Chapter 392 Half-track Vehicle
What the 1st Guards Tank Brigade has to do is to build fortifications in Rzhev...Rerzhev is too important, whether it is for the German or Soviet army, so of course the Soviet army will not easily let the 1st Guards Tank Brigade cross Go through the defense line to pursue the enemy.
Other troops did exactly this. They saw the Germans retreating and began to advance, and the advancing speed was very fast, for fear that the enemy would run too fast and would not be able to catch up.
Facts have proved that they were overwhelmed. The German army retreated in an orderly manner, at least in the 9th Army under the command of Model. They fought back during supply, causing heavy casualties to the Soviet army.
"I think we should take a breather!" Shulka said to Katukov.
"Yes!" Katukov, who was looking at the map, agreed: "With Rzhev, we have a shield in front of Moscow. As long as we deploy enough artillery here and have enough shells, the Germans can never attack Moscow. I mean, at least they can't launch a blitzkrieg against Moscow that will catch us off guard!"
The important site of Rzhev fell into the hands of the German army because of the low morale of the Soviet army during the first battle... At that time, Moscow was undergoing a large-scale evacuation of personnel and industries, which made people panic. Everyone thought that Moscow was about to fall and even that the Soviet Union was going to It's over.
So, the Soviet army stationed here only resisted for three days before throwing it to the German army, and its commander Maslennikov was quickly arrested by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Now, the Soviet army is of course aware of the importance of this place, and it will not be so easy for the German army to take it back.
Things were exactly as Shulka and Katukov thought, and soon the Supreme Command ordered the repair of the railway from Moscow to Rzhev.
This sounds like a normal order, but one must know that it is extremely cold at this time, and it is conceivable that there will be many dangers in repairing the railway under such circumstances.
It took only two days for the railway to open, and batches of Soviet M30 grenades and "Katyusha" rocket launchers were quickly brought up from the rear. Shulka and Katukov did not know how many troops there were because of confidentiality. have no idea.
It is roughly estimated that there are at least two artillery regiments and two rocket artillery battalions.
The German artillery captured by the 1st Guards Tank Brigade was loaded onto the train and transported back door by door, along with shells of course.
This is not because the performance of the German howitzer is not good enough. Although the performance of the German howitzer is indeed inferior to the Soviet army, it is more important to ensure the sustainability of the operation and the supply of the front line...
Due to its geographical advantage of being easy to defend and difficult to attack, Rzhev can become a natural supply station and material transfer station.
If German artillery is used here, it is very likely that there will be insufficient shells and chaotic supplies. The management of the Soviet army is already chaotic, so of course they dare not take risks in such an important place.
Together with these artillery and shells, the wounded of the 9 divisions who broke out from the encirclement...These 9 divisions were ordered to gather on the right wing of Rzhev to rest, for the sake of Rzhev's artillery fire and the 1st guard tanks. The 1 brigade could provide them with cover.
The scene of those divisions escaping from birth made Shulka and the soldiers quite touched... When they knew that they had reached their destination safely, the whole team boiled up, some shouted like crazy, some People lay and rolled in the snowdrifts, and some cried and laughed for a while.
A major general and division commander made a special trip to thank Katukov with two bottles of French brandy handed over from the Germans.
Of course Katukov wanted to call Shulka.
"Actually, he saved you!" Katukov said to the major general, "Perhaps you have heard of him, the breakout hero!"
"Oh, yes!" The major general excitedly shook Shulka's hand and said, "Nice to meet you, Comrade Shulka! On behalf of all our rescued personnel, I would like to express my thanks to you!"
"This is what I should do, Comrade General!" Shulka, of course, said so.
In fact, this is indeed what it should be. After all, this is a war. Everyone is fighting for the country and it is a community of interests. Saving others is also saving yourself.
Shulka got one of the two bottles of brandy.
This moment became the envy of everyone... The soldiers did get some brandy before, but they drank it up in a few strokes. At this time, its price has risen to the point that one bottle can be exchanged for five bottles of the same amount Waterga.
Shulka generously opened it to share with the soldiers.
On the one hand, everyone deserves the credit, and on the other hand... Shulka has never been a drinker.
Then came another piece of good news.
The day after the opening of the railway, Kalashnikov appeared in front of Shulka.
"Guess what I brought you, Comrade Shulka?" Kalashnikov waved happily at Shulka.
"Halftrack?" Shulka asked.
Kalashnikov laughed: "Nothing can fool you, 'breakout hero'!"
This is actually not difficult to guess. Shulka recently gave scientists only two suggestions, one is the middle bomb and the other is the half-track vehicle.
It will take some time to develop the intermediate ammunition, and even if the intermediate ammunition is successful, there will be a corresponding gun developed... Then it is time for Kalashnikov to play.
So, there's only one possibility: Halftracks.
It is not surprising that the Soviet army can produce half-track vehicles so quickly, because there is no technical problem for them. The Soviet Union with advanced heavy industry can produce the world's best tanks, and a half-track vehicle is naturally no problem.
And Shulka solved the design and demand problems, so the prototype car came out soon.
Kalashnikov brought Shulka to the front of the carriage, and then pulled the canvas, and a brand new and cool half-track vehicle appeared in front of Shulka.
"We produced fifteen vehicles in the first batch!" Kalashnikov said: "Five vehicles were left in the tractor factory for testing, and the remaining ten vehicles were all sent to you. Of course, this is also a test!"
"I know!" Shulka nodded, and then asked: "They have no problem driving in the snow!"
"Of course there is no problem!" Kalashnikov replied: "We installed anti-skid teeth on it. The fastest speed in the snow can reach 40 kilometers per hour, and the road speed can reach 64 kilometers per hour, which exceeds our expectations!"
Shuerka nodded. This may have something to do with the structure of the half-track vehicle.
This also means that it can carry infantry well with T34 tanks.
(end of this chapter)
