"Did Dmitriev say how many troops the Germans sent to attack Lviv?" After the initial panic, Admiral Ivanov gradually calmed down.
"General, Admiral Dimitriev did not say the specific strength of the German army. However, he said that they were heavily bombarded by the German army and bombed by planes." The adjutant said.
Admiral Ivanov frowned tightly. Since the German army dispatched planes to bomb, this also means that the German army's attack on Lviv was not a feint attack, but really wanted to take Lviv down. This is definitely not good news for the Russian army. Once Lvov can't hold it and is captured by the German army. In this battle, the Russian Southwest Front Army could almost end in failure.
"No matter what, Lviv must not be lost, it must be defended. Tell Dimitriev, no matter what method he uses, he must defend Lviv!" Admiral Ivanov said in a deep voice. He knew that the biggest test for the Russian army was coming. Whether the Russian army can win this battle depends on whether the 4th Army can hold Lviv. If the 4th Army successfully held Lvov, then they still have the possibility to continue to hold on. If you can't hold it, then Admiral Ivanov will have to consider how to let the Russian army end this battle at the least cost. If you persist in fighting, it will only make the Russian army pay a greater price.
"Yes, General. However, the 4th Army's troops in Lviv are running out. If the Germans storm Lviv, General Dimitriev and the others may really have a hard time holding on." The adjutant said .
General Ivanov nodded. It was a very risky decision to let the 4th Army to resist the attack of the German 8th Army. Originally, General Ivanov thought that with the 300,000 troops of the Russian Fourth Army, there might be a little luck. But now, he realized that the attack power of the German army was stronger than they expected! Under such circumstances, how could it be possible to withstand the German attack?
"How many troops can we use?" General Ivanov asked.
"General, the reserves in our hands have all been used up. Yesterday afternoon, in order to strengthen the attack on the Austrian army, all the reserves have been dispatched. Unless we wait until the 13th Army arrives. Otherwise, we will not There will be no extra troops to mobilize," said the adjutant.
Admiral Ivanov suddenly felt a little headache. The defense and tenacity of the Austrian army exceeded his expectations. Even the three Russian armies that mainly attacked the Austrian army paid a heavy price, but still failed to make a breakthrough.
"If you want to reinforce General Dimitriev, you have to draw troops from the front line." The adjutant continued.
"Lvov, I have to defend! Order the 3rd Caucasus Army of the 3rd Army to withdraw from the battlefield immediately and reinforce Lvov. Tell Dimitriev that this is the only reinforcement I can send him. If he can't hold on anymore, then go and apologize to His Majesty the Tsar!" General Ivanov said.
"Yes, General." The adjutant immediately sent a telegram.
"Damn Germans, are they really going to drive us out?" Admiral Ivanov frowned tightly. The current situation is so unfavorable to them that he is very pessimistic about the next battle situation.
On the front line of Lviv, the German attack continues.
The bombers of the 8th Air Force have dropped their bombs and left the battlefield. However, those fighter jets were still hovering in the sky like vultures. Once they find the target, they will rush down fiercely and use aviation machine guns to shoot frantically, harvesting the lives of Russian soldiers.
"General, it's almost time." The adjutant said to Lieutenant General Francois.
Lieutenant General Francois nodded: "Then start the attack. Colonel Rommel, this time it's up to you. The 32nd Infantry Division and the 33rd Infantry Division, in cooperation with the armored forces, tore through the Russian defense line in one fell swoop. .”
"Yes, General." Colonel Rommel and the commanders of the two infantry divisions replied.
"Panzers, attack!" Colonel Rommel ordered loudly.
More than 80 tanks started to move and rushed to the Russian army's position. Two infantry divisions, more than 20,000 infantry, followed the tanks and launched an attack.
At this moment, the position of the Russian army has become a mess. Under the heavy bombing and shelling of the German army, their defense line seemed to have been plowed several times with a plow. All kinds of fortifications were bombed to pieces. Limbs and arms are flying everywhere.
"Quick! The Germans are coming. Enter the position to defend!" The front-line commander of the Russian army ordered loudly after discovering that the German army was attacking.
"Get up, you idiot. The Germans are coming." A low-level Russian officer grabbed the clothes of a Russian soldier and shouted loudly.
"Get up! You scumbags. The Germans are coming. If they break in, we're all dead."
The Russian soldiers who survived the heavy shelling and bombing of the German army by chance were driven into the position, just like driving cattle.
It's just that when these Russian soldiers saw the German tanks, they couldn't help being scared. Especially those soldiers of the 22nd Infantry Corps of the Russian Army, they had experienced a failure in Chelm. After seeing those tanks, the horror in their memories seemed to be awakened again.
"God! German tanks. Their tanks are coming, we can't resist their tanks at all!" A Russian soldier yelled in horror.
"Fool! Fire me!"
"Da da da!"
The heavy machine guns on the Russian army's position began to fire, but facing the heavily armored tanks, these machine gun bullets did not pose any threat at all.
Heavy machine guns may be a big killer against infantry. However, against tanks, there is no threat at all.
"Boom!"
German tanks also began to use tank guns to gradually destroy targets that threatened the infantry. This kind of tactic has been used many times by the German armored forces, and it can be said to be very familiar.
Under the attack of the German tanks, the firepower of the Russian army was destroyed one by one. Although, the Russian army is still firing wildly. But it's like it's of no use at all.
"My God! Come on, the Germans are coming." A German tank was less than 100 meters away from the Russian defense line.