Rokossovsky agreed with Carmela's proposal, so he personally called the command of the Front, wanting to report the information he had detected to Timoshenko. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 info Who knew that it was an unfamiliar voice who answered the phone, and he coldly told Rokossovsky: "Comrade Marshal has gone down to the troops, we cannot get in touch with him for the time being, and we do not know when they will return." ”

Rokossovsky put down the microphone in disappointment, forcibly suppressed the panic in his heart, and said to the two division commanders standing in the command headquarters: "Comrade division commanders, since both of you are here, then I will assign you a defensive area. You all know that our current defense is a linear defense, there is no second echelon, and once it is broken through somewhere, there is a possibility that the whole line will collapse. In the event of the loss of Yaltsevo, then it is possible that the enemy will rush along the road to Vyazma. ”

After he said this, he saw the two division commanders standing in the distance with their backs straight, quietly waiting for him to issue an order, and then he continued: "Come and see." On the left flank of the entire line of defense were two regiments of the 38th Infantry Division; On the right flank was the motorized infantry regiment of the 101st Tank Division, and since this regiment was relatively weak, two more tank regiments were placed behind them to strengthen their defenses with artillery fire. General Carmela's artillery battalion is deployed in the forest, and they can provide the necessary artillery support to our defending units in the event of an enemy attack......"

When all the deployments were finished, Rokossovsky looked up at the two division commanders in front of him and asked: "Is there anything else you don't understand?" ”

Mikhailov raised his hand, and then said: "Comrade commander, I don't understand, why put two regiments behind the motorized rifle regiment, isn't it too wasteful?" You know, just to strengthen the defense with artillery fire, one tank regiment is enough. ”

Rokossovsky waited patiently for him to finish speaking, and then replied with a smile: "Comrade Colonel, the reason why I want to place two tank regiments here is to consider that once the Germans break through our defensive line along the main road, the tank regiments that occupy a favorable position will be able to counterattack the intruding Germans. ”

After listening to Rokossovsky's explanation, Mikhailov nodded with satisfaction, and then said: "I understand, Comrade Commander, I obey your orders. ”

At this moment, a man stumbled in from the outside and almost hit Tarasov's head. After seeing that the person who came was his subordinate, Lieutenant Starley, Tarasov turned his face and said in a tone of lesson: "Comrade Lieutenant, please remember your identity, you are a staff officer of the headquarters, and you must not panic at any time, understand?" ”

Starley, who was still wheezing, nodded, panting heavily, but unable to speak, Rokossovsky directly picked up a cup of tea and handed it over. Starley was stunned for a moment, and wanted to refuse, but because he was extremely thirsty, he took the teacup and drank it in a big gulp, then put the teacup on the table, and hurriedly said: "Comrade commander, the Germans, the Germans are coming!" ”

"What, Germans?" Tarasov was taken aback when he heard Starley say this, grabbed the other party's arm, and asked nervously: "Where are they and how many troops do they have?" ”

Starley looked at Rokossovsky with his eyes, pointed to the map on the table and asked: "Comrade commander, can you borrow your map?" After receiving permission, he pointed to it and said: "I have just arrived at this place with a reconnaissance group, and I found that a German unit is erecting a pontoon bridge over the river, and it is estimated that in about half an hour they will be able to start crossing the river." ”

"Hell, where did this German come from?" Seeing that Rokossovsky was staring at the map without speaking, Tarasov asked Starey: "What kind of troops does the enemy have?" ”

Starley glanced at Rokossovsky, and then replied: "I suppose that this group of enemies has made a detour from the north of Smolensk, and they are currently erecting pontoon bridges over the river for tank traffic." We didn't dare to get too close because we were afraid of being exposed, but as far as I could see, the Germans had at least one regiment of infantry with twenty tanks. ”

After Tarasov waited for Starley to finish, he began to calculate the time of the arrival of the German army. After calculating for a while, he raised his head and looked at Rokossovsky, and said worriedly: "Comrade commander, if the situation reported by the lieutenant is correct, the enemy will arrive at us in an hour." ”

After hearing this, Rokossovsky nodded, then turned his head and asked Mikhailov: "Comrade Colonel, I don't know when your motorized rifle regiments and tank regiments will be able to reach the designated defensive areas. ”

After looking down at the map, Mikhailov replied: "Comrade commander, you also know that my tank unit has just been rebuilt, and the main forces are currently in the process of advancing here, and I estimate that it will take two hours to enter the position. ”

"Two hours?!" After hearing Mikhailov's statement of this time, Kirillov snorted coldly and said dissatisfiedly: "By the time your troops arrive, the Germans have occupied your position." ”

Hearing Kirillov speak out about his concerns, Rokossovsky couldn't help but frown. He originally thought that after the bridge from Smolensk to this place was blown up, the large German army would not be able to get here without three or five days, and he still had plenty of time to calmly deploy defenses. Unexpectedly, now the German army has approached the city, and his troops have not yet been able to enter the designated defensive zone.

"Comrade Commander, what should we do?" Seeing that Rokossovsky was slow to speak, Tarasov asked in a little panic: "The Germans should be here in another hour." ”

"Calm down, Comrade Chief of Staff, please remain calm!" Rokossovsky made his own decision at this moment, he looked at Kirillov and said: "Colonel Kirillov, the only troops that have reached the defensive zone at present are your 38th Infantry Division, in order to prevent our defense line from being broken through by the Germans, I order that a regiment be immediately transferred to occupy the defensive operations on the right flank first, and then hand over the defense to them after the motorized infantry regiment of the 101st Tank Division arrives." ”

"But, Comrade Commander, if I send troops into the defensive positions on the right flank, then the forces on our main positions will become weak." Kirillov said with a look of embarrassment: "Then our position does not rule out the possibility of being broken through by the Germans." ”

"If the positions on the right flank had not been defended by the troops," Tarasov, who had also regained his composure at this moment, said to Kirillov in a serious manner: "Then the Germans would have passed through our line of defense as if they were shopping in the streets, and swaggered towards Vyazma." At that time, your left flank position, no matter how many troops you have, will be of no use. ”

Kirillov, who had been taught a few words by Tarasov, said with a wry smile: "Since this is the case, then I will resolutely obey the orders of my superiors." As for whether the defensive line will collapse after such a troop transfer, I dare not guarantee it. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Colonel." Rokossovsky comforted Kirillov and said: "You must know that it is not your division that is fighting alone, behind you there is also an artillery battalion of General Carmela. Although this unit has only been formed for a few hours, I am confident that they will be able to provide you with the necessary artillery support during the battle. ”

"Comrade commander," Mikhailov spoke again, "I have a company of heavy tanks armed with seven KV-2 tanks, and I can get them over first." In this way, even if the Germans break through our lines, my tank company can launch a counterattack. ”

Hearing Mikhailov mention the KV-2 tank, Rokossovsky's mind immediately came up with a post that later generations saw, saying that a KV-2 heavy tank of the Soviet army blocked a German armored division for two whole days. Although he didn't know whether what was said in this post was true or not, when he heard about the KV-2, he felt a lot more relieved. So he nodded and said to Mikhailov: "Well, Colonel Mikhailov, immediately transfer your company of heavy tanks over and take up a favorable position in the rear of our right flank line of defense, ready to strike back at the right time against the enemy." ”

Although, according to Tarasov's calculations, it would be an hour before the Germans appeared in the defensive positions west of Yaltsevo, who knew that just forty minutes later, he received a call from the forward observation post, reporting to him that there was dust in the distance and that a large force should be approaching.

Tarasov put down the phone and said to Rokossovsky with a worried face: "Comrade commander, the observation post reports that it is found dusty in the distance, and it should be a large force approaching. Since there are no formed troops in the vicinity, I think it should be Dekou. ”

"Chief of Staff, your judgment is accurate." Rokossovsky succinctly instructed him: "Immediately alert the troops to the battle and prepare them for all defenses." ”

Tarasov nodded, walked quickly to the telephone, dialed the division headquarters of the 38th Infantry Division, and said loudly: "Battle alert, the enemy is approaching your defense area." The commander ordered that all troops immediately be ready for battle. ”

"General Carmela," Rokossovsky turned to Carmela, who was sitting on the side, while Tarasov was calling, "Is your artillery battalion ready for battle?" ”

"Don't worry, Koschika." Carmela affectionately called Rokossovsky by his nickname and said confidently: "My artillery battalion has long been in combat readiness, and at the first command of you, they can open fire on the Germans." ”

Rokossovsky raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then said to Carmela: "Comrade General, do you want to go outside and see how our fighters repelled the German attack?" ”

Hearing Rokossovsky's invitation, Carmela stood up, leaned forward and bowed slightly, and said politely: "Very gladly, although the artillery under my command has destroyed thousands of enemies, I have never seen the enemy destroyed by us with my own eyes." Let's go, Koschika! ”

At the end of the day's fighting, Rokossovsky was glad that on a whim, he invited Carmela to see how the infantry held their positions, otherwise the line would have been broken by the Germans.

When the two men walked out of the headquarters and came to the edge of the forest to find an improvised bunker to observe, the Germans had already launched an offensive formation and attacked. The dense skirmish line of German soldiers, rapidly advancing towards the line of defense on the left flank, followed by a dozen tanks behind them.

While the infantry fired at the enemy with machine guns, rifles, submachine guns, the artillery hidden in the forest also fired. The shells fell in the ranks of the Germans and exploded, and the soldiers near the explosion point, sliced down by shrapnel and overturned by the air wave, soon began to be chaotic. But at this moment, the German tanks picked up speed, rushed to the front of the infantry, and suppressed the defenders on the left flank positions with artillery fire.

After seeing one machine gun fire point after another destroyed by the Germans, the defenders were somewhat overwhelmed. As the casualties mounted, the morale of the army inevitably wavered, and first one of them left the position and ran towards the forest where Rokossovsky was located. With an example, the people behind follow suit. With little effort, those who broke away from their positions began to flee to the forest in droves.

Rokossovsky raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then said to Carmela: "Comrade General, do you want to go outside and see how our fighters repelled the German attack?" ”

Hearing Rokossovsky's invitation, Carmela stood up, leaned forward and bowed slightly, and said politely: "Very gladly, although the artillery under my command has destroyed thousands of enemies, I have never seen the enemy destroyed by us with my own eyes." Let's go, Koschika! ”

At the end of the day's fighting, Rokossovsky was glad that on a whim, he invited Carmela to see how the infantry held their positions, otherwise the line would have been broken by the Germans.

When the two men walked out of the headquarters and came to the edge of the forest to find an improvised bunker to observe, the Germans had already launched an offensive formation and attacked. The dense skirmish line of German soldiers, rapidly advancing towards the line of defense on the left flank, followed by a dozen tanks behind them.

While the infantry fired at the enemy with machine guns, rifles, submachine guns, the artillery hidden in the forest also fired. The shells fell in the ranks of the Germans and exploded, and the soldiers near the explosion point, sliced down by shrapnel and overturned by the air wave, soon began to be chaotic. But at this moment, the German tanks picked up speed, rushed to the front of the infantry, and suppressed the defenders on the left flank positions with artillery fire.

After seeing one machine gun fire point after another destroyed by the Germans, the defenders were somewhat overwhelmed. As the casualties mounted, the morale of the army inevitably wavered, and first one of them left the position and ran towards the forest where Rokossovsky was located. With an example, the people behind follow suit. With little effort, those who broke away from their positions began to flee to the forest in droves. (To be continued.) )