Chapter 379 Model
Under Shulka's order, the Soviet army did not open the warehouse at Tver Railway Station until after it had fully occupied Tver for more than an hour and relied on houses to build fortifications.
This task is carried out by the 1st Battalion.
Although it is said that all troops are equal on the surface, it is impossible to be equal in reality... The first battalion is the main force of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, and any good equipment or supplies are always given priority.
No other troops have anything to say about this.
Because if anyone has an opinion on this, someone will immediately answer: "If you can get as many military exploits as the first battalion, you can also get these benefits!"
So Shulka showed up in front of the warehouse with his subordinates.
The warehouse door was originally open, but it was locked again under Katukov's order. The purpose is not to be attacked by the enemy because of the looting of supplies, as Shulka said.
Shuerka took out the key sent by Katukov and opened the lock. The Cossack and the actor pushed open the warehouse door from left to right, and couldn't help cheering.
There are boxes of food in the warehouse, such as bread, canned food, chocolate, honey, etc., piled up like hills.
"Who said the Germans were short of supplies?" said the actor, "They have so much food!"
"Forget it, Okunev!" The veteran replied: "You must know that these are all the supplies that the German army and the tank army have accumulated for several days... They seem to be a lot, but if they are distributed to an army, everyone You can only get a pitiful little bit!"
"So!" said the Cossack, "All these things were saved by those Franz?"
The soldiers couldn't help laughing.
After a pause, the actor licked his lips and asked Shulka: "Shall we begin, Comrade Captain?"
"Of course!" Shulka replied.
As soon as the words were spoken, the soldiers jumped into the pile of food in front of them with a cheer... For the Soviet soldiers who endured hunger and cold in the severe cold and persisted in fighting, there was nothing more exciting than this.
The first thing the Cossack snatched was French brandy. He took out his military thorn and knocked on the bottle, pouring it into his mouth like drinking water.
The actor is grabbing German cigarettes and stuffing them into the military uniform, making him look like a fat man... German cigarettes are indeed much better than horse-box cigarettes. This is not just a problem of low-quality tobacco. Roll it with newspaper, so it will naturally smell of newspaper and ink.
The instructor handed Shulka a bag of bread.
Shuerka took it and opened the package to see that it had been cut into slices.
Shuerka knew why. If the bread was a whole piece, it would usually freeze as hard as a stone in the temperature of minus 40 degrees Celsius, and it would be difficult to eat unless a fire was lit to roast it.
But obviously, the German army did not have the conditions to fire in battle.
So they cut the bread into slices before it was shipped here, so that even if it was frozen hard, the soldiers could eat it slowly in their mouths.
Shulka broke off a piece of bread and threw it into his mouth, as if he was holding an ice cube. It is conceivable that this would not be a good experience for the German army who was short of food and clothing.
The instructor also took a piece of bread and gnawed on it, and asked vaguely: "Captain, how long do you think it will take us to drive the Germans out of the Soviet Union?"
Shuerka couldn't help being taken aback, looked at the instructor suspiciously, and asked, "Get out of the Soviet Union?"
"Is there any problem?" The instructor looked at Shulka puzzled.
Shulka just smiled and didn't answer.
He didn't know how to answer, because...if it wasn't because of history, but just looking at the situation in front of him, the Soviet army might indeed drive the German army out of the Soviet Union all the way.
But Shulka knew that was not the case.
On the other hand, Hitler, who was sitting in command in the wolf's lair, was staring at the map anxiously, and the staff around him reported to him nervously: "Your Excellency, the Russians from the Ostashkov area have always maintained Our left flank is under general attack from the severed 23rd Corps, which has been pushed back to the south. At the same time, the left flank of the 6th Corps is also under considerable attack..."
Speaking of which, the staff officer pointed to a location on the map, and then said: "Here, and the Russians have torn through our defense line, the outpost troops have reached the western suburbs of Solomilo, that is the Russian ski camp, they are here Moving very quickly in the snow..."
"Enough!" Hitler interrupted the staff officer.
The German defense line is riddled with holes, like a dam that is about to burst... Although it has not completely collapsed yet, it may be sooner or later.
Moreover, even if the reinforcements are blocked, who knows if these reinforcements will be surrounded?
"These bastards!" Hitler slammed his fist on the table and cursed: "I ordered them not to retreat time and time again, but they were disobeyed time and time again! These cowards, idiots, their retreat directly led to the inability to retreat. Clean up the situation! I swear I will send all those who disobeyed orders to military courts!"
Therefore, military matters are often unclear.
Whether the retreat caused the failure, or Hitler's stubbornness caused the failure...it depends on how to explain it.
Of course, Hitler would not admit the latter.
The problem is that it doesn't make any sense to say this now, and Hitler also understood this, so after walking back and forth at his desk for a while, he ordered: "Remove Strauss, commander of the Ninth Army, and of course Chief of Staff. Order General Model to take over, and stop the Russian attack no matter what!"
"Yes, Your Excellency the Führer!" The staff officer responded, and immediately conveyed Hitler's appointment.
But despite this, the staff still had no hope for Hitler's method.
Because the staff thinks that Hitler’s appointment is nothing more than an emergency.
What's more, the newly appointed General Model was only the commander of an armored division when the war broke out, but now he is asked to command an army group!
Can replacing him be able to turn the tide?
The staff did not believe it, nor did the officers and soldiers of the 9th Army.
So, the Ninth Army Command was stunned when it received this order.
But of course, what they heard was not that the commander was removed.
Instead: "General Straust has health problems, as does the Chief of Staff, so the Fuehrer put them on sick leave!"
At least Hitler learned a little about the morale of the troops affected by Hoepner's dismissal.
However, this excuse does not seem to deceive many people.
(end of this chapter)
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