newbobooks Chapter 258 Strategic Contest
Chapter 258 Strategic Contest
Hoepner continued pointing towards Najaf and ordered the commander of the 1st Tank Army: "General von Locke-Auspers, you will lead the 1st Army south tonight and launch an attack on Najaf early tomorrow morning!"
"Yes, General!" General von Locke-Auspers answered loudly, his voice revealing a determination and courage.
"General Xiumask, your 1st Tank Division will detach from the 1st Army. Also, take a grenadier regiment from the 5th Panzer Corps, directly under the Engineer Regiment, and move ahead of the 1st Army to attack Mishkhab. Make sure to break through the Euphrates River within a day, attack Kufai, and launch a pincer attack on Najaf."
"Understood, General!" General Xiumask replied, his voice full of confidence and determination.
Hoepner turned to his chief of staff and said, "You and the 3rd and 5th Armies will set out later tonight and quietly go to Khan Musela. Here, we should fight a decisive battle with the Chinese. If we don't destroy the Chinese 2nd Army, our supply lines will be ruthlessly attacked by the enemy!"
The Chief of Staff nodded. The German commander's command and tactical prowess were fully demonstrated at this moment. It seemed Hoepner had already made all the plans. He thought to himself: He is worthy of being the commander chosen by Field Marshal Rommel, and worthy of being Mannstein's disciple.
The following afternoon, the German army launched an attack on the Chinese army at a leisurely pace. Von Bormann's offensive strategy was still one regiment of infantry + one battalion of tanks. In order to avoid premature loss of tanks, he ordered the tank troops not to get too close to the enemy, and to use infantry and grenadiers as the main attack force. He also strengthened the mobility of the artillery, creating the appearance of a fierce attack.
It must be said that the German soldiers who have been tempered by years of war are very professional, especially the grenadiers. The grenadiers who have newly joined the 1st Tank Army are elites who have crawled out of the Soviet battlefield. Their individual combat effectiveness and combat effectiveness are extremely strong.
The 15st Battalion's front line had been breached by the Germans, with one company nearly wiped out. Of course, the Germans weren't much better off, with countless bodies lying around their positions. The st Battalion's well-equipped infantry artillery played a crucial role at this point. Its rate of fire, at rounds per minute, surpassed even light mortars, and its high-explosive rounds created a haze of bullets, inflicting significant damage on the enemy.
Yet, the demonic roar and tearing roar of the German general-purpose machine guns continued to rip through the battlefield. The Chinese, heavily armed with M2 machine guns, were at a disadvantage in such a machine-gun duel. The soldiers' Garands were rendered completely useless. In the trench battle, German long-handled hand grenades rained down like raindrops, while the MP series submachine guns, like venomous snakes, spitted deadly flames, playing a huge role. While lightweight, the Chinese grenades were severely lacking in lethality. Thompson and M3 submachine guns were even less effective than the German submachine guns, and their proportionate deployment was far less. A single German grenadier assault team often posed a formidable threat to a squad of Chinese soldiers.
Seeing his side at a disadvantage, Zhu Xiaocheng personally led the battalion headquarters platoon in a counterattack, repelling a German squad that had infiltrated the second-line positions. After retaking the position, he unleashed a barrage of abuse on the 2nd Company Commander: "You have no brains! Have you forgotten our small-group combat tactics? A mere group of five or six enemy soldiers crushed your entire squad. Aren't you ashamed?"
Immediately, he had the platoon leader of his direct command assume command of the 2nd Company. In response to the changing enemy situation, Zhu Xiaocheng quickly adjusted his strategy, organizing the remaining personnel of the 2nd Company into more than 20 three-man teams, and forming three infantry teams into alternating cover squads. They meticulously deployed their forces according to the location and characteristics of the positions, closely integrating specific grenade, machine gun, and artillery teams to provide strong support to these infantry teams.
Soon, the Germans attacked the 2nd Company's position again, only to be met by a meticulously prepared combat team. A team leader, armed with an M3 rifle, known as the "Grease Gun," fired with the agility of a cheetah, unleashing a volley of fire at the leading German grenadier. Four or five meters behind him, a soldier in charge of demolition hurled two grenades. "Boom!" Two loud explosions sent the attacking German forces into disarray. A soldier armed with a Garand rifle bravely charged forward, piercing the German grenadier's chest with the bayonet.
The German attack receded like a tide, and the battlefield returned to its previous tranquility. The German army quickly organized another short attack, and soon ended the first day of fighting under the cover of night.
"Something's wrong, something's wrong!" Zhang Lingpu stared at the map as he listened to the Chief of Operations' report on the day's battle. A sense of foreboding washed over him. The number of German tanks deployed was dwindling, while the battle for position between the two sides intensified like a raging fire, with even Turkish soldiers making an appearance. The German 1st Tank Army held a commanding advantage in armored strength, yet engaging in a battle of attrition against them in such a flat terrain was utterly counterintuitive. The Germans must have ulterior motives and would never waste their time here.
Zhang Lingpu was extremely anxious. He quickly picked up the phone and reported to Kuang Zhengqi, "Commander, the German attack today is very strange and puzzling. I don't think their goal is here. Has our defense line been breached?"
Kuang Zhengqi laughed heartily. "Zhang Lingpu, it seems you're not that stupid. The Germans' goal is very clear: they want to break through the Euphrates River and march straight into the heart of Iraq. This is just a checkpoint for them to cross. I suspect the main force of the Germans has already moved south, and their biggest target must be Najaf."
"Don't dwell on these matters. Remember your mission and launch a counterattack at dawn tomorrow. Your armored forces, in particular, must break through the enemy lines as quickly as possible, bypass the Moral Army, and sever their supply lines!"
By this point, Pu Zhengsong's 6th Army had already established defensive positions in Najaf and Kufe. Following Kuang Zhengqi's plan, Pu Zhengsong deployed only two mechanized brigades along the Najaf front. The main forces, the 11th and 34th Tank Divisions, had already detoured to Khan Musela and successfully linked up with the 47th Armored Corps. They knew that no matter how the Germans advanced, they would ultimately face a decisive battle. Otherwise, leaving the main force of the 2nd Army vulnerable would be a devastating blow to the German supply lines.