Asiya's first words after waking up, she grabbed Ulanova's arm and asked emotionally: "Ulanova, my Misha, where is my Misha?"
"Asya," Ulanova said softly, close to her ear, "Comrade Brigade Commander is still in Orlovka, and he will be back soon."
Asya sat up straight and said firmly: "I want to see Misha. I want to go to Orlovka to see Misha immediately. I will go now." After saying that, she struggled to stand up.
, and prepared to walk outside.
Although Ulanova knew the contents of the telegram sent back by Sokov, she thought in her heart that the contents above were just to comfort everyone. As far as she knew, not many troops trapped in the German encirclement could successfully break through.
.If Asiya really wanted to go to Orlovka, it would be equivalent to death. She quickly grabbed Asiya's arm and said nervously: "Asiya, no, you can't go to Orlovka.
The Germans have cut off all the roads leading there, and you can't get through at all."
"But my Misha is still there!" Asia looked at Ulanova and said with a cry: "I want to find him, even if it means death, I will die with him."
"Asia!" Briski has been following Sokov for a long time and knows that he has always had the ability to create miracles. Although he is surrounded by German troops at this time, he must be able to escape safely. At this moment, seeing Sokov
Thea's emotions were so out of control that he quickly comforted the other party and said: "Don't worry, Comrade Brigade Commander just sent a telegram saying that everything is under his control. I believe he can come back safely."
Although Briski was full of confidence in Sokov, Koida did not think so. According to his thinking, a troop of hundreds of people and a small number of tanks were surrounded by the German army. If they wanted to escape,
The possibility of an encirclement was simply a fantasy. However, in order not to irritate Asiya any more, he did not mention it. Instead, he said to Briski and Ulanova: "Comrade Asiya's situation is not very good. You two
Please send her back to rest first."
Koida's words played into Brisky's hands. He felt that letting the depressed Asiya stay in the headquarters would affect the command of operations. Since Koida asked him to send Asiya back, he nodded.
, and Ulanova each held Asiya's arm and walked outside the headquarters.
After Asya was sent away, Mashkov sighed and said in a regretful tone: "Maybe in a few days, or even a few hours, she will become a widow."
"Okay, comrade political commissar, don't make sarcastic remarks here." Koida knew that Sokov and the others were in danger, and he felt particularly bad. He said to Mashkov: "Let's discuss how to strengthen
Let’s defend here in the assembly workshop. You must know that this counterattack has exhausted the little reserve force of the Army Group Headquarters. We may not be able to get any supplies of soldiers and materials in the following battles."
"We can't do it without the replenishment of soldiers and supplies." Mashkov said with a frown: "With the few troops we have, plus the armed workers in the assembly workshop, we can't stop the enemy from breaking into the factory.
.”
"If you can't stop it, you have to find a way." Koida said with a wry smile: "The 39th Guards Division, which is responsible for the defense of residential areas and the main entrance of the factory, suffered huge losses in this counterattack. In the following battle,
Not only will we not get their support, we may have to send troops to reinforce them."
Mashkov is a political cadre. When it comes to fighting, he still has to follow Koida's lead: "Comrade division commander, what should we do?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, this is what I think about." Koida said thoughtfully: "Anyway, we still have a few hundred people and ten tanks to block one or two waves of German offensives, so there won't be much of a problem.
As for the replenishment of soldiers, there are still hundreds of wounded in the basement. I want you to come forward and do propaganda and agitation work for them. Maybe you can mobilize some of the wounded and enrich them into combat troops."
Regarding Koida's proposal, Mashkov said with some embarrassment: "Comrade division commander, these wounded soldiers recovering in the basement are from different armies. Even if I do political agitation work, are they willing to join our army?
It’s still an unknown.”
Koida took out a cigarette from the cigarette case on the table, lit it, took a puff, and said angrily: "Comrade political commissar, we must find a way to mobilize more wounded people and recruit them into the combat troops. We must."
You know, maybe just one more person can determine the outcome of a battle."
"Okay." Seeing that Koida was so determined and insisted on mobilizing the wounded, Mashkov could only reply helplessly: "I will do my best."
…………
While Koida and Mashkov were having a headache for the defense of the assembly workshop, it was already dark outside. According to Sokov's order, after dark, in addition to leaving security forces at each position, the rest of the commanders and combatants
They all took advantage of the cover of night and moved closer to the small village where the tank camp was hidden.
However, when everyone arrived at the designated location one after another, they were surprised to find that the village had been burned into ruins, and some logs that had been burnt black were still smoking. Sokov's headquarters was located nearby.
In the woods not far from the village, in order to prevent the arriving commanders and soldiers from being unable to find their position, he specially sent personnel to respond.
While the troops were still moving, Sokov convened a meeting with several commanders to discuss the breakout plan with them again. In a temporary tent, a map was spread out on the ground. The commanders attending the meeting
They all squatted around the map. Sokov held a gas lantern in one hand and gestured on the map with the other: "Comrade commanders, I chose the direction of the breakout to the north. Our troops took advantage of the cover of night and quietly moved towards this place.
Before dawn, under the cover of the tank battalion, we launched a surprise attack on the enemy's defense line, trying to break through the enemy's defense line in the shortest possible time."
"Comrade Brigadier, I would like to ask." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Gurdiev raised his own question: "What is the enemy's defense situation in the north? With our current strength, can we break through the enemy?"
Defense?"
Sokov could understand Gurdiev's question. You must know that Rokossovsky mobilized several divisions of troops to launch an attack in that direction, but was never able to break through the enemy's defense.
The number of troops in his hand is no more than a thousand, but he wants to break through the enemy's defense in a short period of time. It is a bit incredible no matter how you look at it.
Sokov pointed at Bely with his hand and said with a smile: "I think it's better for Colonel Bely to introduce the situation. He has been in this area the longest and knows the enemy's situation best."
Belly coughed lightly, cleared his throat, and said: "The enemy's defense line is eight kilometers away to the north, backed by a river. The reason why the attack launched by General Rokossovsky was delayed
The reason for being unable to break through the enemy's defense is that the terrain on the north side of the German defense line is steep and there is a river in the middle. If friendly commanders want to seize the enemy's position, they must first cross the river and then rush up the steep hillside. And the enemy's
Although it is a firepower point, it can take advantage of the terrain to kill and injure our attacking troops from a high position..."
After hearing Bely's words, everyone finally understood why Rokossovsky's troops had been unable to break through the German defenses and came to join them. After a pause, Gurdiev asked again:
"Colonel Bely, what is the enemy's defense situation on our side?"
"Let's put it this way, the enemy's defense direction is mainly aimed at the north, while there are very few firepower points to the south." In order to let the commanders and soldiers know what they are doing, Bely explained in detail: "More importantly, the German defense line
To the south is a gentle slope, which is easy to attack but difficult to defend. Our tanks can even drive directly in front of the enemy's firepower point."
"Is it true that our tanks can drive directly in front of the enemy's firepower point?" Gurdiev heard this and asked with shock: "If this is the case, why did our troops in the encirclement circle not take the initiative?"
What about launching an attack on the enemy here? If we really did that, we might have already joined forces with the oncoming friendly forces."
"Colonel Gurdiev," Bely glanced at Sokov, and then said: "In the past, the troops stationed in Orlovka blindly held on, passively waiting for reinforcements from outside the encirclement, and came to fight with them.
They joined forces and never considered taking the initiative to attack outwards. Therefore, they knew nothing about the weak links in the German defense line."
After Bely's analysis, Gurdiev discovered that this was really the case. One of his regiments was ordered to station in Orlovka some time ago. The order they received was to hold their position at all costs.
, waiting for the reinforcements from outside the encirclement to arrive and join together. But unfortunately, the reinforcements did not arrive, but the commanders and fighters of this regiment were completely destroyed in the German air strikes and shelling. He secretly thought to himself, what if the troops under his command
If the regiment commander could send people to conduct reconnaissance to the north, find the weak points of the German defense line, and cooperate with Rokossovsky's troops inside and outside, he might have broken through the enemy's defense line long ago.
Thinking of this, Gurdiev suddenly thought of an important question: "Comrade Brigade Commander, in a few hours, we will implement a breakout. Do we really not need to report our breakout plan to our superiors?"
"No need." The reason Sokov did not report the breakout plan to Chuikov, nor send a message to Rokossovsky to inform him of the upcoming breakout to his location, was because he was worried that the news would leak out, which would lead to the failure of the breakout plan.
Therefore, he shook his head at Gurdiev's suggestion and said resolutely: "If we report our breakout plan, I'm worried that the Germans will soon notice it, and then our breakout operation may fail."
"What's the specific attack time?" Gurdiev asked briefly.
"Colonel Bely," before answering Gurdiev's question, Sokov turned to Bely and asked: "How long does it take for your tank battalion to reach the German defensive position from here?"
Belly calculated silently in his mind for a moment, and then replied in a positive tone: "Comrade Brigade Commander, if you drive at full speed, you can reach the battlefield in a quarter of an hour at most."
"Very good!" Sokov nodded approvingly, and then faced Gurdiev and said: "Colonel Gurdiev, your offensive starting point is two kilometers away from the German defense line. You are on the seventh
Launch the attack at 045:00, Colonel Bely's tanks will overtake your infantry within a quarter of an hour and rush towards the enemy's position first."
"Understood." Gurdiev replied: "It is only eight kilometers from here to the enemy's position. I will lead the troops to move closer to the enemy's defense line at three o'clock in the morning, and establish an offensive without the enemy noticing.
Starting position."
"In this attack, Colonel Gurdiev's 308th Infantry Division, under the cover of the tank battalion, is responsible for the main attack." Sokov put the gas lamp on the ground and said to everyone: "Vanya's battalion,
Tenev's guard battalion will follow as the second echelon. Once the first echelon breaks through the enemy's defenses, you must find a way to open the breach wider."
Next, Sokov answered the questions raised by several commanders one by one and gave solutions. Finally seeing that no one spoke, he stood up and said solemnly: "Comrades, commanders
, the fate that awaits us is whether the entire army will be destroyed, destroyed or captured by the enemy; or whether we will successfully break through the defense line and join up with friendly forces, it all depends on this. Are you confident of victory? "
All the commanders stood up in unison and answered neatly and loudly: "We are confident."
"Now that the mission is clear, everyone should go back to their respective units." Sokov waved his hands to everyone, "Seize the time to let the soldiers have a rest, and wait until three o'clock in the morning to quietly approach the enemy's position."
After the commanders left the tent, Yakov, who remained silent, tentatively asked Sokov: "Misha, are you really confident that you can lead your troops to break through the enemy's defense line?"
"Yakov, under the current circumstances, if we cannot break through the enemy's defense line, then the fate that awaits us is either capture or all sacrifice." Sokov smiled sadly and said: "Therefore, we must do it at all costs.
We must break through the enemy's defense line and rush over to join General Rokossovsky's troops."
"Misha, I have an idea." After Yakov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he was silent for a moment and said with some hesitation: "I think even if the tank's fuel and ammunition are used up, there is no need for us to blow it up.
They, they can definitely be left and put to greater use."