Chapter 849: At All Costs

These transportation lines, stretching from Kiev all the way to Stalingrad, along with the various factories and infrastructure along the way, were now mostly in German hands. To protect this equipment, the Germans had even committed special forces and paratroopers, fighting a joint operation of unprecedented scale at any cost.

And only after these facilities had fallen into German hands did the Soviet intelligence department realize the seriousness of the problem. In Ukraine, the German army had relied on the roads and railways to complete a rapid penetration. Now, having fought their way out of Ukraine, they were again relying on these roads to complete their assault on Stalingrad.

By the time they had delivered this report to Zhukov, everything had become crystal clear. The German army, relying on its early, fee-based investments, had completed its infiltration and attack on the Soviet oil-producing regions. Those roads and railways had, in fact, been exchanged by the Soviet Union for a great deal of grain, and at the time of the exchange, had even become a model project for the entire country, praised everywhere.

Zhukov tapped the map with his pointer on several important strongpoints in the southern region and explained to Stalin, “After capturing Rostov, the German army has divided its offensive spearhead into two directions. One is Germany’s Army Group G, that is, Guderian’s unit, which is slowly advancing towards Stalingrad. The other direction is to cut south into the northern Caucasus region, in an attempt to capture the oil field facilities there.”

As he spoke, he gestured with his pointer along the German army’s line of attack, then pointed in the direction of Stalingrad and said, “Guderian’s unit, which is attacking Stalingrad, I believe everyone is relatively familiar with. This Army Group G is a famous armored force of the German army, but now it is being used to attack Stalingrad. This is absolutely not in line with common sense.”

He then moved down and drew a line near Rostov. “But this Army Group M, which has just occupied the Crimean Peninsula, is worthy of our careful study. For Manstein, this general, to be sent to the Caucasus is definitely not a coincidence. This man is probably a tough character, just like Guderian.”

“The Germans are still increasing their forces in the direction of the Caucasus. Some of the armies of the vassal states and some German units are all moving in this direction. The news sent back by our intelligence personnel on the ground says that some German units with designations we have never seen before have also appeared one after another in the southern theater. This shows that the German army is increasing its forces there,” Zhukov said, pointing at the map and giving Stalin a detailed report of the news he knew. He then looked at Stalin and said no more.

Stalin was silent. He did not speak immediately. He just studied the map, his thoughts unknown. An air force general made a sign to an army general opposite him, but this army general just shook his head slightly. The two of them had privately worried before the meeting that Stalin would focus the defense on Stalingrad, so they had agreed to persuade Stalin together to focus the defense on the Moscow line. But from the looks of it, neither of them wanted to speak first, so they could only exchange glances.

Clearly, the two of them had wasted their efforts, because Stalin finally spoke, and as soon as he did, he set the main content of this meeting. “The main direction of the defense is still to be in the south. This is the established policy and cannot be changed.”

It was not that Stalin was willing to give up Moscow, but because the Caucasus region was simply too important. So he had to consider the possibility of the entire Caucasus region being lost, and he also had to consider the question of how long the Soviet Union could hold out if the Caucasus were lost.

The result was that many of Stalin’s economic advisors and industrial experts had told him that if the Caucasus were lost, the Soviet Union’s oil reserves would be depleted. Transporting oil from the United States seemed to be a distant water that could not quench a near thirst. At that time, even if the war did not end immediately, it would fall into a very pessimistic situation after Germany had restored the production capacity of the Baku oil fields.

Moreover, once the Baku oil fields were lost, the Soviet armored forces would no longer be able to use their numbers to make up for their qualitative disadvantage. At that time, it would become extremely difficult to launch a large-scale armored battle, and to retake the lost territory of the Soviet Union would also become an impossible dream.

This was something Stalin could not tolerate. He was still counting on retaking the lost territory in the future so that he, the tottering great leader of the Soviet Union, could continue to exist. Once the war was lost and the country was in ruins, then the foundation of his rule would also collapse. This was not good news for him.

If he were to step down from the pinnacle of power, with his habit of sending people to Siberia at the drop of a hat, there would surely be countless people waiting to seek justice from him. Just thinking about this made Stalin’s hair stand on end. So he had accepted Zhukov’s suggestion and had set the focus of the defense on the Caucasus line in the southern theater.

“The 30 divisions of troops transported from the Far East will also be deployed in the Caucasus, distributed according to proportion. Seven divisions will enter the Stalingrad defensive positions, and the remaining 23 divisions will all go south to defend the Baku oil fields,” Stalin said, walking to the position of the Caucasus on the map. He extended his hand and tapped near Baku. “At all costs, protect the Baku oil fields!”

In the German forward command post, the Wolf’s Lair, at a strategic decision-making meeting of the High Command, the generals present were much more famous than those at the highest meeting in the Soviet Union. Apart from Field Marshal von Rundstedt of the Central Group, who remained at the front to preside over the operations, all the generals on the entire Eastern Front whose names could be called had already sat down before the Führer, Akado.

Model of Army Group D, List of Army Group E, Kluge of Army Group F, Guderian of Army Group G, Manstein of Army Group M, and Küchler, the commander of the new N Army Group, who had just been transferred to the Southern Group. This could truly be called a gathering of stars.

“The campaign plan has not changed. Everything is still according to the original plan. After strengthening the supply of ammunition and fuel, we will carry out a large-scale annihilation operation against the Soviet forces in the Caucasus region,” Field Marshal von Brauchitsch, as the supreme commander of the German army, was standing in front of the map, assigning their respective tasks to all the German generals attending the meeting.

“Army Group G, under the command of General Guderian, will continue to advance eastward, to seize the Soviet positions along the Don River and to open a breach for the attack on Stalingrad,” he said, pointing at the map with his pointer, stating the first operational task.

Guderian immediately stood up and answered loudly, “Yes, sir!”

He then motioned for Guderian to sit down and continued to point at Stalingrad. “Army Group N, commanded by General von Küchler, will be responsible for the frontal attack on Stalingrad. After capturing this city, they will cross the Volga River and attack Leninsk.”

“Yes, sir!” Küchler’s troops were mostly composed of infantry, so when moving by rail, their speed was very fast. A portion of his main force had now already taken over from Manstein’s troops and was positioned behind Guderian’s armored forces, providing support for their continued advance.

For his troops to attack Stalingrad was also an established policy of the High Command. Akado did not want the German army to be excessively worn down at Stalingrad, so he was using a new army group to attack, with the intention of capturing that place at all costs, in order to save the German forces on the main defensive line.

In fact, the German army’s strategy for Stalingrad, to put it bluntly, was to crash into it with force. They were willing to wear down N Army Group to capture Stalingrad as soon as possible, because the German army had no time to be bogged down there with the Soviet Union. The southward-advancing Manstein needed a stable rear to ensure the victory in the battle for the Baku oil fields in the Caucasus as much as possible.

Stalingrad was not like other cities. Apart from being a huge industrial city in the southern Soviet Union, it was also a transportation hub here. Its waterways connected the Don and Volga rivers and even affected the transport to Moscow and other areas to the north. By occupying this place, the German army could establish a stable defensive circle in the vicinity, radiating throughout the entire Caucasus region and laying the foundation for victory in the Battle of Kursk.

So, unlike Hitler, the German army’s goal this time was not to raze Stalingrad to the ground, but to occupy it as quickly as possible. The attacking force was no longer the elite 6th Army, but a newly formed N Army Group.

“The southward mission is handed over to General Manstein of M Army Group, to capture the most important Baku oil fields and to ensure the security of the Caucasus,” Brauchitsch continued to point at the very bottom of the map, circling the key part of this campaign and looking at Manstein. “The fate of the Empire will depend on your combat performance near the Caucasus.”

“Yes, sir! I hereby assure the Führer that I, Manstein, will definitely capture the Caucasus and occupy the Baku oil fields!” Manstein, having been replenished with a large number of troops, his unit’s combat capability having been tempered by the Battle of the Crimean Peninsula and having improved considerably, was now determined to win this battle for Baku. After such a long period of rest and refit, M Army Group was also full of fighting spirit. Everything could be said to be in his grasp.

“General Model’s D Army Group will be responsible, along with other friendly forces, for ensuring the security of the flanks of the entire southern theater. After General Guderian’s forces have completed their surprise attack and encirclement of Stalingrad, his forces will head north to attack Kursk, and the security of your defense line, General Model, will also be completely guaranteed.”

“Yes, sir! I, Model, also hereby assure the Führer that the flanks of the southern theater will be absolutely secure. With D Army Group there, the Soviets will not be able to advance a single step south!” Model also stood up and replied.

“Then! In that case!” Akado sat at the head of the conference table and said slowly and firmly, “Gentlemen, let us, at all costs! Capture the Baku oil fields!”

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