Chapter 50: The Eternal Contradiction Between Headquarters and Frontline

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  My two M29A1 81mm mortars were hidden behind a shelter, quickly set up and fired at the artificial forest on one side of the city hall where the Germans were. However, the Germans were not unable to counterattack, and the German mortar hiding behind the building also launched a suppressive bombardment against my mortar position. To avoid casualties, I had to move the mortar position.

  Although I successfully joined forces with Captain Roberts' remaining troops, the Germans' camouflaged positions were extremely clever and solid. No matter which direction I tried to break through from, I would be met with firepower from all four sides. Especially after witnessing the power of the Ostwind self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, I didn't dare think about taking on its suppressive fire with just a machine gun. In order not to increase casualties unnecessarily, I had no choice but to request support from armored units and artillery from headquarters. Only after taking out that vehicle would I dare engage in a showdown with the Germans!

  In fact, I'm not saying that I, just for a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, was so intimidated that I didn't dare to fight the German army. My people weren't even close to it, and they would be killed instantly. This isn't like in games where as long as you have a sliver of health left, you can still launch an attack on the enemy, without being hit by too many bullets, just one shot and you can bid farewell to this world.

  "Command, command! I have reached the town hall and joined up with Captain Roberts. I have joined up with Captain Roberts, but the Germans are putting up a very strong resistance. Requesting armored support! Requesting armored support!"

  "You've encountered a small band of enemies. I want you to launch an immediate counterattack on City Hall! A new armored unit will support you right away!"

  "Damn it! The bastards at HQ, they have no idea what's going on here and yet they're ordering us to launch an attack! Goddamn it, I'd like to drag those sons of bitches here and let them see for themselves!" I fumed at Lieutenant Roberts.

  Roberts looked at me with some fatigue and said: "But now is not the time to talk about these things, if we don't take out that tank, we can't even get through!"

  "How to get rid of him?"

  "Take him out with an airstrike?" Captain Roberts ventured, his tone less confident since the heavy casualties his unit had suffered.

  "Taking off from the base, by the time we got here the cucumber dish had gone cold. And to make matters worse, this is a goddamn anti-aircraft tank, one wrong move and we'd be shot down!"

  "Then take him out with a long-range cannon!" Lieutenant Roberts' face turned red as he said fiercely.

  "Artillery? You're right, but the Germans must have dug in some anti-tank bunkers. I think except for blowing up some craters, it's probably useless against that damned self-propelled gun!"

  In urban warfare, the power of artillery is greatly affected. Due to the limitations of the angle of incidence, the cannon fire only touches the surface of buildings or blows them up. However, if the defensive side constructs clever fortifications, digging anti-artillery trenches on the backside of buildings under attack, personnel can avoid the huge damage caused by artillery fire. The fortifications in Serbie were naturally abundant due to General Schlieffen's careful planning.

  "It's better than nothing!" Roberts said.

  "You're right, though I don't know how many Germans it will kill, but at least it'll make them hide for a while!" I nodded in agreement with Roberts' opinion.

  The US mortar troops on the outskirts of Cherbourg have finally begun to show their might, with wave after wave of shells pounding the city hall square. Boom! Boom! The smoke and dust from the exploding shells mixed with shattered stone shot into the sky, blowing German soldiers who had not yet had time to take cover to smithereens, splattering blood everywhere, gradually staining the land red.

  "Damn Yankees, they're going to shell us again!" Captain Ruman of the German army, as soon as he saw the first few correction shots from the American troops, immediately ordered his men to take cover in the pre-dug anti-artillery emplacements, and the Dongfeng self-propelled gun also stopped defending its position, quickly withdrawing from the city hall square and hiding in a pre-arranged anti-artillery position.

  "Have our anti-tank guns been withdrawn?" Captain Ruman shouted loudly.

  "Sir, they've already hidden the cannon away!" a soldier replied to Lieutenant Ruman.

  Captain Luman was not at ease, running in a crouched position towards each battle station, with the guard soldiers following closely behind him. "Except for the observation post, everyone else quickly hide for me! Fast, fast!"

  "Captain Ruman, come here quickly! The American artillery fire has officially started!" a German soldier shouted to Captain Ruman.

  "Nothing's going to happen, the American shells can't reach us!" Captain Lu Man exclaimed, as if to encourage his comrades and also to reassure himself.

  Boom! Another loud explosion, a huge shockwave, made Lieutenant Ruman's head ache. Ruman crawled out from underground and found that the guard had been blown to smithereens. Ah, yes, he seemed to be dead, how did he die? It seemed like a shell had completely vaporized this guard who had followed him for not long.

  "Damn it, how many guards have we lost now? The third or the fifth?" Captain Ruman shook his head, not wanting to think about it anymore. After all, war was built on piles of human lives, and talking about the preciousness of life at this time was just nonsense.

  Ruman Lieutenant jumped back and forth in the crater during the continuous bombardment, finally found a group of Bal.

  "Bar, how are you?"

  "I'm fine, sir!" Bal looked at the once dashing military officer in surprise, now standing before him was a muddy mess that seemed to have just rolled out of the ground. "We're really fine, Lieutenant Roman!"

  "My children, you were really great today! Especially you, Balu, if it weren't for your few shots that destroyed the American tank, I'm afraid our fight would be even more difficult than now!" Captain Ruman patted Balu's shoulder and glanced around at the others before continuing: "Sergeant Balu, originally, if the situation were good, I would definitely apply for a medal for you. But now..." Captain Ruman shook his head with a bitter smile and said: "I've already reported our intelligence to General Schlieben. He asked me to pass on to you that regarding the current situation in Cherbourg, you all probably know by now that it's impossible to hold out any longer. However, I demand that you all must persevere until the very last breath, the last drop of blood! Not for me, not for yourselves, but for the great Germany behind us, for our wives and children! If we can hurt our enemy today, make them afraid, then when they attack our city again, they will remember the wounds they left here in Cherbourg! Even if people in the future may choose to surrender, the enemies before us will not dare to be difficult with them because of what we did today! So let's fight to the death for our mothers, wives, children, and our homeland!"

  Everyone fell silent, listening quietly. Captain Ruman swallowed a mouthful of saliva, moistening his somewhat dry throat. The Allied blockade and bombardment had caused the supplies in Cherbourg to be extremely scarce for many days, even water was now very precious. Captain Ruman smiled slightly before finally saying: "General Schlieben will live or die with us!"

  "Live and die together! Live and die together!"

  "Hail!" Captain Rümann gave a heavy German military salute to the handful of greatest warriors before him.

  The intensity of the bombardment was very great, Lieutenant Roberts was very satisfied with the effect of the bombardment, he ignored the danger of flying shrapnel and continuously pointed to the place where the bombardment was most intense.

  "Look at those artillery bastards, they're really something! I'm a bit regretful too, why didn't I join the artillery back then? Why did I end up as an infantryman here?"

  "If you were an artilleryman, perhaps you wouldn't be a senior lieutenant today, would you?" I said.

  "I can do without this captaincy! As long as I can thoroughly get rid of these German devils! Even if it means risking my life, I'll do it! Not for anything else, but for the soldiers under me! For avenging those brothers who have died!" Roberts said, his eyes somewhat moist.

  "Yes, we're not doing it for anything else, just so that these brothers under our command can make it out alive!" I said softly.

  Jones, seeing that Roberts and I were not quite right, was afraid of affecting the surrounding soldiers, and immediately changed the subject, saying: "As soon as the bombardment is over, won't we launch a joint counterattack!"

  I glanced at Roberts, saw him nod in agreement, and then said: "As soon as the artillery fire stops, launch a charge immediately, quickly occupy advantageous positions! If possible, take the city hall in one go!"

  "Yes!"

  For the occupation of city hall, this is a necessary link. In urban warfare during World War II, unlike later war patterns, large-scale indiscriminate attacks on enemy-occupied civilians and troops were not necessary, so occupying radio stations, financial banks, etc. was not necessary. It's better to control some key points, such as squares, parks, rivers, avenues, highways, train stations, and other strategic locations, which can accommodate anti-tank firepower, making the enemy's armored forces dare not launch a strong attack. If only infantry attacks are left, they will pay a great price. Moreover, once these places are occupied, they can immediately control large areas around this region, just like the German army is unwilling to give up the city hall position easily.

  The bombardment lasted for over ten minutes, and the entire city hall was almost plowed through. The city hall building itself was on the verge of collapse under the bombardment, until the last shell finally fell silent. Captain Ruman, who had been hiding in a bomb shelter, immediately emerged.

  "Hurry, hurry! Get into position, the Americans are about to attack! Machine gunner, machine gunner! Where are you? Set up the machine gun quickly!" Lieutenant Ruman hadn't seen his Jagdpanther tank arrive at the battlefield on time and couldn't help but shout loudly, "Damn it, where's my tank? What the hell, why hasn't it arrived yet?"

  "The Americans have arrived, listen to my orders, prepare for battle!"

  At this time, more than a dozen US soldiers tried to jump out from their hiding place, using the terrain and cover to move forward. The leading US soldier seemed to have smelled the Germans' scent, turned his head and made a hand gesture to the soldiers behind him, and everyone immediately lowered their bodies even lower!