History repeating?

[kengr]

I find it interesting that the "last stronghold" in Maripol is a steel plant.

Anybody remember Stalingrad? A steel plant was a major strong point there. And held out for a *very* long time.

Comments

[stickmaker]

Putin is doing a lot of things to Ukraine which were done _to_ Russia during The Great Patriotic War (WWII).

[siliconshaman]

Not to mention that the steel plant there was designed to be a strong point in the event of invasion. It was built during the Soviet era, it has nuclear bunkers able to withstand a direct hit and capable of holding upwards of 3000 people for ages, there's a complex of tunnels designed to make it difficult to infiltrate, with murder holes, blind corners, dead ends, numerous pit traps and trapdoors to the surface all over the town.

And because it was built during the soviet era, the plans for it all do not exist any more.

No wonder Putin called off the attack. Even he had to have realised it would be impossible, and all you'd be doing is throwing your troops into a meat grinder.

[kengr]

Yeah, nobody with any sense wants to repeat Stalingrad from Either side.

But being stuck as the *Germans* sucks a lot worse..

[siliconshaman]

Well Stalingrad with a dash of tunnel warfare by the Vietcong. The steel plant used to provide heat for the whole of the city, so there are steam tunnels running under the entire city. (again, no plans of them exist)

This means the 1000+ troops hiding down there can pop up anywhere within the city. They already have access to the port, which is part of the industrial complex so they can resupply if they're careful.

Putin's hermetically sealed blockade isn't going to work, and in the meantime they'll be making the besiegers bleed

If Putin thinks his troops can just go around, he's really going to regret that. First rule of any land war. Do not leave an entrenched enemy at your back.

[kengr]

Many years back when attending a gun show with my late gunsmith friend. While wandering around, I came across someone selling these pocket sized "comic books" printed by Red China as wordless instruction manuals for guerillas.

I bought a couple of them (partially with the intent of using them to bedevil the players in my D&D game. For example one of them was about making a tunnel system in your village with firing ports hidden in stoves and cabinets.

Also hidden hatches to pop up in unexpected places.

I only had the money to buy a couple of them (i was really poor at the time) and haven't seen any since.

When they eventually turn up as I go thru my storage, I'm going to see if I can find enough info to get others. Maybe even the whole set. :-)

Other things I've picked up at gun shows are a lot of stuff on fallout shelters and the like and a number of US Army field manuals (like one on *making* IEDs).

useful research for various things but apt to get you looked at funny if mundanes spot them. :-)

[siliconshaman]

It would be a very good thing to scan those and post them up on the net for the Ukrainians to read.

They do still have internet, thanks to Elon, as the BBC here was interviewing one of the commanders in the plant itself, via zoom.