Not long after, the director of the communications corps came over and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the phone has been connected, you can speak."
Sokov picked up the phone and put it to his ear, but he heard someone inside saying: "I am Chief of Staff Ivanov, Major General Sokov. Do you have anything to do with Comrade Commander?"
After Sokov waited for Ivanov to finish speaking, he carefully replied: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I am not talking to General Vatutin. I want to talk to Marshal Zhukov."
"Talk to Marshal Zhukov?!" Ivanov heard what Sokov said and turned to look at Zhukov who was sitting at the table talking to Vasilevsky and Vatutin. He said with some hesitation: "Comrade Marshal
I'm very busy. If you have anything, you can tell me and I'll tell Comrade Marshal for you."
This matter was of great importance. How could Sokov let Ivanov pass on the message? If he could not explain clearly, it might lead to a big mistake, so he stubbornly said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I have an important battle."
The plan needs to be reported directly to Comrade Marshal. I would rather trouble you and ask Comrade Marshal to answer the phone."
Ivanov weighed what Sokov said in his mind and decisively chose to compromise: "Okay, Major General Sokov, I will immediately ask Comrade Marshal to answer the phone."
After saying that, he put the microphone on the table, turned around, walked to Zhukov's side, leaned close to his ear and said: "Comrade Marshal, Major General Sokov called and said that he has an important battle plan and needs to be informed immediately.
You report."
"Report to me?!" Zhukov frowned, glanced at Vatutin, and said with some displeasure: "Don't he know that his troops have now been assigned to the command of your Voronezh Front? What is the battle plan?
, do you need to report to the commander of the front army, General Vatutin, instead of reporting to me?"
Zhukov's criticism made Ivanov's face turn red and purple, but he still had to bite the bullet and said: "I told him the same thing, but he insisted that he would only report to you."
"Marshal Zhukov," Vasilevsky saw that Zhukov was a little unhappy, and quickly came out to smooth things over: "Since Major General Sokov said he would report to you personally, proving that this plan is something that even Comrade Vatutin cannot make a decision on, you still
Go and hear what he actually said."
"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Since Vasilevsky spoke for Sokov, Vatutin, the commander of the front army, could not sing the opposite at this time. He could only smile and said to Zhukov: "You
You'd better listen, maybe he'll come up with some good ideas."
Zhukov stood up, walked to the table where the microphone was placed with a straight face, picked up the microphone and put it to his ear, and said in a deep voice: "I am Zhukov, Misha, what do you have to say to me?"
"Hello, Comrade Marshal." Sokov heard Zhukov's voice and quickly straightened up to greet him: "I am Sokov. I have a bold battle plan that needs to be reported to you immediately."
"A bold combat plan?" Zhukov asked in surprise: "What plan? Come on, tell us!"
"Comrade Marshal, didn't you directly give me an order yesterday to find a way to block Huot's retreat?" Sokov said on the phone: "My plan is related to this matter."
Zhukov's heart moved. Could it be that Sokov thought of a way to completely annihilate the Hot Armored Group Army? He quickly asked: "Misha, stop being so pretentious and tell me your plan quickly."
Vasilevsky, Vatutin and others saw the surprised expression on Zhukov's face, and in order to find out what happened, they all gathered around him.
Sokov did not know that Zhukov was surrounded by several people, who were reporting his bold plan to Zhukov in detail. It took him almost five minutes to introduce the entire plan, and finally said: "Comrade Marshal,
I feel that if this combat plan can be implemented smoothly, our army will be able to consume as much of the enemy's effective strength as possible with minimal casualties."
After listening to Sokov's plan, Zhukov remained silent, thinking silently in his mind. By doing this, can Sokov really consume as much of the enemy's vitality as possible, or should he let the tiger go home?
After thinking for a while, he asked noncommittally: "Misha, have you started the deployment?"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Sokov replied: "The artillery and tank units have been properly arranged, and they will launch a general attack on the enemy at the appropriate time."
"Misha, have you ever thought about it?" Zhukov asked slowly: "The only ones holding the position now are the 188th Division and the 81st Guards Division. Both divisions were severely weakened in the early battles.
, with their strength, how long can they resist the German attack?"
Sokov confidently replied: "If we get the support of the air force and artillery and hold on for more than five hours, there should be no problem."
"No, five hours is too short." Zhukov shook his head and said: "If the enemy attacks your blocking position at six in the morning and breaks through your position, it will not be noon yet. In the daytime with excellent visibility, Huo
We can adjust our deployment calmly and use alternate cover to return to Belgorod through the breached position."
According to Sokov's plan, it was enough for the 188th Division and the 81st Guards Division to block the attack. It would not be too late for the other divisions to join the battle after the general attack began. But when Zhukov said this, he could only
He made temporary adjustments to his original plan: "Comrade Marshal, Major General Gritsenko's 384th Division is now only a few kilometers away from the blocking position. If I want to block the enemy for a few more hours, I can stop the enemy after the battle begins.
, let the division, as a regiment, enter the blocking position one by one to participate in the blocking of Huote's troops. In this way, our blocking time can be extended by three to four hours."
Zhukov calculated in his mind that with the addition of a fresh force, the entire blockade time would be extended to almost ten hours. After Huot's troops broke through the defensive position, it was not far from dark. In order to prevent the troops from
If they are attacked at night, they will definitely order the troops to speed up their march. When Sokov's troops launch an attack again, the chance of success of the combat plan will be very high.
After Zhukov hung up the phone, he saw that he was surrounded by people. He guessed that they must have heard Sokov's report, so he asked: "What do you think of Sokov's bold plan?"
There was silence all around, no one spoke.
After a while, Deputy Commander Apanashenko looked around and found that neither Commander Vatutin, nor the Chief of Staff, nor the Military Commissar had any intention to express their opinions, so he stepped forward and said to Zhukov: "Marshal
Comrade, tell the truth?"
"Of course." Zhukov said with a wry smile: "Comrade General, if you have any ideas, just say it boldly."
Apanashenko coughed lightly, cleared his throat, and then said: "Comrade Marshal, I have to admit that Major General Sokov's plan is very bold. But, have you ever considered that his
There is no possibility of the plan being implemented?”
Zhukov did not expect that Apanashenko would actually oppose Sokov's plan, but he did not express his position immediately, but asked curiously: "Comrade General, can you tell me your reasons?"
"I heard Major General Sokov say that in order to achieve the purpose of depleting the enemy's strength, he could pretend to be unable to resist the German attack and deliberately give up a passage." Apanashenko said plausibly: "Didn't he think about it?
, once our commanders and soldiers who stick to their positions find that their positions have been breached by the enemy, they may panic and shake their morale. If they no longer stick to their positions and choose to flee, what kind of scene will it be like? "
When Apanashenko said this, he deliberately paused for a moment to observe everyone's reaction. Seeing that everyone was silent, he continued: "Once there is a collapse, our defense line will completely collapse, and even
It will affect those troops who are about to join the war. Just imagine, can a troop with low morale continue to fight?"
"Comrade Deputy Commander, I think your statement is wrong." As the chief of staff, Ivanov is not busy advising Vatutin all day long. He is also very concerned about the things around him. He has long discovered that Ah
Panashenko seemed to have a prejudice against Sokov, so when he heard the other party criticizing Sokov's plan, he immediately stood up and spoke out: "How is Major General Sokov's ability? I want Marshal Zhukov and Vasilev here to
Marshal Ski is very clear in his heart. Yes, although his plan is very bold, once there is a problem in a certain link, the plan of consuming the enemy's strength will fail, and the enemies who retreat south can smoothly return to Bel.
Gorod, make it more difficult for us to capture the city in the next step.
However, based on the series of results he has achieved in the past, I can be very certain that although this plan is bold, it has a high chance of success. As his superior leaders, even if we cannot give him more help, we should not
I’ll tear him down later. I’ve finished my words!”
Everyone could tell from Ivanov's tone that he was filled with anger when he said these words.
After another period of sinking, Vatutin, as the commander of the front army, finally expressed his position: "Comrade Marshal, I just want to ask you, do you think this plan can succeed?"
"This plan is very bold." Zhukov said cautiously: "But if it really succeeds, it will definitely cause heavy losses to the enemy. Comrade Vatutin, you should give orders to the troops in the direction of Oboyan now, and wait until dawn.
They launched a comprehensive counterattack against the German army. Only by inflicting pain on the enemy can they strengthen the enemy's determination to go south. Only in this way can they step into the trap set by Sokov for them."
Zhukov didn't speak just now. He was thinking about what actions he should take to help Sokov successfully implement this bold combat plan. In addition to ordering the troops in the direction of Oboyan to launch a counterattack, he also said to Vatutin:
"In addition, the Air Force will also be dispatched to carry out violent bombing of the area where Huot's Armored Group Army is deployed to disrupt the enemy's combat deployment and firmly grasp the initiative on the battlefield in our hands."
"Comrade Marshal." Vatutin said with some embarrassment after Zhukov finished speaking: "It is not impossible to order the troops in the direction of Oboyan to launch a counterattack. However, after half a month of fierce fighting, both their soldiers and ammunition have been exhausted.
It’s so powerful that even with air support, I’m afraid it will be difficult to severely damage or annihilate the enemy.”
"Comrade Vatutin, I think you misunderstood me." Zhukov looked at Vatutin and said solemnly: "I asked the troops in the direction of Oboyan to launch a counterattack, not to annihilate or severely damage Hoth's troops.
, but to find ways to drive the enemy away from the direction of Oboyan, forcing them to use all their strength to attack the blocking position set up by Sokov in order to achieve the purpose of withdrawing to Belgorod."
"Also, our air force is now mainly concentrated south of Prokhorovka. I'm afraid we won't be able to spare much power to provide air support for the troops in the direction of Oboyan."
"Comrade Vatutin, as far as I know, although Sokov's troops are assigned to your command, they have never received even one air support from you." Zhukov frowned and asked: "Is it because of air power?
If it is insufficient, can we give up providing air support to an important combat force?"
After being criticized by Zhukov, Vatutin suddenly blushed. He explained to Zhukov embarrassedly: "Comrade Marshal, you have been staying at my headquarters all the time. You should know that the air power during this period has been used for
After repelling the enemies outside the city of Prokhorovka, we really can’t spare any planes to support Major General Sokov and his companions.”
"Okay, okay, don't complain in front of me." Zhukov waved his hand and interrupted Vatutin's words: "Misha's troops have recently received air support from Konev. It seems that in tomorrow's battle
We can still only ask Konev for help and ask him to dispatch the air force to attack the enemy's ground targets."
After Zhukov finished speaking, he ordered Ivanov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please ask the communications troops to help me connect to Konev's headquarters. I want to talk to him!"
The call was quickly connected, and Konev learned that it was Zhukov who was looking for him. He was a little surprised and asked: "Comrade Marshal, what happened when you called me so late?"
"Yes, General Konev." Zhukov said with a smile: "I do encounter some difficulties now and need your help."
Konev knew that Zhukov could not joke with him on such an important matter, so he quickly said: "Comrade Marshal, if there is anything I can do to help you, just ask, and I will successfully complete the tasks you assigned."
"That's it, General Konev." Zhukov said: "Tomorrow Sokov's troops will have a fierce battle with the German army. You also know that their equipment is equipped according to reserve standards and lacks a sufficient number of artillery and artillery.
It is very difficult for tanks to face the fierce German offensive. Therefore, I would like to ask you to dispatch the air force to provide air cover for Sokov's troops, attack the German tanks on the ground, and reduce the pressure on the defenders."
Upon learning of this incident, Konev said readily: "Comrade Marshal, please rest assured that as long as Sokov's troops need it, my air force can be dispatched at any time to help them eliminate the enemy."