"Tat-tat-tat!"
The German fighter planes in the sky unleashed a relentless barrage of bullets from their dense machine guns, sweeping the ground where Russian soldiers stood.
In an instant, the air was filled with piercing screams. Countless Russian soldiers fell, lifeless, under the merciless onslaught.
"Oh God! Run! The German planes will kill us all!"
A throng of Russian soldiers cried out in terror, fleeing from the road into the fields and forests, desperately seeking refuge from the aerial assault.
An F2 fighter plane streaked overhead, releasing two small bombs that plummeted into the ranks of the Russian troops.
"Boom! Boom!"
The explosions claimed the lives of several soldiers instantly, with countless others left wounded.
Faced with the slaughter from above, the Russian troops were powerless to retaliate. Their only option was to scatter in panic.
Many Russian soldiers fell victim to the gunfire from the German planes.
Due to the limited ammunition and bombs the planes carried, the 81st Fighter Squadron of the German 8th Air Fleet had to return after exhausting their firepower within just ten minutes.
Nonetheless, the 36 F2 fighters had inflicted casualties exceeding a thousand among the Russians. This capacity for destruction was undeniably terrifying, and the ensuing panic was even more profound—many soldiers were so frightened they wet themselves, let alone continue fighting.
This was merely the beginning; the impact of the 8th Air Fleet's three fighter squadrons and three bomber squadrons launching successive attacks would surely be devastating.
Only after the German planes departed did the Russian forces attempt to regroup. Locating the panicked soldiers hidden in the woods and fields and forming them into ranks again proved to be a daunting task, especially as their morale was shattered.
When the Russians finally reassembled and resumed marching along the road, German aircraft reappeared in the northern sky.
This time, the Russian soldiers were like startled birds. Without needing a command, they scattered, frantically searching for hiding places. The gruesome images of their comrades, slaughtered by the German fighters, haunted them and deepened their fear.
This wave of aircraft was no longer F2 fighters but rather the 36 H1 bombers of the 82nd Bomber Squadron. These bombers were considerably larger than the fighters and carried far more powerful weapons—each H1 bomber was laden with twenty 25-kilogram bombs.
"Lower altitude! Release the bombs at three hundred meters!" commanded the officer.
The thirty-six H1 bombers began their descent, and at an altitude of only three hundred meters, the massive aircraft became clearly visible to the Russian soldiers below, many of whom turned pale with fear.
"Oh God! The Germans have such enormous planes; how can we possibly defeat them?"
This sentiment echoed among the ranks of Russian soldiers.
As the German bombers soared overhead, their bomb bays opened, releasing the munitions like dumplings falling into a pot.
"What are those? Is the plane laying eggs?" a bewildered Russian soldier asked.
"You fool! Those are bombs the Germans are dropping—get down!" an officer shouted, quickly throwing himself to the ground.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
As the bombs fell from the German bombers, a series of explosions rocked the ground. Amidst the continuous detonations, numerous Russian soldiers were torn apart.
"Oh God!" The sight left the soldiers aghast and dumbfounded. They had become some of the first in this era to witness such a relentless bombing, and the sheer magnitude of destruction left them paralyzed with fear.
In reality, the 36 H1 bombers inflicted only modest casualties on the Russians, with fatalities numbering merely in the low thousands. For the 9th Army Corps, comprised of over a hundred thousand troops, this loss was not catastrophic. What proved unbearable was the blow to morale and the precious time lost.
Throughout the afternoon of September 14th, the 8th Air Fleet's squadrons took turns striking the Russian forces, resulting in over five thousand deaths. More critically, countless soldiers were left wounded, necessitating additional resources for evacuation. This would inevitably delay the Russian retreat even further.
Faced with the relentless pursuit of the German 8th Army, General Lezetsky of the Russian 9th Army Corps initially sought to withdraw swiftly. While this would result in significant troop losses, it would preserve the core forces for future battles. However, the German 8th Army was determined to seize the opportunity to eradicate the Russian main body. They would employ every means necessary to thwart the Russian withdrawal, utilizing their air force to impede the retreat speed as a crucial strategy.
That afternoon, under the aerial bombardment of the 8th Air Fleet, the Russian 9th Army Corps' withdrawal was severely hampered, covering a mere ten kilometers throughout the entire afternoon.
Upon learning of this situation, General Lezetsky's face darkened like the bottom of a pot.
"General, the Germans are relentlessly deploying aircraft to attack us. Our losses are significant.
Moreover, our march speed has been critically delayed. At this rate, it won't be long before their main forces catch up with us," a lieutenant general reported.
Lezetsky nodded gravely. "Indeed, we never anticipated the Germans would possess such formidable aircraft or that they would utilize them to hinder our retreat. Does anyone have a solution?"
The gathered Russian generals exchanged glances in silence, each uncertain about how to resolve the dire predicament they faced.