"Great, that's great. "When Mikhailov heard Malinin say this, his originally depressed mood rose again, because he was well aware of the strength of the mixed detachment commanded by Lidyukov, and if this force helped in the battle, the situation on the battlefield would have changed.www.biquge.info He said happily: "Comrade commander, although the mixed detachment has not been reorganized for a long time, their combat effectiveness is equivalent to that of a main force regiment, and if they cooperate, we will open a passage for the 20th Army to break through, and it should not be a problem." ”

"Comrade Colonel, you are too optimistic." Kirillov interjected: "After a day and a night of fighting, our division now has more than a thousand people left, and with such a force, it is tantamount to suicide to attack the enemy's well-defended positions!" ”

"Comrade Commander, what should we do?" Vinogoradov looked at Rokossovsky and asked: "Our mixed detachment, which was originally intended to be used to attack the transport lines and logistics bases of the German army, now needs to adjust their mission and launch an attack from the flank of the German army?" ”

Rokossovsky walked to the table and sat down, stared at the map in front of him, and did not speak for a long time. Malinin walked up to him, leaned down, and asked in a low voice: "Comrade commander, I don't know how I should reply to Colonel Lidyukov, whether to let them act according to the original plan, or to attack the flanks of the German troops?" ”

Rokossovsky did not immediately answer Malinin, but called the two division commanders to the front, looked up at them and asked: "Comrade division commanders, please tell me truthfully, what was the reason for your failure to attack the German positions?" ”

Mikhailov and Kirillov, after looking at each other, replied: "Comrade commander, there are many reasons for the failure of the offensive. For example, the lack of covering firepower during our attack led to the lack of the ability of the troops to attack the fortifications of the enemy. In addition, the enemy firmly holds the air supremacy of the battlefield, and at least half of the tanks of our division were lost in the bombing. ”

"In addition to the two points that Colonel Mikhailov said, I think that the heavy artillery fire of the German army on the battlefield was also one of the reasons for the failure of our offensive." Kirillov, waiting for Mikhailov to finish, immediately added: "For example, when our infantry begins to charge at the enemy's positions, the Germans will intercept them with long-range artillery fire, resulting in heavy casualties for us." ”

After the two of them finished expressing their opinions, Rokossovsky nodded, and then said to several high-level commanders in the command: "Now that everyone has summed up the reasons for the failure of the offensive, then in the next offensive, we only need to solve some of these problems, and I believe that we will soon be able to meet with the troops of the 20th Army on the enemy's position." ”

After listening to Rokossovsky's words, everyone looked at each other, wondering why he said this. Because of the problems mentioned by the two division commanders just now, although everyone knows it in their hearts, they can't find a good solution.

After a while, it was Deputy Commander Vinogradov who preemptively asked the question in his heart: "Comrade Commander, I don't know how we can solve these problems?" ”

"Let's see." Rokossovsky beckoned everyone to the table, pointed to the map spread out on it, and said: "Today, when the 38th Infantry Division and the 101st Tank Division launched an attack on the enemy's position, in addition to bombardment by enemy aircraft, more long-range artillery fire from the enemy. ”

"That's right, that's right." Mikhailov and Kirillov replied in unison.

"According to the judgment of the head of artillery, General Kazakov, the enemy's artillery positions were no more than ten kilometers from their defensive positions." Rokossovsky said, dotting his hand somewhere on the map, and then said: "The terrain here is flat and has a wide view, and it is the best place to set up artillery positions. I guess the enemy's artillery positions are the most likely here. ”

"Comrade Commander, what are you going to do?" Vinogradov heard a little bit of meaning from Rokossovsky's words, and hurriedly asked: "Are you going to send troops to attack the enemy's artillery positions?" ”

"That's right, that's how I thought about it."

"However, even if the artillery position is no more than ten kilometers away from the enemy's position, it will take our fighters two hours at the earliest." Vinogradov stared at the map with a frown and said: "It is still a question whether the commanders and fighters who have passed through the rapid march are still capable of immediately attacking the enemy's artillery positions. ”

"Don't worry, I have no intention of using infantry units to attack the enemy's artillery positions." Rokossovsky pointed to the location of the mixed detachment on the map, and said with a smile: "Don't forget, Colonel Lidyukov's mixed detachment still has thirty tanks. I intend for him to send 20 tanks with a battalion of infantry to attack the enemy's artillery positions; The remaining ten tanks, and two battalions of troops, attacked from the flanks of the German defensive positions, disrupting the enemy's disposition to ensure the success of the offensive of the 38th Infantry Division and the 101st Tank Division. ”

"Will this work?" After listening to Rokossovsky's deployment, Vinogradov still said with some unease: "I am worried that if such a plan does not work, it will affect the tasks that the mixed detachment originally accepted." ”

"General Vinogradov, the purpose of our mixed detachment to attack the rear of the German army is to disrupt the enemy's offensive steps." Rokossovsky said resolutely: "Since Colonel Lidyukov's troops are currently in a favorable offensive position, then we might as well adjust their tasks and let them change from indirectly supporting friendly forces to breaking through the encirclement to directly helping friendly forces break out of the enemy's encirclement." ”

After waiting for Rokossovsky to finish speaking, Malinin immediately asked him for instructions: "Comrade commander, will I convey your order to Colonel Lidyukov now?" ”

Rokossovsky nodded, and then added: "Chief of Staff, please tell Colonel Lidyukov that surprise is the only way to win, their attack is completely unexpected by the enemy, so the speed of action must be fast, and the fight must be fierce, only in this way can the enemy's defensive deployment be disrupted and the desperate 20th Army can be rescued." ”

When Malinin went to send a telegram to Lidyukov, Rokossovsky specifically instructed Mikhailov and Kirillov: "Comrade two division commanders, here, I want to say sorry to the two of you. Although I still arranged an offensive mission for you tonight, I can't replenish your troops and technical equipment, in short, you are on your own. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Mikhailov said confidently: "The reason why we have been unable to seize the enemy's positions is because of the German aircraft and the long-range artillery fire. It's night, and the enemy's planes are of little use. As long as Colonel Lidyukov's troops deal with some enemy artillery, then we will be sure to storm the enemy's positions and join forces with friendly forces from the opposite side. ”

Kirillov, on the other hand, was much more cautious, and after waiting for Kirillov to finish speaking, he asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, there are too many points of fire on the enemy's position, and it is difficult for our infantry to rush into the enemy's position with only the cover of a limited number of tanks. I would like to ask, in tonight's battle, will the artillery be able to provide us with fire support? ”

Rokossovsky turned his head to look at Kazakov and asked politely: "Comrade Chief of Artillery, the infantry offensive needs the support of artillery fire." You see, can the artillery units provide them with artillery support? ”

Kazakov thought about it, and still said with some scruples: "Comrade commander, it is theoretically possible to provide artillery support for the attacking troops. But the enemy's position was long and narrow, and I feared that in the event of an artillery bombardment, our attacking troops would be accidentally wounded. ”

In response to Kazakov's statement, Rokossovsky, after thinking for a moment, waved his hand and said: "Comrade Artillery Chief, now we have to think about how to break through the enemy's defenses as soon as possible and join the division of the 20th Army behind the enemy's defensive line, not how much accidental damage the shelling will cause." ”

However, Comrade Commander ...... "Seeing that Rokossovsky was going to let the artillery open fire for support, regardless of the casualties of the troops, Kazakov was a little anxious, and he was about to persuade a few more words, but was interrupted by Colonel Kirillov.

Colonel Kirillov smiled and said to Kazakov: "Comrade General, I understand what you mean, you are afraid that the intensive artillery fire will cause unnecessary casualties to our attacking troops. Rest assured, you just need to put a few more artillery spotters at the front and let them indicate the direction of fire for the artillery. I believe that as long as there are enough artillery observers on the front line, then accidental injuries should be avoidable. ”

Seeing that Kirillov had already taken the initiative to express his position, Kazakov could not raise any more objections, so he could only bite the bullet and say: "Okay, I will immediately ask the artillery commander to send observers to the front line, provide the artillery with firing parameters, and guide the direction of firing." ”

After Mikhailov and Kirillov left, Malinin again appeared in front of Rokossovsky, who, holding in his hand the telegram that had just been sent by Colonel Lidyukov, respectfully reported: "Comrade commander, a telegram has arrived from the mixed detachment. ”

Rokossovsky did not reach out to receive the telegram, but asked directly: "Chief of Staff, what does the telegram say?" ”

Malinin had long memorized the contents of the telegram, and when he heard Rokossovsky ask this, he did not read the telegram, so he said directly: "The colonel said that the troops have been divided. After twenty minutes, it was possible to carry out a surprise attack on the enemy's artillery positions. ”

"Good, he's doing a really good job." Rokossovsky turned his face sideways to Kazakov, who was standing next to him, and said: "Comrade Chief of Artillery, please inform the artillery that, after half an hour, artillery shelling will be carried out on the enemy's defensive positions. ”

"Understood!" Kazakov agreed, and went to call the artillery commander.

After waiting for Kazakov to leave, Rokossovsky asked Malinin: "Chief of Staff, have you established contact with the command of the 20th Army?" ”

Malinin shook his head and said, "Although we have sent them several telegrams, we have not received a single response. It seems that tonight's joint operation is another one-man show. ”

"Bastard, what a bastard." Rokossovsky, after scolding Kurochkin in his heart, walked back and forth in the command headquarters with his hands behind his back, thinking about how to avoid the recurrence of the hot situation of the shaved head picks last night. After thinking about it, he felt that with his rank and qualifications, it was simply impossible to command Kurochkin's troops, and he could only report the situation to his superiors, who would then give orders to the 20th Army.

Thinking of this, he stopped and instructed Malinin: "Chief of Staff, immediately take over the headquarters of the Front Army for me, find Marshal Timoshenko, the 20th Army is estimated to be the only one who can command it." ”

The phone call from the headquarters of the Front was quickly connected, and when Timoshenko heard Rokossovsky's voice, he immediately asked nervously: "Comrade Rokossovsky, when you call at this time, has the situation at the front deteriorated?" ”

"No, Comrade Marshal, the situation is not as serious as you think." Rokossovsky hurriedly explained: "The reason why I called you is that I intend to launch another attack on the enemy's defensive positions tonight to cover the troops of the 20th Army to break out of the encirclement. ”

"You are doing the right thing, Comrade Rokossovsky." When Timoshenko, who was originally sad, heard Rokossovsky say this, a rare smile suddenly appeared on his face, and he continued: "As long as you can save the troops of the 20th Army from the enemy's encirclement, I will definitely give you credit." ”

"Comrade Marshal, my troops are ready for the attack." Rokossovsky was deeply afraid that this matter would not attract the attention of Timoshenko, and deliberately put the problem in a serious direction: "But we will not be able to get in touch with the 20th Army, and if we are still the only ones who unilaterally attack the enemy's positions, even if we run out of troops, we may not be able to break through the enemy's positions, let alone rescue friendly troops." ”

After Rokossovsky said this, he heard Timoshenko ask the person next to him on the phone: "How is it, have you got in touch with General Kurochkin of the 20th Army?" What, I haven't been contacted yet, what are the people at the communications office doing? If they don't get in touch with the 20th Army within ten minutes, I'll take them all to court-martial. ”

"Comrade Marshal, please rest assured." A panicked voice replied: "We will continue to contact the 20th Army, and I will report to you as soon as there is news." ”

After Timoshenko received the assurances of his subordinates, he said into the microphone: "Comrade Rokossovsky, I think you also heard that we can't get in touch with the command of the 20th Army now. I hope you will still be able to launch the attack on time, and maybe General Kurochkin will send troops to cooperate when he sees your attack. (To be continued.) )