Chapter 577 Amphibious Landing Ship

In fact, Hitler's two strategic goals, Stalingrad and the Caucasus, are ultimately the same goal, that is, oil.

Needless to say, the attack on the Caucasus region is home to the largest oil field in the Soviet Union, the Baku oil field, which accounts for 71.5% of the total oil production in the Soviet Union. It can be said to be the energy center of the Soviet Union.

The attack on Stalingrad is because the transportation of oil from the Baku oil field must pass through Stalingrad:

There are two ways to transport the Baku oil field:

One is to use Baku as the starting point to transport oil from Makhachkala and Astrakhan to Stalingrad and then to other places by rail.

The other is to use Baku as the starting point to transport oil from the Caspian Sea to Astrakhan and then switch to rail or Volga River transportation.

But no matter which method is used, it needs to pass through Astrakhan and Stalingrad.

So, as long as Stalingrad is occupied and an airport is built, the oil transportation from the Soviet Union can be easily blocked.

From this point of view, Hitler can achieve the goal of blocking Soviet energy by occupying Stalingrad.

But Hitler was worried, because the Soviet Union certainly would not be willing to be blocked by the German army, so there would definitely be a fight between them, so Hitler hoped to attack on both sides at the same time... While taking Stalingrad, he would also take the Caucasus region and control the Baku oil field, which would not only cut off the Soviet army's idea of ​​competing with it, but also add a large oil field for Germany.

In fact, after Qinchuan discovered an African oil field, Germany no longer lacked oil. The problem is that both Romania and Africa are very far away from the Soviet Union. If there is an oil base in the Caucasus region of the Soviet Union, it will save a lot of transportation capacity for the German army's logistics.

"So, Captain!" Manstein spread his hands and asked Qin Chuan: "Can you tell me what you are thinking about now?"

"Caucasus, General!" Qin Chuan replied: "Of course it's the Caucasus!"

Qin Chuan got up and walked to Manstein's desk. Manstein understood, tidied up the documents on the desk a little, and spread out the map.

"Just like I said at the meeting!" Qin Chuan pointed to the map and said, "If we use conventional warfare to move step by step towards the Caucasus, then even if we win a series of victories, we will eventually compress their remaining troops towards the Caucasus Mountains from two directions... that is, the Taman Peninsula and the Don River defense line of the Soviet Army. Fighting like this will only cause trouble for ourselves!"

Manstein was silent for a while, and then said, "Captain, what I discuss with you next is not allowed to be leaked to anyone, even your superiors such as Colonel Slaine have no right to know, understand?"

"Understood, General!" Qin Chuan replied, "You can trust me!"

"Of course!" Manstein replied, "You are a 'legendary sergeant' who has caused big troubles to the British, Americans and Soviets again and again, so you can't be their spy. If you are a spy, then we really need spies like you!"

After a pause, Manstein added, "This is the conclusion that the Military Intelligence Bureau has drawn about you!"

So Qin Chuan knew that Manstein must have contacted the Military Intelligence Bureau before meeting him.

However, this does not seem to be Manstein's fault. After all, Qin Chuan and Manstein have just met for a short time. Manstein cannot easily trust Qin Chuan and discuss military secrets with him.

"We are not as simple as you think!" Manstein said: "We will deploy mountain troops and Brandenburg troops in the Caucasus Mountains. I think you know what the Brandenburg troops do?"

"Of course!" Qin Chuan replied.

The Brandenburg troops are a special force formed by Canaris, the director of the German Military Intelligence Bureau... Their most important feature is to learn the language and habits of the enemy country and disguise themselves as the enemy to fight among the enemy.

"Doing so can indeed gain a certain advantage in the Caucasus Mountains!" Qin Chuan replied: "But General, this does not mean that our mechanized troops can successfully pass through the Caucasus Mountains and occupy the Baku oil fields!"

"Yes!" Manstein nodded: "This is also what we are worried about. The terrain in the Caucasus region is very complex. Our tanks often have to pass through narrow mountain roads with cliffs on both sides. This means... the enemy only needs to bury an explosive pack on both sides and detonate it, and we will be buried in the rocks together with the tanks!"

Obviously, the German army has conducted detailed reconnaissance in the Caucasus region.

In fact, when Germany attacked the Caucasus region, it was in a similar dilemma and could not move forward. Even the mountain troops could not guarantee the safe passage of tanks and convoys, because the enemy also had artillery and aircraft to do similar things, and the bombed Germans could not only not fight back, but also needed a considerable amount of time and energy to transport the road.

The German army, which was good at using mechanized troops for blitzkrieg, was most afraid of getting stuck in such a quagmire.

"But Captain!" Manstein asked Qin Chuan: "Isn't this inevitable?"

"I think it can be avoided!" Qin Chuan said.

"How to do it?" Manstein asked.

"The main force of the Soviets is in the direction of the Don River!" Qin Chuan pointed to the map and said: "The four armies on the Kerch Peninsula with 260,000 troops are mainly fighting on the Crimean Peninsula. If we can defeat them... I'm afraid not many can escape back!"

Manstein nodded in agreement. The Soviet troops on the Kerch Peninsula were too dense. Once the defense line was breached, there would be heavy casualties. Although the narrowest point of the Kerch Strait was only 4 kilometers, there were not many soldiers who could swim across four kilometers. many.

"After we occupy the Kerch Peninsula, we will immediately launch an attack on the Taman Peninsula!" Qinchuan pointed at the map and said: "After occupying a foothold on the Taman Peninsula..."

As he spoke, he drew a curve on the sea and said: "Go directly to Novorossiysk, then pass through Tuapse and Sochi. The troops will be divided into two groups to occupy the Caucasus Mountains and cut off all Soviet military routes. All the way along the Black Sea coast and across the Caucasus Mountains, we rushed to the airports, ports and even oil fields and factories behind it!”

Before Qin Chuan could finish speaking, Manstein shook his head repeatedly and said: "No, Captain, this plan is too crazy. You must know that the Soviets have a Black Sea Fleet, and we only have fishing boats. How can we use fishing boats again and again?" A jumping attack along the sea surface is impossible!"

"Of course it's impossible for a fishing boat to do it!" Qin Chuan said: "But what if we have a new type of landing ship? In fact, I'm talking about an amphibious landing ship, which can travel on the sea and also be like a car on the shore. Drive!”