When Batov heard Rokossovsky's voice, he excitedly asked: "Comrade commander, are you ready to throw our army group into battle?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Batov," Rokossovsky said with a smile, "I was just going to throw your troops into battle." ”

"Great, that's great." Batov tucked the phone between his shoulders and cheeks, unfolded the map in front of him with both hands, and continued to ask: "Comrade commander, I don't know in which direction you plan to transfer our troops?" ”

"I now order you to immediately transfer the two Guards Tank Regiments belonging to the 65th Army to the junction of the 13th and 70th Armies." Rokossovsky said in a steady tone: "To strengthen the defenses there." ”

"Immediately transfer two Guards tank regiments to the junction of the 13th and 70th armies in order to strengthen the defenses there." As soon as Batov finished recording this order, he jumped up like a wild cat that had been stepped on by its tail: "Comrade commander, what did you just say, let's transfer the Guards Tank Regiment to the junction of the 13th and 70th armies?" ”

"That's right!" Rokossovsky gave him an affirmative answer.

"No, Comrade Commander." Hearing that Rokossovsky was planning to transfer the most elite Guards tank regiment under his command, Batov immediately began to complain: "If you transfer these two Guards tank regiments, then when the enemy turns to the offensive in the defensive zone of our army, our forces will not be able to stop the enemy at all. ”

Rokossovsky patiently waited for Batov to finish complaining, and then asked rhetorically: "Comrade Batov, I would like to ask you, are you willing to resist the German attack from the front, or do you want to face a surprise attack from the rear of the army group?" ”

When Batov heard Rokossovsky say this, he immediately knew that there was no room for bargaining, and quickly straightened up and replied loudly: "Yes, I immediately sent the Guards Tank Regiment to the junction of the two armies to strengthen the defense of that area." ”

……

The infantry fighters of the 97th and 109th tank brigades, under the cover of tank and artillery fire, jumped into waist-deep water and marched resolutely with their weapons in hand. They advanced less than two hundred meters in the water when the vanguard of the 17th Guards Infantry Corps arrived. Not to be outdone, the commanders and fighters of the Guards jumped into the water, formed battle formations, and advanced towards the opposite bank.

The enemy planes in the air, seeing the sudden appearance of a large number of Soviet troops, attempted to cross the waters that divided the two armies, hurriedly lowered their altitude, prepared to dive down and drop bombs and strafe to disrupt the Soviet army's offensive ranks. However, the Soviet fighters, which were still fighting fiercely in the air, naturally could not let this conspiracy of the German army succeed, and after they got rid of the entanglement of the enemy planes behind, they turned around and rushed towards the German bombers, and used their airborne machine guns to knock them down one by one.

At the same time that one German bomber after another was shot down, there were also constantly Soviet fighters or bombers being hit, and then dragged a long black smoke ribbon directly down, and after a loud bang, it burned on the ground.

The German tank and artillery positions on the north side of the water area had been wiped out by sporadic Soviet bombardment and tank fire from the south, because the Soviet infantry had reached the north shore with minimal casualties. After a short break, they continued to expand the area they occupied as battalions and companies.

The Soviet infantry, which was dominated by the vanguard division of the 17th Guards Infantry Army, advanced two kilometers and successfully joined up with the small forces of the 15th and 81st Divisions, which were surrounded by the enemy in this area, but were still alone.

The news of the meeting of the two armies immediately reached Rokossovsky's command by telegram. Malinin came to Rokossovsky with a telegram and reported to him: "Comrade commander, the units of the 17th Guards Infantry Army have converged with the small units of the 15th and 81st divisions, which were divided by the Germans.

According to statistics, these small units have two battalions, seven companies, eleven platoons, and many individual combat units. Under the leadership of their respective commanders, they held their positions in different sections. Even when surrounded by the Germans, they did not panic, but continued to strike bravely at the enemy, slowing them down.

In order to destroy them, the Germans used a large number of troops to besiege them, but our commanders and fighters still stubbornly repelled the German attack. In the process of the meeting of the two forces, these small units also provided great help to our counter-assault forces. Now that they have joined the counter-assault force, they continue to bravely charge at the places occupied by the enemy. ”

"Very brave, my comrade commander." Terekin and Malynyin, after reading the telegram, immediately said to Rokossovsky: "Our commanders and fighters showed great bravery in battle, and I propose to award medals to these valiant fighters after the battle." ”

"As it should be, my Comrade Chief of Staff." In response to Terekin's proposal, Rokossovsky nodded and said: "Commending these brave fighters is conducive to improving the morale of our army, Comrade Military Commissar, I will entrust you with full responsibility for this matter." ”

Just as the Soviet counter-assault forces were winning one after another, the commander of the German Ninth Army, who was staying in the headquarters, was thundering at his men: "Fools, a group of fools, broke through the Russian defense line yesterday, but so far, our troops have not only not pushed forward, but have been repelled by the Russians. ”

"Your Excellency, Commander," said the commander of the 41st Panzer Corps, General Harpe, "Allow me to put my troops on the offensive so that we can break through the weak Russian line in the shortest possible time." ”

Moder stared at his old subordinate for a long time, and finally nodded slowly, and said: "Okay, General Halpe, now you and your 41st Panzer Corps will immediately enter the battle, and you must crush the Russian counter-assault in the shortest possible time, and continue to attack their second line of defense." ”

"Yes, Your Excellency My Commander." Halpe replied respectfully, "I don't think I will let you down." After saying that, he raised his hand and saluted, then turned around and walked out.

After Halpe left, Moder continued: "The Russians are constantly fighting with us for air supremacy over Kursk, and if we lose air supremacy, then our tanks and artillery will become the target of Russian aircraft, which I absolutely cannot tolerate." I now order that the Air Force must continue to fight the Russians for air supremacy on the battlefield and to cover the new offensive carried out by the 41st Panzer Corps. ”

……

The two tank brigade commanders who were on the south bank of the water began to discuss how to get the tanks to the north bank of the water when they heard that the battle was going well in the north. The two discussed many methods, but they all vetoed them one by one: it was impossible to drive directly over, such a deep water and the silt below were enough to trap the Soviet tanks in the mud and could not move; It was even more of a joke to transport it by boat, no matter how shallow the draft of the barge, as soon as it was put into the water, the bottom of the boat fell into the mud.

Just as the two were at a loss, they saw a major general approaching. The two hurriedly stood up and raised their hands to salute each other. After the other party's self-introduction, I learned that it was the commander of the 17th Guards Infantry Army.

The commander smiled and asked the two: "It seems that you are the commander of the tank brigade, what were you discussing just now?" ”

"Comrade General," said Colonel Potapov, pointing to the wide surface of the water with his hand, "because of the blockage of this water, our tanks are impassable, and our counter-assault can only be carried out by light infantry. So the two of us were figuring out how to get the tanks through the waters. ”

"Did you get a result from the discussion?" The general asked with concern.

"No," replied both of them, shaking their heads at the same time, "we have thought of all the things we can think of, but none of them seem to work, and if it really doesn't work, we will have to wait until the water recedes before driving the tank through this area." ”

"No, we can't wait until the water recedes." The commander said with a serious expression: "That delay is too long, and it will be very difficult for our troops to cross the water and fight without the support of tanks and artillery, and to drive the enemy away from our breakthrough." So I beg you to cross these waters as soon as possible. ”

"Comrade General, do you think we don't want to hurry across this damn water?" "We have two more infantry battalions to launch a counterattack against the Germans on the other side, and if we don't come to their aid as soon as possible, they will inevitably pay huge casualties," Babkovsky said with a sad face. ”

The commander walked back and forth in front of the two men with his hands behind his back, frowning as he pondered how to get the tank across the annoying waters. After a long time, he finally stopped and asked the two brigade commanders with a straight face: "Have you considered paving the road with wood?" ”

Babkovsky and Potapov looked at each other, shook their heads at the same time, and replied: "No, Comrade General. We are short of manpower, and we can't do it in two or three days to lay this water area about a kilometer wide, so we might as well wait here for another day or two to cross the river when the water recedes. ”

"You don't have enough manpower, I have manpower here." The commander raised his hand to the troops who were crossing the water and said, "This division is to reinforce the troops that are fighting in front, and I can let them cut down trees and help you pave a road in the water that can be passed." ”

"Gee, that's great." Babkovsky and Potapov were overjoyed when they heard the general say this: "If we can get help from our comrades in the Guards, I believe that we can lay a road to the opposite bank in a few hours." ”

At the beginning of the paving work, the troops of the vanguard division, after a fierce battle, managed to capture a trench occupied by the Germans. Just as everyone was cheering for victory, someone suddenly noticed the ground under their feet and trembled slightly. Everyone fell silent, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Not good, it's the enemy's tank." Someone began to shout loudly: "Get into the position, be anti-tank ready, we must not let the enemy take the position from us again." ”

It didn't take long for large German tank forces to appear on the horizon. Seeing the dense German tanks in the distance, many commanders and fighters were so frightened that their legs weakened, and a young soldier nervously asked the company commander next to him: "Comrade company commander, the enemy has so many tanks, do you think we can stop it?" ”

"If you can't stop it, you have to block it!" The company commander looked at the German tanks approaching the position, and said without looking back: "If they break through our defense line again, then they can push all the way to the second and third line of defense, then all the work we have done in the Kursk area will be in vain." ”

After roughly counting the number of German tanks, the Soviet division commander couldn't help but feel numb on his scalp, and he hurriedly used a wireless telephone to contact the army commander who was still staying in the south of the water. After hearing the voice of the army commander, he said nervously: "Report to Comrade Army Commander, the enemy's tank units have launched a counterattack. ”

"Comrade division commander," the army commander said impatiently, hearing that his subordinates' tones were full of panic, "since the enemy has begun to attack, then you will resolutely block them." Colonel, you have to remember that you are not commanding some bourgeois scouts, but brave and fearless Red Army soldiers. Fight, my comrade, even at the cost of your own life, resolutely hold the enemy back! ”

After the commander of the vanguard division waited for the commander to finish this nonsense, he reported with a sad face: "Comrade commander, I have just roughly counted, the German army has dispatched more than 200 tanks, and it is rushing towards our position with great momentum, and we simply do not have enough anti-tank weapons in our hands, and I am worried that we will not be able to stop the torrent of steel of the German army." ”

After listening to this, the commander realized that the situation was more serious than he had imagined. After a moment of contemplation, he replied: "Comrade Colonel, I order you, in any case, hold on to your existing positions for three to five hours, and the reinforcements will arrive!" ”

Seeing the commander put down the phone, Potapov couldn't help but ask curiously: "Comrade General, when you say reinforcements, don't you mean the infantry that has just crossed the water?" You must know that they are also lightly armed, they are not equipped with any heavy weapons, and if they encounter German tanks, they will not be able to resist at all. ”

"I understand." The commander said unexpectedly, "That's why I asked my men to hold out for three to five hours, by which time your tanks should be able to pass through the paved wooden road through this wide body of water." ”

Potapov nodded and said, "I understand, Comrade General. In order to reinforce the troops in front as soon as possible, I suggested concentrating on paving a passage so that our tanks could drive to the other side in a steady stream. ”5610