"Comrade Zhukov!" A few hours later, Stalin, who was impatiently waiting for news, called the command: "How is the counterattack?" ”

Zhukov, who was anxious, thought for a moment and replied: "Comrade Stalin, we have been engaged in hard engagements, but the effect is not very obvious; Our troops advanced five kilometers at the farthest, but were counterattacked by the Germans, and most of our troops now advanced only 2 to 4 kilometers! ”

"That's pretty good!" Stalin was pleased with this result, because he knew that the Germans had only seven kilometers of defense in depth in Koteluban.

Then, at the pace of today's offensive, it would not take a few days to surround the Germans east of Kort Luban.

But what Stalin did not expect was that fighting a war did not mean that you could advance two kilometers today and you could do it tomorrow.

Only Zhukov knew that today's battle can be said to have consumed most of the energy of the Soviet army, and if the battle is fought like this today, it almost means that there will be no progress in the future, and it may even be repulsed by the German army.

After a pause, Stalin asked again: "What is the reason for the blockage of the offensive?" ”

"Due to lack of time!" Zhukov replied: "The troops did not have time to fully prepare for the offensive, did not conduct artillery reconnaissance and find out the enemy's firepower configuration very well. In addition, the enemy's aviation has mastered air supremacy, which makes our army very passive! ”

Zhukov said this very artistically.

He was indeed telling the truth, because of the lack of reconnaissance and preparation due to time, air supremacy, and other reasons...... But to put it more simply, it was that he fell under command of the Germans, allowing the 16th Tank Army to jump into the trap of the Germans and suffer heavy losses.

Of course, Zhukov would not have told Stalin that.

Stalin did not hesitate and ordered: "Continue the storm, I will send you more troops!" ”

This is more, that is, there are three more army groups in the follow-up, that is, in addition to the 1st Guards Army, Stalin successively organized three army groups with a total strength of 200,000 troops to participate in this attack on Kotluban.

This includes 280,000 troops, including the 1st Guards Army, which will launch a tidal wave of attacks on the German lines over the next seven days.

However, Zhukov was not happy when he heard the news, because as he said, he needed planes, tanks and ammunition supplies, and more troops could not change the outcome of the battle, only more and more casualties of the Soviet army.

On the other hand, the German army was indeed affected by this Soviet offensive.

The first is resupply.

Paulus had planned an imminent general assault on Stalingrad, but Zhukov's onslaught on the northern front forced the Germans to deplete their hard-earned ammunition, which was expected to increase in the future...... So the plan to attack Stalingrad was put on hold.

The second is in the strength of troops.

The 14th Panzer Army, which was originally the main force in the attack on Stalingrad, had to be transferred to the northern front because of the fierce Soviet offensive in the north.

The commander of the 14th Panzer Army, Wietsheim, was even weak-minded in the face of such a constant flow of Soviet attacks at all costs.

"General!" Wittsheim reported to Paulus: "The northern front is in jeopardy, and we need more infantry and stronger air support, even if it means indefinitely postponing the assault on Stalingrad!" ”

It should be said that this suggestion of Major General Wietsheim still has a certain amount of truth, because if the northern defense line is broken through by the Soviet army, it means that the troops attacking Stalingrad will be surrounded by the enemy or even surrounded in Stalingrad, which is obviously very dangerous for the German army.

But it was actually Major General Wiethesheim who exaggerated the danger of the northern line...... He only saw that the Soviet army was constantly pouring towards the German defense line and it seemed that there was no end, and the casualties of the German soldiers were also rising in a straight line, so he subjectively believed that the northern defense line was "dangerous".

In fact, the first breakthrough of the Soviet army, that is, the breakthrough of the state farm, was the most likely to succeed, but it was thwarted by the 21st Panzer Division, and the subsequent Soviet offensive was actually more to drag the Germans and buy time for Stalingrad.

This especially dragged the German air force...... The main force of the air force was transferred to the northern front, and the blockade of the Volga River east of Stalingrad was reduced gradually, so that the Soviet Southeastern Front could urgently send a large number of reinforcements and supplies to Stalingrad through the Volga.

After the battle on the state farm, General Stryk summoned the officers of the 21st Army for a meeting.

"Gentlemen!" General Stryk raised his glass and said, "From the North African theater to the Eastern Front, we are invincible, and we seem to have gotten used to it!" ”

The officers had knowing smiles on their faces.

Colonel Slane continued: "At the same time, we seem to be accustomed to the fact that the Major has once again guessed the enemy's intentions!" ”

"Yes!" General Stryk said, "To the Major! Our heroes! ”

"Respect Major!" The officers raised their glasses to greet Qin Chuan, and Qin Chuan could only nod frequently to express his gratitude with his eyes.

"General!" Colonel Albridge then asked: "I wonder, when will we march into Stalingrad?" ”

"The answer will disappoint you, Colonel!" General Stryk replied: "You know, in order to cope with the attack of the Soviets on the northern line, we had to throw resources to the north, so ......"

"The plan to attack Stalingrad was postponed, right?" Colonel Slane asked.

"Yes!" General Stryk nodded and replied: "They decided to wait until the Soviets' offensive on the northern line of defense stopped!" ”

The German officers nodded their heads in understanding, but Qin Chuan frowned......

At this time, the German officers had not yet realized the importance of Stalingrad, they thought that the battle situation had been fought like this, and it was not too late to go back and clean up Stalingrad after the northern defense line was stabilized, because Stalingrad was there, and it could not run away, and it was surrounded by German troops on three sides, and it seemed that it was only a matter of time before it was taken.

Only Qin Chuan knew that the street fighting in Stalingrad would be much more difficult and the casualties would be much greater than the northern defensive line, especially the Soviet army in the northern defensive line regardless of the impact of casualties in the few days that delayed the German army, regardless of casualties, was likely to play a key role.

Because it was only in the past few days that Stalingrad was replenished with fresh blood to perfect its defensive holes.

So Qin Chuan answered: "General, I think this is a wrong decision!" ”