There was not enough time left for the troops of Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division to move north, especially since the German army's follow-up reinforcements were still pouring into the salient in this key location, and the strength of the German troops accumulated in the salient was still increasing.
, any further delay will only do a lot of harm to the Red Army without any benefit.
In view of this, it is necessary to carry out offensive operations as soon as possible, even if it is just a preliminary offensive operation, and the sooner the better.
Which unit to entrust combat tasks to complete is a question, especially when the troops heading north are not large and only have one tank regiment as the main force, it is naturally necessary to carefully select and save troops.
It was the order personally issued by Political Commissar Petrov that the First Tank Company of the First Tank Regiment and First Battalion commanded by Kirill was finally asked to carry out the sharp knife mission.
"Didn't Kirill perform well in the past few operations? Then leave the task to him. Besides, he also complained to me a few days ago that he had no chance to perform. Now the opportunity has come."
As Kirill's uncle, Commissar Petrov did not do anything to protect his relatives. He only made this decision after consulting Kulbalov.
Since Kirill leads the most powerful tank company in the regiment, he must do what he should do and has unshirkable responsibility. He is first a grassroots commander and fighter of the Red Army, and then he is my nephew and my relative.
What the political commissar thinks is actually that simple.
Of course, Kirill knew that the assignment for him to serve in the Sharp Knife Company was given by his own uncle: Commissar Petrov.
But just as Comrade Political Commissar expected, Kirill had no complaints at all about this order, and even felt a little excited about it.
"A man born in troubled times should carry a three-foot sword and make immortal achievements." To make contributions to the motherland during the war years is the great dream of every ambitious and dignified seven-foot man.
Compared with the confused graduate of Moscow State University's music department who was just thrown from the ivory tower of the university to the front line, Kirill today has undergone earth-shaking changes. Especially in tactical command and combat.
In terms of style, it can be said that he is in the same vein as the train commander comrade Malashenko who single-handedly promoted and trained him.
Even for the sake of his uncle, for the sake of comrade Commander, and in order not to be embarrassed by their great guidance, cultivation and respect for him, Kirill silently vowed in his heart that he must seize the few opportunities to lead troops alone in battle. He must
Fight this battle well.
As the main sharp knife company in the main battalion of the division's main force regiment, Kirill's troops at hand are not unpowerful.
In addition to all the heavy tank companies of Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division, the standard 3 platoons of 9 tanks plus one for the captain and deputy company commander, a total of 11 IS6 heavy tanks. Kirill's company also received a platoon of 3 medium tanks
The strength of tanks is strengthened to enhance the strength of the company and ensure more diverse tactical options in emergencies. After all, heavy tanks alone cannot do everything.
Now, Kirill has a total of 14 medium and heavy tanks in his hands. In addition, he also has an infantry company assigned to him for coordinated operations, which is also under the organization of Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division.
In addition, we also include the battle-damaged infantry regiment that had just been withdrawn after the previous failed attack and had been fighting the Germans for two days but could not swallow the village.
With the current power in his hand, Kirill felt that the "confidence but not arrogance" that the commander of the vehicle often mentioned to him before was probably the way to kill the Germans in the village who had few heavy weapons and no armored support.
This feeling now.
The German troops in the village did not know that the Soviet infantry unit that had just been repulsed had been reinforced, and that it was reinforced by powerful heavy armored units that were best at attacking cities and fortified villages. The German commander who was stationed in the village
I even thought that after the brutal fight just now, the Russians' offensive today would be over, and there was a high probability that they would not be able to make a comeback until tomorrow.
"Perhaps our thinking is a bit too simplistic, Unn, no one can guarantee whether those Russians will come back. It's just the afternoon, and the Russians still have at least four hours to attack before dark. I
I don’t think they will just give up. After all, we have been here for two days, and probably even the Russian commander will be angry about this.”
The major of the National Defense Forces who expressed his opinion with one hand on the table was the deputy commander, and the man who was called Unn, who was sitting behind the wooden table in the bedroom of this small shabby house in the village while listening to this while lighting a cigarette, was the deputy commander.
He was the lieutenant colonel who served as the highest commander of the German troops stationed in the village.
"Well......"
Staring at the war zone map spread out on the table in front of him, with a cigarette between his index and middle fingers, the lieutenant colonel, who was puffing away smoke, nodded. The look of approval on his face seemed to agree with his deputy's analysis.
.
"My thoughts are a little different from yours, but that doesn't affect my agreement that you are right. After all, you have to be careful in everything."
"Continue to maintain combat alert and inform everyone not to take it lightly. Today is the third day of our defense of this small village. If I were the Russian commander, I would be angry that I could not defeat this small village in three days.
.So we have to be careful of these Russian guys going crazy. Who knows whether they will use all their remaining troops to launch a strong attack. They have always been very dogmatic."
"...."
The lieutenant colonel behind the desk had a rather disdainful smile on his face. This just shows that even in today's position, there are not a few front-line commanders of the National Defense Force who still think highly of themselves and look down on their opponents' inferior races.
It can be said that there are a lot of people there.
But in sharp contrast, the major said nothing and remained silent. He just nodded in greeting and then retreated voluntarily. He went to arrange the execution of specific orders in a hurry. It is hard to say what the major was thinking at this moment.
Who knows what I'm thinking about.
However, unexpected emergencies often come so suddenly, and they even hit you when you are most unprepared.
That is to say, when the major had just arrived in the yard and had not yet left the hospital, the familiar whistling sound that had been heard continuously from the previous two days to this day screamed out again without any warning.
His eyes widened for a moment, and the major suddenly realized the seriousness of the problem. He didn't have time to think about it, put down the documents he was looking through in his arms, took advantage of the situation, and jumped forward like a vicious dog, and fell to the ground.
What came immediately after was the shocking explosion that suddenly sounded in all directions at a very close distance, like bursts of rolling thunder across the sky.