troops attacking Karachi, so that when the Russian troops arrived in Karachi they would already be remnants. By then, the Luftwaffe would be used to cooperate with an armored regiment. To stop the Russian troops, they should
It's not a big problem either.
This is the benefit of having air supremacy. With air supremacy, the ground troops can easily move much more enemy troops than they have, like a lever. For example, at this time, Manstein dared to use an armored regiment to fight against a Russian armored division.
In order to successfully tide over this crisis, Manstein also urgently obtained an airborne division from Hitler... the Eighth Airborne Division.
Although the Eighth Airborne Division is organized as an airborne division, it is only at the regiment level.
The insufficient strength of the German airborne division was not only because the German army stretched the front too long, but also because the German army used airborne troops in Africa to carry out airborne landings on Crete and suffered heavy casualties (three-quarters of them were killed). This made Hitler think that airborne operations were possible.
The era has passed, so the number of airborne troops has been reduced... This can be said to be an irony. Germany, which used its airborne troops to perfection in the early days of World War II, actually thought that the era of airborne troops was over. On the contrary, the Allied forces such as the United Kingdom and the United States recognized airborne troops.
The role of combat was the large-scale development of airborne troops and their role in the Normandy landings.
After completing these three things, Manstein's hanging heart was finally relieved.
He believed that in this way, even if the Russians suddenly attacked Karachi, it would be nothing more than a false alarm for the German army.
However, the development of the war situation was not as Manstein expected.
The reason is that Shulka is also prepared for this...Shurka certainly doesn't think that just this can guarantee victory in the battle.
It's still far from the target, and the enemy still has air superiority.
"The issue of air superiority is very troublesome!" Trufanov said: "We will have to march during the day, which will completely expose us to the enemy's air force!"
"All fighters are used to protect the advance of our tank troops!" Shulka said: "It is time for the air force to play its role. This is a critical moment. We need the air force to provide us with security for a day! If not, it will take at least half a day.
!”
After a pause, Shulka pointed to the map and said: "At the same time, we need the Don River Front to attack the northern flank of Karachi with all its strength!"
These orders are even issued through the Supreme Command.
Zolotarev used vague and misleading words in his report: "An enemy armored division appeared on our way forward. In order to win, we need more air force."
Cover, and at the same time, the Don Front is required to attack the northern flank of Karachi with all its strength!"
This is also reasonable from the perspective of the High Command.
Needless to say, air force cover is needed. Everyone knows that without air force cover, the Russian tank troops would not be able to fight the German armored divisions at all, even if the performance of Russian tanks is better than that of German tanks.
As for the Don Front's attack on the northern flank of Karachi, this can easily be understood as putting pressure on the German army and holding back the Deton Army.
Since Stalin's instructions to the Supreme Command were to provide full support to the 51st Army, these requirements were unswervingly implemented.
First, the order was issued to Rokossovsky, and the Don Front used the 4th, 7th, and 0th Guards Infantry Divisions to attack the northern flank of Karachi in turn.
This almost non-stop attack instantly ruined Manstein's plan to transfer troops from the northern flank to the southern flank.
Major General Leonard, commander of the German 6th Armored Division, reported to Manstein: "Your Excellency, Marshal, the Russians are coming towards us like a tide, and we are caught between two sides... To the north are three enemy divisions.
To the south is Karachi, where there is an enemy army group! If you carry out your order, I mean transfer an armored regiment to the southern flank, we will be surrounded by the enemy and collapse!"
Only then did Manstein realize the seriousness of the problem, and he could only reply: "The order is cancelled, hold your position!" (To be continued)