The Rise of the Third Reich

With a long whistle, a steam locomotive produced by the Petrograd Locomotive Factory drove into the Upper Volochok Railway Station with several carriages. Following this train, there was also a strange-looking armored train, which was covered with riveted steel plates from beginning to end. There were two locomotives in front and behind, and four rotating turrets on the roof, two of which were twin-mounted 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns, and two turrets were equipped with an 88mm anti-aircraft gun each.

In addition, there were firing holes on the carriages, and the muzzles of the MG08 water-cooled machine guns stretched out from these firing holes - this weapon that caused heavy casualties to the Allies during World War I was not allowed to be owned by the Germans according to the Treaty of Versailles. However, the German Wehrmacht secretly preserved many MG08s in the Baltic Republic. After Germany was rearmed, these machine guns were used to arm Germany's second-line troops. A considerable number of them were installed on armored trains.

The person who was escorted by an armored train to Upper Volochok, near the headquarters of the German 6th Panzer Army, was of course a very important person, and General Paulus, who greeted the visitor on the platform, proved this. Paulus, who had been promoted in the past two years, stood there calmly and reservedly. Looking closely at his face, one could see a bit of anxiety.

The scale of the Soviet counterattack was larger than expected. Not only did they deploy a large number of heavy tanks to attack the German (coalition) front on the Kuvshinov-Torzhok-Likuslavl line, but they also dispatched a large number of troops equipped with light tanks to make a detour from the forest area in the west of Kalinin Oblast.

According to preliminary estimates, the total number of Soviet troops used for the counterattack may have reached 500,000-1 million! And the various tanks/assault artillery deployed also reached as many as three or four thousand!

There is no doubt that the Soviet army has now launched a nearly desperate counterattack.

And the Soviet army's desperate gamble seems to be a rare opportunity to annihilate the enemy for the German army attempting to capture Moscow.

If it can be used properly, the process of capturing Moscow will be greatly accelerated.

Therefore, Paulus reported his idea to Marshal Model who was far away in Petrograd, and Marshal Model came to Upper Volochok in person.

It seems that the commander of the Northern Army Group is also thinking of the same idea!

The train made a long whistle and then slowly stopped beside the platform. The steam was still rolling on the platform, and Model was seen walking down with several adjutants and staff officers in a neat uniform and shiny calfskin boots.

"Your Excellency Marshal!" Paulus saluted the other party in German, and Model also saluted in return, and then the two walked towards the waiting building of the railway station together.

A Steyr 1.5-ton command vehicle (sedan) for senior officers had been parked outside the station for a long time, and there were guards riding motorcycles and half-track vehicles in front and behind.

After Model and Paulus got on the Steyr command vehicle together, Model asked: "What's the situation at the front? I heard that many Soviets have infiltrated by pretending to be our people?"

Paulus heard Model's question and smiled bitterly: "Marshal, those people may not be Soviets, but real Germans and Poles."

"And Germans?" Model asked, "Are they of Russian German descent?"

"No," Paulus said, "They are German Bolsheviks."

"Damn it!" Model cursed, "Have you caught them alive?"

"Not yet." Paulus shook his head, "Because they don't come to the German territory to fool around, the ones who are fooled are the White Russians and Poles. But the Polish Bolsheviks have caught several."

It was only the third day since the Soviet counterattack began. Many White Russian and Polish troops on the front were confused by the disguised Red Germans and Red Polish, making the already chaotic situation even more chaotic.

However, there were also wise people in the White Russian and Polish armies who saw through the disguise of the Red Germans and Red Polish. But shooting at Germans wearing SS uniforms is a bit risky after all... If you make a mistake, it will be very troublesome. Therefore, both the White Russians and the Polish Army are more cautious about this matter. Therefore, there are no Red Germans who have been caught, but the Red Polish Army has not received such treatment.

Model nodded and did not ask any more questions. In his opinion, this disguised infiltration operation is nothing big. The Germans also arranged for the White Russians to wear Red Army uniforms to infiltrate.

However, this infiltration operation can only cause trouble for the opponent at most, and it is impossible to play a decisive role.

"Friedrich," Model changed the subject to counterattack when the Steyr command vehicle started, "you plan to capture the city of Kalinin and cut off the retreat of the counterattack Soviet army?"

"Yes, I think this is a good opportunity." Paulus replied, "The Soviet Union may have invested a million troops and thousands of tanks. If we defeat them, Moscow's defense will become empty."

"I think so too," Model said, "but now the roads have begun to become muddy."

The Soviet Union at this time did not build a hard-surfaced road network-in fact, this is not backward, but it has not reached this stage of development. The Soviet automobile industry was very small before World War II, and transportation mainly relied on trains and horse-drawn carriages, and there was no need for a road network-so once the snow melt season came, the dirt road would quickly turn into mud, and the movement of mechanized troops would be very difficult.

If it is impossible to move, then the German Tiger tanks and E-50s are just powerful fixed firepower points.

"But muddy roads are also a problem for the Soviets," Paulus said. "The total weight of their JS-2s and T-34/85s is not light either."

"Are you trying to... lure the enemy deeper?"

"Yes!" Paulus nodded, "Lure the Soviet army to the vicinity of Upper Volochok."

The straight-line distance between Upper Volochok and Kalinin City is about 120 kilometers, and the actual driving distance must be more than 150 kilometers.

This is not a problem at all for mechanized troops when road conditions are good, and they can be in place in half a day.

But in the mud season, 150 kilometers may become a quite fatal distance!

"Want a counterattack near Verkhovna Volochok?" Model shrugged, "But the generals of the Soviet Red Army are not fools. It is impossible for them not to know the power of the Tiger and E-50. Moreover, the Soviet agents He’s not blind, is he?”

Model's eyes glanced at both sides of the street, and there were German troops on alert!

Although the legal system of the Romanov dynasty can confuse some Russians, there are still many communist fighters - this is after all 1944, not 1991 when their ideals were shattered.

Therefore, in order to welcome Model, Paulus mobilized a large number of troops to guard the city of Upper Volochok to prevent GC communist fighters from assassinating the commander of the German Army Group Northern.

In other words, Paulus also believed that there were a large number of lurking GC communist fighters in Upper Vorochok. Although the Russian Imperial Secret Service monitors the "Red October" railway very closely, if the German army really mobilizes a large number of armored troops to Veronchok via the railway, the secret will still be leaked.

"The seven armored divisions from Bologoye and Okulovka can be transported away by train," Paulus said, "and they can be deliberately discovered by Soviet agents."

Bologoye and Okulovka are both located to the north of Upper Vorochok. There are seven powerful German armored divisions there. Once they are removed, not only will the strength of the 7th Armored Group Army be greatly weakened, but the rear will also be exposed. Got a flaw.

"Only 3 armored divisions, 7 armored grenadier divisions and 13 infantry divisions?" Model asked with a frown.

Paulus's 6th Panzer Army now has 30 divisions, 26 of which belong to 6 armored corps, and 4 are directly under the jurisdiction of the army headquarters.

If seven of the armored divisions were transferred, Paulus's army would be a little short of strength.

"Although the French, White Russians and Poles each still have an army group, their strength is not strong." Model said, "They have suffered a lot of losses in the past two days. We cannot count on them... to rely on 20 German divisions. , I’m afraid it won’t be enough to defeat the Soviet army at Upper Volochok.”

"Not 20 German divisions," Paulus corrected, "but 22. There was also the 2nd Paratrooper Division in Andreapol, and the 5th SS Panzergrenadier Division in Toropets. division."

"It's not enough even if you count them," Model pressed. "Friedrich, just tell me how you want to fight."

Paulus nodded and said: "I want to deploy 7 armored divisions to Yartsev."

"Ya... Ertsev?" Model's face suddenly looked a little unhappy, "That's the territory of Army Group Center!"

Model is a commander who prefers to live alone and is reluctant to hand over his troops to others. So when I heard Paulus's suggestion, I felt a little unhappy.

Paulus just looked at his superior and said, "Commander, do you think my idea is likely to severely damage the Soviets?"

Although he didn't tell the whole story about his plan, how could Model not understand?

The purpose of transferring the seven armored divisions was to attract the Soviet army to expand its offensive - the Soviets might think they had a chance to annihilate or severely damage the 6th Armored Group Army. This way they will take the initiative to attack Vorochok during the mud season.

After the 7 armored divisions were transferred to the 4th Armored Army assigned to General Hott in Yartsev, the 4th Armored Army had as many as 17 armored divisions!

The Soviet troops deployed in the Rzhev-Sechevka-Vyazma area will definitely not be able to withstand the assault of so many armored divisions - General Hott can even forcefully launch an assault at the end of the mud season and defeat the Soviet Central Front. of the Eastern Front. Once the Soviet army's eastern front collapsed, its northern front would inevitably collapse as well.

Then the outskirts of Moscow will fall into the hands of the German army!