August 23rd. Pen × fun × Pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 info Germany, Wolf's Lair Command.

This month, Hitler's life has not been easy.

On July 16, Army Group Center took Smolensk, and on the 20th occupied Yelnya. On the 23rd~25th, the Soviet army carried out a centripetal assault on the Smolensk area with 4 army-level battle clusters, and the main forces of the 20th and 16th armies took advantage of the situation to break through. On the 26th, the Germans closed the Smolensk encirclement from the east. The next day, the Soviet Mogilev group was annihilated.

On July 30, the Soviets formed a reserve front in the rear of the Western Front to cover the Moscow direction. On the same day, the Germans were short of food and oil, and were ordered to go to the defense and rest and replenish. On August 5~8, the Soviet Smolensk group and the Roslavl group were annihilated successively.

During this period, the Germans captured a total of 310,000 Soviet troops and captured more than 3,000 tanks and more than 3,000 artillery pieces.

Hitler's forces were not enough. With the exception of the center bloc, the north and south directions are not going well.

There was a heated argument in those days in the wolf's den.

Hitler believed that the forces of the central group should be separated and the troops of the Nafang group should be assisted. No, under the stubborn resistance of the Soviet troops, the Southern Army Corps did not go well, and the advancing Central Group would receive the threat of Soviet encirclement.

Guderian and others believed that Moscow was only more than 300 kilometers away, and that Moscow should be attacked first to destroy the determination of the Soviet resistance to be defeated.

However, Hitler's authority was unquestionable, and in the end Hitler prevailed.

Actually, Hitler had a point. It's hard for him, he knows, his generals don't understand economics. Continuing to concentrate all forces on Moscow, Germany ran out of fuel and the war was lost. It is necessary to go south and get the oil fields.

By 9 August, the Germans had moved south to eliminate the threat from the right flank.

All this runs according to the stubborn inertia of history. The reason is simple, that is, Hitler was stubborn, and many of the factors that influenced the war in Europe did not change significantly.

But on August 20, an intelligence piece of information disrupted this inertia. The change came, and it was from the Far East.

Friction suddenly arose on the borders of Manchuria and the Soviet Far East.

A few hours later, several pieces of information came from Tokyo that the friction between Manchuria and the Soviet Union was becoming more and more intense, and that hundreds of artillery shells had been fired from both sides. The Japanese army was eager to fight. The Japanese base camp is looking for a solution.

Hitler saw hope.

If Japan attacks, then we reduce the pressure. The USSR could well collapse.

So, everyone unanimously agreed, and Liebentrop immediately flew to Tokyo to sign an agreement to divide the Soviet Union and demand that Japan send troops.

The trajectory of history has changed.

On the 26th, Liebentrop telegraphed back, basically persuading Japan to sign a partition agreement, and Japan demanded that we attack Moscow immediately.

Wolf's den was discussed overnight.

Because Army Group Center went south, the Central Front turned to the offensive, and the Soviet troops were forced to retreat in the southeast and south directions. On August 16, to cover the Bryansk direction, the Bryansk Front was created between the Reserve Front and the Central Front, under the command of Lieutenant General Yeremenko. Later, on August 25, the Central Front was withdrawn, and the Bryansk Front added the 3rd and 21st armies.

By August 21, the German 2nd Army and the 2nd Tank Group advanced 120-140 kilometers, reached the Gomel and Starodub lines, and wedged deeply between the Soviet Bryansk Front and the Central Front, posing a threat to the flank and rear of the Soviet Southwestern Front, and the Soviet troops were captured 78,000 men, 144 tanks and 700 artillery pieces.

At this time, if you attack Moscow to the east, you will face the reserve front head-on.

Under the attack of Army Group Center and Tank Group, the situation on the southern front has improved, but it is a pity that Kyiv has not yet taken it.

However, Hitler, encouraged by the conditions of the Japanese army, decided to set off for Moscow from their present position.

August 26th. USSR. Moscow.

The harassment of the Japanese army completely disrupted the deployment of the Soviet troops.

Stalin had already determined that the Kwantung Army would not attack the Far East, and Japan's strategy was to advance south. Therefore, he moved his troops to the west.

Unexpectedly, the situation on the border in the Far East suddenly became tense. The Japanese put the troops of the Far East over and wreaked havoc on the Far Eastern Railway. Its purpose is clear even to a fool, that is, to prevent Soviet troops from returning to the Far East. The Japanese army was to launch an offensive in the Far East.

The Far East is in danger.

Many people advocate that the troops transferred from the Far East should be transferred back immediately, otherwise if something happens in the Far East, the situation in the whole country may collapse.

There are also those who advocate insisting that it is better to lose the Far East than to defeat Germany before recovering it.

There is also a group of people who, no matter what they say on the surface, are secretly ready to flee and surrender.

The news is strictly blocked, no one in the know is allowed to make any changes, and the security services are strictly monitored.

Since July, Moscow has mobilized a large number of migrant workers, more than three-quarters of whom are women, to build fortifications on the two lines of defense west of Moscow.

The first line of defense, known as the Vyazma Line, was more than 300 kilometers long. The latter line of defense, called the Mozhesk Line, is about 100 kilometers west of Moscow and more than 200 kilometers long. In addition, there were four arc-shaped lines of defense west of Moscow.

The defensive line had only been started for more than a month, had not been repaired at all, and could not withstand the German tanks.

These days, a large number of cadres have fled Moscow. Although some people were shot and killed by the Cheka, many people fled.

At present, troops transferred from the Far East are slowly being transported westward in the Ural Mountains because of the problem of railway capacity. Because of the transfer of troops to the west, the troops along the way were being transferred, and the troops in the east were few and fast, and when they arrived in the area of the Ural Mountains, the troops were concentrated and the speed slowed down.

What to do.

Stalin ordered Zhukov's reserve front to keep an eye on the German troops on the Western Front, and at the same time held a meeting of the political and political bureaus to discuss. Although the results of the discussion have not yet been reached, several things have been decided.

The factories in the area of the Ural Mountains retreated to the south and to Central Asia.

Important items of Moscow, factories retreated to Central Asia.

Some people believe that the central government should be evacuated and transferred to Central Asia.

The 300,000 troops stationed in the Far East were required to prepare to resist the Japanese. Demand for the mobilization of the whole people in the Far East.

Stalin, for his part, insisted that the central organs and other important departments resolutely did not retreat. At the same time, Zhukov was transferred to Moscow, where he was responsible for the defense of Moscow.

August 27th. Japan. Tokyo.

Hideki Tojo's anger gradually subsided.

A few days ago, when he learned that there had been a clash between the fortress on the Heihe front and the Soviet army, he sent a harshly worded telegram demanding that the Kwantung Army immediately stop the clash and deal with the officers who took the initiative to provoke the incident.

It was the words "provoking the incident" that prevented all the junior officers from being punished, because all the evidence showed that it was the Soviet side that took the initiative to provoke the incident.

The USSR provoked trouble? This is unscientific and illogical.

After the conflict immediately spread to the Manchu-Soviet border, Tojo's anger reached its highest point. Now, he is wholeheartedly preparing for the Pacific War, and the Navy and Army are being dispatched within the framework of the Southward Expansion Policy.

Once a full-scale war broke out between the Kwantung Army and the Soviet Army, and the Kwantung Army was defeated, not only would the southward expansion policy not be implemented, but Manchuria and even China's occupied areas might not be protected.

However, as more information was studied, his pessimism gradually faded.

First of all, the combat effectiveness of the Soviet borders in the Far East was clearly insufficient. Several places that were tentatively attacked by the Kwantung Army were crushed. The opposing army's combat effectiveness is very poor, and almost all of them are recruits.

Secondly, the large-scale sabotage on the Soviet Far Eastern Railway prevented the Soviet authorities from immediately transferring troops to the Far East, and the people of the Soviet Far East were panicked. At this time, if you attack, you will win.

Most importantly, it was the reaction of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Foreign Ministry repeatedly protested, demanding that Japan restrain its troops, strictly abide by the agreements reached between the two sides, and refrain from attacking the Soviet Union.

In addition, the Soviet Union also wanted the United States for help. The reaction of the Americans has not yet been obtained, but the performance of the Soviet Union shows that the German offensive on the Western Front has caused them to be unable to fight on two fronts, and they do not want to fight on two fronts.

In addition, the news of the chaos in Moscow from the spies also shook the Japanese leadership in their determination not to enter the war. Later, new news came from Moscow that a large number of factories from Moscow had been relocated to Central Asia. Lenin's body migrated to Central Asia, and works of art and artifacts migrated to Central Asia. The Cheka shot the fleeing citizens, and so on.

Germany's commitment made Tojo and others finally decide to attack the Soviet Far East.

Tokyo decided, signed an agreement, carved up the USSR and attacked the Soviet Far East. The premise is that the Far East does not pay a lot of national power.

Before signing the agreement, Liebentrop asked Tojo, when will the offensive begin?

Tojo said, "September 10 at the earliest. ”

Why was Tojo's answer ambiguous? Why didn't you promise Germany the other day?

Tojo was an active executor of the Emperor's southward expansion policy. He had been preparing for the southward march for a long time. At present, the plan for the southward expansion is still being actively prepared, and the plan has not yet begun, and if the southward expansion policy is stopped and the northward expansion is turned around, not only will the navy not do it, but he himself will not do it, and most importantly, the emperor will not do it.

The Emperor now has strict control over all the armed forces, and all the actions of the armed forces are carrying out the policies of the Emperor and achieving the Emperor's strategic goals.

On the surface, every major decision was drawn up by the ministers and approved by the emperor, as if the emperor was just a puppet, but in fact, these plans were made by the emperor's henchmen.

A few days ago, the emperor was very annoyed that the Kwantung Army had provoked friction against the Soviet Union, and soon the emperor's confidants and staff officers in the Kwantung Army sent back information that the friction was indeed provoked by a few people on the Soviet side against Stalin's will. The border guards of the Kwantung Army were indeed forced to return fire.

On those few occasions, Tojo met the emperor several times, and the emperor was angry at first, then incomprehensible, and then painful, not knowing what to do. Knowing that the Germans began to exert pressure, the emperor even asked Tojo how many troops the Soviet Union had in the Far East, and did the elite forces of the Far East really go to defend Moscow? What if these troops return to the Far East?

Later, after learning that the Far Eastern army could not return because of the sabotage of the railway, and that the Far East was indeed weak, the emperor's question became: how long can he take the Far East? Can Germany keep pace with us?

Having received a German promise, the General Staff Headquarters informed the Emperor of the conclusions of the study, and the Emperor believed that Germany would keep its promise, because Germany had the only way to go.

The remaining question is: will the Kwantung Army be able to win a quick victory?

Research of the General Staff Headquarters: The Soviet Far East has turned into a ripe persimmon.

In the most unfavorable scenario, as long as the Far Eastern Railway was cut off, it would be difficult for Soviet troops to attack the USSR to the east. This is no longer the time of the Battle of Nomenkan.

The emperor no longer asks questions.

Tojo knew that the emperor agreed to attack the Soviet Union, but that he had to win a quick victory and end the war before the plan to advance southward was officially implemented.

In other words, southward expansion remained the emperor's strategy. It is the emperor's bottom line not to affect the southward advance.

Liebentrop categorically disagreed with the attack on September 10 and urged them to launch an attack tomorrow, on the grounds that you had just finished the special exercise and the army had gathered on the border, so it would not take long to prepare. You are mainly the army and do not need a lot of fuel. Coal can power this war.

Tojo thought that the date was too hasty, and that we needed to transport some supplies and prepare the means to cross the river.

Ask the Kwantung Army and ask them if they have a battle plan. The Kwantung Army moved unusually quickly, and the delegates stationed in Tokyo presented two sets of battle plans. It turned out that the Kwantung Army had been preparing. From this point of view, many conflicts in the past have been legitimate. It's just that since the decision was made to start a war, it is impossible to hold them accountable.

The two sides bargained and decided to attack on August 30.

When the news reached Germany, there was jubilation in the wolf's den. Hitler issued an order, and the Central Front marched to Moscow.

Now that the rainy season has passed, autumn in Moscow is the best season, the roads are suitable for marching, and as long as the troops along the route are defeated, it will be possible to reach Moscow.

Information from Tokyo and Shinkyo in Manchuria, as well as from the Soviet border in Manchuria, quickly gathered in front of Koji.

According to all indications, Japan and Germany had reached an agreement to flank the Soviet Union.

Guan Teo's performance has finally changed from a rehearsal exercise to a real battle. This was a battle that was absolutely unexpected by the Soviet Union, a battle in which the Soviet Union was trapped and never overthrown, a battle that brought countless possibilities to the war situation in the world, and a battle that brought great opportunities to China.

On August 31, the Kwantung Army launched a front-line offensive against the Soviet Far East in several places.

Xiaolu was happy in his heart, like a spring breeze blowing and flowers blooming: history has finally been pried in its direction. The change in direction of the war in Europe was the most rewarding.

******

1. The commander of the reserve front was General Zhukov, which was formed on July 30.

2. Many people believe that Hitler's turn of the Center Group to the Southern Front in August after the Battle of Smolensk was a big trick of Hitler. In fact, not necessarily, at that time, the Central Army was already very dangerous to go deep alone, and once the logistics supply was destroyed, there was a danger of being surrounded and annihilated.

3. The Central Group, after moving slightly south and eliminating a Soviet army, immediately turned back and marched towards Moscow, which was powerful for the German army. Not only can you start the siege of Moscow before it is expected, but you can also attack before the arrival of Soviet reinforcements, which is a huge advantage.

4. Many of the actions of the German army on the battlefield cannot be explained militarily, but economically, such as the German army's dependence on and desire for oil. The importance of oil on the campaign and so on. War is not an online game.

5. When many people study World War II, they assume that at the critical moment when the German army attacks the Soviet Union, what will happen if the Japanese Kwantung Army launches an attack on the Soviet Far East? If the Soviet Union were attacked on two sides and fought on two fronts, it can be said that the Soviet Union would be finished, although it would not be so easily. A Japanese attack on the empty Far East would cause the Soviet Union to move its newly settled industrial base away from the Siberian line of the Ural Mountains. Where to go? There is only Central Asia. Are there any conditions for transfer? Some. The Soviet Union reformed the construction of the Central Asian Railway. In addition to the transfer of industry, the morale of the people will also be hit. The most important thing is to transfer troops and materiel to the Far East on the European battlefield, and the Far East will become the front line from a base for supplies. The worst outcome of the Soviet Union was its demise, and it was divided between Japan and Germany, which would prop up several puppet regimes. The best, and most likely, outcome of the Soviet Union was a crushing victory, with the loss of a large amount of territory in the Far East of Europe and the loss of more population. Of course, the Japanese army sent troops, and the risk was extremely high. The war with the USSR was likely to be in a stalemate. In that case, it will be difficult for Japan to have the strength to advance southward, its strategic layout will be disrupted, and the navy will be useless and will rebel. No one dares to fight a two-front war. Of course, real history cannot be assumed.

The tenth volume is finished.