Because of the blockage of the minefield, the sappers were unable to open a passage in the minefield in time, and Captain Waski still failed to complete the roundabout task assigned by the battalion commander.

In the middle of summer, the days are long and the nights are short, and at more than three o'clock in the morning, the sky is white, announcing the failure of the Soviet army's night attack tactics.

Encountering complex jungle terrain, dim sights, and well-prepared defenders, the 22nd Army did not make any progress on the front except for throwing countless corpses.

In the city of Pustoshka, in the headquarters of the 46th Panzer Army, Admiral Scheer did not sleep all night.

Receiving a telegram from the headquarters of the Imperial Division, learning that the fighting on the southern front had ceased for the time being, and that the line was unharmed, Admiral Scheer's nerves, which had been tense all night, relaxed, and with it endless weariness.

Not only in the south, but also in the east, west, north and south, the four directions of the defense line were all attacked by the Soviet infantry overnight, but fortunately, General Scheer had already prepared for a night battle, so that the Soviet army did not make any breakthrough in the night attack.

The Soviet army suffered a setback in the field, and there was a brief truce on the battlefield, and General Scheer was about to seize the time to catch up on sleep, when he suddenly remembered something.

"What's going on at the airport?" Admiral Schell asked.

"The first paratroopers have been airlifted to the battlefield," said the chief of staff, and General Studdant's telegram to us said that his plan was to airlift a battalion and regimental headquarters in the early hours of this morning, and at least one more battalion in the evening, and that by the early hours of tomorrow morning, all the paratroopers of a regiment would arrive. ”

"Very well, fighting in this terrible jungle terrain, we need the help of paratroopers too much."

After speaking, Admiral Schell turned and walked to the break room, stopping as he reached the door. Turning to the chief of staff, he said: "Remember to send a battle report to the headquarters of the army group. ”

The battle report of General Schell soon appeared in the hands of the commander of the First Army, General Kleist. And then all the way around. It was eventually sent to the wolf's den in East Prussia and placed on Hitler's desk.

Putting down the telegram in his hand and taking off his reading glasses on the bridge of his nose, Hitler raised his head and said to Goering: "Everything is as Heinz expected, and the Russians are really crazy for him." The 46th Panzer Corps was besieged by the Russians all night, but no progress was made other than to throw a pile of corpses. I've seen the photos taken back by the Air Force reconnaissance plane. Based on my combat experience in the last war, in that kind of jungle terrain, as long as the 46th Panzer Corps had sufficient ammunition, the Russians would have an infinite chance of destroying them. ”

Goering smiled and said: "Heinz said, this is called anti-guest, we should have been troubled by this terrible terrain, but after the genius of Heinz's conception and operation, the Russians' own jungle has become their nightmare." ”

Hitler nodded: "Heinz was a genius, there is no doubt about it. When this battle is over, the Russian northern defense line will completely collapse・・・・・・ hmm"

Hitler suddenly raised his head. Staring at Goering asked, "How is he feeling now?" ”

Göring crossed his arms, looked up at the ceiling, and let out a long sigh.

"He's very emotionally unstable now, I don't dare to go to see him, and now he doesn't know where to run to relax."

"I understand his feelings, and when I am free, I will enlighten him." Hitler said.

Goering was about to speak when he heard a knock on the door, and Hitler's secretary pushed the door and walked into the office.

"Führer, this is a newspaper airlifted from Berlin."

Handing the newspaper to Hitler, the secretary turned and left.

Goering got up and walked over to Hitler and picked up a newspaper.

The newspaper they read was the Volksberger newspaper, which is known as a political vane in Germany.

On the front page, there was a line of eye-catching big letters: "With One Enemy Ten - The Fearless 46th Armored Army."

Goering hurriedly skimmed through the content of the article, to the effect that the 46th Panzer Corps, as a strong force of the German Army, fought heroically on the front line of the battlefield against the Soviet Union, but because of the rapid advance speed, the lone army penetrated deep into the hinterland of the Soviet Union, was counterattacked by the superior Soviet army, and was surrounded in the area of Pustoshka City. The 10th Panzer Division of the German Army, the 2nd Waffen-SS Reich Division, and the Polish Governor's Guard, led by Lieutenant General Heinz von Rosen, the Polish Governor-General, rallied closely around the commander of the 46th Panzer Corps, General Schell, and was fearlessly resisting the siege of a Soviet army group and two mechanized corps.

"The disparity in strength is huge, and the enemy is ten times stronger than the Forty-sixth Panzer Corps, which should be enough to catch the reader's eye. This paragraph, in particular, focuses on the composition of the 46th Panzer Corps, and the argument that our Waffen-SS and Army fought side by side is conducive to unity within the army. Hitler wore reading glasses, read the newspaper and commented on the contents of the newspaper, and between his words, he was very satisfied with the content of the newspaper.

"The momentum has begun, and our next step is to issue the Iron Cross Act, and I have to make a phone call and have them deliver the printed leaflets to the frontline airfield." Goering said as he walked to the office door.

"Remember to keep up with the radio side as well." Hitler admonished.

While Goering and Hitler were busy planning the issuance and implementation of the Iron Cross Act, the heroic deeds of the 46th Panzer Army penetrating deep into the heart of the Soviet Union and being besieged by a tenfold enemy were rapidly spreading through newspapers and radio.

Also in the army headquarters in the Wolf's Den in East Prussia, the commander-in-chief of the army, Field Marshal Brauchitsch, and the chief of the General Staff, General Halder, were also reading the newspapers.

"Good article, really good article・・・・・・" Marshal Brauchitsch exclaimed as he read the newspaper.

After seeing the text on the front page of the People's Observer newspaper, the last worries in Marshal Brauchitsch's heart disappeared, and his whole body became bright.

General Halder pushed the glasses on the bridge of his nose and pursed his trademark "old lady's mouth", looking refreshed.

As the second boss of the German Army, he and Field Marshal Brauchitsch, the "leading brother" of the German Army, certainly knew the truth about the battle of Pustoska.

The two men did not have any doubts about the final victory of this battle and the combat effectiveness of the German Army, the only thing they worried about was that the propaganda of this battle was being carried out. Who will play the leading role.

As the commander of the 46th Panzer Corps. He was also the highest-ranking German soldier in the encirclement. There is no doubt that Admiral Scheer will be the protagonist in the arena of war.

However, there is one of the biggest destabilizing factors in the encirclement, the showy "Your Excellency Brother-in-law".

With him, Brauchitsch and Halder believe that Admiral Scheer's aura of the protagonist must be lost.

However, when I saw the latest "People's Observer", I saw the sentence in the text: "The 10th Panzer Division of the German Army, the 2nd Reich Division of the Waffen-SS, and the Polish Governor's Guard are closely united around the commander of the 46th Panzer Corps, General Schelle・・・・・・". The two of them let go of their worries at the same time.

This decisive battle will still be led by our army, and no one can take away the halo of the protagonist of the German army.

Not the Waffen-SS, not the Polish Governor's Guard.

Glory to the great German Army!

After finally suppressing the excitement in his heart, Halder suddenly asked, "What do you think of the Iron Cross Act?" ”

"This bill can better motivate front-line soldiers to fight bravely and help boost morale, but the part about the Knight's Iron Cross, he should link the rank of the medal to the noble title of nobility, it is really whimsical. Can anyone be a nobleman? Only those who have a noble bloodline are worthy of the title of nobility. I couldn't imagine if it were the son of my former groom. Wearing the Knight's Iron Cross, he is on an equal footing with us true and noble nobles. What kind of scene will it be. ”

Brauchitsch complained with a calm face and said, "Let's stop talking about this topic, there's no point. ”

Halder wisely followed Brauchitsch's advice, and there was really no point in talking about it, because even if they were not satisfied, they could not prevent the Iron Cross Act from being enacted.

・・・・・・

Danzig Harbor, the right edge of the wide deck of the aircraft carrier "Peter Strasse".

The commander of the 1st Aviation Division of the German Naval Aviation, Major General Adolf Garland, shook his winter melon head and kept shouting to the orderly: "A little farther away, forty meters, well, there it is." ”

After setting up the target in his hand and making sure that the target was facing Major General Garland, the orderly hurriedly ran to the side.

The adjutant handed the loaded Luger pistol to Garand, who raised his right arm with a cigar in his mouth and the muzzle of the gun aimed at the target.

"I'm impatient."

"Bang" Garland fired the first shot.

"I'm upset."

"Bang" Garland fired a second bullet.

"Our commander actually abandoned us and ran to the front line to fight the Russians alone."

"Bang" Garland fired the third shot.

Garland opened fire while talking to himself, and in less than a minute, he used up five magazines in a row.

Looking at the target that was beaten into a honeycomb, Garland brandished his pistol and shouted indistinctly: "It's boring, it's so boring to have a day without fighting." ”

Rear Admiral Garland's powerful resentment hung over the aircraft carrier Strasser and deeply infected everyone.

Summoned by Garland's powerful resentment, Colonel Leibniz, chief of staff of naval aviation, who was inspecting the Strassa, stepped out of the bridge and came to Garand's side.

"Adolf, you were just jerking off?" Leibniz asked.

"Of course it's me."

Colonel Leibniz looked at Garand's face, and then asked, "Who made you angry, your face is not very good." ”

"Who else, of course, is our Commander. Did you listen to today's broadcast, he left us behind, and took his Governor's Guard, and the army with that・・・・・・ and what army? ”

"Forty-six Panzer Corps." Leibniz said.

"Yes, the Forty-sixth Panzer Corps. An armored corps, besieged by two mechanized corps and an army group, what a scene? The enemy had ten times the strength of the forty-sixth Panzer Corps, and if you think about it, what an exciting thing it is. This kind of big scene is not easy to encounter, is it a very selfish behavior for him to leave us behind and enjoy the excitement of this big scene alone? ”

Colonel Leibniz smiled bitterly, patted Garland on the shoulder and said, "This time, I am on your side, and he is indeed selfish in doing so. ”

"There are ten times as many enemies as the Forty-sixth Panzer Corps, and after evenly dividing it, he has to take on ten enemies alone, which is a thrilling thing. But what about me, I can only have a boring handjob here, do you think my mood can be better? Garland complained.

Leibniz just smiled bitterly, and was about to comfort Garand, when he heard a voice behind him that he had not seen for a long time.

"General Garand, you are not on standby in your divisional headquarters, but you run to the aircraft carrier and fight indiscriminately, who gave you the authority? Who gave you permission to do this? ”

Colonel Leibniz and Major General Garland looked back and saw a man in the uniform of a lieutenant general and wearing an oversized pair of sunglasses standing behind them.

Although the military hat on his head and the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose covered two-thirds of his face, Garland and Leibniz still recognized the true identity of the "man in sunglasses" in front of them at a glance.

"You ・・・・・・ you shouldn't be in Pustoshka at this time? How did you end up here? Garland pointed at Chen Dao and exclaimed.

"Don't talk to me about this place, and don't ask me why I'm here." Chen Dao said angrily.

Galland and Colonel Leibniz looked at each other tacitly, and both of them could see that the mood of the immediate boss was "very unbeautiful".

Leibniz restrained his smile and asked, "Commander, are you looking for General Garand, do you have any military affairs to do?" ”

"Of course, I have military affairs to do, and I'm not in the mood to talk to you for tea now."

"Are you going to send the 1st Air Division to fight?" Leibniz asked.

Chen Dao nodded silently.

"What is the specific task?" Garland asked eagerly.

"Jerk off."

Chen Dao's tone was still gloomy, but Garland didn't care.

"Where to jerk off? Is it to hit the planes of the Russians? Garland asked.

"Of course, it's to fight the planes of the Russians, you remember, as an ace pilot of the Luftwaffe, it is your job to fight planes, don't do a bad job here."

Garland nodded repeatedly, indicating that he wanted to deeply reflect on his unorthodox behavior.

Colonel Leibniz asked: "Let's go back to the staff first, and I will arrange the movement of troops at once." ”

Chen Dao raised his right hand and stretched out two fingers.

"You have two missions, the first is to fly to the front line and drop leaflets in the Pustoshka area, if there are Russian planes to stop them and kill them all, this task will be completed by the 1st Air Division. As for you, your most important task is to place a gag order. ”

"What are we going to keep in strict secrecy?" Leibniz asked.

Chen Dao pointed to his nose and said, "I have never been here today, and you, and all the people around me, have never seen me today." (To be continued.) )