With the consent of Marshal Rundstedt, Marshal Manstein said, "In this situation, the enthusiasm of the troops should be maximized. Do not take into account the supply problem when attacking. Therefore, I ordered the 1st Armored The Group Army, the Seventeenth and Sixth Group Armies immediately shifted to the offensive. To this end, the following specific provisions are made: ① When attacking, there is no need to rely on each other and there is no need to take into account friendly neighbors. Once the troops cross the river, they should first establish a tactical bridgehead. ② In Where victory is achieved, key supply depots must be established with all means of transportation and supplies. ③ All available equipment should be used to forcibly cross the Dnieper River in as many areas as possible - as the enemy has done many times in the past. Each group army The tasks of the 1st Armored Group are: 17th Army: Kremenchug and its south are the key areas for crossing the river. After establishing the tactical bridgehead, it should rush forward without delay. In order to establish the required strength of the group army Bridgehead... The remaining troops of the armored group must rush to the south of Kremenchug as soon as possible. Depending on the development of the situation, the task of the armored group will be to assault in the general direction of Halko and intercept the enemy retreating eastward. When conditions permit, they can also cooperate with The 1st Waffen SS Panzer Corps is operating in coordination; the 1st Waffen SS Panzer Corps has crossed the Desna River in the area south of Nogorod-Seversky near Konotop and is now heading towards South develops the offense.”
"You two, do you have any questions?" After Marshal Manstein finished explaining his deployment, he began to confirm his opinions to Marshal Lin Wei and Rundstedt. Marshal Manstein has never been an arrogant person. , On the contrary, Marshal Manstein likes to call his bold plans prudent adventures. In order to achieve huge victories, Marshal Manstein often formulates some risky plans, but when implementing the plans, he will provide the combat troops with the greatest possible outcome. Material guarantee.
"No problem!" Marshal Rundstedt quickly expressed his support for his old partner. As for Lin Wei, a dabbler who clearly knew his own level, it was impossible to find fault with Marshal Manstein's orders. Therefore, Manstein easily obtained the support of the two army group commanders and was able to make command and deployment according to his own ideas.
Although the weather in September is not too cold, there is already a hint of coolness in the evening. Although this is related to the rainfall in Ukraine during this period, in Lin Wei's eyes, the Russian winter has begun to give visitors a warning. Fortunately, Yes, Germany today does not have the explosive self-confidence it had historically. The production of winter clothing is already in full swing in the country. Soldiers on the front line no longer have to fight in the ice and snow wearing summer clothes as they did in history (while writing this paragraph, I suddenly remembered A few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, the temperature here dropped to zero degrees! Alas...).
As if he also felt the drop in temperature, Marshal Manstein waved his hand and asked the logistics staff to grab some firewood and set up the stove. As the firewood burned stronger and stronger, Lin Wei's clothes, which had been tightly tied together, finally relaxed.
"The temperature here is really much colder than in Germany!" Lin Wei hadn't noticed it just now, but when he glanced with his peripheral vision and saw Marshal Rundstedt involuntarily approaching the stove, he realized that it was not his senses that were wrong. When he originally felt a little chilly, Lin Wei saw that the two elderly people were fine and thought there was something wrong with his body.
"Yes!" Marshal Manstein said absently, holding a piece of firewood and throwing it into the stove; "The Russian winter is really terrible. Napoleon was defeated in the Russian winter. Of course, this is also consistent with his underestimated It has something to do with the Russian people’s will to resist!”
"So it is unrealistic to defeat the Soviet Union in the short term!" Lin Wei said, "Even if Moscow is captured, I think the war will continue to be supported, instead of stopping resistance like the French battle!"
"Oh?" Marshal Manstein asked with interest after listening to Lin Wei's words, "Why do you say that?" You know, although Army Group South tried its best to get the Supreme Command to focus on the southern front, However, Army Group Center's preparations to attack Moscow still did not stop. Guderian's Second Armored Army still did not move. After covering the First SS Armored Corps, it returned to Army Group Center and continued to prepare to capture Moscow. The Supreme Command also set the time for the final collapse of the Soviet Union to be after the Battle of Moscow. From Marshal Brauchitsch of the Supreme Command to Marshal Bock, the commander of Army Group Center, this was the case.
In fact, even Marshal Manstein himself hoped that Stalin would surrender after Moscow was captured. Lin Wei clearly knows the current internal argument of the German Wehrmacht, because since the implementation of the blitzkrieg, Germany's armored forces have been advancing at lightning speed towards the opponent's most strategically important capital. After capturing the capital, the opponent will automatically surrender. This argument came after the Battle of France. Although the Battle of England did not develop as expected, it was only after the Greater London defense circle was breached that it was decided whether the British would continue to resist. This was also the case in the subsequent Yugoslavia campaign, so a habit of thinking within the German army was formed, that is, once the opponent's most important capital was captured, they would immediately give up resistance.
But Lin Wei knew that this inertia did not apply to the Soviet Union. Many people thought that Stalin would choose to make peace with Germany after losing Moscow, but Lin Wei felt that this was simply impossible. The reason is simple. Berlin was captured by the Soviet Red Army. Hit? Did Le surrender? Since Hit? Ledu would choose to fight to the death, so why couldn't Stalin do it? Besides, the situation Stalin faced now was worse than that of Hitler in 4 or 5 years? What Le faced was much better. Even if Moscow was lost, Stalin would continue to direct the Soviet Union's battles. Lin Wei expected that the war would last at least until 1942 or 1943, and the decisive year should be 1942. Year.
"Stalin will not surrender!" Lin Wei did not say much, but said clearly, "Although I don't know how long Stalin will resist, but one thing can be guaranteed. If we succeed in occupying Moscow this year, It’s almost impossible for us to lose this war!”
Lin Wei's serious expression made Marshal Manstein clearly feel that the young man in front of him was not an alarmist. Maybe this war really would not end in a short time. Marshal Rundstedt knew what his old partner was thinking at a glance and asked, "In that case, Lampard, where do you think the outcome between the Empire and the Soviet Union will be? Or where will the decisive battle be?"
"The Southern Front, Ukraine, and the Caucasus! Without these two places, Stalin will not be able to hold on for a day!" Lin Wei said with certainty. As soon as Lin Wei said his words, Marshal Manstein's eyes flashed, obviously Lin Wei's words had touched Marshal Manstein's heart, but Lin Wei did not see it.
In Germany, Marshal Manstein was a rare all-rounder. If the offensive of Army Group South in the Polish Campaign could prove Marshal Manstein's tactical talents, then the formulation of Operation Sickle further reflected Marshal Manstein's ability. Uniqueness in strategy. Although Marshal Manstein did not express too many opinions in the Barbarossa Operation Plan, in his heart, Manstein always believed that the capture of Moscow would be the end point and use the air force to bomb the Soviet Union. The plan to force Stalin to surrender from the eastern territories was really a bit fanciful.
Today, Lin Wei's words once again answered what Marshal Manstein had been thinking. Like Lin Wei, Marshal Manstein also believed that the battle in the southern Soviet Union was the real decisive battle. As Lin Wei said, The difference is that Manstein made his own estimate, while Lin Wei knew the future.
Just when Marshal Manstein was about to discuss with Lin Wei the status of the southern Soviet Union in the war, an uninvited guest came. Only a knock on the door was heard outside the headquarters. Lin Wei's adjutant Crawford came in, saluted Marshal Manstein and Rundstedt, and said to Lin Wei, "Supreme Commander-in-Chief" Call from the Ministry!" With that, he took out a telegram from the accompanying briefcase and handed it to Lin Wei.
"Oh? For me?" Lin Wei took the telegram handed over by Crawford with doubts, but just by looking at it, Lin Wei almost said it in front of the two marshals, the commander of the Southern Army Group and the chief of staff. The telegram was torn. Calm down, calm down... Lin Wei forcibly controlled his trembling hands and did not do such irrational behavior in front of Marshal Rundstedt and Marshal Manstein, but the two of them still smiled from Lin Wei In his actions, he saw that this telegram was unusual.
"Ha, the Supreme Command has an order! So I will go back to my headquarters immediately to study it!" Lin Wei said with a haha, "Two respected marshals, I will leave first!" He bowed slightly and kept With basic courtesy, Lin Wei quickly walked out of the headquarters of Army Group South.
Even Crawford could tell that Lin Wei's mood was wrong. He shrugged at Marshal Manstein and Rundstedt with an embarrassed expression, and immediately followed him out of the command of Army Group South. The command headquarters, which had been a bit lively just now, was immediately left with Manstein and Rundstedt.
Looking at the somewhat deserted conference room, Marshal Rundstedt smiled bitterly and said, "That kid Lampard seems to be very angry. I wonder what kind of problems the Supreme Command has given him this time!"
Marshal Manstein shook his head and said, "I don't know what's going on! From transferring the commander of the Southeast Army Group to putting the armed SS under the command of the Supreme Command, Lampard's anger may have also I have been patient for a long time, and I think this time, he won’t be patient anymore!”
Manstein was right. Returning to the headquarters of the Southeast Army Group, not far from the Southern Army Group, Lin Wei no longer had any scruples. He tore the Supreme Command's order to pieces and shouted angrily,; "I have no objection to reorganizing the Waffen SS into Army Group Southeast. After all, Germany can only have one legal armed force, so it made concessions. In the first month of the war, the Supreme Command ignored the existence of Army Group Southeast. I don’t have any objection if I don’t believe in the combat effectiveness of the armed SS army I formed. After all, it is true that most of the troops under my command have no combat experience! But this time, if those old guys don’t give me a reason, I will never do it. Bear!"
Crawford was not mentally prepared for Lin Wei's sudden outburst, because Crawford did not see what was written on it, so he asked cautiously, "Leader, what did the high command say this time! "
"Those old guys don't agree. Admiral Kuznetsov's Northwestern Front is helping us attack the Soviet Union! Their bottom line is to let the Northwestern Front enter the prisoner of war camp! When I said that I would negotiate with Admiral Kuznetsov, they thought it was impossible to It's impossible, now I've succeeded, they're playing this trick with me!" Lin Wei said angrily. Admiral Kuznetsov's adjutant, who was originally in Minsk, has now returned to Estonia, because Lin Wei He couldn't get away at all in Ukraine, but Lin Wei was still very dedicated to making the Soviet Red Army rebel, so after a few days of being cool with him, he fully agreed to General Kuznetsov's conditions. Lin Wei's conditions Still those who cannot fight the Soviet Red Army alone without German troops, General Kuznetsov's command must be in German hands, and the reorganized troops of the Northwestern Front must have half of them German officers.
Lin Wei only insisted on these three conditions. In Lin Wei's view, other conditions were negotiable. However, in the view of the generals of the National Defense Forces, the Soviets could not be trusted at all. Lin Wei did not care about this. In Lin Wei's view, Come, as long as you can gather all the strength, you don't have to care what their original intention is. This is something that the High Command cannot understand.
"Oh!" Crawford agreed casually. This kind of thing is beyond the control of a small adjutant, so Crawford wisely chose to remain silent, because he knew clearly that Lin Wei could definitely solve it himself. method.
Sure enough, just as Crawford was weighing it, Lin Wei said, "I will not leave Ukraine until the battle in Kiev is won, because the scale of the battle is too large, and I must ensure that I correct possible loopholes here! So! I won’t return to China for the time being. Let’s do this. To send electricity to my father, we must put some pressure on the Supreme Command. The reorganization of the Northwestern Front must be decided by the government. This is not military, this is politics! Send electricity to Goebbels. In the name of the government, we agree to reorganize the Soviet Northwest Front!"
After Lin Wei finished speaking, he waited for Crawford to go down, but saw Crawford still standing there without moving, and asked, "Is there anything else?"
Crawford could clearly see that Lin Wei was in a bad mood, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "As for Leningrad, our Northern Mountain Division and Prince Eugen Division have been surrounded. They are in the city of Leningrad." , and the retreat route has been cut off by the Northern Front retreating from Finland to Leningrad. Now the front line of Marshal Loeb’s Northern Army Group and our surrounded troop positions have been stretched to 20 kilometers!”
"What? Didn't General Huot's Third Armored Group already move north to Leningrad?" Lin Wei didn't know if today was his unlucky day. Why did he know all the bad news today? Lin Wei clearly knew what this meant. Lin Wei ordered the two divisions to rush into Leningrad no matter what, but he still underestimated the power of Leningrad. Now the connection between the two divisions and the Northern Army Group has been cut off, solving the problem of the Northwest Front. , but did not expect that the remnants of the Northern Front could also defend Leningrad.
"Wait! The situation is not too bad!" Lin Wei forced himself to calm down, as if he was analyzing it for Crawford and also for himself, "Marshal Loeb should launch an attack on Leningrad soon. , in just a few days, the Northwest Front that blocked the advance of Army Group North will no longer exist. By then, Marshal Loeb's offensive power against Leningrad will be much greater than it is now. The current six or seven divisions' offensive power cannot be compared. Than!"
"Crawford, you must hold on for a month to generate electricity for Lieutenant General Shad Herman, commander of the Northern Mountain Division. During this period, no matter what difficulties you encounter, you must persevere and remember that the SS According to our tradition, you cannot surrender to the enemy at any time or anywhere!" Lin Wei quickly made arrangements. At least two divisions of troops were in Leningrad. Although they were surrounded, they could still disturb the Soviets. Frightened, and the war on the northern front would definitely turn to a better direction in a few days, Lin Wei ordered the troops of the two divisions to hold on.
What Lin Wei didn't know was that because the situation was very serious. The headquarters of the Supreme Commander of the Soviet Union decided to form the Leningrad Front, and General Zhukov, the former commander of the reserve front of the headquarters, served as the commander of the Leningrad Front. Last night, that is, the night of September 9, Stalin urgently summoned Zhukov and said to him: "Go to Leningrad and take over from Voroshilov in command of the front army and the Baltic Fleet." This morning, Zhukov had already arrived. Leningrad.
At this time, Voroshilov and others were having a meeting to discuss what measures should be taken if Leningrad could no longer be held. Zhukov immediately stated that Leningrad must be defended until the last man. Zhukov then reorganized the front army, with Fedyuninsky as deputy commander and Hozin as chief of staff. He also replaced Major General Ivanov, commander of the 42nd Army, and Shcherbako, commander of the Eighth Army, on the spot. Husband's position as Major General.
Zhukov and his assistants worked out a city defense plan overnight: withdrew some anti-aircraft guns from the urban air defense forces and deployed them in the most dangerous areas of Leningrad to conduct direct fire on German tanks; use all the naval guns of the Baltic Fleet to support Ukraine The 42nd Army on the Ritsk-Pulkovo Highlands; establish deep echelon defenses in all major directions, lay mines, and set up power grids; transfer part of the 23rd Army from the Karelian Isthmus to support the 42nd Army Army group to strengthen the defense of the Uritsk area; form five to six infantry brigades with Baltic Fleet sailors and military academy students.