mtlumby2d Chapter 1175 A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Chapter 1175 A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Polish front, Border Empire military headquarters.
Hidler stood in front of a huge battle map, and beside him were the highest military commanders of the Bird Empire. On the map, red arrows densely marked the attack routes, and in the Far East, several eye-catching question marks were particularly eye-catching.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Hitler said in his characteristic hoarse voice, "we have just received important intelligence from the Far East. China seems to be preparing to take action against the Far East of Tsarist Russia."
Chief of Staff Manstein immediately responded: "Führer, if China really takes action in the Far East, this will be a great opportunity for us. Tsarist Russia will have to disperse its forces."
"That's right," added Rommel, the commander-in-chief of the armored forces, "Currently, the Tsarist Russia has deployed about 34 divisions on our Eastern Front. If they have to transfer troops to deal with China, our "Barbarossa" plan will be easier to implement."
Hidler's eyes wandered over the map: "How strong is China? How many Russian troops can they tie down?"
Intelligence Minister Canaris opened the report in his hand: "According to our assessment, the Chinese army is well-equipped and well-trained. Their air force and armored forces have been modernized. If they really attack the Far East, Tsarist Russia will have to mobilize at least 34 to 30 divisions to deal with them."
"This is extremely advantageous to us," Manstein said. "If the Russians really disperse their forces in this way, we can make a decisive breakthrough in the Minsk direction."
"But," Air Marshal Richthofen wondered, "how can we be sure that the Chinese will take action? Do we need some form of coordination with them?"
Hidler shook his head: "No, China will not cooperate with us directly. Su Zhengyang is a shrewd man, he will only act when it is beneficial to China."
&34;So what can we do?&34; Rommel asked.
"Increase the pressure on Tsarist Russia," Hitler said firmly, "so that Tsarist Russia will be too busy dealing with our attacks to take care of the Far East. This will make it more likely that China will take action."
"The Fuehrer is right," Manstein agreed, "We can launch a more intense offensive on the Polish front and force the Russians to transfer more troops to the Western Front."
Hidler nodded: "Let's do it. Let our ambassador to China continue to observe China's movements, but don't interfere too much. Now, let's discuss the specific military deployment in the next stage..."
As the meeting continued, the generals of the Bird Empire began to plan in detail how to take advantage of this possible strategic opportunity. In their view, the changes in the situation in the Far East may become a key factor in turning the tide of the war on the Eastern Front.
Polish Plains, Eastern Front.
At dawn, the two army groups of the Berd Reich launched a large-scale offensive in the morning mist. Rommel's First Panzer Army Group advanced from the Brest direction, while Manstein's Second Army Group launched an attack from the Lublin area.
Under the command of Richthofen, thousands of bombers swept across the Russian defense line like a dark cloud. The dense bombs turned the Russian frontier into a sea of fire, and the fortifications were reduced to ruins in the bombing.
"Begin the assault!" Rommel stood in the command vehicle and gave orders via the radio.
Hundreds of Panther tanks lined up in a spearhead formation in the morning light, roaring towards the Russian defense line. Behind the armored forces were neatly lined up mechanized infantry riding in armored personnel carriers, following the tanks' advance.
"The Russians' reaction was slower than expected," Manstein observed the battle in the headquarters, "It seems that they have indeed transferred their main forces to deal with China."
On the battlefield, the Russian resistance was surprisingly weak. Their artillery firepower was sparse, and the armored forces' counterattacks seemed hesitant. The armored forces of the Bird Empire were like a sharp knife, easily tearing through the Russian defense line.
"The First Armored Division has broken through the enemy's first line of defense!" The report from the front-line commander came.
"Very good," Rommel ordered, "keep pushing forward, don't give them a chance to catch their breath."
By noon, the two army groups of the Byrd Empire had advanced nearly 50 kilometers. The Russian reserve troops rushed into battle, but were defeated one by one by the sophisticated Byrd armored forces.
"Führer," Manstein sent a victory report back to Berlin, "The Eastern Front is progressing smoothly, and the Tsarist Russian army is retreating step by step. It is expected that it will be able to advance to the Minsk area within three days."
When the news of the victory on the battlefield reached Berlin, Hitler smiled with satisfaction in front of the map. He knew that the success of this offensive was largely due to the situation in the Far East. Tsarist Russia had to disperse its forces, giving the Byrd Empire an opportunity to take advantage of it.
"Let the troops continue to advance," Hidler ordered, "while the Russian Empire is still unstable, break through their defenses in one fell swoop!"
The iron hoof of the Byrd Empire continued to advance eastward, raising billowing dust on the Polish plains. This sudden offensive would completely change the situation on the Eastern Front.
Northern France, Western Front.
Marshal Foch, the commander-in-chief of the Anglo-French coalition, stood in front of the sand table at the headquarters with a solemn look on his face. The 350,000-strong coalition army launched a large-scale counterattack in the early morning, but the battle was far more difficult than expected.
"Damn it!" General De Gaulle, commander of the French Armored Division, slammed his fist on the table, "The Birds' defense line is like an iron plate!"
"We have put eight divisions in the Amiens area," reported Montgomery, commander of the English Expeditionary Force, "but the Byrds reacted too quickly. Their armored reserves always appear at the most critical moment."
On the battlefield, the coalition's offensive was like hitting a steel wall. The new commander-in-chief of the Western Front of the Bird Empire, Longstedt, adopted a flexible in-depth defense tactic, causing the coalition's offensive to collapse again and again.
"The third wave of attack also failed," the communications officer brought the latest battle report, "We lost at least 34 tanks in the Somme area, and the casualties exceeded 34."
Marshal Foch sighed: "The Birds are attacking on the Eastern Front. We thought they would be left with some vacancies on the Western Front..."
"But they were prepared," Montgomery continued. "Lonstadt used his limited forces to the utmost. Their anti-tank firepower network was so cleverly arranged."
In the sky, the Spitfire fighters of the Royal Air Force of England and the fighters of the Bird Air Force engaged in a fierce air battle. Although the coalition forces had an advantage in numbers, the tactical qualities and performance of the Bird Air Force made this air battle extremely difficult.
"Our bomber formations have suffered heavy losses," Wing Commander Dowling reported. "The Birds' anti-aircraft fire is too intense."
By nightfall, the costly offensive had advanced only seven kilometers, with heavy losses in armored units and even more appalling infantry casualties.
"I have to admit," Degaur said with a wry smile, "the Birds used their limited forces to the fullest extent. While they invested their main forces on the Eastern Front, they still maintained a solid defense on the Western Front."
"What's worse," Montgomery added, "is that our offensive has not only failed to relieve the pressure on Russia, but has also exposed our own weakness."
Marshal Foch looked at the battlefield situation map with a serious expression: "It seems that we must make a new plan. Such a head-on attack will only make our troops bleed in vain."
As night fell, the smoke on the western front gradually dissipated. This massive counterattack ultimately left only a shallow dent in the defense line of the Bird Empire. But the price paid was a whole day of blood and fire.