As a result, Shulka arrived in Karachi amid the admiring conversations of the soldiers. The carriage in which Shulka was seated was almost overcrowded. Although the carriages they were traveling in were not connected to each other, as soon as the train stopped, they would be there.
Someone who heard the news would jump out of other cars and go straight to Shulka's car. Even Shulka didn't know how the news spread...
Later, Shulka found out that someone got off the bus on the way, and then Ducai shouted to the people in other cars: "Hey, do you know? Comrade Shulka is in my car!"
"Who are you talking about? Breakout hero?"
"Yes! I even shook hands with him, and he is right there, going to the front line with us!"
…
So the news spread from one to another, and soon the whole train knew about it. Even if the carriage was full, there were still people peeping outside trying to get in.
At that time, Shulka was thinking that if German fighter planes attacked this train, just this carriage would be enough for the pilot to make a meritorious deed.
Fortunately, this did not happen, and Shulka finally reached Karachi safely.
Beria was not lying about one thing. The battle situation on the front line was indeed a little different from before.
"You are finally back!" Trufanov breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he saw Shulka: "I was worried that you were enjoying yourself in Moscow and forgetting us!"
"I have indeed forgotten you!" Shulka said: "But I miss the Germans!"
Trufanov and Zolotarev laughed.
"The enemy seems to be making some moves!" Trufanov then pulled Shulka in front of the map and said: "Mainly in the direction of the enemy's Don River Army Group. Their strength has been strengthened in recent times, and we believe they are reassembly.
Train gun!”
"Train gun?" Shulka looked at Trufanov in confusion.
"Yes!" Trufanov nodded: "Although they are doing it very secretly, our guerrillas still got some information, and it is estimated that they will complete the assembly and put it into use soon!"
Shulka couldn't help but think of the scene when he was bombed by a train gun at the Brest Fortress.
To be honest, train guns are actually outdated in this era, because they take a long time to assemble, have extremely poor maneuverability, and have high logistics requirements. For example, a train gun requires a brigade and a battalion to operate.
So although its power is amazing, it is a living target for the enemy's air power... With such a huge thing standing there, a few bombers flying over and dropping a few bombs can destroy it.
The problem is that the Germans have the initiative in air superiority.
Although the sky in the Soviet Union at this time was not like it was when the war broke out. The Luftwaffe had full air supremacy, but the Luftwaffe still protected wherever it wanted. The Soviet Air Force was basically unable to get close. The sky over Stalingrad was like this. The airspace near the train gun
The same is true.
Therefore, although this giant cannon is outdated, the Soviet army is still unable to do anything to it.
Therefore, the giant artillery will pose a threat to the Soviet defense line.
No matter what the defense line is, as long as a shell comes over, even if the shell does not hit directly, the power of its explosion is enough to instantly open a gap in the defense line... The accuracy of the giant cannon is poor, but one of its shells can weigh up to 8 tons.
Weighing 10 tons, this thing can penetrate seven meters of concrete and 0 meters of soil before exploding internally, and the shock is enough to kill.
The Germans once used this kind of giant cannon in the Sevastopol Fortress, and then forcibly knocked open the underground fortresses one by one.
It is conceivable that if this kind of gun was successfully assembled and launched an attack on the Soviet defense line, the German army would instantly create a gap and then use air superiority to cover the tanks to swarm in through the gap, causing the Soviet defense line to quickly collapse.
Even if the Soviet Army has the Karachi Defense Line, it will not be an exception... Once the huge artillery shells are fired, no matter what bunker or building it is, a large piece will fall down.
"Maybe we can consider taking the initiative to attack!" Zolotarev looked at Shulka and said: "I mean, in this case, the defense is becoming more and more dangerous, then the only option is to attack. Maybe we
A counterattack can force the enemy’s train guns to evacuate!”
Perhaps Zolotarev has discussed this with Trufanov several times.
This is indeed the case. If the defense is threatened by giant artillery, then it is better to take the initiative than to sit back and wait for death.
The issue is……
"I heard that this German train gun has a range of about 50 kilometers?" Shulka asked.
"Almost, it should be about 45 kilometers!" Trufanov replied.
Because this huge cannon was used in both Brest Fortress and Sevastopol, the Soviet army probably knew its range.
"45 kilometers..." Shulka stretched out from the Soviet defense line, then drew a line and said: "That is to say, the Germans may deploy this kind of giant artillery to the Milelovsky area, so
How can our counterattack threaten it from such a long distance?"
The artillery fire of the Soviet infantry only had a range of more than ten kilometers, which meant that the Soviet army had to advance the defense line at least thirty kilometers to threaten the giant artillery.
But thirty kilometers... If the Soviet army now has the strength to push the German army back thirty kilometers, there is no need to consider the issue of giant artillery.
"What's more!" Shulka continued: "I believe that the Germans have been prepared for a long time. They will definitely set up defenses on the front line and wait for us to attack. Isn't this the purpose of the Germans deploying huge artillery?"
"You mean..." Trufanov said, "the Germans want us to attack their defenses?"
Shulka nodded: "That's what I think. Although the target of the cannon is very large, if the Germans want to keep it secret, it seems that the guerrillas will not be able to detect the news! So..."
Trufanov nodded in agreement: "Before this, I thought this information came too suddenly. Now it seems that it may be a rumor deliberately released by the Germans!"
This is indeed the case.
Manstein really wanted the Soviet army to attack first.
However, others did not think of this, so when Manstein took the initiative to release the news that the German army deployed huge artillery, the staff expressed confusion.
Manstein replied: "Dora is just a giant cannon. It may be able to open a gap in the enemy's defense line, but then what?"
"Then we can capture Karachi and rescue the 6th Army!" the staff officer said.
"Do you think it's possible?" Manstein stared at the map and said solemnly: "The Soviets only need to set up artillery on both sides of the Don River to block the river. How many people can cross the Don River and come back alive?" (Unfinished)