Although Chuikov actively cooperated with the counterattack deployed by the base camp, he was always skeptical about the effectiveness of the counterattack. After the counterattack began, the progress of each unit was very unsatisfactory. Due to the lack of air
With support and adequate artillery cover, the counterattack troops only penetrated the enemy to a depth of one or two kilometers.
Just as he and Krylov were discussing whether to propose to their superiors to terminate the counterattack, the director of the Communications Corps walked up to him, handed him a telegram, and said at the same time: "Comrade Commander, this is Soko
According to the telegram sent by Lieutenant Colonel Husband, they have successfully broken through the first line of defense of the German army and are advancing towards the second line of defense."
"Oh, Sokov's troops have broken through the German defense line?" After Chuikov listened to the report of the director of the communications corps, his face showed an expression of surprise. He turned to Krylov and said: "Chief of Staff, this Soko
It's really not easy. Guryev commanded the troops for half a day, but failed to break through the German defenses. But as soon as he took action, he easily completed the task."
"Well, it's not simple." Krylov agreed with Chuikov's statement, but he also had a question: "But I don't understand. Guryev is also an experienced conductor.
Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops, whose predecessor was also an airborne division with strong combat effectiveness, still couldn't break through the defenses despite paying such a heavy price. But Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops easily broke through the German defenses as soon as they took action? So why?
It’s really hard to understand.”
After Chuikov heard what Krylov said, he immediately ordered the director of the communications corps: "Comrade director, send a telegram back to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov and order him to report the detailed battle process. We need to find out why General Guryev delayed
A position that Chi could not break through, but his troops could achieve their goal so easily."
After five or six minutes, the director of the communications corps returned to Sokov again and handed him the telegram he had just received: "Comrade Commander, the reply from Lieutenant Colonel Sokov has arrived."
After Chuikov quickly read the above content, he raised his head and said to Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov said in the telegram that the attack launched by General Guryev's Guards Division has been repeatedly frustrated.
This was because on their way to attack the German positions, the troops were intercepted by long-range artillery fire and bombed by enemy planes. When they launched the attack, the enemy planes had already left the battlefield due to lack of ammunition and fuel; and the attacking tank troops were
Using a rapid assault formation, they rushed to the front of the German position before the enemy could intercept artillery fire, completely disrupting the enemy's defensive deployment."
After understanding the whole battle, Krylov nodded and said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov is very good at fighting. But if they want to reach Orlovka, they still need to continue to break through the German army.
Three lines of defense, I wonder if they are capable of completing this task."
"Our army's counterattack this time was launched too hastily, and due to insufficient preparation, all units failed to attack smoothly." Chuikov said with a sense of luck: "Even if other units cannot achieve their combat objectives, as long as Soko
If Lieutenant Colonel Husband's troops can rush to Orlovka, it is a great victory for us."
"But their troops are too small. I'm worried that Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops will be exhausted before they reach Orlovka." Krylov reminded Chuikov: "Last time Rokossovs
A tank brigade of General Key broke through the direction of the German army and tried to rush to Orlovka to join our army. As a result, the brigade was completely wiped out by the enemy during the march."
"Chief of Staff," Chuikov pointed at Krylov with his hand and asked tentatively: "Do we still have a reserve team on hand?"
"No more, Comrade Commander." Krylov shook his head and said: "We don't even have a battalion-level reserve team. In order to prevent the enemy from sneaking into the headquarters, we have even organized staff and logistics personnel.
up so that they can better cover Army Group Headquarters."
"Since there are staff and logistics personnel to protect the safety of the headquarters, let's send out our guard battalion." Sokov thought for a moment and said to Krylov: "If Sokov can obtain the ultimate goal,
A big result may make tomorrow's war situation more favorable to us."
When Krylov heard that Chuikov planned to mobilize the guard battalion to support Sokov, he was quite reluctant. However, he heard that Sokov's offensive situation would affect the current battle situation. So he only hesitated for a moment and nodded.
Agreed: "Okay, Comrade Commander, I will send the guard battalion over as soon as possible."
The headquarters' original guard battalion was almost completely lost in the early battles. The existing guard battalion soon crossed the river into the factory area with the counterattack troops. The battalion commander is Major Tenev, a man with rich experience.
A commander with combat experience, he has participated in many large-scale battles and received two medals for his outstanding military exploits.
Krylov quickly sent someone to call Major Tenev, pointed to the map and said to him: "Comrade Major, you immediately lead the guard battalion through the Red October factory area and advance along the northwest direction to meet Sokov
The 73rd Infantry Brigade under the command of the lieutenant colonel reunited and then advanced together in the direction of Orlovka."
"Comrade Chief of Staff." Tenev naturally had to carry out the orders issued by his superiors, but he considered that among the troops protecting the headquarters, only his own guard battalion was organic. If they all left, the security work here would be compromised.
It can only be completed by staff and logistics personnel with weak combat effectiveness, so he asked worriedly: "We have all left, who will be responsible for the security work here at the headquarters?"
"Comrade Major," Chuikov heard Tenev's question and immediately said lightly: "As long as you can make progress, the enemy will not be able to mobilize troops to attack us. Even if a few stragglers come here, our staff and
The temporary guard force composed of logistics personnel is enough to completely eliminate them."
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Seeing that Chuikov had already considered everything that should be considered, Tenev quickly stepped forward and asked: "Do you need me to leave? I plan to assemble the guard camp as soon as possible and rush to meet Sokov
Lieutenant Colonel's troops rendezvous."
"Go, Comrade Major." Chuikov nodded to the other party and said: "We will provide you with a dozen trucks, so that you can catch up with Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops as soon as possible."
…………
Sokov, who was sitting in the armored vehicle, pointed to the map spread out on his knees and said to Yakov: "The German army's second line of defense only has a few small fortifications. Don't forget that they are all built of reinforced concrete.
Yes, but not many troops can be stored inside, and their defense directions are all towards the west."
"Toward the west?" Yakov heard this and couldn't help but interjected and asked: "Misha, so, these fortifications were built by us?"
"That's right." Sokov nodded and replied truthfully: "They were all used by our army to deal with the Germans. Unexpectedly, the Germans came too fast, and these fortifications had to be abandoned before they had time to work.
But even if the Germans occupy this place, they won't pose much of a threat to us. After all, the defense direction of these fortifications is towards the west. If we attack from south to north, we should be able to easily break through the German defenses."
Hearing Sokov's tone of voice was so relaxed, Yakov couldn't help showing an expression of surprise on his face: "Misha, in this case, we can reach Orlovka before dark."
"Yakov, I haven't finished speaking yet." Seeing Yakov being so optimistic, Sokov said with a wry smile: "The third line of defense was modified and reinforced by the German army and specially used to deal with our counterattack. It not only has
It has a strong and complete defense system, and can receive support from artillery and air force at any time. If we want to break through this line of defense, we will definitely pay a huge price."
"Misha." Yakov heard this and asked in surprise: "How do you know this? Did you send someone to conduct reconnaissance in advance?"
"During the counterattack in early September, I was ordered to go north to Orlovka to meet the friendly forces rushing in from outside the encirclement. But after waiting for a day, I found out that the friendly forces had been attacked during the march after breaking through the German defenses.
Siege, and the entire army was destroyed, so that we had to abandon Orlovka and retreat." When Sokov said this, he couldn't help but sigh: "Maybe we will face the same situation this time."
Yakov automatically filtered Sokov's last sentence, and instead considered how to break through the German third line of defense. After staring at the map for a while, he asked: "Misha, since the German third line of defense
The defense line is so tight, how do you plan to break through?"
"Fake attack from the front and detour from the flanks." Sokov pointed on the map with his hand: "I ordered the troops to conduct a feint attack from the front, and Colonel Bely's tank battalion detour from the two wings to achieve the purpose of seizing the position."
"Send infantry for a frontal feint attack?" Regarding Sokov's statement, Yakov put forward a different view: "If they don't have tank cover, I'm afraid they will suffer heavy losses. By then we will barely break through the German defenses.
, and there is no extra strength to continue heading north."
"Yakov, have you forgotten the new rockets?" Sokov waited for Yakov to finish, then smiled lightly and added: "When conducting a feint attack from the front, I will order the infantry to attack the enemy's position with rockets.
This will create an illusion for the enemy, making them think that we will use a force attack to break through their defenses. But in fact, our main assault force is the tank battalion commanded by Colonel Bely, who will bypass the enemy from both wings.
From behind, give the enemy a hard blow and completely crush their third line of defense."
"What a pity, what a pity!" Yakov thought that Sokov had ordered the troops operating behind enemy lines to withdraw to Mamayev Heights. Otherwise, at this time, they could be allowed to harass the enemy and create a favorable opportunity for him to break through the enemy's defense line.
Fighter: "If your small force behind enemy lines hadn't withdrawn, maybe they could still be of some use."
"It's impossible not to retreat, Yakov." Sokov sighed and said: "All the rockets they carried have been used up. If they don't retreat, they are likely to be surrounded by the enemy and be defeated by the entire army.
The end of destruction.”
Just as Sokov said this, he suddenly thought that although he had issued a retreat order to Grisa, it was still unknown whether they had withdrawn. If they were still operating behind enemy lines, they might be able to help him. Thinking of this
, he quickly ordered the operator: "Send a report to Mamayev Heights and ask if the troops operating behind enemy lines have returned successfully?"
The telegraph operator agreed and immediately sent a message to the brigade headquarters at Mamayev Kurgan to inquire about the whereabouts of the Grisa team. After receiving the telegram, Sidorin said to Vitkov and Belkin: "Deputy Brigade
The commander, political commissar, and brigade commander sent a telegram asking if Grisa's troops have returned to Mamayev Heights. How should we reply?"
"We have lost contact with Lieutenant Grisa since yesterday," Vitkov said with a frown: "I don't know if there was a problem with their radio or if their entire army was destroyed during the enemy's siege."
"It is unlikely that there will be a problem with the radio. This unit operating behind enemy lines is a merger of several small teams." Belkin said: "Each of these small teams has a radio station that can contact us.
, even if there is a problem with one of them, the remaining stations can still contact us. If there is no news at all, I think it may be the worst possibility."
"Comrade Political Commissar," Sidorin asked tentatively: "Do you mean that the troops led by Lieutenant Grisa have been completely destroyed behind enemy lines?"
"It is entirely possible." Vitkov took over the topic: "Comrade Brigadier asked about the small troops behind enemy lines at this time, maybe because he wanted to get their cooperation. I think we should tell him the truth so that he can
According to the specific situation, we will designate a practical combat plan."
After the three reached an agreement, they sent a telegram back to Sokov, reporting in detail the loss of contact with Grisa's unit. Seeing this telegram, Sokov's heart dropped.
Without the cooperation of the small team, even if frontal feint attacks and flanking tactics are adopted, the casualties of the troops will definitely be huge. Whether there will be enough troops to continue moving north is a very serious problem.
Just when Sokov felt that he was at the end of his rope, the radio operator suddenly reported in surprise: "Comrade Brigadier, I just received a telegram from the group army headquarters. It said that in order to ensure that we have enough troops to go north, the commander sent the headquarters
Guard battalion to cooperate with us in the battle."
"The guard camp of the headquarters?" This news surprised Sokov, and he thought to himself: "In this case, wouldn't the headquarters be an empty city?"
"I've seen it. General Chuikov sent out all the guard battalions." Yakov said in surprise: "Then who will protect the headquarters? We can't let the commander, political commissar and chief of staff fight the enemy with pistols.
?”
"Yakov, don't worry, I think the commander must have made such a decision after careful consideration." Sokov quickly figured out the key: "If our progress here goes smoothly, the enemy will not be able to do anything at all."
We cannot mobilize enough troops to launch an attack in the direction of the headquarters. Even if there are a few stragglers, the commander and others can deal with them. We will try to capture the German second line of defense in the shortest possible time and wait for the guard battalion to arrive.