Chapter 275: Settling for Second Best
The British General Staff did not take the failure of the first offensive too seriously.
Nor did they believe they had missed the best opportunity to attack.
Instead, they felt that the failure merely proved Hobart's recklessness.
Therefore, they prepared to continue sending reinforcements to Ávila.
At this time, Vorbeck's mountain divisions had already reached the vicinity of the British supply lines and begun using the surrounding hills and villages to launch large-scale harassment raids.
During the day, British reinforcements had to endure German aerial bombardment.
At night, Vorbeck launched wave after wave of attacks against their supply routes.
It was not until three days later, after Manstein's troops breached Santarém, that the British General Staff finally chose to settle for second best.
They ordered the 1st and 3rd Armored Divisions to withdraw from Ávila and focus their main attack on Salamanca.
At the same time, they issued a death order.
The expeditionary force had to breach Salamanca within three days in order to relieve the imminent pressure caused by Portugal's collapse.
The one under the greatest pressure was undoubtedly the 16th Infantry Division, which had been holding Salamanca.
To boost morale, Division Commander Halka Riel had even braved artillery fire to give a speech on the front line.
For that, he took a solid bullet to the shoulder.
But the disparity in numbers and artillery fire still forced his troops to retreat step by step.
More than a week after the defense began, over half of Salamanca had already been lost.
The Spanish Advance Army defending alongside them had been reduced to only ten thousand men.
The 16th Infantry Division had also lost more than half its strength.
The Salamanca that had been painstakingly rebuilt was once again reduced to ruins.
And this time, those ruins were even more completely shattered than they had been during the civil war.
Facing their death order, the British Army abandoned the struggle for individual buildings.
Although they lacked air superiority, they relied on their vastly superior artillery fire to blast every building into ruins.
They used the lives of soldiers to exchange for progress in capturing the city.
"When will the reinforcements arrive?"
Division Commander Riel, his shoulder wrapped in gauze, asked while supporting himself against the edge of the table with one hand.
"Mr. Vorbeck's Mountain Army cannot provide support."
The adjutant had lost a finger, and his head was wrapped in bloodstained gauze, but he did not hesitate as he reported.
"They are currently fighting alongside the Spanish armored division against the British armored forces."
"If the British armored forces are allowed to withdraw, it will be even harder for us to resist here."
"What about the reinforcements sent from France?" Riel asked.
"The British are very clever. They blew up several railways. Repairs will take at least a day."
"Combined with the mountains along the Spanish-French border, the French reinforcements will need at least three days to reach Salamanca."
"Good."
Riel's voice was hoarse, but steady.
"Then I will risk my life to fight for that third day."
He looked around at the officers in the command post.
"Tell every soldier that even if they have to drag this battle out with their lives, they must hold until the third day for me."
"If they return alive, I will personally award them medals."
The roar of artillery fire rang beside his ears.
Yet there was not the slightest trace of fear in Riel's voice.
On the other side, Montgomery also noticed the German troops moving toward Salamanca.
Looking at the map, he ordered, "Have the 1st and 3rd Armored Divisions withdrawn yet?"
"Tell their commanders that the moment they withdraw, they are to flank toward the north of Salamanca and use their high mobility to block the German reinforcements."
"If we take Salamanca, there is still a chance to fight."
Late at night.
Berlin.
Wehrmacht underground bunker.
Jörg gazed at the operational map and fell into deep thought.
He had to admit that the British had improved a great deal.
The move of striking directly at Madrid had indeed been ingenious. It had nearly disrupted the entire defensive structure of Spain.
"How is the defense of Salamanca?"
Jörg asked while taking the coffee handed to him by an attendant.
"It is very difficult, Commander in Chief."
The staff officer's expression was solemn.
"The only German unit defending Salamanca is the 16th Infantry Division. Their losses are high, and more than half of the urban area has been lost."
"Now the British Army has abandoned its offensive against Madrid and turned all its energy toward the Battle of Salamanca."
"According to the telegram sent by Riel, commander of the 16th Division, they can hold for at most three days."
"But according to our conservative estimates, they have at most two days."
"The French Army will only arrive in three days."
The staff officer had already prepared himself for the total annihilation of the 16th Infantry Division.
Although he hated to admit it, this would indeed be the first division-level German unit to be completely annihilated since the war began.
But Jörg did not think so.
He tapped Santarém, where Manstein was located.
"No."
His voice was calm.
"I believe in my soldiers."
"And I believe even more in my division commander."
"If Riel says three days, then it is three days."
"He will not give me one day less."
Jörg looked at the map.
"How severe are the losses of Manstein's armored divisions?"
The staff officer answered truthfully, "In terms of equipment, not severe."
"But the soldiers are somewhat… exhausted."
"Then let them tighten their last string."
Jörg's finger moved along the operational line.
"Tell Manstein not to plan an offensive against Lisbon."
"The British have definitely landed more expeditionary forces in Lisbon."
"They will not be able to take it in a short time. Extending our front line to the Santarém area is already enough."
"The infantry divisions are not to move. They will maintain the defensive line at Santarém."
"The armored divisions are to attack Alonxis at the fastest possible speed and strike directly toward Salamanca."
His eyes sharpened.
"Within three days, I want to see them appear behind the British offensive forces."
Jörg had seen the British weakness.
Capturing Lisbon was not something that could be decided in a moment.
Breaking the British Army's offensive momentum was more important than the capital of Portugal.
"Right now, all of Britain's offensive focus is on Salamanca, while their defensive focus is on Lisbon."
"That means the strength of their rear defense will definitely not be too high."
"If it were another armored force, I might doubt whether they could do it."
"But Manstein can."
He turned to the staff officer.
"Send him a telegram."
"Have him answer personally."
Santarém.
The resolution of the Madrid crisis did not allow Manstein to breathe a sigh of relief.
There was still no sign of relaxation in his tightly furrowed eyes.
"How long will it take us to take Lisbon?"
He looked at the officers before him.
"Give me an exact time."
"According to reconnaissance plane reports, the British have sent a large number of additional troops into Lisbon."
The officer's voice was grave.
"Even if we accept the cost of high casualties and deploy all units, including the armored divisions, into the assault, it will still take more than a week."
This length of time was clearly unacceptable to Manstein.
He now felt a trace of self-reproach for not allowing the 3rd Armored Division to fully participate in the siege of Santarém earlier.
If they had been one day faster, the offensive against Lisbon could have begun one day earlier.
Looking at the map, Manstein suddenly had another thought.
If he struck directly at the tungsten mining region to reinforce Salamanca, would that be a better choice after settling for second best?
Just then, a messenger hurried inside.
"Sir, secret telegram from Berlin."
.....
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