When the two marshals left, in stark contrast to Tarasov's agitation, was the serious expression of the tank division commander Mikhailov. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

"What's the matter, Comrade Colonel?" Rokossovsky looked at Mikhailov's expression and couldn't help but ask curiously: "What upset you?" ”

"Comrade commander, they have no rights!" Mikhailov suddenly said thoughtlessly: "As senior commanders, they should sit in their own headquarters, and not go to the dangerous front line in a car." ”

"But, Comrade Colonel." As soon as Mikhailov's words came out, he was retorted by Tarasov: "On the current battlefield, our army is constantly losing ground due to the disparity in strength with the enemy. In order to save all this, we must build confidence in victory for those commanders and fighters who are still fighting bloodily. And the comrades marshals went to the front to inspect the front, and their appearance was a great encouragement to the commanders and fighters. ”

Rokossovsky did not seem to hear the verbal exchange between Tarasov and Mikhailov, and thought to himself: "In the early days of the war, the reason why the troops of the Western Front, which had the advantage in strength, collapsed so quickly was not only due to the fact that they were not prepared for war in advance, but also because the commander of the Front at that time, General Pavlov, left his post without permission. He did not stay in the headquarters to coordinate the overall situation, but ran to a group army below, and it is strange that the Soviet army, which has lost its unified command, does not lose the battle. ”

Thinking of this, he raised his hand to interrupt the two who were still arguing, and said, "Okay, comrades, if the two marshal comrades are not worried about their own safety, we should not worry blindly. ”

"If I am in your position, Comrade Commander, then I will give a reminder to the marshal." Mikhailov stubbornly said: "Although their going to the front can have a certain morale boost, the danger is too high, and the Germans are not fools, if they knew that there were two marshals going to the front, they would have dealt with them at all costs." ”

"Alright, Comrade Colonel, don't talk about it again." In Rokossovsky's memory, although the war was extremely cruel, these two marshals who were running around did not seem to have been injured even a single hair, so he interrupted what Mikhailov wanted to say later, and changed the topic in time: "Let's talk about your tank regiment and when it will reach the designated position!" ”

Hearing Rokossovsky say this, Mikhailov shrugged his shoulders and said somewhat helplessly: "Before you returned, I just got in touch with my tank commander. Since the road was full of craters blown up by German planes, the tanks could not pass at all, so they had to stop and move forward while building the road. ”

Road?! After listening to Mikhailov's report, the corners of Rokossovsky's mouth twitched violently. If it is true that the road is full of craters blown up by aircraft, then the tank regiment may not be able to arrive even after dark.

"Comrade Commander, I have a situation that I need to reflect to you." Seeing that Rokossovsky did not speak, the chief of staff, Tarasov, interjected in time: "According to my observations, Colonel Kirillov's 38th Infantry Division seems to lack communication equipment, and it seems that there is no other communication equipment except the telephone we have provided to him." ”

Rokossovsky nodded with satisfaction at such a detailed observation by Tarasov and said approvingly: "That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff. You observe very carefully, and it is true that Kirillov's division does not have any communication equipment, so that if the division headquarters wants to give an order, it must send a signal corpsman to convey it. ”

"What should I do?" Tarasov became a little anxious: "We don't have any extra communication equipment now, so we can't replenish them, and once the war is fierce and there is no fast and convenient communication equipment, it will be easy to delay the fighters." Saying this, he turned his gaze to Mikhailov and asked tentatively, "Comrade Colonel, I wonder if your division can provide some communication equipment to the 38th Division?" ”

Mikhailov immediately shook his head like a rattle and said in a loud voice: "No, resolutely not." He glanced at Rokossovsky, who was next to him, and added, "I communicate with the troops, almost exclusively through the on-board radio." There's no way you're going to let me dismantle the car radio and give it to the Kirillov division, right? In that case, our tanks will have to rely on signal flags to convey orders. ”

"It is not advisable to use a signal flag to direct a tank operation." Rokossovsky stood up in time to help Mikhailov relieve the siege: "The smoke on the battlefield is so big, how can the commanders and fighters staying in the tank see clearly what signal the signal is sent by the signal flag?" It may be self-defeating. Chief of Staff, don't embarrass Colonel Mikhailov. As for the communications equipment of the 38th Division, I have already figured out a way to solve it. ”

"What, it's been settled?" Tarasov had a surprised expression on his face, he and Mikhailov talked so much nonsense, just hoping to get some communication equipment from the tank division to enrich the 38th division. Now he is not surprised to hear Rokossovsky say lightly that the matter has been settled.

"Yes, solved." Rokossovsky nodded and said: "According to General Carmela, to the north of Yaltsevo, there are several warehouses abandoned by our army, which contain a large amount of weapons, ammunition and military supplies, and possibly communications equipment. So I ordered General Carmela to take a battalion of the 38th Division to the warehouse to carry supplies. ”

After listening to Rokossovsky's words, Tarasov's eyes lit up, he coughed lightly, and then asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, the number of weapons in our command is also insufficient, can you see if I can take two guard squads and go to the warehouse to check if there is anything useful." ”

"No, Comrade Chief of Staff, resolutely not." Rokossovsky rejected Tarasov's proposal without hesitation, and he said resolutely: "The matter of transporting supplies will be done by the 38th Division." And you, I have a difficult and glorious task for you! ”

"Comrade Commander, please give your orders." Tarasov said respectfully.

"Chief of Staff, you immediately send people to the vicinity to contain the lost commanders and fighters of our army." Rokossovsky instructed: "At present, no Germans have been found in the south or north, so you can search in these two directions, and you may be able to contain hundreds of people in one day." ”

"Comrade Commander, please leave this task to me!" Tarasov first asked Rokossovsky for help.

Unexpectedly, Rokossovsky shook his head again and said, "Chief of Staff, you still have to stay and assist me in commanding the battle, and the matter of containing the troops should be left to others." ”

Tarasov asked helplessly: "Comrade commander, I don't know who you think should be in charge of this matter?" ”

Rokossovsky's gaze swept around the room, then stopped at Lieutenant Starley. He beckoned to the other party and said politely, "Comrade Lieutenant, please come here." When Starley approached, he continued, "I now give you an important task. You take a squad of guards and go all the way south, trying to find a way to contain more commanders and fighters who have returned from the front and bring them back here. Have faith? ”

"Have faith." Starley replied in a loud voice. "Permission to go now?"

"Go ahead, Comrade Lieutenant." Rokossovsky waved at him and said, "Pay more attention to safety on the road, you may encounter small groups of German troops, so be ready for battle at all times." ”

After Starey left, Mikhailov said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, I have a suggestion, I don't know whether to say it or not. ”

"Colonel, don't hesitate to say anything you want." Seeing Mikhailov speak in a hurry, Rokossovsky's heart was a little unhappy: "There is nothing to say and not to say. ”

"According to your plan, two tank regiments of our division, both deployed behind positions guarded by motorized infantry regiments." When he said this, he deliberately slowed down his speech, and when he saw Rokossovsky nodding his head in affirmation, he returned to his normal level: "But I think that the deployment of two regiments here is a bit too concentrated, and once it is bombed by the Germans, our tanks will be lost." ”

Rokossovsky could hear from Mikhailov's words that he seemed to have something to say, so he urged: "Well, Colonel, now is not the time to play a guessing game, just say whatever you have in mind." ”

"I intend to deploy a tank regiment in front of our defensive positions." Pointing to the map, Mikhailov said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, you see, in the left front of the position of the motorized infantry regiment, there is a large forest with no end in sight, and if we deploy one of the tank regiments here. By the time the German tanks rushed into our positions, our tanks would have rushed out of the forest, and they would have been able to defeat the Germans. ”

Mikhailov's proposal, although it feels a bit old-fashioned, and this tactic was used many times by Rokossovsky when he was defending Shepetovka. However, the scheme is not afraid of the old, as long as it can be used. For after a moment of thought, he nodded in agreement.

After dark, Mikhailov's two tank regiments arrived at their respective defensive positions one after another, and Carmela, who went to the warehouse to carry supplies, also returned with a full load of fighters from that battalion.

Seeing Carmela walking into the command with a happy face, Rokossovsky asked with a smile: "General Carmela, judging from your expression, today's harvest must be good, right?" ”

"That's right, Koschika." Carmela may have been so happy that she called Rokossovsky by his nickname in such public places. He turned and shouted at the door, "Bring things in." ”

With his shout, three warriors rushed in, each holding a small radio in their hands. Carmela pointed to the radio in their hands and said proudly, "We found ten of these small radio stations in the warehouse, and I asked the soldiers to move them all back." I have assigned the rest of the radio stations to the motorized infantry regiments of the 38th Division and the Tank Division, and the remaining three will be used by our headquarters. ”

"Great, that's great." Tarasov looked at the radio station in the soldier's arms, his eyes lit up, he beckoned to put the radio on the table, and after sending the fighters out, he said excitedly: "Comrade commander, with so many radio stations, even if we have to add more troops in the future, it will be much more convenient to connect." ”

Rokossovsky could hear from Mikhailov's words that he seemed to have something to say, so he urged: "Well, Colonel, now is not the time to play a guessing game, just say whatever you have in mind." ”

"I intend to deploy a tank regiment in front of our defensive positions." Pointing to the map, Mikhailov said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, you see, in the left front of the position of the motorized infantry regiment, there is a large forest with no end in sight, and if we deploy one of the tank regiments here. By the time the German tanks rushed into our positions, our tanks would have rushed out of the forest, and they would have been able to defeat the Germans. ”

Mikhailov's proposal, although it feels a bit old-fashioned, and this tactic was used many times by Rokossovsky when he was defending Shepetovka. However, the scheme is not afraid of the old, as long as it can be used. For after a moment of thought, he nodded in agreement.

After dark, Mikhailov's two tank regiments arrived at their respective defensive positions one after another, and Carmela, who went to the warehouse to carry supplies, also returned with a full load of fighters from that battalion.

Seeing Carmela walking into the command with a happy face, Rokossovsky asked with a smile: "General Carmela, judging from your expression, today's harvest must be good, right?" ”

"That's right, Koschika." Carmela may have been so happy that she called Rokossovsky by his nickname in such public places. He turned and shouted at the door, "Bring things in." ”

With his shout, three warriors rushed in, each holding a small radio in their hands. Carmela pointed to the radio in their hands and said proudly, "We found ten of these small radio stations in the warehouse, and I asked the soldiers to move them all back." I have assigned the rest of the radio stations to the motorized infantry regiments of the 38th Division and the Tank Division, and the remaining three will be used by our headquarters. ”

"Great, that's great." Tarasov looked at the radio station in the soldier's arms, his eyes lit up, he beckoned to put the radio on the table, and after sending the fighters out, he said excitedly: "Comrade commander, with so many radio stations, even if we have to add more troops in the future, it will be much more convenient to connect." (To be continued.) )