The Rise of the Third Reich

"Marshal, the 1st Armored Army reported that they encountered Soviet mechanized troops of at least corps level near Collective Farm No. 13 in Klimovich City in Mogilev Oblast."

In the early morning of May 9, Lieutenant General Otto Weiler informed Manstein of the latest battle report just sent by the headquarters of the 1st Armored Group Army.

"Legion level? Are you sure?" Manstein stood next to the huge sand table, arms crossed, watching the staff put a model symbolizing the Soviet tank corps in place.

"To be sure," Otto Weller replied, "a division-level armored cavalry group commanded by Lieutenant General Lendsky has been blocked by the Soviet mechanized army since yesterday afternoon, losing more than 30 No. 4 tanks and More than 20 armored vehicles failed to successfully break into the No. 13 collective farm surrounded by the Soviet army. "

Being able to withstand a division-level armored cavalry group for more than ten hours is at least a Soviet tank corps or mechanized corps!

Otto Weller presented a second piece of evidence, "Moreover, through interrogation of prisoners, we learned that the troops fighting against the Lendsky Group came from the 5th Mechanized Army under the Soviet 5th Tank Army." He said, " It can be judged from this that the Soviet 5th Tank Army is located in the southern Smolensk Oblast near Klimovich.”

Although the troops commanded by General Lukin arrived and withstood the Lendsky Group's repeated attacks, they still paid a heavy price. Especially on the afternoon of May 8, when German aircraft could be dispatched, Lukin's troops were attacked one after another. After breaking through the two lines of defense, of course there were many who were not determined and betrayed the Soviet motherland.

However, the Germans did not get much useful information from these Soviet traitors, because those captured were not big traitors, just small fish and shrimps. In addition to knowing the number and affiliation of the unit, they had no knowledge of Lu Jin's Operational deployment is unknown.

Of course, there were also several captured tank crew members who confessed about the circle around Collective Farm No. 13 last night, but some others denied that such a thing existed. Therefore, the German troops on the Klimovich front were also confused about the situation.

"What happened to Collective Farm No. 13?" Manstein asked again about the besieged collective farm.

"They are still resisting, but the troops have suffered heavy losses. Now there are less than 100 people left who can continue to fight." Lieutenant General Weller said, "Because they are defending Ukrainians, they fought particularly tenaciously and no one surrendered. "

"Order the 1st Armored Group to find a way to rescue those brave Ukrainians." Manstein issued an order that he didn't know whether he could implement - but in order to appease the Ukrainian cannon fodder, the order had to be issued.

After issuing the order to rescue Ukrainian cannon fodder, Manstein focused his attention on the 5th Soviet Tank Army that was blocking the Lendsky Cluster.

"We have to destroy this Soviet tank army!" Manstein said, "if it is really there!"

Since the implementation of the "Purple Plan", this is the first time the German army has encountered the first-level Soviet tank unit of the Army Group! Even if it wasn't so certain, Manstein wouldn't let it go.

"General Mackensen's view is the same as yours." Lieutenant General Weller handed Manstein a combat draft sent by General Mackensen via telegram, "Marshal, General Mackensen plans to use the 11th Armored The army went north to seek a decisive battle, and at the same time asked the 3rd Armored Army to send the 24th Armored Corps from Oryosha to Roslavl to outflank the 5th Soviet Tank Army."

The 11th Armored Corps, commanded by General Hans-Karl von Ezebeck, consists of three divisions: the 6th Armored Division, the 10th Armored Division, and the 1st SS Panzergrenadier Division, with less than 5 people. Thousands of people, but with more than 1,000 tanks/assault artillery, it is definitely a powerful mechanized strike force.

The 24th Panzer Army, commanded by General Hermann Balck, has the 9th Panzer Division, the 22nd Panzergrenadier Division and the 2nd SS Panzergrenadier Division, although its strength is not as strong as that of the 11th Panzer Army. It is powerful, but its combat power is higher than that of a Soviet tank army. There should be no problem.

Now that General Mackensen is planning to use two armored corps to encircle and destroy a Soviet tank group, he should be quite confident.

"I think it's okay," Manstein nodded. "Put the 24th Armored Corps under the command of the 1st Armored Army, and let General Mackensen command this battle."

It is certain that General Mackensen is not as capable as Model of the 3rd Armored Army, but his father is Marshal Augusta von Mackensen, who is an antique-level veteran who has survived to the present day during the Second Empire. .

Therefore, the credit for destroying the 5th Soviet Tank Army can only be given to General Mackensen, and General Mackensen still has the ability. His current status is not entirely due to his father.

"Marshal, General Hoth sent a telegram. The 56th Armored Corps has just completed its detour from the south of Smolensk and occupied Talashkino. Now Smolensk is surrounded by our army on three sides. General Huote asked for instructions, do you want to close the encirclement?"

"No need." Manstein shook his head, "Leave a path for the Smolensk defenders to escape."

Smolensk is a "must-take" city because it is the location of the railway hub. If Smolensk is taken, the German army's logistics line in the western battlefield of Russia will be able to rely on railways instead of roads (actually dirt roads). Therefore, Manstein decided to adopt the tactic of surrounding three buildings and capturing the city as soon as possible.

"In addition, General Huth also reported the discovery of many mass graves in the Katyn Forest area west of Smolensk."

"A mass grave was discovered?" Manstein didn't show any surprise, he just asked, "Who were buried this time?"

"They are all Poles captured by the Soviet Union," Lieutenant General Weiler replied expressionlessly. "They may have been killed a few months to a year ago. Now the corpses are all highly decomposed, and some only have bones left."

"Are they all prisoners of war?" Manstein said with an indifferent expression - he actually had no prejudice against the Poles, but like the German officers of his generation, he extremely hated the soldiers of the Second Polish Republic!

"Not all are prisoners of war, there are also some civilians." Lieutenant General Weller said, "At least their clothes look like civilians."

"Oh, they should be capitalists, landlords or something like that in Western Belarus, right?" Manstein shook his head, "Report it."

In fact, this is not the first time that a similar situation has occurred. A few months ago, when the German army attacked Right Bank Ukraine, mass graves were dug. There were many civilians among the corpses dug up at that time. After investigation, it was found that they were various bad elements from right-bank Ukraine. During this time, the Propaganda Minister Dr. Goebbels, who never told lies, was spreading the word throughout Europe.

Of course the Soviet Union denied it, and even bitten Germany. However, no one in the world would believe the Soviet Union's statement, because according to the 1926 "Criminal Code" published by the Soviet Union, it is completely legal to shoot hundreds of thousands of people in Right Bank Ukraine. If not so many were shot, it would be Khrushchev. Comrade Husband has neglected his duty.

And in the era of the Soviet Russian Revolution, Cheka soldiers killed many people in Russia!

"There is another important situation." Lieutenant General Weller handed Manstein another telegram. "Notice from the Northern Army Group Headquarters. Last night, the Soviet army launched a violent artillery bombardment on Liuban, southeast of Leningrad." , using at least 2,000 suppression artillery pieces!”

"2,000 cannons?" Manstein smiled slightly, "Do the Soviets want to take the opportunity to relieve Leningrad?"

Weller said with a smile: "That should be the case. This city has been besieged for almost a year. The food in the city is close to being exhausted. If the siege is not lifted, it may become Petrograd!"

…

"Comrade General Secretary, good news!"

On the afternoon of May 9, the long-lost good news finally appeared in the Red Army Supreme Command in the Kremlin.

Marshal Pavlov said: "The Air Force discovered an unusually large armored convoy on the road from Lechica to Kremovich... There were probably thousands of various tanks, assault guns and cars! We estimate that this is an army-level armored group!"

"Is this the main force of the German Army's South Road Cluster?" Stalin asked, holding a pipe and a relaxed expression on his face.

"At least half of the main force." Pavlov replied, "According to reports from the Southwestern Front, they also discovered German armored groups in the northern part of Cherninov Oblast, and one of them also seized the German armored group on the Desna River. A ferry is currently being built with a pontoon bridge.”

"What?" Stalin's face became serious again, "Are they going to cross the Desna River to outflank the Southwest Front?"

"They can't do it," said Chief of General Staff Shaposhnikov. "The 4th Tank Army has now arrived near the Desna River. Once the Germans cross the river in large numbers, the 4th Tank Army will push them back." "

Pavlov saw that Stalin's brows were still frowning, and he quickly added: "Now the German army's center group is divided into two groups, and both lines are the main forces, so the middle line must be empty, with at most 1-2 The armored divisions plus some panzergrenadier divisions cannot stop the huge strength of the 1st and 2nd tank armies.”

Stalin finally smiled, "In other words, in the upcoming Battle of the Junction, the Red Army is sure of victory?"

"Yes, we are sure!" Pavlov replied, "Not only are we sure about the Battle of the Junction, but we are also very sure about the Battle of Veliky Luki-Leningrad. Because once our army takes over in the Battle of the Junction If we have the upper hand, then the German armored groups currently around Smolensk will definitely divide their forces and move south, and then the raid on Velikiy Luki will be successful. "