The Rise of the Third Reich

On the night of May 5, the battlefield in the northern part of Moscow Oblast was in a unique tranquility before the war.

Of course, it was not the kind of tranquility without any sound. The rumbling of artillery still sounded in many places. This was the Soviet artillery firing aimlessly. Under the cover of the rumbling of artillery, a series of steel behemoths staggered through the night.

Because there were still German night reconnaissance planes hovering in the sky, the Soviet tanks and other combat vehicles that entered did not turn on their lights. The turret (combat compartment) hatches and cockpit doors of JS-2, T-34/85 and SU-57 tanks were open. The commander and the driver both stuck their heads out, guided by the faint moonlight, and drove the vehicle carefully, moving along the more eye-catching white line on the ground (sprinkled with white lime).

In addition to these tanks and assault guns that entered the hidden attack positions under the cover of night on May 5, countless Soviet artillery pieces were also silently shifting positions. In order to ensure the victory of this major counterattack that was related to the future and destiny of the Soviet Union and the Bolshevik Party, the Soviet High Command not only tried its best to mobilize tanks and assault guns, but also concentrated a large number of artillery pieces. Including the most common 152mm and 122mm howitzers, the almost "disposable" ZIS-3 cannon (76.2mm), the A-1 that can destroy the E-50A tank, etc., a total of more than 3,000 guns were mobilized!

In addition, the Soviet army also took out millions of artillery shells of various calibers from the underground warehouses in Moscow, and now trucks and mule carts are transporting them to the front of the battlefield.

Nearly 100,000 engineers and strong infantrymen are now carrying shovels and other construction tools and marching forward in a mighty manner. Their task was nothing but to dig artillery bunkers for more than 3,000 Soviet artillery pieces and arrange various camouflages.

In addition to these artillery pieces that were not easy to move, the Soviets also concentrated a large number of Katyusha rocket launchers, a total of more than 800. Now these "Katyushas" are also advancing along the roads leading to the front line, and will be deployed in place tonight.

Tomorrow evening, these more than 800 "Katyushas" will roar first and launch tens of thousands of powerful rockets at the heads of the German invaders!

On the same night, the German army, knowing that they would be attacked by the Soviet army, also stayed up all night, building fortifications all night long and preparing for battle!

They received reinforcements during the day on May 5th, because the ground had dried up and the road's traffic capacity had greatly improved. So Opel, Steyr, BMW and Mercedes trucks brought a large amount of ammunition and gasoline to General Balck, and also brought several artillery regiments equipped with 150mm howitzers, and several German vehicle-mounted rocket artillery regiments also drove up, each equipped with dozens of rocket launchers called "Hessmann's Organ" and the same number of Type 41 rocket launchers that can be thrown away after use.

The German Air Force did not slack off because the road was accessible to trucks, but instead increased the intensity of airdrops-because other German troops on the western front of Moscow did not need airdrops, and all Fokker 42s could serve the 48th Panzer Corps. These planes not only dropped ammunition and gasoline, but also a large number of "tank killer" and "doll" rocket launchers and ammunition.

The official code names of the two rocket launchers are RPzb54 (tank killer rocket launcher) and paketenwerfer43 type 88mm rocket launcher (doll). The former is a cylindrical rocket launcher with an effective range of 180 meters. The latter is an upgraded version of the former, with a small gun mount, which looks like a small artillery with an effective range of up to 300 meters. "Tank Killer" and "Doll" are now together with "Panzerfaust", which are the three anti-tank treasures of the German light forces. "Panzerfaust" is usually assigned to platoon and company units, "Tank Killer" is assigned to battalion level, and "Doll" is configured at regiment level and mixed with 75mm anti-tank guns or 50mm anti-tank guns.

Now the "Tank Killer" and "Doll" dropped from the air are used by paratroopers assigned to the 48th Armored Corps. Because the current German paratroopers have received rigorous training, everyone can skillfully use a variety of weapons, including rocket launchers.

In addition, the FG-1250 night vision telescope is also installed on the "Doll" rocket launcher dropped from the air. German paratroopers using this "night battle doll" can ambush Soviet tank clusters at night with the help of the "Owl" night battle searchlight vehicle.

However, if the German paratroopers wanted to use the "Night Fighter Doll" to deal a heavy blow to the Soviet tank sea, they had to withstand the sea of ​​fire from the Soviet artillery first!

...

On the night of May 5, 1944, the battlefield north of Moscow.

The sound of gunfire and light artillery fire began at 8 o'clock in the evening around the Volokolamsk-Rama River-Solnechnogorsk triangle controlled by the German army. The sounds of various machine guns, rifles, submachine guns, and automatic carbines (assault rifles) equipped by the Soviet and German armies came one after another, and occasionally there were mortars and various flat-fire artillery roars. This was a fierce exchange of fire between the reconnaissance patrols of the Soviet and German armies!

It turned out that after dark on May 5, the Soviet and German scouts and patrol units began activities with dozens of times more enthusiasm than during the day. They all seemed to want to control the battlefield between the two armies facing each other shrouded in darkness, prevent the enemy's reconnaissance team from infiltrating, and at the same time find ways to penetrate behind the opponent's battle lines in order to find out their activities tonight.

So on the eve of the decisive battle, hand-to-hand battles between small units from both sides suddenly started across the entire front. Various light armored vehicles rushed at each other, the infantry fired ferociously, and the infiltration teams wearing the opponent's military uniforms also showed their special abilities, until the front lines of the two armies were disrupted. It became a pot of porridge.

The German staff officers at all levels also arrived at the forefront under the cover of the troops and began to observe the situation on the spot to determine the Soviet army's intentions. The situation has now become obvious. The Soviet army is desperately mobilizing troops and is obviously preparing to launch a large-scale offensive. We'll start tomorrow or the night after tomorrow!

Imperial Marshal Hessmann, who had just taken a long nap, finished his dinner hastily and returned to the first war room. Almost immediately, a large amount of battlefield information was transferred from Army Group Center. The conclusion is obvious. As expected, the Soviet army is ready to concentrate all its efforts on attacking the 48th Armored Corps! A large number of tanks, artillery and infantry are in place. The Soviet army has invested a large number of troops to compete for every position that can be used as a starting position for the tank group.

"Tomorrow? Or the day after tomorrow?"

Hersmann asked Guderian, Second Munitions Director Jodl and Third Munitions Director Zeitzler, who were meeting next to the map table to study the battle situation. These three munitions directors, plus the three operations officers of the combat bureau, are the think tanks that Hersman relies on in the General Staff of the Wehrmacht. They were actually responsible for commanding the European coalition's operations on the Eastern Front.

"The 75% probability will be after dark tomorrow." Of course Guderian understood what Hessmann's question meant - Hessman was asking when the Soviet army's general offensive would be launched.

"That's tomorrow!" Hessman walked to the map table and looked at the densely packed unit numbers and red and blue arrows on the map with his hands behind his back.

"So...can we start first?" Hessman looked at it for a while and asked suddenly.

"Start first?" Guderian was a little confused. "You mean to let the 48th Armored Corps attack first?"

"No, of course not." Hessman shook his head. "What I mean is whether we can conduct a round of artillery bombardment and air strikes on possible Soviet assembly positions and artillery positions 1-2 hours before the Soviet army launches its attack." ?”

This is a trick that the Soviet army used in Kursk in history, and now Hessmann wants to use it too.

When the two generals Zeitzler and Yoder heard Hessmann's suggestion, their eyes lit up.

"I think it is possible," Zeitzler said. "The Soviet army will use night maneuvers and will basically be in place tonight. Although they may not necessarily enter the attack launch position, they will not leave too far. Our artillery and air strikes should have Gained.”

Jodel thought about it and said: "Based on past experience, the Soviet long-range artillery will enter the firing position tonight. Other offensive troops will enter the preparation position tonight, and then enter the starting position tomorrow evening or after dark, waiting for the attack Once the troops are in position, the bombardment will begin.

If we want to arrange artillery bombardment and air strikes in advance, then they should be carried out between 7 and 8 o'clock tomorrow evening. However... doing so may also expose the target and provide a direction for the Soviet artillery counterattack. "

"Just use rocket launchers, Wasp self-propelled artillery, Rhino tank destroyers and Jaguar tank destroyers." Guderian waved his hand indifferently, "On the contrary, we can let the Air Force's Do217, Ju188 and Fw189 take off, as long as the Soviet artillery group fires To counterattack, the Do217 can carry out air strikes, and the Fw189 can also guide our towed howitzers to counterattack."

Many Soviet artillery did not have muzzle flash suppressors, so firing at night was easily detected by German aircraft. However, the attack effect of German aircraft at night is also poor. It is difficult for Fw-190F/G and Hs-129 to deploy (their attack height is too high and it is easy to hit something at night). They can only use Do217 and Ju188 to drop bombs horizontally.

In addition, the Fw189 artillery school machine can also work at night. The artillery observers riding on it can roughly determine the position of the Soviet artillery group by visually detecting the Soviet muzzle flash and tracer bullets, thereby guiding several German towed artillery units. The regiment shoots.

There is no need to destroy many Soviet artillery pieces. As long as they dare not let go and fight, the pressure on the 48th Armored Corps in the night battle on May 6 will be greatly reduced!