"It seems that this is a good solution," Carmela gave Rokossovsky a thumbs up and said appreciatively, "so that there is no need to dig a large number of anti-artillery holes in the trenches, and the labor intensity of the commanders and fighters will be reduced; At the same time, it can also greatly reduce the casualties of our army, which is great! ”

"In the event of a German air raid, this method will not be of any use at all. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 Rokossovsky said with a flat expression: "The commanders and fighters who retreated from the first line of trenches to the second line of trenches, calculated that they would also become targets for German bombing. ”

After Rokossovsky finished speaking, he instructed Malinin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, call several observation posts at the front and ask them to report on the situation on the battlefield at any time." ”

"Comrade Commander," Vinogradov, waiting for Rokossovsky to finish, suddenly said: "I have a bold idea, the Germans certainly did not know about the arrival of our 7th Mechanized Army. It is better to wait for the enemy's attack to be repulsed, and then we will use the tanks as the main force to cover the motorized division's counterattack against the Germans, and maybe we can drive them away from our positions at once. ”

Vinogradov's proposal made Carmela's eyes light up, and he also echoed and said: "Yes, Comrade Commander, the Germans must not have noticed the arrival of the mechanized corps, we might as well take advantage of their paralysis and give them a surprise blow." It may be possible to crush the enemy in front of us once and for all, lest they attack our defenses at any moment. ”

Seeing that several commanders, including Malinin, were all focused on themselves, Rokossovsky smiled bitterly and said helplessly: "Comrade commanders, do you think that I am willing not to shrink into the position and be beaten, and I don't want to give the enemy a counterattack?" It is indeed possible for us to defeat the enemy in front of us if we carry out a counterattack against the enemy, but have you ever thought that the air supremacy on the battlefield can be firmly in the hands of the Germans, and if they send out planes to bombard our attacking troops indiscriminately, the defeated troops will charge back at us after a short period of rectification, and then let alone destroy the enemy, and even our troops may be defeated. ”

"Isn't there really a chance to strike back?" Vinogradov asked the question tentatively, and when he saw Rokossovsky shaking his head firmly, he could not help but be disappointed, "It seems that our troops can only hide in the fortifications and be wiped out little by little by the enemy's shells and bombs." ”

"Comrade General," Rokossovsky hurriedly comforted Vinogradov when he saw that he was in a depressed mood, "On the battlefield, we, as commanders, should think more about how to fight, so that we can exchange the greatest victory for the minimum cost." The reason why I do not recommend launching a counterattack on the enemy on the opposite side is, first, for the reason I just said, that I am afraid of being attacked by enemy aircraft; Secondly, the German unit opposite us was numbered the 7th Panzer Division, which was a very effective force.

I have heard that in the pursuit of the British army last year, because the 37mm anti-tank guns of the anti-tank battalion could not penetrate the British tank armor, and when the opponent was about to break through, the division commander, General Rommel, ordered the troops to use 88mm anti-aircraft guns to carry out ground fire. The results were remarkable, the British tanks were destroyed one after another, and finally the British army was completely wiped out by the 7th Panzer Division. ”

After listening to Rokossovsky's account, Vinogradov lamented that the German Seventh Panzer Division was indeed a tricky opponent. Carmela, on the other hand, was interested in anti-aircraft guns hitting tanks, and he carefully asked: "Comrade commander, is it true that you said that the German army hit tanks with anti-aircraft guns?" ”

"That's right." Rokossovsky nodded in the affirmative, and then added: "Since the German 37 mm could not penetrate the frontal armor of the British tanks, it received the indecent name of 'stepping stone'." ”

"I've heard the term 'stepping stone' before." Carmela said thoughtfully: "I've been worrying about the lack of anti-tank guns in the army lately. If anti-aircraft guns can be used instead of anti-tank guns, then we will not have to worry when the enemy will charge our positions with tank clusters. ”

While the troops holding the defensive strip on the western side of Yaltsevo were stubbornly resisting the German offensive, in the trench of a field position east of Smolensk, the commander of the Western Front, Marshal Timoshenko, who had just arrived here, was walking along the trench with an angry face, led by an officer.

He walked into an observation post covered with a camouflage net and lashed out at Lukin, who came forward to salute him: "Who threw Smolensk away?" Who handed over the city, what is his name, I will send him to a military court. ”

Lukin, who looked tired, looked at Timoshenge, who was a head taller than him, and took the initiative to take the responsibility on himself: "Comrade Marshal, it's my mistake, if you want to punish me, punish me alone!" ”

Timoshenko stared at Lukin with fire-breathing eyes, pointed to the city where there were still gunshots, and ordered viciously: "Take it back, I order you to take Smolensk back!" Attack now, and report to me on the capture of the city before it gets dark! Hurry up and attack! ”

Lukin did not dare to disobey Timoshenko's order, so he could only stiffen his head and promise: "Yes, Comrade Marshal, I will immediately order the troops to attack!" Then he turned around and instructed the staff officers next to him: "Call the division commanders and ask them to organize all their fighters and launch a counteroffensive to the place where Smolensk is occupied." ”

When Timoshenko saw that the commanders and fighters of the 16th Army, without artillery cover and without tank guidance, bravely launched a charge at the German positions outside Smolensk, the anger in his heart calmed down a little. He turned his head to look at Lukin, who was standing next to him: "Comrade General, do you have any difficulties?" ”

The corners of Lukin's mouth twitched violently a few times, and then he said stiffly: "Comrade Marshal, you also know that I have limited forces, and I am afraid that if the German 7th Panzer Division behind us finds out that we have invested all our forces in a counteroffensive, it will attack us from behind." ”

After hearing this, Timoshenko walked quickly to the simple wooden table in the middle of the room, and after a quick glance at the map spread out on it, he said to Lukin: "Don't worry, Comrade Lukin, I will never put you in a dangerous situation from the enemy, so I will order Rokossovsky, who is stationed in Yatsevo, to launch a counterattack against the enemy. Pin down the troops of the 7th Panzer Division near Yaltsevo so that the enemy cannot pull out his troops and attack your rear. ”

After speaking, he called the communications staff officer who accompanied him and instructed him: "Comrade staff, immediately send a message to General Rokossovsky, asking them to immediately organize forces and launch an offensive against the German 7th Panzer Division, which is located in the middle of Smolensk and Yaltsevo. Tell him that I don't want his casualty figures, and that the German Panzer Division must be pinned down near Yaltsevo at all costs, so that they cannot pull out a single soldier to attack the rear of the 16th Army. ”

When Rokossovsky received this telegram from Timoshenko, the motorized divisions at the front had just repelled the German attack and were hurrying to repair the fortifications and clean up the battlefield. He put the telegram on the table, and then asked Carmela and Vinogradov: "Comrade generals, look at the telegram sent by the headquarters of the Front, ordering us to immediately attack the German 7th Panzer Division in front and pin them down near Yaltsevo, so that they cannot withdraw a single soldier to reinforce the German troops in Smolensk. ”

After reading the telegram, Carmela casually handed it to Vinogradov, and then asked: "Comrade commander, what should we do?" Send troops for a counteroffensive? ”

Rokossovsky sighed and said helplessly: "Since the order of the superior has been issued, no matter how unreasonable it is, we can only carry it out unconditionally. ”

After speaking, he turned around and asked Malinin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, how long will it take for our troops to prepare for a counteroffensive against the enemy?" ”

After raising his hand and looking at his watch, Ma Linin replied clearly: "Report to Comrade Commander, if we only use a part of the tanks and motorized infantry regiments, it will only take half an hour at most. ”

"Part of the tank?" When Rokossovsky heard Malinin say this, he asked with some curiosity: "I don't know how many there are?" ”

"The tank division stationed on the right flank has seventy tanks," Malinin said to Rokossovsky, pointing to the map, "and the motorized infantry regiment of the 7th Mechanized Corps is deployed in the forest behind them. If the tanks of the tank division were to guide the commanders and fighters of the motorized infantry regiment to attack, it would only take half an hour at most. ”

Rokossovsky knew from the memory of his later generations that Malinin was a very capable chief of staff, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with handing over these things to him, so he nodded and said to Malinin: "Chief of staff, since this is the case, you give them a combat order and let them immediately launch an offensive against the German army." ”

Listening to Malinin calling the commander who carried out the battle order, Rokossovsky couldn't help but sigh secretly, he knew in his heart that after the battle, these two units could almost be withdrawn from the establishment of the Seventh Mechanized Army. But there was no way, since the superior gave the death order, he knew that the troops would be lost in the end, so he could only carry it out.

Half an hour later, Malinin answered a phone call, and then came over and reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, the forward observation post reports that our motorized infantry regiment, under the cover of tanks, is attacking the enemy's assembly areas. ”

After hearing this, Rokossovsky nodded, and then instructed Malinin: "Chief of staff, tell the forward observation post to report the observation to the command at any time." At this point, he was worried that too many reports might affect Malinin's normal work, so he added, "Let Lieutenant Colonel Tarasov be in charge of this." ”

When Rokossovsky received this telegram from Timoshenko, the motorized divisions at the front had just repelled the German attack and were hurrying to repair the fortifications and clean up the battlefield. He put the telegram on the table, and then asked Carmela and Vinogradov: "Comrade generals, look at the telegram sent by the headquarters of the Front, ordering us to immediately attack the German 7th Panzer Division in front and pin them down near Yaltsevo, so that they cannot withdraw a single soldier to reinforce the German troops in Smolensk. ”

After reading the telegram, Carmela casually handed it to Vinogradov, and then asked: "Comrade commander, what should we do?" Send troops for a counteroffensive? ”

Rokossovsky sighed and said helplessly: "Since the order of the superior has been issued, no matter how unreasonable it is, we can only carry it out unconditionally. ”

After speaking, he turned around and asked Malinin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, how long will it take for our troops to prepare for a counteroffensive against the enemy?" ”

After raising his hand and looking at his watch, Ma Linin replied clearly: "Report to Comrade Commander, if we only use a part of the tanks and motorized infantry regiments, it will only take half an hour at most. ”

"Part of the tank?" When Rokossovsky heard Malinin say this, he asked with some curiosity: "I don't know how many there are?" ”

"The tank division stationed on the right flank has seventy tanks," Malinin said to Rokossovsky, pointing to the map, "and the motorized infantry regiment of the 7th Mechanized Corps is deployed in the forest behind them. If the tanks of the tank division were to guide the commanders and fighters of the motorized infantry regiment to attack, it would only take half an hour at most. ”

Rokossovsky knew from the memory of his later generations that Malinin was a very capable chief of staff, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with handing over these things to him, so he nodded and said to Malinin: "Chief of staff, since this is the case, you give them a combat order and let them immediately launch an offensive against the German army." ”

Listening to Malinin calling the commander who carried out the battle order, Rokossovsky couldn't help but sigh secretly, he knew in his heart that after the battle, these two units could almost be withdrawn from the establishment of the Seventh Mechanized Army. But there was no way, since the superior gave the death order, he knew that the troops would be lost in the end, so he could only carry it out.

Half an hour later, Malinin answered a phone call, and then came over and reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, the forward observation post reports that our motorized infantry regiment, under the cover of tanks, is attacking the enemy's assembly areas. ”

After hearing this, Rokossovsky nodded, and then instructed Malinin: "Chief of staff, tell the forward observation post to report the observation to the command at any time." At this point, he was worried that too many reports might affect Malinin's normal work, so he added, "Let Lieutenant Colonel Tarasov be in charge of this." (To be continued.) )