The captain came to Chuvashov with two prisoners, raised his hand in salute and reported: "Comrade Brigadier, the prisoners have been brought!"
Looking at the two prisoners in front of him, Chuvashov suddenly realized that he had overlooked something. There was no one in the headquarters who knew German. How could he conduct an interrogation? He quickly said to the captain: "Captain, you
Find a translator, I want to interrogate these two prisoners personally..."
"Comrade Brigadier," before Chuvashov could finish speaking, Yakuda interrupted: "There is no need to find a translator. I understand German. Can I translate for you?"
"Comrade Captain, are you qualified for the role of translator?" Chuvasov's face was full of doubts.
Yakuda did not defend himself, but turned to the two German prisoners and asked in slightly stiff but fluent German: "Gentlemen, please state your names, positions and military ranks."
When the two prisoners heard Yakuda's question, they quickly and respectfully stated their names, military ranks, and positions they had held in the 255th Armored Division.
Seeing that Yakudan could communicate with the prisoners freely, Chuvashov gave up the plan of calling for an interpreter. He waved to the captain, indicating that he did not need to go out to find an interpreter.
Chuvashov had no interest in the names or military ranks of the two prisoners. After confirming that Yakuda's German level was sufficient to communicate with the German prisoners, he asked: "Have you met your division commander?"
"Yes, Mr. Colonel." After listening to the translation, the captive lieutenant quickly replied: "Although my military rank is relatively low, I have met the division commander several times."
"If you meet your division commander again, will you recognize him?" Chuvasov asked.
"Yes, Mr. Colonel!" the lieutenant replied in a positive tone again: "Whenever I see my division commander again, I will definitely recognize him."
"Captain," since the German lieutenant said he could identify the division commander, Chuvashov ordered the captain standing aside: "Have someone bring the body in and let them identify it carefully."
The captain agreed, turned around and walked out of the headquarters.
Less than two minutes later, the captain returned to the headquarters again, followed by four soldiers carrying a stretcher. The originally relatively spacious headquarters suddenly seemed a little crowded due to the addition of an extra stretcher.
"Let's take a look," Chuvashov said to the German lieutenant: "Do you recognize this body lying on the stretcher?"
Yakuda quickly translated Chuvasov's words to the German lieutenant: "Look at this body on the stretcher, do you recognize it?"
When the German lieutenant saw the Soviet army bringing in a stretcher with a body covered with white cloth lying on it, he was quite puzzled. Now after listening to Yakuda's translation, he was even more confused. He didn't understand why the other party
To identify the body, you have to call yourself.
He originally wanted to refuse Chuvasov's request, but after looking at the eagerly watching Soviet soldiers around him, he couldn't help but feel anxious, so he had no choice but to step forward to check. When the captain saw the German lieutenant approaching, he opened the lid.
A white cloth was placed on his face to facilitate his identification. Due to excessive force, the white cloth that originally covered his whole body was lifted to his abdomen.
The German lieutenant saw the person lying on the stretcher, wearing the uniform of an ordinary soldier. Without even looking at the person's face, he shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, I don't know him."
After saying that, the lieutenant was about to turn around and leave, but he heard the second lieutenant standing behind him exclaimed: "Oh my god, why does this man on the stretcher look similar to a division commander?"
When the lieutenant heard the second lieutenant's words, he couldn't help but trembled. He quickly looked at the face of the corpse carefully. At this sight, he couldn't take his eyes away: "Yes, it is really the division commander. But, how could he be wearing the clothes of an ordinary soldier?"
Where are the uniforms?”
When the lieutenant confirmed that the deceased was his division commander, the second lieutenant also hurriedly stepped forward, looked at the body carefully, and asked in a low voice: "Lieutenant, how do you think the division commander died? Also, why did he wear the clothes of an ordinary soldier?"
Where are the uniforms?”
Yakuda, who stood aside, faithfully translated to Chuvasov what the two said without missing a word.
After hearing this, Chuvashov sneered and said: "Why do the German division commanders wear ordinary soldiers' clothes? I know the answer to this question. I guess they saw that our army's offensive was too fierce and they couldn't hold it anymore. The German division commander wanted to escape.
Worried that the target was too big, he asked an ordinary soldier to change into a military uniform. Who knew that he was so unlucky that he could not escape even after changing his clothes."
After clearly identifying the corpse brought back by Yakuda, it was the German division commander. Chuvashov did not want to talk nonsense with the two prisoners anymore, so he asked the captain to take them out together with the corpse.
As soon as the captain and others left the headquarters, Chuvashov ordered the communications troops to connect to the group army headquarters. After hearing Sokov's voice, he immediately said: "Comrade Commander, I have good news for you."
"Good news?" Sokov was stunned at first, and then asked with surprise: "Has the German 255th Division been annihilated by you and your friendly forces?"
"The battle is still going on." The remaining enemies were still resisting in the settlements. Naturally, Chuvashov did not dare to lie to Sokov about the military situation. He could only say truthfully: "But I believe it won't take long before we can completely defeat him."
Destroy the enemy."
Sokov had no interest in such empty promises. After waiting for the other party to finish speaking, he asked directly: "Comrade Colonel, you called me, what's the matter?"
"Comrade Commander," Chuvashov heard the impatience in Sokov's tone and quickly added: "I'm calling you because I have good news to tell you."
Before Sokov could ask, he said first: "The commander of the German 255th Division was killed by us."
"What, the German division commander was shot dead by you?" This news was something Sokov liked to hear, but for the sake of safety, he still asked: "Is the news reliable?"
"Totally reliable." Chuvashov replied: "Now the body of the German division commander is outside my headquarters, and I also specially asked two captured German officers to come and check. After their confirmation, it was indeed the third
Commander of the 255th Division."
"Which unit achieved this result?" Sokov picked up a pencil on the table, opened his notepad, and prepared to record: "I want to write it down and ask for credit for them immediately after the battle is over.
."
"It's the first battalion of our brigade." Chuvasov said quickly: "The battalion commander is Major Shamrih, and his deputy battalion commander, Captain Yakuda, personally delivered the body to my headquarters."
"Well done, Comrade Colonel." After praising the other party, Sokov ordered him: "Since the German division commander is dead, you must arrange for manpower to bury him as soon as possible. Do you understand?"
"Comrade Commander," Chuvasov became a little anxious after hearing Sokov's order: "How can we bury him now? If his body is buried now, once the superior comes to inspect it,
What should I do about the result of the battle? I can’t just order someone to dig him out of the ground again, right?”
"It doesn't matter. I'll let you bury it. Just arrange for someone to bury it." Seeing that Chuvashov was worried, Sokov comforted him and said, "Even if the superiors send someone to check the results of the battle in the future, I will help you deal with it."
Yes, you don’t have to worry so much.”
The battle continued until two o'clock in the afternoon. The enemies entrenched in the settlements stopped resisting. The surviving officers and soldiers laid down their weapons and surrendered to the Soviet army. The enemies in Belgorod City had already lost their battle with the 255th Infantry Division.
Although the positions to the north of the city were no longer under shelling and bombing by the Soviets, the German commanders did not dare to take it lightly and neither dared to send troops for reinforcements nor to provide artillery cover for them.
As the gunfire in the settlement gradually became sparse, Soviet troops attacking from several directions met in the settlement.
Major General Fomenko and Colonel Shechtman came to Chuvashov's headquarters.
After the three shook hands and exchanged pleasantries for a while, Fomenko said: "Comrades, we have wiped out all the Germans who trapped the residents. Tell me, what should we do next?"
"I think we should ask Comrade Commander for instructions." Shechtman said tentatively: "If he orders us to retreat, we will retreat. If we are asked to hold on, we will do everything we can to defend this place."
None of the three people knew Sokov's true intention. After some discussion, they decided to call for instructions on whether to stay where they were or retreat to the north of the town of Yakovlevo.
The caller this time was no longer Chuvashov, but Major General Fomenko, the highest-ranking military officer: "Comrade Commander, I am Major General Fomenko. I have important matters that need to be reported to you immediately."
"Please report, Comrade Major General."
"Comrade Commander, we have wiped out all the enemies who retreated to the residential areas. Now the results are being sorted out. I believe it won't take long before all the enemies can be counted."
"Comrade Major General, please express my gratitude on behalf of all the officers and soldiers participating in the war for their great achievements in defending the motherland."
"I will, Comrade Commander, don't worry." After Fomenko said this, he asked tentatively: "Now that we have completed the task of annihilating the German 255th Infantry Division, what should we do next?
?Should we continue to stay here, or should we retreat to the position north of the town of Yakovlevo?"
"Comrade Major General," Sokov said into the microphone, thinking that the troops would launch an attack on Belgorod in a few days. If the troops were mobilized frequently, the soldiers would easily become tired, so he said into the microphone: "We will soon
If you want to start a war with the Germans again, there is no need to move troops here and there, as this will make the commanders and soldiers exhausted. I think you can just build the work in place and establish a starting point for the attack."
After Sokov said these words, he went through it in his mind to make sure nothing was missed, and then continued: "Also, now you have two infantry divisions, one infantry brigade and two marine brigades.
If they are all concentrated in one place, the target will be too big. Once the enemy shells or bombs the area where you are stationed, it will inevitably cause you heavy casualties. Therefore, when you set up your defense line, your troops should be deployed more dispersedly to achieve both
We can support each other and avoid unnecessary casualties under the enemy's powerful artillery fire."
Samyko, who was standing nearby, heard the call between Sokov and Fomenko, and couldn't help showing a proud expression on his face. He was also worried that if the battle was not over for a long time, he would be criticized by his superiors.
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he urged him impatiently: "Comrade Commander, since the 255th Infantry Division has been wiped out by us, shouldn't we immediately notify our superiors of the good news?"
"Well," Sokov nodded and said, "I personally called the front army headquarters to inform all superiors of this encouraging news."
After the call was connected to the front army headquarters, the person who answered the phone was Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Ivanov. But when he heard that Sokov's troops had annihilated the German 255th Infantry Division, he couldn't help but be overjoyed and said repeatedly: "Too great
Well, Major General Sokov, this is great, I will report this good news to the commander and Marshal Zhukov immediately."
Zhukov and Vasilevsky were eating. When they heard Ivanov say that the German 255th Infantry Division had been annihilated, they quickly put down the tableware in their hands, stood up, walked to the phone, and took the tableware from Ivanov.
Microphone: "Hey, are you Misha? I'm Zhukov!"
"Hello, Comrade Marshal!" Although this call to the front army headquarters was to report the good news of victory, Sokov still felt a little uneasy when he heard Zhukov's voice. "I am Sokov.
, I obey your orders, please give me instructions!"
"I have nothing to give instructions," Zhukov said with a smile, "I just want to give you a verbal commendation for annihilating the 255th Infantry Division. I hope you can achieve more meritorious deeds in the following battles."
"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Sokov said: "I believe in my subordinates. I believe that they will definitely achieve greater results and achieve more meritorious deeds in the new battle."
After Zhukov chatted with Sokov for a few words, he saw Vatutin approaching and handed the microphone to him, and then went back to continue having dinner.
"Comrade Sokov, I heard that you successfully annihilated the German 255th Infantry Division, and I congratulate you." After Vatutin said this, he asked: "What are your troops doing now?"
"The remaining enemies of the 255th Infantry Division were eliminated in a settlement five or six kilometers away from Belgorod." Sokov said to Vatutin: "I have ordered all the troops involved in the encirclement and annihilation operations to
Stationed in the area, ready to participate in the attack on Belgorod in a few days."
After learning that Sokov's troops were stationed a few kilometers away from Belgorod, a bold idea suddenly came to Vatutin's mind: "Comrade Sokov, since your troops are so far away from the city,
So, have you ever considered taking advantage of the darkness to attack the city?"
Although Sokov has won many battles, he has not been dazzled by victory at all. He does not think that the strength of his own group army is enough to compete with the powerful German troops in the city. If he really wants to attack, it will be like hitting a stone with an egg.
, not only will they not be able to capture the city, they may also involve their own troops.
Therefore, after a brief silence, he decisively rejected Vatutin's proposal: "I'm sorry, Comrade General, I don't think now is a good time to attack Belgorod. What's more, our troops are weak and lack tanks.
, it is simply impossible for heavy offensive weapons such as cannons to seize a city from an enemy with superior strength and equipment."