The decisive battle against the Third Reich

Major Jones guessed right. Tunnel fortification is not as simple as the British thought. It is a combination of ground and underground fortifications. Not only can tunnels and tunnels protect each other, but if the fortification is attacked from the front, the ground Fortifications and tunnel entrances can also form a strong cooperation.

For example, when the enemy launches an attack on the central line of defense in the tunnels located near the mountaintop position, the openings of these tunnels can form side and reverse firepower against the charging enemy.

In this case, the US military's attack will undoubtedly be in a dilemma:

If you clear the nearby tunnel first, you will expose yourself to the guns of the Germans on the defensive line a hundred meters away.

Attacking the defense line is tantamount to rushing into the enemy's trap.

After much thought, Patton had no choice but to order Major General Allen to withdraw all his troops.

Major General Allen also expressed his incomprehension.

"General!" Major General Allen objected: "We paid such a heavy price to occupy the position on the top of the mountain. How can we just give up?"

"It will be dark in another hour, Allen!" General Patton said: "Have you forgotten how the British were defeated at the Gabes Line?"

Allen couldn't help but be speechless.

Of course he did not forget that the Germans would launch a counterattack at night. According to the British... the entrance to the German tunnel was even right next to them, but unless the Germans got out of it, they would not be able to detect it at all. By this time it was too late.

Thinking of this, Allen could only order to abandon the high ground and withdraw his defense line.

"Watch them!" Patton told Major General Allen before leaving: "I have a hunch that they will take action at night!"

"Yes, General!" Allen replied.

General Patton contacted Eisenhower as soon as he returned to his headquarters.

"God!" Eisenhower complained when he heard Patton's voice: "Where have you been? I couldn't contact you for seven hours!"

"I'm going to the front!" Patton replied: "The First Infantry Division!"

"Don't you know that you are the commander of a group army?" Eisenhower couldn't help roaring after hearing this: "The headquarters has a lot of things that you need to be responsible for and command, but you go to the front line!"

"General!" Patton said: "I at least got a definite answer. The 1st Infantry Division fought bravely, but they just couldn't break through the high ground in front of them!"

"What do you want to say, Joe?" Eisenhower was still angry: "Do you want to tell me that the main force of the Germans is in Enna? No, that is just an illusion created by the Germans. At this time, they are in Mexico. Get organized and retreat!”

"That's impossible!" Patton replied.

"Nothing is impossible!" Eisenhower said: "Our reconnaissance planes took photos of a large number of German tanks there!"

After hearing this, Patton couldn't help but fell silent. He was also a little confused by the situation in front of him. Although he still believed that the main force of the German army was in Enna, the intelligence told him that this was not the case.

"Stop acting on your own, Joe!" Eisenhower said in a slower tone: "You have to know that from the very beginning we have cooperated with the British in fighting, and they are the main offensive force. Although I don't want to do this, we must Think about the overall situation, understand?”

"Yes, General!" Patton replied.

"Any more doubts?"

"No, no!" Barton replied: "I will do what I have to do as planned!"

"very good!"

Patton frowned after putting down the phone. He felt that the Germans would not be so simple.

General Patton guessed correctly, of course the Germans would not be that simple, but at this time they were also at a loss.

At an emergency meeting held by Rommel, Rommel said to a map hung on the wall: "Gentlemen, we had an accident... Originally we thought the Americans would use armored forces to attack Palermo, but Unexpectedly, they placed tanks in front of us!”

"Here, here, and here..." Rommel pointed to the marks on the map and continued: "Enemy armored units are all deployed, and they also occupied several highlands next to the highway to form a line of defense. And before dark, mines and barbed wire were laid in front of the defense line!”

The generals in the conference room couldn't help but talk about it.

"Can we force a breakthrough?" Major General Nomanyi asked, while turning his attention to Major General Graf.

Others also looked at Graf, including Rommel.

Because Graf is the commander of the only armored division in the German army, he has the most say on this matter.

After thinking for a while, Major General Graf replied: "I think we can force a breakthrough. After all, we have more than a hundred tanks, and a considerable part of them are Panzer IV tanks."

The "Hermann Göring" Armored Division is the main armored division and is equipped with far more "Plank IV" tanks than the several armored divisions of the Afrika Korps.

"The problem is..." Major General Graf changed the topic and continued: "The Americans have sixty Shermans, and their strength cannot be underestimated. At the same time, we have to fight at night, and what's worse is the Americans. These tanks guard the traffic arteries..."

There is no need to say more about the next words. What Major General Graf said are the fatal aspects of tank warfare.

The terrain of Sicily is different from that of North Africa. It is a mountainous area, and most roads are built at the foot of the mountains. This will form "levels". It is difficult for tanks to deploy in such terrain. It can even be said... Even if American tanks are Any destruction on the highway may cause a short traffic jam and bring danger and trouble to the following troops.

Therefore, Major General Graf concluded:

"I believe we can break through, but we have to pay a certain price! This may make us unable to cover our troops in the next battle and quickly advance deep into the enemy!"

The officers all understand what this means, and it is very reasonable... The "Sherman" is not an ordinary tank. Its armor, mobility, artillery, etc. are almost a nightmare for the Afrika Korps, so if the Goering Division can easily Breaking through the defense line is just a fantasy.

However, if Göring's division is defeated...I am afraid that the next plan will not be completed.

Because after the breakthrough, the German army had to rely on the mobility and defense of the tanks to divide into several groups and advance rapidly towards the enemy: when they encountered a checkpoint, they broke through; when they encountered a convoy, they rolled over; when they encountered the enemy, they killed them...

But if you don't even use tanks to advance with infantry, you will easily be entangled by the enemy and unable to move.

Rommel looked at his watch anxiously and said: "There are still three hours until the counterattack, and we seem to have no other choice!"

"Maybe we have other choices!" Qin Chuan said.