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Volume 2 Iron Torrent Chapter 1077 The Final Counterattack 2

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    In January 1942, the most terrifying cold wave hit the Leningrad and Moscow war zones. The ultra-low temperature of more than 40 degrees below zero made people mistakenly think that they had reached the North Pole. The howling wind swept away granular snow and even ice particles, which were like sharp  The knife is wreaking havoc on the northern land!

    More than three million troops from the Soviet Union and Germany gathered around the city of Leningrad on the Baltic coast. On a battlefield with a radius of about 30 kilometers, after a frantic battle for a whole autumn and half of the winter, the Germans were indeed very energetic.  After spending 7788 yuan, the Soviet people's fighting spirit was almost collapsed by Ku Lie's current situation!

    The extreme cold was a severe test for both sides. Whether it was Marshal Loeb of the German Army's Northern Group or Commander-in-Chief Zhukov of the Soviet Army, the pressure in their hearts was as heavy as a mountain. Not only were they unable to sleep at night, but their energy was more exhausted than they had been in the previous half of their lives.  What's at stake!

    It¡¯s another gloomy morning.  Rarely, the snowflakes swept by the strong wind stopped, and only the cold wind of level 4 or 5 blew across the empty battlefield, making a heart-rending whistling sound.  At the front of the snow-covered encirclement, countless cold-proof nests of the German army were opened one after another. The soldiers wearing thick cotton coats exhaled thick white air and waded through the deep snow that covered their thighs with difficulty to make a way out.  But their physical strength could only barely move forward a few dozen steps before they were too tired to lift their legs.

    "What a terrible weather! If we had known earlier, we would have preferred to wait until the snow melted this spring before launching a general attack!"

    Manstein, commander of the 41st Motorized Corps of the German Army, walked from beneath the thick fortifications to the ground along a passage dug out of the snow. Through the freshly purified air, he looked at the undulating, densely populated area at the end of his field of vision.  The cratered suburban defense line sighed.

    Next to him.  A Chinese soldier responded calmly: "In that case, maybe you didn't attack the Soviet Union, but were raided by them! Moreover, the poor soft and wet soil in Ukraine, whether in spring or autumn, is a swamp and quagmire. Your armored forces  It¡¯s impossible to launch a lightning strike! The result may be worse!¡±

    "Who knows?" Manstein obviously did not intend to waste too much words on this. Although he did not think that the Russians had the courage to raid the powerful Germany, but who made Colonel Luo Zhendong in front of him?  Here are the observers from China.  Although compared to his own military rank, this guy who only leads a reinforced armored regiment for the time being is really far behind.  Manstein learned from the side that, in fact, he had more promise and a higher level than the commander of an armored division!

    Luo Zhendong was from the most direct lineage of Zhu Bin.  Because China does not have the rank of brigadier general, it is only a colonel for the time being. Otherwise, he will definitely be a real major general, and he will lead the most powerful armored force in the world, which is enough to attract his attention.

    In fact, Manstein hoped to come to the most powerful and mysterious one.  Wang Zhangtang, the commander-in-chief who single-handedly defeated the armored forces of Japan, Soviet Russia, the United States and other powers.  However, that guy is now said to be the commander-in-chief of the offensive forces in the entire North American theater, and it is definitely impossible for him to come out to engage in military exchanges.  It¡¯s a pity that I couldn¡¯t have an in-depth discussion with him!

    Taking two breaths of cold air, he replaced the turbidity that had suffocated him for half the night. Feeling that his sleepy and exhausted body seemed to be radiating strength, Manstein changed the topic and asked: "Colonel Luo, I'm curious, what are you guys doing?"  How do you solve the trouble of fighting in the cold, wet and muddy combat environment? As far as I know, your army claims to be able to fight in all weather and all terrains!"

    This seems to be a casual conversation, but it may involve the highest military secrets.

    Luo Zhendong smiled lightly: "Adequate battlefield reconnaissance and pre-war preparation are the most effective ways to solve problems! Our weapons and equipment designers must go deep into the harshest environments to collect data, and collect data based on the opinions of front-line soldiers and commanders.  Comprehensive analysis of opinions. Finally, targeted design and manufacturing will be made. Many actual military exercises will be conducted. In order to attack the Soviet Far East Army, we made three full years of preparations. In short, our equipment and training are all  It revolves around winning the war. Although Germany¡¯s technology is advanced and its workers are higher quality, there are too many artists in it.¡±

    "Are artists bad? I have always believed that only the best professionals can design and manufacture the most sophisticated weapons." Manstein disagreed. The quality of the Germans is so high that no one in the world can compare with it. Why?  When it comes to you Chinese people, does it become a shortcoming?

    Luo Zhendong said with a smile: "Artists' works are usually full of personal characteristics, but lack compatibility and interoperability with others, and are relatively inefficient. In my opinion, if they are willing to lower their craftsmanship and relax a little,  By pursuing the ultimate in complexity, Germany's military production efficiency can be at least doubled. That means there will be no need to worry about a lack of weapons and ammunition on the battlefield. You know, after all, Germany's population is too small, and the mobilizable force is limited, and yours  femaleBut rarely enter the factory.  "

    Manstein frowned slightly and was stunned.

    ¡°What he, like most Germans, sees as advantages and normal things, is actually seen as a flaw by the Chinese?  This made him unwilling to accept it from the bottom of his heart.

    But he had to admit that Luo Zhendong was right.  All countries that had participated in the war, whether the Soviet Union or the United States, mobilized all, especially the power of women, which was equivalent to increasing the overall strength by at least half or even double.  If Germany could also use female workers to replace men in production operations, it would at least be able to free up millions of outstanding soldiers.

    But Germany, like China, has a traditional culture that attaches great importance to family throughout the society. It is natural for women to take care of the family and take care of the children.

    "There is an old saying in China, 'A lion fights a rabbit with all its strength.' Since Germany intends to conquer the entire Western world, it must be prepared to invest everything."

    Luo Zhendong could not say that the Germans were too arrogant and did not take their enemies into consideration.  Look at the past few years since Hitler launched the war. The overall strategy has been completely focused on one thing and another, opening up some new battlefields on a whim. He has too much appetite and greed, and does not take into account their own backbone strength.  After all, it is limited. It may be easy to simply defeat. It is up to them to conquer, occupy, integrate and unify.  There are no doors!

    It¡¯s just the Germans who refuse to admit it!

    He was sent to the German front line to observe the German commander's decision-making and command during the war, personally experienced the Soviet Union's combat mode, and found that problems were insufficient.  It is necessary to analyze the pros and cons as much as possible, otherwise it will appear that the level is too low?

    Manstein paused, put this annoying topic aside again, raised his finger to point to the enemy troops in the distance that were blurry but clearly ready to move, and asked Luo Zhendong: "What if it were you who attacked Leningrad?"  , what strategies will be adopted to ensure success?¡±

    Luo Zhendong narrowed his eyes slightly.  With his good eyesight, he could probably see clearly that on the far horizon, in the heavy snow, there were a large number of black shadows shaking, which must be Soviet tanks.  Only the mechanical equipment manufactured by Lao Maozi has surprisingly good frost resistance, and has sufficient experience to deal with the damage of severe cold, ensuring that the performance of the weapon is less affected.  Therefore, they must be the first to move.

    Regarding Manstein¡¯s issue, he had considered and discussed it before coming.  To put it bluntly: "In terms of strategy and tactics, we will not do better than you. However, we will intensify the competition for air control, especially the devastating blow to the Soviet navy in the Baltic Sea. We will put it first. Secondly, we will do a good job  Prepare to destroy the entire city. For a country with a proud history, a city with special political significance, we usually do not expect to capture it, and would rather destroy it completely in exchange for strategic initiative and final victory."

    The German army's attack on Soviet Russia could not be said to be sudden, swift or decisive.  However, it is obvious that Lao Maozi's determination to mobilize and resist was underestimated due to the harsh environment. This led to the quagmire in summer and autumn, which dragged on until winter, resulting in a series of passive and bad situations.

    A war between two powerful countries.  The most feared thing is this kind of stalemate in enemy territory. Attackers with farther supply lines will pay higher costs and bear greater pressure to fail.

    Manstein was a little proud at first, but he was soon stung by what he said next.  No matter how subtle Luo Zhendong said, he could still hear the underlying meaning.  Germany's war effort seems resolute, but in fact some of its established goals have become constraints.

    Hitler hoped to personally inspect the three cities of Leningrad, Moscow, and Stalingrad and accept the cheers of the citizens, which meant that the bombing must be limited.  The German army traveled a long distance and underestimated the difficulties. As a motorized army, he was originally the main force of the blitzkrieg, capable of quickly breaking through and decapitating people with one blow, but he was entangled here and turned into a protracted battle. It was clearly disadvantageous for the battle!

    The attack on the Baltic Sea obviously did not invest enough force. This resulted in the Soviet Navy always providing strong support to Leningrad, which highlighted the shortcomings of the German Navy and the extremely poor coordination between the land, sea and air forces!

    "Modern war is fought as a total war. The three armies are separated and fight on their own. There is even a scandal that Goering is in charge of all aircrafts, which makes their precise strategic deployment cause countless troubles.

    On the other hand, China, although its rise has been very short, its brilliant results cannot be denied by anyone.  Manstein, Guderian and others had personally conducted military observations and exchanges, and knew that what the Zhu Jiajun promoted from the beginning was a so-called "three-dimensional combat" model, in which the sea, land and air forces were unified into one combat deployment.  within the frame.  A senior commander like him must have an air force or navy under his command that he can mobilize, or some other strategic force, including a secret missile force.  ?When entering a battle, everything is handled flexibly based on the real-time situation of the enemy.

    This is indeed an extremely advanced and avant-garde combat idea. Manstein was deeply inspired, but there was no way to implement it in Germany.  Although the German Wehrmacht has a long history and high quality, its historical traditions are also synonymous with rigidity and rigidity. The German army has a bunch of advanced weapons and excellent soldiers, but it cannot form a powerful fist to cope with the ever-changing war model. It is a pity.  ah!

    He was even extremely envious of Wang Zhangtang¡¯s troop formation.  Although it is only a division in name, it has three heavy tank regiments, two artillery regiments, a flight regiment, an army aviation brigade, a reconnaissance regiment, special weapons forces, etc.  If you want to go to the sky, there is a fleet of heavy transport aircraft. If you want to go to the sea, there are amphibious assault ships waiting for you. No matter where the battlefield is, you can drop it there.

    Perhaps, after this war is over, Germany will carry out a revolutionary military change.  It's unlikely now.

    Manstein didn¡¯t think Luo Zhendong had anything to hide, and what he said was the truth.  Germany can learn from this, but it is not easy to achieve.

    To destroy a city, you must first have the means to destroy all buildings.  Cities such as Leningrad.  There are many buildings and stone structures everywhere. Generally, if artillery shells and bombs hit them, they will at best destroy the space below.  Enough to accommodate hundreds of thousands of enemy troops for more covert attacks and confrontations.  If China had those powerful bombs, it might be possible.  Germany has even thrown away airborne torpedoes, but the effect is not very good.

    It¡¯s not that Hitler never thought about obtaining China¡¯s super bomb. Needless to say, he was rejected unceremoniously.  It¡¯s understandable if you think about it.  That thing is too dangerous. If you drop one, a small town will be gone. If the Germans learn to crack and upgrade it, they will start a war with China and throw it on their own heads.  It¡¯s your own fault!

    This doesn¡¯t work either, what about other ways?  Manstein asked doubtfully: "At the beginning of our attack, we invested thousands of aircraft and tens of thousands of cannons. Do you think it's still not enough?"

    "Not enough!" Luo Zhendong shook his head categorically. "If we were to attack with conventional weapons and tactics, there would be no upper limit on the number of aircraft. Based on seizing air supremacy, there must be at least 500 professional attack aircraft carrying 1,000 pounds or more.  Use heavy ground-penetrating bombs to accurately bomb every building and completely knock them down! Then deploy at least 1,000 heavy artillery pieces over 150mm to destroy any building with more than two floors in front of you with armor-piercing bombs. Use more than 500 heavy armored vehicles  The main battle tank is a sharp point, coupled with more than a hundred large-caliber assault guns, an equal number of infantry fighting vehicles, and a large number of infantry, advancing at the fastest speed, wherever it passes. There must be no place.  Leave a bunker where you can hide people.¡±

    Manstein took a breath of cold air, how cruel!  Once this is done, all that will be left is rubble!  Think about the historical city of Leningrad turning into ruins no more than two stories high. The scene is simply apocalyptic!

    This way of fighting is difficult for the Germans to accept.  They generally love art, and have a natural hobby and collection habit for historical cities, cultural relics and antiques, and are reluctant to destroy them unless they have to.  The purpose of their war was to conquer, not simply to destroy.

    Of course they have no idea.  War is inherently an act of unleashing the desire for destruction. In order to scare the enemy, any excessive destruction is normal.  Obviously, the Germans did not implement Clausewitz's theory thoroughly enough!

    "What a bunch of lunatics! It seems that their victory in the war was not a fluke!" Manstein complained in his heart, but he would not say it rudely.

    At this time, rumbling explosions began to be heard from the front.  The besieged Soviet army began to launch a counterattack again.  However, the intensity was obviously much lower than last year. On the battlefield covered with white snow, it was impossible to see where the enemy was from a distance. This was just a test.

    Leningrad was surrounded. The largest industrial city and second largest transportation hub in Soviet Russia, its geographical location was too dangerous. After Zhukov arrived, he mobilized various resources to optimize the ratio, and the effect of the echelon defense array formed was obvious.  Not only did they stabilize the morale of the troops, but they also relied on the frozen Ladoga Bay lake channel to survive the most difficult time.

    With the deployment of several German armored groups and part of the air force, the frontal pressure on Leningrad has been greatly reduced, and a small-scale counterattack can be carried out.

    Don't look at Hitler's cry: "The purpose of our army is to surround this city, use artillery bombardment and continuous aerial bombardment to raze it to the ground. Any request to take over this city will not be considered in advance, because the survival and survival of the city's residents  The problem of feeding them cannot and should not be solved by us. In a war for survival we do not want to retain even a portion of the population of such a large city."

    In fact, he and the German army have no way to really destroy this place.?I didn¡¯t realize that Leningrad was actually far more important than Stalingrad and Moscow!  His strategy of rushing to capture Moscow and force Stalin to surrender was wrong!

    ¡°But no one could point out his mistakes bluntly to him, and the generals of the National Defense Forces who were accustomed to executing orders obviously had no way to change all this. After entering the winter battle, they were actually showing signs of fatigue.

    Manstein thought about Luo Zhendong¡¯s words again and sighed secretly.  He could not count on the help of the navy. The British navy, led by Churchill, gave up protecting the homeland and even gave up the North Sea. However, it devoted all its efforts to the Atlantic and Mediterranean operations. The intensity was even greater than at the beginning. Even D?nitz's Sea Wolf could not escape.

    Although the Air Force can draw back a large part of its strength from the Western Front, it is not so conspicuous when it is evenly distributed on the Eastern Front battlefield.  The German army urgently needs the power to break the situation.  Aerial bombing was obviously the way to go, but in the face of the iron barrel array deployed by Zhukov, Hitler's clamor seemed so weak.

    Manstein and Loeb were obviously aware of the trouble of prolonging the situation. After careful consideration, they decisively requested that all Chinese-made heavy bombers and attack aircraft be transferred over to launch an attack on Leningrad with heavy gliding bombs from high altitudes.  A total bombardment!  Several E100 Giant Rats, P1000 Super Giant Rats, and a large number of heavily armored Tiger tanks were also summoned.

    However, they did not have high hopes for all the gains. Goering's damn bastard would only mobilize the air force to unnecessary places in order to please Hitler, regardless of the overall situation; Hitler only had Moscow in his eyes, and he was too pursuing an unprecedented shock.  Victory, but ignored that Soviet Russia was a powerful country with territory, population, military power, and resources that could compete with him. Lao Maozi's resilience had been honed in the long history of fighting nature and was as difficult to destroy as steel bars.

    Trying to win by occupying the capital is the same as Japan¡¯s plan to quickly capture Nanjing, the capital of China, to conquer a huge ancient civilization with more than 10 million square kilometers of land and 450 million people. It¡¯s ridiculous!
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