The combat order issued by Vatutin to Malashenko was very simple: it was not necessary to annihilate this group of German troops immediately, but it was necessary to completely cut off the escape route of this group of German troops before subsequent reinforcements arrived.
There are two reasons for letting the Leader's Division perform this combat mission. One is that the Leader's Division is currently the most advanced corps-level unit in the strategic position of the Belarusian Third Front Army and has complete independent combat capabilities. The more forward the starting point is, the more advanced it is.
The shorter the interception envelope can be shortened, this is a well-understood road mileage issue, and it is most appropriate to leave it to Malashenko's leadership division to implement it.
Another point is that the Leader Division has achieved a completely mechanized upgrade and adaptation. Among the field force units of the entire Red Army with the same combat strength, it is unique in that it has extremely strong mechanized assault capabilities, regardless of whether it is attacking.
In terms of energy or assault speed, it is different from ordinary Red Army troops.
There is indeed a truth to the saying that "the only martial arts skill in the world is fast." The fully mechanized strength of the Leader's Division makes it more vicious and deadly than any Red Army field force of the same organization. It can efficiently and quickly kill any German fascist who dares to stand in the way. And for attacks
Combat missions such as interception, outflanking and cutting back, which require very strict speed requirements, are completely the specialty of professional counterparts for the leader.
A comprehensive analysis based on the combination of the two, objectively speaking, if Vatutin did not assign this combat mission to Malashenko, then it would be a bit of a loss. There would be a lot of problems in the deployment and execution of combat and tactical missions, and
Vatutin, who was born as a staff officer and is good at taking care of every detail, obviously would not make such a stupid mistake.
In terms of theoretical practice and actual combat level, it is much higher than the commander of a certain German group army who was also a staff officer.
After such a combat mission was issued, Vatutin also emphasized one thing, that is, Malashenko did not need to devote the main combat troops to the annihilation operation against the German army's effective forces and completely eat up most of the remaining German armored forces.
It's not an easy job. Even if the leader's division is eliminated and other supporting troops are included, it would be conservatively estimated that it would take at least three days to complete.
It should be noted that this was no longer a tentative attack by the German army. They did not expect to be ambushed in front of the battle line by the leader of the division pretending to be a pig and eating the tiger. They would bite back and cause great damage to their strength. Nor was it that Malashenko could command the main vanguard force of the division and take advantage of the remaining power of the air raid.
The German army marched and retreated, failing to deploy defensive formations, resulting in a one-sided, massacre-style battle of "steel versus flesh."
Once the German army realizes that it is completely surrounded and has become a trapped beast, the next battle will inevitably turn into a Red Army attack, and the German army will fight for the position to defend. From yesterday to today, Malashenko used ambush in front of the formation and quickly maneuvered the surprise attack.
It is difficult to repeat the two tactical victories. After all, the Germans have retreated and cannot come out. How can you use those dirty tactics?
There is indeed the possibility that the besieged German army will lose fighting spirit and morale, and realize that they cannot escape, and surrender to the Red Army. But objectively speaking, you cannot use this probability of happening as your plan.
The basis for the one-step campaign action plan and troop deployment.
What to do if the besieged Germans don't surrender? How do you deal with fighting to the death with you? Then you will have no job? Are your hips stretched? If you pay for the account for one month, you will be deducted more than 700?
To put it bluntly, this is to pin the key point of victory on the enemy's inability to pull the hips, and to put the initiative in the hands of the enemy instead of in one's own hands. Once those Nazis refuse to surrender and resist to the end, then the entire combat plan will be overturned.
Total disruption, or at least passive delay in starting, is really a taboo for senior commanders.
Malashenko has always understood this truth. As a leader, Vatutin, who can pee in the same pot with Comrade Ma, certainly understands this too, so he has a completely different battle plan that can make the leader
The division continued to fight where it was supposed to appear, playing a greater role and keeping the initiative firmly in the hands of the Red Army itself.
The mission of Malashenko and the Leader Division was limited to cutting off the German retreat route, making the German army's escape plan go bankrupt, and persisting until both the left and right routes were advancing in a roundabout way at the same time. However, the attack speed was not as fast as that of the Leader Division.
It will take some time until the follow-up reinforcements arrive at the tactical node and enter the battlefield.
Once the main follow-up reinforcements of the front army arrive, it will be equivalent to the completion of the defense change of the leader division. Malashenko will also have completed his mission and can transfer the combat tasks and the entire combat area responsible for the leader division to friendly forces.
Leave the follow-up annihilation operations to the friendly troops to complete, and then take a break to rest and replenish before continuing.
The target of the next phase will be directly aimed at the hinterland of East Prussia, where the previous concentration of troops and attempts at strategic counterattacks have resulted in a serious lack of troops in the rear. The leader division will seize more critical battle and tactical nodes and complete the attack on the main German army group on the entire front.
A larger encirclement of roundabouts was formed, which in turn sounded the death knell for the complete destruction of the main German army on the entire southeastern front of East Prussia.
To put it bluntly, drawing a quick encirclement and eating the main German armored force was just an appetizer designated by Vatutin for Malashenko.
Once the 41st Armored Corps is surrounded and loses its strategic maneuverability, there will no longer be a German armored group of comparable strength in the combat area where the leader division is located in the southeast of East Prussia with the ability to maneuver back in time to block the leader division's deep assault.
The ability to intersperse.
In the nearby war zone, there are indeed several independent German armored divisions that are relatively complete and have certain strategic maneuverability. From the map alone, they seem to have the ability to intercept and prevent Malashenko from making a deep breakthrough into East Prussia.
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But you can’t just look at the deployment markings on the map, you have to look at it based on the actual battlefield conditions.
Not to mention that each of these independent German armored divisions had heavy combat tasks, they basically played the role of leaders on various fronts and theaters. They were unable to cope with the frontal assault of the Red Army in their own defense zone.
Come, fight and retreat. The Clay Bodhisattva cannot save himself when crossing the river. How can he escape and rush all the way to fight with the leader in a tiring place?
What? Are we really going to abandon the entire southeastern front just to stop the leading division? We won’t defend the other defense zones?
Not to mention that the top German army would never dare to do this as long as their brains were in good condition. Even if the German army did do this, it would be a great thing for Vatutin that "you can wake up from your dreams laughing".
Without the fire-fighting support of the armored forces, the German frontline defense is nothing. All the German infantry and fortifications will be broken through one by one under the frontal attack of the Red Army aviation, field heavy artillery, and the torrent of steel. The speed of destruction is not the fastest.
Only the faster kind.
This was also a great victory for the Red Army. It just changed the way of victory from the detour behind the leader's division to a frontal battlefield breakthrough to achieve a major victory.
Only the process changes, only the result remains unchanged, and the final answer is the same.
Therefore, no matter how the German army responds to the next phase of the leader division's actions, Vatutin, as the commander of the front army, is already complacent, has victory within his grasp, and is determined to win. No matter how the Germans respond, Vatutin has a corresponding response plan and strategy.
It goes without saying who has the initiative, this is the most vivid manifestation.
This time, Vatutin vowed to teach the Germans a lesson on their own territory, so that these nazis know what it means to be the unstoppable steel torrent of the Red Army.
? ? ? I drank too much last night, brothers. I didn’t have time to ask for leave and didn’t update. I just went to bed. Sorry.