"Comrade Marshal!" Seeing victory in sight, the German army counterattacked and caught his own troops off guard. This incident made Vatutin ashamed. After hearing the order given by Zhukov, he added
: "I feel that it is not enough to just drive the enemy out of the logistics base in Bogodukhov. We must find ways to eliminate this enemy."
"Comrade Vatutin, how do you plan to destroy the German 11th Armored Division?" Vasilevsky asked curiously.
"Two Comrade Marshals, please look at the map." Vatutin pointed to the map hanging on the wall and introduced to Zhukov and Vasilevsky: "Now in the Oboyan area, except for the 11th Armored Division of the German Army,
There will no longer be any German troops, and we can completely transfer General Katukov's First Tank Army over and launch a final general attack on them."
Vatutin said with confidence: "I do not deny that the 11th Armored Division has strong combat effectiveness, but in any case, they only have one division, and after such a long battle, their strength has been greatly weakened. As long as we use it
General Katukov's troops are fully capable of destroying them."
Vasilevsky was very moved by Vatutin's statement. He looked at Zhukov and asked eagerly: "Comrade Marshal, what do you think? Order General Katukov's troops to launch a final attack on the 11th Armored Division."
Attack?"
After listening to the opinions of Vatutin and Vasilevsky, Zhukov began to think seriously. It is undeniable that the 11th Armored Division is the elite armored force of the German army, but after such a long battle, the opponent's strength has been greatly weakened.
Now it is estimated that they don't even have half the strength. If Katukov's tank army is really deployed to attack it, then it is not impossible to annihilate it.
Thinking of this, Zhukov nodded slightly and said to Vatutin: "Comrade Vatutin, since you think that committing Katukov's tank army can completely wipe out the German 11th Armored Division, then go ahead and do it."
Seeing that his proposal had been approved by Zhukov, Vatutin agreed excitedly, called Ivanov and told him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please contact General Katukov immediately and order his troops to turn to Bo."
Godukhov, assisted the troops of the 6th Guards Army in destroying the German 11th Armored Division."
As Vatutin's chief of staff, Ivanov also feels that the enemies occupying the Bogodukhov logistics base are nothing great. As long as Katukov's tank army is used, they can be completely annihilated. Therefore, I heard that
After receiving Vatutin's order, he agreed in a loud voice and turned around to send a telegram.
Shortly after Ivanov left, a staff officer came in and reported to Vatutin: "Comrade General, General Konev, Commander of the Steppe Front, is outside asking for a meeting!"
"Oh, Konev is here?!" Zhukov, who was sitting next to him, had an expression of surprise on his face when he heard the staff report, and quickly told the staff: "Hurry up and invite him in!"
Not long after the staff officer left, he came in from the outside with Konev.
Zhukov quickly stood up to greet him, shook hands with him, and said with a smile: "Comrade Konev, why did you come here?"
"Hello, Comrade Marshal of the Soviet Union." Konev felt a little confused when he saw Zhukov now. He clearly remembered that when he handed over the post of commander of the Western Front to Zhukov in October 1941, he was a general, and he
It's a general. Now two years have passed, the other party has become a Marshal of the Soviet Union, but his military rank is still the same. "I heard that you and Marshal Vasilevsky are here, so I came here specially."
After Konev shook hands with Vasilevsky, Vatutin and others, Zhukov invited him to sit down at the table, and then continued to ask: "Comrade Konev, if you have anything to say, just say it."
"That's it, Comrade Marshal." After the muscles on Konev's face twitched violently twice, he said with some embarrassment: "Not long ago, I received a notice from the General Staff to change the organization. Our front army belongs to
The troops are the 9th Army, the 7th Guards Army, the 53rd Army and the 1st Mechanized Army, the 47th Army and the 3rd Guards Mechanized Army, the 4th Guards Army and the 3rd Guards Tank Army. Moreover, only the highest level
The use of General Kulik's 4th Guards Army will be allowed only after the headquarters headquarters of the headquarters agrees."
This was the first time Zhukov and Vasilevsky had heard about the new organization situation mentioned by Konev. After Zhukov waited for Konev to finish speaking, he asked with some surprise: "Comrade Konev, during the battle of Kursk,
The base camp has transferred a lot of troops from your army, and now it has replenished you. Not only has your strength not been weakened, but it has become stronger. Do you think there is something wrong?"
"Comrade Marshal," Konev said with a bitter look on his face: "General Rotmistrov's 5th Guards Tank Army and Major General Sokov's 27th Army were originally only said to be temporarily placed under the command of the Voronezh Front.
, after the battle is over, the organizational structure will be returned. But now, these two armies do not exist at all in the new organization list."
"Comrade Konev," Vasilevsky heard this and immediately understood the reason for Konev's uninvited visit, so he interrupted and asked: "Are you here about the affairs of these two armies?"
"Yes, Marshal Vasilevsky." Konev nodded and replied: "I am indeed here for these two troops."
After saying this, he paused briefly, and seeing that Zhukov and others looked thoughtful, he continued: "During the Battle of Kursk, the base camp deployed four of the most effective combatants from our front army.
The group army, a mechanized corps and a tank corps, were temporarily placed under the command of the Voronezh Front.
The two group armies that are now incorporated into our front army and originally belonged to the Voronezh Front Army. In the July battle, each division suffered heavy losses in personnel, artillery and weapons. Now our front army is facing the problem of insufficient tanks. The specific situation is: 53rd
60 vehicles for the Army Group, 88 vehicles for the 69th Army, 50 vehicles for the 7th Guards Army, and 200 vehicles for the 1st Mechanized Army.”
After Vasilevsky waited for Konev to finish a series of data, he said with some displeasure: "General Konev, with all due respect, your steppe front army is just a strategic reserve. The base camp will be based on the battlefield situation.
It is absolutely correct for you to deploy troops to replenish the areas where fighting is taking place."
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Konev retorted: "Marshal Vasilevsky, I think the method of using strategic reserves in the base camp is incorrect. I think the front troops should not be dispersed, but the grassland should be used
The front was used as a whole and used us on the main battlefield.
It must be emphasized that deploying strategic reserves dispersedly into battle can never achieve a major goal. The attack of the Southwest Front Army in the summer of 1916 is a lesson. At that time, due to the smooth breakthrough of the enemy's defense, an extremely favorable situation was formed
, is not fully utilized, and the reason is that the strategic reserves are dispersed, used to develop offenses in the form of a single corps, and are put into battle too late."
Zhukov secretly pondered in his heart, and he felt that Konev's words still made some sense. In this battle of Kursk, in the defensive engagement, the strategic reserve was not used as a whole, but was only used dispersedly.
Fight to ensure that the defenders in a crisis state can crush the enemy's attack.
"Comrade Konev, I have remembered what you said. I will convey your opinions to the Supreme Commander himself at the appropriate time." After Zhukov said this, he took the initiative to propose to Konev: "Koniev
Comrade Nev, I guess you really want the 27th Army to return to your front army organization, right? Otherwise, you would not send the air force to provide them with free air cover."
Seeing that Zhukov had guessed what he was thinking, Konev smiled sheepishly. According to his idea, Rotmistrov's 5th Guards Tank Army could be dispensed with, but Sokov's 27th Army must be
Go back, that is the treasure of the grassland front army, we can't just take advantage of Vatutin in vain.
The reason why Konev rushed to the headquarters of the Voronezh Front today was mainly to complain to Zhukov and strive to reassign Sokov's troops to his command. Now that Zhukov expressed his willingness to help, he felt a little more at ease.
After continuing to chat for a while, he stood up and left, heading to Sokov's army headquarters.
As soon as Konev left, Vatutin became anxious. In this battle of Kursk, he found that his two armies were not as good as Sokov's 27th Army. Once Zhukov helped Konev
If you want to ask the base camp to reassign the 27th Army to the Grassland Front, you will suffer a big loss.
For this reason, he anxiously said to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, we will soon launch Operation Rumyantsev to attack Kharkov and Belgorod where the enemy is entrenched.
Transferring Sokov's 27th Army away at this time will greatly weaken our strength."
"Yes, Comrade Marshal." After Vatutin finished speaking, Vasilevsky also echoed: "Operation Rumyantsev is about to begin. If the 27th Army is transferred away at this time, it will weaken the strength of the Voronezh Front.
, which is very detrimental to our next battle."
Operation Rumyantsev was jointly formulated by Vasilevsky and Zhukov. If the transfer of the 27th Army caused any uncertainties in the operation, Vasilevsky did not want to see this, so he
Only then would he agree with Vatutin’s opinion and firmly oppose the transfer of the 27th Army.
After Zhukov listened to the two people's opinions, his eyes stayed on them for a long time, and finally sighed and said: "I feel that even if the 27th Group Army is re-assigned to the command of the Steppe Front, it will not have any influence on our Rumyantsev operation.
What impact will it have? Konev is right, we should not use the huge strategic reserves dispersedly, but should put them into the battlefield as a whole, maybe we can achieve greater results."
"Comrade Vatutin, I can tell you. Even if the 27th Army is reassigned to the command of the Steppe Front, they will also participate in the battle to liberate Kharkov and Belgorod."
Zhukov had already spoken to this extent, and Vatutin knew that no matter how much he objected, it would be of no use, and a bitter smile appeared on his face.
…………
After Katukov received Vatutin's order, he immediately called his chief of staff and told him: "Chief of Staff, we have just received an order from Comrade General, asking us to send tank troops to Bogodukhov.
Assist the troops of the Sixth Guards Army to eliminate the 11th Armored Division entrenched in the logistics base."
Hearing this order, the Chief of Staff couldn't help being shocked. He asked in surprise: "Comrade Commander, didn't the enemy's 11th Armored Division retreat southward like the 17th Armored Division? Why did it suddenly appear in Bo?
Where is Godukhov?"
"Balk, the commander of the 11th Armored Division, is a very cunning thing." Katukov said: "When he saw that the road going south was blocked, he immediately turned around and headed north, catching General Chistyakov off guard."
After understanding the situation, the chief of staff quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, which troops do you plan to send there?"
Katukov thought for a while and replied: "Now our infantry is clearing out the remaining enemies. It will be difficult to assemble them in a short time. I think we should send a tank corps there."
After the chief of staff waited for Katukov to finish speaking, he quickly reminded him: "Comrade Commander, if we only send tanks there without the cooperation of the infantry, I am worried that the enemy's anti-tank fighters will pose a great threat to us."
"Don't worry," Katukov said confidently: "After our tanks arrive at Bogodukhov, they will be supported by the infantry of the Sixth Guards Army."
Seeing that Katukov was so confident, the chief of staff could not say anything. He could only immediately call the commander of the 31st Tank Army and order him to immediately lead all the tanks in the army and rush to Bogodukhov as soon as possible to assist the Sixth Army.
The troops destroy the enemy occupying the logistics base.
After receiving the notice from the chief of staff, the tank commander immediately gathered all the tanks in the general. He hurried to Bogodukhov without even having time to replenish fuel and ammunition, preparing to eliminate the tanks entrenched in the logistics base as soon as possible.
11th Armored Division.
When the tank army troops arrived at the logistics base, the battle had been going on for a long time. Since the enemy deployed many tanks as forts in the base, the two attacks launched by the infantry-based Sixth Guards Army failed.
And ended.
The 49th Tank Brigade, which was the first to arrive on the battlefield, immediately contacted the 74th Guards Division, which was responsible for the attack, and was ready to launch an attack on the German troops in the logistics base after the infantry had completed regrouping.
Balck, who was stuck in the logistics base, learned that the Soviet tanks had arrived, and immediately ordered an armored regiment to leave cover, and he led the rest of the troops to withdraw westward along the highway.
Discovering that the German troops at the logistics base were retreating, Major General Sokolov, commander of the 74th Guards Division, immediately found the tank brigade commander and said to him: "Comrade Colonel, the enemy is retreating. I think our attack time must be advanced."
The tank brigade commander glanced at the infantry who were still gathering, and said with some embarrassment: "Comrade General, your infantry is still gathering. If we launch an attack at this time, I'm afraid it will cause unnecessary chaos."
"Comrade Colonel," Sokolov said to the tank brigade commander: "The one trapped in the base is the German 11th Armored Division. They don't have many infantry and anti-tank fighters. Even if you don't have infantry cover, you can still attack them.
Launch an attack. The way I see it, you attack the enemy first, and we will follow up immediately after we complete our assembly."
The tank brigade commander thought that since the German army had no anti-tank fighters, his tank brigade, even without the assistance of infantry, could rush into the logistics base and eliminate the enemies entrenched inside. After thinking about it, he readily agreed to the other party: "
Okay, then our tank brigade will attack the enemy first."