After fully comprehending my operational philosophy, Vitkov unexpectedly proposed to me a proposal: "Comrade commander, since we have achieved considerable results in the daytime defense, we should not take it lightly, in addition to strengthening the existing defensive areas, we should also send troops to the rear of the enemy to establish landing grounds. ”

"Landing ground?" When I heard this word, I couldn't help frowning, and I said in my heart that Vitkov didn't drink today, why did he talk nonsense? There are neither rivers nor oceans in front of us, so where to start with the establishment of a "landing field"?

Perhaps it was Vitkov who saw my doubts in my eyes and quickly explained to me: "The 'landing field' I am talking about is not the same as you imagined it. Before each attack, our troops will first carry out extensive infiltration activities, and some small detachments and reconnaissance groups will infiltrate into the enemy's defensive positions. Speaking of this, Vitkov's face was full of pride, "No one has been able to catch up with us in this tactic of ours." No matter how tightly defended the enemy was, we were able to deftly infiltrate and quickly dig cover. This penetration technique was the most troublesome for the Germans, and the whole process was almost silent, not a single shot was fired. Even if their sentinels were alert all night with their eyes wide open, by the next morning they would find a whole detachment of our troops in full gear near their line, and even dug bunkers. We have used this infiltration tactic hundreds of times, and we have achieved heavy results. ”

After listening to his words, I asked in a skeptical tone, "Is this infiltration tactic really so effective?" ”

"Not really. The effect is really good. Vitkov continued with a high spirit: "The characteristics of the operation of our large corps. That is, no matter where you are. At any time, the landing ground should be established in advance as a base for the next attack. The 'landing ground' that we controlled was a great threat to the German army. If they ignore these landing sites, or if they don't clear them in time, they will pay a terrible price for them.

Our landing grounds, when they were first built, may have been small. It seems that there is hardly any danger to the Germans. But with a little time, we can turn it into a very dangerous position for the Germans, a stronghold that is difficult to overcome. When it was dark, the landing ground occupied by one of our infantry companies would be expanded to at least one regiment by the next morning, and by another night's time, it would become a fortified stronghold equipped with heavy weapons, which could have all the necessary qiē to make it almost impregnable. ”

I listened patiently to Vitkov's explanation, and thought to myself. The "landing field" he mentioned may be the kind of "tunnel approaching operation" tactic that I understand. Come to think of it. I couldn't help but glance at Kirillov next to me, wanting to blame him for his good tactics, but he never told me. But seeing the way he listened with relish, he immediately understood that he was to blame for his mistake, after all, before the Battle of Stalingrad, he was still engaged in civilian work, and maybe he didn't know that our army still had such tactics.

I coughed lightly, cleared my throat, and then asked Vitkov curiously: "Comrade Chief of Staff, to hear you say this, this kind of 'landing field' of ours is simply invulnerable, don't the Germans have measures to deal with it?" ”

When Vitkov heard me ask, he replied with some embarrassment: "The Germans have learned wisely after suffering several losses. As soon as they find out that we are setting up a landing field, or are building an advance position, they will immediately concentrate their superior forces and launch a fierce attack. For they understood that an hour of delay could lead to a setback in the attack, a delay of two hours would certainly lead to a setback, and a day of delay would bring them a catastrophe of destruction. Therefore, as soon as they discover the landing ground of our army, even if there is only one infantry platoon or one tank, they will immediately attack. They have to attack decisively when we are not firmly on the ground and ready to deal with, when we have not had time to organize an effective defense, when our heavy weapons are still in motion, because they understand that if time is wasted, it means defeat, and that only decisive and timely action can resolve their crisis. ”

After listening to Vitkov's introduction to the "landing field", I thought about it a little, and felt that I could send Godunov's troops to try, and I didn't dare to hope for the enemy's position to take it, I only hoped that he could lead his troops in the rear of the German 11th Panzer Division to contain part of the enemy's forces, because they could not attack Poloy City with all their strength, so that we could have enough time to improve the fortifications. Then he began to give orders: "Chief of Staff, record my order: after the two assault engineer battalions of the Godunov regiment withdraw from the battle, they should take advantage of the darkness to move in the direction of Tokmak to find a suitable area to build a 'landing field', so as to achieve the purpose of pinning down the German troops and prompting them to divide their forces, and to relieve the pressure on the frontal defense of our army." ”

After quickly recording my order, Vitkov walked briskly over to the operator and ordered him to immediately send this order in the form of a telegram to Major Godunov.

Kirillov turned his head to look at Vitkov, who was busy, and asked me curiously: "Comrade Oshanina, what do you tell me about this 11th Panzer Division of the German army?" It had beaten our troops to the brink of defeat in the battle of the Zire, but when they met us, they were so vulnerable. Not only were two infantry battalions wiped out by us, but even the most elite 15th Panzer Regiment was severely damaged by us. ”

In fact, I have been thinking about the question asked by Kirillov, and since he is asking now, I have considered it and said: "Comrade Political Commissar, I think the reason why the 11th Panzer Division will suffer a big loss in front of us is that it has been attritional in the early battle and has not been replenished in time; Secondly, it was they who received erroneous information, believing that there were only small units of our army in the Poloy area, so that they would underestimate the enemy, so that during the march, they did not send the corresponding reconnaissance units, and as a result, they fell into an ambush by our second echelon.

However, even if we defeat the 11th Panzer Division in a row, we should not take it lightly. You must know that this division commander named Balk is not simple. According to the statement of the Chief of Staff just now. In the battle of the Chir River. Balk skillfully seized on the loopholes in the command of our army, taking advantage of the disunity in the timing of the offensive of the various units of our army that had been put into battle, and the contradiction between the large number of infantry divisions, to calmly finish one of our troops and then fight the other, and when our attacking forces were weakened by them to a certain extent, they could even withdraw and deal with our newly arrived troops. ”

As soon as I finished speaking, there was a faint burst of explosions outside. I listened intently. Asked Vitkov, who was also at a loss: "Chief of Staff, call the observation post outside and ask what this explosion is all about?" It didn't sound like a cannon sound, but rather like a bomb dropped by an airplane exploding. ”

Vitkov nodded, picked up the phone on the table, and dialed it. As soon as the phone rang, he said loudly, "Hey, the Observatory?" I'm the military headquarters, and I ask you, what's going on with the explosions outside, and where did it come from? He listened for a moment. Put down the phone and report to me: "Comrade Commander, the observation post reports. The enemy dispatched more than a dozen bombers and was indiscriminately bombing the original positions of the first echelon. ”

When I heard that the German air force was bombing the positions of our troops, I became a little flustered, and I nervously asked: "Did the first echelon retreat to new positions?" ”

Vitkov shook his head slowly and said: "Since Major Akhromeyev did not send back the latest information, we have no way of knowing what the situation is in the first echelon now. ”

I was considering whether I should go to the telecommunications room in person and ask Pugachev if he had received the latest battle report, and Pugachev showed up at the door just in time. Looking at the telegram he was holding in his hand, I hurriedly asked loudly: "Comrade Major, are you holding a telegram from Major Akhromeyev in your hand?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Pugachev walked quickly in front of me, handed me the telegram, and reported: "As soon as our troops withdrew from their positions, more than a dozen bombers bombarded our positions indiscriminately. However, due to the timely retreat, the Germans bombed an empty position and did not inflict any casualties on us. ”

When I heard that under the command of Akhromeyev, our troops had withdrawn from their positions in time and had escaped the bombardment of enemy planes, my heart suddenly became much more steady, and I took the telegram in my hand and looked at it at a glance. In addition to what Pugachev had just said, Akhromeyev took the initiative to report to me on the next disposition of his forces: the 115th Regiment had moved into position, while the 124th Regiment was building fortifications on the edge of the city. The two assault engineer battalions, led by Major Godunov, were quietly making a detour towards the rear of the German flank. The three tank battalions of the second echelon, as well as an assault engineer battalion, are currently covertly deployed on the flanks, rearranging a new ambush circle, ready to teach a hard lesson to the armored troops who are about to rush up stupidly.

When I saw Akhromeyev's telegram, I was immediately overjoyed, and said in my heart that this Akhromeyev is not simple, I just asked Vitkov to send a telegram to Godunov, asking him to lead his troops to the rear of the German army to make a detour and infiltrate the rear of the German army to establish a "landing field", but I didn't expect Akhromeyev to arrange it a long time ago. And he also readjusted the deployment of the second echelon, allowing them to once again set a trap for the Germans.

After reading the telegram, Kirillov also said with emotion: "Comrade Oshanina, don't look at Major Akhromeyev so young, it's really not simple. If you look at his formation, even the senior commanders who have been in the army for decades are not necessarily better than him. ”

"Comrade Army Commander," Vitkov waited for Kirillov to finish speaking, and then took the initiative to say to me: "Isn't it a bit too condescending for this Major Akhromeyev to be the chief of staff under you, and now he has been transferred to the army command as the chief of the intelligence and staff departments?" When he returns from his mission, can I promote him to my deputy chief of staff? ”

Although I knew that Vitkov said this out of good intentions, I waved my hand and rejected his suggestion: "Comrade Chief of Staff, although Major Akhromeyev has a wealth of combat experience and surprising military qualities, he is too young after all, and he should be trained at the grassroots level for a few more years." ”

After listening to my statement, Vitkov did not say anything, but reminded me again: "Although our troops have set up an ambush on the road leading to the city, we must be vigilant. As far as I know, Major General Balk was a very experienced commander who famously said: 'The night march is our savior!' ’”

When I heard the last sentence, I couldn't help but be stunned, and then asked rhetorically: "Chief of Staff, what does this Balk division commander mean when he says this, why do I get more confused the more I listen to it?" ”

"That's right, Comrade Commander." Vitkov patiently explained to me again: "At the time of the Battle of the Chir River, for several weeks in a row, the 11th Panzer Division made a transfer at night and reached the most convenient offensive position before dawn. And before our troops attacked, they attacked at the worst moment of vigilance, inflicting heavy casualties on our troops. Although the use of this tactic required a lot of energy and physical strength of the troops, the casualties were very small, because this style of play often caught us off guard. ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Kirillov, who had been listening for a long time, could not help but express his opinion: "Can we send scouts again to crack the German commanders and learn from them about the next move of the 11th Panzer Division?" ”

"It's useless, Comrade Commissar." Vitkov poured cold water on Kirillov with a bitter face: "Their combat orders, without exception, were dictated. The division commander made a decision that night and gave the necessary orders to the regiment commander verbally on the spot. He then returned to the headquarters and discussed his intentions with his superiors. If approved, the regiments were elected: 'no change', and everything went according to plan. If there was any important change, the division commander would go to the regiments that night and re-issue the oral order. He commanded the actions of the division in the forward positions on the battlefield, and his position was with the troops who carried out the main assault, and he had to go to the regiment several times a day. The division headquarters is deployed a little further back, and generally does not change positions during operations. The headquarters is responsible for collecting and sorting out materials on the enemy's situation, managing the supply of troops, and mobilizing and reinforcing troops. Communication between the division commander and the command was maintained by radio and only by telephone on a few occasions. ”

I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat when I heard that Balk was so shrewd and sophisticated, and if he used this method against us, he really couldn't guard against it. But now, I can only use a dead horse as a live horse doctor, and I thought about it for a long time before I gave an order to Vitkov: "Chief of Staff, let the military reconnaissance battalion send reconnaissance units with walkie-talkies in all directions. As soon as the Germans were discovered, they were immediately reported to the corps command. (To be continued......)