"Quickly! The train is about to arrive. All units, be prepared. Ensure that all equipment is loaded onto the train within half an hour," ordered a battalion commander to the officers and soldiers below.
At the Tannenberg train station, it had become the busiest station in all of East Prussia. The 11th Army, the 20th Army, and the 8th Armored Division of the 8th Corps were all set to transfer from here to Lake Masurian.
The 8th Armored Division had already departed, needing to receive new tanks and spend time familiarizing themselves with the new equipment to quickly become combat-ready for the impending battle against the Russian 1st Army.
A few minutes later, a train entered the station. While the train was being refueled with water and coal, the soldiers orderly boarded the carriages. Naturally, to maximize the number of soldiers and equipment transported, each carriage was crammed to capacity, resembling cans of sardines. Although it may not compare to the future spring rush in China, the situation was quite similar. Particularly, the generally tall stature of German soldiers made their confinement in the carriages even more uncomfortable.
However, these Germans were remarkably resilient. Soldiers, in particular, could endure hardships without a single complaint.
To transport as many troops to Lake Masurian as possible, road transport was also indispensable alongside the railways. Convoys of Maybach trucks, laden with fully armed German soldiers, hurried towards Lake Masurian. Although the current trucks had limited capacities, each could only carry a single platoon of soldiers and their gear, over two thousand trucks had been allocated to the 8th Corps by Qin Tian. After accounting for those used for transporting supplies, it was still possible to transport an entire division's worth of soldiers and equipment to Lake Masurian at once.
Thanks to Germany's emphasis on transportation infrastructure, both rail and road networks boasted the highest density and best quality in Europe, enabling the 8th Corps to move swiftly.
According to the 8th Corps' General Staff's plan, it would take only two days to transport the 11th Army, the 20th Army, and the 8th Armored Division to Lake Masurian. This meant that by the evening of August 23, they could all arrive at the eastern side of Lake Masurian and take their designated positions, launching their offensive on August 24.
For the Russian 1st Army, evacuating the Lake Masurian area within two days was nearly impossible, especially with the 17th Army trailing closely behind them, launching attacks. They had been delaying the Russian 1st Army and often had to retreat to avoid frightening the Russians. Consequently, much of their combat potential had gone unrealized. Now, however, they could unleash their full strength, inflicting even greater casualties on the Russians and hindering their retreat, allowing the main forces to catch up and buy more time.
"Fire!"
On the morning of August 23, at the artillery positions of the 87th Infantry Division of the German 17th Army, 75mm field guns, 105mm light howitzers, and 155mm heavy howitzers had raised their barrels, targeting a Russian blocking position.
General Leiningkamp of the Russian 1st Army had anticipated a German pursuit during their retreat, thus leaving several Russian units to conduct layered defensive operations, aiming to slow down the Germans and secure more time for the main forces to withdraw.
Despite suffering heavy losses in previous battles, the main force still remained. This army was a colossal entity with 20 infantry divisions and two cavalry divisions, boasting a formidable strength of over 300,000 soldiers. Even after accounting for losses, nearly 300,000 remained, making it a powerful force.
However, General Leiningkamp was thoroughly frightened and did not dare to remain for further combat. The ease with which the German 8th Corps had dispatched the 2nd Army proved that their combat capability far surpassed that of the Russian 2nd Army. It was worth noting that even the 1st Army could not defeat the 2nd Army in such a short timeframe. Therefore, Leiningkamp naturally believed that his 1st Army was no match for the Germans. For him, retreating became the wisest choice.
Even General Ivan Jilinski, stationed in Warsaw, shared the same viewpoint. Thus, General Leiningkamp could resolutely decide to expedite the retreat, disregarding everything else.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The German artillery roared to life, raining shells onto the Russian infantry positions. The cacophony of explosions erupted as the hastily constructed defensive positions of the Russians proved utterly incapable of withstanding the ferocious German bombardment. Their fortifications were swiftly obliterated, leaving the Russian soldiers inside either dead or wounded.
The German bombardment continued relentlessly for a full half hour. Such a ferocious onslaught directly reduced the Russian defenses to ruins, resulting in catastrophic casualties.
Indeed, in some areas, Russian forces, suffering overwhelming losses, proactively retreated.
Subsequently, the Germans launched their offensive.
The immense firepower afforded the Germans a significant advantage in defense, enabling them to slay their foes with devastating efficiency. In the offensive phase, this overwhelming firepower translated into a formidable assault capability.
When the Germans attacked, the Russian defenders on the frontline were often so suppressed by the intense fire that they could scarcely lift their heads, let alone counterattack. Coupled with the low morale of the rear guard, their fighting spirit was severely weakened. Faced with the powerful German advance, their defenses quickly crumbled.
Once the front line was breached, large numbers of Russian soldiers scattered in panic. If caught in pursuit, these Russian soldiers often surrendered, raising their hands in defeat. For these demoralized troops, preserving their lives was of paramount importance.
This enabled the 17th Army to capture numerous Russian soldiers during the pursuit. However, accommodating these prisoners of war consumed valuable time.
Nonetheless, despite these challenges, the Russian 1st Army's escape from Lake Masurian was far from simple.
In their desperate attempt to evade the relentless German pursuit, the Russians even voluntarily abandoned a significant amount of heavy equipment. They did not consider how they would engage the Germans in battle without these critical assets once they were cornered.