"General, if all else fails, we should travel by night! The German aircraft can only operate during the day; at night, they pose no threat to us. We can march after dusk and hide in the woods during the day, effectively minimizing our losses," suggested a major general.
"This is a sound plan. German planes cannot operate after dark," several officers quickly agreed.
"However, marching at night will severely hinder our speed. The Germans are relentlessly pursuing us. If our retreat slows, we may soon be caught," voiced another commander with concern.
"Yet it is far preferable to facing German air assaults by day. This afternoon, our forces barely covered ten kilometers. At this rate, we wouldn't even traverse the distance we could cover in a single night. Moreover, the continual aerial bombardments are devastating our morale," countered a senior officer.
General Lezetsky furrowed his brow, weighing the opinions of his subordinates. Their arguments were compelling, and it was now his responsibility as commander to make a choice.
"Tonight, we will travel under cover of darkness. Ensure that all units are organized to prevent soldiers from falling behind. We must complete our concealment within an hour of dawn, and resume our march once the sun sets!" Lezetsky decisively declared, opting for nocturnal movement to avoid direct attacks from German aircraft.
The ferocity of the German air strikes had unnerved even Lezetsky. Having lost five thousand men in a single afternoon, he feared that further assaults could decimate the 9th Army Corps within days. The risks of continuing under daylight conditions were too great. As for the slower pace at night, they would have to compensate by pushing themselves as hard as possible. This was, in Lezetsky's view, the most prudent course of action.
That night, the Russian 9th Army Corps pressed on, foregoing rest. The weary soldiers, already on edge, struggled to maintain their pace under the threats from their officers and the crack of whips. The fear of another German aerial assault was a significant motivator; they did not wish to end up like their unfortunate comrades, torn apart by enemy fire.
Through the night, the Russians marched. By dawn, exhaustion hung heavily over them.
Lezetsky ordered his forces to find concealment to evade German airstrikes. Immediately, many Russian soldiers vanished from the roads, seeking refuge in the woods and valleys, striving to hide their numbers and avoid detection, lest they invite another barrage.
The following day, the German 8th Air Force launched its aircraft once more, patrolling southward along the roads in search of Russian forces. These planes were armed with machine-gun ammunition and bombs; should they locate the Russians, chaos would undoubtedly ensue.
To the pilots' bewilderment, however, their search yielded no trace of the enemy.
"What's going on? Where have those Russians vanished to?" one pilot exclaimed.
"Could it be they learned to fly? Did they escape to beyond our range overnight?" another speculated.
Brigadier General Corey, upon learning of this situation, was taken aback. He had relished the previous day's success and had hoped for even greater achievements in today's mission. The sudden disappearance of the Russians, however, left him speechless. If he could not find them, not only would their hard-won glory slip away, but they would also fail to fulfill the task assigned by Qin Tian, a significant dilemma.
"Contact the forward pilots; search with all your might. I refuse to believe the Russians could have vanished overnight. It is impossible. They must be hiding in some concealed locations to avoid our strikes," Corey said through clenched teeth.
"Yes, sir," the aide quickly replied and relayed the orders.
The German pilots scoured the area for signs of the Russians. Realizing their fuel was running low, they ultimately had to return. They had no choice; failure to do so would leave them without enough fuel to safely return to base, risking crash landing.
As German planes flew overhead, the Russian soldiers remained hidden in the woods, scarcely daring to breathe, fearful of attracting the aircraft's attention.
Consequently, the Russians refrained from making fires, consuming only stale bread with tepid water. Such conditions were undeniably dire.
Even so, concealing over a hundred thousand troops was no easy feat, and many Russian soldiers were inevitably exposed. Awaiting them were the devastating attacks from German fighter planes and bombers.
The fighters rained bullets upon the woods; although most rounds struck the trees, some inflicted casualties. The bombers faced similar challenges, yet still managed to cause significant harm to the Russians.
While the Russians' chosen method of retreat spared them from direct targeting, it also left the 8th Air Force without a clear target for further assaults. Nevertheless, upon learning this, Qin Tian was not overly concerned. He ordered the German 8th Army Corps to continue pursuing the Russians. With the Russians opting for nocturnal travel and slowing their retreat, this suited the 8th Army Corps perfectly.
As the Russian retreat slowed, the German pursuit quickened. A vast number of trucks were mobilized from the rear, transporting personnel and equipment to southern Poland, preparing to intercept the retreat of the Russian 9th Army Corps.
Four wheels undoubtedly traveled faster than two legs. If the Russian Cossack cavalry and infantry acted independently, they might evade capture; however, their combined movement was akin to walking into a trap.
On September 16, the German 8th Army's 8th Armored Division and an infantry division from the 11th Army seized Płock, blocking the Russians' escape route.