As soon as the rocket artillery battalion deployed in the rear opened fire, it immediately exploded the third trench occupied by the Germans into a sea of fire. As soon as the shelling of the pen ~ fun ~ pavilion www.biquge.info stopped, and before the smoke cleared, the counterattacking troops rushed out of the second trench where they were hiding, and under the guidance of the red flag, pounced on the enemy's position.

After half an hour of anxious waiting, Rokossovsky, who was in the headquarters, finally received a battle report from the front: "Our troops have successfully occupied the third trench of the German army, and are currently reinforcing the fortifications and adjusting the deployment, ready to continue the attack on the enemy. ”

After reading the telegram, Rokossovsky casually handed it to Lobachev, who was waiting anxiously beside him, and then instructed Malinin: "Chief of staff, inform the forward commanders and tell them to temporarily stop the offensive, stay in the trenches they have just captured to rest, and wait until it gets dark before launching a new attack on the enemy's positions." ”

Malinin had long known that the evening offensive was the most important thing, and as soon as he agreed, he went to call the commander at the front, ready to convey Rokossovsky's latest order.

"Comrade Commander, our fighters are fighting well." After reading the battle report, Lobachev excitedly said to Rokossovsky: "I don't think we should wait for the night, and continue to attack while the morale of the commanders and fighters is high. ”

"Nope." Rokossovsky immediately rejected Lobachev's proposal, pointing to the map and saying to Lobachev: "Comrade Military Commissar, you see, in order to organize this counterattack, we have drawn all the forces that can be drawn, and the strength of the 316th Division's defensive zone is very weak at present. I would like to remind you of what would happen if our counterattack forces were thwarted in their offensive, and the enemy switched to a counteroffensive in the middle of our counteroffensive in an attempt to break through our line of defense and rush to Volokolamsk? And with what kind of troops should we hold them back? ”

After Rokossovsky said this, without waiting for Lobachev to make any response, he turned to Kazakov, who was standing next to him, and said: "Comrade Artillery Chief, you must make sure that the artillery preparation before the attack tonight can effectively destroy the strong defensive fire points of the German army and reduce unnecessary casualties for our attacking troops. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Kazakov confidently replied: "I have already called the commanders of several rocket artillery battalions and asked them to send artillery observers to observe the coordinates of the enemy's positions and provide their respective units with the necessary parameters for shelling. ”

"Well done." Rokossovsky nodded at Kazakov and continued: "But to be on the safe side, before the shelling begins, you have to personally go and find out the readiness of each rocket artillery battalion, and try to break the enemy's defenses at once. ”

After Kazakov left, Rokossovsky suddenly remembered that in real history, Crochkov, one of the commanders who led the team to participate in the military parade on Red Square, would die in the near future. Thinking of this, he hurriedly dialed the phone of the 316th Division, and after hearing Panfilov's voice, he asked loudly: "Hey, Comrade General, what are you busy with?" ”

"Comrade commander," Panfilov said with some excitement when he heard that it was Rokossovsky calling him, "I heard that our troops participating in the counterattack have captured three German trenches in a row. I now ask you to bring the remaining units of our division into battle, and I assure you that we will do our best to recover those positions that have been seized by the Germans. ”

"No, General Panfilov." Rokossovsky did not hesitate to refuse Panfilov's request, saying in a stern tone: "If we throw all our forces into battle, we will not have any troops to stop them if the enemy suddenly launches a counteroffensive." ”

"Judging from the current situation of our counterattack," Panfilov saw with his own eyes the progress of the battle in his observation post, and saw how the commanders and fighters of the Soviet army had captured three German trenches in a row, so he was full of confidence in this hasty counteroffensive: "In addition to restoring our original positions, we can also drive the enemy far away from our defense area." ”

Rokossovsky did not want to dwell on him on this issue any longer, so he diverted the topic: "By the way, where is Instructor Chistyakov?" He asked about Chistyakov because in a few days, the first-class instructor would become a household name in the Soviet Union.

"Comrade Krochkov is now on his position near the Dubosekovo station." Hearing Rokossovsky ask about Crochkov, Panfilov hurriedly replied: "He was deployed there with an anti-tank company of the 1075th Regiment to stop a possible tank assault by the Germans." ”

"An anti-tank company?" After repeating this, Rokossovsky frowned and asked: "How many troops?" ”

"There are thirty of them, including Instructor Gakrochkov." After answering the specific number of troops, Panfilov was deeply afraid of what Rokossovsky would think, and hurriedly explained: "You also know that after a long period of fighting, our division has suffered a very serious attrition, and most of the companies have only twenty or thirty people left. ”

"No, General Panfilov." After listening to Panfilov's words, Rokossovsky immediately said in a stern tone: "In an area like the Dubosekovo Concession Station, it is not enough to put an anti-tank company on the ground, you must immediately send them reinforcements, because it may become the main target of the German offensive." ”

"But, Comrade Commander." Hearing Rokossovsky's order, Panfilov said with great difficulty: "I don't have any mobile troops in my hands now, you must know that except for the two sentries standing guard in my division headquarters, the rest are staff officers at all levels." The combat effectiveness of these staff officers is limited, and even if they are sent over, it is estimated that they will not have much combat effectiveness. He paused for a moment, and then said tentatively, "Comrade commander, if this is the case, when our counterattack is over, I will send two infantry companies from the returned troops participating in the counterattack to reinforce them, do you think it's okay?" ”

Rokossovsky knew that what Panfilov said was the truth, not to mention that the 316th Division had no mobile forces, even the army group headquarters had no mobile forces that could be mobilized, and all the troops that could be mobilized participated in the counteroffensive.

……

Finally, when it slowly got dark, Rokossovsky received a call from Zhukov. On the phone, Zhukov asked: "Comrade Rokossovsky, where did your troops advance?" ”

"Report to Comrade General." Hearing Zhukov's voice, Rokossovsky quickly got up from his seat and replied respectfully: "Our counteroffensive forces have connected and seized three positions occupied by the Germans and advanced the defensive line to the west for about two kilometers. ”

After Rokossovsky said this, he thought that he would be praised by Zhukov, but he did not expect the other party to say in surprise: "What, you have only advanced two kilometers to the west." Too slow, Comrade Rokossovsky, you guys are moving too slowly. With your way of playing, when will we get the Germans out of our land? ”

Rokossovsky, who was rebuked by Zhukov, did not say a word, and it was not until after the other party finished speaking that he cautiously asked: "Comrade General, can I ask how far the 49th Army has advanced to the west?" And General Belov's cavalry corps, which also broke through the depth of the German defenses? ”

"The offensive of the cavalry corps did not work." Zhukov was a little depressed and said: "Due to the failure of the air force promised by the superiors to enter the battle, the counter-assault carried out by our cavalry did not go well, and the enemy's forces were too strong, and they successfully repelled our repeated attacks. All in all, the counter-assault of the cavalry corps did not achieve the desired results of the Supreme Command. ”

When Rokossovsky heard this, he began to murmur in his heart, the cavalry army has suffered a defeat, and you don't say anything. And my troops have seized the three lines of defense of the German army, but you still think that the progress is too slow, isn't this a double standard?

Just when Rokossovsky was in a state of rage, Zhukov was heard to continue: "However, the offensive of the 49th Army still achieved certain results, they successfully broke through the five lines of defense of the German army, wedged into the enemy's depth of up to five kilometers, and caused the troops of the German 4th Army to suffer considerable losses......

But knowing that the results of the 49th Army were much more brilliant than his own, Rokossovsky obediently closed his mouth and continued to listen to Zhukov's reprimand: "...... I heard that you stopped attacking just after noon, what the hell is going on? Don't you know that when the morale of our army is high, we should continue to rush into the depth of the enemy's defenses? ”

"That's right, Comrade General, please listen to my explanation." As soon as Rokossovsky waited for Zhukov to finish speaking, he immediately explained: "From the third trench occupied by our troops, rush to the fourth trench of the German army, in the middle of which is an open field several kilometers long. This area was under constant bombardment and bombardment by the Germans, and if we rushed to attack, it would inevitably inflict heavy losses on the attacking troops, so I took it upon myself and ordered the troops to stop the attack. ”

After listening to Rokossovsky's statement of reasons for stopping the attack, Zhukov was silent for a moment, and then asked in a mocking tone: "Then what are you going to do next, just let your soldiers hide like cowards in the trenches occupied by you?" ”

"How is this possible?" Rokossovsky understood Zhukov's character, so it was not at all surprising that he spoke in such a tone, and he explained unhurriedly: "I intend to wait until it is dark and the enemy's planes can no longer make sorties, and then the tanks will lead the infantry to attack, and try to take the position from the enemy in the shortest possible time." ”

"That's a good idea." After listening to Rokossovsky's explanation, Zhukov's tone became calm again, and he asked solemnly: "Are you sure of seizing the enemy's defensive positions at night?" You know, it's a cloudy day, and there will definitely be no moon at night, so how are you going to make sure that the warriors don't lose their way when they attack in the dark night? ”

"Comrade General, please rest assured of this." Rokossovsky had already taken into account Zhukov's concerns, and at this moment he confidently said: "We will cover the enemy's positions with rocket artillery, and when the ground offensive begins, our fighters will only need to rush towards the place where the flames are blazing." ”

Zhukov laughed twice and said approvingly: "This is a good idea." Well, I'll be in command waiting for the good news of your victory. ”

Malinin, who was waiting next to him, saw Rokossovsky put down the phone and immediately asked him for instructions: "Comrade commander, I wonder when we can launch an offensive against the German army?" ”

Rokossovsky raised his hand and looked at his watch, and replied: "No hurry, it's just six o'clock, let the commanders and fighters eat something, sleep for another two hours, and wait until after eight o'clock to launch an attack on the enemy's position." Then he said Kazakov, "Comrade Chief of Artillery, we have two more hours to start a night attack, are the artillery ready?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Kazakov replied: "In half an hour, the rocket artillery battalions will enter the designated firing positions. The coordinates of the enemy's position, the artillery observers deployed at the front have all been fed back. As soon as the time comes, we will be able to deliver precise strikes on their positions. ”

……

According to Rokossovsky's plan, the shelling was to be officially carried out at eight o'clock in the evening. But as soon as he arrived at half past seven, he gave Malinin a strange order: "Chief of Staff, call the commander of the front line, and let the soldiers who stay in the trenches advance covertly in the direction of the enemy's position under the cover of night." ”

"Comrade commander, our shelling will not begin for half an hour yet." Hearing Rokossovsky's strange order, Malinin kindly reminded him: "If you let the troops attack at this time, they will be discovered by the Germans." ”

"The distance of the infantry attack is too long," Rokossovsky said after waiting for Malinin to finish, pointing to the map and saying: "Even if there is no resistance from the Germans, it will take at least half an hour to rush from the third line of trenches to the front of the enemy's position." For such a long time, even if the Germans were blinded by our shelling, they would have had enough time to re-establish a new defense and inflict great damage on our attack. ”

When Ma Linin heard this, it seemed that this was really the case, so he immediately nodded and said: "Understood, comrade commander, I will call the commanders at the front and ask them to leave the trenches and quietly approach the enemy's position." (To be continued.) )