Debrecen is an important economic, cultural and transportation center in eastern Hungary and a border city in eastern Hungary adjacent to Romania. ●⌒，.

If you want to penetrate deep into the heart of Hungary and make a direct attack on Budapest, the capital of Hungary, Debrecen is the only way for the Soviets to pass through and a city to capture at any cost.

At five o'clock in the afternoon of 5 June, when the sun was setting, on a mound south of the town of Doni, 10 kilometers northeast of Debrecen, Marshal Budyonny, commander-in-chief of the Soviet Red Army in the southwest, walked up to the mound and drilled into the observation post of the Southwestern Front.

Marshal Budyonny's duty was to coordinate the operations of the Southwestern Front, the Southwestern Front, and the Southern Front, and now that a large-scale battle was about to break out, in which the Southwestern Front and the Southern Front would join forces to launch a large-scale offensive, and as commander-in-chief of the Southwestern Front, he had to go to the front to inspect the preparations for the campaign.

In five days, the 12th and 25th armies under the Southwestern Front had all passed through the Carpathians, and half of the 37th Army as a reserve had already crossed the mountains, and the total strength of the troops entering the Hungarian plain had reached nearly 600,000, enough to launch a large-scale offensive.

Yesterday, the troops of the Southwestern Front and the Southern Front met in victory at the Romanian city of Delge, and the battle lines of the two fronts were joined together, and the time was ripe for a general offensive.

Inspected artillery positions large and small, hidden under camouflage nets in the plains, or hiding in the woods.

Inspected the infantry on the front line that was about to serve as the first wave of the attacking force.

He also inspected two mechanized corps secretly assembled behind the infantry positions. Marshal Budyonny was pleased with the arrangement of Admiral Kirponos, who maintained his usual style and kept everything in order.

Crouch behind the observation port. Marshal Budyonny has a panoramic view of the fortifications of the Italian army in the distance through a gun mirror.

The terrain in which the Italian army was located was very favorable, with woods as small as two or three hundred square meters and as large as two or three square kilometers scattered outside the city of Debrecen, relying on these woods and residential areas, the Italians built a strong defensive line.

Because of the limited height of the mound, the visual advantage brought by it could only allow him to see the first line of defense of the Italian army.

The first line of defense is visually measured in depth at two to three kilometers.

At the very front of the line was an anti-tank trench. Behind the trench is a trench in four echelons, connected by a communication trench, and the ground between the front of the trench and the anti-tank trench. And the ground between the trenches and the trenches was blocked by barbed wire, and countless pillboxes, machine-gun positions, and mortar batteries were distributed between the four trenches.

At first glance, the positions of the Italian army were as complex as a labyrinth.

Marshal Budyonny carefully surveyed the positions of the Italian army for a while. Suddenly, he said to the adjutant beside him: "Order the artillery at the front to bombard the positions of the Italian army with mortars, which is the part I can see here." ”

Five or six minutes later, Marshal Budyonny heard the characteristic whistling sound of shells flying across the sky.

Clouds of gunpowder smoke erupted from the Italian positions, and dirt flew into the air.

82-mm mortars, 120-mm mortars, Marshal Budyonny quite experienced in recognizing mortars by the power of the explosion - the caliber of the shell.

The explosions of the two calibers of mortars were also mixed with some very subtle explosions.

It is a mine buried in the ground, judging by the frequency of explosions. The width and density of minefields are staggering, and these mines hidden underground are bound to significantly hinder the speed of the first wave of attacking forces, especially the infantry.

Marshal Budyonny smiled. I had a general idea of the strength of the defense of the Italian army, and there was also a way to break through.

The Soviet Army's painstaking practice of the large-depth campaign method is the nemesis of this position.

Marshal Budyonny could already imagine the positions of the Italian army being wiped out under overwhelming artillery fire.

The assault group of the Soviet troops was going to run over the positions of the Italian troops like a steamroller and rush straight to Debrecen.

Peeked past the positions of the Italian army. Confident of victory in the battle, Marshal Budyonny left the post satisfied. Return to the headquarters of the South-Western Front.

While Marshal Budyonny and Admiral Quirkonos were discussing the impending campaign, their target, on the outskirts of Debrecen, was the commander of the Italian Eighth Army. Admiral Messer, with his adjutant and two staff officers, was inspecting the third line of defense.

The Eighth Army's defense line was in the middle of the front, with the Hungarian 2nd Army to the north and the German 11th Army to the south, and the entire defense system consisted of three lines.

The first line of defense was the area seen by Marshal Budyonny, and the second line of defense was about 1.5 kilometers deep, and was mostly supported by residential areas in villages and towns outside Debrecen, and woods scattered outside the residential areas as the main area.

The third line of defense is on the outskirts of the city of Debrecen, built close to the city.

In the previous battle for the city of Mukachevo, Admiral Messer was very distressed by the performance of the Eighth Army, two infantry divisions, assisted by the Litorio Panzer Division, took turns to charge, but instead failed to break through the Soviet defenses, they were killed and wounded by bullets and grenades flying from all directions in the city, and the tank units were also beaten to scrap steel one by one by anti-tank grenades and anti-tank guns.

What was even more tragic was that the main forces of the Soviet army rushed out of the mountains and poured into the city.

The KV-2 and KV-1 brothers took the lead and taught the Italian infantry and tanks a hard lesson.

After the battle was over and the Eighth Army retreated outside Debrecen, Admiral Messer dutifully went to the front line to investigate, listening to the Italian soldiers who had witnessed the Soviet tanks tell the story of the battle, and got first-hand information.

The KV-2 heavy tank is equipped with a 152 mm gun that is extremely powerful, and a single shot can restore the main tank of the Italian army, the M11/39, to the state of parts, including the tankers inside.

This steel plate, weighing 11 tons and riveted all over the body, could withstand only the power of a 20-mm cannon against a powerful 152-mm howitzer. There is no protection.

Admiral Messer believed that although he had received information from the Germans about the KV series of tanks and T-34 tanks, he had suffered a little loss because he had been caught off guard. It does not mean that the Italian army is no match for the Soviets.

The battle that was about to break out was the defensive operation that the Italian army was best at.

In North Africa and East Africa, the Italian army was beaten by the British Matilda 2 tanks, and later under the education of the German advisory group, they developed a real ability to defend against the attack of heavy tanks with thick skin, which can now be used again.

And since the Italian Army has been defeated in East Africa. After the bald leader Mussolini felt that his pride had been hurt in front of his allies, the development of the Italian Army received unprecedented attention. All kinds of new weapons have been developed.

Some weapons that have long been developed, but are inefficient, are also being produced in large quantities.

In particular, after receiving information about the KV series and T-34 tanks provided by the Germans, and seeing the two actual T-34 tanks provided by Germany, Mussolini was even more furious.

The defeat of the Italian military industry to the British Empire and to Germany can barely be justified. After all, these two countries are military-industrial powers, but they will lose to the inferior Slavs, which is something he can never bear.

Mussolini was angry, and the Italian Army benefited.

Mussolini's vanity became the best catalyst for the Italian Army's new weapons.

Seeing the intricate trenches, machine-gun positions, and anti-tank gun positions on the position, Admiral Messer nodded with satisfaction and asked Major General Barak, who had just arrived: "General Barak, your presence here must bring me good news." ”

In order to coordinate the operations of the Italian Eighth Army and the German troops, the Balkan Army Group Command specially sent a liaison group led by Major General Barak. Stationed at the headquarters of the Italian Eighth Army.

During the East African campaign, Major General Barak once led a teaching regiment to fight alongside the Italian army. He also taught the Italian Army how to deal with the Matilda 2 tank, and also taught the Italian Army how to use heavy tanks, and the two sides established a deep friendship in the battle side by side.

Because of his meritorious service in fighting with the Italian army, after the war in East Africa, Barak was promoted to the rank of major general after returning home.

Today, the German and Italian armies are once again fighting together. Major General Barak returned to the mountains and took on the task of fighting with the Italian army.

"Three messages. A good news, a bad news, and a bad or bad news, which one do you want to listen to first? ”

"What's the bad news? ”

"It will take at least five days for the Großdeutsch and the Reichmarshal Panzer Division to reach Hungary, and for at least five days, we will have to rely on the Litorio Panzer Division and the Arreette Panzer Division to fight, without the support of other Panzer Divisions."

Messer didn't ask why, and continued with a blank face, "What's the good news?" ”

"The good news is that Army Group Command will focus on the Hungarian Army's defensive line to the north, and if the Hungarian Army collapses, Army Group Command will find a way to deal with it, without us being distracted, let alone letting our front be dragged down by the Hungarians."

Admiral Messer breathed a sigh of relief.

"Great, the Hungarians on the left are the ones I don't worry about the most. With this news, I can concentrate on dealing with the frontal enemy, which is really good news. ”

"The third piece of news was relayed to you by General Rosen, and it contains only two sentences."

After reading the telegram handed by Major General Barak, Admiral Messer asked: "Do you understand the meaning of these two sentences?" ”

"Roughly understood, but it will take time to set it up." Major General Barak said.

"Whatever you need, just let me know, and I'll get people to cooperate with you fully. This is a battle that we can only win, not lose. ”

After seeing off Major General Barak, a wry smile appeared on the corner of Admiral Messer's mouth.

"Only victory, not defeat" was the telegram he had just received yesterday from Rome.

Upon learning of the Eighth Army's defeat at Mukachevo, Mussolini was furious and rebuked the Eighth Army for its performance and ordered him to "win and not lose" in the next battle, and that he must redeem the honor of the Italian army in front of his allies.

To meet such a leader who takes the war as the limelight is really sad to be an Italian soldier.

Two days passed in a flash.

In the early morning of 8 June, a pleasant cool breeze dispelled the sweltering heat of the night, but the artillery of the Southwestern Front immediately came into action, and a blazing storm of flames swept towards the enemy positions opposite.

On a 320-kilometer-long front stretching from Košice in the north to Daiž in the south, the Southwestern Front launched an offensive on all fronts.

More than 3,200 guns of caliber of 100 mm or more opened fire at the same time, smashing thousands of tons of steel on the heads of the enemy on the opposite side.

The Italian army outside the important city of Debrecen was taken care of.

In the town of Doni, behind the mound used by Budyonny to spy on the Italian position, twenty BM-13 Katyusha rocket launchers were arranged in three rows, and it took only ten seconds for 320 132mm rockets to fly out of the position and shoot at the first line of defense of the Italian army.

Dense rockets flew through the air with blazing tail flames, accompanied by a heart-pounding roar and fell onto the Italian positions.

Minefields, barbed wire, trenches and pillboxes disappeared wherever the rockets went, and everything was engulfed in flames and smoke.

Numerous rounds of 107-mm, 122-mm, and 152-mm shells streaked across the sky before falling deeper into the Italian lines, telling the Italians with shrapnel and fire that distance did not protect them.

According to the Soviet Army's theory of large-depth campaigns, while attacking on all fronts, the Soviet Army will select some areas as breakthrough points, and concentrate a large number of technical weapons and infantry in the breakthrough area to make breakthroughs.

The road leading from Doni to Debrecen was one of the breakthroughs.

With the road as the center, the Soviet army invested more than 660 howitzers, mortars, cannons and rocket artillery on both sides of the road, which was about 2.5 kilometers wide on both sides of the Italian army's defensive line, covering the Italian army in full depth, with a fire density of as many as 264 guns per kilometer of frontage.

From the first line of Italian trenches to Debrexen, about six kilometers away, all of them were covered by shells, and the Italian positions had been reduced to purgatory as far as the line of sight could see.

About twenty minutes after the first axe fell, more than thirty KV-2 tanks drove by the mound, guiding countless infantry along the right side of the road to attack the Italian army station.

On the left side of the road, more than thirty KV-1s also rushed ahead.

On a 2.5-kilometer front, the Soviets threw in two battalions of heavy tanks and a regiment of infantry, which together formed a second plate axe that slashed at the Italian position.

Shocked by the sudden artillery fire, the frightened Italian soldiers saw the overwhelming offensive of the Soviet army, and terror and fear hovered in everyone's hearts. (To be continued 1QD0202)