BXBX NOVEL Chapter 440: speed
Then, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade just launched a counterattack and immediately defeated the 8th Cavalry Brigade.
When the news reached the headquarters of the 11th Army Group, Manstein walked around the office like an ant on a hot pot in a hurry.
"The location of the 28th Division!" Manstein asked.
"They have only just reached Simferopol, General!" The adjutant replied: "They were bombed by the enemy air force and it may take a day to reach Zhankoy!"
"Command them to speed up!"
"yes!"
The Soviet Air Force has a numerical advantage, so they can attack around with confidence. They sometimes attack the 52nd Army that surrounds Sevastopol, and sometimes bomb the 28th Infantry Division rushing to assist Zhankoy, and even bomb Zhankoy.
This made the Luftwaffe exhausted and rushed around. They appeared here but received the enemy in another airspace, and they were very passive for a while.
After thinking for a while, Manstein said to the adjutant: "Contact Lieutenant General Sponek!"
A few minutes later the adjutant handed the phone to Manstein.
"How's the situation, Lieutenant General?"
"It's bad, General!" Lieutenant General Sponek replied. "I didn't have time to control the situation. They were overwhelming and I was retreating towards Zhankoy. My men and I tried to stop their advance speed, but it was already over." It can't be done, my subordinates are getting fewer and fewer, and mines don't work on them!"
In other seasons, it might be easy to block the pursuers, because they can blow up bridges and break roads along the way.
The problem is that it is winter now, the river is all frozen into ice, and the road is frozen.
So obviously bombing the bridge won't do much, since enemy tanks can drive right across the frozen river.
Not to mention breaking the road... Not to mention the huge amount of engineering required to blow up a section of the road, the enemy can also easily bypass from both sides of the road.
"Lieutenant General Sponek!" Manstein said: "After you leave a small force behind, you will immediately go to Zhankoy to take over the command. I need you to organize the defense there, and you must stick to the reinforcements. Come, understand?"
"Understood, General!" Sponek replied with confidence, because it almost meant that Manstein admitted his fault, that is, Sponek's previous disobedience and retreat from the Kerch Peninsula was the right choice.
In fact, there is no need for Manstein to admit that if the 46th Infantry Division commanded by Lieutenant General Sponek did not block the German army at this time, I am afraid that they would have been blocked in the Crimean Peninsula and had no way to escape. .
"General!" the adjutant asked Manstein: "Should we transfer more troops back to Zhankoy!"
Manstein understood what the adjutant meant.
This "return aid" is actually an escape, a breakout.
Otherwise, there will be no hurry until the Russian army captures Zhankoy and then gains a firm foothold.
"No, Eric!" Manstein shook his head weakly: "If we do this, we will expose our backs to Sevastopol. I have reason to believe that... the Russians will soon Will land from Sevastopol and attack us!"
This is the embarrassment of the German army attacking the Crimea. They will be surrounded by Sevastopol and the Kerch Peninsula.
But in history, Manstein solved this problem perfectly. Not only did he solve this problem, but he also beat the Soviet army terribly.
Of course, this guy also has the credit for the blind command of the Soviet army camp.
So Manstein needs to thank Mehlis for being promoted to marshal.
But now Manstein can't be so relaxed. In fact, at this time, his offensive plan in Shulka is already exhausted.
It should be said that Lieutenant General Sponek was very lucky. After receiving the order, he immediately handed over the command to the adjutant and led the guard company straight to Zhankoy.
In less than half an hour, Lieutenant General Sponek received a telegram that the troops behind him were under attack.
"General, they have caught up with us!" The adjutant reported to Lieutenant General Sponek: "They have a large force of about one battalion, and their firepower is very fierce. We can hardly hold back!"
"How did they catch up with you?" Sponek wondered.
Although there is nothing that can stop the Russian army from advancing, the German army is also retreating while laying mines.
This forced the Russian army to follow the mine-sweeping tanks, and the speed of the mine-sweeping tanks was limited, so they should follow the German army.
"It's a half-track armored vehicle!" The adjutant replied: "I think they took a shortcut and caught up with us!"
"Retreat, retreat immediately!" Sponek ordered.
But then there was no more sound, only the sound of gunshots in the rear, and it fell completely silent not long after.
"Speed up!" Sponek ordered, realizing that the 46th Division was probably wiped out.
Sponek guessed right, the only remaining 46th Division was also wiped out in the battle just now.
"We have received information!" Katukov found Shulka after defeating the Romanian 8th Cavalry Brigade.
He got out of his jeep and jumped on the half-track vehicle where Shulka was. He spread out the map and said to Shulka while advancing: "The Germans sent a unit from Sevastopol back to Zhanko. Yi!"
"That should be an elite army!" Shulka immediately made a judgment.
"Yes, I think so too!" Katukov nodded.
This is the combat habit of the German army, and it is also determined by their tactics.
"Blitzkrieg" is to put the strongest and fastest troops at the forefront, and only then can they be inserted into strategic locations like sharp knives.
In this respect, the German troops who attacked the Crimea were all elite troops, including the 46th Infantry Division of the German Army that was defeated not long ago.
Now, the German army has transferred another division from Sevastopol to assist Zhankoy... Then don't think about it, this division must be the best of the best.
"If we let this division rush to Zhankoy, it will be very bad for us!" Katukov said.
"They'll be there!"
"Yes!" Katukov said: "Although we can use the air force to bomb and harass them now, it will be dark in a few hours, and they can safely march towards Zhankoi!"
"How soon will they get to Zhankoy?"
"A big day!" Katukov replied: "We may arrive a few hours ahead of them, but it will not be enough!"
It is indeed not enough, because even if the 1st Guards Tank Brigade has good combat effectiveness, it will not be able to occupy Zhankoy within a few hours, and will be in a dilemma of being attacked on both sides.
(end of this chapter)