Chapter 1,650 Midgame 2
Chapter 1650 Mid Game 2
Another type of artillery that appeared in history, for example, the M1906 65MM artillery, was also eliminated by history for this reason. On the Western Front, both sides had enough rapid-fire artillery, so they did not worry about the rapid penetration of armored vehicles. However, on the Western Front, Asia Minor, especially when the enemy it faces is a French army that has been defeated and has lost a large number of heavy weapons. At this time, if the armored vehicles launch an attack on the French army's logistics units and transportation lines, Then the French can't catch up if they can beat them, and they can't beat them if they can catch up!
"I can personally lead this force." Major General Mike said. "My requirements are not high. Give me 30 self-propelled artillery on a half-track chassis and 50 tanks equipped with 2-pounder or 50MM artillery, plus 2,000 well-trained infantry and enough troops for 7 days. Supplies. I can turn the French rear upside down!"
"Okay, the logistics department will prepare the equipment and supplies you need. I can even give you more support. Now let's figure out how the next battle will unfold." Count Schmidt agreed with Major General Mike. Opinion. Although letting an armored division commander command such a large battle group is overqualified, there is no way. At this critical moment, someone has to take on this responsibility. If it were someone else, he might not be relieved.
It has to be said that the Bavarian Legion's financial resources are still very good. Even after a brutal battle, it is still no problem to accumulate hundreds of vehicles of various types and an elite infantry unit. It took Count Schmidt a day to gather the equipment and supplies. Everything was ready and all he needed was the east wind!
However, at the same time, Joffre, who was temporarily freed from the Bavarian Army's attack, also led the French army to rest and recuperate. When his subordinates sent the list of withdrawn troops to Xiafei, the French commander-in-chief felt his scalp numb when he looked at the dense list of losses. He found that his plan might have to change again. The reason is simple. In his opinion, even after the withdrawn troops merged with the reinforcements, they were still not enough to repel the Bavarian Army on the front.
The French regiment that successfully escaped the pursuit is not in very good shape. It is estimated that no more than 50 of the current 200 or so tanks can continue to be used. A large number of artillery that had been withdrawn also lacked shells, and at the same time a large number of technical personnel were lost, and the remaining officers and soldiers were panicked. Not to mention those officers and soldiers who had personally experienced the front line, even the logistics personnel were still facing the torrent of steel from the Bavarian Army. It's frightening.
So, after thinking again and again, Joffre sent a telegram to General Pétain, the commander-in-chief of the French Mediterranean Theater in Greece. I want to discuss with the latter the possibility of the French regiment withdrawing to the landing point. After all, they can get more air support and naval gun cover in the coastal area.
“After this battle, although we withdrew some of our troops, we were in very poor condition, and it might take another week for reinforcements to arrive. If the Germans regained their combat effectiveness within a week, our situation would be very bad.
If possible, I hope, we can push the defense line back a little further. Anyway, now we are just containing the Germans. "Xia Fei wrote in the telegram.
However, Pétain's reply was extremely simple: "The French Republic can tolerate the loss of 100,000 troops in a battle, but it will never allow 100,000 prisoners! What will they do if you leave?" The fundamental reason for continuing to resist is that they still have illusions about Xiafei and the reinforcements. If it is determined that there will be no more reinforcements, then surrender will be the only way out. Few people will fight to the end when they are in a desperate situation! And if the other side captures 100,000 people in a battle, the French will be really humiliated, and it will also be a heavy blow to the domestic will to resist.
"Assholes! They have no idea what they are facing! The Bavarians are countless times more vicious than their German colleagues!" Joffre threw away the telegram in his hand and cursed in a low voice. He feels a little trapped in a cocoon now. If he had known this, maybe fighting to the death would be a better choice? ! As a result, a telegram from Pétain cost the French army its last chance to stop its losses. If Pétain agrees, then Joffre can withdraw at least 60,000 troops and a large amount of equipment to the landing site along the railway. Even if there is no domestic support, relying on the support of the Allied troops, navy and air force at the landing site can at least ensure the stability of the front.
If luck is better and the British start to retreat at this time, then it will be possible to maintain a relatively forward front. But unfortunately, there are no ifs in war!
As a result, everything unfolded according to the original plan. At least three divisions of French troops began to move toward the front line along roads and railways. The failure of a battle could not make the French give up their determination to win. However, it was a pity that the battle ended At this point, the number of troops that the French can use to support the Asia Minor exhibition area has also begun to shrink significantly. If the first two batches of the French army were considered to be the elite of the elite, with a large number of tanks and transport vehicles, then this time Although the troops transferred from the mainland are also front-line troops, their equipment level has been severely reduced. They only added a battalion-level tank configuration based on the normal infantry division. This is one of the important reasons why Xiafei is not optimistic about this counterattack.
"Perhaps, after this war is over, the Allied Powers will abandon their fronts in Western Xia and Africa, and then concentrate their forces on the mainland to resist the fatal blow of the Germans." Xiafei wrote in his diary. He was already aware of the depletion of the Allied fighting power. My previous idea of containing the Bavarian Army in Asia Minor and reducing pressure on the Western Front was completely ruined. The follow-up troops were not strong enough and naturally could not attract the main force of the Bavarian Army. He even believed that if the Bavarian Army was willing, they could even take care of Greece!
However, what almost all the French army officers and soldiers did not expect was that just after the Germans broke through their carefully laid out positions, a high-speed and powerful assault force launched another attack without stopping. Under the command of Major General Mike Next, a force composed entirely of wheeled armored vehicles and half-track vehicles rushed towards the rear of the French army under the cover of darkness two nights later!
The impact of this assault, codenamed "Hurricane", was not only to severely damage the French and cut off the French army's retreat, but also had a profound impact on future armored tactical assaults. Of course, this influence has both good and bad aspects!
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