"General Sokov," Derevyanko asked Sokov with a smile: "I want to ask a question. When one of your divisions encounters a German infantry division, who can win the final victory?"
Derevyanko's question reminded Sokov of an idiotic post he read in later generations. The poster was probably a Japist. He asked a question in the post: A battalion of the German army in World War II and a brigade of the Japanese army.
encounter, who will win the final victory.
Perhaps because no one responded to his post, he asked himself questions later. He said that a battalion of a German infantry division is composed of three companies of 140 people and a heavy weapons company of 200 people and service units; while the Japanese army
A brigade consists of a 30-man brigade headquarters, a 110-man transport squadron, four 181-man infantry squadrons, a 174-man machine gun squadron, and a 55-man artillery squadron. Both in terms of numbers and equipment, they are far superior.
Far more than the German army. From this, he came to the conclusion that when the Japanese and German armies fought, the Japanese army would definitely win in the end.
At this moment, Sokov thought of this idiotic post and just wanted to say: Damn! With the 38 caps, crooked machine guns and a few infantry cannons in the hands of the Japanese pirates, they wanted to deal with the well-equipped and well-trained German army.
. You must know that the Soviet army that beat the Japanese pirates to the ground in Nomenkan was also beaten by the Germans to the point where they could not find their way north.
In response to the question raised by Derevyanko, Sokov responded seriously: "General Derevyanko, don't see that the troops under my command have achieved good results in previous battles with the German army. But I
I still have to tell you responsibly that if our forces are equal, our chances of winning are not high."
After listening to Sokov's answer, Derevyanko then asked: "General Sokov, since you also admit that when the strength of the troops is equal, the chance of your troops winning is not high. How can you guarantee that the infantry will win?"
How can the 73rd Brigade hold its position in the face of an enemy that is more powerful than them?"
Faced with Derevyanko's doubts, Sokov continued: "If we fight the Germans with equal strength, our chances of winning are indeed low. But if it is a defensive war, the Germans must at least dispatch
It would take a force several times larger than ours to capture our position."
Seeing Sokov speaking so confidently, Derevyanko originally wanted to ask a few more questions, but Managarov raised his hand to stop him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't discuss this meaningless issue anymore. I believe it."
General Sokov said, if the 73rd Infantry Brigade can hold its position, then it can definitely hold it."
Managarov turned around and said to Sokov: "General Sokov, it seems that the Germans are preparing to launch a large-scale attack on the landing site, but your troops are still on the way. Only with the existing strength, can they
Hold the landing site?"
"There should be no problem." Sokov has never engaged in passive defense. Since the enemy can attack him, he can also attack them. Seeing that Managarov was worried about his troops, he comforted him and said: "Comrade General,
The reason why my troops can achieve good results every time they defend is because we are not engaged in passive defense. The enemy attacks us during the day, and at night, I send troops to attack them. In this way, the enemy's original attack plan
It was disrupted, thereby reducing the pressure on our frontal defense forces."
Managarov still had a different view on Sokov's statement: "General Sokov, since you want to disrupt the enemy's offensive deployment, why not take the opportunity to launch a counterattack after the enemy's attack is frustrated? That's not possible.
If you do it, you can achieve greater results."
"No, Comrade General." After hearing what Managarov said, Sokov immediately realized that this was the difference in tactical thinking between himself and his opponent, and quickly said: "If you counterattack from the front, you may achieve some results in the early stage.
However, as the German fortifications increase, as well as the strength and weapons and equipment are strengthened, our counterattack will come to a standstill. Once our attack is frustrated and the enemy takes the opportunity to launch a counterattack, our counterattack will end in failure.
At the same time, a large number of elite troops will be lost.
As for sneak attacks at night, we don’t need to use many troops, and the visibility after dark is limited. Even if we fight, it will be difficult for the enemy to find out our details, so that they dare not act rashly. In this way, our troops
After completing the sneak attack, you can still escape intact."
After listening to Sokov's statement, Managarov thought for a long time, and finally nodded and said: "General Sokov, maybe you are right. An attack at night will make it easier for the Germans to fall into chaos.
You can achieve greater results."
"Comrade Commander, your phone number." While Sokov, Managarov and others were chatting, Samyko held the microphone and said to Sokov: "It's Commander Konev calling."
After learning that the call was from Konev, Sokov realized that something big must be going on. He quickly stood up and walked to Samyko, took the phone and put it to his ear and said: "Hello, Comrade Commander of the Front Army,
I am Sokov, what are your instructions?"
"I heard that the German army used three divisions of the 1st Army to launch an attack on the landing site on the right bank?" Konev asked on the phone: "Do you need my help?"
Now that Sokov is commanding the troops of two army groups, he naturally faces many difficulties. He originally wanted to find a suitable opportunity to ask Konev for help, but he did not expect that the other party would take the initiative to call, so he
He followed the flow and said: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, you should know that the troops of the 53rd Group Army and I are marching into Kremenchug continuously. More troops will be very beneficial to us in defeating the invading enemy."
But it also brings about a serious problem, that is, our supplies are not enough to support a larger-scale battle."
The difficulties raised by Sokov are not the problems that Konev is worried about now. According to the report of the logistics director of the front army, the trains and cars under his subordinates are operating at high load. Especially the automobile soldiers are working in teams of two.
Even so, the patrol team often saw trucks parked on the roadside, with two drivers sitting motionless in them. At first, they thought something had happened to them and were waiting to leave.
After interrogating them, I found out that they fell asleep unknowingly because they were too tired.
"Comrade Sokov, I know very well the difficulties you mentioned." Konev said helplessly: "You also know the condition of our roads. They are covered with dirt on sunny days and mud on rainy days. Now they are attacked by enemy planes.
The bombing has made it even more bumpy and difficult to navigate. If it rains, it turns into a quagmire, making it very difficult for vehicles to pass through.
Railway transportation is quite fast, but there are only one or two lines that can be used. Even if our trains run back and forth day and night, the materials transported will not be able to meet the needs of the frontline troops."
Managarov heard what Konev said and whispered to Derevyanko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, General Konev is right. If the condition of the road does not change, no matter how much we have
The vehicles may not be able to provide sufficient supplies to the frontline troops in a timely manner."
Managarov's words fell on Sokov's ears, and a bold idea suddenly came to his mind: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, I want to ask you a question."
"Ask." Konev said reasonably.
“Does Moscow use coal or wood for heating and cooking today?”
"The use of wood for heating and cooking happened many years ago." Although Konev didn't know the reason for Sokov's question, he still answered truthfully: "Nowadays, coal is used."
“What about the used cinders?”
"It's not clear." As a military commander, Konev must be unclear about these things in the city. "Comrade Sokov, why do you ask this?"
"Comrade Commander of the Front Army, this is what I think about." Since Konev asked, Sokov did not go around in circles and said what he was thinking: "I know the road conditions outside Moscow very well. If you want
To change it to a cement road or an asphalt road, firstly, the cost is too high, and secondly, it takes too long, and we cannot wait that long."
"That's true." Konev nodded and said, "Even if we work overtime and repair the road, the enemy only needs to come for a round of bombing or shelling, and all the hard work of our road workers will be in vain."
"If you can lay those discarded cinders on suburban roads, you only need to roll them back and forth a few times with a road roller, and you can turn them into easy-to-pass roads." Sokov continued: "Not only is it cheap,
It doesn't take long. Even if we are under enemy fire, we can re-lay the road in the shortest time."
After Sokov's suggestion, Konev couldn't help but fell silent. He thought over and over in his mind what Sokov said and how feasible it would be to use abandoned cinders to pave roads. After thinking for a long time,
, He did not give Sokov an affirmative answer, but said ambiguously: "Comrade Sokov, I will report your proposal to my superiors. As for whether they finally agree with your approach, I cannot control it."
of."
After Sokov put down the phone and saw Managarov and others looking at him, he smiled and explained to everyone: "Everyone, paving the road with cinders is just a temporary idea I came up with. Whether it is really effective, we need to
We will know after the test. For now, we should continue to discuss the defense of the landing site on the right bank, after all, this is our top priority."
"Comrade Commander," Sokov had just finished speaking when Samyko interrupted: "The 300th Infantry Division is getting off the train at the station in the city. Do you think you should let them stay in the city or transfer them immediately?
Landing ground?”
"Are there any enemy planes over the landing site?" After Sokov finished speaking, he realized that he had not expressed clearly enough and added, "What I want to ask is whether there are any enemy reconnaissance planes?"
"No."
Although Samyko said that no enemy reconnaissance plane was found in the sky above the landing site, Sokov still considered that at this moment, the 300th Division would be transferred to the landing site on the right bank. It might be attacked by enemy air attacks during the march, in order to avoid unnecessary casualties.
, he said to Samyko: "The 300th Division has just arrived in Kremenchug. The commanders and soldiers must be very tired. Let them have a good rest and wait until dark before setting off to the landing site."
Samyko nodded, indicating that he had taken note of what Sokov said, and continued to ask: "Then where do you plan to deploy them?"
Sokov stared at the map in front of him and looked at the numbers of the troops deployed on it. Starting from the left side of the landing site, they were Solomatin's 1st Mechanized Corps; Guchakov's 73rd Infantry Brigade; Shechtman's
The 354th Infantry Division and Fomenko's 84th Infantry Division, behind these two divisions is Khokhlov's 182nd Infantry Division.
After looking at the defense map for a while, Sokov raised his head and said to Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, since we have just discussed where the enemy may break through, we should strengthen the defense of the area. In my opinion, I will put Weiss
Bach's 300th Infantry Division should be placed behind the 73rd Infantry Brigade and the Mechanized Corps."
After recording Sokov's order, Samek nodded and said: "Comrade Commander, your deployment is very appropriate. After all, Colonel Weisbach once served as the deputy commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade. If
If the brigade encounters danger during the battle, I'm afraid he will send troops to support it before we give him an order."
Sokov didn't think that much. He just thought of the ferocious German offensive today. Whether it was the mechanized army or the infantry brigade's defense line, there was a possibility of being torn apart by the German army. Placing a new force here could block the enemy at any time.
The gap opened by the German army. At this moment, when Sameko mentioned the relationship between Weisbach, commander of the 300th Division, and the infantry brigade, he couldn't help but smile lightly, and then said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what you said reminded me
Colonel Weisbach used to be the deputy commander of the infantry brigade. Although he has left now, if anything happens to the infantry brigade, I think he will rush to reinforce it without hesitation."
Originally, Sokov was a little worried. Although the infantry brigade was an elite unit, its number was too small after all, with only more than 2,000 people. Once it was attacked by the German army, the defense line was indeed likely to be broken through. Now the 300th Division is deployed
Being behind them is equivalent to eliminating their worries.
"Comrade Commander, do you need to talk to Colonel Weisbach?"
"What to talk about?" Sokov asked rhetorically.
"Don't we need to remind Colonel Weisbach that once the infantry brigade or mechanized army encounters danger, they need to rush to reinforce it as soon as possible?"
"There is no need." Sokov shook his head and said: "Anyway, Colonel Weisbach is an old soldier and an old commander. If he encounters this situation, he doesn't know how to deal with it.
, I’m afraid I’ll have to consider replacing someone else as the division commander.”
"The 300th Division?!" Managarov heard the number mentioned by Sokov and couldn't help but curiously asked: "General Sokov, the 300th Infantry Division you mentioned turned out to be an assault force belonging to the Voronezh Front.
The 5th Army?"
When Sokov heard what Managarov said, he couldn't help but feel a little bit in his heart. He secretly said that good things don't go out, and bad things spread thousands of miles. It seems that Managarov knows something about the 300th Division, so he nodded and answered.
Said: "That's right, it's them."
"Can they do it?" Managarov asked full of doubts: "You know, when performing such an important mission last time, the entire division could drink to the point of losing combat effectiveness. Is it appropriate to let them serve as a reserve?