Battle of the Third Reich

In the area of ​​northern Italy bordering Austria, all towns and cities have entered a state of emergency. This is not a drill. The real war is coming.

Many people chose to hide in the basement with their families and reinforce the doors, windows and walls with all the wood he could find. The horror of the Luftwaffe’s bombing corps was already deeply rooted.

Adult men in some border villages and towns were gathered to collect weapons and equipment from the reserve armory of the border police. They were temporarily made up as a reserve army of the Black Shirts. At this time, no one cares whether these people are members of the Fascist party. At this moment, as long as a man can pull the trigger, he is also obliged to assume the responsibility of defending Italy. Whether they like it or not, they must go to the front line and invade Germany. People fight.

The Italians felt like they were dreaming for half a day. Most people didn't even understand why the Germans declared war with Italy, so they entered a war indistinctly.

The time was too short, and many places were busy until midnight, only to find that they did not even build the basic defense work.

Northern Italy is close to the border between Austria and Germany. It is the Alps that stretches for hundreds of miles. This rolling mountain has been a natural barrier for Italy for thousands of years, blocking the invasion of powerful neighbors from the north. Of course, this mountain is not The insurmountable sky, the rich Apennine peninsula has been looted many times by strong foreign enemies in history.

Brunello is an important port between Italy and Austria, and will undoubtedly be regarded as the first target of attack. This is the hub of the German and Italian railway network. The Germans will take it in hand at all costs. .

The commander of the Italian defending army, Colonel Giulio Filiberto, thinks so. He is fortunate that the town he guards has important strategic value to the enemy, which means that the other side will not abuse the bomber to carry out indiscriminate air attacks, because They must ensure the integrity of the railway facilities here.

Filiberto knew how heavy the load was on his shoulders. There was no second line of defense behind Brennero. Once the Germans captured Brennero, the powerful German corps could drive straight along the Alps Railway. Break into the prosperous and fertile Po River Plain.

But now there are only two dissatisfied infantry battalions and a border police brigade in Colonel Filiberto. There are also two companies of black shirts, but they have their own command system and simply do not obey the orders of Filiberto.

An army anti-aircraft company was stationed outside the city, equipped with eight small-caliber anti-aircraft guns. However, the company commander had telephoned the company before. The other party said that because of the lack of repair parts for the year, only two 37-mm cannons can still be fired normally. . From the Colonel's point of view, this is a heinous and serious malfeasance, but for the sake of stabilizing the military, he can only express some dissatisfaction verbally. He has to use all the strength in his hands. These gunners picked up the rifle, at least than the black shirt. The military has many uses.

Time passed quickly. At this time, it was only five minutes from the time of the war. The colonel, with his adjutant and two signal soldiers, got into the temporary command post in the basement of the train station. The commanders and deputy commanders at all levels of the two battalions were all rushed to the front positions by the colonel, and the staff who remained in the command post were busy at the moment. The officers and non-commissioned officers held a bunch of forms and maps in the room. Running around with the aisle, it seemed as though the German invasion had begun. The colonel knew very well that it was all for him.

Sighing secretly, the Italian colonel struck his white jaw with a beard and strode into the command room. The soldiers who were still turning around like headless flies all stood still and raised their hands to the commander to fascism ceremony.

"Connect me to Lieutenant Colonel Leonardo's phone. Should the phone line be already there?" The colonel threw the military cap on the map table.

"The troops have entered the highest combat readiness and the war will break out at any time." The adjutant delivered a telegram to the colonel.

"It's all nonsense. What I need now is support. Even if I get a few planes to come, I can at least boost morale." The colonel crumpled the telegram and threw it on the floor.

"The phone is connected, Mr. Colonel." The communications officer ran over with the microphone in one hand and the phone in the other.

"Is Leonardo? I am Philiberto Yes, the voice is very clear. How is your situation there? Is there any movement across there? Not yet?" Philiberto raised his wrist and looked at his watch.

"Twelve o'clock has passed, the Germans are very observant of the time, they will attack at any time. Yes, I believe that your soldiers are good, you must pay attention to your safety. Keep in touch with the command post, you also Pay attention to your safety, that’s it, thank you, and God bless you and my child.” Put down the phone, and Filiberto supported the map table with both hands, and looked down at the picture full of defenses marked with red and blue pencils. Military map of the position.

In total, he had only 530 soldiers with formal training, and those anti-aircraft artillery had just made a little more than 600, and even half an infantry regiment could not get together. The only artillery company was equipped with four 1913 65mm mountain cannons, and the ammunition was sufficient. Although the style was a bit older and the power was a bit smaller, but at this time, it was impossible to pick and choose.

The border police were evenly distributed to the two infantry battalions as a second-line reserve team. After the war, they could also help the logistics unit to deliver ammunition and supplies to the first-line positions. The number of people is too small, and there is no way to configure a deep position.

Finally, the trenches and fortifications on the border are ready-made. They have been placed there since World War I. Every year, the army organizes soldiers to carry out some necessary repairs and maintenance, but it was never expected that there will be a day when it will be used.

As for the Black Shirts, they were thrown to the flanks of the frontline position by the colonel, and they were given a trench, and then these people were allowed to entertain themselves. The fighting power of these Ugly people was not within the colonel's consideration.

"Is all the explosives set up?" the colonel asked, looking back at a staff member.

"I don't know about this. I'm not responsible for this matter, sir." The lieutenant froze for a moment, then shrugged and answered.

"Then go and find the person in charge of this matter for me!" The colonel frowned and waved.

"Okay, sir." The staff hurriedly walked out of the room.

"It's a hell." Filiberto felt a cramp in his stomach again, and he sat down on a chair beside the map table.

The Italian colonel never considered leaving the station and the attached railway facilities intact to the Germans. Once the line of defense is lost, he will blow up all the facilities when the troops retreat. The Germans will eventually get only a broken ruin. It is estimated that Germans can be delayed for at least two to three days.

The problem is that he has no professional engineers, and only a few young officers have received some of the most basic blasting training in the military school, so they can only increase the amount of charge to make up for the lack of theoretical knowledge. Progress is much slower than the colonel imagined.

At this moment, a dull roar suddenly sounded overhead, the entire basement trembles, a large piece of green lime paint fell from the ceiling and smashed into the corner of the map table.

"The attack has begun!" a staff member exclaimed.

"Quickly connect to the frontline?"

"It was bombing! It was a heavy bomb dropped by a bomber!"

"Turn on the ventilation fan, it's all dust!"

"Benevolent Lord!" The room was filled with shouts from the staff.

"It's all quiet! Shut up all of me! The explosion is still far from here." Filiberto frowned and stood up, patting the map table hard, and stopped the panic in the room loudly.

"Sir, it's Lieutenant Colonel Petro! Their positions were bombarded with heavy German artillery!" a communications officer reported loudly.

At this moment in this basement, you can clearly hear the thunderous roar from the distance, and the hardwood floor is still shaking slightly. The chandelier hanging on the room beam is like this. The shaking started slowly. The staff looked at the ceiling with fear. They knew that this basement was just a civilian facility, without any bulletproof function. Once an unsightly shell or bomb fell on their head, they would definitely be stubborn with this temper. The colonel was finished together.

"The Germans will not attack the station. They need this railway." The colonel saw through what his men were worried about, and he pretended to calmly and comforted loudly.

He would not admit that he had never expected that the Germans would use heavy artillery. This is a huge mistake. The Germans can completely crush their positions little by little with precise artillery beyond the Italians' range. He has never experienced heavy artillery bombardment in his life, but he can imagine what the poor soldiers are experiencing and what kind of fear they are experiencing on the front line.

"I am Philiberto, what is the situation now? Did you see the Germans? What? No! There is absolutely no retreat. I don’t care how many people you have lost before retreating before the enemy infantry hit. This will be a shame for the Italian Army. I don’t want to listen to any reason, you have to keep your people stuck and let the reserve team go up!

bomber? Did they launch a bomber? How much can you see there? Just flew over your head just now? Well, Colonel Petro, we can't retreat without a fight. No matter how serious the loss is, we must stay on the ground. I will give you a retreat order. I swear, but it is not now! Now your task is to hold on, stop the German offensive momentum, and buy time for the rear troops.

Yes, I will inform you in advance, you can rest assured. It will take at least an hour. This is an order. You understand that it is an order! "After yelling loudly into the microphone, the colonel dropped the receiver hard.

"Sir! Paratroopers, all German paratroopers!" A sergeant rushed into the command post with a carbine, and a wounded officer was carried on his shoulder. Half of the poor guy's body was stained with blood.

"God, this is Lieutenant Luca in the guard row." The two non-commissioned officers rushed forward to help the officer lie on the floor.

"Sir, I personally suggest that you leave here immediately. Now there are German paratroopers everywhere. I think there are at least a few thousand people. The guard platoon may not be able to persist for too long. Please make a decision immediately." The sergeant pointed at the colonel. After saluting a military salute, he turned and ran out of the command post.

"Telephone, call Lieutenant Francisk and order them to detonate immediately!" Filiberto responded from the shock, he ordered aloud.

"Observe, sir!" The communications staff quickly shook the handle of the magnet phone.

"Immediately burn all the confidential documents in my hand, the Roman telegraph, the roster of the troops, and the map! Take this one together and burn them all." The colonel grabbed the map on the map table and stuffed it into the adjutant's hand in.

The communications staff beside the "Colonel" reported.

"Go and get the suitcase in my room immediately. Those Ethiopian barbarians didn't catch me Filipeto. Now the Germans don't want to catch me. Don't stand silly. Prepare to evacuate immediately, our Time is running out." Filiberto shouted loudly at the staff. The staff rushed out of the room in a hurry. Finally, they forgot to take away the second lieutenant Luca who had only half a breath.

The old colonel has lost his usual calmness and calmness. Are he paratroopers after the heavy artillery? The Germans cannot fight in an upright battle.

"Colonel." The communications staff continued to call.

"I knew I should have destroyed everything in the warehouse, not to leave it to the Germans at all." Philipbeto grumbled, then turned his head to look at the communications staff.

"Why are you still here? What's the matter with you! Oh, by the way, did Lieutenant Francisk get in touch?"

"The telephone line was cut off!" the communications staff reported to the colonel with a mournful face holding the microphone.

"What the hell! What the **** are you doing? You immediately went to run and told the lieutenant that it was my order to immediately detonate all the explosives they had arranged." The bloodshot eyes of the colonel stared at the communication officer in front of him, The right hand rests on the waist holster.

"Yes, obey, Colonel." The communications staff quickly saluted Filberto, turned around and hurried out of the command room like a rabbit with arrows.

"It's a group of incapable cowards!" Filiberto gave a sip to the floor.

The voice hadn't fallen yet, there were a few crisp gunshots in the corridor outside, and then the communications staff rushed back to the command post faster than before.

"German! German paratroopers!" Sergeant Staff yelled out of the door, and quickly ran to the file cabinet in the corner of the room to hide.

"Coward!" Colonel Filiberto spit in the direction of the sergeant again, then reached out and pulled out his pistol from the holster around his waist.

"Raise your hand! Throw away your weapon, and you have no way to escape the major." Three German paratroopers stood at the door of the command post with submachine guns, led by a corporal, speaking a strong German accent in Italian.

"Colonel! It's a colonel, see this rank clearly! Soldiers!" Filiberto threw his pistol on the map table, then raised his hands high.

ps: sorry for being a little late today, continue to ask for monthly tickets, for recommendations, for clicks,

thanks for your support. (To be continued.)