贝尔扎尼 is merely a small town. However, after the 32nd Infantry Division of the German 11th Army was stationed here, the entire town was transformed into a formidable fortress overnight under German construction efforts. With the strength of an infantry division and over twenty tanks from the 8th Armored Division, they possessed formidable power.
This location serves as a critical juncture for the Russian forces retreating eastward. If the Russians wish to detour, they must traverse treacherous mountains or cover over a hundred kilometers—an incredibly challenging prospect for an army intent on escape.
On October 14, the main forces of the Russian 8th Army arrived in 贝尔扎尼. However, the decision to launch a strong attack or to circumvent the town left General Брухиноff in a quandary. Although the German forces in 贝尔扎尼 were not numerous, Брухиноff dared not underestimate them. The combat effectiveness of the Germans had already been validated through real battle experiences. Even with over two hundred thousand soldiers in the Russian 8th Army, Брухиноff lacked confidence in defeating the Germans and seizing 贝尔扎尼, especially with the fierce pursuit of the Austrian 3rd Army looming. If he delayed for a day or two, the Austro-Hungarian forces might catch up, placing him in a precarious position.
"Order all units to launch an attack in half an hour. We must take 贝尔扎尼, or we are finished," General Брухиноff commanded.
"Yes, General," the adjutant replied, relaying the orders.
Half an hour later, the 26th Infantry Corps of the Russian 8th Army, as the vanguard, initiated the assault on 贝尔扎尼. Prior to the attack, the Russians conducted a brief artillery preparation. However, due to the loss of many of their cannons and shells, this preparation lasted only about ten minutes, firing off a meager two to three hundred shells. Such a display of firepower posed no real threat to the entrenched positions of the German 32nd Infantry Division.
"Ura! Ura!"
After the artillery preparation, over twenty thousand Russian soldiers surged forward against the German 32nd Infantry Division's defenses, their battle cries echoing as they charged fiercely, seemingly undeterred by the prospect of death.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The cannons of the German 32nd Infantry Division began to unleash a torrent of fire, raining shells upon the advancing Russian ranks. Explosions tore through their formations, claiming countless lives and leaving behind gaping voids.
Yet, the sheer number of Russian troops allowed them to readily fill these gaps.
"Daka! Daka!"
As the Russians closed in to within a hundred meters of the German defenses, machine guns on the German positions erupted in fire. A crossfire of general-purpose and light machine guns sealed the path of the advancing Russians, sending a hail of bullets that shredded their ranks.
"Ura! Ura!"
The attacking Russians slammed into the concentrated fire of the Germans as if they were crashing against an invisible wall, suffering severe casualties.
"Damn it! Continue the assault!" Despite the rising death toll, the Russian commanders appeared to disregard the staggering losses, insisting that their troops press on. In their eyes, the lives of these soldiers were inconsequential—merely fodder for the battle. Even if many were lost, replacements could quickly be found, rendering their deaths a matter of little concern.
The 8th Army launched multiple waves of attacks on 贝尔扎尼, yet none managed to breach the German defenses, incurring substantial losses instead. Meanwhile, the Austrian 3rd Army was drawing nearer.
By October 15, the Austrian 3rd Army completed the encirclement of the Russian 8th Army. With Germans ahead and Austrians behind, the Russian forces found themselves in a dire predicament.
After being surrounded, the Russian 8th Army attempted several breakout maneuvers. However, apart from a handful of units, the majority failed to escape successfully.
Ultimately, on the afternoon of October 16, the encircled tens of thousands of Russian troops surrendered to the German-Austrian coalition. Notably, General Брухиноff was not among the surrendering Russian commanders. In fact, it was his hardline stance that allowed other Russian leaders remaining in the encirclement to abandon their fear and choose surrender. Had Брухиноff still been inside the encirclement, they would not have dared to capitulate to the coalition.
The surrender of the main forces of the Russian 8th Army rendered this once-powerful group nearly nonexistent. Originally comprising three hundred thousand troops, they now had fewer than ten thousand remaining.
Even if Брухиноff and the other commanders of the 8th Army returned to replenish their ranks, restoring the army's combat effectiveness would take a considerable amount of time.
The near annihilation of the 8th Army represented a significant blow to the Russian Southwestern Front. Among its four subordinate armies, two had been rendered virtually defunct, with the remaining two also on the brink of collapse.
The Russian 3rd Army, due to its positioning further north, faced threats along nearly all its retreat routes. The main forces of the German 8th Corps and the Austrian 2nd Corps launched a pincer movement against them.
In a desperate situation, General Руский of the Russian 3rd Army was compelled to order a retreat in small groups to avoid being cornered by the German-Austrian coalition.
However, even with this tactic, the main forces of the Russian 3rd Army could not evade pursuit. Throughout the operation, reconnaissance planes from the German 8th Air Force provided intelligence support, leaving the Austrians with no escape routes.
Ultimately, only a few tens of thousands from the Russian 3rd Army managed to escape.
The Russian 11th Army fared slightly better. Positioned in the southernmost sector, they faced the weakest pursuing forces of the Austrian 4th Army, allowing the remaining twenty thousand troops to largely evade capture and return to Russia. Nonetheless, even with this, the German-Austrian coalition decimated over a million Russian soldiers in this campaign, achieving an extraordinarily glorious victory.