Canteen System Assistance Notes

It not only uses the vanilla extract, lemon essential oil, and cinnamon oil commonly found in "Hele" beverages, but also adds very small amounts of orange blossom, cinnamon, and nutmeg to balance the flavor. After extensive tasting, this "Eight-Way Cola" also incorporates "mysterious ingredient A," including extracts of certain Chinese herbal medicines and some strange vegetables. This allows it to provide drinkers with 95% of the refreshing flavor of Coca-Cola while also giving them a hint of Chinese herbal fragrance, as well as a slight thirst-quenching, lung-moistening, and smoothing effect, making it more suitable for Chinese tastes.

Taking this relationship into consideration, Liu He and Liu Lian even went to the trouble of the Chairman to take the "Meilin" meaning from Cao Cao's story of "looking at the plum to quench thirst" and named the trademark pattern of "Meilin Cola" for this cola.

After opening the cap of a glass soda bottle or pressing down the marble of a marble soda bottle, the drinker will first be enveloped by the stimulating bubbles accompanied by the "pyratto" sound of carbon dioxide, and then taste the blissful deliciousness of caramel syrup, and be quickly captured by the dopamine produced in the brain. After the sweet but not greasy, refreshing aroma slides down the esophagus into the stomach, the slightly refreshing bitter taste and medicinal aroma will surge up along the respiratory tract, like the aftertaste of fine wine or the tail fragrance of perfume.

Of course, there are also those little hiccups of happiness and satisfaction."

It has more layered flavors, is more suitable for the taste of Chinese people, has a lower price, and even has the bonus of being a national product... Once such products are launched on the market, they instantly gain a large number of fans and are very popular.

Whether it was the raw pulp factory and bottling plant in the liberated areas, or the canteen branch that started the homemade beverage process after a "demonstration", or the "Sino-French Pharmacy" branch hidden in the Portuguese Concession in Haojing, they were all extremely busy for a while and had to work overtime to produce at full capacity to meet the surging demand for beverages.

Soldiers on the front lines find it sweet and refreshing, able to quickly replenish energy, and an excellent means of entertainment and pastime between battles; truck drivers and herders along the Northwest Passage find it delicious and refreshing, able to neutralize the stomach discomfort caused by eating beef and mutton, making it an excellent companion to meals; and workers engaged in manual labor and students and cadres engaged in mental labor also like to have a little of this "sweet water" when they are tired, which will not make them drunk and cause them to waste time, to comfort their exhausted bodies or minds.

In Southeast Asia and Guangdong and Guangxi, it has become a fashionable drink in the Chinese community along with "Airo Brain Tonic".

In addition, in the Kuomintang-controlled areas, this "domestic beverage" imported and packaged by a certain Yang Corporation was also openly served in the banquet halls of many dignitaries, becoming the famous "Anti-Japanese War Coke" and being given strange political meanings.

However, every time this happened, before serving the Coke to the table, the Nationalist government staff would always arrange for someone to carefully check whether the Mao-style label had been torn off cleanly, as a form of resistance to cover up their own mistakes.

-----—

At the same time, as the war progressed, this drink flowed back to the Soviet Union along with Soviet staff in China. In addition to being loved by many carbonated drink lovers, it was actually favored by Georgy Konstantinovich Zhukov.

This general specifically contacted his Chinese comrades in Fushe through Comrade Bielski of the Chinese Office in China, requesting that they regularly arrange a return truck to deliver a special version of "Merlin Cola" with a reduced Chinese herbal flavor and a red five-pointed star sticker. This served as his "loyal comrade" during his late nights working overtime to command the battle, helping him endure those cold nights under heavy pressure.

This "privileged" behavior vanished after the war, along with the normalization of Sino-Soviet trade. Meanwhile, the general's endorsement of Y, along with the positive reputation it had earned among Soviet troops, propelled this soda product, once considered the "second in command" of socialism, to rapid popularity throughout the socialist bloc, becoming the world's most popular carbonated beverage.

Eventually, with the changes of the times and the fall of trade barriers, Merlin Cola even successfully occupied a place in the market in Western Europe that was monopolized by Coca-Cola and Pepsi, becoming the red cola that could participate in the "three-way division of the world".

Chapter 719: The Legend of Carbonate (Part 2) Iron Man and Jianlibao

Just as there were four members of the "Three Musketeers" and five members of the "Four Heavenly Kings," the carbonated legends* created by the Communists are not limited to Merlin Cola and the special edition "Venus Cola" without the medicinal flavor. Among them, not all legends came from a flash of inspiration from a comrade who was trying to stir up trouble.

As we all know, when working in hot environments, humans, as warm-blooded animals, sweat profusely to maintain a stable core body temperature through evaporation. Sweat contains salt, and excessive sweating not only causes water loss but also salt loss in the body. If not replenished in time, this can lead to electrolyte imbalances and dehydration, which can even be fatal in severe cases.

Therefore, in many high-temperature environments in the liberated areas, electrolyte drinks, used to replenish salt, energy, and refresh the mind, became essential labor supplies. The metallurgical industry, which constantly dealt with high temperatures, had an even greater demand for these products.

Therefore, whenever a steel enterprise was built, the border region government would always provide it with a workshop to produce electrolyte drinks to ensure the workers' labor needs. And considering that steel mills have the ability to produce their own carbon dioxide gas, the steel mill version of this electrolyte drink naturally became almost the only option.

"salt soda water".

By cooling the "electrolyte water" that is rationally composed of sodium, potassium, magnesium ions as well as sugar, spices and flavors, and then pressurizing and aerating it and dissolving carbon dioxide in it, you can get salty soda with a good taste, which can meet the workers' most basic needs for heatstroke prevention, cooling down and quenching their thirst.

However, the Eighth Route Army, whose objective conditions in this time and space have greatly improved, is not satisfied with simply being "not bad".

Under the coordination of the border region government and education departments, Professor Hou Zonglien, the principal of the Fujian Provincial Medical College, who had long been "incorporated" by the Eighth Route Army and moved it from Shaxian County to Guanzhong (even bringing a Shaxian snack shop with him), was awarded a project titled "Research on the Pathogenesis and Preventive Measures of Periodic Paralysis Based on Electrolyte Disorders."

Using new lab equipment and scientific research methods, Professor Hou's team conducted experiments while consuming various trial carbonated beverages. After three months, they finally successfully developed a salty soda formula with a ratio of 90% sodium ions, 1% potassium ions, and 50% sugar added, with no more than 80% added sugar.

While pioneering numerous firsts in domestic neuroscience and electrophysiology research, this project also provided the Eighth Route Army's labor protection workshops with a feasible and easily achievable scientific formulation. While ensuring scientific and functional integrity, it fully considered the current production practices in the border regions. It is not only easy to prepare but also has a pleasant flavor. The formula can also be fine-tuned to suit different tastes while maintaining the required ion ratio, resulting in a practical and delicious labor protection beverage.

Soon, the "Minyi version" salty soda was put into production in the labor protection workshops of major factories, becoming an excellent companion for heavy manual workers to replenish physical energy and electrolytes.

Even in many cases, this salty and sweet drink will be a favorite of many new workers.

This was the first time I drank carbonated soda in my life.

However, the innovative spirit unique to the Liberated Areas was once again evident at this point. Not long after, the workers raised a new idea: "This thing is good, but can it be made better?"

As a highly disciplined, proactive, and creative class, the workers in the Jiefang District quickly began improving the salty soda after writing a letter to the project team at the Fujian Provincial Medical College (Guanzhong Campus). Considering that beverages typically don't undergo significant functional adjustments, these creative workers quickly sought out relevant food science books and, together with the craftspeople in the soda workshop, formed several interest groups to begin refining the soda's flavor.

Suddenly, all sorts of "modified salty sodas" began to emerge from major metallurgical plants, machining factories, and even infrastructure engineering camps in the border region. After public review and voting filtered out a large number of bizarre green-skinned products (such as peach-flavored soda with a lot of flavor and no juice), two improved sodas finally stood out in the second half of 1941, receiving positive reviews from the public and recognition from experts.

They are "Lemon Mint Soda" from Fushi Special Steel and Yanchang Oilfield, and "Grape Soda" from Huinong Steel Consortium.

The former was created by a group at Fushi Special Steel. After reducing the total salt content, they added menthol and lemon peel extract to the soda, reducing the metallic taste of potassium ions and enhancing the refreshing mint and lemon flavors. Chilled with well water or a "chemical soil refrigerator," this drink can cool your throat and stomach even in the hottest summer weather, bringing a chill and a breath of blissful coolness.

The Yanchang Oilfield Soda Workshop, which participated in the development and tasting of this drink, gave it a nice name - "Iron Man Soda", symbolizing the workers' iron physique and willpower.

The latter approached the grape farms and wineries at the foot of the Helan Mountains, scavenging some leftover grape juice from winemaking and concocting a grape-flavored soda. After adding vitamin C and spices to address shelf life issues, a certain "minister of no concern" dubbed the new beverage "Jianlibao" and its legend began in Ning Province.

Compared to Iron Man Soda, which downgrades its functional properties and focuses on improving taste, the Huinong Steel Complex's "Jianlibao" retains more electrolytes and compensates for the lack of flavor with sugar and flavoring. Furthermore, due to its larger coking plant and nearby glass factory, Huinong's soda is more fizzy and affordable. Simply return the bottle after use, and the actual cost of a bottle is low enough that even farmers living near the factory can enjoy it occasionally.

After all, in the liberated areas at that time, a bottle of soda of the same capacity would be more popular even if it was one cent cheaper.

Finally, with the joining of the commercial system, "Iron Man Soda" and "Jianlibao" selected from the metallurgical system and the petroleum system officially embarked on the road of large-scale production after completing the formula adjustment and process finalization.

These two drinks provided soldiers, cadres, and students in the liberated areas with an alternative to Merlin Cola, becoming a small treat for farmers during festivals and holidays to improve their lives. They entered the rear areas of the Anti-Japanese War through trade channels between the liberated and Kuomintang-controlled areas, providing a strong foundation for domestic products amidst the pressure from Japanese beer and American soda. They even graced the banquet tables of some "orthodox leaders" and became a staple in the staff rooms.

Likewise, some of these drinks were successfully exported, earning valuable foreign exchange and much-needed resources while also leaving a unique mark on the history of the World Anti-Fascist War. The Soviet Army would distribute these drinks, along with vodka, to frontline guards as essential combat supplies. The British would mix tropical fruits into their drinks, creating tropical "special drinks" to replenish vitamins. Observers dispatched by the Eighth Route Army to various battlefields would use these drinks to exchange supplies with locals, build relationships, and gather information.

As the war progressed, these two drinks would sometimes become interrogation props for the Soviet GRU and Blue Hats. They found it strange that whenever they placed two of these soft drinks, mixed by their Eastern comrades, on the table while interrogating German soldiers, the Germans would change their silent and uncooperative attitude and instead stare at them with shocked and incredulous eyes, repeatedly asking:

"That's impossible. How come you have Fanta here?"

Chapter 720: Hmm? The National Army looks a bit strange!

1942 was a difficult year for the Allies. Aside from a slight improvement in North Africa, the situation in other major battlefields, while still maintaining steady losses of troops and territory, remained uncertain. Therefore, the two victories in China were extremely valuable.

The victorious counterattack of the Eighth Route Army on a land half the size of Germany was naturally the best, but just like a good thing, if you are mentally prepared in advance and it goes too smoothly, it will lose some of the show effect. Not only did the Eighth Route Army achieve its first round of counterattack against Japan in 1941, but its image of "wearing cowboy clothes, holding guns, and chasing the Japanese everywhere" has more or less become a strange World War II meme. Therefore, the magnificent counterattack in Shanxi Province seemed a bit expected and not so surprising.

So, on the other hand, although the New Fourth Army was primarily responsible for more than half of the enemy annihilation and the recovery of lost territory, the Nationalist Army's recovery of Yichang in this round of the "Battle of Western Hubei" has become a classic "prodigal son" plot - clichéd, old-fashioned, and boring, but very popular.

Among them, the U.S. Army is one of the groups that is most concerned about the national army.

After all, although the Nationalist Army was full of troubles, had serious corruption, and its war exchange was worse than garbage, if we could spend a little money (in the American sense) to improve them to the point where they could hold back Japan or even defeat the Japanese army in southern China, then we would have no worries about our counterattack in the Pacific.

Therefore, the U.S. Army ignored Chennault who was pasting matchboxes and waiting for a formal public trial, and actively contacted the Eighth Route Army to repair relations and start cooperation. At the same time, it continued to push forward the work of strengthening the combat capabilities of the National Army with the mentality that it had not been destroyed to the point of explosion.

However, this time the work was not as smooth as the US Army had expected.

As the saying goes, "the hands of those who control others are short, and the mouths of those who eat from others are soft." During World War II, countries that received American aid would always be interfered with by the US military in various places, and there was a risk of losing their independence.

However, for political entities with well-established institutions and mature diplomatic thinking, such interference is not a serious problem during wartime, and both sides have room for negotiation and maneuver. Furthermore, if a political entity possesses strong military combat capabilities and its request for US aid is merely "icing on the cake" rather than "a timely help," then there is greater room for maintaining independence.

After all, in the current environment, anti-fascism is still the most critical contradiction within the Allied camp.

However, this does not mean that Roosevelt would always be a "sucker" who only gave money - as a "good man" who gave money, the Americans also carried out "performance appraisal". For example, the Eighth Route Army in northern China had very high "KPIs" for receiving aid: their demands were clear and well-organized, and they basically asked for industrial equipment.

Military equipment is supplemented by foreign aid, and we should try our best to avoid foreign aid if we can make it ourselves.

They bought what was within the scope of aid with their own money, and sometimes even helped the US military process some supplies for the KMT. Moreover, although these guys were communists that the Americans disliked, they were really good at fighting with aid, and they could beat the Japanese head-on, so the cost-effectiveness was really high.

So, although the overly shrewd Communists would argue over even a single dollar when negotiating aid with the Eighth Route Army representatives, the Americans were generally happy with it. But what about the aid given to the KMT?

From December 1942 to September 1942, the United States sent the first wave of aid to preserved fruits by land and air. However, the medicines provided by the United States were not used by the Nationalist soldiers, the flour provided by the United States was rarely consumed by the Nationalist troops, and the ammunition production equipment provided by the United States did not seem to be used...

Instead, what the observers reported were barely concealed corruption and embezzlement.

When supplies pass through officials at every level - even the smallest and most junior officials - they will be stripped of about two-tenths of their current size and put into private warehouses that are invisible and unrecorded. Moreover, when there is a shortage of ammunition on the front lines and food in the cities, a large amount of food, ammunition and equipment that can produce supplies are piled up in warehouses, rusting and moldy, and are of no use at all.

The only thing that seemed to be of some use was the several independent artillery units organized by US military representatives. Although these units encountered mobility difficulties during the Battle of Western Hubei, with the support of US military advisors directly deployed at company headquarters, their 105mm howitzers and 75mm field guns still fired accurate barrages, effectively suppressing the Japanese artillery fire and making a significant contribution to the victory.

Oh, and the semi-finished printed legal tender that was airlifted from India and Yunnan Province was actually used - after being divided, numbered and printed in the printing factory in the Kuomintang-controlled area, this thing was successfully put on the market, contributing to the vicious currency inflation in the Kuomintang-controlled area.

It’s not that no one has ever wanted to try to change this situation.

Joseph Warren Stilwell, then Chief of Staff of the China-India-Burma Theater, had negotiated with the Guosu side many times, including but not limited to demanding that the whereabouts, use and actual quantity of American aid materials be disclosed to them. However, these serious negotiations were either handled with "delay tactics" or passed the buck back and forth with "please go to the Transportation Department/Military and Political Department/Food Department/Ordnance Department/Chairman".

What's worse, Chinese employees who assisted US personnel in China in the investigation were threatened and intimidated in the process, and even some criminal incidents resulting in casualties occurred.

Stilwell lost his temper more than once over this, even going so far as to confront Chiang Kai-shek at his Huangshan residence in the mountain city, leaving both sides extremely unhappy. Afterward, the issue remained unresolved, and there was not even much sign of improvement. Instead, some time later, Stilwell received a telegram from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"Dear Joseph, please allow me to take the liberty of explaining one thing to you again." The person who sent the telegram was General Marshall. Even through the English characters typed out on the typewriter, Stilwell could feel his awkward and euphemistic tone. "Unfortunately, we are not God Almighty. There are limits to what we can do.

"We understand and appreciate your efforts... In short, the Joint Chiefs of Staff would like you to focus more on the battlefield... For example, those areas where you can exert sufficient influence."

As the Chief of Staff of the China-India-Burma Theater, my words don't have any "influence"?

.....Calm down, calm down......

Stilwell calmed down and began to think back. General Marshall obviously would not say this meaninglessly. He began to ponder the strange phrase "where he can exert enough influence."

Stilwell began to review his position, go through the problems he encountered, and think comprehensively about his current situation: First, he was an American, commanding on the battlefields in southern China, Burma, and India. His goal was to coordinate with Chinese allies (mainly the KMT) to fight the Japanese, destroy their troops, and tie down their military power so that they could not withdraw more troops and supply more resources to the Pacific battlefield.

Or to put it bluntly, they need to make full use of China's manpower, arm those poorly equipped Chinese troops, and make them more capable of fighting in the southern battlefields of China and Myanmar, so that they can avoid being completely defeated in defensive battles and put sufficient pressure on the Japanese in offensive battles...

Now, he was unable to understand and control the flow and use of American aid materials after they entered the "rear area of ​​the Anti-Japanese War" because, in China, the Sino-Indian-Burma Theater could not avoid the Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-shek. In Burma and India, the power of the US military could be significantly enhanced: with the British troops stationed in Burma almost completely wiped out by the Japanese army, the British Indian and British Burmese governments were almost completely unable to defy the influence of the United States. Although Britain still held the twilight of the British Empire, it relied on the aid of its youngest son, the United States, in Europe!

So, if China's human resources are transferred out of China and stationed and trained outside China, can they at least avoid that complex network of relationships to a certain extent?

-―-―-—―—

"Deputy Director Zhou, here's the new intelligence summary." "Okay, thank you. Just put it here."

In the Eighth Route Army Office in Haojing, Zhou Gong, who was temporarily stationed there, lit a lamp and read the official documents sent to him in the office.

After the victory in the Shanxi campaign, Deputy Director Zhou, who had previously overseen foreign affairs and intelligence, began to shift roles and responsibilities, taking on a host of new tasks. Even with a reliable and capable team accompanying him, and with the vast majority of intelligence work already offloaded, Zhou still found his workload quite hectic.

For example, just a few days ago, a document and invitation letter from the White House, sent in the name of the President of the United States to the Eighth Route Army, arrived in the liberated areas, causing quite a stir. Therefore, Zhou Gong, who was handling related matters in the mountain city, ended his trip early and embarked on his return journey.

He set aside the document that read "Invitation to important members of China's ruling coalition, representatives of the leadership of China's northern military forces, and members of the Political Consultative Conference of the Republic of China to visit the United States..." and picked up another document marked "Confidential." It was sealed intact, correctly labeled, and signed for properly... Zhou Gong, later nicknamed the "King of Spy Wars," habitually reviewed this summary of Nationalist Army intelligence, unsealed it, and began to review the latest changes in the Nationalist Army.

"List of attendees at the Nationalist Army's celebration banquet for the Battle of Western Hubei, and minutes of the meeting following the banquet..."

"A summary of the latest decrypted U.S. Embassy cables...

Zhou Gong slowly read the information below. The intelligence had been organized and categorized by priority and content, greatly reducing the effort required to review it. But he quickly adjusted his glasses and carefully examined a piece of intelligence classified orange, meaning "critical."

The Allied China-India-Burma Theater Command is negotiating with the Nationalist Government regarding the establishment of the Expeditionary Force (Second Echelon) and the Army in India. Reportedly, the Theater Command intends to establish infantry training bases along the Dapan River and in the Ramgarh region of India, forming six to eight new American-style light infantry divisions for subsequent operations in Burma. The Nationalist Government will provide the necessary troops and manpower for these operations. Considering that the training, equipment, and logistics of these troops will be directly managed by the Allied China-India-Burma Theater Command, the combat effectiveness of this portion of the Nationalist Army is likely to be substantially enhanced.

Hmm... Is the US-equipped National Army of this time and space, the kind with actual combat effectiveness, coming soon?

Zhou Gong's thoughts drifted far away.

Chapter 721: World "Stage" Events (Part 1)

(Add a chapter of inventory)

By October 1942, the dawn of the Eastern Front had already illuminated the land, yet the stage of the World War remained dimly lit and the music muffled. Outside of China, the Axis powers, though no longer as formidable as they once were, had yet to stage a counterattack like the Shanxi Province Counterattack, which crushed the enemy and pursued the enemy northward. All the discerning individuals in the anti-fascist camp around the world were anxiously monitoring the situation on various battlefields, awaiting the arrival of that first ray of light.

The situation was relatively better in the North African battlefield where the German-Italian coalition forces faced off against the Commonwealth forces.

After successfully breaching the Tobruk fortress, Rommel's supply lines were stretched to lengths so thin they would break with a single tug of chopsticks. The supplies that finally made it ashore, despite British naval interference, had to endure the harsh natural environment, the paramecium licking the ground, and repeated rounds of attrition from long-range patrols. Very little could reach the front lines.

Although the mustache responded positively to the minister's request, deploying transport forces, including the massive Me323 'Giant' transport aircraft, to provide Rommel with the tanks and technical equipment he desperately needed: high- and low-pressure gun tank destroyers modified from the Panzer II tank, the Panzer IV tank nicknamed "Warhorse", Opel trucks, and 105mm howitzers. The German headquarters also sent him some newly manufactured "Der Staf" (also known as the Schwere Panzer Bichse-43 recoilless rifles) that were still under trial in the troops. They also took advantage of opportunities to send him some oil and even prepared to obtain some cutting-edge "Tiger" tanks. It can be said that he was working hard.

However, the number of British tanks and Commonwealth troops on the battlefield continued to increase steadily, to the point that they exceeded the German troops and armored forces by nearly 50%, and the scale was so huge that it was despairing.

There was no other way. When the enemy was too numerous, even Rommel, whose stomach problems had improved a lot, would feel "numb". However, relying on making connections in telegrams and complaining in diaries about the lack of support from the headquarters was indeed not enough.

Unable to conjure up more troops and equipment, Mr. Fox, who was good at attacking, had to start planning to put his troops on the defensive.

Like laying more mines or something...

Unbeknownst to Rommel, under the policy of prioritizing Europe over Asia, the powerful industrial nation of the United States had already produced sufficient landing craft and transport ships. These would soon carry more than 100,000 Allied soldiers.

Under the command of General Eisenhower, a key landing operation was carried out in the direction of his weak ass.

However, from the perspective of the German headquarters, the failure to meet Rommel's requirements was not only due to the fact that Rommel's goals were difficult to match with the German army's capabilities, but the headquarters itself was also in a dilemma: although the North African battlefield

The importance and logistical level are very high, but at present, the situation on the Soviet-German battlefield on the Eastern Front is more "critical" than that on the North African battlefield.

The reason is simple. In this time and space, the isomers of "Blue Plan" include not only the attack on the Caucasus and Stalingrad regions, but also the strong attack on the Crimea region. In order to ensure the integrity and sustainability of the offensive,

The German army mobilized more troops and launched an offensive on three fronts simultaneously. Since August, each front has progressed to the most critical point.

The battle for Stalingrad was so intense that it could melt steel. After strengthening some of the "Tank Group 1" forces, including the Sixth Army and the Fourth Tank Army, the huge Army Group B finally gathered its forces and crossed the

The Soviets, however, deployed trenches and "tank hunting" company tactics, relying on fortifications and urban areas to engage in street fighting, battling the Germans street by street and house by house. The two sides were constantly battling for supremacy.

In the sky, the attack planes and fighter planes of both sides fought each other, almost covering the sky; on the ground, the most elite armored grenadiers and motorized infantry of the German army were fighting with Soviet soldiers holding "turtle fist" and "popolyu" submachine guns.

--When the battle progresses to this point, all tactics of both sides have been degraded, and only the continuous consumption of lives and equipment remains.

In this world where the anti-tank firepower of individual soldiers has been greatly enhanced, every step forward of the German army is accompanied by an extremely high price. With the concentrated voice hand-held radios and backpack radios, the Soviet army has kept the most in the most difficult moment.

The Red Marines and the Red Army, led by Lieutenant General Chuikov, fought hard and, with the support of the mobilized citizens of Stalingrad, they held the Germans back, putting them in a position where they could see the Volga River.

The shore is near, but getting there is completely impossible."

However, in October, as if the Soviet army's support had been exhausted, General Chuikov, who was trying to stabilize the front, was surprised to find that his request for the headquarters to allocate support was rejected: the Soviet command had replenished more for him.

More infantry, but almost no tanks.

This unusual situation made Chuikov wonder what was happening that he hadn't considered.

On the other two fronts, the situation of the German army was not as tense, but it was not optimistic either.

Although it was difficult for the Soviet army on the Caucasus Front to deploy on the vast Kuban steppe, they showed a strong will to defend near the coast and rivers on the west side of the North Caucasus.

After the capture of the hub of Krasnodar and the nearby oil field "Maikop", Army Group A, which had some tanks and reserves withdrawn, no longer had the original strong offensive power and mobility.