Bissokov considered the situation on the battlefield more optimistically.
After two o'clock in the afternoon, not only the troops of the 48th Group Army advanced rapidly, but also the 3rd Army Group and the 2nd Assault Army on the left and right wings advanced much faster than yesterday. In less than five hours, they advanced towards
They advanced twelve kilometers. Such results made the two group army commanders smile from ear to ear.
In particular, Fedyuninski's 2nd Assault Army encountered the German 7th Armored Division during the assault. After a fierce battle, it severely damaged the 25th Armored Regiment of the division, and pursued the victory, breaking through the German 7th Armored Division in one fell swoop.
The defense line of the 35th Infantry Division.
After Rokossovsky received the battle report from the 2nd Assault Army, he personally called Fedyuninsky: "Dear Ivan Ivanovich, your troops fought well. It's really good.
! Not only did you severely damage the German 25th Armored Regiment, but you also successfully broke through the defense line of the 35th Infantry Division and riddled the enemy's defense system with holes, which will be very helpful to our next battle progress."
Fedyuninsky was not complacent just because he had achieved a small victory. He said modestly: "Comrade Marshal, our progress can be so smooth as long as the 48th Army on the left and the 65th Army on the right have just entered the battle.
Group Army, if their powerful offensive had not broken down the enemy's resistance, it would not have been easy for us to achieve such great results."
Seeing that Fejuninsky had a clear understanding of the current situation, Rokossovsky nodded with a smile, and then said: "Very good, Ivan Ivanovich, I found that you did not do it because of the army."
You became proud of these achievements. On the contrary, you were very humble, knowing that it was with the help of friendly forces that you could achieve such a major victory."
"What should we do next?" Fedyuninsky asked.
"Ivan," Rokossovsky felt that Fejuninsky's style of play might make the commanders and soldiers exhausted in less than two days, so he said to him tactfully: "I know you are fighting for
Break through the German defenses as soon as possible and put all the troops into battle. I think it is not good to do this. Human physical strength is limited. If all the troops are kept fighting, in less than two days, most of them will be defeated.
The commanders and fighters will become exhausted, which will affect the combat effectiveness of the troops. How will you fight the remaining battles?"
In fact, Fejuninsky had already thought of the problem Rokossovsky mentioned, but he was unable to think of a suitable way to solve the problem. But he did not think of Rokossovsky for no reason.
When I mentioned this matter, there must be a good solution, so I asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, do you have any good solution?"
"Since yesterday's offensive battle, Mischa's 48th Army has put most of its troops into the battle." Rokossovsky felt that Sokov's approach can be promoted in other troops.
Starting with his old friend's troops was undoubtedly the best choice: "He divided the troops into two echelons. When the first echelon attacked, the second echelon was resting; when the first echelon was tired, he moved up to the second echelon.
Continue to fight; when the second echelon cannot fight, the first echelon has almost rested and can return to the battle. Although his troops, like yours, have fought the Germans for two days, the fighting enthusiasm of the commanders and soldiers
Still feeling high and not feeling tired at all.”
Fejuninsky felt that the method Rokossovsky mentioned was feasible, but he was reluctant to think of withdrawing half of his troops from the front line, fearing that such a withdrawal would weaken the troops.
ability to attack difficulties.
But he quickly made up his mind: "Okay, Comrade Marshal, I will discuss with the Chief of Staff immediately to see how to divide the fighting troops into the first and second echelons, and alternately enter the battlefield to fight the enemy."
"We must hurry up on this matter." Rokossovsky reminded the other party: "Withdraw the commanders and fighters as soon as possible, so that they can recover their strength earlier."
In the headquarters of the 48th Group Army, due to the smooth progress of the army, Sokov and others seemed to be relatively relaxed, sitting at the table drinking tea and chatting.
Lunev looked at Sokov and asked: "Misha, tell me, how far can our attack advance into the German defenses?"
"So far, our group army has the fastest advancement speed, which is only fifty kilometers." Sokov said: "The results seem good, but for the entire campaign to liberate East Prussia, they are still insignificant. If you want to
To achieve the predetermined goal, I think that by the end of this week, we should at least penetrate the German defense to a depth of about 100 kilometers."
After hearing this, Luniev was surprised and said: "Misha, do you mean that in the next three days, our group army can still advance about fifty kilometers deep into the enemy's defenses?"
"It's not just us, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov replied: "The one hundred kilometers I'm talking about doesn't just refer to our group army. With our strength, if we let the troops open up to fight, maybe by noon the day after tomorrow, we can
It penetrated a hundred kilometers behind enemy lines."
Hearing what Sokov said, Lunev's eyes widened in surprise: "Misha, if I guessed correctly, you mean that the entire front army has advanced a hundred kilometers?" Seeing Sokov nodded in affirmation.
Finally, he added, "How is this possible? I think it may be difficult for some troops to advance several kilometers."
"Comrade Military Commissar, the situation you mentioned was a few days ago. The situation is different now." Sokov continued: "Because Comrade Marshal listened to my persuasion, the air force was dispatched to carry out non-stop intensive bombing of the German positions.
, which greatly destroyed the defensive positions on which the German army relied. The Germans no longer have a solid defensive position. How can they withstand our powerful offensive? Moreover, so far, Comrade Marshal is still holding the
A trump card that has never been used."
"A trump card?" Sidorin frowned and thought hard. What trump card did Rokossovsky have in his hand? After thinking for a moment, he said with a shocked face: "Comrade Commander
, you’re talking about the 5th Guards Tank Army, right?”
"That's right." Seeing that Sidorin guessed what he wanted to say, Sokov did not go around in circles and nodded and said: "Because the area where we are currently fighting has both hills and rivers, it is not conducive to the deployment of large-scale armored forces.
Therefore, so far, Comrade Marshal has not yet put the most elite armored troops into use. When our army controls the old border of East Prussia and advances towards their hinterland, the 5th Guards Tank Army will be able to deploy
It’s of great use.”
Sidorin agreed very much with Sokov's statement. Today's combat areas are all near rivers or swamps. Although the weather is cold and the rivers and swamps are frozen, the cannons and the planes bomb everything.
The high temperature generated will melt the ice and snow, making these places muddy, making it difficult for armored troops to move. But if it goes deep into the hinterland of East Prussia, the terrain will become flat, and armored troops can be dispatched.
Great use.
At this time, Ponedelin suddenly interrupted and said: "But as far as I know, General Chernyakhovsky's Third Front has not been fighting smoothly. So far, it cannot even take a city like Memel.
, unable to open the road to Danzig and Königsberg.”
"Comrade Deputy Commander, you don't have to worry about this." Sokov comforted the other party and said: "Don't look at the mediocre results of the Third Front Army today, but according to my analysis, the German troops in Memel City will not be able to hold on for long.
In half a month at most, we will be able to liberate this city."
At this time, Sidorin suddenly spoke to Luniev and said: "Comrade Military Commissar, I have asked about something for you. I have some clues, but there is no accurate information yet."
Lunev's eyes suddenly lit up when he heard what Sidorin said, and then he asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please tell me the clues you have learned."
Sokov heard the conversation between the two and couldn't help but interrupt and asked: "Chief of Staff, Military Commissioner, what are you talking about, can you tell us?"
Lunev nodded and then asked: "Misha, do you know Zoya?"
"I know, of course I know." How could Sokov not know about Zoya, the most famous heroine during the Soviet Patriotic War? He nodded vigorously and replied in a positive tone: "When Comrade Stalin learned that Zoya was
After the news of the brutal killings by the German army, an order was directly issued to all the troops of the Western Front. All officers and soldiers of the German 332nd Regiment will be shot on the spot after being captured. We will not accept their surrender."
"It seems that you know Zoya quite well." Lunev continued: "Before I came here, a friend was chatting with me and mentioned that after Zoya died, her brother also joined the army and became a soldier.
A tank soldier. He is currently fighting on the battlefield in East Prussia, but I don’t know which unit he is in. I remembered this yesterday and asked the Chief of Staff to help me find out about it. Chief of Staff,” he said to Sidorin later.
, "Tell me about the clues you know."
"You also know that there are too many people named Shula. You can easily find hundreds of them in the army. It is not necessary to find the Shula we are looking for among these people who do not belong to the same army.
It's an easy thing." Sidorin said: "After I asked a few friends to inquire, they all said that there was a young tank soldier named Shula in their army. In order to find him more accurately, I narrowed down the size again.
They said they would only look for Shuras from Moscow and exclude Shuras from other places. They said they would give me a reply as soon as possible."
After Sokov waited for Sidorin to finish speaking, he curiously asked Lunev: "Comrade Military Commissar, what are you doing with Shura?"
"Misha, it's like this." Lunev explained to Sokov: "Comrade Beria once told me that Zoya is our heroine, and there are only her and her brother in her family. Now Zoya
Ya has been sacrificed, and her brother is missing the battlefield. If I meet him at the front line, I must give him due care and let him live until the day of victory."
Sokov once read the book "The Story of Zoya and Shura", which was written by their mother. It introduced the situation of the two siblings. It not only introduced the circumstances of Zoya's sacrifice, but also Shura's death.
The sacrifice was also recorded in the book. If I remember correctly, Shura died in the battle to liberate Königsberg. The date of sacrifice should be April 14.
If you want to save his life, you must find him before the attack on Königsberg begins. But the troops currently fighting in the East Prussian area include not only Rokossovsky's Second Belorussian Front, but also Cherny
For General Yakhovsky's Third Belorussian Front and the Baltic Coast Army, finding a small figure among one or two million people is an impossible task no matter how you look at it.
"Comrade Military Commissar, this matter is difficult to handle." Sokov sighed and said: "Our troops currently fighting in East Prussia number one to two million. And you only know Shura's name and military branch.
, we don’t know whether he is in the Second Front, the Third Front or the Baltic Front. So finding him is undoubtedly a needle in a haystack."
"Misha, I understand what you mean." Lunev said with a serious expression: "Comrade Beria has repeatedly told me to ensure Shura's personal safety and ensure that he lives to see the day of victory.
So the first thing I did when I got here was to look for his whereabouts, but unfortunately, I still don’t have any clues."
"Comrade Military Commissar, if you want to find Shula, you should ask Comrade Marshal for help." Sokov reminded Lunev: "As long as he sends a message to the group army commanders below and asks them to search for Shura in their own troops.
La, isn’t it more efficient than just looking for people to ask around?”
"Yes, yes. Misha, you are right." Lunev slapped his hand on the table and said excitedly: "If you didn't remind me, I would have forgotten that I could contact Rokoso directly.
With their assistance, it shouldn’t be difficult to find Shura.”
Seeing Lunev about to make a call, Sokov stopped him again and asked tentatively: "Comrade Military Commissar, you have found Shura, and how are you going to arrange him? Should you let him stay at the headquarters, or should you let him stay at the headquarters?
Go back to the rear?"
Sokov's words stopped Lunev. He just wanted to find Shura as soon as possible and follow Beria's arrangement to let the hero's brother live until the day of victory. But he never thought about it.
If you really find Shula, how should you arrange for him to be sent to the rear? This is obviously unrealistic. Even if he is willing, Shula will not agree, otherwise he will not sign up to join the army soon after his sister's death.
But it was obviously inappropriate to leave him at the Army Group Headquarters. He probably didn't want to stay here doing nothing all day, but wanted to charge into battle with his comrades.
For a moment, Lunev fell into confusion. He looked up at Sokov and said awkwardly: "Misha, tell me, if I really find Shura, how should I place him?"
Sokov didn't know how to arrange Shura, so he could only say carelessly: "Comrade Military Commissar, neither you nor I can make the decision on this matter. After we find Comrade Shura, we will ask him face to face what he thinks.
What is his next plan? Do you think this is okay?"