The decisive battle against the Third Reich

At 3:15 in the morning, the rumbling sound of the German artillery opened the curtain of the attack from the gap.

In addition to conventional field artillery, Manstein also deployed the "Katyusha" multiple rocket launchers and Sevastopol heavy artillery captured from the Soviet army.

The area around the Soviet defense line was instantly bombed red, as if the sunset returned to their sky.

After 10 minutes of shelling, part of the artillery fire began to extend eastward, and the German scouts, infantry and engineers lurking on the front line came out of their hiding places and followed the artillery fire.

Scouts usually ride on sidecars, armored vehicles or light tanks such as 35t and 38t tanks... These two types of tanks were captured from Czechoslovakia by Germany when it occupied Czechoslovakia (t stands for Czechoslovakia). Because of their excellent performance, the German army allowed Czechoslovakia to continue to produce and use them widely in the army, but they were no match for the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front, so a considerable part of them were handed over to the vassal state and a small part was left for themselves as reconnaissance vehicles.

Their task was to walk in front and keep in touch with the infantry, engineers and the main force behind them at any time, such as where engineers were needed to build bridges, where infantry were needed to garrison, etc. The German blitzkrieg was able to play well, in large part because it relied on excellent scouts to scout in front and solve all difficulties for the main force in a timely manner, which enabled the main force to advance almost non-stop.

The task of the infantry was to build a line of defense at both ends of the gap to block the Soviet soldiers who might come and protect and support the engineers as much as possible.

The task of the engineers was to clear obstacles and pave roads... For this purpose, they made many mule carts and horse carts. Compared with transportation tools such as cars and tanks, mule carts and horse carts are not easy to get stuck in the mud and unable to move.

These mule carts and horse carts were dragged with wood, sandbags, iron plates or road-building tools. Once they encountered an area where cars and tanks might get stuck in the mud, they would pave it as quickly as possible. If it didn't work, they would put up signs or leave individuals to command the follow-up vehicles to detour.

The sound of artillery and smoke and the continuous suppression of the Soviet defense line made the Soviet army unaware of the German army's actions.

Ten minutes later, the gunfire stopped.

Manstein stood on the command vehicle and waved forward, ordering: "Forward!"

The armored vehicles, cars and tanks that had been ready for a long time "rumbled" into the gap like a tide.

Qin Chuan led the First Infantry Regiment in cars, half-track armored vehicles and sidecars to follow the team.

Qin Chuan always felt very strange when advancing: the sound of the German army's large forces from the gap was not small, the sound of the tanks and cars' engines, the sound of horses, the sound of tracks, etc. Although it was dark at this time, the Soviet army should have reacted, but until now the Soviet army still did not make any movement.

Later, Qin Chuan learned that this was because the Soviet army thought that these were the sounds made by their own people on the opposite side... The 47th Army in the front thought that it was the 51st Army in the rear mobilizing troops, and the 47th Army in the rear thought that it was the reinforcement of the 51st Army.

It was not until the German army penetrated through the gap, took a detour and went onto the road, and then launched a fierce attack on the 44th Soviet Army that the Soviet army came to its senses.

But it was too late... The 44th Soviet Army had never thought that they would be attacked by the enemy in the second line, and because of the order of Political Commissar Mekhlis, they did not build fortifications at all.

As mentioned before, building fortifications was considered a cowardly act, a waste of time and effort, and the soldiers should save their strength to attack the German army.

So the German army launched a massacre against the 44th Soviet Army here without mercy. The soldiers rushed into the camp of the 44th Soviet Army under the cover of armored vehicles and light tanks and fought fiercely. The bullets and shells hit the Soviet soldiers who were still sleeping in the tents and screamed.

Many tanks and armored vehicles even opened fire, directly crushing the simple tents with tracks, of course including the Soviet soldiers who did not have time to escape.

Some Soviet soldiers raised their hands in panic and surrendered, but they were not smart enough... The Germans were fighting in an interpenetrating manner, and taking prisoners would only be a burden for them, especially at this time when the interpenetration had just begun, so without any hesitation, a row of bullets went by and those Soviet soldiers were knocked to the ground.

While the battle was going on, the main force continued to advance along the road into the depths of the Soviet army without stopping for a moment.

The German army initially advanced in a sequence of the 50th Infantry Division, the 28th Jaeger Division, and the 22nd Armored Division. Qin Chuan's First Infantry Regiment was incorporated into the 22nd Armored Division as a reserve.

The reason for this arrangement is also sophisticated: Manstein estimated that there would definitely be a battle during the interpenetration process, either running into the enemy's reinforcements or running into the enemy's 44th Army... In fact, it ran into the 44th Army.

So the 50th Infantry Division, which is good at positional warfare, was arranged at the front, and with the cooperation of an armored battalion, it covered the main force to break through.

In this way, the sequence naturally changed to the 28th Jager Division, which was the fastest and mostly equipped with light weapons, walking in the front, the 22nd Armored Division, which was the most powerful, walking in the middle, and the 50th Infantry Division, which was slower but had heavy weapons and was suitable for fighting tough battles, following behind.

Obviously, this was a reasonable arrangement because it allowed the troops to move towards the target at the fastest speed.

Then, in less than half an hour, there was the first "encounter". The 28th Jager Division, which was walking in the front, ran into a Soviet supply team head-on.

Maximilian, the commander of the 28th Jaeger Division, excitedly reported to Manstein: "General, there are dozens of trucks of fuel, which should be transported from the Caucasus!"

Manstein was very calm when he heard this report.

"I don't know why you are so excited, Major General!" Manstein said: "The Soviet tanks use diesel, but we use gasoline!"

"No, General!" Major General Maximilian reported: "These are gasoline!"

"Are you sure it is gasoline?" Manstein's eyes lit up.

"Yes!" Major General Maximilian replied: "I asked the Soviet car soldiers, and they told me that these gasoline were sent to the front line for cars and "Valentin" tanks!"

As mentioned before, the Soviet army is not only equipped with "T34" tanks but also tanks assisted by Britain and the United States, and the tanks assisted by Britain and the United States all use gasoline.

"Well done, Major General!" Manstein replied, "I feel like we are one step closer to victory!"

After hanging up the phone, Manstein said to himself, "I love those British tanks!"