Although this attack on the enemy was full of uncertainties, in front of Stalin, Rokossovsky felt that it was better not to talk about these things, but said with a respectful attitude: "Report to Comrade Stalin, we have just drawn up an operational plan to destroy the German defenses in the southwestern direction and seize the German logistics base in Duminich. Pen %Fun %Pavilion www.biquge.info"

After listening to Rokossovsky's report, Stalin said with satisfaction: "Very good, Comrade Rokossovsky, I think your offensive plan is very good. Remember that in the early days of the war, you once led your troops, ran hundreds of kilometers overnight, entered Poland without the enemy noticing, and seized the German logistics base in Lublin. As a result, the German units, deprived of logistical supplies, had to prolong the attack on Lviv and other cities. I hope that your attack on Duminic will also achieve such results. ”

"Rest assured, Comrade Stalin, we will definitely not disappoint your expectations." Rokossovsky stubbornly stated: "We will tear a hole in the enemy's line of defense and, after the capture of Duminich, completely crush the enemy's defenses in the south-west of Moscow." ”

"Originally, I sent a general as a representative of the base camp to your army group to supervise your execution of Zhukov's offensive orders." After Rokossovsky had finished speaking, Stalin suddenly said unexpectedly: "Since you are ready for all the offensive, then I will order this representative to go to General Popov on your right flank and ask him to urge the troops of the 61st Army to cooperate with you in the attack." ”

When Rokossovsky put down the phone, he felt his back soaked. Lobachev next to him saw that the look on his face was a little strange, and hurriedly asked: "Comrade commander, what did the Supreme Commander himself say on the phone, I see that you seem to be very nervous." ”

Rokossovsky looked around and saw that in addition to Lobachev, the commanders of the main army groups, Malinin, Zakharov, and Kazakov were present, and said to them: "Comrade Stalin said that he had intended to send us a special commissioner to supervise our execution of Zhukov's offensive order. But now that we were ready for the offensive, this commissioner was sent to General Popov's 61st Army. ”

"It's dangerous." As soon as Rokossovsky's words were finished, Zakharov couldn't help but say: "Fortunately, we have just finished the offensive deployment, otherwise these representatives from the base camp would have been in command, and everything would not be messed up?" ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, please pay attention to your remarks." Although Lobachev very much agrees with Zakharov's statement in his heart, he still has to remind the other party in such a public occasion: "In the future, don't say such words that are not conducive to unity, otherwise it will cause you unnecessary trouble." ”

When Zakharov heard Lobachev say this, his old face immediately turned red, and after turning his head to look at the staff officers and communications soldiers who were busy on the other side, he turned his head to Lobachev and nodded, indicating that he understood his voice-over.

In order not to continue to dwell on this issue, Rokossovsky said to Malinin: "Chief of Staff, after the two divisions have entered the city, arrange for them to rest in the southwest of the city, and after ten o'clock in the evening, they will pass through the defense zone of the 11th Guards Division and set off for our offensive positions." ”

…………

After daybreak, the artillery that had been deployed long ago began shelling the selected settlements. Because the scouts had conducted close reconnaissance before the battle began, they knew the exact location of the German firing points. As soon as the cannon fired, these firing points were destroyed one after another, and the German officers and soldiers hiding inside were blown to ashes.

Not long after the shelling began, ten tanks, which had long been ready to go, quickly rushed towards the village. When they were still six or seven hundred meters away from the village, the infantry commanders and fighters hidden in the snow stood up one after another, took the weapons in their hands, shouted and followed the tanks, and rushed towards the village.

The Germans never dreamed that the Soviets would suddenly attack the positions they held and were taken by surprise. After several firepower points on the outskirts of the settlement were destroyed, they had no choice but to take refuge in the settlement and continue to resist.

The settlements were almost all two- or three-story brick and concrete buildings, and the Germans, who had no anti-tank weapons, hid in them and shot in, except for knocking down a few soldiers who were charging with the tanks, they could not stop the steady stream of Soviet troops rushing up. As soon as the tanks in front of them found that bullets were being fired from any building, they immediately turned their guns and aimed them aside, blowing the German officers and soldiers hiding inside to pieces.

At noon in the battle, the commander of the front called Rokossovsky and reported: "Comrade commander, we have managed to take the settlements, more than half of the enemy was killed by us in the battle, and the rest fled into the forest a few kilometers away from here. ”

After listening to the other party's report, Rokossovsky thought for a while, and then ordered: "Since the settlement has been taken, then you immediately organize manpower to strengthen the fortifications to cope with the possible counterattack of the German army." ”

"But, Comrade Commander," said the other party with a little embarrassment when he heard Rokossovsky's order, "the weather is too cold, and we want to dig up the earth that is as hard as a stone, and we can't do it without explosives." ”

"Comrade division commander," Rokossovsky said angrily into the microphone, "everything can only be done by yourself, and I can't help you with anything here." If you find it too difficult to dig in the ground, you can water the snow in front of the position, which will create a wall of ice and reduce your casualties when the enemy shells you; You can also shoot at the enemy from behind these ice walls when they attack. Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander, now I understand everything." After listening to Rokossovsky's method, the other side applauded repeatedly: "I will arrange for the soldiers to build an ice wall in front of the position, so that even if the Germans rush in front of them, they will not be able to enter our position." ”

As soon as he put down the phone, Rokossovsky instructed Kazakov: "Comrade artillery commander, our troops have already seized the settlement, I order you, immediately transfer two anti-aircraft artillery batteries to the settlement, take charge of the air defense of the area. ”

After recording Rokossovsky's order, Kazakov then asked: "There is an anti-aircraft machine gun company outside the city, do you need to transfer them too?" ”

"No," Rokossovsky said, shaking his head: "The effective range of the anti-aircraft machine gun is only 2,000 meters, if the enemy aircraft are always above this height, our anti-aircraft machine gun can only waste bullets, I think it is better to transfer two 37-mm anti-aircraft guns to the past, only they can destroy the enemy's air force." ”

"Okay, Comrade Commander, I understand everything." After listening to this, Kazakov nodded and said: "Please allow me to go to the settlement and personally deploy the defenses." ”

Rokossovsky waved at him and said magnanimously: "Go, General Kazakov, you have to pay more attention to your own safety, and remember to call me when you get there." ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander, I will take care of my own safety." Kazakov raised his hand and saluted Rokossovsky, "I'll call you as soon as I get to the settlement." ”

A few hours later, Kazakov, who had personally gone to deploy anti-aircraft artillery positions, called Rokossovsky, in which he said: "Report to Comrade Commander, I have deployed 12 37-mm anti-aircraft guns of two anti-aircraft artillery batteries in the woods on the west side of the settlement, and I am ready for battle. ”

"General Kazakov, you are good, well done!" After complimenting Kazakov, Rokossovsky asked curiously: "I want to ask you, have you seen the defenses that the infantry have built outside the settlements?" ”

"I see, I see, Comrade Commander." Kazakov said repeatedly: "Not only did they build an ice wall outside the trench according to your orders, but they also sent men to sprinkle water within a hundred meters in front of the position. As a result, the front of their position was as smooth as ice, and the enemy would not be able to stand on his feet if he rushed into the area, let alone charge forward with his gun. ”

"Well, this division commander did a good job." After listening to Kazakov's report, Rokossovsky said happily: "General Kazakov, please tell him that as soon as the battle is over, I will personally award him a medal." ”

Compared with Rokossovsky's optimism, Malinin's confidence in holding the settlement is clearly not so great. After watching Rokossovsky put down the phone, he said worriedly: "Comrade commander, at the moment the 322nd Infantry Division occupies the settlements, and the 323rd Infantry Division is on their left flank. As soon as the Germans, under the cover of tanks and aircraft, launched an attack on the settlements, I feared that they would not be able to hold their positions. ”

"Isn't the 323rd Infantry Division right next to it?" Hearing Malinin's concern, before Rokossovsky could speak, Lobachev preemptively said: "They can go and reinforce the defenders of the settlement at any time." ”

"Comrade Military Commissar, if you really fight like this, it will turn into a brutal positional war." Malinin explained to Lobachev with a bitter face: "Our current forces are limited, and we will exhaust our vital forces in such a position, and in the end, let alone continue the attack, we will not even be able to block the enemy's counterattack." ”

Malinin's words made Lobachev anxious. He stared at Rokossovsky nervously and asked: "Comrade commander, then what should we do now?" ”

"Don't worry, my comrade military commissar," Rokossovsky saw Lobachev's somewhat panicked expression, and hurriedly comforted them: "What the chief of staff said is the worst situation, and at the moment we still have the initiative on the battlefield. However, in order to prevent the ensuing battle from becoming a war of attrition, I still need to call Zhukov and hope that he can help us. ”

"Help us?" In response to Rokossovsky's statement, Malinin asked with a puzzled face: "As far as I know, the commander of the front army has no reserves in his hands, and he can't help us at all." ”

"Even if he had reserves in his hands," Rokossovsky said with a smile at Malinin, "probably in a day or two, the troops would not have been able to arrive." After speaking, he didn't wait for Malinin to ask another question, so he picked up the high-frequency telephone on the table, dialed a number, and ordered the signal soldier: "Give me the front headquarters and find General Zhukov." ”

Moments later, the phone was connected. Zhukov's urn sounded from the earpiece: "Hey, Comrade Rokossovsky, do you have anything important to look for me?" ”

"Dear Georgy Konstantinovich!" Rokossovsky politely called Zhukov's real and patronymic names: "My troops have managed to seize a settlement, tearing a gap in the German line. ”

"Well done, Comrade Rokossovsky." When Zhukov heard the news, he said with the usual expression: "If you occupy a settlement every few hours, in less than a month, the Germans will be driven across the Dnieper by us." ”

"I want to do the same, but unfortunately I have limited troops, and I don't have enough technical equipment and no air support." After completing the foreshadowing, Rokossovsky said directly: "I called you in the hope of getting your help. ”

"What helps?" Hearing Rokossovsky say this, Zhukov immediately said vigilantly: "I don't have any reserves in my hands now, and it is completely impossible for you to get reinforcements in the troops." ”

"Don't worry, Comrade General, I don't ask you for soldiers." Rokossovsky did not go around in circles with Zhukov, but said bluntly: "I hope you can give the order to the 10th and 61st armies to attack from both flanks of our army, even if it is a feint, as long as they can help us contain the enemy forces on both sides, I can be sure that the defense line will continue to advance to the depth of the German defense." ”

After hearing Rokossovsky's request, Zhukov was silent for a long time, and finally asked: "Comrade Rokossovsky, do you really need only two armies on your flanks to launch a feint attack before you can advance the defensive line to the depth of the enemy?" ”

Rokossovsky said that when he advanced the defensive line to the depth of the enemy, he was already a little lacking in confidence, but when he heard Zhukov's question, he could only reply stubbornly: "Yes, Comrade General, as long as the friendly forces on both flanks of our army group can attack at the same time and contain the enemy's living forces, I think this is completely possible." ”

"Well, Comrade Rokossovsky." After a short period of thought, Zhukov decisively agreed to Rokossovsky's request: "I grant your request. I will call the two generals Popov and ask them to direct the troops to launch a diversionary attack on the frontal enemy, so as to create favorable conditions for your frontal offensive. ”