Chapter 910: Encirclement (2)

PS: Regarding the map, readers who are not clear about it are recommended to open the Google Earth map on a computer. It not only has place names but also distances and general terrain. As for the mobile phone version, I am sorry that I can't do anything about it...

Just when Zhukov was anxious about the precarious situation of the Red Army on the southern wing, Spruance in the Indian Ocean was also anxious.

On the afternoon of May 25, Tsukahara Jishizo, who was marching rapidly, led the main fleet to Ceylon Island. While carrying out emergency fuel replenishment, he launched a large number of reconnaissance aircraft to conduct enemy surveys. At this moment, Spruance was leading the fleet to circle in the waters surrounded by the three points of Seychelles, Maldives, and the Indian Islands, anxiously waiting for the return of the escort warships - including 4 important escort aircraft carriers and 6 cutting-edge destroyers. As for those auxiliary cruisers, frigates, old destroyers and slow freighters, they were completely out of their time.

According to the arrangement, these 10 warships were to be taken to Australia together, especially the 4 escort aircraft carriers, which were of great significance to the new tactics. Now for escort operations, the carrier-based aircraft formations that had been cross-positioned were restored to their original state.

The initial news was good. The transport fleet arrived safely in Karachi late at night on the 23rd. Two British divisions landed quickly and unloaded supplies. They encountered neither German submarines nor German air raids along the way. He did not know about the secret deal between London and Berlin, and only thought that he was lucky.

In the early morning of May 24, the escort warships quietly left Karachi and returned at the fastest speed, preparing to meet up with Spruance as soon as possible.

On the 24th, everything was safe and sound; on the 25th, everything was normal.

But something happened on the 26th. An Atlantic Condor and two Caiyun-kai reconnaissance aircraft found the TF44 fleet.

Being found by the Atlantic vulture was within his expectations. Seeing that Caiyun Kai was also staring at him, his hair stood up, as if a rabbit was stared at by a vulture. He broke out in a cold sweat and his heartbeat accelerated - the Combined Fleet had arrived! The time was not the three days he expected, let alone five days, but one day!

Spruance made a prompt decision and ordered the fleet to retreat from the southwest through the waters between the Seychelles and the Indies. He knew that he could no longer continue to support the escort fleet in this area, so he reluctantly issued an order to disband the formation and required the 10 warships to use the night to disperse and break through and escape separately.

The Tsukahara fleet had rushed to a place only 250 kilometers away from the Maldives. At noon that day, the Maldives was recaptured by the Japanese army, and the distance between the Japanese army and the TF44 fleet was reduced to 1,200 kilometers. In order to get rid of the pursuit, Spruance led TF44 to turn southeast and continue to retreat that night.

On the morning of the 27th, the Japanese army once again released a large number of reconnaissance planes, but this time the Atlantic Vultures found two escort aircraft carriers and three destroyers first. After careful consideration, Tsukahara ordered the fleet to continue to counterattack the Indies while dispatching carrier-based aircraft to carry out bombing missions.

How could two escort aircraft carriers be the opponent of the main fleet of the Combined Fleet? At noon that day, all these warships were sunk; in the afternoon, Tsukahara's fleet discovered the second batch of escaped escort fleets, and carrier-based aircraft were dispatched again, bombing one aircraft carrier and one destroyer. The last escort aircraft carrier and two destroyers were all British officers and soldiers. Knowing that they were doomed, they did not dare to reunite with the TF44 formation when the formation was disbanded at the beginning, and returned to Karachi directly. As a result, they received a farewell telegram from their companions halfway, which accelerated their escape.

But they were lucky. They received a secret telegram from Karachi that afternoon, informing them that if there was no way out, they could surrender to the German army. The captain turned around and went to Socotra Island.

On the evening of the 27th, just as Zhukov's plane was about to land, 10 warships in the escort fleet died or escaped, leaving only the warships of the TF44 fleet rushing to Australia - including the Bunker Hill, the Iowa, two light cruisers, and six Fletcher-class destroyers.

Relying on the ability to escape by cutting off the tail, Spruance rushed into the heart of the Indian Ocean with the help of the night. The specific location was 1,200 kilometers northeast of Reunion Island and about 1,500 kilometers from the Indian Islands. It was still 5,500 kilometers away from the Port of Perth, Western Australia.

Although he did not get any intelligence about the Japanese fleet, and the miserable SBDs at hand could not find the Tsukahara fleet, but from the analysis of the escort warships that were constantly in distress, the Japanese fleet chasing behind was not small. But he never thought that the Tsukahara fleet chasing behind was only part of the fleet sent by the Japanese army, and there was also the Kakuta fleet waiting for him on the way to Perth - the main force of the entire Combined Fleet gathered in the Indian Ocean for the third time!

TF44 and Kakuta's fleet were exactly 1,000 nautical miles apart. After this night, both sides would be within the range of reconnaissance aircraft to survey each other!

When Zhukov arrived in Moscow, Stalin was furious in the Supreme Command. The blocking of the Ural Mountains and the fall of Orenburg had greatly deteriorated the situation in the middle. Even if one did not understand military affairs, one would know the dangers of the blocking of the Ural access passage and the Ural River: the southern wing of the war zone would lose its material supply channel - which was also the main channel for supplying materials to Central Asia.

"Do you know how much passivity this brings to the battle on the southern flank? It forces Comrade Constantine to be distracted from the battle in the center, forcing him to use his precious reserves to block the enemy forces in this direction." Stalin only knew that Zhukov had transferred the Malinovsky Independent Front troops to the Uralsk front line. He did not know about the enemy troop movements at noon or even in the afternoon. He emphasized, "Uralsk must be defended, and the party principle must be used to fight to the last man." ! Communists, working class members, Communist Youth League members and even Young Pioneers must actively build barricades to block the enemy!"

Kuznetsov could not say a word, but suddenly his eyes widened because Zhukov was standing at the door.

Stalin noticed something strange and was about to scold him for being distracted when Zhukov took the lead and shouted a report. Seeing that the other party flew to Moscow to see him in such an urgent military situation, Stalin knew that the situation was not trivial: Zhukov was now the deputy commander-in-chief with 2 million troops, how could it be a trivial matter if he was asked to run back at all costs?

He felt a thump in his heart, and an unpleasant feeling immediately came over him, but the years of being in charge of the huge Soviet had allowed him to develop a calm attitude. He said slowly: "Comrade Constantine, you came just in time, we are discussing... "

Zhukov waved his hands distractedly and said in a hoarse voice: "Comrade Stalin, I have an urgent military intelligence report. Ask other comrades to step back."

Everyone left in twos and threes with doubts and confusion. Kuznetsov, who was embarrassed, was about to leave when Zhukov shouted: "You can stay."

As soon as everyone left, Zhukov shed tears before he could say anything: "I'm sorry, Comrade Stalin, I failed to complete the task you assigned me."

"What?" Kuznetsov was shocked. He had never seen Zhukov look so glum.

At this point, Stalin had no choice but to calm down and comfort his subordinate: "Comrade Constantine, what happened on the front line? Don't worry, let's find a solution together."

"I have thought of all the ways I can think of, but there is really nothing I can do." Zhukov succinctly reported the news of the three SS group armies and the drastic changes on the battlefield, and then laid out the seven-sided encirclement and center of the German army on the sand table of the headquarters. The rhythm of flowering.

Hearing that an elite group such as the 5th Guards Tank Army suffered heavy losses in just two days, even Stalin found it unbearable - the Germans took out three such SS groups in one breath.

Zhukov calmed down and said: "Judging from the current battlefield situation, the Germans have long prepared a powerful reserve force. Both the strength and equipment are brand new. They have new heavy tanks and medium tanks, and newly organized Armored Army - There is no No. 4 at all. We greatly underestimated the enemy's strength. The enemy's retreat in the direction of the Caucasus was not repelled by our army at all. It was the Germans who took the initiative to retreat and lured us to the Caucasus plain in an attempt to In addition, the Germans also used our hands to defeat the disobedient Turks."

"Then what should we do now?" Stalin's tone was actually mixed with a trace of panic. After seeing the seven-sided encirclement posture, and then hearing about the powerful Thor's Hammer Army, he also panicked a little.

"Ask the Germans for an armistice." Zhukov stood up and said with red eyes, "If there is no armistice, the Red Army on the southern flank is in danger of total collapse. Even if it retreats or stands firm, it may lose 800,000 to 1 million troops. It is only May. , the south wing can’t survive this winter.”

"Armistice?" Stalin was dumbfounded. He originally thought that Zhukov would propose giving up the Mercury Project and retreating again. He even agreed to abandon the Caucasus again, but he never expected that it would be the word "armistice." Two days ago, he even gave a speech to encourage counterattack. Woolen cloth.

"this……"

"We can no longer hesitate. We originally agreed to cease the war after this battle." Zhukov raised his head, his eyes sparkling, "While the Germans have not yet formed a full encirclement posture, while the main force of our army has not yet formed, We have suffered heavy losses, please agree to a ceasefire immediately.”

"Is there no other way out?" Stalin said unwillingly, "I can ask Comrade Meretskov to dispatch another, no! Two fronts from Moscow to support you!"

Zhukov shook his head: "Moscow will not be able to defend it. If we must protect the southern front, then Moscow, the salient, must be given up. The other option is to give up the line from the Caucasus, Stalingrad to Astrakhan, and concentrate our forces on the Urals." Fight and retreat in the direction of Sk, moving closer to the center, so that both sides of the Ural River can barely be saved.”

The expressions of the two people opposite them suddenly changed.