Chapter 776 Baseball Game

On December 20, Lieutenant Herbert Koontz of the 100th Bomber Group flew his HE-111 over the German pilots over the Caucasus.

The command gave him the order: "Look carefully to see if there is still fighting or any place where Soviets gather, then drop your bombs or report to the command, we will send more planes!"

Kontz circled at 6,000 meters on this high mountain. No anti-aircraft guns or anti-aircraft machine guns fired at him. The thick fog covered the peaks below, and the white snow made it difficult for him to find the Soviet soldiers who were also wearing white camouflage uniforms.

The observer looked straight at the radio operator and said, "Nothing, or they are down there, but we can't find anything!"

The radio operator reported these words to the command, and soon received the order to return.

As the temperature gradually dropped, the temperature in the Caucasus Mountains dropped to minus 37 degrees Celsius, which forced both the enemy and us to stay in a dormant state. In many places, there was no need to worry about sneak attacks, because if anyone did so, they would be frozen to death outside rather than killed by the enemy's guns...

The cold in the Caucasus Mountains is different from the cold during the Battle of Moscow.

The extreme cold during the Battle of Moscow was minus 40 degrees Celsius, which was lower than the temperature in the Caucasus Mountains at that time.

The problem is that there is still a strong mountain wind in the Caucasus Mountains...It's okay if there is no wind, and the clothes on the body will keep the body temperature for a while.

When there is wind, it is simply a torture, and it won't take long for the body heat to be lost. Especially the feet, gradually lost consciousness, just like walking barefoot on the ice, because the mountain wind and low temperature have long taken away the temperature of the shoes and socks. The snot is completely uncontrollable and flows out involuntarily. What's worse is that before it all flows down, it forms ice strips under the nostrils...

This bad weather also caused the Soviet and German armies to completely cease fire.

However, despite this, the German army still had to be careful because many Soviets would sneak into their camp to surrender every day... The Soviets lacked not only food, but also fuel and necessary fortifications (except for the Soviets on Mount Kazbek who occupied part of the German fortifications, in fact, the local Soviets had no fortifications).

In such extreme cold conditions, not having these meant death. Under the threat of death, the Soviet army had no choice but to surrender to the German army.

"You are the last patrol plane!" The control tower said to Koontz: "At least this winter, we don't think there is any need to waste fuel until next spring!"

"Oh!" The soldiers on the bomber cheered.

Just as they lowered their altitude and flew over the Kinov Fort, the observer saw a group of people playing baseball below, so he was tempted.

"Sir!" the observer asked, "Since we don't have any missions this winter, can we organize a baseball game?"

"Good idea, lieutenant!" the commander replied, "You can use this as a good opportunity to relax yourself!"

So, a baseball game led by Air Force Commander Major General Lorenz was launched in the German army stationed in the Caucasus.

The most excited person about this kind of thing was Werner. When he heard the news, he immediately jumped out of bed: "Hey, it's finally my turn to show off!"

"Lieutenant Colonel!" Then Werner ran to Qin Chuan and reported: "I plan to form a baseball team, will you join us?"

"Forget it, Werner!" Qin Chuan replied: "I know nothing about baseball!"

Qin Chuan did not lie. He can play some football and basketball, but he has never touched baseball... As a Chinese, he is more exposed to table tennis. There are table tennis tables in almost every school, but baseball fields are rare.

"Come on, Lieutenant Colonel!" Werner said, "I can teach you. You are a 'legendary sergeant'. You can do it!"

The soldiers laughed loudly.

"Forget it, Werner!" the baker said, "You just want something to surpass the lieutenant colonel!"

"If the Soviets also play this baseball game with us!" Alfredo said, "Then call the lieutenant colonel!"

"Yes!" Dominic said, "The lieutenant colonel seems to be only suitable for playing against the Soviets!"

...

"Sorry, Werner!" Qin Chuan refused, "That stage belongs to you, you should find some experienced people to form a team, and then win the championship for our 21st Armored Division!"

"Yes, lieutenant colonel!" Werner stepped forward to answer.

This baseball game before the battlefield started on a small scale, limited to the German troops within the Transcaucasus, and generally formed teams in divisions.

But after a few games, Marshal Manstein also heard about this.

"This is a good idea!" Manstein said to the staff: "Playing a game can relax the soldiers without leaving the front line. More importantly... This is still a humiliation and blow to the Soviets!"

"Humiliation? Blow?" The staff didn't quite understand what Manstein meant.

"Of course!" Manstein replied, "This is a competition on Soviet soil. On the other hand, the Soviets are short of food and clothing on the front line, and they even have to build roads and bridges in the severe cold to prepare for next year's battle, while we still have the energy to organize a competition... How do you think the Soviets will feel when they hear this? We can even publicize the competition to the Soviets through the radio!"

This is in line with Manstein's aristocratic spirit. What they like most is to use this kind of civilized and spiritual humiliation to the enemy, and the enemy can't even respond.

"So!" Manstein said: "Why don't we expand this event to the army group? Although this may require a little waste of fuel (the participating baseball team needs to take a plane to the competition site), we have plenty of fuel!"

Manstein immediately reported this idea to Hitler.

Hitler didn't think much and agreed to this "match" plan on the spot... At this time, Hitler's control over the front-line troops was getting tighter and tighter, and any transfer of troops above the regiment level required Hitler's personal approval.

Although everyone knew that this was contrary to the flexibility and art of the German army in combat, no one dared to try to protest against it.

Qin Chuan's mind was certainly not on this.

If baseball games are a kind of relaxation for German soldiers, then Qin Chuan's relaxation is to take this time to concentrate on further discussing the improvement of helicopters with Conrad and Biedermann.

But at this time, someone took the opportunity of the baseball game to find Qin Chuan.