It was a gratifying thing that the German attack was repelled, but Sokov was not happy in his heart because he knew very well that it was only the vanguard of the German army that was defeated. Let alone just defeat them.
Even if they retreat, even if they are completely wiped out, with the current strength of the German army, they will soon be able to mobilize another division or two divisions. With the cooperation of aircraft, tanks, and artillery, they will be enough to defeat their six thousand soldiers.
The newly built infantry brigade, which had many people but was strong on the outside but capable on the inside, was crushed into powder.
Andrei noticed that Sokov was a little unhappy, and asked in confusion: "Comrade Brigadier, we have crushed the German attack, why do you look a little unhappy?"
"The Germans will definitely not give up after suffering such a big loss. I'm worried that they will come back soon." Sokov said with a serious expression: "I'm worried that it will be difficult for us to block the enemy's attack."
"Don't worry, Comrade Brigadier." Perhaps because he had just repelled the German attack, Andre looked confident: "Since we can repulse their first attack, we will be confident to repulse their second attack.
Three attacks."
Sokov glanced at Andre, whose confidence was beginning to swell, and said to himself: You repelled two German attacks today, but the casualties of the troops have been close to 700. If you continue like this, you will be dead in less than two days.
The third battalion should be abolished. However, in order not to dampen the opponent's enthusiasm, he still said euphemistically: "In the battle that just ended, Alitai's tank company lost four tanks. As a result, we only have
Thirteen tanks. If the Germans send out armored divisions to attack, even with their assistance, it will be difficult for you to hold the position in the east of the city."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, in addition to the tank company, don't we also have an artillery company?" Andrei looked at Sokov and said: "Our artillery company also played a big role in the battle just now."
"We only have one artillery company," Sokov said with a straight face: "Not only do they have to provide artillery support for you, but if the enemy attacks other directions, they also need to provide support for their comrades who are standing in those places.
If the enemy knows that we have artillery, they will definitely find ways to destroy it, so I will not use artillery lightly unless it is absolutely necessary."
"Comrade Battalion Commander, Comrade Battalion Commander!" The two were talking when an officer suddenly broke in from outside. The officer originally wanted to report the situation to Andrei, but when he came in, he found that Sokov was also here.
I can't help but feel a little hesitant, not knowing who I should report to.
Fortunately, Andrei saw his embarrassment and said to him: "Lieutenant Guchakov, since Comrade Brigade Commander is here, if you have anything, please report it to him." After saying these words, he
He introduced to Sokov, "Comrade Brigade Commander, the lieutenant was just rescued from the prisoner of war camp not long ago. I saw that he had rich command experience, so I made him the commander of the third company."
Andrei originally thought that he would be criticized by Sokov if he appointed Guchakov as company commander without permission. Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Sokov just nodded and said to Guchakov expressionlessly: "Comrade Lieutenant
, tell me, what’s the matter?”
"That's right," Guchakov replied in a panic: "Our company has captured more than thirty prisoners, including seven or eight wounded. I would like to ask the battalion commander for instructions on how to deal with them."
"Comrade Lieutenant, we don't have the ability to take in prisoners at the moment, and those wounded people will waste our precious medicines." When he heard about this, a trace of displeasure flashed on Andre's face: "Shoot them all immediately.
Lose."
"Yes!" Guchakov may have had enough of the Germans' cowardice in the prisoner of war camp. After hearing Andre's instructions, he readily agreed: "I will go back immediately and let the soldiers kill these damn ***
All the elements were shot."
"Wait a minute, Comrade Lieutenant." Seeing Guchakov turning around and about to leave the command post, Sokov called him from behind. Then he turned to Andrei and said: "Lieutenant Andrei, we can't shoot him.
These German prisoners."
"Comrade Brigadier, how can we let them go?" Andrei heard what Sokov said and immediately became anxious: "If they come back over there, they will take up arms to fight us again..."
"Okay, Comrade Captain, you don't have to say anything." Sokov didn't wait for Andre to finish speaking, and raised his hand to stop him: "Even if we shoot these German prisoners, it won't have much impact on the enemy's strength.
On the contrary, the German commanders can use this matter to make a fuss, saying that as long as they fall into our hands, they will be shot, thus forcing the German soldiers to fight us desperately. If we put these German soldiers back, they will
They will tell their companions that it is just a rumor that we want to shoot the prisoners. This way, when the situation is not good for them in the future, the enemy may choose to surrender instead of fighting us to the end."
After Sokov's explanation, both Andrei and Guchakov suddenly understood and nodded quickly and said: "Comrade Brigadier, what you said makes sense. We will release the German prisoners right now."
Many of the soldiers in the third company came from prisoner-of-war camps, and their hatred of the Germans was stronger than anyone else. Therefore, before Guchakov went to ask Andre for instructions, he specially selected a dozen soldiers who had been rescued from prisoner-of-war camps.
, led by a sergeant to take care of the German prisoners of war. What he considered at the time was that once Andre ordered all the prisoners to be shot, these soldiers would carry out the execution and give them a chance to take revenge.
The soldiers thought that these prisoners would be shot sooner or later, so they were naturally not polite to them. If they didn't like them, they would punch and kick them, beating the prisoners who did not dare to fight back until their noses were bruised and their faces were swollen. They saw Guchakov trotting all the way.
When they came back, the sergeant leading the team rushed to greet them and asked: "Comrade company commander, shall we shoot them all?"
Unexpectedly, Guchakov shook his head and said unexpectedly: "Let them all go!"
"What, let them all go?" Guchakov's words not only surprised the sergeant, but also the soldiers on the side thought they had heard wrong. They gathered around and asked: "Comrade company commander, why should you let them go?"
Lost it? Have you forgotten how they treated us in the prison camp?"
When Guchakov heard his subordinates mention the prisoner of war camp, where he had suffered so much humiliation and torture, he couldn't help but put his hand on the holster on his waist. He wanted to pull out his pistol immediately and capture the group of German soldiers in front of him.
Kill them all. But fortunately, his reason overcame his impulse. He removed his hand from the holster and then ordered his subordinates: "This is the brigade commander's order. Release all the prisoners immediately and execute the order!"
The Soviet army is a force that strictly obeys orders. Even if they know that the orders from their superiors are wrong, they will execute them without hesitation. Although these soldiers are full of hatred for the Germans, they heard that it was the order from the brigade commander.
They still stepped forward and loosened the ropes from the Germans' wrists, then spat at them and said: "Go away, damn Germans, go back to your own people."
The German prisoners who originally thought they were dead were stunned when they saw that the Soviet soldiers not only did not kill them, but also loosened the rope from their hands. Due to the language barrier, they only heard whether the Soviet soldiers were there or not.
He kept cursing himself, but he couldn't understand what the other person said.
Fortunately, Guchakov learned a few German words in the prisoner-of-war camp. He first took out a piece of black bread from his backpack and threw it to a German soldier kneeling in front of him. Then he took out a first-aid kit and threw it to a German soldier.
A wounded German soldier lying on the ground finally gritted his molars and said in blunt German: "You guys, you are lucky, if you don't want to be shot, get out!"
The German prisoners understood the grammatically irregular German spoken by Guchakov, but they still stayed where they were and did not dare to move, fearing that Guchakov had lied to them. As soon as they got up, the dark muzzles of the guns around them would
Open fire at them. Seeing the German squatting on the ground motionless, Guchakov stepped forward and kicked a prisoner to the ground, raised his voice and shouted: "Get out!"
Only then did the German prisoners confirm that Guchakov really wanted to let them go. After thanking him quickly, they picked up the wounded and rolled and ran towards the east.
Watching the German prisoners go away, the sergeant said unconvinced: "Comrade Company Commander, I don't understand why we let the German prisoners go. Don't you know that after they return, they will pick up weapons again to attack us?"
?”
"I understand!" Guchakov shouted at the sergeant: "Did I suffer less in the prisoner of war camp than you did? Don't I want to shoot all the German prisoners I captured?" The sergeant saw Guchakov.
Chakov got angry and quickly shut his mouth obediently.
Seeing that the sergeant was silent, Guchakov sighed and said: "Comrade Brigade Commander said that even if we shoot all these prisoners, it will have no impact on the Germans. On the contrary, the Germans can take advantage of this."
To make a fuss, they said that we would shoot all the prisoners we captured, so that their soldiers would have to fight to the death with me. But today we release the prisoners, and these rumors will be self-defeating, do you understand?"
Although the soldiers still had knots in their hearts, since the company commander said so, even if they wanted to object, it was of no use. They could only bite the bullet and reply: "I understand, comrade commander!"
Rokossovsky, who was far away in the direction of Yelets, became anxious after learning that the enemy had begun to attack Kursk. He asked Malinin: "Chief of Staff, where is the 7th Tank Army and how long do they have?"
How long can we get to Kursk?"
Malinin quickly pointed to the map and said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Commander, according to Major General Rotmistrov's report, his 7th Tank Corps is still 70 kilometers away from Kursk. If the road
If the conditions are good, they can reach Kursk in just one day and night. But..."
"But what?" Rokossovsky asked with some displeasure: "Can't they get to Kursk tomorrow?"
"I find it very difficult." Malining replied dryly: "On their way forward, there are forests and swamps everywhere, which restricts their movement. And there are many tanks broken down along the way, which require professionals to carry out operations."
Maintenance, in their current state, even if they arrive at Kursk, it may be difficult to immediately participate in the battle."
Seeing that there was no hope for Rotmistrov's tank army, Rokossovsky could only do the next best thing: "Where have the reinforcements sent from the base camp reached so far?"
"According to the information I have, they have arrived at Yelets at noon today." Malinin reported to Rokossovsky: "Two infantry divisions can reach Kurdish in two days through forests and swamps.
Sk; while the tank brigade and artillery unit will need at least twice as much time."
"Chief of Staff, that is to say:" Rokossovsky waited for Malinin to finish, then stared at the map and said: "Sokov's 73rd Infantry Brigade will not receive any reinforcements in two days?"
"That's right, Comrade Commander." Malinen nodded and replied affirmatively: "That's exactly what happened."
After staring at the telephone in front of him for a while, Rokossovsky decisively shook the handle a few times, then picked up the receiver and put it to his ear, saying into the phone: "I'm Rokossovsky, call me immediately.
Pick me up Major General Krasovsky, commander of the 2nd Air Force Army."
The call was quickly connected, and when Krasovsky's voice came from the receiver, Rokossovsky immediately said: "Comrade General, judging from the current situation, the German army will launch an attack on Kursk."
Attack, I hope you can dispatch the air force to provide air support for the troops holding there!"
Krasovsky had no idea that Sokov's troops had occupied Kursk. When Rokossovsky said this, he couldn't help but asked in surprise: "Comrade Commander, isn't that an enemy-occupied area?"
Why are there our troops?"
"Our troops went deep behind enemy lines two days ago and captured Kursk." Rokossovsky said briefly: "The enemy is unwilling to lose this city and is gathering troops to try to recapture the city. Our troops in the city
The defense force is still very weak. In order to defend this city, they need your air force to provide support."
After figuring out what was going on, Krasovsky immediately expressed his position and said: "I understand, Comrade Commander. Early tomorrow morning, I will dispatch the air force to provide air support for the troops standing in Kursk."
After Rokossovsky and Krasovsky discussed the matter of air support, he put down the phone and called Malinin in front of him and said to him: "Chief of Staff, send a telegram to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov and say that we will meet tomorrow."
Provide him with air support and let him do everything possible to defend Kursk and never let the city fall into the hands of the Germans again."
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Malinin suddenly smiled when he heard what Rokossovsky said: "I think Misha will be more determined to hold on to Kursk after hearing this good news. I will send him a telegram right away.