"Yes! Monarch! Because at the end of this year's winter war, we not only crushed Stalin's counterattack, but also recaptured Kharkov in Ukraine, and re-established a new camp along the Mius River! In other words, now the initiative on the Eastern Front has been re-grasped by us! ”

"Despite the fact that we lost an army group in Stalingrad, according to the latest report of our Army General Command, the Soviet army has also paid a heavy price of more than 11 million men since the beginning of the war! Although these dead and wounded also included prisoners and wounded; But even so, the combat effectiveness of the Soviet army has become unfortified. Pen Fun Pavilion www.biquge.info"

"If we take advantage of this strategic offensive against the Soviet army, flank from the center from the north and south, and encircle and annihilate the Soviet army in the central salient; Then, after the victory in the battle, we will be able to destroy the armored forces and armored reserves of the Soviet army and regain the strategic initiative; However, I personally propose again that if we can, then it is better for us to encircle the Soviet army by detouring to Rostov on the Sea of Azov and carry out the siege and annihilation of the Azov coast, so that our attack and destruction of the Soviet army will have a better attack effect! ”

Manstein didn't think about it, so he immediately said in a hurry.

Chen Yanlong stared intently, staring at the military in front of him who was very outstanding; Marshal Hooknose couldn't help but sigh softly.

In the historical materials of his previous life, he knew very well that the other side often had quarrels and frequent disagreements with Hitler on the issue of the Eastern Front, and believed that the Supreme Commander only needed to care about politics, diplomacy, the situation, and strategy, and that on strategic and tactical issues on the battlefield that only needed to be handed over to the generals.

In the end, he was relieved of the marshal by Hitler, and surrendered to British Field Marshal Montgomery on August 23, 1945, and was arrested by the British army.

"My good marshal! May I ask you, can we still win the war on the Eastern Front and defeat the Soviet army? ”

After a long time, Chen Yanlong slowly, looked up at Manstein, and said lightly.

"Difficult! We now have more than 1,500,000 casualties on the Eastern Front, and most of our 159 divisions are exhausted; In particular, the armored divisions, of the eighteen armored divisions of the Eastern Front, had only 495 tanks left; On average, the number of tanks that each division can pull out for combat is less than 27! On the other hand, the Soviet army has four times the number of infantry in our army, and the Soviet air force, artillery units, and armored units are greatly increasing and strengthening both in quantity and quality; Moreover, the T-34 medium tank of the Soviet army, as well as the KV heavy tank, are being produced in the Ural Mountains at a rate of 2,000 units per month. ”

"Moreover, the power of the T-34 tank medium tanks of the Soviet army, which we were already well aware of when we attacked Moscow in the winter of 1941, caused our tank units to suffer a lot of losses and were destroyed; And now the Soviets have additional aid from the United States, trucks, planes, jeeps, and a lot of clothing and food, all of which are constantly being replenished. ”

Faced with Chen Yanlong's sudden change of topic, Manstein was stunned for a moment; Then there was silence for a while before he replied slowly.

"So what do we do now? Could it be that the battle on the Eastern Front could only be defeated by the Soviet army? ”

After hearing this, Chen Yanlong still looked at Manstein intently, a little nervously.

"I don't know if our future war on the Eastern Front will fail; But my personal opinion is that the most important task of our army now is to force the Soviet army away from the borders of our country and deal with the Soviet army; We can only continue to inflict major local strikes on the enemy, weakening their vital forces and material supply lines. ”

"To make them pay great sacrifices, to capture a large number of their personnel, to accumulate a small amount, and finally to force the Soviet army to sue for peace with our army, and on January 14---25, 1943, the military leaders of the United States and Britain, in Casablanca, declared that they would continue the war until our country surrendered unconditionally, and we now have no other way but to strive for at least reconciliation on the Eastern Front!"

Hearing this, Manstein also looked back at Chen Yanlong with sharp eyes and replied bluntly.

"So how do you feel we were going to fight on the Eastern Front in 1943?"

Regarding Manstein's heartfelt words, Chen Yanlong hurriedly asked.

"Now our army is in a disadvantageous position in the comparison of forces between us and the enemy, and it is impossible for us to launch lightning strikes on Soviet troops, overwhelmingly superiority, or strikes at far-reaching targets, as we did before 1943."

"Now defense is more realistic and appropriate for us; If the Soviets were to expel us from the battlefield, they would have to pay a lot of casualties and all sorts of costly actions; to be able to launch heavy attacks on our army again and again, so even if they can successfully kick our army out of the Eastern Front, they will have to pay a great price for casualties; Therefore, in order to achieve a draw in this war on the Eastern Front, I personally believe that all our future operations should continue to use defensive warfare as the most powerful form of warfare! ”

Manstein pondered for a while, sorted out his thoughts, and then said seriously.

"You've got a good idea! But if we only defend alone, will we suffer a lot? And will the Soviet army be stupid, only attacking, not defending? ”

After hearing this, Chen Yanlong also expressed his worries.

"Führer, you are right in your apprehensions! Because after the muddy season is over, no one can say for sure that the Soviets will not launch a new round of offensives; And there is even a high probability that they will strengthen their forces while waiting for the Anglo-American Allied forces to open a second battlefield on the European continent. ”

"In the end, in order to save face and prevent our troops, the Soviet army will suddenly withdraw from the Eastern Front; It is very likely that the Soviet army will carry out all kinds of guerrilla warfare and small-scale offensive warfare against our army, because there is no contradiction between such tactics and strategies and the wait-and-see strategy of the Soviet army! Therefore, in order to avoid the possibility of our army fighting two different battlefields in the east and west; Therefore pure defense, that is, in the form of almost positional warfare, we should not give any consideration! ”

"And another reason why we don't think about it that way is that we don't have enough forces at our disposal on the Eastern Front to do it purely defensively. It is simply impossible to carry out a sufficiently powerful fortification on such a long defensive line as the Black Sea and the Arctic Ocean, with the strength of 32 divisions at hand! Because this line of defense is 760 kilometers away. ”

"So I personally insist on pure defense, which is definitely not what we are going to do now! In the strategy of defense, we should give full play to the advantages of our army, such as the flexibility of our command staff, the ability to respond quickly, and the high mobility of the troops (at least in the summer), and in local battles, constantly deal heavy blows to the Soviet army, deplete their vital forces, the more the better, until the Soviet army is forced to sue for peace! ”

"Just like I said in my proposal! Of course, in local battles, some combat opportunities were created by the Soviet army, but when the Soviet army did not take the initiative to attack, we could also preemptively attack and create local battles, so as to continue to continuously consume the opponent's vital forces! ”

In the face of Chen Yanlong's worries, Manstein also replied very frankly.

"Hmmm! Well, I probably know what you think of us on the Eastern Front this year! Then I now give you the go-ahead for our fortress operation in a week's time! While the Soviet army is still in a relatively weak state, it will be defeated. ”

"At the same time, I allow you, and the commanders of the units of the Eastern Front, not to hold on to a certain place; You can look at the battle situation, give up a certain place, and carry out a battle that is beneficial to our army! And while carrying out a defensive strategy according to what you just said, we must constantly think of ways to conduct all kinds of local battles on the Eastern Front in order to consume the living forces of the Soviet army in order to force the Soviet army to negotiate peace! As for the replenishment of troops, weapons and equipment, I will find a way to give it to you continuously! ”

After hearing this, Chen Yanlong pondered for a long time and finally made up his mind.

"What! Monarch! You really want to do it! ”

Hearing Chen Yanlong's answer, Manstein was full of disbelief for a moment, and in shock, he opened his mouth wide.

As for Hitler's character, Manstein knew very well that he was a man who fought for every inch of land; Every stubborn man who did not want to lose his place came, and for this he himself often quarreled with Hitler.

So when he listened to Chen Yanlong's words, he could imagine the shock and shock to him, but how great it was.

"By the way, I am deeply saddened by the death of your son Giraud in battle, and it was all my fault for the indiscriminate deployment of troops at that time! I'm sorry! My good marshal! Please forgive me! ”

But the next moment, Chen Yanlong's other words almost moved Manstein, who had a strong personality, to tears.

"Yuan, Führer, thank you!"

Hearing this, Manstein, whose face was full of sadness, his lips trembled; The body trembled slightly for a long time before he was moved.

Because he really couldn't believe that Hitler, who had always been short-tempered, eccentric, and even schizophrenic, could care about his son's death in the current unfavorable situation of the war.

So he was really shocked and moved, although the death of his son, during the siege of Leningrad's Northern Lights plan, and Hitler's order to remove the Soviet army from another threat and annihilate the Soviet army's 2nd Guards, has a certain relationship, but where there is war, there will be people who will die in battle, which is inevitable; Therefore, Manstein could not blame Hitler himself for the death of his son.

"The battlefield on the Eastern Front will be handed over to you, and you will fight hard with the other commanders! If you can force the Soviets to sue for peace this year, or next year; I am willing to appoint you the chief of staff who will be in charge of the command affairs of the whole army! That is to say, for strategic and tactical issues on the battlefield, it will be left to you to make decisions and command operations! ”

Then, when Chen Yanlong was still moved by Manstein, he suddenly threw a more attractive one to the other party; Bombshells, to buy people's hearts.

"What! You, you're not joking with me, are you? Monarch! ”

As soon as the words fell, Manstein was immediately moved; Raised his head suddenly, stunned, his eyes widened; His mouth was wide open, his face was full of disbelief, and he stared at Chen Yanlong incredulously, trembling and exclaiming.

"I never laugh, so in order to become a candidate for chief of staff, you have to do a good job! Don't let me down! ”

Chen Yanlong looked kind and kind, with a bright smile; He gently patted Manstein on the shoulder and encouraged.

"Yuan, Führer! I won't let you down! Even if I die in battle, I will force the Soviets to sue for peace! Victory! Monarch! ”

Suddenly, Manstein, who was so valued and cared about by Chen Yanlong; In an instant, as if he had been beaten with chicken blood, he was excited, raised his arm to Chen Yanlong, and saluted a standard Nazi military salute; The voice almost roared loudly in response.

Chen Yanlong smiled slightly, and at the same time, he also raised his right hand casually; Bent and swung, high above his shoulders, he made a gesture in return.

After that, the two of them also chatted for a while about the operational issues on the Eastern Front, and then it was over.

Then Chen Yanlong asked Manstein to leave his room and prepare to receive Goebbels and them.

However, Chen Yanlong was sincere about the promise he had just given to Chief of Staff Manstein.

Although Manstein was not his loyalist, Chen Yanlong knew it very clearly; In later generations, Manstein was considered the best general in the German Army in World War II, his strategic thinking was profound and terrifying, and almost every battle he planned was a masterpiece.

Always behaving unexpectedly and terrified his opponents, he is the kind of maneuver that can modernize the concept; An expert who skillfully blends with traditional sports warfare thinking, and at the same time is comfortable with various tactics, he is a true military genius.

There is such a military genius to help himself deal with the offensive of the Soviet army, why not.

Whether it is the 21st century or during World War II, the most important thing is talent; Whoever can get more people to assist him will be able to build a more powerful power.

Because no matter how advanced human science and technology are and how advanced their weapons and equipment are; Victory in war still depends on people, so the importance of talent cannot be mentioned.