noffsinger Chapter 222 Breakout or Breakthrough
Chapter 222 Breakout or Breakthrough
Both sides had their own targeted plans, but plans are always vulnerable to change. In the second half of the night, intelligence from the decisive battle zone shocked both sides, forcing them to initiate operations early.
Initially, Lindemann received a report from Doorman that the Chinese and Soviet forces had launched a full-scale offensive against the 7th Tank Army from two directions. In the southeast, they had already broken through the 7th Army's positions and were advancing deep into the enemy's territory. Doorman urged Lindemann to move closer to him as quickly as possible to ensure a smooth southwest connection and, ideally, to advance northwards to join the 7th Army in counter-encircling the Chinese and Soviet forces and annihilate their heavy concentration there.
Dollmann informed Lindemann that he had already withdrawn the motorized corps occupying the southwestern front for the counterattack, leaving the southwest empty of troops. He urged Lindemann's 15th Army to quickly follow suit. Although Lindemann was very dissatisfied with Dollmann and kept calling him a pig, he dared not allow the 7th Army to be defeated in vain. Therefore, Dollmann had to order the full army to move forward and launch the attack as planned.
At 3 a.m., the German 15th Army concentrated all its heavy artillery and suddenly launched a fierce artillery attack on the defensive positions of the 302nd Division. Suddenly, the entire sky was illuminated by artillery fire. On the position of the 302nd Division, the enemy's artillery shells fell like ice cannons, and flames shot up into the sky everywhere, deafening.
The German artillery bombardment was very intensive but short-lived, stopping after 15 minutes. Then, the earth shook, the roar of the motors resonated, and a huge buzzing sound spread in the air.
"German tanks are attacking, German tanks are attacking!"
The commanders at all levels of the 302nd Division woke up from the aftermath of the German artillery bombardment. Without having time to count the losses, they immediately organized their troops into positions and put all kinds of anti-tank weapons on standby.
Liu Molong and his men had no time to rest. They were aware of the enemy's artillery bombardment as soon as it began and quickly activated their emergency plan. Upon learning of the massive German tank assault, Liu Molong acted decisively, ordering the 301st and 599th Divisions to attack from either side of the 302nd position. The advantages of conducting a tank battle in the dark of night, as a hidden ambush force, were obvious.
At this time, a new report also came that the 17th Army's counterattack was attacked by heavy German forces. The 17th Army was already surrounded by the German army and was trying to retreat and use the original defense line to block the German breakthrough.
Liu Molong secretly thought that this was not good. If the German army broke through the defense line of the 17th Army, not only would Huang Wei and others' plan to annihilate the German 7th Army fail to materialize, it might even lead to the loss of Rostov, and the front would face the end of a complete collapse on the Rostov front.
Another staff officer reported that the German left and right wings had linked up and were pressing towards the group. Liu Molong was furious: "Lindman, do you really think I'm a sick cat?" Thinking of Huang Wei's previous order, Liu Molong immediately ordered the 600th Division to move ahead and launch an assault in a southeasterly direction. He had to break through the German right wing as quickly as possible and move closer to Rostov.
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!" The mobile rocket artillery group, which had been prepared long ago, immediately launched a fierce artillery bombardment on the German right flank. The German 340th Infantry Division, responsible for the right flank, was pressing towards the Chinese troops from the right flank according to Commander Lindemann's orders. Unexpectedly, Liu Molong's sudden and intensive artillery bombardment caught them off guard. The 340th Division suffered heavy losses and hurriedly retreated to its position.
Before they could gain a firm foothold, the 600th Division's fast armored columns arrived. The darkness gave these lightly armored units an opportunity. With their speed and firepower advantages, they captured the German 340th Division's forward positions in one fell swoop and recklessly advanced deep into the German line. At this time, the commandos who had been circling behind the Germans suddenly appeared and attacked the 340th Division's artillery and anti-tank positions, preventing these heavy weapons from deploying normally. Then, a large-scale tank cluster of the 600th Division arrived, destroying the 340th Division's last lifeline.
"What? The Chinese army launched a large-scale assault on the 340th Division's right flank, and the 340th Division couldn't hold on?"
Lindemann was shocked to hear the news. He had never expected that the 200th Army would disregard the situation in the decisive battle zone and break out from an unexpected direction.
At this time, the Chief of Staff also rushed over and said to him anxiously: "The 352nd Division on the left wing encountered a group of enemy tanks as soon as it took action and had to retreat. In addition, the 56th Army's attack encountered a large number of enemy tanks on both sides. Because it attacked in the dark, the 56th Army suffered heavy losses!"
Lindemann hurried over to the map and, while examining it, said, "There are large numbers of tanks on both flanks. The left flank is being pushed back by enemy tanks, and the right flank is under attack by at least one tank division. Just how many tank units does the 200th Army have?"
The Chief of Staff pointed to the map and analyzed it while answering, "According to the reports from the front, the enemy tanks encountered on the left and right flanks should be no less than one division, and the enemy tanks attacking the 340th Division should be no less than one tank division. Adding the enemy tanks encountered by the 352nd Division, the enemy should be no less than three tank divisions, or even more."
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Lindemann exclaimed immediately after hearing the Chief of Staff's analysis. You're kidding! If the 200th Army had been reinforced by other tank divisions, that meant there couldn't have been that many Chinese and Soviet tanks attacking the 7th Tank Army in the decisive battle zone. Although Lindemann was deeply dissatisfied with Doorman's massive force being unable to defeat his opponent, he didn't doubt the judgment of an army commander with nearly three years of experience in mechanized warfare. On the 7th Tank Army's front line, the number of Chinese and Soviet tanks was undoubtedly no less than that of the 7th Army. Therefore, no matter what, the 200th Army couldn't possibly possess so many tanks. Otherwise, they would have rushed in and torn apart Doorman's 7th Army.
Lindman thought that the enemy had withdrawn as soon as they came into contact with the 56th Tank Army before dark. He immediately realized that the 200th Army probably didn't have that many tanks, and might even have only two tank divisions. They were playing a trick to confuse him.
Lindemann believed that the attack on the 340th Division was likely from a single tank division, a mistake he made. He had completely failed to anticipate a breakout from this direction. Therefore, the tanks appearing from other directions could only represent a single division. The enemy was likely using the cover of darkness to disguise themselves as multiple tank divisions, attempting to deceive Lindemann and achieve his goal of breaking out from the right flank.
Thinking of this, Lindemann decisively ordered the chief of staff: "Order all troops to launch a full-scale assault together, and at the same time notify the SS division behind to press forward immediately." Lindemann said to himself: Even if you break out from the right wing, so what? I will stick to you all the time and will never give you a chance to break free!