"General Blaskowitz," as the Soviet army launched many cross-river operations in various areas of the Dnieper River, Manstein was deploying troops to strengthen defenses to prevent the Soviet army from landing on the right bank. When he learned that Blaskowitz was looking for him, he temporarily put down his work, walked over, picked up the phone, and asked, "What do you want from me?"
"Your Excellency, Marshal," upon hearing Manstein's voice, Blaskowitz quickly reported to him: "My troops are being attacked by the Russians."
Manstein heard what Blaskowitz said, but misunderstood him, thinking that he was talking about the battle in the Chigilin area, so he said disapprovingly: "General Blaskowitz, don't worry. The Russians are attacking The attack you launched is just a desperate struggle. I believe it won’t be long before we all drive them into the Dnieper River.”
When Blaskowitz heard this, he understood that the other party had made a mistake, and quickly explained: "Your Excellency, Marshal, our troops attacked by the Russians were not in the direction of Chigilin, but at the bridgehead on the right bank of Kleminchug. .”
"What, the bridgehead on the right bank of Kremenchug?" Manstein couldn't help but feel moved: "Is this true?"
"Of course it is true, Marshal." Blaskowitz reported to Manstein: "Now the Russians are using heavy artillery fire to bombard the armored divisions we have left there."
The 1st Army left an armored division and an infantry division south of the Soviet landing site. Manstein knew about this. But when he first transferred the troops, he repeatedly checked with Blaskowitz and confirmed that the Soviet troops there showed no signs of attack. Only then did he confidently and boldly transfer three divisions from the area to participate in Chigilin. Regional battles, trying to eliminate or drive away the defenders in Qijilin City.
At this moment, he learned that the armored division left behind had been attacked by fierce Soviet artillery fire. Manstein's first reaction was that Blaskowitz must have made a mistake. He asked: "Blaskovitz General Ci, when I transferred the troops from you, didn't you say that the Russians in front of you were building massive construction projects and assuming a defensive posture. Why did they turn from defense to offense in less than two days? ?”
Manstein asked, still questioning Blaskowitz's statement. You must know that in large-scale corps operations, the commander cannot just slap his head and decide in which direction to launch the attack. There are too many aspects involved. Not to mention other things, just gathering troops and hoarding supplies require It takes a lot of time.
"That's right, Marshal." Blaskowitz heard Manstein's doubts and confusion from his tone, and quickly explained: "The Russians are indeed shelling the armored division's defense area. It seems that they are We plan to make a breakthrough in this direction.”
Manstein quickly unfolded a map on the table and looked at it carefully. In fact, he already knew the terrain on both sides of the Dnieper River by heart. Even without looking, he could know that after the Soviet army broke through the 1st Army's defense line, the next cities to attack would definitely be Alexandria and Kirov. Grad. Once these two cities were lost, it meant that the Soviet army had established a foothold on the right bank of the Dnieper River.
Manstein knew very well that once the Dnieper River defense line was broken through by the Soviet army, it would mean that the next battle would start on the right bank of Ukraine. This was something the German high command absolutely did not want to see. In order to avoid this worst situation, assisting the troops of the 1st Army to block Sokov's troops is the top priority currently.
"General Blaskowitz," Manstein stared at the map for a while and found that the troops closest to the defense line would have to wait until the next day to arrive. Before that, they could only rely on the troops of the 1st Army. troops to defend the existing defense line. Thinking of this, he said to Blaskowitz: "Once the Russians break through your defense line, they will then direct their troops towards Alexandria and drive a nail into our defense zone."
"Yes, Your Excellency Marshal." Blaskowitz nodded repeatedly after hearing this: "You are absolutely right. Once the Russians break through our defense lines, they will quickly find new ones on the right bank. This is very disadvantageous for us, so we must block and defeat them.”
"But the troops closest to your defense area are dozens of kilometers away. Even if you order them to rush for reinforcements now, I'm afraid they will have to wait until tomorrow to reach the designated position." At this point, Manstein asked with some worry: "General Blaskowitz, do you think your troops can hold out until then?"
"No, Marshal." Blaskowitz replied simply, "Don't mention tomorrow. Under the crazy attack of the Russians, it will be difficult for my troops to hold on until dark."
"Then what are your plans?"
Blaskowitz called Manstein just to get help from him. Since the other party took the initiative to ask, he was naturally not polite: "I hope to get air support."
"Air support?" In fact, Manstein had long considered sending the air force to bomb the attacking troops to relieve the pressure on the defenders. But at this moment, because he was organizing his troops to attack the landing site established by the 7th Guards Army, a large number of aircraft were invested in that direction, and it seemed somewhat powerless to support Blaskowitz. "General Blaskowitz, I'm afraid I can't agree to your request."
"Why?" Manstein's reply surprised Blaskowitz. He asked in confusion: "Why can't we provide air support? Where has our huge air force gone?"
Hearing Blaskowitz's question, Manstein showed a painful expression on his face. He did have a huge air force in his military organization, but this air force is now above the Dnieper River, and its number is More Soviet fighter planes competed for air supremacy on the battlefield.
"General Blaskowitz, you also know that we are attacking the Russians in the Chigilin area and the bridgehead they established." After thinking for a moment, Manstein felt that he should explain to Blaskowitz. To prevent the other party from misunderstanding: "But the ground is attacking, and a lot of air power is also invested. But regrettably, in just two years, the Russian air force has been large enough to be evenly matched with ours." .The reason why I say that I cannot provide you with air cover is entirely because our main air force is currently fighting Russian fighter planes over the Dnieper River."
"Then what should we do, Your Majesty Marshal." Manstein's words made Blaskowitz despair: "You cannot provide us with air support, and ground reinforcements will not arrive until tomorrow at the earliest. Come. Are we just going to watch the Russians occupy our positions?"
After some painful thinking, Manstein made a difficult decision: "General Blaskowitz, if the Russian offensive force is strong, I feel that if necessary, we can give up some insignificant items. position."
Perhaps because he was worried that Blaskowitz would not understand him, he specifically added: "Abandoning some unimportant positions and concentrating our forces can make our local forces stronger. As for the Russians, as they occupy territories More and more, they have to divide their troops to guard. As a result, the troops they use to attack will become thin..."
"General Blaskowitz," as the Soviet army launched many cross-river operations in various areas of the Dnieper River, Manstein was deploying troops to strengthen defenses to prevent the Soviet army from landing on the right bank. When he learned that Blaskowitz was looking for him, he temporarily put down his work, walked over, picked up the phone, and asked, "What do you want from me?"
"Your Excellency, Marshal," upon hearing Manstein's voice, Blaskowitz quickly reported to him: "My troops are being attacked by the Russians."
Manstein heard what Blaskowitz said, but misunderstood him, thinking that he was talking about the battle in the Chigilin area, so he said disapprovingly: "General Blaskowitz, don't worry. The Russians are attacking The attack you launched is just a desperate struggle. I believe it won’t be long before we all drive them into the Dnieper River.”
When Blaskowitz heard this, he understood that the other party had made a mistake, and quickly explained: "Your Excellency, Marshal, our troops attacked by the Russians were not in the direction of Chigilin, but at the bridgehead on the right bank of Kleminchug. .”
"What, the bridgehead on the right bank of Kremenchug?" Manstein couldn't help but feel moved: "Is this true?"
"Of course it is true, Marshal." Blaskowitz reported to Manstein: "Now the Russians are using heavy artillery fire to bombard the armored divisions we have left there."
The 1st Army left an armored division and an infantry division south of the Soviet landing site. Manstein knew about this. But when he first transferred the troops, he repeatedly checked with Blaskowitz and confirmed that the Soviet troops there showed no signs of attack. Only then did he confidently and boldly transfer three divisions from the area to participate in Chigilin. Regional battles, trying to eliminate or drive away the defenders in Qijilin City.
At this moment, he learned that the armored division left behind had been attacked by fierce Soviet artillery fire. Manstein's first reaction was that Blaskowitz must have made a mistake. He asked: "Blaskovitz General Ci, when I transferred the troops from you, didn't you say that the Russians in front of you were building massive construction projects and assuming a defensive posture. Why did they turn from defense to offense in less than two days? ?”
Manstein asked, still questioning Blaskowitz's statement. You must know that in large-scale corps operations, the commander cannot just slap his head and decide in which direction to launch the attack. There are too many aspects involved. Not to mention other things, just gathering troops and hoarding supplies require It takes a lot of time.
"That's right, Marshal." Blaskowitz heard Manstein's doubts and confusion from his tone, and quickly explained: "The Russians are indeed shelling the armored division's defense area. It seems that they are We plan to make a breakthrough in this direction.”
Manstein quickly unfolded a map on the table and looked at it carefully. In fact, he already knew the terrain on both sides of the Dnieper River by heart. Even without looking, he could know that after the Soviet army broke through the 1st Army's defense line, the next cities to attack would definitely be Alexandria and Kirov. Grad. Once these two cities were lost, it meant that the Soviet army had established a foothold on the right bank of the Dnieper River.
Manstein knew very well that once the Dnieper River defense line was broken through by the Soviet army, it would mean that the next battle would start on the right bank of Ukraine. This was something the German high command absolutely did not want to see. In order to avoid this worst situation, assisting the troops of the 1st Army to block Sokov's troops is the top priority currently.
"General Blaskowitz," Manstein stared at the map for a while and found that the troops closest to the defense line would have to wait until the next day to arrive. Before that, they could only rely on the troops of the 1st Army. troops to defend the existing defense line. Thinking of this, he said to Blaskowitz: "Once the Russians break through your defense line, they will then direct their troops towards Alexandria and drive a nail into our defense zone."
"Yes, Your Excellency Marshal." Blaskowitz nodded repeatedly after hearing this: "You are absolutely right. Once the Russians break through our defense lines, they will quickly find new ones on the right bank. This is very disadvantageous for us, so we must block and defeat them.”
"But the troops closest to your defense area are dozens of kilometers away. Even if you order them to rush for reinforcements now, I'm afraid they will have to wait until tomorrow to reach the designated position." At this point, Manstein asked with some worry: "General Blaskowitz, do you think your troops can hold out until then?"
"No, Marshal." Blaskowitz replied simply, "Don't mention tomorrow. Under the crazy attack of the Russians, it will be difficult for my troops to hold on until dark."
"Then what are your plans?"
Blaskowitz called Manstein just to get help from him. Since the other party took the initiative to ask, he was naturally not polite: "I hope to get air support."
"Air support?" In fact, Manstein had long considered sending the air force to bomb the attacking troops to relieve the pressure on the defenders. But at this moment, because he was organizing his troops to attack the landing site established by the 7th Guards Army, a large number of aircraft were invested in that direction. It seemed a little unable to support Blaskowitz. "General Blaskowitz, I'm afraid I can't agree to your request."
"General Blaskowitz, you also know that we are attacking the Russians in the Chigilin area and the bridgehead they established." After thinking for a moment, Manstein felt that he should explain to Blaskowitz. To prevent the other party from misunderstanding: "But the ground is attacking, and a lot of air power is also invested. But regrettably, in just two years, the Russian air force has been large enough to be evenly matched with ours." .The reason why I say that I cannot provide you with air cover is entirely because our main air force is currently fighting Russian fighter planes over the Dnieper River."
