While Orlov's troops were fighting the Germans at the front, Rokossovsky was deploying troops in his headquarters. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 According to the information he has learned, the enemy has more than one regiment of troops, and has crossed the Wopi River one after another, and at the same time the sappers are also erecting pontoon bridges over the river, and it is believed that it will not be long before even technical equipment such as tanks and armored vehicles will cross the river one after another.

Rokossovsky's eyes were fixed on the map in front of him, and he asked: "Chief of Staff, where are Lidyukov's 1st Motorized Infantry Division and Kirillov's 38th Infantry Division at the moment?" ”

Hearing Rokossovsky's question, Malinin hurriedly walked to the table, pointed to the map with a red and blue pencil and replied: "Two divisions are making a detour to the two flanks of the German troops crossing the Wopi River, and they will reach the designated attack position before two o'clock in the afternoon." Speaking of this, Malinen paused for a moment, and then said with a little concern, "Comrade commander, when we attack from the flanks of the German troops, will the German troops to the south of us really not attack from behind us?" ”

"Don't worry, Chief of Staff." Rokossovsky confidently said: "Even if the Germans find that their friendly forces are under attack from ours, they will not be able to draw enough troops to attack from the rear of our army." Pick me up General Zhukov, I'm going to talk to him. ”

The phone of the reserve front was quickly connected, and when the staff officer who answered the phone heard that Rokossovsky wanted to find Zhukov, he said with some impatience: "Comrade commander, our commander is busy, what can you tell me." I'll report back to the commander later. ”

"Comrade Staff Officer, please listen to me." Hearing that this staff officer was unwilling to inform Zhukov about himself, Rokossovsky was a little anxious, because he planned to consult Zhukov about the matter of coordinated operations, and it was impossible for others to relay it, so he begged the other party and said: "I am looking for General Zhukov, there is really something extremely important, please let him answer the phone immediately." ”

"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." The staff officer who answered the phone stubbornly said: "Comrade commander is busy, if I take your call without the permission of my superiors, I will be punished." ”

When Rokossovsky heard the staff officer say this, he really wanted to slap the other party immediately, how much urgent military situation was delayed by such self-righteous people. However, he had a request for the other party at the moment, so he could only say in a low voice: "I am Rokossovsky, commander of the 16th Army, I really have something important to find General Zhukov, please let him answer the phone." ”

Unexpectedly, the staff officer was unmoved, and he said coldly: "If you are the commander of the group army, then I am the commander of the front army." After speaking, he hung up the phone without hesitation, and said to his colleague next to him, "This person doesn't know what to ask our commander, and he actually pretends to be General Rokossovsky, but fortunately I found out." ”

Rokossovsky never dreamed that he would be hung up by an ordinary communications staff officer, who held the microphone with a blind voice in a daze, thinking about how to get in touch with Zhukov.

When Lobachev on the side saw Rokossovsky's expression, he knew what problems he might have encountered, and hurriedly asked with concern: "Comrade commander, is something wrong?" ”

Rokossovsky put down the microphone and said to Lobachev with a wry smile: "Comrade Military Commissar, I wanted to discuss with General Zhukov how the two sides should work together, but I didn't expect that the staff officer who answered the phone actually thought I was impersonating and hung up my phone directly. ”、

"Fighting in concert with the reserve front army is a major event that cannot be delayed." Lobachev said thoughtfully: "Even if the other party hangs up your phone, you should continue to call, otherwise you will delay the fighter." Comrade commander, continue to send telegrams, and if that staff officer hangs up again, I will do it. ”

After receiving encouragement from Lobachev, Rokossovsky again dialed the reserve front. When he heard that the person talking to him was a liar who had pretended to be General Rokossovsky a few minutes ago, he said angrily: "I said comrade commander, what is the matter with you?" If there's nothing to do, please don't call this line casually, our line is very busy right now. ”

"Comrade Staff Officer," Rokossovsky raised his voice and said in an extremely dignified tone, "I tell you once again that I am Lieutenant General Rokossovsky, commander of the 16th Army, and I have important matters that need to be spoken to General Zhukov immediately. If you hang up on my phone again and cause the military plane to be delayed, then you will be court-martialed. ”

The staff officer was frightened by Rokossovsky, and after hesitating for a moment, he said in a proper manner: "Comrade General, please wait a moment, I will immediately connect you to the commander's phone." ”

Soon, Zhukov's deep voice came from the earpiece: "What is the matter with you, Comrade Rokossovsky?" ”

"That's right, Comrade General." Out of respect for Zhukov, Rokossovsky said in a respectful tone: "I have an important matter to continue to discuss with you. ”

"Say whatever you want." Zhukov said with some urgency: "I'm very busy right now, I can only give you three minutes at most." ”

Although Zhukov said that he would only give Rokossovsky three minutes, after listening to Rokossovsky's tactical deployment, he was silent for a long time before asking: "How are you going to let me cooperate with you?" ”

Rokossovsky did not immediately say how the two sides should cooperate, but asked rhetorically: "I wonder when you will launch an attack on the enemy entrenched in our south?" ”

Zhukov raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then said: "Our attack took place in the evening. It was only an hour before dark, and the Germans could not get the support of their air force and artillery when they were attacked by us, so that our attacking forces could minimize casualties. ”

After figuring out the timing of the attack of Zhukov's troops, Rokossovsky said his purpose for Zhukov: "Comrade General, I hope that the offensive launched by your troops will attract all the enemies in our vicinity, so that we can be sure that we will destroy the enemy who has crossed the Vopi River before dawn tomorrow." ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Rokossovsky." Zhukov considered that the battle of Yelnya that he had organized was about to begin, and if he had told Rokossovsky some details and had his troops assist in the battle, he would have a better chance of victory: "In this offensive, I have at least four armies at my disposal to carry out a surprise attack on the heavy German groups of German troops assembled in the Yelnya area, and will clear the German-occupied Yelnya salient. ”

"I see, Comrade General." When Rokossovsky heard Zhukov say this, he immediately had no worries, and he said: "I will do my best to attract more enemies and create better conditions for you to destroy the enemy in the Yelnya salient." ”

"Comrade Rokossovsky," Zhukov said to Rokossovsky after listening to his statement: "I have been very busy with my work lately, and if you can't find me for anything in the future, you can consult with Military Commissar Kruglov or Chief of Staff Major General Liapin." Do you understand? ”

"Totally understood, Comrade General."

"Well, now that the mission is clear." Zhukov said unceremoniously: "Then you should go and arrange the attacking troops as soon as possible, and when our offensive begins, you can order the troops to attack from both flanks of the German army and completely wipe them out." ”

After confirming the timing of the offensive of the reserve front, Rokossovsky raised his hand and looked at his watch, so that Malinin was again connected to the division command of the 108th division, and after hearing Orlov's voice, he immediately asked: "Colonel, how is your situation there, have the lost positions been recaptured?" ”

"It's been recaptured, Comrade Commander." Orlov gritted his back molars and reported: "But one of my regiments was crippled in battle. I'm worried that if we continue like this, it might be hard for us to hold out until dark. ”

"Comrade Colonel, I order you to stop the German attack at all costs." Rokossovsky said to Orlov in a serious tone: "Under your stubborn resistance, the enemy's living forces have been almost depleted. In a few hours at most, it will be our turn to teach them a lesson, so you must find a way to hold on. ”

"I see," Orlov agreed, looking at the smoke of the battlefield outside, "our division will resolutely block the German attack so that they cannot advance a single step." ”

Orlov could hear from Rokossovsky's tone that holding the ground was an insurmountable bottom line. Therefore, as soon as he put down the phone, he transferred another regiment as a reserve to the regiment that was holding on to the high ground, preparing to launch a decisive counterattack once the high ground was in danger of being lost, and defeat all the German troops rushing up the hillside.

Fortunately, the Germans, who had suffered defeat without danger, did not try to seize the hillside position again, but confronted the Soviets at a distance and seized the time to dig a trench where the soldiers could stay.

Watching the night slowly reward, Orlov, who was standing at the observation post, finally breathed a sigh of relief, and said to the chief of staff standing beside him: "Chief of staff, I finally stayed up until dark, and now it's our turn to teach the Germans a lesson." ”

The chief of staff looked at him and said with a smile: "You are quite right, comrade division commander. According to the reports of our scouts, in the forests on both flanks of the German troops crossing the Wopi River, quite a few of our troops were in ambush. As soon as it gets dark, they will soon rush out and destroy the enemy who has broken into our ambush circle. ”

Orlov nodded, then answered the phone of the head of the front regiment and asked with concern: "Comrade commander of the regiment, how is the situation in your place, how many people are left?" ”

The regiment commander who stayed in the shelter department hurriedly covered the microphone, turned his head and asked his subordinates standing in front of him: "Have we counted our casualties?" ”

The commander of the second battalion nodded and replied, "Except for a few wounded who were evacuated, the rest of the commanders and fighters of the first battalion were sacrificed. The second battalion suffered 51 casualties and 194 wounded; The situation of the third battalion was not much better, and many of them did not have systematic military training, and as a result, in the battle, there was no technical and tactical level at all, and thus paid a high price. ”

After listening to the report of the second battalion commander, the regiment commander put his palm on the microphone and reported to Orlov: "Comrade division commander, our regiment currently has 211 people after removing the wounded, and it is fully capable of coping with the next battle. ”

"Only 211 people," hearing this data, the muscles on Orlov's face twitched violently, knowing that before the battle began, the total strength of the regiment was more than 1,500 people, and the intensity of the battle can be seen from this. However, he still comforted the other party and said: "Don't worry, comrade regiment commander, in a few hours, when we encircle and annihilate this enemy trapped on the river beach, friendly troops will also attack from other directions, contain the enemy's living forces, and ensure our final victory." ”

"When will the allies attack?" When the regimental commander heard Orlov say this, he immediately asked impatiently: "When the enemy's main forces are pinned down by friendly forces, I ask to lead the troops to attack the Germans in front, and I want to pay them back the blood debt." ”

"Comrade regiment commander," Orlov was afraid that the regimental commander under his command would be carried away by anger, and hurriedly reminded him: "Your task is to hold the position, and no one can leave the position for half a step without receiving my order to attack, understand?" ”

"Comrade Colonel," said the regimental commander with emotion, "our regiment has suffered eighty percent casualties in today's battle, and the enemy who killed so many of our commanders and fighters is in front of us, and you have not allowed us to take revenge, I am afraid that the soldiers below will have emotions." ”

"What do you mean that the warriors have emotions?! I think it's because you have emotions. Orlov angrily rebuked the vengeful commander, "If you attack the enemy without permission, once the attack is frustrated, the enemy will counterattack you and take the position again. Do you know how much we will sacrifice to retake this position? ”

Orlov's words immediately left the regiment commander speechless. Orlov felt that his tone might be a little heavy, so he slowed down and said: "Comrade regiment commander, our battle with the Germans will not end in a day or two, and you will have the opportunity to take revenge on the enemy in the future." Now your task is to hold your ground resolutely, you know? ”

"Understood." Although the regiment commander was full of complaints, he reluctantly agreed. "I will definitely lead my troops to hold their positions and ensure that none of the Germans on the opposite side will slip through the net." (To be continued.) )