Jeanette wrote:

> San Antonio? I wonder why.

And that's why. It wouldn't be expected. It took out a large mechanised army and made the border insecure.

The Russians are great believers in surprises in war. The most successful trick in military history might be Stalingrad, where they let the germans practically push them into the Volga. The germans thought they had them on the ropes and the russians were running out of troops. In reality the russians were building up enough men to surround the germans with 7 armies. Which they did and destroyed the germans there.
It's even part of their orders in attacks. Plan an attack without mentioning the surprise and you'll be asked why you have left it out.

qjs