With the breath of early winter, the Chief of the General Staff of the Army, General Zeitzler, flew from Berlin to Poltava, Ukraine, to meet with Field Marshal Manstein, where the headquarters had been relocated with the realignment of Army Groups A and B into Army Group South.

"These are all your new troops?" Getting off the plane, Zeitzler quickly noticed the cavalry units on the outskirts of the airfield, dressed in long robes, cloaks, sheepskin hats, and carrying long, sharp Shashik sabers on their backs, completely different from German attire.

"yes, those are all Cossacks." Manstein, who was already waiting at the airport, came up and gave Zeitzler a big bear hug, although Zeitzler was a junior in the army, and his seniority was far from that of the commanders of several army groups, but he was in such a prominent position as the chief of the army general staff, and it was said that he was favored by the Führer, which made everyone dare not underestimate him.

"It looks like there's a lot." Zeitzler praised, "I smell the breath of fierceness, and I really deserve to be a natural fighting people." ”

Manstein nodded: "The two cavalry commanders of our army group, Jung-Schulz and Lieutenant Colonel Lehmann, each led a Cossack regiment, which was named after them. Army Group Center also formed 2 such regiments. Each of these regiments had 2,000 soldiers, and we sent about 160 German officers to strengthen liaison and control. If we complete the screening of the Cossacks among the captives, we will be able to pull out at least 4-5 regiments. ”

German ethnographers studied the Cossack populations with characteristic caution and carefulness, believing that they had little to do with the Slavs. On the contrary, it belonged to the Germanic Middle Eastern Goths branch of the Germanic race, and was a force to be trusted, and the Main Administration of the Eastern Occupation Territories had been recruiting Cossack soldiers. After Hoffman's opinion on supporting the independent statehood of non-Russian nations and forming an army to fight against Stalin was issued, the army groups accelerated the pace of formation through a two-pronged approach of screening prisoners and recruiting them on the spot.

"You're fast, and you've got their heartfelt support." Looking at the Cossack commander's respectful attitude towards Manstein, Zeitzler said with deep feelings.

"Of course, the Cossacks are still very useful, especially in the process of clearing the remnants of the Ukrainian partisans, they played a great role, and many officers and soldiers received medals from me." Manstein laughed. "They are familiar with the terrain and climate, and they are also very familiar with the behavior and tactics of those remnants of the defeated army. They alone captured thousands of partisans, and now that the law and order has improved, isn't it also the Führer's expectation to form non-Russian units against Stalin? If we have to say that it is a pity that we formed it too late. ”

"Is it possible for them to establish an independent state?" Arriving at the headquarters, Zeitzler asked this sensitive question.

"I'm also having a headache about this." Manstein pointed to the map. "Look. This is the Kuban Cossack Autonomous Region, which has a leader named Vasily Gozkov, who also founded the Cossack National Socialist Workers' Party and regarded the Führer as the 'supreme protector of the Cossacks', but it is a small autonomous region, with a population of only 160,000, and it is bordered by the Don Cossack Autonomous Region, and it is said that several more Cossack Autonomous Regions are being formed. Now almost every division comes across an autonomous region, which is Cossack but not subordinate to each other. I asked the Cossacks. Why don't you unite and turn into a Cossack Union republic? Their answer was that it was okay to join forces, but who would be the leader? At this time, I wished that I had a general of Cossack origin under my command, who would be the head and supreme commander of the Cossacks in the first place, instead of being scattered all over the place, as is now. ”

Looking at the shadow of the overlapping spheres of influence of Ukraine and the Cossacks on the map, Zeitzler said thoughtfully: "According to what you say, sooner or later, the Cossacks will unite and form other political entities, will they come into conflict with the Ukrainian statehood?" ”

"The Ukrainians themselves are still arguing, where to keep up with the Cossacks and grab territory with them? But I guess Berlin's thinking is that there are some minor contradictions between these countries that would allow us to act as intermediaries, and I have no problem with that, except that we don't make the same mistake as Romania and Hungary. ”

Manstein points out that Romania and Hungary have always had a dispute over sovereignty over Transylvania, and in 1919 there was a war for which Romania took possession of the entire Transylvania. However, the two countries continued to compete and conflict, and because of Hungary's closer relations with Germany, in 1940 Germany mediated and forced the two countries to sign the Vienna Arbitral Award, which gave Hungary the northern half of Transylvania. It didn't work out in two ways: Romania hated Germany for forcibly taking away his land, while Hungary complained that Germany had not given him all of Transylvania. Although the two countries were pressured to join the Axis system, they both regarded each other as their worst enemies, even on the Eastern Front. Not to mention helping each other, whether or not to shoot each other is already taking into account the overall situation. Faced with this thorny situation, Hofmann could not find a good way, and in the end, in the spirit of the Serbian conference, the two countries were reduced in number and deployed separately, with the Romanians going to Army Group Center and the Hungarians remaining in Army Group South.

"I don't think I will do it again." Zeitzler added, "Recently, the three Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have declared their independence, and it is known that the problems and contradictions between them are communicated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Command. They have now formed their respective governments and defence forces, and the Waffen-SS is also recruiting volunteers locally, which are said to be doing well. Belarus is the next target, and the head of state is also said to have focused on Chechnya and Ingushetia. ”

"It would be better for the SS not to get involved on the Eastern Front, their rigid dogma usually only makes things worse." Manstein then complained, "Lately I have been busy like an emperor in feudal times, dividing the princes from all walks of life...... You see, this is the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia, and they just last week appointed the Supreme Consul and the Commander of the Steppe Military District. They are not Cossacks, they are of Mongol descent, the chassis is close to the Cossacks, the population is slightly smaller......"

Zeitzler looked at the Kalmyk steppes on the map and asked suspiciously: "Steppe Military District?" Which other military district do they have? ”

"No, that's it." Manstein said with a smile, "Originally, things did not go so well, the local elders only reached an agreement with us on non-interference, but unexpectedly, the angry Stalin made a stupid move, saying that he would revoke their autonomous status, and also declared that they were a traitorous people, and wanted to exile all these Mongols to Siberia." They were frightened and simply formed a republic and took refuge in us, but I did not treat them badly, as long as they identified themselves, and all the Cossacks or Kalmyks among the prisoners of war were released on the spot. Now I have another Kalmyk cavalry regiment, and the second regiment will soon be formed. They also wanted to declare me a 'Protector of Kalmykia', and I thought about it and felt that I could not snatch the exclusive title of Führer. ”

Zeitzler laughed heartily: "It sounds interesting, this scene is just in time for the scene of the small states of Germany before the unification of the Empire." ”

Manstein spread his hands: "But isn't it, the Battle of Stalingrad is not fought, I thought I could be free, who knows that it is busier than before, at first I was busy with the abolition of the general's first-level establishment and the reorganization of the troops, and then I was busy with equipment scheduling and replenishment, and now I am busy with these, and I have to deal with the aggressive offensive of the Russians, and I almost have no time to spare." ”

"Seriously, you want a Cossack general, I can help. I have a friend named Helmuth-von-Pannwitz, who was born in Silesia near the Russian border, his father was a cavalry officer of the Kaiser, he fought as a cadet at the age of 16 in the last war, and now with the rank of colonel, he was close to several political leaders of the Tersk Cossacks, and he also suggested to me the formation of the Tersk Cossack Cavalry Regiment. If you are interested, I will ask him to report to you, at least so that he can integrate these cavalry regiments into a complete division first. ”

"Of course, I can't ask for it, there are great difficulties in communication with the Cossacks, our people hardly speak Russian, there are very few of them who speak German, and the few translators who are often screwed up. If he does a good job, it is not impossible to promote him to become a general. Manstein knew that the friend who could be said by Zeitzler himself was naturally a person of friendship, and the former chief adjutant of the Führer, General Schmunt, was a friend of Zeitzler, and Zeitzler could not have been the chief of the general staff without his recommendation. Conversely, without Zeitzler's support, Schmund would not have been able to secure the position of Quartermaster General on the Eastern Front. This relationship must not be offended, and Manstein is counting on Schmund to give him a few more tanks. Not to mention anything else, the significance of sending the winter equipment that was prepared in large quantities this year is not the same as sending it one day earlier and one day later.

Manstein was still very satisfied with the logistics of the Quartermaster Service: his No. 2 tank had been replaced with the latest No. 4G type, and he was confident that Speer would complete all the No. 3 tank replacement commitments by the end of the year. (To be continued.) )