USSR 1941

  Chapter 74 Space for Time

  Kilponos had been standing outside the door for some time now, wanting to see how the legendary private who had brought the 333rd out of the enemy's encirclement time and time again would behave in front of a group of senior officers.

  The result did not disappoint him, this private... It should be said that he is now a sergeant, and he severely taught these high-ranking senior officers a lesson.

   This is very relieved, although it is only a verbal confrontation.

Kirponos nodded appreciatively to Shulka, then turned to a group of officers and said: "When you asked questions just now, I couldn't believe that you were showing off your military school education, military rank or other things! If these are of any use... Comrades, we have enough medals to bury the Germans!"

  The officers were embarrassed for a while. They didn’t think so in their hearts. They were just trying to put on airs in front of the sergeant Shulka, but they didn’t expect to be ridiculed by Shulka for a while and were also seen by the commander of the front army.

"Is this the truth? Have our medals and academic qualifications repelled the enemy?" Admiral Kirponos continued: "No, no! Of course not! Not only did you not, you were also defeated by the enemy's attack. You did not No one can stop the enemy's attack!"

Admiral Kirponos became more and more excited as he spoke. He tapped his fingers a few times in the air, walked back and forth in front of the officers as if he was going to hit someone, and suddenly turned to face the officers again. Continued: "But there is one person who blocked the German attack, Major Gavrilov, and this sergeant standing in front of you... They led the 333rd regiment to kill out of the enemy's encirclement time and time again. , The enemy suffered heavy losses time and time again, with only a few hundred people! Do you know? They also captured two tanks from the Germans! Does anyone have such a record? Does anyone have such an experience? Does anyone have such an honor ?”

"But you... actually asked these victors 'why'?" Admiral Kilponos angrily walked up to the major general and grabbed his collar, almost gritted his teeth and said, "I want to ask you , Comrade Modestovich, why are you losers laughing at the winners? Just because you have two stars on your collar?"

   "No, Comrade Kilponos!" The major general replied hastily.

   "Is it because of education?"

"of course not!"

   "Is it a medal?"

"No…"

"Tell me why?" Admiral Kirponos pushed the major general away: "It is true that you have all studied in the military academy, but you don't understand a simple truth. What you learned, your military rank , and your honor, everything is for defeating the enemy! Otherwise, these things are all **** rubbish, including you, a bunch of trash!"

  The officers were so scolded by Admiral Kirponos that they stood up straight and did not move. Although the summer in Kyiv is not too hot, beads of sweat roll down their faces.

   After cursing for a while, Admiral Kirponos lost his temper, and then shouted the password loudly.

  The officers sat down in unison, opened their notebooks neatly, picked up their pens, and stared at the screen in front of them.

  Admiral Kirponos also took the paper and pen from the guard, took a seat next to the officer, and said: "You can start, Comrade Shulka!"

"Yes, General!" Shulka was not polite, and pointed to the map on the screen with his baton and began to explain: "'camouflage' is not just a camouflage, the focus is on the cooperation of underground fortifications and ground fortifications, especially for the cellar. use of..."

   With Admiral Kirponos around, the next study will be much easier.

   Shulka even discussed the defense plan with Admiral Kirponos:

"I think we should abandon the plan to stop the enemy on the old border (Stalin's line of defense)!" Shulka said: "Because it is impossible to use new tactics on this line to stop the German attack, we can only send Hope on the Kyiv defense line!"

  Admiral Kirponos nodded in agreement, but asked again: "But we need time to consolidate the Kyiv defense line, so we can't give up just yet!"

   "Layers of defense, General!" Shulka said: "Take space for time!"

   "What do you mean?" Admiral Kirponos looked at Shulka suspiciously.

"Withdraw the troops from the old border!" Shulka said, pointing to the map: "Otherwise, the enemy's armored forces will break through several gaps, and then enter the depths to form an encirclement, which will encircle the troops along the old border. At the same time, it will also render useless the fortifications of the old frontiers, like the Maginot Line of the French!"

   This has indeed happened in history. In the Battle of Uman, the Soviet army captured 100,000 people and lost 317 tanks and 858 artillery pieces.

   "Do you know the Maginot Line in France?" Admiral Kirponos looked at Shulka unexpectedly.

   "Knows some, but not much, Comrade General!" Shulka replied.

   At this time, the Soviet Union's information was relatively closed, so Shulka didn't dare to say anything more.

   "Very good!" Admiral Kirponos nodded, and then signaled Shulka to continue.

"We can divide the troops into three parts or more!" Shulka said, pointing to the map: "Then retreat along the old border to Kyiv, let one of the parts build a defense line every ten kilometers and hold it for a day, One day later, retreat to the fourth ten kilometers and build a defense line to wait for the arrival of the Germans..."

"A good idea!" Admiral Kirponos praised: "In this way, first of all, we will retreat in an orderly manner; secondly, the soldiers on each line of defense can be fully rested and prepared; To gain time!"

   "Yes, Comrade General!" Shulka replied: "I think so too!"

   In fact, there is another benefit that Admiral Kirponos did not see...Each line of defense only needs to be held for one day and then retreated, which is very important for the demoralized Soviet army.

  The reason is simple, people need hope to support them.

  The battles of the Soviet army gave almost no hope to the soldiers: they had no other choice but to hold on, and there was no way to say when they would hold on... This was very desperate for the soldiers, and the order was almost to let them wait on the ground to die.

  So naturally, many soldiers surrendered, mutinied, ran away, and so on.

   But if they know that they only need to hold out for one day before they can retreat, then the situation is different, and quite a few people will choose to hold out until that moment.