"Fire!"
In the Smolensk city, the artillerymen of German 3rd Army Corps, 1st Polish Army Corps, 2nd Army Corps and 1st Belarusian Army Corps were pouring shells at Smolensk from four directions.
Although, the Poland army and Belarus army are equipped with fewer artillery than German military, and the caliber is much smaller. But at this moment, the Russian troops huddled in the city of Smolensk have lost almost all their artillery. Even the remaining ones are mostly small-caliber artillery, which cannot be compared with the cannons of German military and its allies, and can only be passively beaten.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Artillery one after another was firing, and the shells were raining down on the Smolensk city.
Buildings one after another were turned into ruins under the bombardment of German military and his allies. The fortifications built by the Russian army in the city are also being destroyed. The casualties of the Russian troops in the city are constantly rising.
The headquarters of the Russian Western Front Army is located in the underground warehouse of a department store in Smolensk. After modification and reinforcement, it became the last hiding place for General Timoshenko and others.
As one of the Russian Army's senior generals, and someone who even has great hopes of being promoted to marshal, General Timoshenko undoubtedly has great reputation and influence within the Russian Army. But unfortunately, now he has become a discarded son after leading Western Front and failing to resist German offensive.
"Moscow still doesn't agree to send reinforcements to us?" General Timoshenko asked.
"The reply from Comrade Commander, Moscow is still to let us stick to Smolensk until winter comes, and then we are allowed to break out!" a general reported.
"Hold on until winter? We are surrounded by more than two million troops of Germany people. Now there are only more than 200,000 troops in Smolensk city. How can we hold on with ten times our enemies?" General Timoshenko said with red eyes.
German military showed great strength at the beginning of the war and defeated the entire Western Front army. Even a well-known general like General Timoshenko, who has experienced many wars, was caught off guard and even lost confidence.
"Comrade Commander, this is an order from Comrade Joseph, we just have to obey it!" Xi Front Army Political Commissar General Fominikh said with a frown.
General Timoshenko looked gloomy and had no choice but to stop questioning this order. He knows very well that these political workers are all Joseph people, and they are extremely loyal to Joseph. As for Joseph, that is absolutely unacceptable to them. They may even be regarded as someone who intends to rebel. When the time comes, they can even arrest Commander General Timoshenko directly.
I have to admit that in the military, even the military chiefs have to look at the faces of these political workers.
"Okay, comrades, how can we resist the Germany people's attack now? Their bombardment has already started, and I believe their attack will start soon!" General Timoshenko said.
The other generals were silent. In fact, after Smolensk fell into a tight siege, they knew that this time it might be dangerous. Now it seems that everything is as they expected.
General Timoshenko glanced at everyone, and then said, "From now on, each department will stick to its own position. Without my order, you will never retreat without permission! Otherwise, all of them will be treated as deserters!"
"Yes, Comrade Commander!" everyone replied.
After the meeting, General Timoshenko returned to his office.
Overhead, there were still bursts of explosions. Under the fierce bombardment of German military's artillery, it was as if the ceiling was shaking. Dust kept falling from the top of the head, making the entire office very messy.
"Comrade Commander, it has been found out. Comrade Joseph has ordered the reorganization of Western Front. The future Western Front will be composed of more than twenty group armies." General Timoshenko's confidant reported to him.
"Who will be the commander of Western Front?" General Timoshenko suddenly felt a bad feeling in his heart.
"Marshal Voroshilov will be the commander of Western Front in the future," a confidant said.
General Timoshenko suddenly fell silent. He knew that he had been given up. In other words, everyone in Western Front has been abandoned. Joseph regarded them as abandoned children that would slow down the Germany people's attack. He knew what Joseph was thinking. As long as winter arrived, the Germany people would be unable to attack Moscow. After a winter of preparation, Buru was able to assemble several million troops, reorganize Western Front, and then withstand the attack of the Germany people.
However, all this has nothing to do with them. The fate of these people seems to have been decided. Among the Encirclement Offensive people of Germany people, it is impossible for them to break through. The final result is probably to be wiped out by the Germany people.
For a time, General Timoshenko was completely discouraged. It seemed as if she was completely desperate for the future.
"Comrade Commander, what should we do now?" the confidant said.
"Let's talk again!" General Timoshenko's mind was also very confused and he didn't know what to do.
German military's bombardment of Smolensk lasted for half a day. When German military launched an artillery bombardment on Smolensk, the Air Force also dispatched a large number of fighter planes to bomb Smolensk. So much so that after the shelling and bombing ended, most of the city of Smolensk had been destroyed. Those buildings have become pieces of ruins. A large number of the fortifications built by the Russian army in the city were also destroyed. The casualties of the Russian troops in the city skyrocketed.
"Start the attack!" Commander of the 3rd Army Corps Fedor von General Bock, who also launched the attack on Smolensk this time, Commander, and several armies attacking Smolensk will all be controlled by him and issued the order to attack.
German 3rd Army Corps, 1st Polish Army Corps, 2nd Army Corps and 1st Belarusian Army Corps sent troops one after another to launch an attack on Smolensk city.
For a time, brutal street fighting broke out in the city. German military and its allies' troops, totaling more than 800,000 people, stormed this city where only more than 200,000 Russian troops were garrisoned. Being trapped in a tight siege, it is almost impossible for the Russian army to hold on to Smolensk.