Chapter 296: Guderian
"What?" Von Bock looked up at the staff officer: "You mean, there are only a dozen T34s left in the Fourth Russian Tank Brigade?"
"Yes!" The staff officer replied: "It's not just us who are in trouble, Your Excellency, the Russians are also on the verge of collapse. The fourth tank brigade we have been worrying about has already been drawn from various units before this. T34, after several fierce battles, especially the Tver battle, they have suffered heavy losses and their strength is far worse than before!"
Von Bock nodded.
This is consistent with the previous intelligence, especially the battle of Tver... Although the German army was a complete failure in that battle, it was difficult to pose a real threat to Moscow even because the bridge was blown up by the Russian army and it was difficult to supply supplies to the north.
Now, von Bock can only pin his hopes of attacking Moscow on the central and southern regions.
However, the T34 lost by the Soviet army in Tver is real. The wreckage of the tanks, the corpses of the tank soldiers, and the ones captured by the Germans because of malfunctions... The Germans even repaired a few of them and changed them immediately. The camouflage is incorporated into its own armor unit.
It was a very good tank. Von Bock even believed that as long as the fourth tank brigade had enough T34s, the German army would never be able to attack Moscow.
But now... here's my chance!
Von Bock looked at the map, and immediately called Guderian, commander of the 2nd Armored Group.
"Good news!" Von Bock said: "We have received exact information that the Russian T34 is seriously insufficient!"
"We have always known this, Your Excellency the Marshal!" Guderian replied: "They lack all the equipment, but we are not much better!"
"No, this time is different!" Von Bock said: "Can you believe it? The Fourth Tank Brigade only has a dozen T34s. We are not sure how many, but no more than twenty!"
"4th Tank Brigade? You mean the 'T34 Unit'?"
The Fourth Tank Brigade was called the "T34 Unit" by the German army because it was all equipped with T34.
In addition to this, the Fourth Tank Brigade has other nicknames, such as "Death Tank Brigade", "Breakout Tank Brigade", etc., but "T34 Troop" is the most commonly used.
"Yes!" Von Bock replied: "But it can't be called a 'T34' unit now, because they use a large number of T26 and KV1 tanks to fill their numbers!"
"Hmm!" Guderian did not show the excitement von Bock imagined.
"I think that's why they didn't counterattack Tula and chose to block the 3rd Armored Division with landmines!" Von Bock continued: "They are hiding themselves, trying not to expose their weaknesses to us. But Just let us know!"
"Do you think we should attack, Marshal?" Guderian asked.
"Of course!" Von Bock said, "Why not? We don't have much time left, who knows how many degrees the temperature will drop, I only know that the more we delay, the worse it will be for us! At that time, there is no need Russians, the weather will freeze us to death outside Moscow! So let your 3rd Armored Division go, I'm sure those mines won't stop their tracks!"
"Yes, Your Excellency the Marshal!" Guderian replied.
After putting down the phone, Guderian fell into deep thought.
Although he couldn't see anything wrong with it, his intuition made him a little scared... Guderian knew that the more at this time, that is, when the situation required the German army to attack and win quickly, the less impatient.
Because, the consequence of impatience is often the loss of the chance to win in the end.
However, how to solve the situation in front of us?
If the trap in front of the 3rd Armored Division is a Russian trap, then what is this trap?
Guderian cast his eyes on the map, and after thinking for a while, a plan formed in his mind.
Then, Guderian got in touch with von Bock.
"Your Excellency Marshal!" Guderian said, "I have a suggestion... We all know that the Russian Army has only one Fourth Tank Brigade!"
"Yes!"
"If the fourth tank brigade lacks T34, then other tank units may lack even more!"
"certainly!"
"Then why don't we attack on both sides?" Guderian said: "It is impossible for the fourth tank brigade to divide into two directions for defense, isn't it?"
Shuerka got the news at dawn the next day.
The 4th Tank Brigade adopted the strategy of training at night and lurking during the day, not only because the battle they were about to fight was a night battle, but also because it was a trick to deceive the Germans... If they also trained during the day, the tanks would be easily exposed to the enemy's reconnaissance planes. Instead, it makes the lie untrue.
While Shulka was lying on the bed "whirring" sound asleep, he was woken up by Major Gavrilov.
"There is a situation!" Major Gavrilov said: "The Germans are attacking!"
Shulka let out an "oh" and felt a little strange at the same time... The German attack should be expected, why wake him up!
Shulka just wanted to lie down and continue to sleep, but was dragged up by Major Gavrilov: "The meeting, Comrade Shulka, you will sleep in the future!"
Drowsily dragged to the command post, Shulka didn't even open his eyes... Last night he trained all night, and he was woken up just after he lay down and didn't sleep for a long time. Sometimes Shulka would rather be shot on the battlefield. The shells exploded to pieces, and then they didn't have to live so hard.
"The Germans concentrated their forces and launched a fierce attack on our defense line!" Major Zakhakovich said: "But it is not Tula, but Volokolamsk!"
"What?" Hearing this, Shulka's drowsiness disappeared in an instant: "Volokolamsk?"
"Yes, Volokolamsk!" Major Zakhakovich replied: "The 3rd Armored Division in the direction of Tula is still standing still."
"So..." Major Gavrilov said: "Our 'showing the enemy's weakness' has indeed worked, but the effect is not as we imagined, it will lead the German 3rd Armored Division into the minefield, but Let the Germans intensify their attack on Volokolamsk!"
This change caught everyone off guard, including Shulka.
Now how to do? !
Reinforcement of Volokolamsk?
Or counterattack Tula?
Choosing the former means that the task of the superior cannot be completed, and choosing the latter means that Volokolamsk may be in danger!
"We can send reinforcements to Volokolamsk!" Major Gavrilov said: "Our reserve force rescued from Tver!"
"It's been done!" said Major Zakhakovic. "The question is Tulla...do they see something?"
(end of this chapter)