At about ten o'clock in the morning, a telegram was received from Akhromeyev saying that the units of the Fifth Guards Tank Army were moving towards Prokhorovka one after another. Among them, the corps headquarters of the 5th Guards Mechanized Army, together with an infantry division, had entered the city of Prokhorov and was in the process of handing over the 375th Infantry Division in the city.

Seeing such a telegram relieved me a lot of pressure in my heart. In the past, I was always thinking about the tank Armageddon that was about to unfold in the Prokhorovka area, so much so that in the early stage of the transfer of troops, it seemed a little constrained. Now that I have a stronger force to defend the area, I can confidently and boldly use my surplus forces in more critical areas.

The 67th Guards Division, which had failed to counterattack well in the early hours of the morning, also sent me a telegram saying that contact with the regiment that had now been restored to the German flank, and that they were now interspersed near Butovo and ready to attack.

When Danilov saw this telegram, he suggested to me: "Comrade commander, you see the remnants of the 10th Tank Army, which is not far from the 67th Guards Division, it is better to let them join forces and launch a counterattack against Butovo in an effort to retake the city from the Germans." ”

I looked at the map and thought about it, but finally rejected Danilov's proposal and explained to him: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I have visited Butovo to see that the whole city has almost become a ruin during the previous battle. Even if our troops regain the city, it will be difficult for them to establish a solid defense. If the 67th Guards Division was allowed to linger in the current area, it would be possible to contain more German forces. ”

Bezkov walked in from outside the tent with a stack of telegrams and said to me: "Comrade commander. According to the reports of the 51st, 52nd, 90th Guards Divisions. It turned out that several SS divisions were in front of their positions. They were all gone, replaced by a few ordinary Wehrmacht divisions. ”

Danilov snatched the telegram from his hand and nervously asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, have you figured out where the enemy is going?" ”

"According to scouts, signs of these divisions were spotted in the Prokhorovka direction." After Bezikov finished speaking, he immediately added: "However, this news has not yet been finally confirmed. ”

"No need to confirm it, Comrade Chief of Staff." I waved my hand at Bezikov. "According to my estimates, Prokhorovka will be the focus of the next German offensive, and Manstein will definitely put his most elite troops in this area," he said. ”

"Huh?!" Bezikov was taken aback by my words, and he said in surprise: "Then in the Prokhorovka region, there will be a vicious battle?" ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't worry too much." Seeing his panicked look, I comforted him and said, "Now that this area has been handed over to friendly forces, we don't have to worry about it for a while." Our priority now is to find ways to launch a small counterattack where there are no elite German troops. Drain as much of the German army's living forces as possible and raid their lines of communication. It was the German troops who attacked the Prokhorovka region in a difficult situation. ”

"Comrade Commander, what do you think?" Hearing me say that I wanted to launch a counterattack in a local area, Danilov suddenly looked at me, and then couldn't wait to ask.

"Comrade Deputy Commander, come and see." I called Danilov to the map hanging on the wall, pointed to the Oboyan section of the Belgorod-Kursk road, and said: "The German armored forces are now launching an offensive against the Oboyan area. Although yesterday, with the support of our artillery and tank brigades, the German offensive was repulsed. But the Germans did not hurt their vitality, and after retreating seven or eight kilometers, they rested at the improvised starting point of the attack. Early this morning, three more attacks were launched against Oboyan. ”

When I was talking to Katukov early in the morning, when I heard him say that the German attacks were becoming more and more violent, I moved the idea of sending troops from the flanks of the Germans to teach the enemy a hard lesson. I took the opportunity to express my thoughts: "I intend to transfer a Guards Division from the Yakovlevo region, with the cooperation of tank brigades, to attack from behind the German troops attacking Oboyan, and to flank General Katukov in front and back. Even if they can't completely annihilate this enemy, they can inflict heavy losses on them, so that they don't have the strength to attack Oboyan again in the short term. ”

"Which division are you going to transfer?" Bezikov asked humbly.

"Colonel Chernov's 90th Guards Division." I said lightly: "So far, of the four Guards divisions of the first line of defense, only the Chernov division is the most complete." As long as the tank brigade is concerned, just let Colonel Bere send the 101st tank brigade. ”

"Okay, I'll go give the order." After recording my orders, Bezkov turned around and wanted to get out of the tent.

"Wait a minute, Comrade Chief of Staff." I stopped Bezikov, who was about to leave, and added: "Anyway, now that Colonel Bere's tank brigade has been sent out, he is now a bare-bones commander, so let him return to the army headquarters at the right time." ”

"Understood." Bezzikov said a brief yes, lifted the curtain and walked out.

Danilov stood in front of the map and observed for a long time, and suddenly asked: "Comrade commander, if the 90th Guards Division is transferred, won't the strength of our army in the Yakovlevo region become thin?" You see, is it necessary to withdraw the 51st Guards Division as well? ”

"No, no," said Danilov disapprovingly to his proposal, "as long as there is a position in our first line of defense that has not been lost, it will be a threat to the Germans, because their troops rushing into our depths are in danger of being cut off at any moment." ”

Hearing me say this, Danilov's face was a little better, he nodded and said: "Okay, since you say so, let the 51st Guards Division continue to stay here and probably fight." It was hoped that they would be able to drag on the German troops near Yakovlevo for a little longer. ”

Since I plan to send troops to support Oboyan, it is necessary to communicate with Katukov and let him know first. When the call is connected. I asked straight to the point: "Comrade General." What's going on there? ”

"It's a terrible situation. Lida. Katukov said to me worriedly: "Although the German attack was repulsed by us several times in succession, the Germans did not give up, and were still trying to take Oboyan from us as the starting point for their attack on Kursk. Now that the city is being bombarded not only by German artillery fire from a distance, but also by enemy aircraft, my temporary headquarters has been moved out of the city and set up on a high ground outside the city. ”

"Comrade General. I know the situation is terrible there, so I'm ready to send troops to support you. I organized the vocabulary in my head, and then said: "I intend to send an infantry division and a tank brigade to attack the rear of the German troops attacking Oboyan along the road." ”

When Katukov heard me say this, he asked with some surprise: "Lida, I know that you don't have a lot of troops, where did you draw the troops from?" ”

"According to reconnaissance, Manstein has transferred SS units near Yakovlevo to the Prokhorovka region and replaced them with ordinary Wehrmacht." I want to make him feel at ease. explained the actual situation to him: "To contain these ordinary national defense divisions, I only need one division. I can draw the rest of the troops and use them in other, more important directions. ”

"Leda, you're taking an adventure." After listening to what I said, Katukov said in a stern tone: "Have you thought about it, what if your remaining division can't stop the onslaught of the Germans?" Once the Germans have seized the position, they will inevitably divide their forces to reinforce the troops attacking Oboyan, and then the infantry divisions and tank brigades you send will be in a dangerous situation of being exposed to the enemy? ”

When I heard that Katukov was actually worried about this, I hurriedly comforted him and said: "Don't worry, Comrade General. Since the front army headquarters has sent new troops to take over several defense areas of our department, I now have a lot of troops at my disposal, and even if the troops in the front line are in trouble, I can draw enough troops to reinforce them. ”

As soon as I explained this, Katukov said something more. He promptly changed the subject and reminded me: "Leda, at present, the German air force still occupies most of the air supremacy on the battlefield, so if your troops want to move in, they can only do it at night, so as not to be discovered by enemy planes and suffer unnecessary losses." ”

"I know, Comrade General." I followed Katukov's meaning and said: "I will order the troops to set off after dark, quietly move into the rear of the enemy, and then take them by surprise." ”

After the end of the call with Katukov, I asked Lopukhov to send a telegram to Akhromeyev, asking him to report to me on the advance of the Fifth Guards Tank Army in the form of a telephone.

About ten minutes later, Akhromeyev called me. He respectfully asked me on the phone: "Comrade commander, what instructions do you have?" ”

"Comrade Major," because time was pressing, I did not go around in circles with him, but asked bluntly: "Is the unit of Lieutenant General Rotmistrov tank corps now moving towards the Prokhorovka region?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Akhromeyev replied in the affirmative: "Their main forces are making a big advance towards the Prokhorovka region." ”

I was afraid that I had misheard, and I deliberately repeated my question: "Are you sure that they are making a big advance towards the Prokhorovka region?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Akhromeyev, although he did not understand why I asked this, patiently replied: "The troops are moving towards Prokhorovka, and the columns of marching troops I see are at least ten kilometers away. ”

"The troops march in broad daylight?" I don't understand why Rotmistrov's troops march during the day, and according to the regulations of wartime, the movement of large forces should not always be carried out at night? "Aren't they worried about air raids?"

"No, Comrade Commander." When Akhromeyev heard me ask, he immediately understood the reason for my question, and quickly explained: "In the sky above the marching column, there are air force flight formations to provide cover. And on the ground, every kilometer, an anti-aircraft artillery battalion is arranged. Under such strict prevention and control measures, even if the German planes flew over, it was estimated that they would not be pleased. ”

Akhromeyev's words reminded me that, yes, since the Fifth Guards Tank Army could be covered by the Air Force during its advance, there was no reason why we could not get support from the Air Force when we defended Oboyan's troops. So I said into the microphone, "Okay, Comrade Major, I'm all clear." Feel free to report to me if there is any situation. ”

I re-dialed the front command to find Vatutin and ask him to send air support. Hearing that it was me, Vatutin asked with a smile: "Comrade Oshanina, did Rotmistrov's troops arrive in Prokhorovka?" ”

"Comrade Commander, according to the report of my Chief of Operations, the headquarters of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps and an infantry division have entered the city of Prokhorovka and taken over the defense of the city from the 375th Infantry Division of our army."

"It seems that Lieutenant General Rotmistrov's troops are moving quite fast." After listening to my report, Vatutin said with satisfaction: "As long as they can reach the Prokhorovka region by noon to-morrow, we will be far superior to the Germans in this area." After he said this, he suddenly remembered that I had called him on his own initiative, and there must be something to ask him, so he continued to ask, "You called me, is there anything wrong?" ”

"Comrade General." I said to him respectfully: "The Germans are currently concentrating superior armored forces and are storming Oboyan, but General Katukov's tank corps is entangled by German troops in other places and cannot get out at all. ”

"That's right, I know this," Vatujing said lightly, "what exactly do you want to say?" ”

"Comrade General, I intend to send troops to support General Katukov, with an infantry division and a tank brigade, to launch a surprise attack from the rear of the enemy and beat them severely." I told Vatutin and the plate of my plan," and Katukov then commanded the troops to rush along the Oboyan road. Under our flank attack, this German force will suffer heavy losses, if not be completely annihilated. As a result, in the area south of Oboyan, the strength of the German armored forces would be seriously weakened. ”

"Yes, yes, this plan of yours is very good." After hearing this, Vatujin repeatedly told me about my plan, and urged me: "Then you should go and implement this plan quickly." (To be continued.) )