บท 48: 48
Road to Shava (3)
September 17, 1939
New Fuhrer's Residence in Berlin, Germany
The Battle of Bzura, as in history, ended in victory for the German army.
Of the 225,000 Polish troops mobilized in battle, 30,000 were killed and 180,000 were taken prisoner. The number of people who escaped the siege and joined Warsaw was approximately 10,000.
The casualties suffered by our troops were quite heavy, with 4,000 killed and 6,000 wounded, but Poland, having lost its last remaining elite troops, had no more strength left to attempt a counterattack.
It is safe to say that Poland's fall is certain, as they wasted only their troops and equipment in a hasty counterattack when their defenses were already insufficient.
"The enemies were brave, but they were too reckless. If I were the commander of the Polish army, I would have chosen to preserve the troops intact by retreating to the Romanian bridgehead. But our enemies weren't like that."
I pretended to be a seasoned expert and explained to the generals the information I had picked up on the Internet.
If the Polish army had been a little more strategic, instead of attempting a counterattack, they would have moved their troops across the Weichsel River, called the Wisła River in Polish, to form a defensive line or move them to the Romanian border.
It was inevitable that most of the country would fall to the German army, but if they tried to hold out by taking advantage of the rugged terrain in the southeast, the German army would have had quite a headache.
Well, considering the events that will follow, even this is a meaningless assumption.
From the very beginning, when France canceled its offensive on the German mainland, Poland could not avoid destruction at any cost.
"It is truly fortunate that the enemy does not have the insight of His Excellency the President."
After hearing my explanation, Keitel let out a loud fart and Brauchitch nodded repeatedly.
"Indeed, that's what I heard. "If the Polish army's intelligence had been a little higher, we would have been in trouble."
"You people, flatter too little. "Because I'm embarrassed."
We ended the joke here and went back to the main topic to discuss the strategy for conquering Warsaw.
Warsaw's defense line, which seemed like an impregnable fortress, eventually had holes in it due to the friendly forces' onslaught.
The friendly forces that have entered downtown Warsaw are fighting street battles with the Polish army and are advancing little by little.
Although our forces were doing well, there was no way to avoid causing a lot of damage due to the nature of urban warfare.
An infantry regiment suffered damage in which half of its officers were killed or injured in two days.
After hearing Brauchitsch's report, I frowned.
"What happened to the Brummbär (grizzly bear)? "It's something I made for times like this."
"Anyway, I received a report from Guderian today that Broom Bear was put into action."
The Sturmpanzer IV is better known to the public under the name Brumbear, but this was a name given arbitrarily by Allied intelligence, and the Germans actually called it Stupa, short for Sturmpanzer.
Is this the same way that in the military, stir-fried pork with kimchi is called 'pork kimchi' and braised boneless mackerel is called 'gosunjo'?
However, since I officially named it Broom Bear, it won't be called Stupa (probably).
Like Hummel, the Broombear, which was created by modifying the No. 4 tank, is equipped with a 15cm 12-caliber howitzer and has incredible firepower, and the 100mm sloped armor on the front of the fighting compartment is as good as 130mm vertical armor, providing excellent defense.
In return, the weight increased to 28 tons and reliability was greatly reduced, but considering the performance, I think this price is worth considering.
Since it was only made recently, there were only 6 units, but the impact must have been enormous as the Polish army had a hard time fighting tanks 1 and 2.
As far as I know, there are only a few tanks that can withstand the Broom Bear not only in street battles but also in tank battles.
Even the Soviet Army's strongest tank, the IS-2, which came out late in the war, is guaranteed to be defeated with just one 15 cm shell from the Broom Bear, so what are fans of tanks like tankettes upset about? Guderian wouldn't send Broom Bear into a tank battle just to capture a tank.
"I'm looking forward to the reviews. By the way, isn't today September 17th?"
"yes. "Yes, but what's going on?"
"I was just asking. The time has come for the Soviet Union to enter the war..."
At that moment, someone opened the door and entered the conference room.
It was General Alfred Jodl, Minister of Defense Keitel's trusted subordinate and head of the Ministry of Defense's Operations Department - he was originally a major general, but I promoted him.
"Mr. President, this is an urgent report. "The Soviet Union declared war on Poland."
also.
Enjoying the looks of my subordinates looking at me with surprised eyes, I shrugged my shoulders.
"It looks like our communist friends have finally decided to make a move."
***
Originally, the Soviet Union had agreed to attack eastern Poland immediately after Germany invaded Poland.
But who is Stalin?
If you're second to none when it comes to stabbing others, isn't he a master at stabbing people in the back?
Even though Germany, which had invaded Poland, sent an official letter to the Soviet Union urging it to participate in the war, Stalin used the Battle of Khalkhin Gol as an excuse to postpone the invasion of Poland.
However, the German army's advance was much faster than Stalin expected.
The German army, which reached the capital Warsaw just a week after the invasion, completely defeated the Polish army's counterattack in Bzura and won the war.
Youngf, who had guaranteed Poland's safety, once again turned his back and just watched.
Poland's defeat was confirmed, England was just watching, and even Germany's hard carry destroyed the main force of the Polish army.
Who can tolerate this?
"Comrade Voroshilov, please begin."
"I understand, Comrade Secretary!"
September 17, 1939.
The Red Army crossed the Polish border.
On the day of the invasion, Molotov met with the Polish ambassador to the Soviet Union and said, "The Soviet Union will protect Ukrainians and Belarusians living in eastern Poland on behalf of Poland, which lost the ability to protect its own people due to the German invasion."
"For this purpose, the Soviet Union is inevitably breaking all treaties it has concluded with Poland."
"W-what...!"
As soon as Molotov's declaration of war was delivered to the ambassador, 610,000 Soviet troops poured into eastern Poland.
The number of Polish Border Defense Corps (KOP) fighting against this is around 20,000.
It was a fight I couldn't be an opponent of.
"An enemy tank appears in front! Distance 300, armor-piercing bullet!"
"Loaded!"
Ironically, what blocked the Red Army's T-26 was the British-made Vickers tank, the T-26's ancestor.
However, unlike the 47mm short-barreled tank gun, which had poor armor penetration, the Soviet-made 45mm tank gun was able to penetrate the armor of the Vickers tank even at a distance of 1km.
When the 45mm tank gun burst into flames, a hole opened in the front of the Vickers tank and an explosion occurred.
The Soviet Air Force's I-16 fighters also supported the army's advance. Because the Polish Air Force moved westward in large numbers to block the Germans, the sky was the Soviet Air Force's sole stage.
"This is Wolf 3, we have discovered an enemy convoy. "I will attack."
As the I-16 flew at low altitude and fired strafing guns, the Polish army's transport line consisting of horse-drawn carriages fell into confusion.
Horses and soldiers hit by bullets fell down vomiting blood, and a box full of ammunition on a wagon exploded, engulfing dozens of soldiers in the flames.
They belatedly fired anti-aircraft fire to drive the enemy away, but the transport line was already in disarray.
Even though the luggage on the wagon was intact, it was thrown away because the horse pulling the wagon died.
The soldiers, in a state of panic, threw away all their baggage and weapons and fled.
Ukrainian and Belarusian soldiers deserted and headed to the Soviet army.
For those who had suffered all kinds of discrimination and persecution under Polish rule, dying while fighting for Poland was unthinkable.
"Do not shoot! We are Ukrainians! "Compatriots!"
"Me, I am Belarusian! "Do not shoot, comrades!"
"Long live Stalin! Long live the Soviet Union!"
The Soviet soldiers, who spotted soldiers wearing Polish military uniforms and aimed their guns, lowered their guns when they saw the flags the opponents were waving.
It was a red flag made by tearing the Polish flag in half.
"Oh my. They were our compatriots. "It almost caused something big."
"Welcome, comrades. Welcome to the Red Army."
By order of Stalin, among the Polish soldiers captured, those from Ukraine and Belarus were immediately released.
The released soldiers wore Red Army uniforms and pointed guns at their former comrades.
When the Soviet Union entered the war, Poland's destruction was confirmed.
Only 21 years after achieving independence, the country was destined to disappear again.
***
September 19, 1939
Warsaw, Poland
Two days have passed since news of the Soviet Union's participation in the war was heard.
Nevertheless, the despairing atmosphere in Warsaw became even heavier.
Even the officers who argued that one day the British and French troops would come to Poland through Romania and that they could hold out until then fell silent when they heard the news of the Soviet Union participating in the war.
The unknown pianist who played Saupin's music to cheer up wounded soldiers and citizens jumped from the roof of a building that had collapsed in an air raid on the evening the Soviet Union entered the war.
The mangled bodies were mixed with the bodies of citizens who died in the air raid and cremated.
"Stukada!"
Every time the Stuka appeared, the citizens of Warsaw trembled in fear.
The Stuka's wind pressure siren, called 'Jericho's Trumpet', made a high-pitched roar when the Stuka entered a dive, causing shock and fear in those who heard it.
Wherever the Stuka appeared, the sound of a siren was heard, and each time the sound of a siren was heard, an explosion of drinking followed.
The few remaining anti-aircraft guns in the city spewed fire targeting the Stuka, but the Stuka paid no heed and dropped the bombs.
The veteran pilot, who had participated in the Spanish Civil War as part of the Condor Legion, skillfully dropped bombs on the target.
When the building he was targeting collapsed, he turned around and returned to base.
Yan silently pushed the piece of bread and water he had been given down the back of his throat.
Fortunately, because he was a soldier, he was able to receive bread and water twice a day, but ordinary citizens only received bread once a day.
Because the food warehouse was destroyed by a German air raid, the already insufficient rations were cut in half.
People who could not overcome hunger committed theft or took things from others by force.
Despite the proclamation that looting would be severely punished, theft and robbery showed no signs of abating.
Several people were publicly executed to set an example, but the effect was minimal.
Some soldiers and citizens crossed into the German camp under cover of night. He reasoned that even if he would become a prisoner, he would at least avoid starvation.
-Citizens of Warsaw! Poland has already done its bidding! Stop your pointless resistance and surrender. The Germans will never harm you.
The German army promised fair treatment in accordance with the Geneva Convention and advertised that those who surrendered would be provided with warm food and a comfortable bed.
"Is what they say true?"
A soldier with a young face asked Yan, who was quietly chewing bread in a corner.
He was a child soldier without a uniform and wearing only a helmet on his head.
"Those who surrendered will know. "Is that true or false?"
"Dad says Germans are pure liars."
The boy soldier muttered.
"Originally all people are liars."
Jan still couldn't forget what the company commander said before the war broke out.
The German army is a flashy, 'parade-only army' and is no match for us.
And since we have England and France, there is no need to worry even if war breaks out...
Jan let out a laugh.
A parade army? So we were pushed all the way to the capital by that parade army?
What are Britain and France, who promised to help Poland no matter what, doing now? Where are the world's strongest British Navy and French Army?
He's probably cutting steak in Paris. With a prostitute at his side.
As I listened to the news about Poland, my stomach twisted as I thought about the British and French people cutting gracefully.
Jan could not understand why the British politicians said they would help Poland when they would not help him.
If they had answered honestly, wouldn't Poland today have been different?
If the government had known that England would just sit by and watch even if war broke out, would it have rejected Germany's request? Jan was curious about that.
"It's the Germans! Everyone to location!"
It was the German soldier who brought Jan out of her thoughts to reality. Upon hearing that the enemy had appeared, the Polish soldiers rushed to their respective positions.
Jan, who occupied the gunwale, witnessed a strange sight. Something that looks like a huge box with chariot wheels is approaching.
"What is that?"
In response to the child soldier's question, Yan shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know. "I'm seeing this for the first time today too."
"Can I call you a tank?"
"maybe?"
It doesn't have a turret, but it has crawler tracks, so it wouldn't be strange to call it a tank.
Wait, I think I heard before that an armored vehicle without a turret should be called an assault gun, is that correct? I'm not sure.
The Polish army watched in fascination at the appearance of a strange tank they had never seen before. When the young captain gave the order to fire, the shooting began belatedly.
The strange tank, resembling a box, advanced regardless of the countless bullets that rained down on it.
The Bofors anti-tank gun in front spewed fire at the German army's new tank, but the shell ricocheted and exploded the friendly forces in the building next to it.
Eventually, the tank stopped moving and raised its huge main gun at the front.
As the massive 15cm main gun spewed fire, the soldiers covered their ears. It was a loud noise that felt like my eardrums were being torn apart.
The roar was a roar, but the power of the cannonball was truly shocking. When the 15cm grenade hit, the six-story building collapsed like a sandcastle kicked by a foot.
The soldiers who had been locked inside the building firing rifles and machine guns were crushed when the building collapsed. I couldn't even breathe because of the thick cloud of dust created when the building collapsed.
"Oh my god, what a monster...!"
The power of the German army's new weapon, the Broom Bear, was at a formidable level. Every time Brumbear's 15cm gun fired, the building collapsed, and the Germans continued to advance.
Even though I fired anti-tank rifles and anti-tank guns at it, the monster did not move.
The soldiers who were trying hard to defeat the monster lost their will to fight and ran away when they realized that their weapons had no effect.
Before I knew it, the German army had arrived right in front of the building where Jan was located. Although there was no order to retreat, Jan gathered his rifle and what little ammunition he had left and headed for the stairs.
"Uh, where are you going?"
The child soldier refused to move because no orders were given. Jan said, clicking his tongue.
"If you want to die, stay right there!"
As Jan went down the stairs without looking back, the child soldier eventually grabbed his weapon and followed him.
When I was halfway down the stairs, I ran into a friend who was going up from the downstairs. As it happened, there were also officers in the mix.
"Where are you going now? "I didn't hear any orders to leave the location?"
A second lieutenant who appeared to be the same age as Yan blocked his path. He gave Jan a harsh look, as if he had been caught deserting.
"This place will be breached soon! "If you don't want to get killed, you should run somewhere else!"
"Shut up! Get back to your place quickly! Otherwise, it will be considered desertion and you will be shot!"
As if to prove that his words were not mere threats, the ensign took out a pistol and aimed it at Yan.
The child soldier who was following Yan down the stairs also stopped when he saw the gun pointed at Yan.
Damn it.
Because of the mandarin fish that lost its head, it looks like it will die without movement. As Yan hesitated, the ensign's eyes changed.
At that time, the building shook and gray dust fell from the ceiling. Broom Bear fired at another building.
Due to the impact, the second lieutenant lost his balance and fell, hitting his butt. Without missing that moment, Yan quickly launched himself.
"what!?"
Before the other soldiers had time to stop him, Yan struck the second lieutenant in the face with the butt of his gun.
The lieutenant's nose was broken by the butt and his brain was hit, causing him to faint.
"hey! "What are you doing?"
"shut up! If you're going to entrust your life to that mandarin fish, leave it to yourselves! "Because I want to live!"
While the soldiers were struggling, Jan came down to the first floor. There was a broom bear just 60 meters away.
"What should I do now...?"
The boy soldier who had already followed Yan asked. To get to the other side, you had to pass in front of that monster.
"Lower your posture as much as possible. And run at full speed. got it?"
Yan lowered his posture and ran toward the vacant lot on the other side.
Broom Bear's MG34 fired bullets at Yan. Every time the sound of a bullet cutting through the wind reached my ears, my heart pounded like crazy.
"Aaaah!!!"
A child soldier who was hit in the thigh collapsed and screamed.
Jan reflexively stopped and looked at the child soldier.
"Damn you, you idiot!"
Although the destination was just around the corner, Yan turned and ran again to save the child soldier.
Although his desire to live was like a chimney, he did not have the confidence to ignore someone's desperate cry for help.
The boy smiled despite the pain as Jan came to save him.
The moment Jan grabbed the boy's hand and helped him up, a bullet flew.
There were countless bullets.
The two soldiers, with holes all over their bodies, collapsed on the hot sun-drenched streets of Warsaw.
A moment later, the Broom Bear's crawler track passed over their bodies, making a rattling sound.
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