"Comrade Commander, can you give me an opinion?" Mikhailov waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, and then suddenly asked. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

"Say it, Comrade Colonel." Although Rokossovsky did not know what Mikhailov was going to say, he responded in a polite tone: "If you have any ideas, you can say them well." ”

"Do you know the deeds of General Petrovsky?" 、

"Petrovsky?" When Rokossovsky heard this familiar name, he was stunned for a moment, and immediately remembered who this person was, but for the sake of safety, he still asked tentatively: "Colonel, are you talking about the commander of the 63rd Infantry Corps?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander, that's what I'm talking about." Mikhailov said with some excitement: "Three days ago, his troops received an order to attack the enemy, and Commander Petrovsky had his troops quietly cross the Dnieper River and rush to the German depths by taking advantage of the darkness of the night. The Germans did not expect a sudden counterattack by our troops, as a result of which they were beaten in disarray, and the cities of Zhilobin and Rogachev were lost. Comrade Stalin made an exception for his heroic performance in the battle and the great results he achieved, and promoted him from colonel to lieutenant general. ”

"Comrade Colonel, I know all that you said." Rokossovsky asked rhetorically, somewhat dazedly: "What exactly are you trying to tell me?" ”

"What else could it be, Comrade General." Mikhailov said with great emotion: "I think we can also replicate the victory of General Petrovsky and inflict heavy losses on the enemy around us." ”

"What's the way to play?" Mikhailov's words aroused Rokossovsky's great interest, and in order to find out what was going on, he couldn't help but ask curiously: "Why don't we go to reinforce Lieutenant General Petrovsky's troops, you must know that the distance between us and them is more than 200 kilometers, and there are many heavy German groups in between." To take such an action is tantamount to hitting a stone with an egg. ”

"No, it's not like that." Mikhailov waited for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, waved his hand again and again, and said: "Comrade commander, I didn't ask you to reinforce General Petrovsky, after all, the distance between our two troops is too far. That's what I'm trying to say. As he spoke, he tapped a little bit on the map with his hand.

Rokossovsky looked in the direction of his finger and saw that he was referring to Dukhovshina, northwest of Yaltsevo. Rokossovsky was not at all familiar with this small city, so after observing it for a while, he asked: "Colonel, are you planning for me to send troops to attack this small city?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander, that's how I thought about it." Mikhailov deliberately emphasized: "Don't look at the ferocity of the German offensive, but in many of the areas occupied by them, their strength is very weak, after all, they have captured so many cities in a short time, and if each city is heavily guarded, then on the front line, they will not be able to draw enough troops to participate in the offensive." ”

"Tell us what you think." Rokossovsky, who was deeply influenced by the Chinese military tradition and knew how to play the role of a military democrat, said to Mikhailov magnanimously: "How are you going to seize this city? ”

"An hour ago, I sent scouts to Dukhovshina, and I believe that it will not be long before we receive information from the front." Mikhailov said confidently: "When I know the strength and distribution of the German troops in this city, I will take out a battalion of the motorized regiment and rush to this small city overnight to destroy the enemy there." ”

Rokossovsky also knew that there were many loopholes to exploit in the German-occupied zone, and since this was a good opportunity to strike at the Germans, he naturally had no reason to oppose it, on the contrary, he asked with concern: "Colonel, are you sure about this?" ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Mikhailov swore that "as long as I dispatch a motorized battalion, it will be enough to destroy a pair of German troops of the same strength, and it is not easy to deal with a small Dukhovshina." ”

Hearing him say this, a hint of foreboding flashed in Rokossovsky's heart, but he thought about it, Dukhovshina was less than ten kilometers away from his place, and if anything unexpected happened, the reinforcements would be completely rushed.

After more than half an hour, Mikhailov received a report from the scouts from Dukhovshina. He handed the finished telegram to Rokossovsky and said confidently: "Comrade commander, according to the report of the scouts, there are only two platoons in the city. I used one battalion against two platoons of the Germans, and even if we didn't use our weapons, we could just trample them all to death. ”

After hearing this, Rokossovsky said with a wry smile: "Comrade Colonel, although you have more troops than the German army, the enemy is not a fool and will stand there and let you kill." So you have to plan your offense and think about everything that might happen beforehand, you know? ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." After Mikhailov agreed, he called a staff officer and began to work out a plan.

Carmela glanced at Mikhailov, who was immersed in his books, and asked Rokossovsky on purpose: "Comrade commander, Dukhovshina is only about ten kilometers away from here, do you need us to provide artillery support?" ”

"No need, Comrade General." Hearing Carmela say this, Mikhailov, who was writing the plan, raised his head and said with a little dissatisfaction: "Our forces are ten times more than the enemy, and even without artillery support, we can annihilate them all in the shortest possible time." ”

"In that case, you can now draw combat troops." Rokossovsky instructed Mikhailov: "Tell your regimental commander to take the strongest battalion into battle and equip them with the best weapons." Only in this way will it be possible to destroy the enemy and occupy the city in the shortest possible time. ”

"I see." Mikhailov shoved the plan he had just written into Rokossovsky's arms, then walked to the radio, bowed his head and said to the operator: "Comrade operator, please call the motorized regiment, I have an important task to assign to them." ”

After a short time, the operator politely said to Mikhailov: "Comrade Colonel, the motorized regiment has been connected, you can talk to them." ”

Mikhailov took the headset and put it on, then said to the microphone: "Hey, lieutenant colonel?" I command you to immediately draw out one of the leanest battalions and equip them with good weapons and sufficient ammunition......"

Soon, Mikhailov put down the headset and microphone, and said with a smile on his face: "Comrade commander, and explain to the troops below." After two hours, they will move in the direction of Dukhovshina and hide in the vicinity, waiting for dawn before launching an attack on the city. ”

The attacking troops set out at ten o'clock in the evening, just after dark, and at one o'clock in the morning, Mikhailov, who was waiting for the radio, received a message from his subordinates. The other party excitedly reported over the radio: "Comrade division commander, we have reached the perimeter of Dukhovshina and are hidden. After a short rest here, immediately launch an attack on the enemy. ”

Seeing Mikhailov and his subordinates chatting unscrupulously about the deployment of troops through the intercom, Rokossovsky couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, and hurriedly stopped him and said: "Comrade Colonel, how do you use plain language to make a call?" Have you ever thought that if the Germans were eavesdropping, wouldn't all our actions be exposed? ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." After hearing this, Mikhailov said disapprovingly: "In order to improve the efficiency of commanding troops, the commanders of many units use walkie-talkies to convey orders. ”

Seeing Mikhailov's disapproving look, Rokossovsky couldn't help laughing and crying, and he had to remind the other party again: "Colonel, I see you're a little too excited now." You know, there is an old saying in the far East: the arrogant army will be defeated! It is to remind us that even if we have a chance to win, we still have to take a lot of precautions to avoid accidents. ”

"Okay, Comrade Commander, I remember." Seeing Rokossovsky babbling about this, Mikhailov quickly and simply agreed.

At four o'clock in the morning, before it was fully dawn, Mikhailov's motorized battalion began the attack on Dukhovshina. Although Rokossovsky repeatedly reiterated that wireless remote communication was not allowed here to avoid being eavesdropped by the German army.

Rokossovsky's worries did not alert Mikhailov, who remained immersed in the illusion that the troops were about to liberate Dukhovshina. He said confidently: "Comrade commander, you can rest assured. In another twenty minutes at most, I think my men will be able to tell you the good news that they will be able to attack Dukhovshina. ”

Joy and sorrow, just when Mikhailov was immersed in fantasy, the report from the front arrived. The battalion commander of the motorized battalion reported to the headquarters on the battle situation at the front through the radio. Mikhailov, who was wearing headphones, heard the sound of crying and crying coming from the microphone, and said impatiently: "Except for something, major, have you wiped out all the enemy's cavalry?" ”

Soon, the other party said in a crying voice: "Comrade division commander, the situation is not good. I don't know how, the Germans seem to have prepared in advance, my troops have just approached the city, and are about to rush into the city in one go, who knows that the Germans are using the machine guns that have already been arranged, and they are strafing our attacking troops. Due to the dense ranks of our troops, we were caught off guard by the Germans, and so far we have suffered hundreds of casualties, ask for reinforcements, ask for reinforcements! ”

Mikhailov was taken aback when he heard this, and hurriedly asked: "Major, what did you just say, you said that the enemy is on guard?" This can't be, you know, as soon as this order was written, I ordered the troops to go. Even if the Germans had stolen this information from us, how could they have informed a German army stationed in Dukhovshina in such a short period of time? ”

"yes, that's weird." Rokossovsky was puzzled as to why the defenders of Dukhovshinari were suddenly ready and inflicted heavy losses on the attacking troops.

"Major, if the enemy's firepower is too fierce, you should first withdraw your troops, find a place to adjust the formation, and then attack the enemy." Mikhailov said loudly to his subordinates: "Understand? ”

"Comrade division commander, our commanders and fighters are all suppressed by the enemy's fire and cannot get up on the ground." The commander of the motorized battalion said in a crying voice: "If you retreat at this time, you will inevitably pay a heavy price." ”

Mikhailov's words made Mikhailov embarrassed, and he knew that the troops were now in confusion because they were caught off guard by the enemy, and were in an embarrassing situation where they could neither attack nor retreat. He had no choice but to turn his head to look at Rokossovsky and pin his hopes on him.

"Major, I'm General Rokossovsky." After identifying himself, Rokossovsky began to give orders to the officer: "Let your troops retreat alternately under cover, and when they have a safe place to adjust their troops, then attack the enemy's defensive positions." ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." After listening to Rokossovsky's orders, the major became in a stable mood and no longer panicked as he was just now, "I immediately ordered the troops to alternately cover the withdrawal from the battle. ”

As soon as Rokossovsky put down his headphones and microphone and walked back to the table, Carmela, who had been sitting there without even moving his position, looked up and asked: "Comrade commander, if I am not misjudged, our offensive plan has been seen through by the Germans. ”

"There is no doubt about this, otherwise it would not be possible to explain why the enemy would have been prepared when the motorized battalion launched an attack." Rokossovsky said thoughtfully: "What we have to do now is to find out how the Germans got this information." ”

"Comrade Commander, may you allow me to say a few words?" Tarasov, who has always been silent, said: "I think the failure of the motorized battalion to attack Dukhovshhna is not necessarily due to the theft of our intelligence here, because the time is too short and the number of people who know it is limited, so I think the leak is not valid." ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff," said Mikhailov with some reluctance, "I do not think that it is a coincidence that my troops were met with stubborn resistance from the enemy in the attack on Dukhovshina. ”

"The chief of staff is right," at this time Carmela stood up and firmly supported Tarasov's point of view, "I also think that the Germans were on guard, not because they were vigilant or coincidental, but because they were premeditated." But fortunately, it was only a small-scale battle, and if we didn't find out the leakers among us, we would suffer a lot because of this kind of leak in the future big battles. (To be continued.) )