Chapter 1821 The Dumb Eats Coptidis

  Uman Airport was attacked by the Soviet army and was completely destroyed. It was soon reported to the commander of the 8th Army, General Worrell. After receiving the report, he felt that the matter was of great importance, and rushed to the headquarters to report to Marshal Manstein.

   After listening to Worrell's report, Manstein asked in surprise: "General Worrell, according to the information we have, the Russians are moving to the Uman area, and it seems that they want to launch an attack on the city."

   "Yes, I think so too, so I strengthened the defense in the main direction to resist possible Russian attacks."

"I know about this, after you reported it to me." Manstein frowned and said, "According to the combat habits of the Russians, they can attack our airport only after the battle begins. Why did this time So uncharacteristically, mentioning an attack on our airfield?"

   "Not sure." Worrell shook his head and said, "Marshal, in fact, not only the airport was attacked by the Russians, but even the air defense positions suffered huge losses at night."

  Manstein knew very well that in order to prevent the Soviet Air Force from carrying out reconnaissance on the Uman area, Wöller established a strong air defense system in this area. A few days ago, several Soviet reconnaissance planes tried to break into the sky over Uman. They were either shot down by anti-aircraft artillery or destroyed by fighter jets.

  "General Worrell," if it is said that the Soviet army attacked the airport, it can also be said that it was to destroy its own air power, so as to gain air supremacy on the battlefield as soon as possible. But attacking the air defense warning made Manstein a little puzzled. He asked in amazement: "What happened to your defense zone? Why did the Russians have such a big reaction?"

"It's nothing." Worrall said slowly: "Last night, a battalion of troops was sent to carry out a sneak attack on the Russians in Safran. But the Russians were very vigilant and did not wait for our troops to approach their positions. It was discovered. Then there was a firefight for several hours, and our army lost half of its officers and soldiers, and finally had to withdraw."

"anything else?"

   "No, Your Excellency the Marshal." Worrall shook his head and said, "Besides this incident, I really can't think of anything else that could stimulate the Russians to attack us so abnormally."

   Just when the two were at a loss, Manstein's adjutant walked in from the outside.

The colonel handed a document to Manstein and reported to him: "Your Excellency, this is a report from the Missile Forces. Yesterday they planned to launch eight missiles aimed at the commander of the Russian 53rd Army. But three of them were destroyed by the Russians' mysterious weapons before they were launched. Three of them missed the target seriously, and only two hit the target..."

  When Manstein heard this, his heart skipped a beat, and he felt that he and Worrell had found the answer to the headache. He hurriedly asked: "Wait a minute, Colonel. You just said that the target of the missile force's night attack is where?"

   "The headquarters of the 53rd Army." The position where the adjutant was standing happened to be not far from the map. He quickly stepped forward and pointed on the map with his hand, and said, "Your Excellency, Marshal, it's right here."

  Manstein glanced at the map, looked up at Worrall and asked, "General Worrall, do you know which part of the Russian troops attacking you?"

   "It should be the Russian troops stationed in Safran." Worrall replied: "I guess it was our sneak attack on Safran at night that stimulated them. That's why the Russians took retaliation against us."

   "General Worrell, I think I know what's going on."

   "Ah, Marshal, do you know?" Hearing what Manstein said, Wöhler asked urgently: "What is it that stimulated the Russians and made them retaliate against us so frantically."

  Manstein curled his lips, and said somewhat dumbfoundingly: "The answer is because of the attacks carried out by the missile forces at night."

"An attack carried out by the missile force at night?" Worrell is not too stupid, he only thought for a moment before he guessed the answer: "Your Excellency, Marshal, you mean that it is precisely because we know the headquarters of the Russian 53rd Army, Implemented a long-range missile attack, and the Russians will retaliate wildly against us?"

"Yes, the truth should be like this." Manstein said bitterly: "Now Sokov is the commander of the 53rd Army, and his own headquarters has been attacked by our missile forces. Do you think he will let it go? I Worried, his revenge has just begun, and more headaches will happen next."

"It seems that we have provoked a terrible opponent." By this time, Worrall had already concluded that the attack by the missile force last night had completely angered Sokov, which is why Uman's airport was unexpectedly attacked by air. and was completely destroyed. "However, Your Excellency Marshal, the destruction of Uman Airport means that our air supremacy here is completely in the hands of the Russians. Once the war starts, our artillery and armored forces will become Russians because there is no air cover." A target for human bombing."

He said angrily: "These missile troops are really good. It's not good to attack any target, but they just want to attack Sokov's headquarters. He was a person who gave us a headache. This time he angered him. I still don't know what method he will use next to deal with us."

  As soon as he finished speaking, a phone on the table rang, and the adjutant hurried forward and picked up the receiver and pressed it to his ear.

  After only listening for a moment, he looked at Manstein in embarrassment: "Your Excellency, Marshal, it is the 8th Army calling for General Wöhler."

  Manstein raised his chin at Wöller and said, "General Wöller, answer the phone quickly and see what's going on in your headquarters."

  Worrall nodded, took the microphone in the adjutant's hand: "I'm Worrall, what happened in the headquarters?"

   "Your Excellency, Commander," the chief of staff on the other end of the phone reported to Worrall, "Two Russian transport planes entered our army's defense zone under the cover of a dozen attack planes."

"Two transport planes, do the Russians want to drop paratroopers?" As soon as this idea came to Worrall's mind, he immediately denied it: "Impossible, it is absolutely impossible. A transport plane can only carry more than 20 people. , two transport planes can only carry 50 people. Even if 50 paratroopers are dropped to the rear of our army, what effect will it have?"

"Your Excellency, Commander, if it was an ordinary transport plane, I would not take the liberty to call you." Hearing Worrall's disapproving tone, his chief of staff was so anxious that he almost cried: "Into our army The transport plane in the defense area has been modified. It is the plane that defeated the Safran defenders last time, and can use two 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns to shoot down from the cabin door."

Worrall couldn't help but gasp after hearing this. Although his troops only suffered 200 casualties in the sky fortress that appeared last time, the problem is that those who are hit by such a large-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun will basically be beaten to death. It was dilapidated and incomplete, and the people around who witnessed it were scared out of their wits.

  More importantly, the soldiers who escaped from Safran, after returning to the new line of defense, took the initiative to mention the terrible aircraft of the Soviet army to their colleagues, which caused the morale of the army to fluctuate. If the modified transport plane this time happens to arrive in the area where these soldiers are stationed, it may cause this panic to expand infinitely.

  Thinking of this, he asked nervously, "Chief of Staff, where are these Russian planes flying?"

   "I think it should be going to a missile launch site." The chief of staff said in an uncertain tone: "At least the report I got is like this."

   "I see." Worrall said briefly: "I will rush back to the headquarters as soon as possible."

After putting down the phone, Wöhler reported to Manstein: "Your Excellency Marshal, my chief of staff reported to me that the Russians dispatched two modified transport planes and entered our army's defense zone, most likely to attack missiles. launch site."

Manstein had never heard of Sky Fortress, so he seemed a little casual about Worrall's statement: "Don't worry, General Worrall. The missile troops and their weapons are hiding in the concealed department during the day, the Russians Even if the planes attack, they can only destroy the launchers placed outside. The launcher is blown up, we can build it in another place, it’s just a waste of time.”

"Your Excellency, Marshal, you don't understand what I mean." Seeing that Manstein misinterpreted his meaning, Wöhler quickly explained: "Many officers and soldiers who fled back from Safran told other officers and soldiers about the Russian equipment. This modification of the transport aircraft caused a certain degree of panic in the army, leading to a situation where the morale of the army was scattered.

  If the Russian transport plane happens to attack an important target of our army in an area where the morale of the army is unstable, I am worried that it will lead to instability of the army and low morale. If this is the case, then the next battle will be impossible to fight. "

   "Oh, is the situation really that serious?" Manstein realized the seriousness of the problem after hearing Worrall's words, "Is there any way to solve it?"

   "I don't know either." Worrall spread his hands and said helplessly, "I just can't think of a good way to solve this headache."

I wanted to say a few more words, but the phone on Manstein’s desk rang again. When the adjutant answered the phone, he thought it was Wöhler’s call again. Unexpectedly, the call this time was from General Zeitzler, the chief of the German General Staff. of.

  The adjutant hurriedly covered the receiver with his hands, and said respectfully to Manstein: "Your Excellency, the Chief of the General Staff, General Zeitzler, is calling. He said he has something important to talk to you about."

  Manstein walked over, took the microphone and stuck it to his ear, but he didn't speak immediately, but waved to Worrall, indicating that he could leave.

   After Worrell and his adjutant left, Manstein asked slowly: "Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, I am Manstein. I wonder if you have something important to tell me today?"

"Your Excellency Marshal, our General Staff has held a meeting today." Zeitzler said: "The content of the meeting is about the general issues on the Eastern Front. You advocate a flexible mobile defense strategy. You are going to give up the territory in an attempt to force the Soviet Union to The corps was either too spread out, or the advancing armored spearheads could counterattack on the flanks to reach their objective of encircling them.

  For your point of view, the head of state denied it, and he continued to insist on implementing static warfare. That is to say, on all positions, the officers and soldiers of our army must fight to the last person. "

Manstein was not at all interested in Zeitzler's clichés. He asked anxiously, "Then I suggest that the Führer give up command of the army and hand it over to professionals familiar with warfare, and establish a dynamic battlefield. What did the head of state say about the headquarters?"

   "Unfortunately, Your Excellency Marshal." Zeitzler said in a regretful tone: "The Fuehrer rejected your proposal, worried that if he did so, it would weaken his rights in Germany."

   Knowing that his proposal had been rejected by Mustache, Manstein couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He said dejectedly, "Well, that's a pity."

"Also, at the meeting today, someone proposed a motion." Zeitzler may have guessed that Manstein would ask the person's name, and quickly added: "Don't ask me who I am, I can't tell you of."

  Since Zeitzler didn't say anything, Manstein didn't force it, but asked politely: "Your Excellency, Chief of the General Staff, can you tell me what the new proposal is?"

Zeitzler's voice suddenly dropped, as if he was worried that others would hear what he said: "Your Excellency Marshal, someone pointed out that since the Battle of the Bulge (Battle of Kursk), your command has frequently made mistakes, not only Lost Belgorod, Kharkov, Kremenchug and other places one after another, and even the well-deployed Dnieper River defense line was broken by the Russians. You are now an idealist and defeatist, and you are not suitable for further Continue to command the troops. The best way is to find someone to replace you."

  Manstein was silent, and his heart couldn't help but feel cold. He never dreamed that he had worked hard for Germany, but now he was facing the end of being dismissed soon.

   After a long time, he asked in a voice that became hoarse due to excitement: "Your Excellency, Chief of the General Staff, I would like to ask, who is the head of state planning to send to replace me?"

   "Model, Walter Model." Zeitzler said: "Your Excellency Marshal, after you are officially dismissed, General Model will take over your position and continue to command the Army Group South."

   "I see, Your Excellency the Chief of Staff." After Manstein confirmed the news, he seemed to have aged ten years. He said breathlessly: "Isn't Berlin planning to fire me when?"

   "Your Excellency, Marshal, I'm really sorry. I don't know the exact time." Zeitzler said politely, "But according to the tone of the head of state, the time for you to be dismissed should be April this year."

  Maybe he was worried about Manstein's disappearance, so he asked politely, "Your Excellency, Marshal, what are your plans for the future?"

"My vision is getting worse recently, and the doctor told me that my cataracts are getting worse and worse, and I should have surgery as soon as possible." Manstein said with a bitter face: "I plan to use this time to treat the cataracts by the way. Surgery complete."

   "Oh, so that's the case." Zeitzler saw that Manstein had a certain plan for the days ahead, and he felt more at ease: "Your Excellency, Marshal, then I wish you a successful operation in advance and an early recovery and discharge from the hospital."

  (end of this chapter)