The Rise Of Australasia-Chapter 1235 - 916 Offering themselves up on a platter

Chapter 1235: Chapter 916: Offering themselves up on a platter

Chapter 1235 -916: Offering themselves up on a platter

Although Grubiev’s rage was temporarily assuaged, for Pavlov, there was no relief to his own mood.

The communication and command system had been disrupted, and as the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Front Army, Pavlov could not grasp the full picture of his army’s situation.

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Without specific information on the military’s situation, strategizing accordingly was impossible. For Pavlov, the Western Front Army’s Commander-in-Chief, this was tantamount to being stripped of command over the war.

After all, how could Pavlov deploy a battle plan without knowing the exact state of the military? Random orders might lead to an outcome not much different from Order No. 3 from the Supreme Command.

Although the Supreme Command was far from the frontline, Pavlov’s Headquarters wasn’t much distant from the operational commands of the army groups.

If the commanders of these army groups were angered, sparking a mutiny, it would truly be a case of shooting oneself in the foot.

Yet, to fulfill his role as the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Front Army, Pavlov issued his first order in the war while returning to Grodno, instructing all army groups to converge on the protruding Białystok region and order the reserve forces to be ready to support Białystok at any time.

Not only was Białystok a prominent point along the German-Russian border, but it also served as a protective umbrella for Brest. If Białystok were lost, Brest would face a massive German Army offensive.

By then, even if Russia had numerous armies, they wouldn’t be able to counter the German Army’s large-scale offense. The terrain would have been breached significantly by Germany.

However, if Białystok could hold, this protruding region would still hold great strategic significance for Russia at the moment.

The military stationed in the protruding area could at any time move southward, posing a constant threat to the German Army pushing towards Brest.

What Pavlov did not expect was that while his troop movements indeed protected Białystok, it left a large void in the areas behind Grodno, including Baranovichi.

In normal times, this would not be fatal, but the critical factor was that the German Armored troops had already broken through Brest and were advancing towards Baranovichi.

At 5 p.m. on April 15th, the German 2nd Armored Group led by Guderian.

“General Guderian, we’re nearing Baranovichi in Russia. According to our reconnaissance, there seems to be a significant troop movement in Baranovichi,” the leading reconnaissance tank reported back accurately.

“Oh? A significant movement?” Guderian was curious since the movements of the Russian military were unusual at the time. “Ask the rear, see if they know where this Russian army unit is heading to.”

Although it was unclear which Russian military unit was stationed in Baranovichi, it wasn’t strange for a city like Baranovichi to host an army group, according to the specific deployment of the Russian Western Front.

After all, Baranovichi was essentially the gateway to Minsk. Within dozens of kilometers northeast of Baranovichi lay the boundary of Minsk.

About over ten minutes later, the signalman reported, “Based on the Air Force’s reconnaissance an hour ago, that army group is likely heading west toward the vicinity of Białystok.”

“Heading to Białystok?” Guderian was stunned. “Don’t they know we’ve already broken out from Brest? Then which army unit is defending Baranovichi now?”

“According to the reconnaissance by the Air Force, the Russian military forces in Baranovichi have decreased by half, and it’s estimated that the number of troops will not exceed one division,” the signalman said, his tone becoming somewhat strange.

Guderian felt like laughing. Did the Russians think so little of him and his armored troops?

While roughly the strength of one division remained to defend the city, Guderian was leading an entire armored group, and the difference in strength between the two was stark.

More importantly, Guderian’s objective wasn’t even Baranovichi; it was to encircle and cut off three groups from the Western Front Army.

The Russians gathering their troops in Białystok had unwittingly created a prime opportunity to form the German encirclement.

“Oh, God, have our spies reached the enemy’s upper echelons?” Guderian thought, even suspecting that German intelligence had infiltrated the Russian military’s high command, admiring the prowess of German intelligence personnel.

Although puzzled by the Russians’ actions, it was indeed an excellent opportunity to outflank and encircle the Russian military.

What was more important, as opposed to World War I, the encirclement and outflanking by tank forces were substantially more devastating. If the Russian army was unprepared, facing a German Army attack from the rear, they would have no means to resist whatsoever.

“Since that’s the case, let’s temporarily give up on Baranovichi,” Guderian laughed, his smile so genuine, “Let’s also head to Białystok to stir things up; I’m sure General Pavlov from Russia would give us a warm welcome.”

On the other side, what was Pavlov doing at this time?