The tragic offensive of the tank battalion soon ended. All 24 tanks of the battalion were destroyed by the Germans, except for a few tank crews who successfully withdrew to the defensive line, most of the rest were killed, and the whereabouts of the brigade commander, Colonel Potapov, are unknown.

The Soviet infantry, deprived of tank support, could not resist the swarming German troops, and was forced to abandon the positions that had just been regained for only a few hours, and retreated in the direction of the second line of defense.

Due to the lack of effective anti-tank weapons, the Soviet commanders and fighters only inflicted effective damage on the German infantry who followed the tank attack when they retreated.

Fortunately, the two divisions of the 17th Guards Infantry Corps could still play a certain role in the retreat. They used the method of sectional resistance and alternate cover, so that the troops could withdraw to the second line of defense little by little.

When they had retreated about three kilometers, Babkovsky arrived with the 310th Tank Battalion and Potapov's 332nd Tank Battalion. More than fifty tanks swarmed up and bombarded more than a dozen German tanks that had broken away from the main force into scrap metal. and with the infantry to re-establish a new defense here.

Rokossovsky soon learned about the battle that was taking place here, and he called the chief of the armored corps, Orel, and said to him: "Comrade General, in today's battle, the 97th and 109th tank brigades showed themselves very well. In particular, the commander of the 97th tank brigade, Colonel Potapov, personally led 24 tanks to meet more than 200 German tanks heading towards our positions, giving up the stubborn attack. ”

Speaking of this, Rokossovsky paused for a moment, he felt his nose a little sour. He pinched his fingers and continued: "According to the information we have obtained, the tank battalion commanded by Potapov has been completely wiped out, except for a few commanders and fighters who survived, the rest have been sacrificed. ”

Orel knew that Rokossovsky was talking to him specifically, and it was definitely not to say that a tank unit was completely destroyed, and there must be more important things to explain, so he did not speak, waiting for Rokossovsky to continue.

"Comrade Orel," Rokossovsky quickly got to the point: "In recognition of the heroic tenacity of these two tank brigades in battle, I suggest that you immediately draw up a report awarded to them Guards. ”

Hearing that he could have two tank brigades under his command and that he could earn the title of Guards, the corners of Orel's mouth began to turn upward. As soon as Rokossovsky finished speaking, he immediately asked: "Comrade commander, after the report is written, will I give it to you directly?" ”

Rokossovsky shook his head, and then pointed to Terekin, who was sitting next to him: "After the report is written, you will directly hand it over to Comrade Military Commissar, who will be responsible for the commendation and awarding of honors to the entire Front Army." ”

The remnants of the two tank brigades, with the infantry urgently constructed defensive positions, had just been established when they were bombarded by German long-range artillery fire, and German bombers also came to join in the fun, pouring countless pieces of steel on this impenetrable position. After doing all this again, their tanks, guiding the hordes of infantry, attacked again.

In the face of the rushing German troops, the Soviet commanders and fighters carried out a stubborn defense. Tanks shelled German tanks with tank guns and strafed German infantry with machine guns; The infantry on the position, with firepower to separate the enemy infantry following the tanks from the tanks, and from time to time launched counter-attacks, annihilating one small German force after another.

After an hour of fierce fighting, the German troops, who had not taken advantage, had to withdraw in disgrace, return to their starting positions, regroup their forces, and prepare for another round of attacks.

When Orel finished drafting the application report and was about to hand it over to Terekin, the battle report from the front came back. After reading the battle report, Rokossovsky nodded again and again, and said: "Good, these commanders and fighters are good, they are absolutely inferior in the number of tanks, and they did not have enough anti-tank weapons, they stubbornly blocked the onslaught of the German Panzer Army, which is really remarkable." ”

"Comrade Commander." As soon as Rokossovsky finished speaking, Terekin smiled and said: "I called Comrade Antonov not so long ago and reported to him about the preparation of awarding the title of Guards to two tank brigades. ”

"What did the Deputy Chief of the General Staff say?" Rokossovsky asked.

"He said it was all right," Terekin replied cheerfully, "and he would report the matter to the base camp as soon as possible, and get a final answer before dark today." ”

As soon as Terekin finished speaking, the high-frequency telephone on the table rang. Terekin snorted at the phone and said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, do you see, it is a high-frequency phone ringing, maybe a call from Moscow. ”

Rokossovsky picked up the microphone and said with joy: "I am Rokossovsky, Comrade Antonov?" ”

"What Antonov, I'm Zhukov." Zhukov's dissatisfied voice came from the earpiece: "Comrade Rokossovsky, how is your situation there?" ”

"Comrade Marshal, we threw our troops and carried out a counterattack on the section that was broken through by the Germans yesterday." Rokossovsky reported to Zhukov: "The Germans, having suffered a defeat, threw their 41st Panzer Army into battle, and since our troops did not have enough heavy weapons, they were temporarily unable to push the enemy back, and the battle was now at a stalemate. ”

After listening to this, Zhukov did not immediately express any opinion, but after being silent for a while, he said casually: "I know." With that, he was ready to hang up.

"Wait a minute, Comrade Marshal, please wait a minute." Sensing that Zhukov was about to hang up the phone, Rokossovsky hurriedly said: "I want to ask how the situation is on the southern front." ”

"Very bad, Comrade Rokossovsky, the situation is very bad." After saying two bad things in a row, Zhukov continued: "Although the superiors replenished the 27th Army to Vatutin, he still could not stop the advance of the German army. So he asked Vasilevsky again last night for reinforcements. The base camp decided to transfer to him the 5th and 10th Tank Corps of the 5th Guards Tank Army of the Steppe Front so that he could stop the German breakthrough south of Kursk. Comrade Rokossovsky, I would like to remind you once again that you must always be ready to fight on two fronts. ”

"I see, Comrade Marshal." Rokossovsky, after agreeing, asked rhetorically: "When will you be able to return the Bryansk Front?" ”

"I may also spend a few more days at the Bryansk Front, discussing with them plans on how to attack from the German flank." When Zhukov said this, he also specially comforted Rokossovsky and said: "Don't worry, even if the defensive positions in the south are broken through by the Germans and you are attacked from both sides, I will let the Bryansk Front support you and relieve the pressure on your defenders in the north." ”

When Rokossovsky put down the phone, his mood became extremely heavy, although in real history, Vatutin, with the help of Konev's steppe front, successfully held the defense line in the south of Kursk, but his heart was still unsteady, and he was deeply afraid that because of his appearance, history would be deviated. For example, General Apanashchenko, in real history, has never served as the commander of the Steppe Front, and after he was transferred from the Far East, he directly served as the deputy commander of Vatutin.

Seeing Rokossovsky put down the phone, he looked depressed, Terekin hurriedly asked with concern: "Comrade commander, I see that your expression is a little wrong, is something wrong?" ”

"The situation on the Vatutin's side is terrible." Rokossovsky said weakly: "According to Marshal Zhukov, their defensive positions are in danger of being broken by the Germans at any moment. ”

"How so, how so?" Terekin said a little angrily: "Vatutin's troops still have hundreds of thousands of troops, how can they not stop Manstein's attack?" ”

"In the Battle of Kharkov at the beginning of this year, our Southwestern Front and the Voronezh Front, both in strength and equipment, had an absolute superiority, but they were still defeated by Marshal Manstein of the German army." Orel carefully said his judgment: "Could it be that because of the defeat last time, General Vatutin had a phobia of Manstein, so he was unable to play his level normally." ”

After listening to Oryol's analysis, Rokossovsky was immediately laughed angrily, and he said in his heart Do you think that Vatutin is the same as the national football team, what else is "Mansteinism", as soon as you hear that the commander of the other party is Manstein, you don't know how to fight? He waved his hand at Orel and said, "Comrade Orel, the situation is not what you imagined. After the artillery bombardment in the early hours of yesterday morning, our troops remained in the trenches, waiting for the Germans to launch an offensive that had been postponed by our artillery fire. However, Comrade Vatutin, optimistic that our artillery fire had already crippled the enemy, hastily mobilized troops and prepared for a preemptive attack on the German positions. ”

Terekin, who had listened to the conversation between Zhukov and Rokossovsky, continued: "As a result, as soon as the troops were assembled, the German retaliatory artillery bombardment began, because many of our troops left their defensive positions, and as a result, they suffered considerable losses in this round of sudden artillery fire. ”

As soon as he finished speaking, the high-frequency phone on the table rang again, Telegin looked at the phone, and said a little nervously: "Comrade commander, there won't be any bad news, right?" ”

Rokossovsky picked up the microphone and said in an extremely majestic tone: "I'm Rokossovsky, where are you?" ”

"Hello, Comrade Rokossovsky." Antonov's familiar voice came from the earpiece: "I have good news for you, allow me to congratulate you first." ”

"Good news?!" Rokossovsky's eyes suddenly lit up, and he couldn't wait to ask: "Comrade Deputy Chief of the General Staff, I don't know what good news you plan to tell me." ”

"Didn't your military commissar, General Terekin, just tell me that you are going to award the honorary title of 'Guards Tank Brigade' to two tank brigades?" Antonov said to himself: "After I reported this to the base camp, I have already received an answer. In recognition of the heroism, courage and tenacity of the two tank brigades in battle, good organization and discipline, and superb military skills. The base camp decided to rename the 97th Tank Brigade to the 52nd Guards Tank Brigade; The 109th Tank Brigade was renamed the 48th Guards Tank Brigade. ”

"Thank you, thank you, Deputy Chief of the General Staff," Antonov said the good news, diluting the sense of loss in Rokossovsky's heart, and he excitedly said into the microphone: "Thank you for bringing us such good news, and on behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the Central Front, I would like to express my gratitude to you." ”

As soon as Rokossovsky put down the phone, he excitedly said to Orel: "Comrade Orel, immediately send a report to the 97th and 109th tank brigades that their superiors have awarded them the honorary titles of the 52nd and 48th Guards Tank Brigades, respectively!" ”

"Ulla!" After listening to Rokossovsky's words, Oryol immediately cheered, and he said with the same emotion: "Comrade commander, this is really good, we have two more guards units in our armored forces, and I will go and send a telegram to tell them the good news." ”

After Oryol left, Rokossovsky called Kazakov over again and said to him: "Comrade Artillery Commander, you are now going to transfer a part of your artillery to the middle of Kursk, and as soon as the defensive positions in the south are broken through by the Germans, you will use artillery fire to intercept the German troops on the march and prevent them from quickly advancing to the rear of our troops." Do you understand? ”

"Understood." Kazakov replied with a serious expression: "Rest assured, Comrade Commander, I will immediately draw capable units from the artillery units of the Front and transfer them to the middle ground to defend against German units that may appear to the south." ”

Rokossovsky nodded and said, "Although the situation in the south is very bad, General Vatutin's troops are still carrying out a stubborn defense. Maybe God will be on our side and bless the positions of our troops from being broken through by the Germans. Put the artillery not in the middle of the lot, just in case of the worst that may arise, and it is possible that it will soon be put into battle; It is also possible to wait until the end of the campaign, and the troops there will not have the opportunity to participate in the battle either. ”

At dark, the defensive line established by the two newly promoted Guards Tank Brigades and the 17th Guards Infantry Corps successfully held off the German 41st Panzer Corps and prevented their attempts to advance in the direction of Olikhovatka.

After learning this news, Rokossovsky finally breathed a sigh of relief, because in this way, the offensive of the German Orel group was doomed to failure. At the same time, the creation of this new line of defense bought time for the preparation of the front, allowing Rokossovsky to calmly concentrate the necessary forces and various technical equipment in the most vulnerable directions.