Rokossovsky had not dealt with the Germans for a day or two, and today's offensive was unusually smooth, and there was a hint of strangeness in it, and if he could not even detect this, then he would not be qualified to be the commander of this front. Fearing that Kryukov's troops would fall into the trap of the Germans, he promptly gave the order to stop the offensive and move to the defensive, but the communication was inexplicably interrupted at this time.

After walking back and forth in the house a few times with his hands behind his back, he stopped and said to Maksimenko: "Comrade Director, immediately send a communications squad to look for Kryukov's troops on a motorcycle or sleigh and get in touch with them in a timely manner. ”

Looking at the back of Maksimenko's departure, Terekin asked with some confusion: "Comrade commander, maybe General Kryukov's troops are advancing rapidly in the depth of the enemy's defense, so they can't get in touch with us for the time being, we don't need to be so nervous, right?" ”

"Comrade Military Commissar," Rokossovsky said with a serious expression, looking at Terekin, "according to our assumptions, the offensive area that General Kryukov is responsible for will inevitably be stubbornly blocked by the German army, so we will equip him with ski brigades and tank regiments, in the hope that these troops will help his cavalry quickly break through the German defenses." But after the battle began, the enemy in these areas did not put up decent resistance at all and hastily abandoned their positions.

I fear that the Germans are 'luring the enemy deeper', and when General Kryukov's troops are separated from the main forces of the front, they will launch a surprise attack from the left and right flanks of the group, cutting off the connection between the infantry group and the rear. ”

After Rokossovsky said this, he immediately instructed Malinin: "Chief of Staff, immediately call General Rudenko and ask him to immediately send a reconnaissance plane to reconnoiter the combat area, so that the movement of German troops can be detected in time." ”

Terekin couldn't help but interject: "If only the Air Force could be dispatched to provide air support to our offensive forces." ”

"Comrade Military Commissar," Malinin said to Terekin with a wry smile, "due to the lack of fuel and ammunition, our bomber formations may not be able to make sorties for a long time. In addition, the runway of the airfield is covered with snow, and even if reconnaissance planes are dispatched to reconnoiter the battlefield, our pilots will have to risk their lives every time they take off and land. ”

"By the way, don't we have two women's flying groups?" Artillery commander Kazakov, who had always rarely spoken, suddenly asked: "Are they in our structure now?" ”

Rokossovsky did not know anything about this, so he set his sights on Chief of Staff Malinin, hoping to get the answer he wanted from him. Malinin nodded and said affirmatively: "That's right, the two women's flying regiments are still in our air force formation, but due to the lack of ammunition and fuel, they are rarely dispatched. ”

As Malinin spoke, Rokossovsky thought to himself: It seems that it is necessary to urge the superiors to send fuel and ammunition as soon as possible, so that in the next battle, the air force can provide the necessary air support for the ground offensive forces. As long as there is the cooperation of the air force, the armored forces of the German army are not afraid of no matter how strong, and the bombs falling from the sky will turn them into a pile of scrap metal.

Malinin apparently also thought of something with Rokossovsky, and he said in a heavy tone: "Just a week ago, the German Skeleton and Imperial Divisions deployed in the Kharkov direction used a new Tiger tank in the battle with the 6th Army of our Southwestern Front.

During tank battles on both sides, the T-34 tanks of our army suffered heavy losses. The 76-mm tank guns equipped with our tanks were not only unable to penetrate the 102-mm-thick frontal armor of the "Tiger" tank, but even the frontal armor of the No. 4 tank, which had strengthened its protection against the Germans, was almost helpless at a distance of 400 meters. However, the 56 times diameter 88 mm gun of the German Tiger tank and the long-barreled 75 mm gun of the No. IV tank could easily punch holes in the frontal armor of our T-34 tank at a distance of 1,000 meters and 500 meters, respectively. ”

As a military commissar of the Front, Terekin was responsible for the political work of the troops in peacetime, and he rarely asked about military affairs. When he heard that the Soviet tanks were on the battlefield and were beaten all over the ground by the new German Tiger tanks, he couldn't help but open his mouth wide in surprise.

Seeing his reaction, Malinin continued: "According to reconnaissance, the German armored forces deployed in front of our army are not equipped with such new tanks for the time being, even if the enemy and us start a tank battle, we can achieve the final victory." ”

"Chief of Staff, suppose the enemy brings this new tank from the Kharkov direction." When Terekin said this, he felt that something was wrong, and hurriedly added: "I mean, if our army attacks the enemy in front of us and is equipped with this new tank, how can we destroy them?" ”

"It is not impossible to destroy the new tanks of the German army." Kazakov confidently said: "We can use heavy howitzers to intercept the German tanks on the move; Then there is the use of bombers and the blowing of them to pieces. ”

Seeing that Kazakov was talking to Terekin about how to deal with the new German tanks, Rokossovsky waved his hand at Malinin and signaled him to hurry up and call Rudenko, so that the reconnaissance plane could be dispatched as soon as possible to figure out the situation on the battlefield.

More than an hour later, contact with Kryukov was restored. Kryukov reported to Rokossovsky on the phone: "Comrade commander, my troops have reached the Desna River near Novgorod-Seversky, we have followed your orders and moved to the defense on the spot, and the commanders and fighters of the ski brigade are hurrying to build fortifications. ”

"Comrade General," Rokossovsky's heart felt a little more steady, hearing that Kryukov's troops had stopped the offensive and moved to the defensive. In order to find out why the communication was interrupted just now, he continued to ask: "Why was your contact with the front army headquarters cut off just now?" ”

"Well, because it was so cold, all the communication equipment we put on the truck failed." When Kryukov heard this, he immediately explained: "I have seen the communications troops you have sent, so I ordered the troops to stop the offensive and build fortifications on the spot. ”

After Kryukov's explanation, Rokossovsky finally figured out that it was because the weather was too cold that the communication equipment failed, and it was not that their communications were destroyed by the German army. He looked down at the map in front of him, and found that the position of Kryukov's troops was too far ahead, and the distance between them and the friendly forces on the left and right was more than ten kilometers, so he skillfully reminded the other party: "General Kryukov, your position is too far forward, and the left and right flanks have been exposed in front of the German army. You immediately send scouts on both flanks to find out the disposition of the German forces. ”

Kryukov felt a little unimpressed by Rokossovsky's order. But he couldn't refute it, so he could only say vaguely: "I understand, Comrade Commander, I will send people to the two wings as soon as possible to conduct reconnaissance." He never dreamed that because of his perfunctory attitude, he almost wiped out the 2nd Guards Cavalry Army.

…………

As soon as it was dark, the German troops, who had been retreating, suddenly launched a surprise attack from the left and right flanks of the Kryukov cluster. Due to the light enemy of Kryukov, the defenses on both flanks were relatively weak, and the German infantry, under the cover of tanks, easily broke through the Soviet defenses, divided the cluster forces and encircled the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps in front.

Knowing that the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps was surrounded, Kryukov was suddenly frightened into a cold sweat. Faced with such an unfavorable situation, he did not dare to hide it in the slightest, and hurriedly reported to Rokossovsky.

When Rokossovsky heard the news, he was also taken aback, and immediately understood in his heart that Kryukov must have not taken his words seriously, so the Germans were able to cut his troops in two so easily. But no matter how much he reprimanded the other party at this moment, it was useless, he could only force his composure and say: "General Kryukov, listen, immediately order the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps to break through to your position, and at the same time, the ski brigade and tank regiment must also actively act to relieve the encircled troops." ”

After putting down the phone, Rokossovsky gestured with his hand on the map and found that the closest unit to Kryukov's cluster was Bagramyan's 16th Army, and if this division could actively move closer to Kryukov, it would be able to rescue the encircled 2nd Guards Cavalry Army in the shortest possible time.

Although Rokossovsky had served as the commander of the 16th Army, at the moment that unit was not under his control, so he immediately asked Maksimenko to connect with the command of the Western Front and find the new commander, General Sokolovsky.

As soon as the phone was connected, he didn't care about greetings, so he said straight to the point: "Hello, Vasily Danilovich, I'm Rokossovsky, I have an urgent matter and I want to ask you for help now!" ”

Sokolovsky heard that it was Rokossovsky's voice, and said politely: "Hello, Konstantin Konstantinovich, we are all old comrades-in-arms, if there is anything, you can open your mouth, as long as it is within my ability, I cannot give up my definition." ”

Hearing Sokolovsky say so cheerfully, Rokossovsky did not go around in circles, but hurriedly said: "My 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps is surrounded by the Germans in the Shevsk area, and I hope that you can send the 16th Army to support them so that they can jump out of the German encirclement." ”

"What, your 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps is surrounded?" When Sokolovsky heard the news, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded. It took a long time to ask: "Comrade Rokossovsky, you're not joking with me, are you?" You must know that your Central Front is launching an offensive against the German army today, how can any troops fall into the encirclement of the German army? ”

"Comrade Sokolovsky, I'm not joking with you, and now is not the time to joke." Rokossovsky said with some anxiety: "Due to the tricks played by the Germans, when attacked by our troops, they voluntarily abandoned their defensive positions, so that my Kryukov cluster advanced too far in the depth of the German lines. When it was dark, the Germans suddenly attacked from the left and right flanks of the group, cut the troops in two, and surrounded the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps in front. ”

Sokolovsky realized the seriousness of the problem, quickly restrained the smile on his face, and asked with a serious expression: "Comrade Rokossovsky, is there anything I can do for you?" ”

"Your 16th Army is seven or eight kilometers to the left of the Kryukov cluster." Rokossovsky's hand rested on the map, and his fingers moved back and forth between the position of the 16th Army and the Kryukov cluster: "I would like you to give General Bagramian an an order to immediately move closer to the northeast, to contain the living forces of the German army, so that the 2nd Guards Cavalry Army can successfully break through." ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Rokossovsky." Sokolovsky said solemnly: "Since we are friendly forces, we cannot die without help, and I will immediately order Bagramian to launch an attack in the direction of Shevsk to cover the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps to highlight the German encirclement." ”

After waiting for Rokossovsky to put down the phone, Malinin said cautiously: "Comrade commander, relying on the 16th Army alone, I think it will be difficult for the 2nd Guards Cavalry Army to break through. Do you see, let General Batov also act and strike at the German units of the encircled cavalry corps from the flanks? ”

"Makes sense, Chief of Staff, you have a very good point." Rokossovsky gestured his hand on the map for a moment, and then agreed to Malinin's proposal very crisply: "If Batov's troops move again, it means that our army will attack the enemy who has cut through the Kryukov cluster defense line from four directions at the same time, and I think that the enemy, no matter how tenacious he is, will collapse under such a powerful offensive as ours." ”

"What about us?" Seeing that Rokossovsky seemed to have forgotten about himself, Kazakov hurriedly asked: "To destroy the enemy who cut the defense line of the Kryukov cluster, our artillery can also do something." ”

Seeing that Kazakov was eager to fight, Rokossovsky did not intend to spoil his interest, so he nodded and said: "Okay, comrade artillery commander, since you say so, then transfer two artillery regiments to the direction of Shevsk overnight, and when it is dawn, they will fire artillery on the area where the German troops are entrenched." Once they have destroyed their hastily established defenses, our infantry and cavalry will be able to attack. ”

As soon as Malinin waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, he immediately said: "Comrade commander, I will call General Batov and ask him to immediately transfer the strength of a division, move closer to Shevsk, and when the artillery preparations for dawn are over, launch an attack on the enemy surrounding the 2nd Guards Cavalry Army, and try to crush them as soon as possible." ”