Mikhailov nodded and said with certainty: "Yes, Comrade Commander." Pen, Fun, Pavilion www.biquge.info but only light tanks can pass, and heavy tanks may sink into the mud halfway through. ”

As soon as Rokossovsky finished speaking, he turned around and climbed into the tank, stood on the body, grabbed the handrail of the turret with one hand, and raised the telescope with the other to look into the distance.

Tarasov, who was standing under the tank, saw Rokossovsky's casual appearance, and couldn't help jumping to his feet in a hurry, and he said anxiously below: "Comrade commander, don't stand in such a high position, be careful of the German snipers." ”

Rokossovsky looked at it for a while, then jumped off the tank body. Commanded the anxious Tarasov: "Chief of Staff, I have taken a look at the terrain and should pull Colonel Kirillov's 38th Division here to organize the defense using the existing fortifications. ”

"But, Comrade Commander." After recording Rokossovsky's order, Tarasov asked with some puzzlement: "Since there are such good fortifications here, why did you initially deploy Kirillov's division to the east of Yaltsevo?" ”

Hearing this, Rokossovsky couldn't help but smile bitterly and replied: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you don't know anything, according to the information I received from Marshal Timoshenko. Not only are there our troops in the defensive positions here, but even in the city of Yaltsevo there are a large number of fortifications. But you've been to the city with me just now, and it's empty, let alone fortified. The reason why I had to transfer my troops was to prevent the German troops from storming Yaltsevo and to use the city as a starting point for their attack. ”

"I see, Comrade Commander, I'm going to deliver your orders." After Tarasov finished speaking, he turned around and left. But he didn't take two steps before he stopped and asked with a bitter face, "Our car was blown up, how can we go back?" ”

Seeing Tarasov's embarrassed expression, Mikhailov hurriedly pointed to the forest in the distance and said: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, don't worry, there are several three-wheeled motorcycles in the forest, and I will have someone to send you back." With that, he put two fingers in his mouth and gave a loud whistle.

Soon, a three-wheeled motorcycle drove out of the forest and drove staggeringly. The motorcyclist stopped at a distance of four or five meters from Mikhailov, then got out of the car and came over to salute, and then asked: "Comrade division commander, what instructions do you have?" ”

Mikhailov pointed at Tarasov and said, "This commander is going back to the defensive position just now, and you can drive him." ”

After the motorcyclists had left with Tarasov, Mikhailov asked Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, according to my observations, one division is far from enough to hold this defensive position in the west of the city, let alone a division with serious attrition, even if you have just replenished so many troops, there are still too few people." ”

"You're right, Comrade Colonel." Rokossovsky did not deny Mikhailov's statement, "Even if Kirillov's division occupies defensive positions, our defense line is still full of holes, and new forces must be constantly replenished." If my superiors can really assign me two or three divisions, I will be more sure that I will hold this line of defense...... But with the power of now...... I can't hold my position. ”

Mikhailov didn't know how to answer Rokossovsky, so he pretended not to hear and beckoned to a few fighters standing nearby: "Hey, I said, you go and clean up the battlefield, collect the corpses of us and the enemy, see which weapons are still usable, and collect them, maybe they can be used in the future." ”

Just as the fighters of the tank division were cleaning up the battlefield, several jeeps drove from the west side of the road. Seeing this sudden appearance of the vehicle, Mikhailov couldn't help but get nervous, except for the members of the two tanks, there were less than twenty fighters, and now they were scattered in various places to clean up the battlefield, and they couldn't be gathered in a hurry.

Rokossovsky raised his binoculars and looked at the approaching jeep for a moment, and immediately said easily: "Colonel, don't be nervous, it's your own people." With that, he walked toward the highway, intending to see who was coming.

The jeep that drove by, seeing that there was its own person cleaning the battlefield in front of it, slowed down and quickly stopped on the side of the road. As soon as the car stopped, a commander stepped out of the car, and he asked a nearby soldier in a kind manner: "Hey, comrade soldier, which part of you are from?" ”

After the busy soldier saw the rank on his collar badge clearly, he hurriedly stood up on the spot and replied respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Major General! We are from the 101st Tank Division, and we have just had an encounter with the Germans here, and we are cleaning up the battlefield! ”

The major general glanced at the jeep in front of him, which was burned to the bottom of the frame, and asked with a frown: "Are our casualties large?" ”

The soldier nodded at the wrecked jeep and said, "There were four people in the car, and none of them escaped because they were directly hit by the mortar shells of the Germans. ”

Before the major general could ask anything more, Rokossovsky walked up to him and, after looking him up and down, shouted violently: "Is that you, Carmela?!" ”

Hearing someone call his name, the major general turned his head to look at Rokossovsky, and after a short silence, he also excitedly shouted: "Isn't this Rokossovsky?" Is it you, or is it your ghost? ”

Rokossovsky laughed and gave each other a warm hug, and after parting, shook the other's hand and said: "Dear Ivan Pavlovich, isn't it me, you know, the bullet that can kill me has not yet been made." By the way, where do you work now? ”

"I was the deputy head of artillery of the 19th Army, and during the battle, I lost contact with the command of the army." After introducing herself, Carmela asked rhetorically: "I remember that you seemed to be the commander of the garrison in Zhytomyr, what are you doing here?" ”

"I have just been appointed commander of the 'Rokossovsky Operational Cluster' and is responsible for the defense of the Yaltsevo region." Rokossovsky felt that he did not have enough commanders under him, and when he heard that Carmela had lost contact with his superiors, he took the opportunity to invite him to join his unit: "Because my unit has just been formed, there are not enough troops, and there is a large gap in commanders at all levels. Since you've lost contact with your superiors, why don't you join my troops? ”

To Rokossovsky's proposal, Carmela readily agreed: "Well, Rokossovsky, I promise you. Anyway, we are wandering around without a purpose, and we don't know when we will be able to restore contact with the army group headquarters, so it is better to stay with you first and fight the German attack with you. ”

While the two were talking, Mikhailov walked over. He first smiled politely at Carmela, and then cautiously asked Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, I don't know who this ......?" ”

Hearing Mikhailov's question, Rokossovsky smiled, and then, according to tradition, introduced another person to a person of higher rank: "Carmela, let me introduce you, this commander of the 101st Tank Division, Colonel Mikhailov. Then he introduced Kamela to Mikhailov: "This is my old comrade-in-arms from the cavalry brigade - Ivan Pavlovich Carmela. He turned out to be the deputy head of artillery of the 19th Army, but he has agreed to join us, and from now on he is the head of artillery of our combat group. ”

"Hello, Comrade General." Mikhailov first greeted Carmela politely.

"Hello, Comrade Colonel." When Carmela and Mikhailov shook hands, they looked at each other repeatedly and said in an uncertain tone: "Colonel, I seem to have seen you somewhere before!" ”

"yes, that's a coincidence." Mikhailov politely replied: "I have been in quite a few troops, maybe that's it, so you have seen me." ”

Carmela stared at the gold star medal hanging from Mikhailov's chest and asked tentatively: "Comrade Colonel, have you been to the Far East before?" ”

"Of course, Comrade General." Mikhailov pointed to the gold star medal on his chest and said: "I once participated in the battle of the Harakha River, and this medal was specially awarded by my superiors in recognition of my bravery. ”

After hearing this, Carmela nodded and said with some regret: "Colonel, I have heard of you. You are a valiant officer who could have become a general, but because you are accustomed to using small detachments in battle, you still used such tactics in the battle of the Finnish White Bandits, and as a result, your troops suffered irreparable losses because of the defeat. ”

Mikhailov's face turned red when he heard Carmela say this, and he said a little embarrassedly: "Comrade General, you are right, in the battle against the Finnish White Bandits, I attacked the enemy with a tank regiment as a platoon, but I fell into the trap of the Finns, and one tank platoon after another was destroyed in the battle. If it weren't for a senior commander interceding for me, I might have been court-martialed. Saying this, he turned to Rokossovsky and swore solemnly, "Comrade commander, I will never make the same mistakes as before in the future, so don't worry!" ”

"I believe you, Colonel Mikhailov." As soon as Rokossovsky finished speaking, he made his attitude clear to him and raised his hand and patted him lightly on the shoulder.

Seeing Rokossovsky so magnanimous, Mikhailov's eyes couldn't help but turn red, and if it weren't for his strong self-control, maybe tears would have burst out of his eyes. He closed his eyes vigorously, and then reported another important piece of information to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, I have one more good news for you!" The tanks we were supposed to be drawn to work with friendly forces were all rebuilt shortly after you left. Although there were still only seven heavy tanks, the total number of tanks had risen to nearly 100, and even if the Germans used tank assault tactics, we would be able to fight a close tank battle with them. (To be continued.) )