(4 of 4)
Because Marshal von Bock could not advance speedily, the element of surprise was largely denied him. The usually ponderous Russians could see what he was trying to do, were able to take counter-measures (see black arrows on map, p. 24). They claimed that they were squeezing his northern prong into a virtual encirclement, that they were slowing the southern prong.
This week Marshal von Bock's second great try seemed to be playing out. But the tenacious Marshal was not through. He would certainly try, try again. If he eventually succeeded, it would be at great cost, because the Dier would go on saying to his men, as he had always said:
"The ideal soldier fulfills his duty to the utmost, obeys without even thinking, thinks only when ordered to do so, and has as his only desire to die the honorable death of a soldier killed in action."
*Here they were asking for a piece of the moon. Last year the U.S. produced 120,000 tons of tool steel; 5,000 tons a month would be half of U.S. production at a time when the U.S. is also tooling up.