After the contact with the troops below was cut off, the division commander still couldn't believe what the regiment commander said: Are the Germans crazy and dare to abandon the fortress to break through? Even if they were not afraid that our army would take the opportunity to seize the fortress, were they not afraid that after withdrawing, the commander would be shot by Hitler as a deserter?

Whether he believed it or not, he still gave orders to the two regiments deployed on the left and right sides of the division headquarters, saying that the enemy might carry out a breakthrough operation, so that they could immediately and effectively prepare for battle. Within a few minutes of his order, two regiments had received reports that they had spotted a large number of German troops in the distance, approaching the positions where the troops were holding.

If it is a regiment that falsely reports the enemy's situation, it is understandable. But now, in addition to the regiment that has lost contact, the remaining two regiments have also warned one after another, and it seems that the news of the German breakthrough is true. The division commander did not dare to take it lightly, while ordering the artillery regiment to be ready for battle and ready to shell the marching columns of the German army at any time; While calling the commander of the army group, Popov, to report to him about what was happening here.

Hearing that the German troops in the fortress of Thorn had broken through, Popov was immediately shocked into a cold sweat, remembering the commander of the 50th Army, Borkin, who had been removed not long ago, Popov did not dare to slack off, and hurriedly contacted the front command by high-frequency telephone.

When Bogolyubov, chief of staff of the Front, heard Popov's voice, he thought that the other party was asking when the 306-mm heavy howitzers would arrive, so he said jokingly: "I said General Popov, you call eight times a day just to ask when the heavy howitzers will arrive." Didn't I tell you that Comrade Marshal has decided to hand over the heavy artillery to you first, so you don't have to call every day......"

In the past, when Popov heard Bogolyubov say this, he would joke with him, but at this moment his heart was anxious because of the breakthrough of the German troops in the fortress of Thorn, so without waiting for Bogolyubov to finish speaking, he interrupted the other party's words: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I have an urgent military situation to report to Comrade Marshal immediately." Fearing that Bogolyubov would not take it seriously, he also deliberately added, "The enemy of the Thorn Fortress has broken through!" ”

"What, the enemies of Fortress Thorn have broken through?" When Bogolyubov heard the news, he was also taken aback, and he hurriedly asked: "General Popov, are you telling the truth?" ”

"Of course it's true." Popov replied: "They have broken through the first line of defense of the 162nd Infantry Division, went up the Vistula and fled in a northwesterly direction. ”

"I see, General Popov." After confirming that Popov was not joking with himself, Bogolyubov said solemnly: "I will immediately report this to Comrade Marshal and call you later." ”

After Bogolyubov put down the phone, he called a staff officer and ordered: "Go and invite Comrade Marshal here at once." ”

After hearing Bogolyubov's order, the staff officer said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the marshal should still be sleeping at the moment, go and wake him up, is it appropriate?" ”

"There has been an urgent incident," Bogolyubov said to the staff officer in a stern tone, "not to mention that Comrade Marshal is resting, even if he and the girl are having a fight, you must call him over immediately." ”

Five minutes later, Rokossovsky followed the staff officer to the command headquarters, and with him was the military commissar Su Bojing. Rokossovsky knew very well in his heart that if it were not for a hundred thousand urgent things, Bogolyubov would definitely not wake himself up from his sleep, so as soon as he came to Bogolyubov, he couldn't wait to ask: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what's wrong?" ”

"The Germans at the fortress of Thorn have broken through." Bogolyubov replied: "According to the report of General Popov, the enemy who broke through is going up the Vistula and breaking through in a northwesterly direction. ”

"What, the Germans in the fortress of Thorn have broken through." When Rokossovsky heard the news, he was immediately shocked, but fortunately he did not lose his mind, and after a short period of surprise, he asked rhetorically: "Have you taken any measures?" ”

"I have already called the commander of the Air Force, Vershinen, and asked him to immediately send a reconnaissance aircraft to conduct reconnaissance in the northwestern direction of the Thorn fortress."

"It's not enough." Rokossovsky was well aware of the division of forces of the 70th Army west of Thorn, so he said decisively: "Chief of Staff, record my orders: 1. The Air Force will dispatch aviation divisions to bomb the German troops that have broken through; 2. Immediately transfer the 136th and 71st Infantry Divisions to the north of the fortress of Thorn and move rapidly westward to attack the German flank; 3. Order the main forces of the 48th Army to immediately attack the fortress from the east and south. ”

After recording Rokossovsky's dictated order, Bogolyubov asked with some hesitation: "Comrade Marshal, I see if it is not too late to make a plan after the air force reconnaissance report arrives." You know, we have conquered so many fortresses, and there has never been a situation where the Germans have broken through on their own initiative. ”

"There has never been a situation in which the Germans abandoned the fortress, which does not mean that the enemy will not abandon the fortress." Rokossovsky did not want to talk to Bogolyubov more, waved at him and said decisively: "Comrade Chief of Staff, carry out the order." ”

But when Bogolyubov went to assign the task, Subotin asked Rokossovsky with some concern: "Comrade Marshal, will the breakthrough of the Germans be successful?" ”

"No, Comrade Military Commissar, even if they can break through the individual defensive positions of our army in the early stage of the breakout battle, it is simply impossible for them to jump out of our encirclement." Rokossovsky pushed the map on the table in front of Subotin and said to him: "You see, if the 136th and 71st Infantry Divisions had moved quickly, they would have been able to build a new defensive line in the areas of Damlaw, Ottowitz and Tahnhagen northwest of the Thorn Fortress to block the way of the Germans. ”

Hearing that Rokossovsky did not mention the 162nd Infantry Division, which was originally deployed to the west of Thorn Fortress, Su Bojing couldn't help but ask: "What about the 162nd Infantry Division, and what is their mission?" ”

Rokossovsky looked at Su Bojing and said with a wry smile: "Comrade Military Commissar, have you forgotten that this is an unsatisfactory infantry division, with only 3,000 men in the whole division, and it lacks heavy weapons, and it is scattered and deployed in defensive positions up to 15 kilometers wide, what do you think they have when they face tens of thousands of defenders of the fortress that have broken through?" ”

When Su Bojing heard Rokossovsky say this, he couldn't help but chuckle in his heart, and then asked rhetorically: "Comrade Marshal, if you say so, after the battle, the 162nd Infantry Division can be revoked?" ”

"The number will not be revoked," Rokossovsky said with a serious expression, "and even if only one soldier survives, we can rebuild this force." ”

After Bogolyubov finished the call, he walked back and reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Marshal, the order has been issued. General Vershinin said that his air division was refueling and preparing ammunition and would be ready for combat in about half an hour; General Popov said that after the order to fight was given, the troops could be thrown into battle within an hour; As for the 136th and 71st Infantry Divisions, they are massing and they will set out as fast as possible to intercept the enemy who has broken through. ”

"Very well, Comrade Chief of Staff, you are doing well." After listening to Bogolyubov's report, Rokossovsky nodded and said: "I hope that the emergency measures we take will not be too late, otherwise this breakthrough operation of the German army will really have a chance of success." ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Marshal." "The distance between the fortress of Thorn and the German defensive positions is seventy or eighty kilometers, and there are very few motor vehicles in the breakout force, so it is destined that they will not move too fast, and I think we can definitely intercept them." ”