Obviously, it was not just the things Malashenko described that attracted Iushkin's attention. Iushkin, who became interested in the map, began to stare at it more attentively, and soon he had new questions.
.
"This is a seaport city. Are we going to rush across to the sea? Drive the Germans into the Baltic Sea?"
Iushkin almost forgot the last time he saw the sea. Launching a tank cluster charge close to the coast sounded good and had a different "sentiment", but the answer given by Comrade Commander was a bit confusing.
There is disappointment.
"The main point of conflict is not here. Those Germans are not stupid. If the battle line is launched in Riga, these Germans will be bombarded by naval guns."
"The Baltic Fleet was ordered to cooperate with the actions of the Baltic Front. In recent days, the Germans within the range of the naval guns have been bombarded to death. Have you experienced the power of naval guns? Do you still remember the days when we were in Leningrad?
?This is the reason why the Baltic Front’s offensive is so fast and the front is advancing almost as fast as ours.”
"These German guys buried their nails outside the range of the naval guns at a location called Donau Castle south of Riga. They massed heavy troops here to prepare to firmly hold this key node."
"If we want to open up the blockade and completely cut off the land connection between the Central and Northern Army Groups, the Donauburg nail must be pulled out. Although we have strategic initiative, this time we are indeed restrained by the Germans. They
It is expected that we will not let this nail go unchecked, make strategic arrangements in advance and accumulate heavy troops."
"This must be a cruel and tough battle, but it has to be fought. It must be fought. Do you understand what I mean?"
It is obviously unrealistic to expect Iushkin to understand such a large amount of information at once. Looking at Iushkin’s half-informed expression, Malashenko knew that it would take more time for Iushkin to digest himself.
What I just said.
But this doesn't matter, anyway, there is no rush now, there is plenty of time for Iushkin to slowly understand and learn the ways and twists and turns.
The main force of the division led by Malashenko marched at high speed along the established attack direction. The difference from yesterday's battle was that today's battle had clear priorities and clear orders. Vatutin gave Malashenko the main responsibility
The direction of attack is the path that Malashenko is now personally leading the team to keep an eye on.
As for the road farther north, the other two ordinary tank divisions with insufficient auxiliary forces only cooperated with the operation, and Lavrinenko could lead the third regiment and a small number of coordinated forces to deal with it.
The core combat force of Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division includes the main tank regiment 1, which is Kulbalov's troops, as well as the remaining 2nd tank regiment and most of the troops of the two divisional self-propelled artillery battalions.
All are controlled by Malashenko himself.
Relying on the precious time bought by the complete destruction of the Grossdeutschland Division, the German army was able to re-build a reserve defense line not far in front of Malashenko under the overall bad situation of continuous retreat and multiple penetrations of the defense line, preparing to attack the enemy.
This blocked the Soviet offensive.
However, Malashenko, who has a large number of troops and absolute strength, does not think that the preliminary defense line that the Germans hastily built in half a day and one night is so impregnable that it can even block his own offensive. Just think about it with your brain.
That idiot Model is just trying to get away with it. Given your absolute strength, no matter what tricks you try, it will be all nonsense.
As long as the Germans' hastily established reserve defense line is torn apart and the breakthrough is completed, there will no longer be any heavy German army group with systematic defenses to stand in the way of the next course of action. The next one will be massed by the German army and established
The place where effective systematic defense can be established is Malashenko's final destination of his trip: in the direction of Doula Fort south of Riga.
The armored troops deployed by the German army in the front theater had just suffered a huge loss, and it would take a long time to regroup, just like a certain Archbishop of Durham.
This foreseeable battle that is just around the corner should not be very difficult. Unless Model can do magic and conjure a strong enough German reinforcement force out of thin air to block Malashenko, there will be nothing.
Able to stop the rapid advance of Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division.
Malashenko, who was fighting all the way to the battlefield at the fastest speed, had just come close to the sound of gunfire, but suddenly and unexpectedly ran into a group of retreating Red Army infantry. It seemed that he had just experienced
It was a cruel and fierce battle and failed to win. Otherwise, the morale would not be this mediocre. Although it was not depressed, it would not be a high state.
"Why are there still defeated troops at this time? I thought we were heading all the way to victory."
Iushkin's puzzlement did not wait for Malashenko's answer. Malashenko, who ordered the troops to pause their advance, immediately jumped off his command vehicle and came to the troops who were retreating along the dirt road.
The Red Army troops asked loudly.
"Who is the commander? Please come out. I am Malashenko, commander of Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division. I need to know the situation."
The number of Red Army infantry who collapsed and retreated was only about half a battalion at most.
Malashenko expected that the commander of this unit would not be very high-level, so he walked out of the queue immediately. The man in front of him was not what Malashenko had expected, and his military rank was a major.
"Major Borishev, commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the 211th Infantry Division, reports to you, Comrade General."
Looking at the infantry major in front of him who was covered in rags and mud and blood, Malashenko, who frowned slightly, quickly began to take the initiative to ask questions.
"What happened? How did your battalion end up like this?"
What Malashenko learned was that the friendly troops who attacked first this morning were only a tentative attack to ascertain the firepower layout and strength of the Germans' new defense line. The real main attack mission would have to wait until the first Stalin Guards were fully prepared.
Tank division to complete.
But now that he has just come over, he encounters an infantry unit that has been dealt with so badly. This is very different from what he knows. What bloody situation happened to lead to the current situation?
The frowning Malashenko did not have to wait too long, and the major, who was obviously in a depressed mood, quickly gave an answer.
"Our battalion received the offensive mission and launched the attack after preparing artillery fire."
"Everything went well at first. The German defense line looked like an infantry defense line with loose firepower. There were very few heavy equipment and they were basically infantry weapons, which hardly caused much hindrance."
"But just when we were approaching the middle distance, there was suddenly a loud sound of artillery firing from the German position. The sound of the artillery was very loud. It was definitely a large-caliber heavy artillery, Comrade General. They fired directly at us.
, we didn’t even observe in advance where these cannons were deployed, the Germans must have hidden them very well.”
"Our battalion was caught off guard and suffered heavy casualties. The offensive could not continue and had to withdraw to rest. The division commander ordered our battalion to move to a farther position to wait for replenishment, and then... then right there