Chapter 433 Dispute
On the German side, Manstein and Lieutenant General Sponek had a fierce dispute.
"My order is for you not to take a step back, but you withdrew from the Kerch Peninsula!"
"If I don't do this, our entire army group will be finished, including you will be surrounded, general!"
"Oh, really? So I also want to thank you for your flagrant disobedience? Maybe I should also apply for an Iron Cross for you?"
…
But soon, Manstein and Sponneck calmed down, because as professional soldiers, they knew that arguing about these matters was useless at this time, and the situation in front of them was an established fact, which no one could change.
"General!" Sponek said: "Maybe you think I'm using this as an excuse, but I can use my past honors to guarantee that the Russians who landed in Feodosia are not as simple as you think."
"Give me a reason!"
"The troops stationed there are my old subordinates, General!" Sponeck explained: "He has been with me for five years, he is brave in combat, and he is a very wise commander, but in just one hour I lost the beachhead!"
Manstein asked: "Did he provide you with any useful information?"
"No, General!"
"Why?"
"Because he was killed in the battle of Feodosia!" Sponek replied: "Before we arrived. They have been sticking to the buildings of Feodosia and dealing with the enemy until the enemy surrounded them... None of them came out alive. They bought us time, so we seized the high ground outside the city and built a line of defense!"
The implication of these words is that if this line of defense is not established, then the Russian army should go straight to Zhankoy at this time.
But of course, at this time Sponek was unwilling to argue with Manstein on this point, so he didn't say it clearly.
"I see!" Manstein said: "I will consider this issue, but I must remind you: Do not disobey my order again, otherwise I will immediately send you to a military court!"
Speaking of which, Manstein slammed the phone shut.
After putting down the phone, Manstein stared blankly at the map in front of him.
He knew in his heart that Sponek might be right, but of course it was just "maybe."
War is such a thing, it is often difficult to distinguish between right and wrong when making certain decisions, because it has many uncertain factors, such as the 11th Army's long-distance attack on the Crimea, which is theoretically unrealistic...but who I would also think of the defeat of the Russian army.
The same is true of the Battle of Kerch.
Speneck is right? Who knows that if Manstein's style of play is followed, the Russian army will not be defeated again and be driven into the sea?
In fact, this is exactly what Manstein hoped. He thought that Feodosia would fall, but the Romanian 4th Mountain Brigade that arrived later would prevent the Russians from expanding their victories, and then follow-up reinforcements would drive the Russians out. The sea...and then it was a foregone conclusion.
But after Sponek's warning, Manstein hesitated.
Because he knows Sponek well, and knows that he is not a commander who is greedy for life and afraid of death. This can be seen from his performance along the way, especially in the battle on the Kerch Peninsula when he fought against an enemy army several times his own. Can achieve brilliant victories.
If the fall of Feodosia was not due to the cowardice and dereliction of duty of the soldiers, then the combat effectiveness of the enemy's landing force was not trivial.
In this way, Manstein faced two choices:
If the enemy is insufficiently prepared in Feodosia and the landing force is not large, then the troops should be ordered to attack immediately when the enemy's foothold is not stable.
Otherwise, you should slow down and wait until you have accumulated enough strength before launching an attack.
Whether it is the former or the latter, more intelligence should be relied on.
But Manstein did not have more intelligence, and aerial reconnaissance could not detect these. At the same time, he had to make a quick decision, because if he continued to hesitate, more enemies would land, which was equivalent to choosing the latter.
At this moment, the adjutant sent a telegram to Manstein, reporting: "General, our pilots have discovered that there are a large number of fishing boats heading for Feodosia!"
"Fishing boat?"
"Yes!" The adjutant replied: "They should have departed from the Caucasus port!"
After thinking for a while, Manstein nodded and said: "Very well, so...the Russians don't have much preparation for landing in Feodosia!"
So there is no need to think too much, of course I choose the former, that is, to attack Feodosia immediately.
And Manstein can only use the Romanian 4th Mountain Brigade that has just arrived in Feodosia.
While Manstein was preparing for the attack, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade was also preparing.
Of course, the Naval Infantry Brigade is also indispensable.
These sailors directly served as infantry in battle, so Romanian military uniforms were issued to them.
"This is a very strange tactic!" Major General Vladimir expressed dissatisfaction at the meeting: "Put on Romanian uniforms, it makes my soldiers look like clowns! We can take those high places, wear our own military uniform!"
"I absolutely believe this, General!" Katukov said: "But it may reduce the casualties of the naval infantry brigade. Do you think the uniform is more important or the lives of the soldiers?"
This can be said to be an allusion to the rigid ideological education of the Soviet army. They have a natural resistance to wearing military uniforms to pretend to be enemies.
"Okay!" After thinking for a while, Major General Vladimir nodded and said, "I agree, but if they die in Romanian uniforms..."
"They will be treated fairly!" Mechlis interrupted Major General Vladimir: "They will be heroes of the Soviet Union, and I will record the names of each of them!"
"Yes, Comrade Mechlis!" Major General Vladimir raised his eyebrows at Shulka with a smile in his eyes.
So Shulka understood that Major General Vladimir's real purpose was actually this.
"If the enemy launches an attack on Feodosia!" Katukov continued: "They will first carry out bombing, artillery from the ground and bombers from the air! Our artillery observers should try to grasp the location of the enemy's artillery positions, while the Air Force Also provide cover for our counterattack!"
"No problem!" Major General Vladimir nodded: "They are ready, including warships!"
"Then!" Katukov continued: "The moment the enemy launches an attack, we will launch a counterattack!"
(end of this chapter)
