After the Germans learned that their last stronghold near the Red Army Village had been lost, they immediately dispatched a group of bombers to bomb the Red Army Village. However, when these bombers passed through the defense zone of the 125th Regiment, Yershakov could not easily
Let them go and immediately order the newly established air defense positions to fire and intercept them.
Following Yershakov's order, twelve quadruple 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns opened fire at the same time. Since Sokov had taught the anti-aircraft combat tactics of concentrated fire, the anti-aircraft machine guns did not fight independently as before.
Instead, lock on a target and shoot simultaneously.
In less than five minutes, four JU-88 bombers were shot down and two more were wounded.
The remaining pilots saw their own planes falling one after another and wondered what new weapons the Soviet army had equipped. They were worried that if they continued to bomb the Red Army villages according to the original plan, they might suffer greater losses.
Therefore, after throwing away the bombs they carried, they turned around and returned.
Seeing the umbrella flowers blooming in the sky, Sokov quickly gave Samoylov an order: "Comrade Lieutenant, have you seen those pilots who parachuted? Immediately take people to catch them. If they cannot be captured alive, you can choose to kill them on the spot."
.”
"Comrade division commander, you are right." Samoylov said to Sokov: "It is not easy to train pilots. If we kill or capture one, they will have one less pilot. The new pilots who are added will have less technical and tactical skills.
If it is not high, the threat to us will be greatly reduced."
"Okay, stop talking nonsense, hurry up and catch the pilot." Sokov urged the other party: "If the enemy finds a place to hide, it will not be easy to catch them again."
After Samoilov left, Sokov called and asked Yershakov: "How are you, comrade colonel? Have you calculated the results of your regiment?"
"Yes, Comrade Division Commander." Yershakov said proudly: "We shot down four enemy planes and damaged two. The remaining enemies hurriedly threw away their bombs and fled. Report completed.
"
"Is this the report complete?"
"Yes, Comrade Division Commander, the report has been completed."
"What about your losses?" Sokov asked into the microphone: "For example, how many casualties did you suffer as a result of the enemy's bombing, and how much weapons and equipment did you lose?"
Hearing the question Sokov asked, Yershakov was silent for a long time, and then replied awkwardly: "Comrade division commander, our regiment lost three anti-aircraft machine guns and sacrificed 120 people in the bombing just now.
More than ten soldiers were injured, and more than 200 were injured, one-third of the casualties were soldiers from the anti-aircraft machine gun company."
"Comrade Colonel, immediately mobilize forces to supplement the anti-aircraft machine gun company." Sokov reminded Yershakov, "Through today's battle, we can understand the role that troops equipped with anti-aircraft machine guns play on the battlefield.
Stronger."
"Understood, I will supplement them immediately."
"Wait a minute, Comrade Colonel." When Sokov was about to hang up the phone, he suddenly remembered another thing and asked quickly: "By the way, has your regiment really emptied all the anti-aircraft machine guns in the warehouse?
"
"Of course, Comrade Division Commander, we have moved out all the anti-aircraft machine guns." Yershakov explained to Sokov: "Today, the enemy aircraft are equipped with artillery of various calibers, and the anti-aircraft machine guns are very useful.
Less, otherwise we would not have found this batch of inventory in the warehouse."
"The damage to your fortifications due to the bombing just now is probably not small. You must seize the time to repair it immediately. You must establish a complete defense system before the enemy arrives."
After Vitkov arrived at the Red Army Village with the headquarters of the 41st Guards Division, he immediately found Sokov and asked him for instructions: "Comrade Commander, where do you plan to place Colonel Sivakov's 71st Guards Division?"
?”
"I think we'll deploy it in the south." Sokov said carelessly.
"But southeast of the Red Army Village is Donetsk. There is one of our Guards Divisions there. Wouldn't it be a waste if we put another division to the south of the city? In my opinion, it is better to put them to the north of the city.
Better."
"Nothing is wasted at all," Sokov pointed to the map and said to Vitkov: "Chief of Staff, look, there are no strong troops between the Red Army Village and Donetsk. If the enemy finds out that this is our
If we directly send troops to attack due to the weakness of the defense, then our troops in the Red Army Village will be in danger of being cut off from their retreat. The reason why I put the Sivakov Division here is to avoid a similar situation."
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Vitkov felt that Sokov's words made sense, so he did not object anymore. Instead, he followed his wishes and said: "Then according to your wishes, the Sivakov Division will be deployed.
On the south side of the Red Army Village, used to protect our flanks."
Since the headquarters of the Guards Division has been moved to the Red Army Village, it only took a lot of time to set up the radio stations and telephones to communicate with the outside world.
As soon as the phone was set up, Sokov received a call from Rokossovsky. Rokossovsky asked in surprise on the phone: "Misha, did your troops really occupy the Red Army village?
"
"Yes, Comrade Commander of the Front Army, we did occupy the Red Army Village." Sokov didn't know the reason for Rokossovsky's question, so he asked: "Is there something wrong?"
"You just captured Donetsk before dawn; before dawn, you liberated the Red Army Village. The time interval between the two victories was too short, and it is perfectly normal for some people to raise questions."
"Comrade Commander of the Front Army," Sokov couldn't help but break into a cold sweat when he heard Rokossovsky say this: "Does anyone suspect that we are falsely reporting our results?"
"Some people have indeed raised such doubts, but the base camp has used its own channels to find out that the results you have achieved are completely true." Rokossovsky said into the microphone: "What is your next step?
Intend?"
"Kharkov is too far away from us." Sokov said to Rokossovsky: "Even if we want to help the troops there, we are powerless. Before we can get there, the enemy may
Kharkov has been captured."
"What are you going to do?" Rokossovsky asked.
"Wait, wait here." Sokov replied: "When the enemy counterattacks us, we will use the existing defenses to repel their attack."
"Your idea is good, but the enemy's strength is not weak." Rokossovsky reminded Sokov: "The Imperial Division that fought with our army during the day has taken the initiative to withdraw from the battle. Based on intelligence analysis,
They should be heading towards you."
Hearing that the Imperial Division was heading towards his defense area, Sokov couldn't help but be frightened, but he quickly calmed down his emotions and asked tentatively: "I wonder how much time the enemy will have before he can reach us?
"
"According to the report of the Air Force, there are about a hundred armored vehicles and a fast column of more than twenty tanks heading towards you. Judging from the distance and the enemy's marching speed, they will arrive at you at noon tomorrow at the latest
How about our defense zone? Do you have the confidence to stop them?"
"As long as my troops can arrive on time, I will be confident to stop the enemy."
"But what if the other two Guards Divisions cannot arrive on time?" But Rokossovsky was obviously not satisfied with his answer, so he continued to ask: "With your current strength, can you hold the Red Army Village?
"
"It's very difficult." When he heard Rokossovsky's question, Sokov did not give an ambiguous answer, but said truthfully: "But we will do our best." In order to delay the march of the German army,
Speed, Sokov asked Rokossovsky again, "I wonder if the air force can be dispatched to conduct air strikes on the advancing German fast columns. Doing so can effectively slow down the enemy's advance."
"Okay, I will immediately send out the air force to carry out air strikes on the advancing German columns and slow down their advance."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he immediately said to Vitkov: "Chief of Staff, the situation is not good. A German rapid column consisting of more than 100 armored vehicles and more than 20 tanks is heading towards our defense area.
Come, you can reach us at noon tomorrow at the latest. Ask the troops still marching when they can reach the designated area."
But he gave another order to Division Chief of Staff Sidorin: "Comrade Colonel, although Commander Rokossovsky promised to send planes to attack enemy columns, for the sake of safety, we should still send out a small detachment.
, to carry out layer-by-layer resistance along the way to slow down the enemy’s advance speed.”
"Comrade division commander, I understand what you mean." Sidorin had been following Sokov for only a day or two, so he naturally understood what he meant and quickly replied: "I immediately sent an anti-tank team to set up defenses along the way.
The advancing German troops were intercepted by a rapid column."
Vitkov happened to hear what was said behind him, and couldn't help but ask thoughtfully: "Will it be effective to send a small force to stop the robbery?"
"If the marching troops are ordinary German troops, and I send the anti-tank team, it is equivalent to sending the soldiers to die." Sokov explained to Vitkov: "But the enemies coming to us now are riding in
They are all armored vehicles, and the rockets our division prioritizes are most effective against enemy tanks and armored vehicles."
…………
The marching speed of the Imperial Division is still very astonishing.
The rapid column consisting of more than a hundred armored vehicles and more than 20 tanks is now only more than 80 kilometers away from the Red Army village. If the armored vehicles are allowed to advance at full speed, they can rush into the Russian defensive positions in up to two hours.
However, the presence of tanks slowed down the advance of the entire army.
The road was originally difficult to walk, but halfway along the way, this unit was actually attacked by a Soviet air attack. Although the armored vehicles and tanks on the road were evaded in time, under the fierce attack of the Soviet army, there were still three
Tanks and more than 20 armored vehicles were blown up, and more than 120 soldiers were injured or killed.
In order to reach the Red Army Village as soon as possible and wait for the Soviet planes to leave, the German commander left a small force to treat the wounded while the remaining armored vehicles and tanks continued to move forward.
But not far away, the moving armored vehicle was destroyed by a rocket flying out of the forest. The soldiers on the vehicle instantly turned into a group of burning people. They jumped out of the armored vehicle one after another. Some of them jumped out of the armored vehicle.
They ran around aimlessly, falling down and getting up again, until they finally ran out of energy and fell to the ground and started burning. Some soldiers, after their bodies were on fire, threw themselves directly into nearby snowdrifts,
In order to extinguish the flames in oneself.
Sensing that there was a small group of Soviet troops in the forest, the German commander immediately ordered the troops to search the forest, but found nothing except a few series of footprints.
Now that the Soviet troops had left, the Germans took back the troops searching in the forest and continued to advance toward the Red Army Village.
But they didn't go far when they were attacked again by Soviet rocket launchers. This time, a tank that was opening the way was destroyed. The tank was instantly surrounded by flames, and none of the crew inside could escape.
The German army had no choice but to send troops into the forest again to search. However, the members of the anti-tank team all had rich experience in guerrilla warfare. They did not stay in one place and did not move. Instead, after a successful attack, they quickly
Move your position and wait for the enemy's arrival at a new location.
In this way, the German rapid defense forces would be attacked by nearby rocket launchers every few hundred meters they advanced, and more and more tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed. In view of the fact that it was getting later and later, and the Soviet army
The attacks became more and more frequent. The German commander decided to change his original plan and camped on the same spot, planning to wait until dawn before continuing to advance.
Sokov, who was staying in the Red Army village, felt much more at ease when he learned that the German fast column had already set up camp sixty or seventy kilometers away from the city after being attacked. He said to Sidorin: "Comrade Colonel,
I don’t know when the other Guards Divisions will arrive here. Therefore, the defense task of the Red Army Village can only be completed by our 41st Guards Division."
"Comrade Division Commander, although this city is not big, the front for defense is too wide." Sidorin said with some embarrassment: "If we rely on the existing troops to defend, I'm afraid..."
"What's there to worry about?" Sokov interrupted him before he finished speaking: "We can just use focused defense. Since the enemy is coming with mechanized troops, it means they can't pass through those small roads.
Therefore, we only need to set up defenses on the main arterial roads, which is enough to block their advance."
After hearing what Sokov said, Sidorin quickly checked the map and then nodded: "Comrade division commander, you are right. From the direction from which the enemy came, there are only two roads for them to enter the Red Army Village, the west and northwest.
As long as we lay minefields on the roads in these two directions, we can stop their advance."