Survive as a World War II Soldier - Chapter 156



Only Krnovel

#156

“It’s an emergency. There may be a surprise attack by the German army at the headquarters…”

While everyone else was moving busily, hurriedly checking defensive postures in response to warnings from headquarters and setting up checkpoints to catch German spies, there was one group that moved differently, and that was none other than the 7th Army.

This was thanks to the exceptional judgment of General George S. Patton, commander of the 7th Army.

“surprise attack?”

“Yes. The aerial reconnaissance results are also like that···.”

“Commander, they say the airborne troops have landed.”

“Where are you going?”

Patton, who had been lost in thought for a moment at the news that he had landed not in the 7th Army but in the nearby 8th Army observation post, suddenly jumped to his feet and shouted.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“yes?”

“A surprise attack is a surprise attack.”

“But the Commander-in-Chief’s order is to defend···.”

Patton clicked his tongue at the word defense.

“Tsk, you guys, do you know what the best defense is?”

Patton raised his voice in a strong tone as he looked at his staff members who were looking at him with eyes that seemed to be wondering if it was true.

“Attack is the best defense, that’s what they say. If you send airborne troops when you don’t even have air superiority, that means the entire Luftwaffe is on your side.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Originally, it wasn’t possible to conduct an airborne operation by just launching a transport plane.

Escort aircraft for reconnaissance aircraft… In particular, there was a significant demand for escort aircraft to protect transport aircraft and lure enemy aircraft.

But even without that, the Luftwaffe, which was barely holding on after being hit by our Army Air Force, was conducting an airborne operation?

Patton’s argument that they would have used whatever aircraft and pilots they had was plausible.

“Then you’re saying that even if we advance, they won’t know about it?”

As with all operations, the route of advance of follow-up units will be determined according to the schedule.

“Everyone is so focused on attacking that they won’t even think about defense. Even if there are defense units left, are they really elite?”

“No, of course not.”

“So isn’t now the perfect opportunity for us to hit them in the back of the head?”

The more they listened to Patton’s strangely logical words, the more the 7th Army staff began to be convinced.

So, while everyone was preparing for defense, the 7th Army alone began preparing to advance.

But there was a comrade even Patton did not know: his soulmate, de Gaulle.

##

“They say the German army is launching a surprise attack through the Ardennes Forest.”

“what?”

De Gaulle was shocked by the news that came as he was preparing to advance on Germany following his meeting with MacArthur at the Cairo Conference.

“Fortunately, the US military noticed this in advance and prepared for it, so they are successfully defending themselves without much damage. We have also received word that we should prepare just in case.”

“Then, quickly prepare the troops at the border for defense···.”

“There may be spies behind us, so be prepared…”

Just as those who heard the news together were about to move busily, de Gaulle raised his hand.

“How many troops can move now?”

“yes?”

“How many units are there that can advance into Germany right away?”

I was momentarily surprised by de Gaulle’s words, which suddenly brought up the topic of attack while talking about defensive tactics.

“Are you saying we should throw out the US military as bait?”

“Yes. That’s true. We have to go a long way to get to Berlin. So, wouldn’t it be better to leave a little earlier?”

“Oh. That’s true too.”

The French still remembered the cry that Patton had shouted at the triumphal ceremony held immediately after the liberation of Paris.

Patton’s cry to go to Berlin was a cry, but the French people never forgot the humiliation of having to surrender Paris after only six weeks without even having a proper fight, and the resentment they suffered under the tyranny of the Germans thereafter.

“And above all, the war will end soon. If I don’t make any real achievements by then….”

It was only natural that the plan to step on the British and become second only to the United States, while giving up even the bloody Algeria, would be disrupted.

“I will check it right away.”

“Yes. The best defense is a good offense!”

“Let’s go to Berlin!”

“let’s go!!!”

Thus, the prelude to the Berlin Race, later known in Hollywood as the second great race on the Western Front along with the Paris Race, was opened.

In the prequel, Paris Race, it was an adventure action movie about two people who were colleagues who trusted and relied on each other but ended up competing for Berlin.

##

“You can’t contact the airborne troops?”

After hearing the report, Western Front Commander-in-Chief Gerd von Rundstedt sighed with a look of displeasure on his face.

“The surprise attack went down the drain.”

“What should I do?”

“Isn’t this an operation that has already begun?”

“but···.”

It was a plan that was thought to be hopeless from the start. Nevertheless, it was put into action because of the President’s strong insistence.

Who would dare to defy the President’s words?

The atmosphere was tense after the assassination attempt, but Rundstedt also wanted to trust the Führer.

When the war first started, everyone opposed it as absurd, but the Führer pushed ahead with the sickle cutting operation due to his stubbornness.

Wasn’t it a huge success?

It was the same even in the early days of the German-Soviet War.

“I was hoping that this time, the President’s brilliant vision would really come true like that time…”

At Rundstedt’s muttering, his staff nodded with similar expressions.

Rundstedt took a cigarette out of his pocket, took a long drag, exhaled the smoke and asked.

“In other units?”

The success rate of airborne operations was not high. What was more important was the 5th Panzer Army led by Manteuffel.

“That, that···.”

Seeing the way he opened his mouth with a gloomy expression, I felt like I knew what happened even without listening to the end.

Rundstedt sighed, squeezing his eyes shut, and asked the other question.

“What about the Skorzeny special forces? How is the rear-end disruption going?”

The news that the size of the American military was growing exponentially was well known to the German military, including Rundstedt.

But is an army something that grows simply by increasing its numbers? New soldiers who do not know how to fight properly can sometimes be a serious threat to friendly forces.

The deployment of Skorzeny’s commandos to disrupt the rear was a tailor-made strategy for the Germans to snipe the American troops, who were full of new recruits.

But they didn’t know.

The fact that the opposing team has a sniper that pinpoints the customized strategies they put out.

And the fact that there is a being who runs to strike the German rear with only faith in himself even in the first round of life.

##

Essen, a key city in the Ruhr industrial area, has been going through difficult times in recent years.

Essen, a city full of coal mines and steel mills, was a city where Allied aircraft would occasionally fly in and drop bombs.

That is understandable, as Essen was and still is a production base for German war supplies during World War I.

The sound of sirens blaring out of the blue and bombs falling from the sky.

Nevertheless, the citizens of Essen did not give up and did their best.

However, such efforts soon reached their limits. Factories could be rebuilt and iron ore could be mined, but electricity could not be generated by human power alone.

This was because all the dams that supplied electricity and water to the Ruhr region, including Essen, burst.

All the dams in the Ruhr area, from the Möhne to the Edersee and the Sorpe, were destroyed by Allied bombing.

“You said you were using a bomb to make water pipes?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“No, it’s real. It flew in at a low altitude and dropped a bomb, and that was…”

It bounced around and then went straight to the dam and burst with a bang.

They tried their best to gather together the engineers who had been working on the construction of the Atlantic Wall to repair the dam as quickly as possible, but it was no use.

Most of the dams were so badly damaged that they could not be repaired from the start. Even the dams that seemed like they could be repaired,

“There was another bombing?”

“Yes, it seems like they are trying to prevent the dam from being repaired.”

The Allied bombing did not end with just one strike, and eventually the dam repairs had to be abandoned.

“We have to start from scratch···.”

“Is that possible now?”

As a result, cities in the Ruhr industrial region, including Essen, gradually lost their vitality.

And the newspapers and books dropped by the Allies at that moment made people even more uneasy.

‘Rommel is alive?’

‘We’re being fooled by the Nazis?’

The papers that fell on the citizens of Essen, who were already struggling with an increasingly difficult life, were enough to leave a greater impact than a bomb.

The military units defending the industrial area were also listless.

Looking at the empty warehouses, Essen Governor Fritz Schlessmann burst into tears.

“What is this? They took everything. They just swept it all away.”

“Then what should I do?”

Schlesmann sighed when his subordinate asked him what to do when he was told to bring the order from the Führer.

“Ha, if the Allied Forces come this way, how are we supposed to fight?”

This was because all weapons, such as tanks and anti-tank guns, as well as supplies, such as oil and bullets, were taken away under the pretext of a special operation or something ordered by the President.

But that wasn’t all that was taken away.

“Why are the kids like this?”

“To the newly appointed unit···.”

“Ha. Damn it. If you take the soldiers, you should fill them with new recruits. If you send those old people… Is this some kind of senior center?”

The authors who took everything of use, including useful equipment, supplies, and even soldiers, left behind a militia called the National Shock Brigade, a bunch of idiots, as if they were doing a favor to the people.

“But the weapons those guys are holding, could it be···”

As I looked at the M1 Garand in the hands of a middle-aged man who was a member of the assault team, I couldn’t help but groan.

The only silver lining was that the Allied forces had not yet moved.

“Yeah, let’s think positively. If that special operation or whatever really works···.”

Then, I hoped that the Allied forces, who were dropping bombs every other day, would calm down a bit.

Moreover, since Essen, where they are, is a bit far from the border, they will still be safe.

“So, isn’t that why you gave those guys away?”

“Yes, that’s right. His Excellency the President will surely bring us victory.”

But his wish was not granted.

It was the galloping horse from across the Atlantic that arrived in Essen before the victory that the Führer had hoped to bring.

##

“Commander, just a little further on we will reach Essen.”

“okay?”

Patton’s 7th Army advanced eastward without stopping, and there was no one to stop them.

German units in their path were often frightened by the endless march of Pershings and surrendered.

Although there were those who resisted bravely, often firing anti-tank guns, that was not enough to stop Patton’s armored forces.

The 7th Army, which had been advancing like that, was able to capture Essen, the key city in the Ruhr industrial area, within a day.

“At this point, shouldn’t we be bringing out some defensive forces?”

“Could this be a trap?”

“No matter what, this is a bit suspicious.”

“Yes, but isn’t it Essen?”

The staff of the 7th Army began to feel anxious about the advance being so smooth.

Even though it was an advance close to a surprise attack, the German army showed no response.

There was even talk that it would have been less unsettling if they had advanced through fierce resistance.

But Patton, the commander of the 7th Army, was not at all swayed by such sentiments.

“They’re all scared of us. Don’t worry about anything. By the way, have you heard from the Air Force?”

“Oh, yes. But the message is that there is a strong wind blowing in that direction right now, making it difficult to set the time.”

“what?”

We requested an air strike ahead of the 7th Army’s advance, but we received word that it would be delayed.

Patton’s brow furrowed at that.

“Instead, the reconnaissance information was sent right away.”

Patton muttered after seeing the photo sent by the Air Corps.

“What is it? Why is it so empty?”

“There was a bombing not long ago. And recently, they blew up all the dams.”

“That’s right.”

“There is also talk that there was some damage from the flood at that time.”

“Is that so? But the defense line is too weak… and there are too few tanks.”

At this point, Patton couldn’t help but think similarly to his staff members.

Even if we seized the right to air supremacy and mobilized the air force to conduct precise reconnaissance, there was no way to do it at night.

Isn’t this place a small place?

“If they move at night and lie in ambush···.”

“If so, wouldn’t this point or this point be more likely?”

“Should we send a search party first to check?”

“Yeah. We have to wait until the air force arrives.”

It was not long before Patton and the Seventh Army headquarters found that their fears were unfounded.

“There is no ambush.”

“Then where did all the tanks that were here go?”

“Why should I worry about that? If it’s difficult, report it to the command center. Then the Marshal will take care of it. Let’s go for now!”

Thus, Essen fell into the hands of the 7th Army in one day.

And the next day.

“let’s go.”

“yes?”

The staff members who saw the direction Patton was pointing were startled and asked.

“Isn’t that the east?”

“I have to go to Berlin.”

“Didn’t you say you were going to hit the back of the head of those who surprised the 8th Army?”

“I?”

“Yes. The 8th Army is currently reporting that General Bradley is missing…”

“Oh, oh. I know, I know. But the Marshal will take care of it. You all saw it. The Germans didn’t come to their senses because they were moving so fast.”

Unfortunately for the 7th Army staff, there was no one in Essen who could stop Patton from running wild, saying that we had to move faster than they thought to get Hitler’s balls off.

Patton had Abrams.