Naturally, it is impossible for the two eastern front armies to enter Leningrad silently under the nose of the Sixteenth Army. Marshal Loeb has sufficient confidence in this point. The only possibility is the army in Leningrad city itself, but this It is also unlikely, Marshal Loeb knew only too well how many troops there were in Leningrad. Suddenly, Marshal Loeb's eyes narrowed slightly, he looked up, smiled and said, "It should be the 23rd Army defending the Finnish army on the northern front! It is indeed a very bold action, but if it doesn't work, it will It will be the beginning of the capture of Leningrad! Contact me, Marshal Mannerheim, Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Armed Forces, I want to speak to him now!"
"As you wish, Your Majesty Marshal!" The staff officer stepped back and immediately went down to order the operator to start working.
Marshal Loeb still stayed in front of the map. Looking at the map, various thoughts flashed in Marshal Loeb's mind. Zhukov's move could indeed catch Marshal Loeb off guard. If Zhukov had more troops, maybe these days All the efforts of the Tianbei Army Group will be in vain because of Zhukov's counterattack. But it is a pity that although the current retreat can make Marshal Loeb panic, it is far from the effect Zhukov expected, and Marshal Loeb will not give Zhukov a second chance.
There is only Marshal Loeb in the whole room now. The room is so quiet that even if a pin drops, you can clearly hear it. However, this kind of atmosphere is exactly what Marshal Loeb needs when he is thinking about the problem. Through the Soviet Red Army, he attacks the 56th at night. In the actions of the Armored Corps, Marshal Loeb had already determined the route of Zhukov's attack. He rushed out of Leningrad through Moscow Street and rushed to the right, blocking the 18th Army that had occupied the southern city at the Moscow Arc de Triomphe Square in Leningrad. After thinking about this point, Marshal Loeb had to admit the boldness of Zhukov's plan.
"Your Excellency, Marshal, we have been in contact with the Finnish army on the northern front. Do you want to speak to Marshal Mannerheim now?" the staff officer opened the door and asked.
"Of course!" Marshal Loeb said as the staff member walked out and reached another room. This room has a more military atmosphere than the deserted headquarters just now. A group of radio operators are busy, and the machines in the whole room make ticking sounds. After seeing Marshal Loeb come in, everyone automatically relaxed their movements.
Marshal Loeb walked to the phone in the middle and picked it up. There was a rustling sound coming from the phone. The electromechanical chief who had been playing with the equipment came over to adjust it and made usable gestures. A voice came from the phone, "I am Mannerheim, Marshal Loeb. There must be something important when calling late at night!" Mannerheim knew that something big must have happened after a moment's thought, otherwise Loeb A German marshal would not normally call him.
"So, Marshal Mannerheim, our 56th Armored Corps was violently attacked by the Soviet Red Army. I hope the Finnish army can put some pressure on Zhukov on the northern front! Are the Finnish army still on the outer line of Kilometers along the coast?" Marshal Loeb knew that now was not the time to be harsh. Since he was asking for help, he must adopt a respectful attitude. Moreover, the Finnish army is indeed better at fighting in high latitudes than its own army group.
"Yes!" When Mannerheim heard that the German army was under attack, his voice became much more serious and asked, "Can you know the specific number of the Soviet Red Army troops?" Knowing that the German army might be defeated, Mannerheim I was also anxious. Although Marshal Mannerheim had no interest in Soviet land, once the German army was defeated, the Soviet Red Army would immediately deal with the Finns. since
Family members know their own affairs. Although the Finnish army won respect with its performance in the Soviet-Finnish War, it was not the Soviet Union's opponent after all. The Soviet Union could have consecutive defeats because they could make up for it, but Finland could not. One defeat could determine Finland's fate. Without the support of Germany, one can imagine what will happen to Finland. According to Stalin's nature, Finland would inevitably be annexed, which was unacceptable to Mannerheim.
"I don't know, but according to my analysis, the Soviet 23rd Army, which is defending the coastal kilometer line, has most likely been mobilized by Zhukov to attack!" Marshal Loeb said with certainty, "If you order the response now The army attack on the coastal road is very likely to open up the situation in Leningrad!" After a pause, Marshal Loeb said again, "Once Germany fails, no country in Europe can protect Finland's independence, Manner Heim, I hope you can consider it carefully!"
Marshal Loeb's words are certainly worth every penny. There is debate within Finland about whether to participate in Germany's war against the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, the most fierce opponent is Marshal Mannerheim. This is because Marshal Mannerheim is deeply impressed by the Soviet Union's terrifying mobilization ability. Fortunately, the Finnish government very much hopes to take back its territory. But before the German attack, opinions within Finland were still divided. Germany first played a trick on Finland during the war. As soon as the war started, it openly told the Soviet Union that it and Finland had launched a war and attack on the Soviet Union. The Soviet Air Force bombed Finland that afternoon. Under these circumstances, Finland could only participate in the war initiated by Germany. Although most people don't know this, Marshal Loeb is obviously not among ordinary people. Today, Marshal Loeb also took this opportunity to remind Mannerheim not to forget the style of our opponents.
"I know! The First Army will launch an attack soon!" Mannerheim said, having understood what Marshal Loeb meant.
Putting down the phone, Marshal Loeb said coldly to the staff officer beside him, "Immediately order Marshal von Witzleben, commander of the Eighteenth Army, that the Eighteenth Army must immediately attack the left wing and cut off the road south from Moskva Street. The attacking Soviet Red Army, General Huth's Third Armored Army, advanced along Obukhov Street as planned, and then headed towards the Second-level Theater to cut off the retreat of the Soviet Red Army's attacking troops, control the Winter Palace, and then repair the bridge. , let the armed SS on the Kirov Islands come out!"
In this deep night, both the Soviet Red Army and the German Wehrmacht were fighting against their own will. The 56th Armored Corps finally stopped its retreat when it was about to be driven out of Leningrad. At this time, Marshal Loeb's order also came. Reinhardt, commander of the 56th Armored Corps, learned that the troops on the right The 18th Army Group was safe and sound, so it was natural for them to have confidence. Because if only one's own troops are attacked, this at least means one thing, that is, there are indeed not many Soviet Red Army left in Leningrad. Because of this, Reinhard personally called the troops and gathered the troops to stabilize their position ten kilometers southwest of the Arc de Triomphe Square in Moscow.
Because Zhukov counterattacked in the middle of the night, the torch that had disappeared on the battlefield for a long time reappeared. Although the soldiers on both sides holding torches could easily become victims of the other side's snipers, at this time both sides no longer cared so much. Tonight, many people are destined to leave this world. As the Soviet Red Army attacked all the way, the entire Moscow Street had completely changed. When the 56th Armored Army attacked, this main street in Leningrad had already withstood a test, and now it had to be destroyed again by its own troops. Destroy it again. If an old man living in Leningrad walked out now, he would never believe that this place where the road is full of potholes and the buildings on both sides were destroyed is the city where he has lived for decades.
It is difficult to build a civilization, but all too easy to destroy it. The German 56th Armored Corps, which stopped retreating and turned to defend, immediately engaged in a bloody battle with the Soviet Red Army at the junction of the urban area and the suburbs. After a night of fighting, the soldiers on both sides have entered a state of selflessness. They don't know why they do this, but under the instinctive trend, they are still using various means to kill humans like themselves. The entire Moscow street now seems to be paved with blood. Maybe there are two soldiers taking deep breaths on both sides of a broken wall. They can even feel that there are enemies on the other side of the wall. One hand held a sapper's shovel, and the other held a bayonet tightly.
In the drainage ditch on the roadside, there may be the corpses of two soldiers who were killing each other just now. A few armored vehicles farther away are still burning, turning into scrap metal at a speed that is imperceptible to the naked eye. Next to the burning armored vehicle, there were several shocking craters, and there was even a dumb bomb inside that didn't know when it would explode. Under Reinhard's death order, the 56th Panzer Corps finally withstood the counterattack of the Soviet 23rd Army here.
At the same time, after Marshal von Witzleben's Eighteenth Army received the order from Marshal Loeb, Marshal von Witzleben ordered the troops to take advantage of the Soviet Red Army's attention to attack the 56th Armored Army. On the other side, attack the Arc de Triomphe Square in Moscow. In the building facing the square, a regiment of Soviet soldiers became a stumbling block blocking the advance of the German Cointreau. This building overlooks the entire square. If it is not removed, von Witzleben The marshal's action to occupy the square was meaningless. Under the cover of fifty Panzer IV tanks, German soldiers began to attack the building. The resistance of the Soviet soldiers was far greater than Marshal von Witzleben expected, and they even littered the building with landmines. The entire building has now become an impenetrable fortress. Wave after wave of German soldiers rushed into the building, but without exception they were lost amid the sounds of fighting. This building has swallowed up 700 German soldiers. Soldiers' lives and blood even began to lie on the steps of the building.
The regiment commander in charge of attacking the building gritted his teeth and finally gave up, shouting, "Send power to the division commander and ask the heavy artillery troops to blow up this building!" His unwilling expression made people know how hard it was. Not willing to give in, but time is of the essence now. If he has time, he will definitely annihilate the defenders here himself.
Soon, under the shelling that shook the earth, the building that had delayed the Germans for an hour was finally blown up. When it started to get dark, Marshal Loeb received the good news that the 18th Army had intercepted the position of the Soviet offensive troops, and the 56th Armored Corps, which had been in a panic earlier, had also stabilized the situation. The attacking force had split into two. General Huot still advanced according to the planned location. As for the northern front, the attack of the First Finnish Army met with stubborn resistance and made almost no progress. Marshal Mannerheim almost thought that Marshal Loeb's judgment was wrong, but the defense of the northern front was very difficult. The Soviet troops on the line immediately showed a lack of stamina. This strange situation immediately attracted the attention of the Finnish command organization. Immediately, the reality of the coastal highway defense line was grasped by the Finnish army, because a militia division actually appeared here. In this case, the Finnish army immediately began to attack boldly with confidence.
Just like Marshal Loeb said, Zhukov will eventually pay for his risky behavior, which will also be the prelude to Germany's occupation of Leningrad. As the sky turns brighter, the German Air Force begins to show its power. Although many Soviet soldiers in Leningrad have long been accustomed to fighting under the premise of urban air supremacy, they still couldn't help but scold these big birds when the German planes flew over.
While the Imperial Air Force was conducting air strikes and heavy artillery bombardments, the attacking troops were ordered by Marshal Loeb to temporarily stop in preparation for the second wave of attacks. The Germans conducted another three-hour air strike before putting their infantry into charge. and shelling. Members of the field headquarters also watched the smoke and dust stirred up by German heavy artillery and bombs in the Soviet positions in the forward headquarters. Swarms of German planes swooped down from the sky toward Leningrad targets. On this day, the four aviation armies under the Seventh Air Force conducted a total of 4,000 sorties.
Compared with the German army attacking on the southern front, the progress of the Finnish army is relatively smooth. Although this is somewhat unfair, it is still beneficial to the Axis family in general. Among them, the 3rd Infantry Division occupied the Kamare Building, an important stronghold on Karl Marx Street. The 28th Infantry Division advanced slowly along the coastal street along the Neva River. They were frantically blocked by the Soviet Sixth Guards Militia Division. Although these militiamen had no tactics at all in the eyes of the Germans, the bullets they fired from the surrounding buildings greatly hindered the advancement of the Finnish army. For Finnish army soldiers, they can charge in the face of a hail of bullets from the opponent, but they cannot bear to be inexplicably knocked down by a bullet fired from nowhere. Plus they lack effective heavy weapons cover. Therefore, the speed of these Finnish troops is not too fast. The 72nd Infantry Division has made particularly huge progress. Not only did they occupy the 'Serafimov Memorial Cemetery' but their reconnaissance battalion, led by their battalion commander Major Buck, also occupied the Kirov Building, the most important building in the northern part of the Soviet Union.
This twenty-four-story reinforced concrete building is the most important commanding point in northern Leningrad, adjacent to Kirov Island. Through this building, you can directly see all the actions of the army on Kirov Island. The occupation of this building means that the SS troops on the Kirov Islands are finally connected to their friendly positions, of course, if the bridge is not blown up. However, in this way, the Waffen SS troops could leisurely repair the damaged bridge, and soon they could join the offensive. Although, the Red Army organized a counterattack. Two regiments of the 227th Infantry Division were directly mobilized and launched a counterattack against the building. The counterattack lasted all night, but the Finnish army miraculously held the place. And persisted until his main force arrived here.
Since Zhukov's first attack, the battle has lasted four days. During these four days, the already surrounded Soviet 23rd Army, under Zhukov's order, still carried out hopeless resistance. Regarding this resistance, Loeb Marshal is respected from a military point of view, but this does not mean that Marshal Loeb will let them live. Kindness to the enemy is cruelty to oneself. Marshal Loeb even believes in this sentence, so after making Army Group North pay After paying a huge price, Marshal Loeb's tolerance for this Soviet Red Army force reached its limit. For this reason, at 8 o'clock in the morning on October 5, Marshal Loeb spent several days concentrating the 158th Army Group North. The artillery company, with 1,400 80mm heavy artillery, launched a fierce bombardment on Moscow Street and the surrounding areas. For this reason, Marshal Loeb also ordered the 56th Armored Corps and the 18th Army to retreat to avoid accidental damage. . After two hours of shelling, the entire Moskva Street has completely disappeared from Leningrad, at least now there is no evidence that it ever existed.
At seven o'clock in the evening on October 5th, General Hott, commander of the Third Armored Army, sent a telegram to Marshal Loeb, "The entire combat plan has been completed. Now, I have occupied the Tsar's Winter Palace, on the other side of the broken bridge. I can see Waffen SS engineers in black military uniforms working quickly to repair bridges, Marshal Loeb, I think I can conclude that Leningrad is under our complete control!"
General Huot's words are indeed true. The German army has occupied two-thirds of the entire Leningrad. The left bank of the Neva River has been completely occupied. The northern coastal road has also been controlled by the Finnish army. The Kirov Islands have also been controlled by the Waffen SS for a long time. The battle has reached this point, and no country can claim that it has won the battle. Despite this, Marshal Loeb still replied cautiously in the telegram, "The east bank of the Neva River is the earliest main city of Leningrad. Our battle is not over yet, and Zhukov's headquarters is also there!"