Chapter 428 Heroes and Traitors
In this regard Lieutenant General Sponek is correct, because the Soviet army was already repairing the port and starting to land heavy equipment when the naval infantry brigade attacked Feodosia.
This did cause a lot of trouble for the Soviet army.
The reason is still as mentioned before, the Soviet army is an entire continent, so it attaches great importance to the development of the army and air force, and the navy is relatively lagging behind.
Especially the amphibious landings... the USSR bordered the mainland almost everywhere, and they preferred to use infantry, artillery, and tanks to pile up, rather than implement amphibious landings.
Therefore, the process of transporting tanks ashore after the German army destroyed the port facilities became very cumbersome.
This process was originally to lift the tank ashore by a large crane on the shore, but there is no doubt that the port and the large crane were bombed by the Germans.
The Soviet army only brought its own crane on the supply ship, so the tank had to be hoisted to the barge first, and then transported to the shore by the barge.
"It may take 17 hours to transport all your equipment ashore!" Major General Vladimir gave this number after calculation: "You know, it's dark now, and there will be enemy night planes from time to time And the harassment of artillery!"
The "night fighter" mentioned by Major General Vladimir refers to the BF110 of the German army. This is a fighter with excellent endurance but insufficient agility. The Germans fitted it with radar and used it for night operations.
Of course, its combat capabilities are still quite limited, and most of them will only shoot at low altitude when they see lights.
Because the visibility at night is not high, fighter planes can only shoot at a relatively high distance, so bullets and shells are actually flying around in the surrounding sea area, and the effect is indeed as Major General Vladimir said...harassment.
"It's okay!" Shulka replied: "17 hours is enough!"
17 hours is indeed enough. If there are no accidents, the 5th Naval Infantry Brigade should have occupied Feodosia and consolidated the defense by then. Even if the German reinforcements arrived, they would be blocked outside the city.
As long as the 1st Guards Tank Brigade is ready, it will immediately launch an attack on Zhankoy... You must know that the 1st Guards Tank Brigade is equipped with T34 at this time, and has once again become a veritable "T34" unit. There are also half-track armored vehicles to transport troops and transport supplies. It is not difficult to rush to and occupy Zhankoy quickly.
At that time, the troops led by Manstein and even himself will be surrounded in the Crimean Peninsula.
Just then, a staff officer handed a telegram to Vladimir.
Vladimir's face changed, and he said to Shulka: "Captain, the Germans have begun to retreat, the 46th Division, they plan to withdraw from the Kerch Peninsula to reinforce Feodosia!"
Shulka nodded.
He is not surprised by this, because only doing so is the only way for the German army to survive.
What Shulka didn't know was that this was not Manstein's intention, and he was even furious about it.
"Tell the 46th Division!" Manstein shouted at the adjutant angrily: "No retreat, this is an order!"
"But the general!" The adjutant replied: "Lieutenant General Sponek turned off the radio, I think he refused to carry out your order!"
"This bastard!" Manstein slammed his fist on the desk, and then ordered: "Send the pilot, and pass the order through the pilot!"
The German air-ground coordination has such a method, which is to let the reconnaissance plane fly over the friendly army at a low speed and then drop a bottle containing the order. The soldier who picked up the bottle will give it to the commander.
Lieutenant General Sponek will soon get such an order.
It read: "Contact the command immediately and stop the retreat, the 11th Army Command!"
Lieutenant General Sponek took a look, then lit a match casually to burn the order.
"General!" The adjutant knew what was going on, so he asked worriedly.
"Don't worry, Culis!" Lieutenant General Sponek replied: "If anyone should be responsible for this, it is me! You don't know anything, just obey my orders, understand?"
"No, General!" The adjutant replied: "I know, if I need to be responsible, there is me!"
"Don't be stupid, this won't work!" Lieutenant General Sponek patted the adjutant on the shoulder, then stepped on the barrel cart and continued to lead the troops towards Feodosia.
Lieutenant General Sponek did pay the price...he was court martialed and sentenced to death.
This is one of the few stains in Manstein's war history. He did not make an objective evaluation of Lieutenant General Sponek's disobedience, because if he did, it would also mean admitting his rashness in command And wrong, Manstein had a hard time accepting this.
But in fact many people and even Hitler knew this, so Sponek's death sentence was commuted to 7 years in prison soon after. But in the end he was lynched and shot by the Gestapo.
This is all something later, Lieutenant General Sponek at this time insists on doing what he thinks is right.
The 46th Division's non-stop rapid march finally arrived at Feodosia ten hours later and began to build a defense line. At this time, the Romanian Mountain Brigade's itinerary was obviously lagging behind, and they still needed ten hours to arrive.
"Occupy the high ground!" Lieutenant General Sponek ordered: "Arrange your anti-tank guns and prepare anti-tank grenades, and you will soon see Ivan's tanks coming up!"
The southern coast of the Crimea is a mountainous terrain. As long as you occupy these highlands, you can hold the road at the foot of the mountain condescendingly, which can effectively prevent the rapid breakthrough of Soviet tank troops.
Until then, Lieutenant General Sponek contacted the 11th Army Command: "We have deployed defenses outside Feodosia!"
"Damn, what are you doing?" Manstein asked: "You ruined my whole plan!"
"No, General!" Lieutenant General Sponek replied: "I think I saved you, General, and the 11th Army. Of course, I know you don't think so!"
Then Lieutenant General Sponek turned off the radio again to maintain radio silence.
Lieutenant General Sponeck's approach requires a lot of courage. This does not refer to the courage to fight against the enemy, but the courage to face a series of charges of cowardice, disobedience, and traitor.
Compared to these, it is much easier to face the enemy, and it is much easier to execute orders.
But Lieutenant General Sponek did not choose to do so.
So, sometimes there is only a thin line between heroes and traitors, and they are even difficult to define under certain special circumstances.
(end of this chapter)
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