"Comrade division commanders," Sokov chose this title after thinking that the commanders here were all division-level commanders: "When I say canceling the construction of fortifications on the edge of the swamp, it does not mean that we will not defend ourselves. We will choose to ambush in the swamp.
On some high ground, artillery and machine gun fire were deployed to blockade the swamp."
Sokov's statement sounded reasonable to everyone, but upon closer inspection, there were still many problems with such a defense. So a general stood up, looked at Sokov and asked: "Comrade Commander,
, I do not deny that setting up artillery and machine gun firepower on the highlands can indeed block the swamp. However, there are too few highlands beside the swamp. If the German army only makes a sneak attack with a small force, our troops on the highlands can still destroy them. But if
They dispatched large troops, so such a defense would appear to be too weak."
The general's words immediately aroused a chorus of agreement: "Yes, it is indeed like this."
"Relying on the artillery fire and machine gun firepower of a few highlands, it still seemed a little inadequate in the face of the German attack."
Sokov had already considered the concerns of the division commanders and reported them to Rokossovsky. When everyone was done discussing, he raised his hands and pressed down slightly to signal everyone to stay quiet.
Seeing Sokov's gesture, the division commanders who were discussing in low voices immediately fell silent. They all turned their attention to Sokov and wanted to hear his opinions.
"Comrades, division commanders, in addition to the defenses deployed on the high ground, I also plan to deploy some tanks near the swamp." When he said this, he saw the eager expression of the division commander just now, and seemed to be planning to stand up and say
When he wanted to say something, he quickly raised his hand to stop the other party: "Comrade General, please don't be anxious. Listen to what I have to say before I speak."
"I think some people will definitely say that the soil next to the swamp is so soft that even a mortar may sink into the mud if fired, let alone a behemoth like a tank weighing dozens of tons? I can say that.
Is it right?"
Seeing that Sokov had considered this problem, everyone stopped talking and nodded neatly, some eager to hear Sokov's solution.
"I plan to build some tank shooting platforms in the grass beside the swamp." Sokov explained to everyone: "The shooting platforms are made of logs, and there are roads paved with logs leading to the rear. The roads can not only allow tanks to
In and out, even trucks transporting fuel and ammunition can drive directly into the shooting platform through this road."
Building a shooting platform for tanks next to the swamp? After hearing what Sokov said, the division commanders present began to imagine the scene in their minds of tanks entering the shooting platform and already shooting on the platform.
They thought about it carefully and felt that Sokov's plan was quite feasible. To build a tank shooting platform on the edge of the swamp, engineers only needed to cut down the trees and use the cut logs to build it. The workload of this project was less than that on the edge of the swamp.
Building fortifications is much smaller.
After thinking about this, the general raised his hand first and said: "Comrade Commander, I agree with your plan to stop the construction of fortifications, deploy artillery and machine gun firepower points on the highlands, and build a certain number of firepower points on the edge of the swamp.
A platform for tanks to fire from.”
The general is obviously the representative of everyone. After he expressed his support for Sokov, the other division commanders also agreed with Sokov's plan and established artillery and machine gun firepower points on the highlands to control the swamp areas in the defense zone; and
On the edge of the swamp, build a log platform for tanks to shoot from.
Seeing that everyone agreed with his opinion, Sokov continued: "Comrade division commanders, since no one objects to it, then it is necessary to deploy artillery and machine gun firepower points on the highlands and build tank shooting platforms.
Directly mention it to your daily work. Do you have any questions?"
Upon hearing Sokov's question, everyone was silent for a moment, and then answered resoundingly: "No problem."
"Let me add one more point." Seeing that no one had objections, Sokov revealed some information to them appropriately: "Perhaps after a while, we will pass through the swamp area and launch an attack on the enemy on the opposite side. And now we are
The built tank shooting platform will become a tank attack position in the future."
Sokov's words shocked everyone. The general stood up again, looked at Sokov and asked: "Comrade Commander, I think it is unlikely to launch an attack from the swamp. You know, the swamp next to our army's defense area
The area is huge. Even if the German army on the opposite side does not prevent us from passing through the swamp, many commanders and soldiers will probably fall into the quagmire and die. So I think it is unlikely that our superiors will order us to launch an attack from the swamp area."
"Comrade division commanders, please keep quiet." Sokov discovered that this general might have a lot of prestige among many division commanders because of his high military rank. He was worried that after he finished speaking, many people would echo him, so he spoke first.
: "I know that everyone hopes to advance deep into the enemy's defenses through wide roads. But we can think this way, and the Germans also think this way. They will definitely deploy heavy troops on easy-to-travel roads and rely on solid defenses.
fortifications for defense.”
"This means that every time our army advances forward, it will pay huge casualties. Not only will the casualties of the troops be small, but the advancement speed will also not be faster. Maybe it will take two or three months, and everyone will find that we
The army only advanced two or three kilometers into the enemy's defense, and most of the troops lost their combat effectiveness due to heavy casualties and were unable to participate in the next battle."
"Do you want this to happen?"
Faced with the question asked by Sokov, everyone answered neatly after a short silence: "No!"
"Very good!" Sokov was very satisfied with everyone's answers. He nodded and continued: "Since we don't want our troops to suffer heavy casualties and be unable to break through the enemy's defense line, then we need to change our attack.
Route. And where is this route?”
Without waiting for anyone to answer, Sokov answered his own question and said: "This route is naturally the swamp area in front of us. The Germans on the opposite side believe that our army will not launch a large-scale attack against them from the swamp area because in the
This kind of armored forces cannot be used at all, so their defense will become relatively weak. On our way forward, they will at best deploy a small number of troops on some dry highlands."
"What I would like to remind everyone is that the main task of these enemies deployed on the highlands is not to defend, but to monitor the actions of our army. Therefore, they have no ability to stop our advance. In this way, our army's
Once the attack begins, it can break through the German defensive positions in a very short period of time, quickly rush into the depth of their defenses, divide and encircle the German troops, and separate their complete defense line."
"Comrade Commander," the general stood up again and asked in a questioning tone: "Will the situation in the future really be like what you said?"
Sokov felt that the general was a little rude to him and repeatedly questioned his speech, so he suppressed the anger in his heart and asked politely: "I don't know what to call this general?"
"Comrade Commander, let me introduce you." Pugachev obviously saw Sokov's dissatisfaction with this person, and quickly came out to smooth things over: "This is Thors, commander of the 1st Guards Division.
Major General Tikov."
When he learned that the opponent was actually the commander of the 1st Guards Division, Sokov felt relieved. You must know that the 1st Guards Division was the first unit to be reorganized into the Guards Division after the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War. He served as the division commander.
It is understandable for the commander to act a little unruly.
"It turns out to be General Tolstikov. Nice to meet you." Sokov nodded to the other party and said in a friendly tone: "I believe that under your leadership, this unit will be able to obtain the same designation as it."
To the honor of symmetry.”
When Tolstikov heard what Sokov said, he was stunned at first, but soon understood what the other party meant. He nodded and said: "Comrade Commander, I believe that the commanders and fighters of the 1st Guards Division will never
It will live up to your expectations.”
After hearing this, Sokov nodded, then turned his attention to another general next to Tolstikov, and asked tentatively: "If I am not mistaken, this general should be the commander of the Sixth Guards Division, right?"
?”
The major general who was called stood up, straightened his back and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I am Major General Onuprienko, commander of the Sixth Guards Division. I obey your orders, please give instructions!"
"I have no instructions for the time being." Sokov smiled and said to Onupryenko: "You and General Tolstikov should sit down first, our meeting is not over yet."
Now that Pugachev has begun to make introductions, Sokov feels that he should use this time to get to know the division commanders present. But before doing so, he feels that he should introduce his deputy to everyone first: "Comrades, let me introduce to you.
, this is Lieutenant General Ponejelin, he was appointed by his superiors as my deputy, that is, the deputy commander of this group army."
"Ponejelin?!" A division commander sitting below suddenly frowned and said: "Comrade Commander, I would like to ask if our deputy commander served as the third officer in the Southwest Front Army when the war broke out.
The position of commander of the 12th Army Group?"
The other party's question immediately aroused Sokov's alarm: "Yes, he was indeed serving as the commander of the 12th Group Army when the war broke out. Why, is there something wrong?"
"Comrade Commander," the division commander stood up abruptly and said with a serious expression: "I once read a report from my superiors, saying that he rebelled after being captured in the Battle of Uman, and was sentenced in absentia by our military court.
Death penalty. I don’t understand why such a person can serve as our deputy commander?”
The division commander's words immediately caused an uproar in the conference room: "What, the new deputy commander is actually a traitor, is this unlikely?"
"I also think it's impossible. How could the superiors appoint such a person as the deputy commander of our group army without going through review?"
Faced with everyone's doubts about Ponedelin, Sokov interrupted them again. He raised his voice and said: "The colonel just said was right. General Ponedelin did fight in the Battle of Uman shortly after the war broke out.
He was seriously wounded and was captured. At that time, in order to shake the morale of our army, the Germans deliberately took some photos of him and several other captured commanders to spread rumors that they had surrendered to them."
"I can tell you now that these are all shameful rumors. When my troops rescued General Ponedelin and two other generals from the enemy's prisoner-of-war camp during the liberation of Kremenchug, they
Their bodies had become extremely weak due to long-term inhuman torture by the Germans in the prisoner of war camp. They were sent back to Moscow to recuperate for more than half a year before they barely recovered. If they really surrendered to the Germans, how could they have been almost tortured to death?
Woolen cloth?"
Seeing Sokov defending himself in front of everyone, Ponedelin's eyes were red. He wanted to defend himself, but it seemed like something was stuck in his throat and he couldn't speak at all.
"I tell you the truth, after I commanded the troops to cross the Dnieper River, I was wounded and sent back to Moscow for treatment for a long time. The review of Ponedelin and the other two generals ended at that time.
The military court withdrew the verdict against the three of them, which means they were not guilty."
"I had almost recovered from my injuries and returned to the army as commander of the 53rd Army. Since then, General Ponejelin and his companions have been with me, but because they had
I was captured and could not restore my original rank, so I followed me to the new unit with the rank of lieutenant colonel."
Seeing that everyone was looking at Ponedelin with doubts in their eyes, Sokov understood that they wanted to find out why Ponedelin had become a general again, so he continued: "You may want to know, General Ponedelin
Since he followed me to the new army with the rank of lieutenant colonel, why did he become a general in just a few months?"
At this point, he deliberately paused for a moment to observe everyone's expressions. Seeing everyone nodding, he continued: "Because after arriving in the new army, I handed over a Guards Division with great military achievements to Poneje.
General Lin is under the command of General Lin, and his deputy is Colonel Sidorin sitting next to him. He is the chief of staff of the Guards Division. He once commanded the troops to hold the Mamayev Heights with me during the Battle of Stalingrad.
For months.”
Everyone heard that Sidorin once served as Sokov's chief of staff and commanded the troops to defend Mamayev Hill with him, and they couldn't help but respect him.
"In the offensive campaign at the beginning of the year, my troops made rapid progress and achieved brilliant results. Then the superiors successively gave me command of the 27th Army, the 2nd Tank Army, and the 6th Tank Army." Sokov felt that he wanted to let
If the commanders present here are convinced by themselves, they must let them know about their illustrious military exploits in the past: "The troops under my command not only liberated Uman, but also quickly entered Moldavia and became the first to reach the old border.
The troops. And General Ponejelin led the three divisions I gave him, took the lead in breaking through the joint defense line of the German and Romanian troops, and commanded the troops to enter Romania."
"In recognition of his merits, Comrade Stalin personally awarded him the rank of lieutenant general."
The commander who was originally somewhat resistant to Ponedelin suddenly changed his eyes when he heard Sokov said that Ponedelin's lieutenant general title was actually awarded by Stalin himself.