"The Finns performed very well. Tell them to keep up the good work!" General Blomberg, commander of the German Army's Army Group A, was highly satisfied with the Finnish Army's performance in this battle.
"Yes, Commander. The area occupied by one hundred thousand Finns in Ulyanovsk's urban district is even larger than that occupied by two hundred thousand troops from the Baltic States!" said General Wilhelm Keitel, commander of the 4th Army Corps.
General Blomberg nodded. "In another half month, the weather will become bitterly cold. We must seize the remaining urban areas of Ulyanovsk within half a month."
Although Germany had prepared before the war to fight through the bitter winter, that was a choice born of necessity. If possible, no German commander wanted to wage large-scale battles in winter. Neither the Germans nor their allies could endure the severe cold; otherwise, it would lead to massive non-combat casualties caused by freezing weather. That was why General Blomberg hoped the fighting would end within half a month. Then the German military could shift to the defensive.
Half a month was enough. There were not many remaining Russian troops inside Ulyanovsk. They would soon be dealt with!" General Wilhelm Keitel said confidently.
"General Keitel, keep a closer eye on the battle for Ulyanovsk. From now on, I must turn my attention to the second phase of operations," General Blomberg said gravely.
"Yes, Commander," General Wilhelm Keitel replied.
The so-called second phase of operations was the second stage of Operation Barbarossa. This phase would consist of defensive operations, spanning from late October 1939 to March 1940—the Russian winter.
During this phase, the German military would shift to defense along the entire front, constructing solid defensive lines before the harsh winter arrived and waiting for the Russians to launch their counterattack. Although