The base camp instructed the Bryansk Front to prevent the Germans from breaking through from the north to the rear of the Southwestern Front. ****** .. However, the front was unable to complete the tasks assigned to it and to stop the flank movement of the German troops. At the beginning of June 1941, the Germans reached the Desna River and forced their way through the areas of Southka, Koropp, and Wibley. On June 10, 1941, the advance unit of the 1st Tank Group captured the city of Romny (180 km from the Kremenchuk stronghold) in the rear of the South-Western Front.

On June 11, 1941, the commander-in-chief of the Soviet Red Army in the southwest, Marshal Budyonny, sensed the danger and asked Stalin to withdraw eastward, which was also rejected by Stalin, who ordered to hold Kiev to the death, Stalin was stubborn and demanded that Kiev be held at all costs, and they must maintain defense along the Dnieper River and launch a counterattack against Guderian's armored forces in advance. And without the approval of the Supreme High Command, Kiev must not be abandoned, nor any bridges must be abandoned).

On the southern flank of the Southwestern Front of the Soviet Red Army, the Germans forcibly crossed the Dnieper River on the night of May 0, 1941, and captured a landing ground in the Kremenchuk area (later known as the Kremenchuk Stronghold). The 8th Army, which operated here (transferred from the base camp reserve to the Front), failed to clear the landing site.

On June 1, 1941, the 1st Tank Cluster launched an offensive from this landing site in the general direction of Lubne. At this time, the Soviet Red Army was in danger of being encircled, and the commander of the Southwestern Front of the Soviet Red Army, General Kirponos, saved the viable strength of the Soviet Red Army, regardless of the danger of being court-martialed. He ordered the troops to retreat on all fronts, but this order was quickly revoked by the Supreme Command of the Soviet Red Army, which instead demanded that the Southwestern Front implement more aggressive tactics and launch a counteroffensive against the Germans. The Soviet Red Army missed the last opportunity.

On June 16, 1941, as Yeremenko of the Bryansk Front failed to fulfill his promise to Stalin to "crush Guderian", Guderian and Kleist's panzer group met at Lokhvica, and the Southwestern Front was surrounded by German troops. As a result, the four armies of the Southwestern Front, namely the 1st (transferred from the Bryansk Front to the Southwestern Front on June 6, 1941), the 5th, 7th, and 6th armies, fell into a closed circle.

June 16, 1941. The largest siege in the history of warfare began. The troops of the Southwestern Front were quickly divided and surrounded by the Germans. There was chaos. On June 17, 1941, Stalin had the Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet Red Army, Marshal of the Soviet Union Shaposhnikov, order to agree to the breakout of the Southwestern Front, but it was too late. On June 19, 1941, Kiev fell. The 7th Army was forced to move to the Yagotin area. The Southwestern Front continued to fight while encircled. Attempts to relieve it were inconclusive due to insufficient troops. June 16-0, 1941. The Southwestern Front was divided into six defensive forces by the Germans.

Only part of the army was able to break through to the east in groups. A total of 10,000 officers and soldiers were finally able to break through the German encirclement. On June 0, 1941, the commander of the Front, Colonel-General Kirponos, the member of the Military Council, Burmystenko, and the chief of staff, Major General Tupikov, were killed in the breakout battle, and the commander of the 5th Army, Major General Potapov, was captured. On June 6, 1941, the Southwestern Front was basically annihilated. On June 7, 1941, the Southwestern Front (40th, 1st, 8th, 6th Army), which was taken over by Marshal of the Soviet Union Timoshenko, was given the task of organizing a strong defense on the Belopoliye, Hisaki, and Krasnograd fronts. This battle was the largest encirclement and annihilation battle in the history of warfare.

The main reason for the defeat of the Soviet Red Army was Stalin's strategic command error. Stalin was stubborn and repeatedly refused the correct advice of his subordinates, and finally suffered a crushing defeat. The defeat of the Soviet Red Army in this battle brought the southern front to the brink of collapse. However, the protracted and tenacious struggle of the Front played an important role in breaking the German plan of "blitzkrieg". The large forces of the German Army Group "Center" were used to assault the flank of the Southwestern Front, which delayed the German offensive in the main direction, that is, in the direction of Moscow. In this way, the High Command of the Soviet Red Army was able to concentrate a large strategic reserve in the Moscow direction, which would be decisive for the completion of the Battle of Moscow......

The gains and losses of the German army in this battle are like those of the British theorist Liddell? "As far as the siege of Kyiv itself is concerned, it can be regarded as a great success," Hart put it. For the German army, it can also be regarded as an unprecedented masterpiece. From a strategic point of view, there seems to be a good reason for that, too.

First to protect the southern flank from the threat of an enemy counteroffensive, and then to attack Moscow. Moreover, this strategy was all the more advantageous because of the large number of Soviet Red Army, but its lack of mobility. The Germans could concentrate their forces in different areas and take turns to produce several decisive results.

After the Battle of Kiev, the Red Army had no more reserves, in order to defend Moscow, the Soviet government mobilized 18 divisions with a total of 1.8 million men, but only 5 of them were adequately equipped, and lacked armored troops and fighters, on the German side, they had 70 divisions with a total of 4.5 million men, nearly one-third of which were mechanized, which was the highest proportion in the war, and the typhoon operation to attack Moscow began on October 2.

As a result of the great victory at Kiev, the great obstacle in the south had been cleared, Army Group South continued its offensive towards Stalingrad, and the purpose of the southern theater of operations was fully achieved, however, the attack on Moscow was postponed for four weeks, which was proven in the subsequent Battle of Moscow, which, despite its tactical success, could only enhance the strategic superiority of Germany on a large scale, because its main purpose, the decisive victory of the war was not achieved.

When the Soviet troops paid huge losses, they bought time to defend Moscow,

Moreover, the Soviets had learned a lesson from this and other encirclement battles, and in the subsequent Battle of Moscow, they would avoid being surrounded by the Germans.

Now that the general headquarters of Army Group South has been moved to Rostov, which is more than 400 kilometers away from Stalingrad and more than 700 kilometers away from Baku, Leemer and Bock have already sent 200,000 elite Army Group South to Baku yesterday, and these 300,000 Army Group South have taken most of the material with them.

And the remaining material is simply not enough for Li Mo to launch a new campaign, so he can only wait here for the repair of the railway, of course, the bombing of the Stalingrad direction by the air force is still carried out every day, of course, the air force does not go to bomb cities, but to bomb factories and railway and road junctions on the Soviet side.

Army Group South consisted of 12 Waffen-SS divisions, all of which were divided into Buck, two Panzer Corps with a total of eight Panzer Divisions, and 15 EU Infantry Divisions following them, and according to intelligence, the Soviets had drawn troops to Stalingrad, and there were still 300,000 Soviet troops in the entire Baku region, and 650,000 Soviet troops in Stalingrad.

Paul and Ike commanded the troops alone for the second time, the first time was during the exercise with Bock, and the military information that Li Mo could provide them with was very limited, only some aerial photos.

…… (To be continued.) )

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