Codegease: Air and Land Warfare 1946

Page 218

……

The sky was filled with the roar of shells as they swept over a small village east of Dresden. Britannian armored convoys were about to raze the village to the ground. Angeli and Shishian flanked the last house and smashed the roof to pieces with a hydrogen bomb.

"Search the village thoroughly! Be careful of any remaining resistance in the basements!"

"I think I've discovered something." Suddenly, Xixi'an jumped onto the landline and kicked it aside, revealing a civilian cowering timidly underneath.

Looking at him, his thin body was missing his right arm, a bullet-sized scar on his face hung like a tear next to his nose, and he was draped in a blanket with a pair of eagle wings painted on it, making him look like a complete beggar.

“Let him go.” Shisian was about to call for nearby infantry to capture him when Angeli stopped her. She turned on the loudspeaker and called out in German to the only civilian found in the village, “Please go to the woods over there. We haven’t surrounded this place yet.”

Armed helicopters flew overhead, circling the wreckage of the crashed Soviet warplanes near the village, roaring as they dropped a barrage of rockets into the distance. A civilian glanced back in terror, only to disappear into the thick smoke rising from the wreckage.

"Watch out!" Just as she was about to step out of the cabin to see them off, shell after shell rained down from the sky, landing around the village.

"Damn it..." Xixi'an thought to herself, "I knew it, defeating the Soviet army would involve some hardship, right?"

“Calling Juliet, Ypel, can you hear me?” Angelie didn’t hesitate and called her teammates in the distance via radio.

At this moment, the two men, along with Corporal Sindra and others, were engaged in an encounter battle with a line of Soviet tanks that had come from afar in a farmland.

"We've been shelled here, how about you?"

"They're clearly unaware of our presence! Keep moving! We'll handle this!"

The ground was littered with the scorching wreckage of tanks. Corporal Syndra's infantry fighting vehicle cannon, along with Juliet's shield, kept all the accompanying Soviet infantry pinned down.

At this moment, the cannon barrel in Ipel's hand glowed red, and clusters of plasma from the hadron cannon leaped into the air and crashed to the ground. The few remaining IS-2 tanks were finally reduced to fragments under the siege of the crowd.

The roar of assault guns had not ceased, the rumble of helicopters echoed through the sky, and more and more black smoke from the hammer and sickle rose over the German land.

"Months of bloody fighting have been for the sake of wiping away this humiliation today! In the name of His Majesty the Emperor, we will now show the Soviets what defeat truly means!"

Chapter 288, Section 371: Twenty-six million six hundred thousand drops of blood (Part 2)

Finding a building in Warsaw that is completely undamaged is as difficult as finding a family in Poland and the Soviet Union who did not lose any loved ones in the World War.

Marshal Rokossovsky's headquarters for the Soviet forces in Poland was located in the country's capital, crammed among a pile of rubble. Such a place was indeed somewhat beneath his dignity to receive Comrade Stalin.

Naturally, today's matter had to be kept brief. Once Zhukov arrived shortly after Marshal Konev, maps, intelligence documents, and other materials were laid out on the table, and the meeting began.

"All I need to know is whether we can see the enemy approaching from under the Leipzig flag?" Stalin's words were direct and to the point. Seeing this, Zhukov explained in detail how Leipzig and Dresden had been separated by the Britannian offensive.

“During this time, I did not order Marshal Zhukov to launch a full-scale attack,” explained Vasilevsky, who was accompanying him. “According to the intelligence provided to us by the Allies, the enemy has been capturing civilians since the start of the invasion several months ago and then taking them back to their country to be used as laborers. So I had Marshals Konev and Rokossovsky help evacuate most of the young civilians out of Germany.”

"Is this because you think civilians will be too crowded to fit in the trenches with the Red Army soldiers, or are you worried that civilians will block the Red Army soldiers' retreat route?" Stalin didn't seem to appreciate this decision.

“Our war with the Germans is over, Comrade Stalin.” Seeing that something was wrong, Bagramyan said, “Just as the British and Americans brought Manstein and Dönitz into the top echelons of the NATO, we can now also rely on some of the Germans’ strength.”

"Using their strength, and then taking all the civilians to Poland and Czechoslovakia, is it so that they can push the train with their own arms and legs?" Stalin threw the document he was looking at onto the table. "If you're going to use Germany, why haven't you pushed forward to Berlin again?"

……

Seeing that Stalin didn't even glance at him with reproach or reprimand before lighting his pipe, Zhukov felt a mix of emotions.

"You should understand that what was held in Yalta a year ago was not a banquet, but a distribution of profits, a consolation to the millions of soldiers who sacrificed their lives and to the land ravaged by the enemy." Stalin exhaled his resentment along with the smoke.

"Of course I understand that the great Soviet Union has lost too much fresh blood, but we will not allow the enemy to advance even one more step toward Moscow. If we can't even hold Germany, doesn't that mean we're allowing these ghosts to follow the Nazi path and go to Kiev and Minsk again? Where the hammer and sickle flag is, there is the Soviet Union. Think about how many eyes are watching you."

Stalin coughed a few times, his eyes sweeping over Zhukov's face before slowly lowering as he watched the marshal rubbing the documents in his palm.

“You’re absolutely right.” Seeing this, Rokossovsky finally spoke up. “This principle applies to any country. If we lose Leipzig, it will become part of the Britannian Empire. And if the enemy occupies Hanover and Bremen, these cities will not belong to the United States and Great Britain.”

Stalin raised his eyelids slightly, seemingly pleased with the statement.

“Actually, everyone is very clear about your thoughts and intentions, Comrade Stalin.” Rokossovsky quickly pressed on, “You mentioned Yalta, you mentioned Germany, but everyone knows that you also want to mention the United States and Britain.”

"You have repeatedly insisted that Marshal Zhukov and the Soviet troops stationed in Germany should not abandon the land they are standing on. The reason is very clear: abandoning Germany is equivalent to abandoning the Yalta dividend, which is equivalent to handing over our cake to the West to continue to divide. Therefore, at the beginning, we gave Marshal Zhukov the greatest support for the siege of Berlin."

"But unfortunately we failed to understand our opponents and assess their strength in a timely manner, which led to us running into obstacles everywhere outside Berlin." Rokossovsky marked a point on the map. "We have not yet recovered from the pain of fighting the Nazis to the death, but the Britannian Empire has truly proven that their existence cannot be dealt with by just a few Soviet army groups."

"That's the crux of the problem, Comrade Stalin. We've been too proactive in confronting the enemy, and the blows we've dealt them have been so great that they're desperate to drive us out, which is like giving Britain and the United States the opportunity to sit on the banks of the Elbe and watch from the sidelines. That's why Marshal Zhukov, Admiral Golovko, and I have been waiting for the West to 'take the bait' on Rügen Island."

As Vasilevsky continued speaking, he unfolded the other half of the map, depicting the current state of the British and American occupied territories.

“We all understand that holding Germany is to gain leverage after the World War. You naturally don’t want the Soviet Union’s leverage to fall to Britannia and be inferior to that of the United States and Britain. The naval battle at Rügen served as bait. Although it caused some losses to the Red Navy, Britain and the United States were also ‘unfortunate’ to be targeted by our enemies. Britannia’s hand has already reached out to them to grab leverage.”

“Furthermore, I just received news,” Rokossovsky said, handing a telegram to an officer who had just entered. “Currently, no more than ten American divisions are preparing to encircle and annihilate Britannia at the Elbe River. And because of General Patton’s few insults, Britannia’s reserve forces for the siege of Leipzig and Dresden have gone off to ‘vent their anger.’ In other words, in a few months, President Truman and Prime Minister Attlee may also be suffering from insomnia, for the same reason as you.”

“If the Americans are keen on ‘uniting’ with Western Europe when they are short of troops, then there’s nothing wrong with us following suit by retreating to advance.” At this moment, Vasilevsky presented Stalin with a “Plan for Joint Defense of Eastern Europe.” “Believe me, this time the Oder River on the German-Polish border and the mountains on the German-Czech border will be our common partners.”

Vasilevsky then subtly gave Zhukov a wink, instructing the latter to gently place the document in front of Stalin, ending with a blank space awaiting Stalin's signature to approve the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Germany.

"Since that's the case, I have nothing more to say, but..." Stalin's hand, which had just picked up the pen, suddenly froze. He looked up at Zhukov, pointed to his heart, and his fingernails reflected the shimmering light of the Order of the Gold Star.

"However, given the current situation, at least someone needs to take responsibility. So, to ease the pressure on your heart and prepare to avenge our motherland in the future, entrust one of these things to me for safekeeping for a period of time."

……

Losing your comrades on the battlefield is a terrible thing; news of your comrades surviving is more uplifting than the loss and regain of a position.

On the outskirts of Dresden, Anton inadvertently learned that Lieutenant Lemilia, who had been missing for several days, was still alive. He excitedly rushed into the hospital and saw him removing his bandages.

"It's nice to see you again, but..."

Lemilia held him, but felt a pang of sadness. Only then did Anton learn that the lieutenant who had served as Lemilia's adjutant had been killed during the breakout.

“He’s like a clerk taking notes, isn’t he?” Lemilia patted the shoulder of the comrade next to her named Lavlensky—who wore glasses, but whose calm, round eyes gleamed with an undercurrent of emotion. “The major said he was very talented, so he assigned him to me.”

"Oh, so this must be Captain Vasilyev?" Lavlensky shook hands with Anton without any expression. "Some comrades from the 12th Guards Tank Division are trapped in Kaments. Our two companies are going to rescue them."

Having common partners to fight alongside is naturally a happy thing for everyone.

At sunrise, bathed in the glow of the rising sun, a squadron of Yak fighters and Il-2 attack aircraft flew overhead.

Accompanying the shining red stars were rows of red and white chessboard-shaped aircraft insignia, also piloting Soviet-made planes, but bearing the inscription "Dla Polski" in a different language than Russian, flying from the east bank of the Oder River toward the battlefield.

Chapter 289, Section 372: The Sudden Rise of the Red and White East Wind

"Why have the Oder and Nisa rivers slowed down these past few days... If it were my sister, would she take advantage of this and immediately sweep eastward?"

After a few days of agonizing and anger, Kelly's mind calmed down a bit.

It is certainly true that the US and British forces are now the more pressing adversaries for the expeditionary force, but the Soviet forces to the east are definitely not to be trifled with.

After World War II, the border between Germany and Poland became the Oder River to the Nisa River. The former is a wide river with a width of 120 meters or more, while the latter, as a tributary, is a relatively thin and long line.

The Nisa River is mostly no more than 100 meters wide, and even at Gorlitz, directly east of Dresden, it is no more than 30 meters wide. Whether it was the Soviet army crossing the river to provide reinforcements or the Soviets crossing the river to launch an attack, there were far fewer geographical obstacles.

Nowadays, more and more land on the west bank of the Nisa River belongs to Britannia. Is it easier to "easily" cross the river and fight the Soviet army head-on, or is it easier to struggle across the Elbe River and then repel the stretched British and American forces?

"Reporting to Your Highness, the attacking forces from Dresden have arrived." At this moment, Lieutenant Daimler of the Knights of Agincourt ran in—several officers nearby recognized him as the owner of the corgi named Michelin in Lilizia's hospital room.

"Enemy troops have crossed the Nisa River near Gellitz and are attacking the Dragon Roar Legion. It is estimated that there are at least two divisions of them."

"What?" Kelly was a little nervous. The Dragon Roar Legion was currently locked in a tight battle with the Soviet 2nd Guards Tank Army, just waiting for more troops to cripple the latter. "Why would the Soviet army cross the river? Isn't it deduced that the Soviet army no longer has enough river crossing lines to meet the troop and logistical needs for the attack on Berlin?"

"Just like when we fly troop transports to rescue surviving pilots who were stranded in the suburbs, there are always some soldiers in the cabin." Daimler's meaning was clear: "Although the Dragon Roar Legion will be fine, one of their great achievements is about to be lost."

"Your Highness!" Several officers came to report that the troops besieging Leipzig and Dresden had discovered that the Soviet army had begun a large-scale southward movement. What was worse, like a bastard trying to pack up leftovers from a buffet, the Soviet army was simultaneously encircling and attacking the vanguard forces cutting between the two cities as they retreated south!

"Damn it!" The prince was filled with regret. "It's all my fault! I need to get the neighboring garrison troops from those three army groups to send help! And where did all these enemies come from?"

"We spotted aircraft insignia in the sky that were different from those of the Soviet Air Force. In other words, we have a new mortal enemy to the east."

Seeing that the prince had become agitated again, Daimler had no choice but to leave, but as soon as he stepped outside, he noticed something was wrong.

"Hey, guard, did you see that girl in black with white hair who was just standing here?"

"Does she have a headband with medals embedded in it on her forehead? A dark one?"

……

One familiar scene emerged during my six months in Germany: Soviet Il-7 attack aircraft, in groups of four, formed a rotating wheel in the sky, relentlessly sweeping everything on the ground with machine guns and rockets.

Today, the Black Death still paints the sky with the smoke of fire and wind, but the stray hairs on its wings have a color that is different from the red star.

Pure white and crimson, respectively, resemble the gleaming armor of the Winged Hussars and the passionate blood of a nation.

This is Poland, which has never been destroyed; this is the Polish People's Army, which is now vastly different from what it once was.

The red star of the Yak fighter planes dispersed the prey in the sky, and from this day forward, the brave warriors who fight in these skies will be given the name of Poznan.

Polish pilots crushed the bushes with bombs and fire clouds, and some of the wrecked soldiers even rolled on the ground trying to put out the flames on their bodies. Anton and his men, who were facing off against them, were able to set foot here safely after hitting a wall.

Now, all of Germany had heard Marshal Zhukov's order to retreat. The comrades who had been cowering in the fortifications of Leipzig and Dresden had transformed from fearful pangolins into leaping antelopes. The 5th Shock Army and the 69th Army were tearing apart any bastards that stood in their way.

"Can you hear me, Captain?"

On the other side, Anton and Lemilia were heading to rescue more than twenty T-34 tanks trapped in Kamenz. The town was a repair and supply depot for the tank crews, and they had been resting there when their retreat was cut off by the rapid and swift attack from Britannia.

As the vanguard of the Eighth Guards Army, they were to join forces with the 46th Infantry Division, which had come from east of the Oder River, and the 1st Armored Brigade of the Polish People's Army to break the enemy's hold on the Second Guards Tank Army.

Now they were no longer fighting alone. However, what was not known to the public was that Marshal Zhukov, who was watching them from afar in the Dresden outpost, was missing a shining gold five-pointed star from his chest.

Perhaps it was homesickness, but the Order of the Gold Star, carrying everyone's thoughts, returned to Moscow with Comrade Stalin, "greeted" the people of the motherland's capital, and then lay down in a cabinet in the Kremlin.

……

"What are you doing, Comrade Kashrenko?" Lemilia and Anton were looking at the map when Lavlensky's rebuke startled them.

The comrade the lieutenant mentioned had only recently gone to the battlefield; his parents had already died in the Great Patriotic War before he came of age at his grandmother's house in Baku.

Now Kashrenko watched as the lieutenant, crouching on the ground, took a letter from the body of a Britannian soldier.

"Perhaps we can learn from the words he wrote to his relatives what their country has become?"

"We can also find out what words they used to insult us as Red Army soldiers." Lavlensky glared at him, snatched the letter, and was about to tear it to shreds when Anton stopped him.

"Comrade, this letter may contain the name and location of an enemy general. Give it to me."

"Recipient address: Miquelon, Quebec." Lavrensky read the English on the letter fluently, showed it to Anton, and then tore it up. "Sorry, anything that passes through my hands doesn't need to be reviewed."

Lemilia followed and watched as Lavlensky pulled Kashlenko up, shoved the Mosin-Nagant rifle into his hand, and pushed him away, leaving them with only astonishment in their eyes.

"I feel like you've got a headmaster by your side, Lemilia."

“Hmmmm… Do the comrades who came out of Stalingrad with you have this kind of behavior, Anton?”

"Yes, but they all perished on their way to Berlin."

……

Back in the sky, it was clear that the arrival of Polish warplanes wasn't enough to cause Britannia any real trouble overhead. These checkerboard-painted birds weren't as devastating as the locust plague from British and American aircraft, much less terrifying than the recently infamous "Phoenix."

Shishian shot down a fighter jet, and just as it was about to be tailed by another one, Angeli came to its aid. The two La-5s had become local fires, and another passing Il-10 was also shot down by Angeli's missile.

"What's the situation on the ground? Report back immediately!"

While those in the air were having a good time, on the ground, Corporal Sindra's chariots, along with Ipper and Juliet's Agincourt Knights, were busy surrounding Kamenz and digging out all the Soviet soldiers in the town.

The town was surrounded by billowing black smoke, the corpses of infantrymen, and the wreckage of artillery and tanks from both sides stuck inside and outside the trenches. Although attack aircraft flew over the town, they could not take away the red flag flying above it.

The approaching assault guns and KMFs kept firing into the town. Juliet, as usual, set up an energy shield to protect Ypel, who was holding a hadron cannon behind her. As for Syndra's infantry fighting vehicle, since the machine guns did almost no damage to the tanks, the loudspeaker for persuading them to surrender was installed on her.

"Captain Kamarov! We have surrounded this place. Surrender immediately, and we will guarantee the safety of all your Soviet soldiers!"

They even knew the name of the opposing commander, so the situation was obvious. The loudspeaker shouted the message twenty or thirty times before Soviet soldiers were seen climbing the flagpole and taking down the hammer and sickle flag.

"All soldiers, lay down your weapons and come to the farm south of the town to surrender!"

Is that so? Just as Syndra and the others lowered their cannons, instead of a surge of heads rushing out, the entire Kamentz was shrouded in a thick cloud of black smoke billowing from the diesel engines.

"Wh-what?" Under the fighter jets flying overhead, a T-34 with the Soviet flag flying over the town, followed by a large convoy of tanks, lined up at the town's exit.

Chapter 290, Section 373: Glory in the Name of the T-34

"Captain! Have all your soldiers dismount from the tank and surrender! We are ready to open fire at any moment!"

Amidst the chaotic bombing by attack aircraft, not only Syndra but also the nearby Britannian soldiers were filled with apprehension. Without hesitation, the officers began assigning pre-determined firing targets to each individual.

"Oh no...oh no!" Ypel, the final core firepower, suddenly blurted out, "The hadron cannon is out of energy?!"

"What?" Juliet and Syndra were shocked. How could they have made such a basic mistake?

“Look.” Ypel pointed to the side; the KMFs who were carrying the energy blocks for her had long since flown into some crater.