It's better to conquer them than to command the steel torrent

Chapter 254 | Do you think I'm panicking? (Part 2)

At midnight, MacArthur's 'Sentinel' liaison plane slowly landed in Washington.

MacArthur's actions were actually well-founded—the president was worried about him being captured, so he demanded that he evacuate as soon as possible.

However, the soldiers didn't care about all that. As the commander, abandoning the troops and evacuating by plane alone in a crisis was desertion, which became the last straw that broke the morale.

It is unclear who leaked the news that MacArthur had escaped by plane. The 4th Infantry Division had already held off the advance of the Imperial Russian 2nd Tank Division, but as the news spread, morale plummeted.

Left with no other choice, a bewildered Major General Wainwright led his army group headquarters in a southward retreat.

Groups of planes flew overhead, bombers taking off from airfields near Philadelphia and New York.

Despite the ground forces being routed, the Army Air Forces continued their efforts to slow the enemy's advance.

A squadron of B-18 'Big Knife' medium bombers flew over Interstate 87 south of Albany.

The American pilots spotted the Imperial Russian tank force advancing south in a long, single-file formation from afar and immediately entered their attack route without hesitation.

The bombardier aimed the crosshairs of his sight at the road below, then pulled the lever, and a series of aerial bombs fell leisurely from the bomb bay.

The bombardier shouted 'bombs away!' and stared as the 500-pound bombs grew smaller and smaller until they became dense black dots.

Before long, bursts of fire and smoke erupted from below, indicating a remarkable success.

But in fact?
When they saw American planes approaching, the Tsarist Russian soldiers quickly jumped out of their vehicles, scattered to the sides of the road, and lay down, waiting for the air raid to end before regrouping and getting back into their vehicles.

In stereotypes, airplanes are the natural enemy of tanks, but this is actually a unique rule of modern warfare, such as the Gulf War.

In fact, even after the advent of airborne bomb impact computers in the mid-Cold War, the effectiveness of air strikes against armored forces was still unsatisfactory, and it is even worse now.

Historically, during the later stages of the war on the Western Front, the German army often complained that the Allied air force was too terrifying, bombing and relentlessly attacking them. They attributed their defeats to the sheer number of Allied planes, and said that the mighty Tigers and Leopards were being trampled on like toys.

That's what the Germans said, but that's not the truth.

For example, during Operation Liège at the end of August 1944, the German army lost a total of 46 tanks, of which only 9 were lost due to Allied air raids; of the 121 Panzer IV tanks that participated in the battle, 8 were destroyed by air raids.

【Picture】

There are two reasons why air strikes are ineffective against armored forces.

First, the hit rate of bombing by aircraft is too low. Horizontal bombing is the worst, followed by rocket launches from shallow dives, and bombing from deep dives is the best.

Secondly, tanks, being such iron turtles, are extremely resistant to explosions, and the overpressure effect of shock waves decays very quickly in the air; the natural laws of physics completely limit all of this.

Of course, this is a common phenomenon; there are always exceptions, like those of divine intervention.

For example, Colonel Rudel, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Diamonds, who single-handedly destroyed more than 500 tanks and more than 1,000 cars.

The effectiveness of air strikes against logistics systems is noteworthy. The answer is obvious: trucks or mule convoys are unarmored, and rockets and aerial bombs become extremely effective against such unprotected soft targets.

This is true.

The American Army Air Forces caused significant problems for the coalition supply lines, severely damaging roads and making it nearly impossible for truck convoys to move.

Similarly, trucks towing artillery were also stuck, causing congestion on almost all highways and country roads.

Near the town of Rockairan, four or five hundred trucks and nearly ten thousand Allied troops were stranded. The officers were anxiously shouting and cursing, urging the engineering corps to repair the road as soon as possible.

In the distance, American planes appeared, heading towards the area; there were at least forty or fifty of them.

Six or seven Allied Hurricane fighters were circling over Rock Island as a watchdog. Upon seeing this, the British pilots immediately climbed to gain a superior altitude.

The American fighter jets escorting the bombers also fought back fiercely, and a chaotic battle broke out!
Shortly after, a squadron of Yak fighters arrived to reinforce the area, making the air battle situation even more chaotic.

Many American bombers desperately broke through the defenses and forced their way over the target to drop bombs. Today's air battle even saw, for the first time, a burning American fighter jet turned around and crashed into a group of trucks packed with coalition troops.

With the invaders at the city gates and the battle at this point, the American pilots were clearly desperate.

The sounds of explosions echoed one after another, and the convoys and supply depots that had been attacked by the air raids burst into flames, with thick black smoke rising straight into the sky.

"We don't have time to stay here. Command orders us to get to Albany as soon as possible. The assault detachment will soon launch its offensive on New York. Time is of the essence!"

Major General Petrov, commander of the 33rd Infantry Division, was a renowned strategist. The most brilliant achievement of this unit was during the Battle of Varland, when, after continuous fighting, only three or four thousand men remained, they persisted in fighting, defeated a DED infantry regiment and two artillery battalions, and captured more than thirty 105mm howitzers.

Infantry is indispensable for attacking a metropolis like New York. While tank units can advance quickly in open field conditions, once inside the city, they become fraught with danger.

Considering this situation, Major General Petrov made a decisive decision, ordering all units to abandon their baggage and heavy weapons, travel light, and march south to catch up with the assault force.

Of course, this "lightly equipped" is only relative, since even the lightest European armies wouldn't just carry mortars.

第33步兵师暂时放下了所有的122毫米榴弹炮和76.2毫米加农炮，最多只携带120毫米重型迫击炮和40毫米反坦克炮，因为这两种火炮都可以用轻型越野车和布伦机枪车拖曳。

There are many benefits to fighting alongside the United Kingdom. Although the Britons are shrewd and shameless, they are generous when they need help, at least not stingy with cheap armored vehicles like the Bren gun car.

Four Imperial Russian infantry divisions, with all their might, followed closely in the footsteps of the tank units, advancing directly towards the largest cities on the east coast.

The lack of strategic depth was glaringly obvious. The Imperial Russian offensive forces set off from the border and marched southwards, covering a straight-line distance of only a little over two hundred kilometers.

At such a short distance, it's not impossible to temporarily ignore the supply lines that have been bombed to pieces, relying half on supplies carried by ourselves and half on captured supplies.

Because of its diesel engine, the T-34 tank could not use captured gasoline. However, the T-34 itself had a long range, and could travel 260 kilometers even in fuel-intensive off-road conditions. Not to mention that most crew members would carry several spare fuel cans for the tank.

The vast North American Great Plains are simply a paradise created for galloping and charging!

The only thing that prevented the Imperial Russian tank forces from speeding up was not the enemy, nor diesel fuel, but the terrible transmission mechanism.

The gearboxes and clutches made in Ivan Ross only have a lifespan of a little over a hundred motorcycle hours and are of very poor quality. The ones manufactured by the United Kingdom are much better and have almost double the lifespan.

This is the gap between first-rate and second-rate industrialized countries.

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Operation Neptune was like a heavy hammer, crashing down on the prosperous east coast of the United States of America.

The million-strong army that expanded in a short period of time was a veritable rabble. Two years ago, the American Army had only a little over 100,000 men. In such a short time, it expanded rapidly. Faced with the invaders' battle-hardened elite troops, the rookie troops of the American Army appeared pale and powerless.

For many years, Americans have enjoyed the geographical advantage of being isolated overseas and arrogantly pursued isolationism.

Now, the Americans are finally reaping the bitter fruits of their actions, proving that hardship breeds suffering and comfort breeds death.

The British and Ivan Ross Expeditionary Force swept through the enemy lines, maximizing its advantages and utilizing the mobility of its tank units and its experience in combined arms warfare to swiftly dismantle hundreds of thousands of American troops, achieving another glorious victory.

Tornado destroys Yankees!

Tanks loaded with infantry galloped across the vast plains, the roar of tank formations echoing across the battlefield, their tracks leaving ruts as they rolled over the soft fields.

With the political and economic center of the East Coast wide open, General Ivanovich, assessing the situation, ordered his troops to split into two groups.

The first strike force headed straight for New York, intending to seize this economic heartland.

The second assault force rushed southwest to Philadelphia, aiming to seize this industrial and population center and directly threaten Washington.

There is a small city called Bethlehem north of Philadelphia.

Despite its small population, this small city is home to a true steel giant, including the renowned Bethlehem Steel Company, which historically built over a thousand warships and various vessels at its fifteen shipyards during the war.

The American 12th Infantry Division hastily set up a defensive line here, attempting to halt the invaders' advance on Philadelphia. The battle lasted from the afternoon until 11 p.m. before temporarily coming to an end. However, when dawn broke, the American soldiers found themselves surrounded.

Historically, the German army often praised the Soviet army for its "skill" in using infantry; now it's the American army's turn to experience that feeling.

Overnight, the Imperial Russian infantry infiltrated the front, rear, left, and right of the defensive line, seemingly omnipresent. The cunning female snipers would suddenly open fire, and bullets flying from who-knows-where would always accurately kill non-commissioned officers or officers.

As dawn broke, the Imperial Russian tank formation roared in from the flank. Although the Imperial Russian infantry numbered only a few thousand, the experienced commanders concentrated their forces in two directions at the same time, spreading out their formation to repeatedly charge in the narrow front, creating the illusion of an inexhaustible force.

This had a profound psychological impact on the still-shaken American soldiers, who even shouted that the enemy was as numerous as the tide!

As the distance closes, skilled infantry tactics become even more decisive and efficient.

Tanks suppressed exposed firing positions, mortars blocked retreat routes, and infantry concentrated on using submachine guns and grenades to clear the position in squads.

Faced with the dense barrage of bullets from PPD submachine guns, most of the US infantrymen, still armed with Springfield rifles, put up a difficult resistance. The number of Browning automatic rifles was far too small; they were simply outnumbered.

The invaders are only a few dozen miles from Philadelphia!

Washington was also thrown into chaos as several major cities to the north faced the threat of being besieged.

Inside the white official residence, the president convened an emergency meeting. The air in the Oval Office was unusually heavy, now tinged with fear.

The president stared intently at the map on the table, his brow furrowed.

“Mr. President, we must evacuate immediately,” Army Chief of Staff Marshall said in a deep voice. “It is impossible to stop the enemy’s offensive.”

The president clearly still held a sliver of hope, asking, "Wait a minute, let me think, how long can Philadelphia and New York hold out?"

“Organized resistance may only last for a few dozen hours.” Marshall took a deep breath and tried to explain the reason to the president in a concise tone: “We can indeed put up a long resistance through street fighting, but the Ivanros will not get entangled with us. The Ivanros only need to control the suburban roads and the train station, and then they will continue to advance south.”

"Is it possible to establish a defensive line in Baltimore? I don't think there are many Ivanross."

"Perhaps, I can only say possibly, Mr. President, but we cannot take that risk."

"Okay, I understand. Today is a dark day." The president rarely showed his frustration in front of others, but now he couldn't help but sigh.

He then signed an order for the emergency relocation of the federal government. Next, he instructed, "Prepare the intercontinental phone; I want to speak with Xijing."

The evacuation operation began overnight, with federal government employees hurriedly packing important documents and loading them onto trains and trucks. A diverse convoy of vehicles drove westward in a continuous stream.

With the federal government and Capitol Hill making urgent preparations to relocate the capital, Washington, D.C. is in a precarious situation.

Pennsylvania Avenue was experiencing a severe traffic jam that stretched for miles and seemed to end in one direction.

On the streets of the neighboring neighborhood, residents, with their families and large bags of luggage, rushed to flee their homes. The piercing sound of car horns and the cries of children mingled together, creating a heart-wrenching atmosphere, as if the end of the world had arrived that day.

New York City Police and State Police maintained order on the streets and helped calm anxious citizens.

The Washington Post reporter struggled to squeeze through the chaotic crowd and then helped pull the photographer out.

Looking at this appalling scene, the reporter was speechless, finally uttering softly, "Will this be the end of the United States?"

Western suburbs of Washington.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the fence of the Federal Republic of Washington embassy in Washington, D.C.

These were all Chinese expatriates stranded in Washington, D.C., and everyone looked worried.

An architect wearing glasses held his wife's hand tightly and comforted her, "Don't be afraid, the embassy hasn't even run away yet, what are we panicking for?"

At this moment, a calm and composed voice rang out, quite abruptly: "Yes, what's there to panic about? Look at me, I'm not panicking at all."

Damn it! Who's being sarcastic at this crucial moment?

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Mr. Shang, dressed in a crisp civilian uniform, get out of the car with a military cap in his hand, and then slowly put the cap on.

(End of this chapter)