USSR 1941

  Chapter 670 Comprehensive Counterattack

"It's time to face the enemy!" Khrushchev said: "Since the outbreak of the war, we have generally had the mentality of fearing the enemy and fighting. A more or less overestimated enemy shows no confidence!"

Speaking of this, Khrushchev glanced at Shulka, and then continued: "Comrade Shulka is completely different from these people in this respect. He not only bravely led the troops to break out of the enemy's encirclement time and time again, Dare to fight the enemy in formulating strategic plans!"

   Shulka was a little embarrassed to hear this.

  Because what he did was not because of bravery, but because he wanted to survive and was forced to break through again and again.

  As for the latter, it was because he knew that the German army would be surrounded, so he dared to formulate a bolder counterattack plan.

"We should learn from Comrade Shulka!" Khrushchev continued: "The Germans are not invincible, they can be defeated, the defense of Moscow proved this, so we have more confidence to formulate a reasonable Yes, a battle plan that can deal a heavier blow to the enemy!"

  In fact, it is normal for the Soviet army to behave so unconfidently.

Although the defense of Moscow was victorious, most people thought it was because of the weather. That is to say, the Soviets themselves believed that if it wasn't for the harsh winter, Moscow would have been captured by the German army and the Soviet Union would have been torn apart. up.

   Some officers did not believe this, they thought they could defeat the Germans after the victory in the defense of Moscow.

  But the failure of the Battle of Kharkov instantly crushed the fragile confidence they had just established... The confidence will collapse again soon after rebuilding, and there will be a backlash phenomenon, that is, it will quickly go to the other extreme and become extremely unconfident.

   At this time, the Soviet army is in this state, even Zhukov is no exception... Zhukov commanded the Stalingrad Front Army to launch several large-scale battles and ended in failure, which means that he has nothing to do.

   Or it can be said that Zhukov may not have lost confidence in himself, but at least he has doubts about the combat effectiveness of the troops under his command, so he does not believe that the Soviet army can successfully encircle the German army in Stalingrad.

   "You are right, Comrade Political Commissar!" Zhukov objected: "But this does not mean that we have such strength!"

   If there is anyone who can oppose Khrushchev, it is Zhukov, the supreme deputy commander. Especially Zhukov is the supreme commander who won the defense of Moscow. Zhukov has the most say in combat.

"And even if we surround the Germans!" Zhukov said, pointing to the map: "Don't forget that we still don't have air supremacy... I mean, although our air force has initially completed reforms and its combat effectiveness has been significantly improved, they are still It will take time to adjust, and we are still far away from fully seizing air supremacy with the Germans!"

   Speaking Zhukov turned his attention to Novikov.

Novikov nodded in agreement: "Judging from the current training situation of our army, we can barely seize air supremacy in a limited area with a numerical advantage. Cover the infantry and move forward! Compete with the enemy for air supremacy in an all-round way... It is conservatively estimated that it will be a year later!"

   Zhukov won the support of Novikov.

In fact, there is nothing wrong with Zhukov thinking this way, because the Stalingrad Front Army was commanded by him before. According to the original plan, the Don River Front Army is now the North Pincer, and the Stalingrad Front Army is the South Pincer Pincer. The German Army is bound to continue to strengthen the Don River. The strength of the front army.

  But if the Southwest Front Army is used as the northern pincer, the Don River Front Army will definitely be weakened.

"So!" Zhukov continued: "In the absence of air supremacy, suppose we surround hundreds of thousands of German troops, and there are hundreds of thousands of Romanian troops, Italian troops, etc. around, although the latter's combat effectiveness may not be worth it. I mentioned it, but the most important thing is air supremacy... Once the German reinforcements arrive, we will be flanked by the Germans on both sides. Their tanks will counterattack our army under the cover of air power. At that time, our interspersed troops will instead There is a danger of being cut off and surrounded by the enemy!"

After a pause, Zhukov continued: "Comrade political commissar, we are not cowardly. This can be proved from the fact that we have been fighting near Stalingrad until now! But, do we really need to take this risk? We The victory of this battle can be achieved easily. I mean, the Germans will be forced back by encircling the Stalingrad Front Army and the Don River Front Army, and then Stalingrad will be relieved. The morale of our army will go further Boost and the enemy's arrogance will be hit! However, if we ask too much, the consequences will be disastrous if we fail!"

   In a way, Zhukov is indeed right.

If what he said really happens, that is, the Soviet army interspersed and surrounded by the German army... that is the elite troops of the two front armies. Even with the mobilization ability of the Soviet army, I am afraid that it will be completely sluggish, and Stalinger Le is afraid that he will not be able to defend because of the loss of too much vitality.

   In fact, not only Stalingrad, but the entire Soviet Union may be moaning under the tracks of German tanks.

   So, is it really worth the risk?

  On the other hand, people always have a kind of inertia, and they can easily win a small victory, so why not? Why risk annihilation for a victory that seems out of reach?

   What's more, the victory in the defense of Stalingrad was not a small victory.

   Khrushchev was speechless, so he could only turn his attention to Shulka.

   After thinking for a while, Shulka replied: "If the Germans have sufficient reinforcements and air power, I agree with Comrade Zhukov!"

"What do you mean?" Zhukov looked at Shulka suspiciously: "You mean the Germans don't have enough reinforcements and air power? Comrade Shulka, we're not sure about this, and neither are you. We can't take risks by guessing." ! War is not a gamble!"

  Although Zhukov trusted Shulka very much, he couldn't help getting excited at this time.

   "I know, Comrade Zhukov!" Shulka replied: "And you're right, I really don't know and I'm not sure, but we can leave the Germans without reinforcements!"

  Speaking, Shulka pointed to the map and said: "Crime, Caucasus, Moscow, Leningrad, and of course Stalingrad, why don't we organize a comprehensive counteroffensive?"

  (end of this chapter)