As night fell, Vatutin stood in front of the map and asked Lapniv: "What is the current situation on the front of Lake Baikal?"
The Chinese army launched offensives in Severobaikalsk and Lake Baikal at the same time. Severobaikalsk is quite far away from Irkutsk, and there are mountain roads along the way. Therefore, Vatutin is not worried about the enemy forces along this way.
The layout caused trouble. But on the front of Lake Baikal, if the Soviet army there could not withstand the attack of the Chinese army, his plan to concentrate the tank troops to eat the Chinese First Army would become a joke.
"The Chinese offensive is very fierce, but because of Lake Baikal, their heavy artillery cannot provide support. Brenev reported that there will be no problem in supporting it for three to five days," Lapniv replied.
Nodding, Vatutin said: "Now it's up to Gorbachev and the others."
Gorbachev, deputy commander of the Northern Front, was Vatutin’s number one thug. The remaining two tank divisions of the Northern Front were now under his command. In order to save time, the Soviets did not take conventional measures.
Method of transportation. Including Gorbachev, all Soviet Russians stayed in tanks or armored vehicles and were dragged directly by trains. Due to the loss of contact with the Seventh Army, according to Gorbachev's idea, they arrived
They may encounter fierce battles after the front line, so they can go into battle immediately.
There is no doubt that this unconventional loading method can certainly facilitate their rapid entry into battle. However, at the same time, if they are attacked, it also means that they will not be able to immediately escape from the living coffin like the tank.
"It's half past seven. According to this speed, we will arrive in Kultuk in one hour. Have you contacted Commander Tie Anshan?" Ge leaned on the seat and looked at the dim lights in the car.
Erbacho asked while looking at the map.
"We are in contact, but if they have already rushed into Kultuk, I am worried that we will not be able to contact them," a colonel staff officer in front of him replied.
"The Chinese blocked the radio signals there?"
"That's how it should be."
The Soviet Political Security Bureau had long ago obtained information about the electronic shielding technology mastered by the Chinese army, but it did not attract the attention of the Soviet military. Now, in the face of the cruel reality, Gorbachev and others finally remembered this.
a little.
"I hope so. Lankovsky still has two divisions in hand, and Commander Tie Anshan sent reinforcements in time. No matter how strong the Chinese are, it shouldn't be possible to eat them in one day, right?"
"I don't know if Division Commander Tie Anshan and the others have joined the Seventh Army."
Tie Anshan wanted to contact the Seventh Army first to find out the situation of Kurtuk. However, since Jiang Tieyao insisted on swallowing up the Seventh Army, how could he allow a gap in the encirclement circle to exist.
The person responsible for liaising with the Seventh Group Army of the Tie'an Mountain Division was a major staff officer named Tumingo. Tumingo personally selected ten Soviet soldiers with relatively strong personal combat effectiveness, and wanted to enter Kultuk from the northern mountainous area.
As soon as they entered the mountainous area, they were sniped by Chinese soldiers from a reinforced company ambushed by Jiang Tieyao.
"Pa!" There was a crisp gunshot, and the Soviet sergeant who was opening the way fell to the ground. "Get down!" Tumingo shouted in a low voice, and he sank down behind a raised stone. "
The Chinese have set up a sniper position here, and it seems that we must find another way to infiltrate," he said to several Soviet soldiers behind him, and then began to look around.
The sky is getting darker and darker, but tonight is cloudy. Therefore, except for the light produced by the occasional explosion in the town of Kultuk, which can provide them with some limited guidance, Tumingo and the others want to search for a better route.
There is no other reference point for the dive path.
"Bang!" Suddenly there was a clear gunshot from the front, and then a flare slowly rose and exploded behind the person who reached the highest point, illuminating the surrounding area brightly.
"Be careful!" Tumingo quickly lowered his body and shouted at the same time.
He reacted quickly enough, but he still failed to avoid another casualty in the troops. A Soviet soldier ten meters behind him reacted a little slower and was shot in the head. He heard the soldier scream and fall to the ground.
, Tumingo knew that their plot could not succeed. After thinking about it with a sullen face, he asked the others to hold on where they were, and he ran back with his back bent.
"Comrade Division Commander, the Chinese have been prepared for a long time. Their sniper skills are very high. We want a small force to infiltrate, but it's difficult!"
At this time, the small tank unit sent by Tie Anshan had already begun to launch harassing attacks on the Chinese army, but the effect was very disappointing to him. The Chinese commander seemed to have seen through his strategy and ignored this small-scale attack.
Peripheral harassment. Therefore, so far, Tie Anshan does not know the size of the defenders, and naturally there is no constructive strategy.
"We must connect with the Seventh Army anyway. Do the Chinese only have snipers there?" he asked Tumingo with a gloomy face.
"That is indeed the case so far," Tumingo replied, not daring to finish his sentence.
Tie Anshan gritted his teeth and said, "I'll give you another hundred people, in groups of five, to infiltrate from multiple directions at the same time! How about it?"
Sweat broke out on Tumingo's forehead. He smacked his lips and said, "Comrade Commander, I cannot guarantee -"
"asshole!"
“The Chinese are cunning!”
The Soviet reinforcements did not launch an offensive for a long time. While Jiang Tieyao breathed a sigh of relief, he had to praise his opponent: "It seems that the commander of the Soviet reinforcements this time is very calm!"
"They don't have infantry, so of course they don't dare to attack rashly. Since they don't dare to attack, should we counterattack and disturb them?" Gao Yongxiang said.
Jiang Tieyao thought for a while, shook his head and said: "There is no need. The Seventh Army is already meat in the bowl. We have the geographical advantage, so there is no need to take this risk. Just wait until daybreak and let the Air Force greet them."
While the two were talking, a communications staff officer came in and reported that a small enemy force had appeared in the northwest mountains of Kultuk.
Jiang Tieyao and Gao Yongxiang immediately guessed the intention of this small Soviet force. Jiang Tieyao said: "The Soviet reinforcements want to connect with the Seventh Army. The tanks in the northwest cannot pass at all. Ha, tell Wang Mazi
, there is no need to fight with the Soviets, just ensure the kill rate."
Wang Mazi was the commander of the blocking force in that mountainous area.
Fortunately, Jiang Tieyao gave timely instructions, so when Tumingo reappeared in front of them with more than a hundred Soviet soldiers, he modified his tactics in time to let his brothers "fight smartly."