"What, what did you say?" When Rokossovsky heard Malinin say this, he thought he had misheard, and he didn't care about receiving the telegram from the other party, but grabbed his arm and asked nervously: "What did you just say?" Say it again. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info”

Malinin lowered his head and repeated what he had just said in a heavy tone: "General Dovatore died heroically in battle!" ”

"No, it can't be." After listening to Malinin's repetition, Rokossovsky muttered: "I spoke to him not long ago, how could I suddenly die." ”

Seeing that Rokossovsky was slow to answer the telegram in his hand, Malinin gritted his teeth and read the battle report aloud: "General Dovatol was unfortunately hit by a stray bullet and died heroically when he led his troops to attack the German positions on the Ruzha River. Signed Priev, commander of the 50th Cavalry Division. ”

"Bastard, this bastard." Rokossovsky was so angry that he slammed the wooden wall several times and scolded angrily:

"I also specifically warned him not to lead the charge himself, but he didn't listen at all."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Lobachev, who was sitting next to him, came over and nervously asked Malinin: "Where is the body of General Dovatore?" ”

Due to the unexpected death of General Dovatore, the headquarters became silent, and even the good news of the capture of the German outlying positions could not dilute everyone's sadness.

After a long time, Zakharov carefully suggested to Rokossovsky: "Comrade commander, I think this matter should be reported to General Zhukov immediately. ”

Rokossovsky, who was immersed in sorrow, nodded silently when he heard Zakharov's words, and then instructed the chief of communications, Maksimenko: "Comrade Colonel, give me access to the headquarters of the Front, and I will personally talk to Comrade Zhukov." ”

After the phone was connected, as soon as Zhukov heard Rokossovsky's voice, he couldn't wait to ask: "Hey, Comrade Rokossovsky, how is the situation there, have you captured the outlying positions of the German army?" ”

"Yes, Comrade General." Rokossovsky replied in a hoarse voice: "After the artillery preparation was completed, our tanks led the cavalry to storm the enemy's outlying positions, and at the moment they have successfully occupied this area. ”

"Great, that's great." After Zhukov said this, he suddenly noticed that Rokossovsky's tone seemed to be a little abnormal, so he asked in surprise: "Comrade Rokossovsky, it seems that something is wrong with your voice, is something wrong?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Zhukov." Rokossovsky truthfully reported to Zhukov: "General Dovatol, who was responsible for directing the troops to the rear of the German army and cutting off their retreat, was unfortunately shot and died during the attack on the German positions on the Ruzha River. ”

"What, what did you say?" Zhukov, who was originally sitting in his position talking to Rokossovsky, heard the unexpected news, immediately stood up and asked in surprise: "General Dovaatar died?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Zhukov, he died." Rokossovsky replied with a heavy heart: "At present, the 2nd Guards Cavalry Army is under the command of General Priev, commander of the 50th Cavalry Division. ”

"I will immediately report this matter to Comrade Stalin." Considering that Dovator was one of Stalin's most important cavalry commanders, Zhukov ordered in a stern tone: "You must return General Dovator's body to Moscow in the shortest possible time, understand?" ”

While Zhukov and Rokossovsky were on the phone, the battle on the Ruzha River continued. The Germans, seeing that the attack of the Soviet cavalry was being repulsed, immediately carried out a counterattack.

Fortunately, after the failure of the first offensive of his troops, Priev built improvised fortifications on the edge of the forest, and seeing the German troops rushing up, he immediately gave the order to open fire. More than a dozen light and heavy machine guns, which had been in battle for a long time, began to fire at the same time, and the muzzle flames of more than a foot long were drawn towards the rushing German crowd like a whip.

Fortunately, thanks to the enemy's hasty charge and insufficient preparation for firepower, the enemy's counter-charge was quickly repulsed, and the corpses were left behind in the snow, and the screams of the seriously injured and the wails before death made people listen to layers of goosebumps all over their bodies. Probably because of the sacrifice of the commander, which angered the commanders and fighters of the cavalry corps, one or two cold guns could be heard on the battlefield, which was the cavalry soldiers helping the wounded German officers and soldiers to relieve themselves early. It's not that they're ruthless, it's that they've been like this all year long, and in the knee-high snow, it's better to die early and live early than to stand up and suffer next to each other, because sooner or later they will die anyway, so why suffer so many sins.

In the temporary command headquarters in the forest, Priev looked at the several commanders standing in front of him and said: "Comrade commanders, although the commander unfortunately died, the task assigned to us by the superiors must still be completed. He first set his eyes on the brigade commander Colonel Melnik, who was acting as the commander of the 53rd Cavalry Division, and ordered, "Comrade Colonel, in the next round of attack, your division will take the main attack." ”

Hearing this order from General Priev, Melnik did not immediately reply, but was silent for a moment before he spoke: "Comrade General, I think that before the attack, we should first send the body of the commander to the headquarters of the army group. ”

"I'll arrange this." Priev didn't wait for him to finish, he raised his hand to interrupt his later words and urged: "Comrade Colonel, you better return to the unit as soon as possible and arrange a new round of attack." ”

"All right, Comrade General." Seeing that General Priev, who was acting as the commander of the army, gave an order, Melnik did not refute, but said obediently: "I will go back to the troops to arrange the attack." He took two steps towards the door, stopped, turned to Priev, and said, "Comrade General, I hope that after the offensive begins, you will provide us with the necessary fire cover, otherwise we may not be able to capture the German positions after the great sacrifices we have made, as we did on the previous two occasions." ”

"I see." Priev waved his hand at Melnik impatiently and said, "I know this matter in my heart, so you don't have to worry about it." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, a telegraph operator came over with a telegram and reported: "Comrade General, we have just received a call from the headquarters, and we should send the body of Comrade General General as soon as possible. ”

"I see." Priyev took the telegram, and without even looking at it, he shouted outside. After the commander of the guard battalion standing outside the gate ran in, he directly ordered: "Major, I have entrusted you with a difficult and glorious task, immediately lead a detachment of cavalry and send the body of Comrade General to the headquarters of the group army. ”

"Yes, Comrade General." The commander of the guard battalion replied with a solemn expression: "I will definitely send the body of Comrade General Commander back to the headquarters safely." ”

After the commander of the guard battalion left, Priev instructed another regiment commander: "Comrade Colonel, according to my observations, the German positions are well defended, and we have no heavy weapons, and if we want to break through from the front, we will inevitably pay heavy casualties." The task of your regiment is to immediately march to the north, find the weak point of Germany, cross the Ruza River, make a detour back to the rear of the enemy, and flank the front and rear of our 53rd Cavalry Division, which is attacking head-on, and completely destroy the German troops on the river. ”

The news of Dovatore's sacrifice soon reached Stalin's ears. After putting down the phone, he stood there in a daze. Maybe it's because he was born in cavalry, so he has always been very important to cavalry generals, and at this moment, when he heard that Dovator died in the offensive battle, his mood became extremely heavy.

He walked slowly and slowly in his office, thinking about how to handle Dovator's posterity. Before he could make a statement, the house was opened from the outside. He just didn't look, and knew that it was his secretary Poskorebeshev who appeared at the door, so he asked impatiently: "What's the matter?" ”

"Comrade Stalin," Pos Krebeshev replied respectfully, "General Vasilevsky is here." ”

Hearing that it was the acting chief of the General Staff that he had just appointed had come, Stalin took a deep breath and, after stabilizing his mood a little, ordered: "Please let him in!" ”

Soon Vasilevsky strode in through the door, and when he came to Stalin, he straightened his back, his chin slightly upturned, and reported: "Comrade Stalin, allow me to report to you that we have just received the latest information. ”

Stalin, after listening to Vasilevsky's report on the succession of victories of the armies, nodded slightly, and went to the map hanging on the wall with his pipe in his mouth, to see how many cities, settlements, and villages had been liberated from the Germans by his own troops.

Seeing that Stalin did not speak for a long time, Vasilevsky raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then said carefully: "Comrade Stalin, if you have nothing to do, allow me to leave?" ”

"Wait a minute, Comrade Vasilevsky." Without looking back, Stalin said: "Please wait a minute, I have one more important matter to be entrusted to you." ”

After saying this, he turned around and walked slowly in front of Vasilevsky, and said unhurriedly: "In your report just now, there is no mention of the sacrifice of Comrade Dovatol. ”

"Dovatore?" After repeating the name, Vasilevsky suddenly remembered the position that the other party was currently holding, and couldn't help but say with some surprise: "Did he die?" But I didn't get such a report, did I? ”

"I see." Priev waved his hand at Melnik impatiently and said, "I know this matter in my heart, so you don't have to worry about it." ”

As soon as he finished speaking, a telegraph operator came over with a telegram and reported: "Comrade General, we have just received a call from the headquarters, and we should send the body of Comrade General General as soon as possible. ”

"I see." Priyev took the telegram, and without even looking at it, he shouted outside. After the commander of the guard battalion standing outside the gate ran in, he directly ordered: "Major, I have entrusted you with a difficult and glorious task, immediately lead a detachment of cavalry and send the body of Comrade General to the headquarters of the group army. ”

"Yes, Comrade General." The commander of the guard battalion replied with a solemn expression: "I will definitely send the body of Comrade General Commander back to the headquarters safely." ”

After the commander of the guard battalion left, Priev instructed another regiment commander: "Comrade Colonel, according to my observations, the German positions are well defended, and we have no heavy weapons, and if we want to break through from the front, we will inevitably pay heavy casualties." The task of your regiment is to immediately march to the north, find the weak point of Germany, cross the Ruza River, make a detour back to the rear of the enemy, and flank the front and rear of our 53rd Cavalry Division, which is attacking head-on, and completely destroy the German troops on the river. ”

The news of Dovatore's sacrifice soon reached Stalin's ears. After putting down the phone, he stood there in a daze. Maybe it's because he was born in cavalry, so he has always been very important to cavalry generals, and at this moment, when he heard that Dovator died in the offensive battle, his mood became extremely heavy.

He walked slowly and slowly in his office, thinking about how to handle Dovator's posterity. Before he could make a statement, the house was opened from the outside. He just didn't look, and knew that it was his secretary Poskorebeshev who appeared at the door, so he asked impatiently: "What's the matter?" ”

"Comrade Stalin," Pos Krebeshev replied respectfully, "General Vasilevsky is here." ”

Hearing that it was the acting chief of the General Staff that he had just appointed had come, Stalin took a deep breath and, after stabilizing his mood a little, ordered: "Please let him in!" ”

Soon Vasilevsky strode in through the door, and when he came to Stalin, he straightened his back, his chin slightly upturned, and reported: "Comrade Stalin, allow me to report to you that we have just received the latest information. ”

Stalin, after listening to Vasilevsky's report on the succession of victories of the armies, nodded slightly, and went to the map hanging on the wall with his pipe in his mouth, to see how many cities, settlements, and villages had been liberated from the Germans by his own troops.

Seeing that Stalin did not speak for a long time, Vasilevsky raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then said carefully: "Comrade Stalin, if you have nothing to do, allow me to leave?" ”

"Wait a minute, Comrade Vasilevsky." Without looking back, Stalin said: "Please wait a minute, I have one more important matter to be entrusted to you." ”

After saying this, he turned around and walked slowly in front of Vasilevsky, and said unhurriedly: "In your report just now, there is no mention of the sacrifice of Comrade Dovatol. ”

"Dovatore?" After repeating the name, Vasilevsky suddenly remembered the position that the other party was currently holding, and couldn't help but say with some surprise: "Did he die?" But I didn't get such a report, did I? ”