If the first round of attacks by the Guard Flag Division and the Youth Division was relatively "scorched" because the other side had a preset position, the attack of the Imperial Division and the Skeleton Division on the second day could be called devastating, and the tactics of the two divisions were exactly the same as yesterday, and they were still in a standard wedge-shaped attack formation, but because the ambush positions arranged by the rapidly retreating Red Army were beaten by the Germans equipped with night vision equipment at night, and the density of mines was not as dense as the previous day, the Red Army tank units were directly defeated by the two armored regiments, and it was more than 10 o'clock. However, after only four hours of fighting, more than 200 Red Army tanks and tank destroyers were destroyed. Pen, fun, and www.biquge.info

What's even worse is that the Luftwaffe dispatched more than 700 planes to pour fire on the main breakthrough, so that more than 100 Il-2 attack planes mobilized by the Red Army were destroyed or shot down without any leeway, and the three artillery regiments of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps, which were responsible for the defense of the right flank, were killed by the German Ju-188\Fw-190F and other planes without even engaging the enemy, so that when the German army attacked with Grizzlies, Wasps and Himmler organs, the Red Army could not find the strength to suppress at all, at noon, The two divisions had broken through to the enemy's positions for more than 60 kilometers, and if it were not for the timely arrival of the follow-up troops of the 38th Army, the entire 5th Guards Tank Army would have faced collapse.

What made everyone in the Stalingrad command even more gasp was that the 24th and 1st Guards armies of the Red Army, which had just ordered to turn to attack the Hausser cluster at night, ran headlong into the Guards Flag Division and the Youth Division that were resting, Piper and Meyer were originally depressed because they could not participate in today's battle, but they were so happy to find that someone dared to come to Tai Sui's head to break ground, and directly led more than 300 tanks that had just been repaired to attack the nest.

"You mean, the 1st Guards Army ran into the main forces of the SS Panzer Army?"

"Yes, they encountered at least 300 tanks, many of them were new equipment, except for the Tiger, and they didn't even see a No. 4." Rokossovsky complained to Zhukov almost in tears, "The losses of the troops are too great, they lost 3 division commanders and 1 army commander in one morning!" ”

"So, your tank 5th Guards Army also said that it was attacked by the enemy's main forces, and there were at least 400 tanks?"

"Yes!" Vatutin's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and the elite Guards Army, which originally had 80,000 troops and more than 600 tanks (Tan Annihilation), not only lost its commander, but also lost nearly 500 tanks.

Zhukov slapped the table hard: "There must be a ghost in this case, either there are new enemy troops coming, or your subordinates are lying about the military situation!" ”

Vatutin and Rokossovsky angrily called confidential staff officers to inquire about the details and verify the situation of the battle, and after some investigation, they finally found out: yesterday it was two SS divisions that attacked, and today it is two SS panzer divisions that are attacked, but they are not the same people, and yesterday's attackers have become today's counterattack against Rokossovsky's troops.

Everyone's hearts were shocked: according to this figure, this unprecedented SS Panzer Army had more than 1,200 tanks (Tan Annihilation)? And it's all new gear? It's scary, better than two Guards Tank Army! No wonder the 5th Guards Tank Army, which was originally quite neat, was crippled by the opponent in just 2 days.

"I can't beat it." Zhukov muttered to himself, "Hort's troops are also attacking, let the troops hurry up to ......"

"Towards the ......" was repeated three times, but it could not come out with a definite direction: the Hausser cluster was blocking the way to the north, and the 4th Panzer Army was on the offensive to the west and south; Not far to the east is the main force of the Kleist cluster. Whether it was fleeing back to Stalingrad or joining up with the Chernyakhovsky offensive group or joining up with Yeremenko's two armies, there were strong German units in between, and although the enemy did not start an encirclement posture, they were already caught in a trap and could not escape at all.

"Or?" Rokossovsky whispered, "While the enemy's encirclement has not yet been finally formed, let the comrades disperse and break through?" ”

Zhukov shook his head: there are still more than 100,000 people in 2 army groups, and a scattered breakthrough means that heavy equipment must be abandoned, and it is a dead word to face mechanized German troops and even Cossack cavalry in the Caucasian steppe.

He gritted his teeth word by word and ordered: "Hold on to the place, fight to the last man, and buy time for the retreat of the 38th Army and the 5th Guards Tank Army!" ”

Rokossovsky was like five thunderbolts, and he was stunned and speechless -- once these two armies were lost, there would be only 200,000 troops to hold Stalingrad.

Zhukov seemed to see his thoughts, and added: "Let Comrade Vatutin's troops retreat to Stalingrad and assist in the defense of the city." ”

Vatutin was a little anxious, but he didn't dare to say anything, these two group armies were forced to hold on to cover the retreat of his troops, and if everyone wanted to run, no one could run in the end.

As he spoke, a new emergency military intelligence was sent: "SS Panzer Army appeared in Alexandrovkey, the 3rd Army was repulsed by the enemy, with losses of more than 30,000, and urgent reinforcements were requested......"

And the SS Panzer Army? Vatutin was already as pale as the earth: the 3rd Army was one of the first armies to be formed, and in terms of combat effectiveness, it was second only to the 5th Guards Tank Army in its front army, how could it be routed by the enemy in one morning?

"Did you find out the number?"

According to incomplete statistics, it includes the SS-5 Viking Division, the SS-6 Northern Division, the SS-7 Florian-Gaelic Cavalry Division, the SS-8 Hohenstaufen Panzer Division, the SS-9 Flensburg Panzer Division and other units...... The total number of tanks is more than 1500 units. ”

Different from Hausser's cautious strategy of attacking in 10,000 rounds and advancing in waves, Guderian let Dietrich let it go, with the Viking division in the center, 2 Tiger and 2 heavy armored battalions as the spearhead, and one panzer division and one panzergrenadier division on the left and right flanks.

Zhukov seemed to have been beaten hard from top to bottom, only to feel that the world was spinning, and he almost fell to the ground, and the surrounding staff officers were all exclaimed, and Vatutin and Rokossovsky finally helped him quickly, only to hear him whisper: "Prepare a plane for me, I will go to Moscow to find Comrade Stalin." ”

"What now?" The most urgent just now was Rokossovsky, and now he has been replaced by Vatutin, his two best army groups are in danger, and the right flank is crushed, and the rear road is facing being copied by the Germans, and there is almost no way out.

"What else can I do, prepare for the whole army to shrink and retreat." Zhukov's tears welled up, "Prepare to abandon Stalingrad." ”

"Huh?" Everyone was stunned.

Zhukov struggled to his feet and walked to the map, took the red and blue pencil in the staff officer's hand and began to sketch it, and following his outline, a large net surrounded by eight sides began to take shape.

Southwest: German landings in Poti and Batumi;

Southeast: German sortie from Iran;

South: Kleist clusters are unmoving;

West: Hult cluster attacks;

Northwest: Guderian cluster raid;

Northeast: Army Group Eastern made a direct attack on Uralsk;

Heart: Hauser cluster left and right bows.

According to the information obtained, the German army has at least 3 million troops (2.7 million in fact, the German army is in the early 2 million), 7,000 tanks (6,200 in fact), and 8,000 aircraft (7,200 in fact), while the Red Army in the encirclement is only 2.1 million (only 1.95 million after counting today's battle losses), 2,800 tanks and less than 3,000 aircraft, and is far from being an opponent in terms of experience, combat effectiveness, advanced equipment, and material supply.

Under this impenetrable net, only the north and east seem to have a little gap, but everyone knows that further north is the central battlefield, and when the time comes, it will run headlong into the 2nd and 3rd Panzer armies of the German Army Group Center.

"Can you get some troops from the direction of Moscow to come to the rescue?" Vatujin first mentioned it, and then he denied himself again.

There are still 4 front armies in the direction of Moscow, adding up to more than 1.6 million troops, but the strength of the three army groups of the axis they are facing is also more than 1.5 million, and if they want to rescue, they must transfer at least 2 main forces of the front army to be sure, not to mention how much loss will be suffered by rushing through the central army group, even if it really rushes out, what if it really rushes out? Doesn't Moscow want it?

"In this way, only the east has a chance to live...... Crossing the Caspian Sea and retreating in a roundabout way to Central Asia! A young staff officer said something timidly, causing a circle of angry eyes to look around, and immediately lowered his head and did not dare to make a sound.

Zhukov, Rokossovsky and Vatutin looked at each other and smiled bitterly: Is there a road in the east? There are roads on the map, but in fact there are no roads -- the terrain of Central Asia, lack of food and clothing, heavy troops to pursue, 1.8 million troops enter, 180,000 troops can retreat, it is good.

The two knew what he meant by going to Moscow: the war, the Soviets had lost, and he was going to persuade Comrade Stalin to cease the war - almost synonymous with surrender.

"But ......"

"It's me who is sorry for the party, sorry for Comrade Stalin, and so far, there is nothing to hide." Zhukov barely squeezed out a smile, "I originally said that the battle would be stopped after this battle, but now it's okay to sacrifice some comrades less, and I will do a little less evil." ”

At 15 o'clock in the afternoon of May 27, Zhukov boarded the plane to the north in a hurry. One hour ago, all the orders to retreat or hold on had been given, and 15 minutes ago, news came from Orenburg that the city had fallen, 40,000 defenders (including more than 5,000 female soldiers) were either killed or surrendered, and the 6th Panzer Army, the first force under Marshal Weix, quickly rushed to Uralsk, where there were only less than 50,000 second-line troops......