Author: Paul Carell
Translator: Little Ice Man
Publisher: Taiwan Strait Publishing House
Publication time: April 25, 2019
The First Moscow
1. Assault
Praturin Forest - White "G" -3:15- Crossing the Bug River, San River, and Memel - Rasenie and Liepaja - Assault on Taughpils - Manstein Stopping - Rundstedt Encounters Difficulties - Brest Fortress Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
They have been following their tanks and vehicles in the dark pine forest for two days. On the night of June 19-20, they arrived here driving vehicles with their headlights covered. During the day, they stayed quietly without making any sound, except for the creaking sound of the cabin covers of the platoon leaders as they were about to close. After dusk fell, they were allowed to take a bath in the small river, one row at a time. Don't forget to share your experience!
As Sergeant Sachi led the soldiers of the 2nd Company briskly past,Lieutenant Widener, Platoon LeaderStanding outside the tent of the platoon. Sergeant, this is a great place for vacation, "he said with a smile.Sergeant SachiHe stopped and made a grimace and said, "I don't believe it's a holiday, Mr. Lieutenant." Then he lowered his voice and asked, "Mr. Lieutenant, what's the matter? Are we going to fight the Russians? Or are we waiting for Stalin's permission to cross Russia so that we can use the secret way of Persia to approach the British and defeat their beautiful British Empire?" Don't forget to share your experience!
Lieutenant Widener was not surprised by this question. He and Sachi both knew that since their armored training camp was reorganized into the 3rd Battalion of the 39th Armored Regiment of the 17th Armored Division and transferred to central Poland, and then entered this forest in Pratulin, various rumors had already spread widely. They are located less than 3 miles from the Bug River, which forms the border line, and almost face the huge and ancient Brest Litovsk fortress. Since Poland was divided up in the autumn of 1939, the fortress has been occupied by the Russians. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
The 39th Armored Regiment stationed in the forest has entered a state of full alert.In addition, each tank's turret is tied with ten cans of gasoline, and the trailer behind carries an additional three barrels of gasoline. This kind of preparation is aimed at long-distance marching, not a quick battle. You can't put a gasoline tank tied to a tank into battle, "said the experienced armored soldiers. Don't forget to share your experience!
A stubborn soldier insisted that the coming war was against the Russians, so a dispute occurred between them. "Russia? Nonsense! What we have got is enough, why start another war? The Russians did not harm us, they are our allies, they send us food, and they are also anti British." Most German soldiers think so. Therefore, if they neither engage in battle nor pass through Persia, then the whole thing will be a massive strategy of diversionary tactics. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
Who is the target of the 'go east, go west' campaign? Of course, to fool the British. The gathering in the east is likely to be to conceal the invasion of Britain on the other side of Europe. This view conveyed through whispering and knowing eyes is almost ubiquitous. Those who spread this claim and firmly believe in it do not know what the Navy Command wrote in its log on February 18th: "As the largest camouflage operation in military history, the gathering against Russia is about to begin, and it will be described as a final preparation to distract the enemy's attention for invading Britain Have you tried this before? Share your story!
However, there is another naive and stunningly beautiful statement that has been confidently spread by the soldiers. These veterans know everything, they can even hear the sound of grass growing, and they know all the secrets of the company. These veterans not only represent the souls of each unit, but also play the role of ears and eyes. They patiently explained while washing dishes, playing cards, or wiping boots: Stalin had leased Ukraine to Hitler, so their mobilization was purely as a stationed army. People during wartime will believe any statement. Sergeant Sachi was happy for peace and had a deep belief in the treaty signed between Hitler and Stalin in August 1939. Like other Germans, he believed in the treaty and regarded it as Hitler's greatest diplomatic achievement. Don't forget to share your experience!
Lieutenant Widener approached Sachi and asked, 'Sergeant, do you believe in fairy tales?'. Sachi looked confused. Lieutenant Widener looked at his watch and said meaningfully, 'Just be patient for another hour.' He then walked back to the tent. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
During the conversation between Sergeant Saatchi and his lieutenant in the Praturin Forest, a different conversation took place at the former presidential residence on Wilhelmstrasse in Germany. But there wasn't much mystery in this conversation, Ribbentrop revealed a big secret. What do you think about this?He told his closest companions that tomorrow morning, the German Defense Forces would launch a war against the Soviet Union.
i see! They had doubts about it before, but now they know. They had hoped that this was just a paper plan, but now it's a done deal. The political and diplomatic moment they had been concerned about has come to an end, and now I've found that it's time for military force to take the stage. At this moment, various ambassadors, diplomats, and envoys were secretly asking themselves the same question: from the perspective of the development of the situation, would Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop still remain in office? Can he still stay on? According to the rules, shouldn't he resign? Don't forget to share your experience!
21 months ago, he returned from Moscow with the Soviet German Friendship Treaty and explained to them, "The treaty we signed with Stalin ensured our rear, thus avoiding the two front war that once brought Germany into disaster. I believe this alliance is the highest achievement of my foreign policy Don't forget to share your experience!
Now, both sides will go to war, and his highest achievement has been thrown into the garbage.
Part 2 Leningrad
1. Rushing through the Baltic states
Ostrov and Pskov - Artillery fights against KV-1 and KV-2 monsters - Supreme Command prevents Hopna - Chudovo swamp - Manstein's army is cut off - Road to Leningrad is clear - unable to swim freely to Lake Samlo What do you think about this?
An old Finnish proverb says, "A happy person will not take back what he said the day before." Many Germans living in Finland in the summer of 1941 quoted this proverb. The words of the previous day "refer to Germany's attitude during the Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland, as well as ambiguous statements made by German politicians and diplomats regarding the Soviet invasion. Hitler clearly adopted a friendly and neutral stance towards the Soviet Union. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
But on June 22, 1941, Hitler's announcement was loudly announced through all public broadcasting loudspeakers and appeared on the front page headlines of all newspapers, reading that the troops were advancing along the front line from the Arctic to the Black Sea, which included the following sentence: "German troops stand shoulder to shoulder with the allied Finnish division, guarding Finland Don't forget to share your experience!
When the author of this book interviewed Marshal Mannheim at his secret command post in the idyllic forest town of St Michel, the Marshal criticized this statement in the F ü hrer's proclamation. He said, "The speech of the Imperial Chancellor did not fully consider the situation of international law and was far from the expected follow-up development Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Mannheim pointed out that the Berlin Foreign Ministry publicly stated at a press conference on June 24th that Finland has not officially entered a state of war with Russia. But Mannheim quickly added, "This is not very important for the further development of the situation, because I am sure that Stalin will launch an attack on us anyway to cover his flank - Leningrad and the Baltic Sea. No matter how hard we try to remain neutral Don't forget to share your experience!
After a moment's pause, he continued, "Only by joining the Soviet camp can we avoid attack. But that means it's like being defeated What do you think about this?
Part Three Rostov
Crossing the Nogai Grassland
New target for the Southern Front - Bridge of Beryslav - Engineer seizes Dnieper River - Intervention of the Medes fighter squadron - Blocked road to Krim - Battle of Tatar Trench - Detour on Nogai Grassland - Between Berdyansk and Mariupol Don't forget to share your experience!
On September 12, 1941, as the 36th Motorized Infantry Division and the 1st Armored Division were rapidly advancing towards Leningrad through the Dudelhof Heights under the brilliant summer sky, the Irmen Lake was pouring with heavy rain. The 56th Motorized Army's headquarters personnel set up their command post next to a destroyed farmhouse southwest of Jamiyansk. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
General von MansteinSitting in a damp tent with his servants. They are waiting for the nighttime situation report, and before that, they are playing bridge to pass the time. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
Suddenly, the phone rang.Captain SpeechtAfter picking up the receiver, he turned around and said, "The commander of the group army wants to talk to the general Don't forget to share your experience!
Manstein murmured. A phone call at this time usually means bad news. However, this time it was not the case. General Busch, commander of the 16th Army Group, congratulated his friend Manstein over the phone. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
Congratulations to me? But for what, General? "Manstein asked in surprise. Busch deliberately paused for a moment, then read out the telegram he had just received from the F ü hrer's headquarters: "General von Manstein has been appointed as the commander of the 11th Army Group, and this order takes immediate effect What do you think about this?
The 11th Army Group! This means that the southernmost point of the front line is also the southernmost point of the "Southern" army group. A few hours ago, the stork reconnaissance plane taken by the commander of the 11th Group Army, General Von Shobert, tried to make a forced landing and ended up in a minefield of the Russians. Shubert and his pilot were blown to pieces. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
The Fourth Winter Campaign
Siberian people have arrived
December 5, 1941- No winter gear - Battle of Klin -3rd Armored Group flees -2nd Armored Group Army has to retreat - Tragedy on the ice of the Ruza River - Brauchitsch resigns - Historic conversation at the F ü hrer's headquarters - Hold on at all costs -9th Army defense zone breached - Tragedy of 23rd Army - "Giessen" timetable - Guderian dismissed Have you tried this before? Share your story!
The forward guard post of the 87th Infantry Regiment has just been changed.It's 5 o'clock in the morning and the earth is freezing cold. The thermometer stays at minus 25 degrees Celsius. The soldiers struggled through the snow and headed towards the small Achroma River. In the valley, the smoke from the chimney of the farmhouse rose straight into the dim morning sky, and there was silence everywhere. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
The 87th Motorized Infantry Regiment is under the command of the 36th Motorized Infantry Division. The regiment from Rhineland Hesse holds the defense line south of Kalinin, between the Volga Reservoir and Rogachevo, also known as the "Moscow Sea". This long area can only be guarded in the form of independent support points, and any other form is too weak for the 87th Infantry Regiment to bear. Don't forget to share your experience!The regiment has been severely depleted - the more severe reduction is due to frostbite.
When the temperature drops to minus 30 to 40 degrees Celsius, no one can stay in the snow pit at the forefront for an hour. Have you tried this before? Share your story!Of course, unless he wears a sheepskin coat and felt boots, a fur hat, and thick gloves. But the soldiers of the 36th Infantry Division don't have these things at all. What do you think about this?
They were less than 30 yards away from the village, and the horse drawn cart was parked by the frozen river. The handle of the village water pump hung high on the low roof, and some Russian women were standing next to the pump, fetching water. Suddenly, these women and the German patrol team who had just changed their posts started running. They instinctively avoided and ran towards the nearest village house. Following that came the "howling beasts", accompanied by a loud bang as snow fountains sprayed into the air, and hot shrapnel scattered and splattered on the frozen ground that was as hard as stone. Bullets drilled into the bathroom and farmhouse. on your marks! Have you tried this before? Share your story!
The time is Friday, December 5th, 1941. A page in the history of war has been turned over.The Soviet army's massive counterattack in front of Moscow began. Here, in the defense zone of the 36th Motorized Infantry Division and the theater of the 56th Motorized Army, the curtain of a barbaric historical drama has begun. 24 hours later, fierce battles also broke out in other defense zones of the "Central" Army Group - from Ostashkov to Yelets, with a front line of 600 miles. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
Part 5: Ports in the Arctic Ocean
1 Silver Fox Operation
Murmansk railway line - Offensive at the end of the world - General Dieter eager to capture Murmansk - Crossing the Titovka and Litsa rivers - Endless ice fields - Finnish miscalculation - Mountain soldiers at Litsa bridgehead Have you tried this before? Share your story!
In the initial plan of Operation Barbarossa, a stunning goal was listed - Murmansk.This little-known place name was proposed and placed alongside important strategic objectives such as Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev, and Rostov.Why is Murmansk so important? It is a port and railway station on the roof of a European sea with howling winds, located in the Arctic Ocean north of the Arctic Circle, at the same latitude as the huge glaciers in Greenland, about 600 miles away from the civilized world. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
In the summer of 1941, Murmansk had 100000 residents. Here, there are three months of scorching summer each year, and eight months of severe cold and polar nights. Surrounded by desolate ice fields, there are no trees or shrubs. So, why was this desolate town included in the secret draft of Operation Barbarossa along with those major targets? What do you think about this?
Why can Murmansk be compared to the communist capital, or Leningrad, or the Donetsk industrial zone, or the Ukrainian grain producing region, or the Caucasus oil region? The latter areas have been targeted by complete army groups, aviation units, and armored army groups, and are considered worthy of the most intense battles in history. What do you think about this?
Rapp people often say: "A German is buried under every sleeper of Murmansk railway line." Like all legends, this statement cannot be understood completely in the literal sense, although I've found that it's not far from the truth. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Part 6 Caucasus and Its Oil Fields
The prologue to Stalingrad
Halder rushes to Hitler's headquarters - Chief of the General Staff's anxiety - Izumo Bulge - Balakleia and Slavyansk - Order No. 41 of the F ü hrer - "Operation Blue" - The curtain raised by Klimt - The failure of Dunkirk, Russia - Southern Kharkiv in mid May - Operation Frederick cannot proceed - Kleist's half armored pliers - Road to Death -239000 prisoners of war What do you think about this?
General Halder's car rushed out of the Moor Forest in East Prussia (where the Army Headquarters was located in a carefully disguised location) and onto the road leading to Rastenburg. A strong spring wind swept through the branches and leaves of the beech trees, creating a white wave on the surface of Lake Morel and bringing the clouds in the sky so close to the ground that people almost wished to see them torn apart by the towering stone crosses on the mountaintop, where the L ö tzen military cemetery is located. Have you tried this before? Share your story!
This is the afternoon of March 28th, 1942. General Halder, the Chief of the Army General Staff, is heading towards the headquarters of the F ü hrer hidden in the dense forests of Rastenburg - Wolf's Lair. What do you think about this?
On the knee of his adjutant, there was a suitcase, which at this moment may be the most valuable suitcase in the world, containing the 1942 combat plan of the German General Staff. What do you think about this?
The Seventh Stalingrad
Between the Don River and the Volga River
Karachi, Bridge of Fate on the Don River - Tank Warfare on Grassland Sand - General Hube's Armored Assault on the Volga River - 'Stalingrad on the Right' - Heavy Anti Aircraft Guns Operated by Women - First Battle Outside Stalingrad City Don't forget to share your experience!
Anyone studying the Battle of Stalingrad would first question this strange situation: the city was not listed as a major target for the massive summer offensive. In the 'Blue Action', this city is just a less important consideration. It will be placed under military control. In other words, it will be destroyed as a military center and a port on the Volga River. And these are obviously tasks for aircraft and long-range artillery, which have not been delivered to a group army. Because both bombs and shells can achieve this goal; As a city, Stalingrad has no strategic importance. Don't forget to share your experience!
Therefore, according to the overall strategic plan, the task of the 6th Army Group is to cover the flank of the Caucasian front and its important military and economic objectives. To accomplish this task, capturing Stalingrad may have some effect, but I've found that it's by no means indispensable. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
The flank cover mission of the 6th Army ultimately led to a turning point in the war and triggered a battle that determined the fate of the entire war, which was one of the tragic reasons for the Stalingrad disaster. What do you think about this?This shows to what extent accidents and mistakes determine the outcome of war.
