When Poskrebyshev heard that the planned attack had been postponed, he did not dare to neglect, and quickly said into the phone: "Comrade General, please wait a moment, I will ask Comrade Stalin to answer the phone." After saying that, he put it down.
I picked up the phone and opened the office door and walked in.
He walked into the empty office and quickly came to a closed door. After hesitating for a moment, he gently opened the door and walked in. Although his movement was very gentle, it still woke up Stalin who was sleeping on the sofa.
.
Stalin knew that there was nothing important and Boskrebyshev would not disturb him at this time, so he closed his eyes and asked: "What is it?"
"General Zhukov called," Boskrebyshev quickly replied in a low voice: "I have something important to report to you."
Stalin opened his eyes and stared at Poskrebyshev for a moment, trying to judge the importance of the matter from the expression on his face. But the other man remained as usual, looking unfazed by honor and disgrace, and sat upright.
He picked up the phone on the coffee table, put the receiver to his ear, and said: "I am Stalin!"
"Hello, Comrade Stalin." After Zhukov heard Stalin's voice coming from the receiver, he hurriedly said: "I want to report to you on the preparations for a counterattack against the German army in the north of Stalingrad."
Seeing that Stalin had started talking to Zhukov, Boskrebyshev quickly exited the room and closed the door. Stalin asked: "Comrade Zhukov, according to the counterattack plan made in advance, the battle will start in a few hours.
What, what happened again?"
"Yes," Zhukov replied with some embarrassment: "Due to the lack of fuel and delays along the way, the 1st Guards Army, which is responsible for the first offensive task, has not reached the offensive starting position so far. Therefore, I have canceled
The attack was scheduled to be launched today."
Stalin asked angrily: "Didn't you consider these issues when deploying?"
"Comrade Stalin," Zhukov replied: "The assembly and mobilization of troops, the forwarding of weapons, ammunition and supplies all require a lot of time, and the preparation time left for us in the base camp is too short, so some delays are inevitable."
"Comrade Zhukov," Stalin raised his voice: "Then when do you plan to launch the attack?"
"Tomorrow, I plan to postpone the attack time for 24 hours, and wait until the same time tomorrow to launch an attack on the enemy."
"Comrade Zhukov, let me remind you that your mobilization must have been noticed by the Germans." Stalin said very quickly: "If you postpone the attack for one day, you will give the enemy one more day to prepare. It will be
This will add many unnecessary casualties to our counterattack."
Regarding Stalin's concerns, Zhukov had already thought of a response: "Comrade Stalin, due to the active actions of the 62nd Army in the past few days, it has caused huge casualties to the German 16th Armored Division. According to the situation we have
, they are readjusting their forces, and even if our attack is postponed until tomorrow, we can launch an attack before they complete their new deployment."
"What, the troops of the 62nd Army caused heavy damage to the German 16th Armored Division?" Stalin heard Zhukov's report and asked with some surprise: "When did this happen? Why didn't I know?"
"As far as I know, General Chuikov was ordered to launch a counterattack against the frontal enemy on August 29 in order to save the main force of the group army that was cut off from its retreat." Zhukov guessed that the General Staff might be focusing its energy on the counterattack organized by itself.
Therefore, he ignored the victory achieved by the 62nd Army. He quickly explained to Stalin: "The Northern Group composed of the 124th Infantry Brigade and the 149th Infantry Brigade, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, launched a counterattack against the German 16th Armored Division.
, defeated the 2nd Armored Division, the 16th Artillery Regiment and the 79th Infantry Regiment, and successfully opened a gap in the German encirclement, allowing most of the surrounded troops to successfully retreat into the city."
"This Lieutenant Colonel Sokov performed really well." After praising Sokov, Stalin asked: "Which unit commander was he originally?"
"Comrade Stalin, the Lieutenant Colonel Sokov I am talking about is Misha's son, little Misha." Seeing that Stalin did not remember who Sokov was, Zhukov reminded him: "The 73rd Infantry Brigade under his command is now under the command of
According to the orders of the Supreme High Command, we are stationed at Mamayev Heights."
After Zhukov stopped like this, Stalin finally remembered that such a thing had happened. At the same time, he also remembered more content: "Comrade Zhukov, I remember that Xiao Misha mentioned it more than once that the German army might rush into Stalin."
Gullah. At the time, I thought he was alarmist, but now it seems that his judgment was completely correct."
Zhukov and Stalin chatted for a while, and finally reached an agreement on postponing the attack. Stalin finally said: "At five o'clock in the morning on September 3, launching an attack on the German army is the deadline set by me, and it must not be postponed any longer.
Do you understand?"
"I understand, Comrade Stalin." Seeing that Stalin did not get angry, Zhukov secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "At five o'clock tomorrow, even if only one soldier arrives at the offensive starting position, we will launch the attack on time."
…………
In the early morning of the 3rd, with half an hour left before the attack, the slow-moving troops of the 1st Guards Army finally arrived at the designated position. They saw that the commanders and soldiers were all exhausted, and the accompanying tanks and armored vehicles were also exhausted due to the long journey.
The march required maintenance, so Moskalenko nodded to Zhukov again and asked in a consultative tone: "Comrade General, my troops have reached the starting position for the attack. However, after the long march, the soldiers have become very tired.
Tired, I wish I could postpone the attack for a few more hours?”
"General Moskalenko," Zhukov asked calmly in response to Moskalenko's request, "how long do you plan to postpone it?"
"Four hours." Moskalenko said firmly: "This is already the shortest period. If the soldiers are not allowed to take a good rest, their combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced in the next battle.
."
"No, General Moskalenko." Zhukov said in a tone that left no room for doubt: "Your attack has been postponed by one day as scheduled. If it is postponed further, the enemy will be more fully prepared and will be able to attack you by then."
Your attack has caused great hindrance."
Moskalenko saw that he could not persuade Zhukov, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and agreed. Although he said nothing more, he was full of complaints about Zhukov in his heart.
As soon as five o'clock arrived, the Soviet artillery opened fire on the enemy's position.
However, the bombardment lasted only ten minutes and was interrupted by German bombing. However, Moskalenko decisively ordered the troops to launch an attack.
The soldiers knew very well that in order to avoid being bombed by enemy planes, they had to rush up and get involved with the enemy. Only in this way could the enemy planes be deterred from dropping bombs easily.
Although the German army noticed that the Soviet army was mobilizing troops, they did not expect that they would take the initiative to attack them less than an hour after entering the starting position. The enemies who avoided the Soviet artillery fire were hiding in the second trench 500 meters away.
Here, when they discovered that the Soviet army had launched an attack and hurriedly rushed toward the first trench along the communication trench, it was too late. After occupying the first trench and clearing out the remaining enemies inside, the Soviet commanders and
Rush towards the enemy's second line of defense.
In less than an hour, the troops of the 1st Guards Army advanced three kilometers. However, their good luck seemed to come to an abrupt end everywhere. After the enemy planes completed bombing the artillery positions, they turned around and bombed the attack.
The troops in the front were also covering the tanks and infantry with artillery fire, and launched a counterattack against the Soviet army.
After Moskalenko learned that his troops' attack had been frustrated, he was so angry that he stamped his feet in the headquarters. He immediately called Zhukov and said with a grimace: "Comrade General, our offensive troops were not only attacked by enemy planes
Instead of bombing, their tanks and infantry, supported by artillery, launched a counterattack against us. I asked for air force support, asked for air force support."
"Comrade Moskalenko," Zhukov did not dare to neglect Moskalenko's request at all, because he knew that if he did not provide air support for the attacking troops, they might be defeated by the German three-dimensional defense.
, so he said decisively: "I immediately called the Air Force Commander and asked him to send planes to the battlefield to provide you with the necessary air support."
After receiving Zhukov's order, the air force commander immediately ordered all the aircraft of the aviation division to take off and rush to the battle site to support the 1st Guards Army that was fighting the enemy. After arriving at the battlefield, the fighter jets chased the enemy aircraft in the air.
, while the bombers strafed German tanks and infantry on the ground.
For a time, hundreds of Soviet and German fighter planes were engaged in a fierce battle in the sky north of Stalingrad. From time to time, planes were hit, falling sideways with long black smoke ribbons, or even exploded in the air.
After being bombed and strafed by Soviet bombers, the German tanks and infantry had to stop their attack on the 1st Guards Army and turned around and retreated. They were suppressed by German aircraft, artillery and tanks for a long time.
How could the commanders and soldiers give up such a good opportunity so easily? They got up from the ground one after another and launched a pursuit of the enemy.
After the counter-assault north of Stalingrad began, Sokov came to the observation post on the top of the Mamayev Hill slope, raised his telescope and looked into the distance, thinking to himself: due to the German 2nd Armored Regiment, the 16th Artillery
The regiment and the 79th Infantry Regiment were severely damaged by themselves. The strength of the 16th Armored Division should not be as strong as it was in history. Perhaps Moskalenko's attack could achieve better results.
Then, because Mamayev Heights was too far away from the battle site, Sokov's telescope could only see billowing black smoke rising in the distance. In order to understand the situation in the battle area, Sokov returned to his headquarters.
Learn about the situation from Chuikov via wireline: "Comrade Commander, you should have seen the counterattack launched by the north, right?"
Chuikov was staying on the chimney of the cement factory at the moment. When he heard Sokov's question, he replied: "Yes, I can see the battlefield from here. Our army is currently attacking the defenses of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division.
area."
"Comrade Commander," Sokov quickly asked after learning Chuikov's location and being able to see the battlefield clearly, "Then do you think our counterattack can achieve the purpose of the battle?"
"It's hard to say." Chuikov said with some embarrassment: "There are German planes in the sky, tanks and artillery on the ground, but our army does not have any heavy weapons. Such a counterattack may not achieve much results. Sokov
Colonel, why are you asking this? Do you also think that our army cannot win?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Regarding Chuikov's question, Sokov answered simply: "When our army attacks, without the support of the air force and artillery, it will inevitably pay a heavy price to break through the three-dimensional defense of the German army.
The cost. When our troops are depleted to a certain extent, their offensive will completely stall. At that time, the German army may launch a counterattack and completely defeat our offensive troops."
After ending the call with Chuikov, Sokov realized a serious problem and saw that the series of results he had achieved did not have much impact on the current situation in Stalingrad. The 16th Armored Division and the 3rd,
Moskalenko's troops were still unable to break through the corridor area established by the 60th Motorized Rifle Division that led directly to the Volga River.
Although the counter-assault north of Stalingrad ended in failure, in any case, it attracted a large number of German troops and gave Chuikov a precious breathing space, giving him enough time to attack the city.
The chaotic troops were reorganized and deployed in their respective combat positions.
"Comrade Brigadier," Sidorin asked curiously after Sokov put down the phone: "I heard that our counter-assault force north of Stalingrad consisted of three armies, and they were personally commanded by General Zhukov.
.Why do you still think that this counterattack will not succeed?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, the reason is very simple." Seeing that Sidorin was full of doubts about his judgment, Sokov said expressionlessly: "Although there will be as many as three armies involved in the counterattack this time, due to the
The preparation time for the battle was too hasty, not enough troops were assembled, and the necessary heavy equipment was not gathered. In particular, the number of artillery was very limited, so it was difficult to break through the corridor established by the German army."
"So, this counterattack organized by our army is completely unnecessary?" Sidorin asked.
"You can't say that," Sokov continued: "If our army does not launch an attack to the north of the city, then the enemy can occupy Stalingrad with just one fierce attack. But with this counterattack, it can delay the German army
The speed of the attack on the urban area buys precious time for the subsequent defense and counter-offensive operations."