Although the troops of the 16th Army, in just a few hours, managed to seize the outlying positions south of Volokolamsk; Over the next few days, several more settlements were captured, but it was still not easy to capture the city. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 ｉｎｆｏ

When the troops of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps detoured back to the west of Volokolamsk and cut off the German retreat and supply lines, the 322nd Infantry Division, which had just been assigned to the command of the 16th Army, immediately carried out several small-scale tentative attacks on the German troops in the city, and for a time occupied two streets south of the city. However, due to the stubborn defense and frantic counterattack of the German army, the 322nd Division was driven out of the city by the Germans, and a company trapped in the city died heroically after a day and a night of fierce fighting, except for a few seriously wounded soldiers who were captured.

The main purpose of these skirmishes was to ascertain the German defenses and to judge their determination to resist. After these several attempts, Rokossovsky knew very well that although the German troops in the city were encircled by themselves, their fighting will was very tenacious and they would never easily lay down their arms and surrender to themselves, so he began to systematically gather tanks and artillery in the south of the city, preparing to take a strong attack and open a breakthrough from here.

During the day on December 24, Rokossovsky ordered the 323rd Infantry Division, deployed east of the city, to launch an attack on Volokolamsk first, under the cover of a tank battalion. However, due to the fact that the Germans had built strong fortifications in this area, the Soviet offensive soon ended in failure.

After the news of the failure of the offensive in the east of the city, Rokossovsky immediately called Kazakov and Orel in front of him and said to them: "Comrade commanders, the German troops in the city have strong fortifications and a tenacious will to fight, and it seems that we can only storm the city by using heavy artillery and tanks. ”

Kazakov looked at Rokossovsky and asked: "Comrade commander, give the order, my artillery has long been ready to carry out artillery strikes on the German lines south of the city." As long as the Germans destroy all the houses that they used to hide and protect themselves from the cold, they will be forced to lay down their arms and surrender to us because there is no place to hide. ”

Oryol waited for Kazakov to finish speaking, and then continued: "Comrade commander, even if the artillery can't destroy all the enemy, when our tanks rush into the city, they can crush those stubborn Germans. ”

Seeing that the two commanders under him were so confident, Rokossovsky nodded with satisfaction, and then ordered: "Okay, you should immediately give combat orders to the artillery and tank units." He looked up at his watch and added, "In twenty minutes, we will carry out artillery shelling of the German defensive positions." ”

When the two commanders went to give orders to the troops, Malinin asked with some concern: "Comrade commander, most of the buildings in the city of Volokolamsk are stone buildings, and half of them have been preserved under the bombardment and shelling of the Germans some time ago. Nowadays we have very little heavy artillery at our disposal, can we really destroy all the buildings where the enemy is hiding with the existing artillery? ”

"If the artillery can't destroy the buildings in the city, I can ask the air force to send it." Rokossovsky confidently said: "I believe that the artillery and air forces took turns and were enough to destroy the German defenses." Seeing that Rokossovsky was so confident, Malinin couldn't say anything more, so he could only continue to do his work.

Under the intensive artillery fire of the Soviet army, the buildings in the shelled area collapsed one after another, and many German soldiers hiding in the buildings were also buried in the rubble.

As soon as the artillery preparations were over, the two divisions of the Soviet army launched an attack on the defenders of the city from the east and south at the same time. Because the troops involved in the offensive were not descendants of Rokossovsky, they adopted a very rigid mode of attacking, with commanders and fighters wearing eye-catching khaki cotton uniforms, lined up in a dense formation in the snow, and blindly rushed forward with guns in hand, this suicidal charge enabled the Germans to hide in their positions and calmly carry out point fire and strafe fire.

The tanks that were driving in front of them were too far away from the infantry and became targets for the anti-tank fighters hiding in the rubble. As more and more tanks were destroyed by the Germans, the infantry, which had lost the cover of the tanks, became even more targeted by the Germans.

The battle lasted for half an hour, and after throwing down a dozen burning tanks and the remains of hundreds of soldiers on the battlefield, the Soviets retreated to the starting point of the offensive in disgrace.

When Rokossovsky saw this in the command, he immediately gave Malinin the order to suspend the offensive and called the two division commanders to his command. As soon as the two division commanders walked into the headquarters, they were scolded by Rokossovsky, who slapped the table and angrily reprimanded them: "...... Do you know what it would cost to attack the Germans in the city with such a dull tactic? ”

After waiting for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, a division commander cautiously asked himself to justify: "Comrade commander, this is how we usually train, since most of the commanders and fighters are equipped with rifles, maintaining a dense formation can ensure the density of firepower. ”

"Nonsense!" When Rokossovsky heard the division commander say this, he couldn't wait to immediately slap the other party in the face. But considering his identity, he still tried to control his emotions, pointed at the other party and said: "The snow on the road to the city is too deep, the speed of the commanders and fighters is already slow, and you still let so many people crowd together, isn't that a target for the Germans?" They're going to take down at least five or six of you with a shuttle of bullets...... No, the battle can't be fought in the same way as yours, and if you continue to fight like this, even if all your men are dead, you won't be able to rush into the city...... Chief of staff. ”

Hearing Rokossovsky call himself, Malinin immediately ran over and stood straight in front of him, waiting for him to give the order. I only listened to Rokossovsky's order: "Immediately replace the 322nd Infantry Division with the 8th Guards Division, and the 9th Guards Division from the 323rd Infantry Division, and launch a new attack on Volokolamsk." ”

Looking at the back of Ma Lining's departure, another division commander asked with a bitter face: "Comrade commander, what should we do then, will we withdraw like this?" We have paid so many casualties in order to seize this city, and now we have to withdraw, how can we be worthy of our fallen comrades. At this point, his eyes couldn't help but turn red.

Rokossovsky would have seen the tactical rigidity of these two division commanders, which led to the frustration of the offensive of the troops and paid a huge price. Seeing the expression of this division commander at this moment, I couldn't help but soften my heart again. He patted the division commander on the shoulder and said, "Two division commanders, I asked you to withdraw so that you can properly summarize the reasons for the failure of the attack, so that when you attack again, you can successfully capture the city." In this way, when the two guards divisions launch an attack later, you should organize the commanders above the battalion level to go to the observation post to watch the battle, take a good look at how others are fighting, and seriously think about what is worth learning from. ”

After the two division commanders left, Malinin walked back and reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, I have already called the two division commanders, Leviagin and Beloborodov, and they will lead the troops to change the guard as soon as possible." ”

"Comrade commander," Deputy Commander Zakharov asked with some concern, "at such a time, will letting the troops of several divisions change their guards lead to chaos and affect morale?" ”

Regarding Zakharov's concerns, Rokossovsky said earnestly: "Comrade Deputy Commander, you should understand very well that the reason why we let the newly arrived 322nd and 323rd Divisions participate in the siege battle is because the 8th and 9th Guards Divisions have lost a lot of troops in the previous battles, and the commanders and fighters are also very tired. However, judging from the situation of the offensive, the new troops did not have any combat experience at all, and if they were allowed to continue the offensive, it would probably not be long before this unit should be abolished. ”

"The combat experience of the troops is accumulated little by little in the course of constant fighting." Zakharov said with some unwillingness: "Comrade commander, you don't let them participate in the battle, how can they accumulate combat experience?" ”

As soon as the artillery preparations were over, the two divisions of the Soviet army launched an attack on the defenders of the city from the east and south at the same time. Because the troops involved in the offensive were not descendants of Rokossovsky, they adopted a very rigid mode of attacking, with commanders and fighters wearing eye-catching khaki cotton uniforms, lined up in a dense formation in the snow, and blindly rushed forward with guns in hand, this suicidal charge enabled the Germans to hide in their positions and calmly carry out point fire and strafe fire.

The tanks that were driving in front of them were too far away from the infantry and became targets for the anti-tank fighters hiding in the rubble. As more and more tanks were destroyed by the Germans, the infantry, which had lost the cover of the tanks, became even more targeted by the Germans.

The battle lasted for half an hour, and after throwing down a dozen burning tanks and the remains of hundreds of soldiers on the battlefield, the Soviets retreated to the starting point of the offensive in disgrace.

When Rokossovsky saw this in the command, he immediately gave Malinin the order to suspend the offensive and called the two division commanders to his command. As soon as the two division commanders walked into the headquarters, they were scolded by Rokossovsky, who slapped the table and angrily reprimanded them: "...... Do you know what it would cost to attack the Germans in the city with such a dull tactic? ”

After waiting for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, a division commander cautiously asked himself to justify: "Comrade commander, this is how we usually train, since most of the commanders and fighters are equipped with rifles, maintaining a dense formation can ensure the density of firepower. ”

"Nonsense!" When Rokossovsky heard the division commander say this, he couldn't wait to immediately slap the other party in the face. But considering his identity, he still tried to control his emotions, pointed at the other party and said: "The snow on the road to the city is too deep, the speed of the commanders and fighters is already slow, and you still let so many people crowd together, isn't that a target for the Germans?" They're going to take down at least five or six of you with a shuttle of bullets...... No, the battle can't be fought in the same way as yours, and if you continue to fight like this, even if all your men are dead, you won't be able to rush into the city...... Chief of staff. ”

Hearing Rokossovsky call himself, Malinin immediately ran over and stood straight in front of him, waiting for him to give the order. I only listened to Rokossovsky's order: "Immediately replace the 322nd Infantry Division with the 8th Guards Division, and the 9th Guards Division from the 323rd Infantry Division, and launch a new attack on Volokolamsk." ”

Looking at the back of Ma Lining's departure, another division commander asked with a bitter face: "Comrade commander, what should we do then, will we withdraw like this?" We have paid so many casualties in order to seize this city, and now we have to withdraw, how can we be worthy of our fallen comrades. At this point, his eyes couldn't help but turn red.

Rokossovsky would have seen the tactical rigidity of these two division commanders, which led to the frustration of the offensive of the troops and paid a huge price. Seeing the expression of this division commander at this moment, I couldn't help but soften my heart again. He patted the division commander on the shoulder and said, "Two division commanders, I asked you to withdraw so that you can properly summarize the reasons for the failure of the attack, so that when you attack again, you can successfully capture the city." In this way, when the two guards divisions launch an attack later, you should organize the commanders above the battalion level to go to the observation post to watch the battle, take a good look at how others are fighting, and seriously think about what is worth learning from. ”

After the two division commanders left, Malinin walked back and reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, I have already called the two division commanders, Leviagin and Beloborodov, and they will lead the troops to change the guard as soon as possible." ”

"Comrade commander," Deputy Commander Zakharov asked with some concern, "at such a time, will letting the troops of several divisions change their guards lead to chaos and affect morale?" ”

Regarding Zakharov's concerns, Rokossovsky said earnestly: "Comrade Deputy Commander, you should understand very well that the reason why we let the newly arrived 322nd and 323rd Divisions participate in the siege battle is because the 8th and 9th Guards Divisions have lost a lot of troops in the previous battles, and the commanders and fighters are also very tired. However, judging from the situation of the offensive, the new troops did not have any combat experience at all, and if they were allowed to continue the offensive, it would probably not be long before this unit should be abolished. ”

"The combat experience of the troops is accumulated little by little in the course of constant fighting." Zakharov said with some unwillingness: "Comrade commander, you don't let them participate in the battle, how can they accumulate combat experience?" ”