The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Chapter 204 Changes in the Battle Situation

Given that the 17th Army had no experience in large-scale mechanized combat, Huang Wei decisively ordered the main forces of the 200th Army to advance northwest of Rostov. Upon the 17th Army's arrival, the two armies would form a central group, attacking the German 7th Army westward from Schakht and southward toward Taganrog, cutting off German reinforcements from across the sea on the Azov front. The main forces of the Soviet 58th Army remained around Rostov and continued their attacks on German forces in the Azov direction, attempting to seize Azov, a crucial transportation hub in the Caucasus.

At the 115st Ukrainian Front's frontline headquarters, Lao Peng's brow furrowed, a heavy pressure welling up within him. The situation had suddenly changed, and the situation was dire. He only had the 1th Army, a single mobile unit, at his disposal. He stared at the map, his thoughts racing. The 2st Cavalry Army was resting in Elista, while elements of the 16nd Cavalry Army had advanced deep into southern Ukraine. The situation was grim. Meanwhile, the Soviet th Cavalry Army was still on the Ural front. At this moment of a large-scale mechanized decisive battle, the cavalry's role seemed limited.

As the staff officer hurried over with the telegram, Old Peng's heartbeat quickened. He quickly took it. Huang Wei's message from the Schacht region struck him like a thunderbolt. An entire division of the 17th Army had been defeated in less than an afternoon. Schacht had fallen! Old Peng's face darkened. He stood up with a swift movement, his eyes fixed on the map.

Surprise washed over him. The Germans' actions were so swift and stealthy, their adjustments and deployments so ingenious that even the Soviet intelligence network failed to detect them. This made Lao Peng realize that the complexity of this war was far beyond his imagination.

His mind quickly mapped out a countermeasure. The 200th Army's forces attacking Taganrog must withdraw, retreating to hold the western portion of Rostov and forming a solid defensive line. Simultaneously, the 58th Army's tank units should immediately assemble and link up with those of the 200th Army, forming a powerful offensive force to target the enemy's 7th Tank Army's weak points and deliver a fatal blow.

Lao Peng took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. He knew that every decision depended on the lives of countless soldiers and the course of the battle. He had to maintain a clear mind, responding to this sudden change with the sharpest insight and decisive decision-making. In this tense moment, he displayed the composure and courage of a great commander.

After the two major tank battles of Salsk and Rostov, Lao Peng had clearly understood that the tank clusters must form a fist to fight, and the outcome of the tank battle would determine the true direction of the battle.

Should the 115th Group Army be pulled over? Lao Peng was pondering this question. He wasn't worried about the collapse of the front line yet. He knew that Huang Wei was more meticulous in this area than he was. His telegram didn't raise any opinions, but it was like a notice proving that he could control the situation. Lao Peng needed to consider when to deploy his mobile forces and launch another major annihilation battle!

At some point, Lin B arrived at his headquarters. Seeing Old Peng lost in thought, Lin B didn't interrupt him, but quietly sat down beside him. Old Peng came to his senses, and the moment his eyes met Lin B's, he knew Lin B must have received news of the war on the front lines and had come with his own thoughts.

So, Lao Peng didn't hesitate and said straight to the point: "If you have any ideas, tell me about them."

Lin B nodded slightly and said calmly, "I'd like to ask General Peng to transfer the 301st and 302nd Regiments directly under his command. While the 17th Army is well-equipped and highly motivated, they've never experienced true mechanized warfare and need some time to adapt. The German 7th Army is advancing aggressively, and I'm truly concerned about their coordination with the 200th Army. If anything goes wrong..."

Old Peng nodded silently. This was exactly what he was worried about. The German 7th Army had been rapidly reorganized into a tank army, and the Soviets had failed to grasp such crucial intelligence. This undoubtedly left the expeditionary force blind in combat, putting the situation in an extremely precarious position. It seemed they had to find a way to establish their own intelligence network.

Although Lao Peng was somewhat tempted by Lin B's suggestion, he was still considering the issue of counterattack force. If a counterattack was launched in a specific direction, the 115th Army alone would clearly not be enough. Lao Peng and Huang Wei actually shared some common ideas: once the counterattack began, it must not be a mere rout; it must be a war of annihilation. Only through large-scale annihilation, destroying the German mobile forces, could the expeditionary force avoid being drawn into a war of attrition like the Soviets, freeing up strength to pursue its own forte of mobile warfare.

Thinking of this, Old Peng rejected Lin B's suggestion from the bottom of his heart. He looked at Lin B and said firmly, "301 and 302 will hold their ground for now. If they do move, they must do so with you, 115. You must be prepared for a large-scale, mobile, and annihilating campaign."

Lin B laughed out loud and said jokingly, "Boss Peng, I knew you wouldn't agree."

At this moment, Old Peng suddenly realized that this kid was setting a trap for himself again. He pointed at Commander Lin and scolded him with a smile: "Commander Lin, what tricks are you playing at again? Tell me now!"

Seeing that Old Peng had come to his senses, Lin no longer dared to pretend. He immediately said seriously, "General Peng, my idea is to withdraw the 200th and 599th Tank Divisions of the 600th Army and form an assault group with the 301st and 302nd Divisions. We'll go around behind the 17th Army. If we seize the opportunity, we'll immediately launch a surprise attack to seize Schacht, then boldly penetrate towards Rovenice and Sverdlovsk. The 1st Cavalry Army will use the gap opened by the assault group to bypass and destroy the German logistics line. The 115th Army will immediately move towards Rostov, waiting for an opportunity to link up with the armored mobile forces of the Soviet 58th Army. We'll penetrate from the Rostov direction, go around to the rear of the German 7th Army, and encircle and annihilate it!"

Old Peng listened to Commander Lin's plan, a flicker of admiration in his eyes, but he still deliberately pointed out a flaw: "The German 7th Tank Army has three armored corps and two motorized corps, nearly a thousand tanks, and to men. Can a single army of yours handle it? Don't let them backfire and ruin the battle!"

Commander Lin smiled confidently and said, "General Peng, don't worry! The 115th Army is no pushover! If the Germans want to take a bite out of us, we'll have to see if they have a good pair of teeth! I believe Chief of Staff Huang will agree with my plan, and I think he's already making such a plan!"