Chapter 176 The Battle of Poland (39)

The German high command marked out numerous small squares in Warsaw, charting them on the map. Each batch of troops engaged in street fighting would seize a square, withdraw, and be replaced by fresh troops, ensuring all units gained firsthand experience in urban warfare. Though the brutality here paled in comparison to the later street battles in Stalingrad, it served to accumulate valuable combat experience for the soldiers.

The German army leisurely cleared and encroached upon the Polish defenders in Warsaw, while the front's offensive progressed systematically. This left Stalin in Moscow anxious because the Soviet forces on the frontline were still unable to breach the fortifications on the Polish border and remained at a standstill.

The Polish forces, relying on robust defenses, fought tenaciously, inflicting tens of thousands of casualties on the Soviet Red Army. Despite the entire defense line now crumbling due to a lack of reserves and follow-up supplies, it appeared it could easily withstand another ten days or more.

To underscore his concern for the front line, Stalin dispatched his right-hand man, Yezhov, to the front.

"Why haven't you broken through the Polish defense line by now, Marshal Voroshilov?!" Yezhov aggressively questioned as soon as he arrived at Voroshilov's headquarters on the front line.

Voroshilov pondered his options. Upon taking command, he discovered the dire situation. Due to logistical chaos, materials meant for continuous transport to the front were now stockpiled in Kiev and Minsk. Despite the assistance from the Germans in constructing roads, the lack of corresponding dispatching levels meant not even half of the transport capacity could be utilized.

The soldiers at the front couldn't replenish the supplies they deserved, and the ammunition fell short of the demands of large-scale battles. How could they wage war under such circumstances? He was grateful it was summer and not winter; otherwise, with such poor logistical support, countless soldiers would have perished from the cold.

"Comrade Yezhov, Leonid has left a mess here. I must sort it out before launching a large-scale attack." Leonid was the former commander. In order to avoid being sent to Siberia to dig potatoes, Voroshilov had to let him take the blame. After all, Leonid couldn't protest, given the circumstances.

Yezhov contemplated and found merit in what he said. After all, Voroshilov had only assumed office a few days ago, and expecting him to shoulder full responsibility was unreasonable. "How long will that take?"

"About two or three months." In reality, what Voroshilov wanted to say was at least six months. Only when all supplies were in place would he be confident of overcoming the Polish defense line in one fell swoop. However, he knew Stalin wouldn't have the patience to wait that long and might remove him in anger.

But it seemed he overestimated Stalin and Yezhov's patience. Yezhov nearly jumped when he heard the timeframe given by Voroshilov. "Two or three months? Marshal Voroshilov, are you joking? Don't you know the German army has encircled Warsaw and is advancing eastward? They'll reach you in less than a month!" How embarrassing it would be if the Soviet army suffered countless casualties, advanced several kilometers into Poland, and claimed a great victory?

"..." Marshal Voroshilov didn't know the speed of the German army, but what could he do? He was willing to send the soldiers to their deaths, but the prerequisite was that these soldiers' lives could be exchanged for victory.

Seeing him silent, Yezhov made a decision for him. "Continue the attack! We've never encountered any difficulties, so why retreat now?!"

Although not openly revealed, Yezhov had effectively usurped the military authority of Marshal Voroshilov and issued the order to attack across the entire front. Marshal Voroshilov didn't even dare to complain. After all, he was a confidant of the great leader Comrade Stalin. Perhaps one word could demote him from a marshal and send him to Siberia. Moreover, he knew Yezhov was adept at political work, more than capable of handling internal affairs. If he aimed to command a battle, it would be overestimating his capabilities.

Therefore, Marshal Voroshilov was content to sit back and watch Yezhov make a fool of himself, but the cost was high, and he didn't know how many soldiers would have to be sacrificed.

Yezhov's desire to showcase his strategic insight and commanding talent worsened the frontline's offensive. Due to his insistence on attacking across the entire front without prioritizing, the Soviet army dispersed its advantage in heavy weapons. After several days of continuous fighting, they failed to make any progress. One-third of the regimental commanders were killed, and another third were captured and executed, but the situation remained stagnant.

This outcome left Yezhov quite embarrassed. However, he couldn't face Marshal Voroshilov. Instead, he consulted with some mid- and high-level commanders, discussed all night, and ultimately devised a plan to concentrate superior forces for a breakthrough at a single point—a flanking maneuver.

Unfortunately, this seemingly flawless plan descended into chaos due to the lack of mid- and lower-level officers, leading to a disorderly troop assembly. The Soviet army itself became chaotic first, failing to execute the plan. The army was in disarray, with many political commissars reporting that they could no longer push the army forward!

After two failures, Yezhov finally grasped the nature of this war. Looking at the casualty numbers, he felt sweat breaking out on his forehead. He regretted coming here. All he could think about now was finding an excuse to shift responsibility for this failure.

When Voroshilov reclaimed command, he faced a mess worse than before. It couldn't get any worse.

That night, Yezhov finally lost his temper and brought two bottles of good wine to Voroshilov. Voroshilov, not wanting to provoke trouble, accepted Yezhov's silent apology.

After each consumed a bottle of high-proof vodka, both became a little disoriented. Yezhov, with a mournful face, asked, "Marshal Voroshilov, what do you think we should do now?" He had performed some magical operations here, but progress was nil, and needless casualties had increased. If they returned like this, the consequences would be unimaginable. Though he was indeed Stalin's confidant, countless people coveted his position. A misstep would be irreparable.

Though a bit confused, Voroshilov couldn't offer grand promises like capturing the defense line tomorrow. "I still say the same thing. We can only wait until the supplies are in place, and enough food and ammunition are distributed before we can continue the attack."

"But Comrade Stalin wants to see a victory as soon as possible!" Yezhov slammed the table excitedly and shouted loudly. But the next second, there was sudden silence, and his face turned a little pale.

"What's the matter? Comrade Yezhov?" Voroshilov noticed something strange and asked. "Are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"

"..." Yezhov slowly shook his head, his expression changing several times. He looked around cautiously, ensuring there was no one else, then lowered his voice and whispered, "Since Comrade Stalin wants news of victory, how about we create one for him?"

"Create one?" Voroshilov was confused. How do you create news of victory? Can you even forge such news?

"!!" Reacting, Voroshilov felt as if the roots of his hair were standing straight up. His whole body was instantly soaked in cold sweat. He looked around hurriedly and then said, "Are you crazy, Comrade Yezhov? If Comrade Stalin finds out that we dare to deceive him..." He couldn't even imagine the consequences.

Yezhov's eyes grew more determined. "Marshal Voroshilov, this defense line will be conquered by us sooner or later. We are just pre-empting news of victory. Strictly speaking, it's not deception. You must think clearly. Without news of victory, your fate will be like Leonid's. With this news, we can buy some time and achieve a greater victory. Even if we're discovered later, the merits and demerits will balance out, and nothing serious will happen to us." After coaxing and frightening, Voroshilov reluctantly agreed.