Since the landing battle began, every day has been filled with the sound of gunfire and shouts of killing. Death and despair are everywhere, permeating the air, making everyone involved deeply realize the cruelty and ruthlessness of war.

In the following days, both sides made intensive and thorough preparations for the next round of fighting.

The U.S. military continuously sent troops and supplies to the beach like a tide.

Huge transport ships cut through the waves on the sea, carrying various advanced artillery, tanks and armored vehicles ashore.

The muzzles of those artillery pieces were dark and deep, as if hiding endless anger; the tanks had heavy bodies, and their steel tracks left deep marks on the beach, as if declaring the determination of the US military; armored vehicles moved flexibly among them, carrying soldiers and supplies.

Under the guidance of instructors, the soldiers are undergoing high-intensity tactical training.

They were dressed in heavy military uniforms, their clothes soaked with sweat, and they repeatedly practiced tactical moves such as charging, covering, and encircling under the scorching sun.

They strive for precision in every movement and tacit understanding in every cooperation. They know very well that in the upcoming battle, any slight mistake may result in the loss of life.

The Germans were reinforcing their defenses, working day and night like industrious ants. In front of the trenches, they added more barbed wire, which intertwined like a giant spider web, gleaming with a cold metallic luster in the sun, as if announcing to the U.S. military: This is an insurmountable barrier.

The anti-tank obstacles were carefully arranged. They had various shapes, some were sharp triangles, some were huge concrete piers, quietly waiting for the arrival of US tanks.

Landmines are buried underground one by one, densely packed, like killers hiding in the darkness, ready to give the enemy a fatal blow at any time.

The German army also set up more firepower points on the commanding heights. Those firepower points were high up and had a wide field of vision. Machine guns and artillery were on standby. The black muzzles of the guns and cannons seemed to be overlooking the entire battlefield, full of deterrence.

The soldiers patrolled day and night, vigilantly watching the movements of the US military.

They were dressed in gray uniforms and helmets, moving back and forth in the trenches. The battlefield at night was frighteningly quiet, with only the occasional chirping of insects and the sound of waves.

The soldiers opened their eyes wide, not missing any slight movement. Their eyes were full of vigilance and determination, and they were ready to fight at any time.

Finally, the US military launched another attack.

They led the tanks and the infantry followed closely behind, launching a fierce charge towards the German defense line.

The roar of the tanks was deafening, as if it was going to shatter the entire world.

The tracks left deep marks on the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Flames continued to spew out of the tank’s muzzle, and shells whizzed towards the German positions, exploding on the German trenches and fortifications, raising huge amounts of smoke, dust and stones.

The infantrymen shouted slogans and rushed towards the German positions like a tide.

They held rifles, their eyes full of determination and fearlessness, and under the cover of tanks, they bravely moved forward.

Some soldiers ran and fired at the same time, with bullets whizzing through the air; some soldiers crouched and rushed quickly towards the German positions, preparing to engage in close combat with the Germans.

The German army responded with intensive firepower, and artillery shells continued to explode in the American ranks, creating huge clouds of smoke and dust.

Machine guns were firing wildly, bullets flew towards the U.S. troops like raindrops, splashing up clouds of dust around them.

The German soldiers hid behind trenches and bunkers, their eyes full of ferocity and determination. They shot at the American troops mercilessly, as if they wanted to wipe out all of them on this beach.

On the battlefield, flames shot up into the sky, and the sounds of shouting, killing, and gunfire intertwined together, forming a cruel symphony of war.

An American soldier was wounded in the leg during the charge. He fell to the ground but still struggled to shoot at the German position.

His face was full of pain and determination, and the gun in his hand kept shaking. Even though blood kept gushing out of his legs, staining the ground beneath him red, he still did not give up.

Even until his comrades dragged him back to the rear, his eyes were still fixed on the German position, full of reluctance and anger.

The two sides fought fiercely for the positions, which changed hands many times.

Relying on its powerful firepower, the U.S. military once broke through the German army’s first line of defense.

Their tanks rushed into the German trenches, and the infantry followed suit, engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat with the Germans. On the battlefield, swords flashed, blood flew, and the soldiers’ shouts and screams were endless.

But the German army quickly organized a counterattack. They drew troops from the reserve and rushed towards the US army under the leadership of officers. The German soldiers held their guns, shouted, and bravely moved forward regardless of the firepower of the US army. Their eyes were full of madness and determination, as if they wanted to recapture the lost position.

In the fierce exchange of fire, both sides suffered heavy casualties.

The battlefield was littered with corpses and blood dyed the earth red. The soil and blood mixed together to form a muddy sea of ​​blood.

As the battle continued, both sides fell into a state of exhaustion.

The soldiers’ faces were covered with dust and blood, and their eyes revealed fatigue and confusion.

Their bodies were extremely tired; the long battle had left their muscles sore and their physical strength exhausted.

But no one dared to relax, because they all knew that the outcome of this war was related to the direction of the entire war. On every inch of land in Sicily, brutal fighting was going on.

“Yes, battalion commander, I will send people to keep an eye on the American troops immediately.” The reconnaissance platoon leader said loudly.

His voice sounded a little hoarse from being on the battlefield, but it was full of determination.

He turned and left quickly, organizing the soldiers to carry out the battalion commander’s orders.

Under his command, several scouts quickly dispersed and cautiously moved towards the beach.

They were dressed in camouflage uniforms, with camouflage paint on their faces, and like ghosts, they quietly moved forward in the thick smoke. Their figures quickly disappeared in the thick smoke, leaving only a series of blurred footprints.

“I hope these American soldiers won’t let us down. We have set up a lot of defensive positions here and are waiting for their arrival. Besides, we have so many tanks.” The battalion commander said with a smile, a hint of expectation in his eyes.

He knew very well that the upcoming battle would be more intense, but he was full of confidence in his troops.

The German defense positions in Sicily were carefully arranged, with various firepower points coordinating with each other to form a tight defense network. The Panther tanks they were equipped with were the German army’s trump card weapons with great power.

The 26th Armored Division was a newly formed armored division, equipped mostly with Panther tanks. These tanks shone with a cold metallic luster in the sun, like sleeping steel behemoths, waiting for the call to battle.

Although they had fought on the Italian battlefield before, they had fired artillery only a few times and had never even fought against tank troops.

Now, they finally have a chance to fight the enemy, and the soldiers are full of anticipation. They are eager to show their skills on the battlefield and experience the pleasure of knocking down the enemy tank with one shot. Men are always full of violent factors in their bones, and in this cruel war, this factor is infinitely magnified.

“Hehe, I want to try it too. There are so many new weapons, how can I not try them?” Many soldiers nearby echoed, their faces filled with excitement, as if they had seen the dawn of victory.

“Yes, I think so too.” The other soldiers nodded and spoke in unison. Their voices echoed on the battlefield, full of desire for battle and confidence in victory.

“Okay, shut up and do what I tell you to do immediately, otherwise go to the reserve.” The battalion commander shouted loudly.

His voice was as loud as a bell, instantly drowning out the noise of the soldiers.

After being yelled at, everyone shut up. Those who were cleaning the battlefield continued to clean the battlefield, and those who were scouting continued to scouting. The soldiers acted quickly, and the entire battlefield returned to a busy and orderly state.

On the other side, Major General Burgdorf, who received the call, just replied with a few words.

He stood in the command center, looking at the map on the wall, and had a clear understanding of the US military’s actions.

The U.S. military must have been frightened by the hail of rockets just now, and is now hesitating whether to continue landing or give up.

In his view, the hesitation of the US military was precisely the opportunity for the German army, and he must seize this opportunity to further consolidate the German defense line.

However, Major General Burgdorf was not in a hurry at this time, because the strategic initiative was in his hands. According to the telegram sent by Marshal Catherine, the navy had successfully arrived at the Tus Peninsula, and under the baptism of naval guns, the US military was about to withdraw.

Sicily is too small to hold on to. Unless the navy can show its might and destroy the Allied fleet in one fell swoop, Sicily will never be able to be held.

What’s more, although the Southern Theater of War was of the same level as the Eastern and Western Fronts, it had very few troops. Excluding the Italian army, there were only 100,000 troops in total, while Sicily alone had nearly 30,000 troops concentrated there.

The remaining 70,000 people still have to defend Sicily and other places, and those Italian troops are still in training and will definitely not be able to fight within three months.

Moreover, even if they joined the war, they could only fight in favorable battles. If they encountered a blocking battle or a surprise attack, the German army would definitely have to lead the battle.

Thinking of this, Major General Burgdorf felt a sudden increase in pressure.

Sicily must not suffer too many losses, otherwise it will affect the subsequent battles.

He knew very well that the gains and losses in Sicily would be directly related to the direction of the entire war. If they lost here, the German army would fall into a passive situation.

“How many people have we lost so far?” Major General Burgdorf asked solemnly, looking at the map.

There was a hint of worry in his eyes as he waited for the chief of staff’s answer.

In this war, every soldier’s life is precious, and he must have a clear understanding of the German casualties in order to make the right decision.

“Less than a thousand people, most of them are Italian troops, and they are the ones operating the coastal defense artillery.” The chief of staff quickly gave a number.

He flipped open the documents in his hands and carefully reported the casualties.

Hearing this number, Major General Burgdorf was slightly relieved, but he also understood that as the battle continued, the number of casualties would continue to increase.

“That’s right, take out all the explosives and mines in stock. I want to turn the entire frontier position into a minefield. Also notify the troops to retreat in batches.” Major General Bugdorf said with a smile, his smile carrying a hint of helplessness and determination.

In his opinion, although the German army currently has the advantage, the situation will become increasingly serious as the US military continues to increase its troops.

In order to preserve his strength, he had to make the decision to retreat.

“Ah? Retreat? Not continuing to hold on?” The chief of staff asked in surprise. He widened his eyes, unable to believe his ears.

In his heart, he always believed that he should hold his ground and fight the U.S. military to the death.

“We are just retreating in batches. A complete retreat will take at least half a month. Are we going to swim over without naval cover?” Major General Bugdorf said helplessly.

He looked at the Chief of Staff and patiently explained his plan.

He knew that retreat was a difficult decision, but under the current circumstances, it was the only option.

“Understood!” The chief of staff stood at attention and saluted. Although he still had some doubts in his heart, he still resolutely carried out the major general’s order.

He turned and left the command post and began to organize the soldiers to implement the retreat plan.

Under his command, the German soldiers began to get busy. They moved out the explosive mines in stock and headed towards the front line.

At this time in Sicily, the war was still burning.

The U.S. military was busy setting up defensive positions on the beach. Their soldiers were busy digging trenches and setting up barbed wire. Their clothes were soaked with sweat and their hands were covered with mud, but they still worked non-stop. They knew that only by building a solid defensive position could they survive in the next battle.

The German army was wasting no time cleaning up the battlefield and laying out minefields in preparation for the next more intense battle. They cleaned up the bodies and weapons and equipment on the battlefield and sent the wounded soldiers to the rear for treatment. At the same time, they buried mines one by one in the frontline positions and placed explosives in key locations, preparing to deal a fatal blow to the US military.

In the following days, the US military launched a series of exploratory attacks on the German positions, but they were all stubbornly repelled by the Germans. Each attack was accompanied by fierce gunfire and the screams of soldiers. The battlefield was filled with smoke and flames, and both sides paid a heavy price.

The American commanders constantly adjusted their offensive strategies. They tried to launch attacks from different directions, trying to find the weaknesses of the German defenses. They also sent reconnaissance planes to scout the German positions, hoping to obtain more intelligence. But the German defense was very tight, and every attack was successfully blocked by the Germans.

Under the command of Major General Burgdorf, the German army carried out the retreat plan in an orderly manner. While resisting the attack of the US army, they transferred troops and equipment in batches. During the retreat, the German army also continued to harass and ambush the US army, causing considerable losses to the US army.

The German scouts shuttled across the battlefield, quietly approaching the American positions and collecting intelligence. Once they discovered the movements of the American troops, they would quickly report to the rear. Small German troops would set up ambushes on the roads that the American troops had to pass through, and when the American troops entered the ambush circle, they would suddenly launch an attack, catching the American troops off guard.

As time went on, the German army’s retreat plan gradually came to an end. They successfully transferred most of their troops and equipment to the rear, leaving only a small number of troops to continue to hold their positions and fight with the US army. Although they paid a certain price in this battle, they successfully preserved their strength.

Although the US military occupied parts of Sicily, it also encountered stubborn resistance from the German army and suffered heavy losses.

Their soldiers were exhausted and their morale was low. (End of this chapter)