Yesenin knew that Chumakov could not protect him, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and come to the headquarters, ready to accept the severest punishment. According to his opinion, he was not commanding well and even repeatedly missed the opportunity to fight. Even if he was not shot, he would be shot.
Sent to military court.
Sokov, who was busy in the headquarters, suddenly heard Koshkin report to him: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Yesenin is here."
After hearing this, Sokov said without raising his head: "Let him come over."
"Comrade Commander," Yesenin came to Sokov, raised his hand and saluted: "Colonel Yesenin, commander of the 233rd Infantry Division, has been ordered to come. I am waiting for your order, please give instructions!"
"It's the former division commander, Colonel Yesenin." Sokov stood up straight, looked at Yesenin and said: "Do you know how many mistakes were made today? If it is because of you that the progress of the battle is affected, you will bear the responsibility.
Can you afford it?”
"I can't afford it." Yesenin lowered his head and admitted his mistake to Sokov: "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, it was my fault."
"Wrong?" Sokov asked with a sneer: "Do you know where you are wrong?"
Sokov's words stopped Yesenin from asking. He looked at Sokov and didn't know how to answer for a moment.
"Come to me!" Sokov called Yesenin to the table, pointed to the map spread out on it, and said to him: "You use a sneak attack to attack the town of Golovanivsik.
The idea is undoubtedly correct."
Yesenin was surprised to hear that Sokov actually praised his tactical thinking as correct. He looked at Sokov and thought with some surprise: "Since you think my idea is correct, but you dismissed me, then what?
Why?"
Just listen to Sokov continue: "But what I don't understand is, since your sneak attack was noticed by the Germans, why didn't you simply turn the sneak attack into a strong attack? You know, in that situation, you only need to concentrate
The firepower of the divisional artillery regiment can suppress the German positions by bombarding them. Even if it is temporarily unable to open a gap in their defense line, it can greatly reduce the casualties of the troops."
"But what did you do?" Sokov said, and slapped his hand on the table, startling the people around him: "Seeing the troops continue to suffer casualties under enemy fire, you
But they did not take any response, resulting in many soldiers of our army sacrificing their lives in vain."
"Also," since Sokov called Yesenin here, he naturally would not save him any face, but said in a stern tone: "Before you start the second attack, I have personally called you to tell you
, said that the assault battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Victor has entered the town of Golovanivsik. What you have to do is to immediately use artillery fire to open a gap in the enemy's defense line and rush in to join the friendly forces."
"But what did you do?" When Sokov said this, he tried hard to control his emotions, lest he could not help but draw a gun and kill Yesenin later: "At the group army headquarters and the army headquarters
After many urgings, he reluctantly launched an attack on the town without providing necessary artillery support to the attacking troops. Under such circumstances, do you think your troops can break through the German defense lines?"
"No." Yesenin shook his head again.
"Do you understand now why I want to remove you?"
"knew."
"I think you don't know." Sokov said, unable to control his emotions: "If you continue to stay in the position of division commander, I think the entire 233rd Division will be ruined in your hands.
inside."
"Comrade Sokov," Shtemenko on the side saw Sokov getting more and more excited as he spoke, and was worried that he would lose control of his emotions. He quickly stood up and persuaded him: "I think Colonel Yesenin has fully realized his mistake at this moment.
, then you just announce the results of his treatment."
Everyone has different opinions on how to punish Yesenin. Sokov just dismissed him from his post and planned to let him serve as a soldier in a grassroots company; while Smirnov advocated sending him to a military court. Military Commissioner Go
Rokhov also echoed this suggestion.
In the end, Shtemenko came out to smooth things over and said to the two of them: "Since the commander of the group army is Comrade Sokov, he should have the final say on how to deal with the commander of the army. What do you think?"
With what Shtemenko said, Smirnov and Gorokhov could not say anything more. They could only agree with Sokov's decision to only remove Yesenin from his post, but not to send him to a military court.
"Colonel Yesenin," Sokov looked at Yesenin carefully and felt that it was obviously unrealistic for him to serve as a soldier at the grassroots level. With his bloated physique at the moment, he probably wouldn't be able to survive even a forced march, and he might still be able to do so.
It was dragging the troops back, so he changed his mind: "It is definitely impossible to go back and become a division commander. Now I give you two options: one is to stay at the headquarters as a staff officer and learn how to command operations; the other is to stay at the headquarters as a staff officer and learn how to command operations;
It’s to join the company and become an ordinary soldier.”
After Sokov finished talking about the two choices given to Yesenin, he paused intentionally for a moment to observe the other person's expression. Seeing the other person's eyes flickering and the muscles on his face pulling violently, as if he was having a fierce ideological struggle, he slowly
He hesitated and said: "I wonder which one are you going to choose?"
Yesenin was thinking in his mind. From the outbreak of the war to now, he had been promoted step by step from a battalion commander to a division commander. As he grew older, his physical strength was not as good as before. What if he was allowed to march every day like an ordinary soldier?
, it is estimated that his body will be exhausted before long. Also, the probability of ordinary soldiers dying in battle is dozens of times higher than the probability of staying in the headquarters.
He had the answer instantly and quickly said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have thought about it and decided to stay in your headquarters as a staff officer and relearn how to command the troops."
After Sokov waited for the other party to finish speaking, he asked slowly: "Once you make a decision, you can't go back on it. Are you really sure you want to stay in my headquarters as a staff officer?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander, I am very sure." Yesenin nodded his head like a rattle, "I am willing to stay in the headquarters as a staff officer."
Now that Yesenin had expressed his stance, Sokov called Ponedelin over and told him: "Lieutenant Colonel Ponedelin, you will be responsible for arranging Comrade Yesenin's specific work in the headquarters."
Ponedelin agreed, took Yesenin aside and arranged work for him.
"Comrade Sokov," Shtemenko looked at Yesenin's back and asked Sokov curiously: "Why do you want to keep him in your headquarters?"
Sokov was silent for a moment, and then explained to Shtemenko: "Anyway, he has served as a division commander for a long time and has rich command experience. The students who followed me from the Frunze Military Academy
, they used to be battalion-level commanders. To put them all into the position of regiment-level commanders, more command experience is needed. I kept Yesenin because I wanted him to pass on his experience to those students so that the students can
After assuming a higher position, you will be able to make fewer low-level mistakes."
"Chief of Staff, call Lieutenant Colonel Muzichenko and ask him how the progress is going there." The delay in taking the town of Golovanivsik made Sokov become frustrated: "
If they haven't taken the town yet, we may need to think of other methods, otherwise it will affect the progress of the battle during the day."
Smirnov picked up the phone, called Muzichenko, and asked tentatively: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what is the situation there? Have your troops rushed into the town?"
"The troops attacking from the front were still blocked by the defenders from outside the town." Just when Smirnov's heart tightened, the other party suddenly made a twist: "However, the troops entering the town from the east
, has successfully reached the center of the town and joined Lieutenant Colonel Kirillov’s troops.”
"Already joined forces?"
"Yes, we have joined forces." Muzichenko said with some excitement: "A few minutes ago, the second battalion of the 701st Regiment attacked from north to south, successfully broke through the German defense line outside the town, and connected with the 700th Regiment.
Entered the town."
"This is really great." Smirnov couldn't help but be ecstatic when he heard this: "So, most of the town has fallen into the hands of our army?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, this is really the case." Muzichenko continued to report: "After our two forces joined forces, we are currently clearing out the remaining enemies in the town."
"When will the operation to wipe out the remaining enemies end?"
"It's hard to say." Muzichenko said hesitantly: "It was too dark, and the Germans we defeated were hiding in buildings everywhere. It would take a long time to find them all.
"
Sokov heard part of the conversation, and walked straight to Smirnov and asked in a low voice: "Has the German position south of the town been breached by our army?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Smirnov quickly covered the microphone with his hand and reported to Sokov in a positive tone: "The 701st Regiment entered the town from the south and met Lieutenant Colonel Kirillov.
After they joined forces, they launched an attack from the enemy's rear in the south of the town, defeated their defense line, and entered the town with the troops outside the town."
Hearing that the German defense line had been penetrated, Sokov breathed a sigh of relief, and then asked: "What is Lieutenant Colonel Muzichenko doing?"
"They are wiping out the remaining enemies." Smirnov was worried that Sokov was dissatisfied with the results, so he took the initiative to explain: "The defeated enemies have all hid in the buildings in the town, and it was too dark.
It is obviously unrealistic to eliminate the enemy in a short period of time."
Sokov knew very well that it was dark outside now. If the Germans really hid in the building, it would be very difficult for the commanders and soldiers to eliminate them.
But considering the attack during the day, Sokov did not want to be held back by a small town, so he said to Smirnov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, tell Lieutenant Colonel Muzichenko that no later than seven o'clock in the morning
, the whole town must be liberated.”
Smirnov quickly released his hand covering the microphone and said to Muzichenko: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the commander has issued a death order. The entire town must be liberated before seven o'clock in the morning."
"Chief of Staff, please tell the commander." Muzichenko on the other end of the phone said with high spirits: "Before seven o'clock, we will definitely capture the entire town of Golovanivsik."
After Smirnov put down the phone, he told everyone that the town of Golovanivsik had been mostly occupied. The entire headquarters was suddenly filled with a joyful mood.
"Comrade Sokov," Shtemenko was not as excited as Sokov, but asked tentatively: "I think your troops have been seriously weakened after a day and night of fighting. Can they participate in the next stage of the battle?"
Fighting is always an unknown."
Shtemenko's words stunned Sokov. He thought about it carefully and found that what the other party said was very reasonable. Afnin's 18th Guards Infantry Corps was responsible for the left-wing attack. Now all three of its divisions have been killed or injured.
More than half of it was obviously inappropriate to continue the attack; the situation of the offensive troops on the right was even worse. The 233rd Division and 252nd Division under Chumakov's 57th Army suffered casualties astonishingly two-thirds.
; Even for Melekhov's 49th Army, the situation is not optimistic.
Sokov thought for a long time, and then said slowly: "Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, you are right. My troops have suffered nearly one-half casualties so far. If we continue to attack according to the original battle plan, I am afraid that
Huge losses will be incurred.”
"Then what are you going to do?"
"I considered leaving the offensive area on the right wing to friendly forces." Sokov explained to Shtemenko: "And I concentrated all the troops on the left wing, so as to ensure the smooth progress of the attack."
"Then get in touch with Marshal Konev immediately." Shtemenko suggested to Sokov: "Report your plan to him and see if he can agree."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov turned to Smirnov and said, "Please draft a message to the Front Army Headquarters and report my thoughts to Marshal Konev."
"Comrade Commander, do we really want to give up the offensive area on the right wing?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov nodded and said, "Only by concentrating all our troops can we maintain a strong offensive force."
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Now that Sokov has made a decision and has the support of Shtemenko, Smirnov knows that no matter how much he opposes, it will be of no avail, so it is better to be a favor:
"Now that you have made your decision, I will immediately draft a message to report your plans to Marshal Konev."
After the telegram was sent, Sokov felt uneasy. He was worried that Konev would veto his proposal. As a result, the forward speed of his troops would be greatly slowed down. This may also be a sign of insufficient strength.
Helpless.
When the communications staff came over to report to Smirnov that the reply from the Front Army Headquarters had arrived, Sokov's heart beat faster than expected. He did not dare to read the telegram directly, but reported it to Smirnov
He made a gesture indicating that he would read the telegram.
Smirnov quickly read the contents of the telegram and shouted excitedly: "Comrade Commander, good news, good news, Marshal Konev has agreed to your request and plans to send the 27th Army to take over our right wing.
Attack area. Their vanguard will arrive in the town of Golovanivsik at ten o'clock in the morning to take over our defense."