Ninety kilometers east of the inner city of Rom, Sumy, the headquarters of the steppe front was dead. Pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info

"Sure enough, the gap in hard combat effectiveness is not so easy to make up."

Rokossovsky said.

Next to Rokossovsky, there stood a major general with a depressed expression, who was none other than the commander of the 2nd Mechanized Army, Serskoye.

"Those BT tanks of the 15th Motorized Rifle Division were not at all opponents of the German tanks, and their counterattacks did not work at all. The tank regiment collapsed, the two motorized infantry regiments could not stop the German attack at all, the 15th motorized infantry division followed and collapsed, and then the flanks of the 16th tank division were exposed. ”

"Then there was the reoccupation of Romney by the Germans, and you fled here." Rokossovsky said the following for Celskoye.

"It's not your fault, our tactics are not wrong, my prediction is not wrong, Rommel is back. He bluffed, pretended to be going to hit Kyiv, and thought I was going to be fooled. It is a pity that we are completely backward in terms of troop formation, personnel quality, and tank performance, so that he will be able to reoccupy Romne. His next step will definitely be to break through to the north and go to Connoto. ”

"What should we do?" Saylskoye asked.

"You take the remnants of the 15th Motorized Division and the remnants of the 16th Tank Division to the east of Romney, continue to monitor Romney, and once Rommel breaks through to the north, you launch an attack on Romney, harass his rear, so that he cannot devote all his energy to the breakthrough."

"What about the Eleventh Tank Division?" Saylskoye asked.

"Placing them under the command of the 4th Mechanized Corps, in the Konoto direction, the enemy's troops will definitely cooperate with Rommel's breakthrough, with them and an infantry corps of the 63rd Army, even if they are attacked from both sides in the Romney and Konoto directions, it will be enough to hold out until reinforcements arrive."

Sending Serskoye away, Rokossovsky asked: "Where is the 8th Mechanized Corps?" ”

"The military headquarters has arrived in Actika, and the vanguard will not be able to reach Romne until early tomorrow morning." said the chief of staff.

"Let them divide a division, follow the path of Hajic and Cervonoza, attack Romny from the south, and when Rommel breaks through, kick him in the ass." Rokossovsky said.

Having arranged the battle plan of the troops, Rokossovsky walked to the side lounge.

In order to encircle and suppress Rommel, the Fourth and Eighth Mechanized Corps were forced to fight before they could complete their replenishment, which was bound to have a major negative impact on the subsequent operations.

If you lose too much in the battle to encircle Rommel and block German reinforcements, what will you do to fill the holes in the battle to protect the Dnieper defense line later?

Thinking about it, Rokossovsky decided to write a report.

This kind of establishment of the mechanized army can no longer meet the needs of the battlefield, it is too bloated, and it is inconvenient to command, and there are 1,031 tanks in one army and three divisions.

Not only that, but two tank divisions were responsible for crushing the enemy, and motorized divisions, equipped only with light tanks, were responsible for pursuing the enemy, and the tactics of going deep behind enemy lines like light cavalry existed only in fantasy.

It is necessary to equip motorized divisions with T-34 tanks to increase their combat effectiveness.

The T-34 and KV-1 tanks were to be equipped with more powerful tank guns.

To add more infantry to tank divisions, a motorized infantry regiment is simply not enough.

It is also necessary to equip all tanks with radios・・・・・・

Thinking about it, Rokossovsky pulled his hair in pain, feeling that he had a tendency to go crazy, and that in order to win the battle, there were so many things to change in the armored forces.

After smoking, Rokossovsky returned to his office, spread out the blank paper, took out a pen, and wrote a large line on the top of the white paper: "Suggestions for rectification of armored forces".

・・・・・・

East Prussia, Wolf's Lair.

Hitler crossed his arms and tapped his left arm happily with the index and middle fingers of his right hand, showing that he was in a good mood.

"It turns out that this is the case, a feint in the direction of Kyiv, first crush the troops from the direction of Kyiv so as not to be besieged, and then turn back and reoccupy Romne, crush the Soviet troops on the east and west, and then break through to the north, so that the danger is much less. And after two days, reinforcements arrived in time. The two armies flanked back and forth, crushing the Soviet forces between Konoto and Romne. After the reunion of the encirclement troops, we will turn around and move south again to outflank the rear of the Soviet army, and our plan to blossom in the center will be considered a success.

To be honest, the Russians actually hid a front army behind the defensive line, which really surprised me, but fortunately thanks to General Rommel's resourcefulness, the 24th Panzer Army was not completely annihilated, and we also got the important information of the steppe front. In general, the center-fire tactics were quite successful. Hitler said excitedly.

Without waiting for Goering and the others on the side to speak, Hitler waved his hand and said to Brauchitsch: "The army command is ready for the rank of general, and when Rommel returns, I will personally promote him to army general." ”

"I'm ready, my Führer." Brauchitsch said.

Hitler nodded and turned to Goering.

"Has Heinz replied?"

"Here we are." Goering said.

"What did he say?" Hitler asked.

He said that General Rommel's movements would be better off asking General Rommel himself. He, a general on the Leningrad front, does not understand the situation in Ukraine. ”

"I don't need him to explain, I understand it all now. Tomorrow morning at five o'clock sharp, the siege relief operation can begin. Hitler smiled, and smiled confidently.

A staff officer hurriedly walked into the command room and handed a telegram to Brauchitsch, who, after reading the telegram, raised his hand to look at his watch, and couldn't help but rub his right temple.

"Whose telegram is it? What is said above? ”

"It's from General Rommel, and he said that tonight at nine o'clock on time to leave for Lubne, and it is already eight fifty-eight." Brauchitsch said.

"Nine o'clock tonight? Isn't my order five o'clock in the morning? Why in advance? Also, what is the place in Luble? ”

Hitler took the telegram from Brauchitsch.

"First occupy Lubny, then the Dnieper, hoping that friendly forces in the Cherkassy region on the opposite bank will cooperate in their actions."

Hitler's eyes circled the map, finding Lubne more than 80 kilometers south of Romny, and then Cherkasy on the banks of the Dnieper.

Hitler was stunned for a while, and said angrily: "Why did Rommel march to the south, why would he rather disobey the order to walk nearly 200 kilometers to the Dnieper than 60 kilometers to Konoto in the north?" ”

"If it was Cherkasy, I think I probably knew why." Halder said suddenly.

"Huh? You know? Tell me, what is the reason? Hitler looked at Halder in surprise.

Goering, Brauchitsch and others also looked at Halder, eagerly awaiting an answer.

Halder pointed to Cherkasy and said, "General Rommel is going here, the key is one man and one army. ”

"Eleventh Army? Manstein? Hitler said when he saw the number of troops on the map.

"Cherkasy was only one of the places where the Eleventh Army crossed the river, and this matter has nothing to do with General Manstein. It's still our General Rosen who has a stake. Halder said.

Goering secretly raised his guard that Halder was not going to use the Führer's anger against Heinz with some dirty idea.

"What does it have to do with Heinz, why can't I see it?" Hitler asked.

"I can't see it now, I won't see it until two days later. Yes, the other day, General Guderian's Fifth Panzer Army was engaged with the Soviet troops in the Kirovgrad and Kavbass regions, and the 11th Army transferred an armored division to General Guderian's command, do you remember this? ”

Hitler suddenly realized, shook his finger, pointed to the map and said: "You are talking about the Reichsmarshal Panzer Division." ”

"Yes, after the Reichsmarshal Panzer Division assisted General Guderian in breaking the deadlock, General Manstein wanted to return this unit, and now the Reichsmarshal Panzer Division is on its way back to the 11th Army, so his number is still in General Guderian's theater of operations, but two days later, it will appear here." Halder said, pointing to the map.

"Cherkasy." Hitler gave the answer.

"Yes, this is the original crossing of the river by the Armored Division of the Reichsmarshal Armoured Division. If I'm not mistaken, General Rosen was the commander of the Reichsmarshal Panzer Division, although he was rarely on the front lines to command the division. Halder said.

"I see, I understand it all・・・・・・ Herman, at this time, do you still want to say that you don't know anything? This is your troops, this is the Imperial Marshal Panzer Division. "Hitler's accent bites hard at the word Reich Marshal.

Goering was completely stunned at this point.

Was it really arranged? Otherwise, it would not have been so coincidental to run to the crossing place of the Imperial Marshal's Division.

Well, it must have been specially arranged by Heinz, and Rommel, who was just too daring.

After Göring communicated, he raised his head and showed a sunny smile.

"Sure enough, everyone saw it, Heinz didn't let me say, and I couldn't help it. Heinz's idea was to simply let General Rommel cross the river with the Imperial Marshal's division and break through the Dnieper defense line in one fell swoop. ”

"It's a good idea, but it's dangerous." Halder said.

"General Halder is right, it's dangerous to do so, and it's disobedient. Now that the time has passed nine o'clock, Rommel has set off, and it is too late to call him back, so he will carry out the next step of the battle according to his plan, although his plan is more risky, but the benefits are greater・・・・・・ and when Heinz returns, I must personally educate him, and do not do such outrageous things again. Hitler said.

After Hitler finished speaking, he turned his head and showed a thoughtful expression.

"Which two words in that poem refer to Cherkasy and the Reich Marshal Panzer Division? Which of you guessed it? ”

"I don't know." Goering shook his head and told the truth.

On the side, Brauchitsch and Halder looked at each other, and a common thought came to their minds.

The Führer was too indulgent of that kid. (To be continued.) )