"Do we have enough troops to defend Baku?" Qin Chuan asked knowingly, only Manstein's 11th Army defended Transcaucasia, and the 11th Army's defense area was not only Transcaucasia, but also the Crimean Peninsula.

On the other hand, the 11th Army even had a part of its forces defending the North Caucasus...... This was determined by the insufficient strength of the German army.

Therefore, the Caucasus is very empty.

"God!" After staring at the map for a while, Hitler exclaimed: "We almost fell for it...... How stupid we are to defend Stalingrad without regard for the Baku oil fields in Transcaucasia, which is nothing more than a pile of ruins! ”

From these words, it can be seen that Hitler's obsession with Stalingrad has been completely reversed.

Moreover, Hitler was right when he said that after the capture of the Baku oil fields and the industrial and grain bases of Transcaucasia, Stalingrad was strategically important only because of the significance of its name and the value of industrial capacity.

Needless to say, the name is a city named after Stalin, and the capture of it can hit the morale of the Soviet army to a considerable extent.

The industrial capacity lies in the fact that there are several large factories in the north of the city, such as a tractor factory for the production of tanks, an artillery factory, a metallurgical plant, etc.

But these meanings had come to naught with the full occupation of Stalingrad by German troops.

In other words, holding on to Stalingrad has no strategic significance at all, and if there is any strategic significance, it can be used as an advance base for an attack on the Soviet hinterland and even in the rear of Moscow next spring.

But this strategy also became smaller and smaller as the Soviets built defensive lines on the other side of the Don and Volga rivers.

On the contrary, the Baku oil fields in the Transcaucasus were the lifeblood of Soviet industry.

Defending an unstrategic Stalingrad and putting such an important Baku and the entire 6th Army at risk was arguably the most stupid thing to do.

"You reminded me, Major!" Hitler nodded: "Yes, we can no longer hold on to Stalingrad." In fact, our strategic goal has been achieved, and it's time to let go! ”

"I fully agree, Your Excellency!" Qin Chuan said.

"Then ......," Hitler asked, "where shall we withdraw?" West bank of the Don? ”

"No, Your Excellency!" Qin Chuan replied: "If we only retreat to the west bank of the Don River, we will inevitably be attacked by the two fronts of the Soviet army, and we will still face a shortage of troops." On the other hand, the Soviets were better at winter warfare, and once the defense line was breached, the Caucasus would still face the danger of being divided and encircled! ”

Goering interjected: "But if we do not defend along the Don, we will take the initiative to divide the Caucasus!" ”

"Taking the initiative is not the same as being forced!" Qin Chuan pointed to the map and said, "I suggest ...... We withdrew the line to the state it was in when it was attacking, that is, with the Kharkiv Donetsk River as the line of defense. On this line of defense, we have a complete range of rail and road facilities, which guarantee our logistics! ”

Hitler couldn't help but nod.

This is certain, the Germans have been stationed on the Kharkov line for more than a year, and in order to be able to supply the front line with enough supplies, the railways and roads have been well maintained, and there are even security divisions along the way, making it difficult for the partisans to sneak attack.

As soon as you cross this line, you will find the area that has just been captured this year, and the traffic situation is in shambles, and there are many guerrillas harassing you, and the logistics are very difficult.

Goering objected, "But that means we have to give up all the land we have conquered!" ”

"We still have Transcaucasia, there are oil fields!" Qin Chuan replied: "If we withdraw to the Kharkov defense line, half of the existing strength will be enough to ensure the stability of this defense line, so that we can send more troops to reinforce Baku and hold the lifeblood of the Soviets in our hands!" ”

"What about supplies in Transcaucasia?" Goering asked rhetorically: "Don't forget, in this way Transcaucasia will be divided into two parts that cannot be contacted!" ”

"No!" Hitler said: "It is not two pieces that cannot be contacted......"

Saying that, Hitler pointed to the Crimean Peninsula and said: "We also occupied the Crimean Peninsula!" ”

"The Crimean Peninsula is separated from Transcaucasia by a strait!" "That would increase the burden of transportation!" Goering said. ”

"You're right, Your Excellency the Imperial Marshal!" Qin Chuan said: "But you seem to have forgotten that Transcaucasia is like spring all year round, and it is itself a grain production base, and we have even captured several arsenals and ironworks there, which can produce its own grain and ammunition, which makes Transcaucasia not need much supplies." On the other hand, the narrowest point of the Kerch Strait is only 4 km, and we can use a large number of amphibious transport ships to transport supplies! ”

Hitler nodded in agreement: "So the Transcaucasia is linked to our defense zone by the Crimean Peninsula, and our air force can also shrink to Transcaucasia." Because we have air supremacy, the Soviets have nothing to do with such a transport as ours! ”

Crimea is a peninsula, and the security of the peninsula depends mainly on air supremacy, because it is surrounded by a wide and unconcealed sea.

In the same way, the landing battle in the Baku direction was ...... Landing on a sea without air supremacy is simply looking for abuse.

"And then ......," Hitler said, pointing to several exits in the Caucasus Mountains: "As long as we can hold these passages, and with the natural barrier of the Caucasus, the Soviets will not be able to enter the Transcaucasus." ”

"Unless they use paratroopers!" Qin Chuan said.

Hitler couldn't help but laugh out loud at these words, Hitler understood the joke Qin Chuan said, of course he knew that the Soviets had carried out airborne operations in order to rescue Baku, but that airborne operation could only be described as various "amateurs", and the German army, which was good at airborne operations, did not take the Soviet airborne troops into account at all after that battle.

After a while, Hitler said, "Very good idea, Major!" Most importantly, you showed me what is the point of this campaign...... You're right, the 'Baku oil field' is the most important thing, without it, the Soviets would have more than half of their machines, tanks, cars and planes that would not be able to drive, what could be more important? And I'm thinking about the meaningless land, the ruins, and a whole bunch of hungry Soviet people! ”

It is not surprising that Hitler would think so, because he himself had a deep oil plot, which was perhaps determined by the fact that Germany had always been short of oil.

It was time for the USSR to taste the lack of oil.