Chapter 469 Time
Things can only be said to be one step at a time.
The first thing Shulka did was to recruit soldiers and food.
This pair didn't work at all before, but after Shulka it became a trivial matter.
Shuerka seized the people's misunderstanding of his purpose, and went to the city to give a speech and publicize it.
The content of his propaganda is completely in line with the requirements of the army. It is about defending the country and driving the aggressors out of the Soviet Union. Shulka didn't even mention the word "rectification".
However, due to preconceived notions, the common people spontaneously thought that this was definitely to rectify the 82nd Infantry Regiment, and even guessed that the 82nd Infantry Regiment was to be a heroic unit to set an example for other units, so young people signed up one after another, and the common people also enthusiastically Donate money and food.
In less than a week, the 82nd Infantry Regiment quickly expanded to 2,000 people, and this speed is still growing.
But with the increase of soldiers, new problems are constantly emerging.
The most serious problem is guns and ammunition.
Among them, the ammunition is relatively easy to solve. Major Mikhailvich announced at the meeting lightly: "As you know, our entire defense line is now fighting the Germans. The front line needs bullets very much, so you can give us ammunition for training." Very little! Don't complain about this, they always expect you to put every bullet into the enemy's body instead of the target!"
The soldiers let out a laugh and understood.
But if you don't even have enough rifles, it's a bit unreasonable.
"Without rifles, they can't even talk about basic tactical training!" Andrianka said: "What should they use to fight the enemy then?"
"It's just a trivial matter!" Major Mikhailvich said in a low voice: "If the rifles are not fully equipped, they will start to doubt the 'rectification'!"
Shulka understood what Mikhailvich meant.
If the superior starts to pay attention to the 82nd Infantry Regiment, that is, to start to rectify, it is impossible that the rifles will not be equipped.
Delay for a few days can also be prevaricated by excuses such as poor transportation conditions and urgent needs on the battlefield. If it takes more than ten days or even dozens of days, it can only show that the superiors still do not take the 82nd Infantry Regiment seriously.
Thus, the great situation created by Shulka, or the lie it can be said to be, was exposed, and all efforts will be in vain in the end.
"We can retreat some soldiers to the second line!" As he said, Shulka put the list of some veterans and disabled soldiers in front of Major Mikhailvich: "For example, train them to drive cars, train them to They become engineers, or cooks, etc.!"
Mikhailvich nodded: "Good idea, they can play a much greater role in the second line than in the first line!"
The fact is not only that, as the saying goes, soldiers are more expensive than elites, those old, weak, sick and disabled not only can't play much role, but they will drag or even kill others.
"The rifles they retreated are used by combat troops?" Andrianka said: "But it is still not enough!"
"Let's apply for another batch of rifles to our superiors!" Mikhailvich said: "In the case of an expanded establishment, it is reasonable to apply for rifles!"
Andrianka nodded, and then stopped talking.
"Is there a problem?" Mikhailvich asked.
"No, no problem, Major!" Andrianka replied: "But it can't solve the fundamental problem, I mean... the superiors still give them some old rifles, and the supply of ammunition is still pitifully low, especially the lack of heavy equipment. One day When we go to war..."
There is no need to say more.
Nothing you do now can change the fact that the 82nd Infantry Regiment is a cannon fodder unit.
At the same time, if there is no heavy equipment entering, such as cars, jeeps, artillery, etc., the previous problems will also occur: over time, soldiers will become suspicious of "rectification".
"Although you are right, Comrade Andrianka!" Major Mikhailvich said: "But we have to take it step by step, we need time!"
“The problem is we may not have time!” says Andrianka.
"What do you mean?" asked Major Mikhailevich.
"I got the news!" Andrianka replied: "A large number of our troops are gathering to the south, and a large-scale battle is likely to be launched soon!"
Shulka didn't speak, and Andrianka's worry was right. The Soviet army assembled in the south to launch the Battle of Kharkov.
This battle was opposed by almost all Soviet generals, including famous generals such as Zhukov and Rokossovsky. They all believed that the time for a large-scale counterattack had not yet come, and the Germans had not yet reached the brink of collapse.
But Stalin insisted on going his own way and insisted on launching an attack, and the time was set for May when the ice and snow melted.
Stalin didn't know at all that while he believed that the Germans were dying and actively preparing to launch a counteroffensive, Hitler was unwilling to fail and was accumulating strength to prepare for an offensive.
Coincidentally, Stalin chose Kharkov as the direction of counterattack, that is, the southern front, and Hitler also secretly transferred the main force to the Southern Army to prepare for the attack after the ice and snow melted.
This is reasonable for the German army.
On the one hand, this is because of Manstein's series of victories on the southern front... Although the 11th Army failed to capture the Crimea, it blocked the isthmus, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack, and stabilized the front line. The safety of the right flank of the German army. At the same time, once the ice and snow melt, the Pripyat swamp will cover the German left flank, which allows the German army to attack with confidence.
On the other hand, Hitler never gave up on Moscow.
Attack from the south. If you can successfully take Stalingrad, you can continue to go north to outflank Moscow from the rear.
When the time comes, you can take Moscow without any effort.
So, the two fists collided fiercely again.
Objectively speaking, no one in this battle thought that the opponent would concentrate the main force in the south, so they were not prepared.
The problem is that Stalin seriously misjudged the strength of the German army to an outrageous level, so the Soviet army rushed in the direction of Kharkov, basically ignoring their own safety... The result was that they were once again surrounded by the German army on a large scale.
(Note: The Soviet army killed 75,000 people in this Battle of Kharkov, captured 239,000 people, and lost a lot of equipment, while the German army only suffered 20,000 casualties)
Especially these encircled and annihilated troops were well-trained veterans, which directly led to the crisis of the Soviet army in Stalingrad.
"If there is any big battle!" Andrianka said worriedly: "We are very likely to be transferred to the battlefield as a feint attack force, which means that the time left for us may be running out!"
(end of this chapter)
