Chapter 804: Encirclement

"Yes, the Kursk region!" Marshal Manstein replied while smoking a cigarette: "I think the Soviets will attack first before us..."

As he spoke, Manstein took out a map from his pocket, spread it out on the shell box next to him, and said: "Because we disrupted traffic and were covered with heavy snow, our army was unable to fight back along the original road. The Soviets no longer need to defend the Don River front line, which means they are safe for the time being. This allows the Soviets to transfer the main forces of the Don River Front and Stalingrad Front to the center. The mobilization and replenishment of equipment will be much faster than ours, so we have reason to believe that the Soviets have an absolute strength advantage in the Kursk area!"

Qinchuan nodded in agreement. This was for sure. Not to mention that the main force of the German army was in Army Group South. Even if Army Group South was transferred to Army Group Center, it would still not be able to change this.

Manstein continued: "Once the Soviets break through the defense line of Army Group Center, they will go south to capture Kirovgrad and then go straight to Odessa. Do you know what will happen?"

(Note: Kirovgrad, also known as Kirovgrad, is a city in central Ukraine and is not the same place as Kirov Fortress in Transcaucasia)

Qin Chuan raised his head in shock and said, "We will be surrounded!"

"Yes!" Manstein nodded: "I believe this is the Soviets' plan. We have indeed built a strong defense line in the south using the Crimean Peninsula and the Caucasus Mountains, but if the Soviets together with the How about surrounding the Limu Peninsula together?”

Manstein was right. Although the Transcausus region can produce food, oil, and even has several arsenals that can supply some ammunition, the problem is that this is an army group. If it is cut off from Germany, If so, it won't be long before we are in a situation where we are unable to fight due to insufficient ammunition.

"So!" Qin Chuan said, "The Soviets' target is still us!"

"Of course!" Manstein said: "Of course it is us. The reason is very simple. We occupied Baku and controlled the lifeline of the Soviet Union...Soviet industry was severely affected by this, including the production of equipment, etc., without the Americans By doubling the aid, the Soviet Union should be vulnerable at this time!"

"So the Soviet Union wants to take back Baku in such a big circle!"

"This is their intention!" Manstein said: "They will get rid of us by the way!"

It is conceivable that if the Soviet Union's strategy succeeds, then the German Eastern Front will undoubtedly collapse.

"What should we do?" Qin Chuan asked.

"Reinforce Army Group Center!" Manstein said: "Block the Soviet attack. Our intelligence shows that the Soviets have concentrated a large number of tanks, aircraft and troops in the Kursk area. They are likely to launch an attack in winter. . The reason is that on the one hand, the Don River freezes in winter, which is beneficial to their offense, and on the other hand, they think that they are better at fighting in winter!"

This is indeed true, but it is somewhat different from the Battle of Kursk in history... The Battle of Kursk in history did not start until July of the following year, and Germany was the attacker.

"The Soviets have assembled almost all their tanks!" Manstein said: "New, old, American, British, Soviet, etc. Our intelligence personnel believe that there are at least four thousand tanks in the Kursk area Plus two thousand planes.”

The actual number was actually higher than Manstein's estimate. The Soviet army assembled more than 5,000 tanks and 3,000 aircraft.

Even if the German Army Group Center includes the backward light tanks of the slave countries, there are only more than a thousand vehicles. Of course, it cannot stop the "steel torrent" of the Soviet army.

"That's why we need ME63?" Qin Chuan asked.

"Yes!" Manstein replied: "That's why we need the ME63 to deal with Soviet tanks. And it must be fast!"

Qinchuan had no objection to this. After all, the rocket launcher had a serious flaw. It had a high wind deflection and a short range. If it was paired with the ME63, the German infantry would be able to strike powerful blows at both far and near ranges against enemy tank troops.

Finally, Marshal Manstein said: "I hope you can work with Colonel Conrad to further improve ME63. I will contact them on the Maginot Project. Colonel Sline should also come back to lead his regiment. As for Military advisers, I believe they already know what to do!”

"Yes, Your Excellency Marshal!"

So that night, Colonel Slain returned to Kirov Castle.

What made Qin Chuan laugh a little was that Colonel Slain said to Qin Chuan after getting off the plane: "You know? Lieutenant Colonel, General Lu Manlin protested against this. He thought you ran away!"

"Why should I run away?" Qin Chuan was puzzled by this.

"You have to ask General Rumanlin about this!" Colonel Slain said: "Before I got on the plane, General Rumanlin repeatedly told me to tell you, don't forget the Maginot Plan. There are still many flaws in that line of defense. , he told you to go back!”

Qin Chuan couldn't help but laugh. He knew that... General Lu Manlin was worried that they would not be able to defend the line after Qin Chuan left.

Of course Qinchuan will not forget the Maginot Line.

Even for Qinchuan, the Maginot Line of Defense was the focus, because in his opinion, the US military would be much more difficult to defeat than the Soviet army.

This is not only because the US military has been gathering strength until now, but also because of the US military's terrible logistics and industrial capabilities... When one fighter plane was shot down, the United States had a way to launch two fighter planes. After the aircraft carrier entered standardized production, it could produce more than a dozen ships per year (Essex-class aircraft carriers). Even the Soviet Union could not match such a production speed.

More importantly, those famous German generals could not adapt to fighting without air superiority, and fighting against the US and British coalition forces, air superiority must not belong to Germany, at least for now.

So even if the Battle of Kursk was imminent, Qin Chuan believed that it was still necessary to discuss the issue of ME163 with Conrad.

"You said on the phone that there is a problem with ME163 that cannot be solved?" Qin Chuan asked Conrad: "What problem?"

"Oh, yes!" Conrad said: "This problem has happened in Africa, Lieutenant Colonel!"

Conrad was bending over to observe ME63, and he straightened up after hearing this: "Have you ever thought that ME163 is different from ME, it uses liquid fuel, and it takes time to refuel and prepare before launching, and all this is likely to be discovered by American reconnaissance planes, and then..."

Conrad spread his hands and said: "Can you imagine the scene of them bombing ME163? Toxic liquid splashes everywhere!"

Qin Chuan's face changed after hearing this: "Where is Hannah?"