Chapter 246: See-saw defense
However, this is not of much use in the case of a clear boundary between enemy and enemy tanks and good visibility. German fighters can still easily find T34s and destroy them, and even they only need to cooperate with artillery to guide shells into T34 tanks.
Needless to say what will happen next, without the T34, it is difficult for the Soviet infantry to stop the advance of the German armored division.
Without air supremacy and artillery, it is almost impossible to defeat the enemy in this situation.
In fact, Rokossovsky also believed that there was nothing he could do, so he called Zhukov before that, hoping to abandon Volokolamsk and retreat to Istria, where the Soviet army could rely on the reservoir for defense.
But of course, it is impossible for Zhukov to agree to this request, or the Supreme Command did not agree to this request.
Finally, Rokossovsky had to use the method of blowing up the reservoir to prevent the German army from continuing to advance.
So, Rokossovsky used this question to ask Shulka a bit difficult...he himself didn't know how to face this difficult problem.
But Shulka is Shulka.
He thought for a while, and then replied: "Then there is only one way!"
"Do you have a solution?" Major General Panfilov's eyes widened. He couldn't believe there was anything else he could do in this situation.
"I'm listening!" Rokossovsky raised the corners of his mouth, with a smile on his face, as if he didn't believe that this "breakout hero" could think of any suitable solution... Even if there is a solution, there are loopholes, Rokosovsky Fowski believed he could easily find fault with it from the enemy's standpoint.
Major Gavrilov looked calm. If any officer present had confidence in Shulka, he would be the only one... This is a habit. Shulka has never made mistakes, and this time will be no exception. , although the situation at hand seems to have entered a dead end.
"Yes!" Shulka replied: "I think there is a feasible way, but it will require brave troops, and there will probably be heavy casualties!"
"These are not problems!" Major General Panfilov replied: "We have been prepared for a long time!"
"Tell me about your method, Comrade Shulka!" Rokossovsky couldn't wait.
"Saw-saw defense!" Shulka said, pointing at the map.
"See-saw defense?" The officers in the headquarters couldn't help but look at each other. They all came out of the military academy and had rich combat experience, but they had never heard of this tactic.
"Uh..." Shulka explained, "That's a random name I gave it!"
"You mean... no one has used this tactic before?"
"Is this a tactic you created yourself?"
"So to speak!" Shulka replied: "So, I don't know if it works!"
This is not true, it is right to name it randomly, but Shulka actually borrowed from the tactics used by the Volunteers when they fought against the U.S. Army on the Korean battlefield... The Volunteers also had no air supremacy or artillery advantage against the U.S. Army, and the gap was even far greater than this. At that time, the Soviet army was far behind the German army, but they were still able to keep the US army out of the 38th parallel.
So why doesn't Shulka borrow their combat experience?
"Simply put!" Shulka explained: "The enemy has air supremacy and artillery superiority, so the daytime belongs to the Germans. During the daytime, we only need to block the Germans as much as possible. I mean...to It is not difficult to do this, because we can blow up bridges, destroy roads, lay a large number of mines, and at the same time build layers of fortifications and retreat..."
"We cannot retreat!" Rokossovsky interrupted Shulka: "The superiors do not allow us to take a step back!"
"Yes!" Major General Panfilov agreed: "This is the second line of defense. Once we retreat, it will bring great danger to our flanks!"
"If we can control the situation!" Shulka said: "That is, we can take these positions back every night to fill the gap?"
Hearing this, Rokossovsky and others couldn't help being stunned.
Major Gavrilov agreed: "The reason why our superiors ordered us not to take a step back is because retreating will affect the morale of the entire army and cause the collapse of the entire defense line. On the other hand, it is because it is very far from Moscow. close, not much room to retreat...if we only retreat a dozen kilometers or less a day and we can get them back at night, I don't think it will affect the overall situation, and even benefit us, because the germans will be in retreat A lot of equipment was lost in the process!"
As said before, the troops who are always attacking always have their equipment and supplies in the rear, while the troops who are retreating are not.
Rokossovsky nodded, and said: "We will discuss this later, if your tactics are indeed feasible..."
"We got into trouble mainly because the temperature dropped and the rain turned to snow!" Shulka said. "This increased visibility. The enemy air force poses a huge threat to our tanks. If our tanks attack in the dark, we don't have this. The problem is the same with the enemy artillery!"
Everyone couldn't help nodding their heads in agreement after hearing the words.
This idea is obviously valid. It is difficult for airplanes and artillery to function at night, especially airplanes... Let alone this era, the U.S. military fighters during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea did not have much night combat capability.
"But our tanks don't have the ability to fight at night!" Major Zahakavic interrupted.
"The enemy's tanks also don't have the ability to fight at night!" Shulka replied: "In other words, we are at least on the same level at night, and neither of us has an advantage!"
Rokossovsky nodded, at least this is much better than facing enemy planes, artillery, and tanks during the day.
"Besides, in fact we have an advantage!" Shulka said.
"What advantage?" Major General Panfilov asked.
"Geographical advantage!" Rokossovsky replied.
"Yes, geographical advantage!" Shulka said: "For example, if we plan to retreat 20 kilometers during the day, then the 20 kilometers we retreat will be the 20 kilometers we will counterattack at night...We can plan the offensive route in advance, and we can On-the-spot investigation, you can set up ambushes or scouts, and even bury ammunition as supply points, etc.!"
"It's a good idea!" Hearing this, Major Zakhakovic's eyes lit up: "We can pave the way forward for the tanks in advance. These roads are unknown to the Germans... This can make our tanks appear suddenly. Before the enemy's line of defense!"
(end of this chapter)