The Third Reich: The Return of the King

Chapter 1153

What exactly did the German army want to do?

After receiving the intelligence from the rear, Timoshenko immediately made a judgment on this question!

“The two million troops in front are just a trick of the enemy. The real killer is the two enemies in the rear that are approaching us quickly!”

After all, Timoshenko is a famous general who fought his way out of the civil war. Although he has been gradually neglected by Starling over the years, his strength has not declined, but has improved.

The abnormal behavior of the German army on the front line and the sudden appearance of the two German troops in the rear made Timoshenko immediately judge the German army’s intentions.

“They want to surround us!”

“Surround us?”

“Which army is surrounding us?”

“Could it be the part of the army near the center?”

The Soviet army’s most concentrated troops are near the Borland front, where the Allied offensive is the most intense, so the Soviet army has deployed at least 2 million troops here.

If the German army’s goal is this army, then their hand is really big!

“No, they are not going to surround any part of our army, but all of us!”

Timoshenko’s face was gloomy and his expression was very solemn.

Manstein was not the kind of petty person. Two million troops might be a good goal in the eyes of others.

As long as they could surround and eat up this army, it would be a big victory!

But for Manstein, who is based on overall considerations and tactics serve strategy, his goal will definitely not be so simple, and his appetite will not be so small.

“Which army is stationed in Mins City?”

Timushinge’s right eyelid kept twitching, and the feeling of uneasiness in his heart became stronger and stronger.

Although the German army behind them was still approaching them, it really looked like they were cooperating with the German army on the front battlefield to divide and encircle the Soviet army on the front line.

However, Timoshenko had a hunch that the other party’s goal was not here, but somewhere else.

Looking at the entire map, the most critical and dangerous place at this time was not on the front line, but in the city of Mins in the rear.

Mins City is the capital of the White Bear. It is only more than 200 kilometers away from the front line, not too far, nor too close.

Under normal circumstances, as long as the Soviet army on the front line is still resisting and the German army has not been able to break through all their defenses, then the city of Mins in the rear should be safe.

However, today’s situation is a bit special.

Two German armies, one in the south and one in the north, appeared in front of him without anyone noticing. Their hinterland, each advanced more than 100 kilometers, nearly 200 kilometers, to the rear of the Soviet army.

Although judging from the current movements of the German army, the most likely action taken by these two German armies is to cooperate with the German army on the front battlefield to defeat them.

However, Timoshenko felt that the two German armies might go in the direction of the city of Mins.

And once their destination is really the city of Mins, it will be a disaster for the Soviet army! If this place is taken, the retreat of the Soviet army on the front line will be completely blocked. At that time, it will not only be a question of which part of the Soviet army will be lost.

None of the more than three million Soviet troops on the entire front line can escape!

When Timoshenko thought of this serious consequence, he was scared to death in a cold sweat!

Although he was not sure whether the real intention of the German army was like this, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Even if the German army did not have this plan, he had to make corresponding preparations.

“The 23rd Army of our army is stationed in Mins. At present, the army has received orders and is preparing to reinforce the northern battlefield to resist the German Northern Army Group from the south!”

Bock’s Eighth Army is the most direct threat to Mins, and it is also the main defense target of the Soviet army in this area.

However, the threat from the First Army in the south, which is more severe, has been ignored.

After all, in terms of distance, Guderian’s troops are still some distance away from them, and Guderian has already run behind the main force of the Soviet army.

No matter who it is, they think that Guderian will definitely stab the Soviet army in the back, and will not go to Mins to attack such a seemingly insignificant city.

However, Timoshenko does not think so.

“Immediately send a telegram to the 23rd Army, ordering them not to attack, and from now on, immediately reinforce the defense line outside Mins City!”

Timushenge is now certain that the two German armies will definitely head towards Mins City!

Although the current evidence cannot prove this, he believes in his intuition

“Which army is closest to Mins City?”

Besides ordering the army in Mins City to return to defend, he still felt unsafe.

Facing the pincer attack from the north and south of the two German armies, the strength of one army is definitely not enough.

At least two more armies should be added to make up the strength of an army.

The combat effectiveness of the Soviet army was not as good as that of the German army. If there is no advantage in manpower, then this battle will not be fought at all.

However, the Soviet army in Mins City does not need to defeat the German army alone. They only need to block the German attack, hold on for a few days, and wait for the Soviet army on the front line to come back for support.

In this case, it has become a top priority to transfer as many nearby troops as possible to Mins City to strengthen the defense of Mins City, so as to avoid being cut off by the enemy before the main force of the Soviet army retreats safely.

“To the north of Mins, there is another army in the direction of Smolensk. It has already taken a train south and is preparing to rush to the Ukrainian battlefield!”

“Give them orders immediately to turn around and head for Mins!”

With this army, there will be two armies.

But this is not enough!

The Soviet army’s organization is not fixed, which is very different from the German army.

The German army’s organization is basically fixed, and only in very rare cases will it increase or decrease the strength, so a German army group is 350,000 people, no more, no less.

The strength of an army is around 60,000, no more, no less, and the strength of a division is usually around 17,000 to 20,000.

But the Soviet army is not like this!

The Soviet army’s organization is very casual, the organization of the troops is varied, and there are many organizations.

Some elite troops may be fully staffed, but most of the troops are not fully staffed. So there may be a situation where one army has 40,000 to 50,000 people, but the other army has only 10,000 to 20,000 people.

In this case, it may be safer to dispatch more troops.

But tragically, there are only these two armies near Mins City, and the other troops are too far away to arrive in a short time.

Maybe by the time they arrive, the German army has already surrounded Mins City or even captured it!

So now, they can only pin their hopes on these two troops!