Apanashchenko was silent for a moment, and then said to the regimental chief of staff: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the matter of changing clothes is arranged by the base camp and the weapons and equipment department. When it's time for you to change your clothes, I'll change myself. After saying these words, he changed the topic and asked, "I have to go to other troops, do you know how to go?" ”

The regimental chief of staff hurriedly walked to Apanashchenko's side, pointed to the east, and said: "Comrade General, follow this road for about two kilometers to the east, and you will reach the station of another infantry division. After pointing the way, he respectfully asked Akhromeyev, "Do you need me to send someone to escort you?" ”

Apanashchenko glanced back at Yushchenko, who was standing near us, shook his head, and replied: "We have a guard squad with us, you just need to make a phone call to the division headquarters in your neighbors and inform them in advance of the news that we are about to go." ”

Unexpectedly, after listening to his words, the regimental chief of staff hurriedly showed an embarrassed expression. Seeing his reaction, I asked with some dissatisfaction: "What, Comrade Major, are you not willing to help us with this?" ”

The regimental chief of staff replied with a sad face: "Comrade commander, it's not that I refuse to help, but I really can't help you." ”

"Why?" Apanashchenko was intrigued by the answer of the regimental chief of staff, and could not help but ask: "Comrade Major, why can't you help us?" ”

"That's right, Comrade General." The regimental chief of staff was deeply afraid that Apanashchenko would get angry, so he hurriedly explained: "The communication equipment of our regiment can only be used with the superiors and the internal part of the regiment, and it is impossible to contact friendly and neighboring troops. ”

After hearing what the regimental chief of staff said, Apanashchenko's face turned pale, and he didn't say anything, but turned to me and said, "Comrade Oshanina." Let's go. ”

When I returned to the parking place, I saw Yushchenko, who was directing the soldiers to get into the car, and hurriedly shouted at him: "Captain Yushchenko, come to me." ”

When Yushchenko came to me, I didn't wait for him to speak, but directly ordered him: "Captain." Get in the car, you take the co-pilot seat and go with us. "The reason why I arranged for him to get in the car was to increase the insurance factor, and if there was any danger, having a guard like him could at least buy us some precious time.

Without saying a word, Yushchenko opened the front door and got into the car. Apanashchenko, on the other hand, asked me in a curious whisper: "Comrade Oshanina, why did you let your subordinates sit in the same car as us?" ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander." I was afraid that he would object, so I explained to him: "This is close to the German defense zone, and for the sake of safety, there must be at least one guard in the car, so that the safety factor can be greatly improved." After hearing this, Apanashchenko just nodded, then pulled the car door and sat in.

On the way to friendly neighboring units, Yushchenko, who was sitting in the front row, grabbed an assault rifle. Scanning out the car window with a wary gaze. Apanashchenko and I can talk about something else in peace. He said to me worriedly: "Comrade Oshanina, I really didn't expect that. There was no direct communication between the divisions, and once the battle with the Germans began, the coordination between the various units would be affected by the reasons for communication. ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander," I heard that he had discovered a problem in the army, and I also proposed a solution to it to him: "It seems that in the next preparations for war." Direct communication between divisions should be a big problem that must be solved, otherwise our troops will be in danger of being broken by the Germans one by one in battle. ”

"You're quite right." Apanashchenko said with deep feeling: "If I hadn't accompanied you on such a trip today, I probably wouldn't have discovered this big problem." After going back. I'll report this to Commander Vatutin. ”

As we spoke, the jeep slowed down. Apanashchenko asked the driver in a loud voice: "Comrade driver, what happened, why did you slow down?" ”

The driver turned his head to look at us, quickly turned his head back, and reported: "Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, I see our commanders and fighters on the side of the road in front of me, and I plan to stop and ask for directions. ”

Hearing that this was the case, Apanashchenko nodded and said, "Okay, ask the fighters in front of you, do you know how their division headquarters should go?" ”

I looked out the window of my car and saw a dozen soldiers digging fortifications on the side of the road. When the car came to a stop, Yushchenko went out and asked loudly: "Hey, comrade soldier, do you know how your division headquarters should go?" ”

A middle-aged man, dressed only in a white smock, climbed out of the half-formed trench with a shovel, walked to the vicinity of the jeep, and asked Yushchenko vigilantly: "Comrade commander, what part are you from, is there anything to do with the division headquarters?" ”

"We are from the headquarters of the Front," Yushchenko, who was very experienced in dealing with these interrogations, said to the soldier in an official tone: "I have something important to ask your division commander, do you know where he is?" ”

When the soldier heard this, he hurriedly stood upright, and then respectfully pointed in a direction ahead and said: "Comrade commander, look ahead along this road, turn left at the fork in the hill in front of you, and then drive four or five kilometers forward to reach the location of the division headquarters. ”

After Yushchenko thanked the fighters, our car continued to move forward.

Looking at the commanders and fighters digging trenches on the hills on both sides of the road, I couldn't help but frown. When Apanashchenko noticed my anomaly, he couldn't help but ask, "Oshanina, why are you so preoccupied?" ”

Pointing to the busy commanders and fighters, I said to Apanashchenko: "Comrade Deputy Commander, look at the fact that although the commanders and fighters on the hills have dug a lot of trenches, it is difficult to stop the enemy's attack. ”

"Do you have any good ideas?" After hearing this, Apanashchenko asked humbly.

"I can't explain this for a while, but when I get to the place, I'll draw a picture and explain it to you in detail."

When we arrived at the headquarters of the infantry division, Apanashchenko greeted the division commander, political commissar, and chief of staff, and then called them all to the table to study the situation of building fortifications together.

Apanashchenko first asked the fat colonel and division commander: "Comrade division commander, on the way here, we saw your commanders and fighters digging trenches everywhere. What do you think. If the Germans attack us, will the existing defensive line of your division be able to hold back the enemy's attack? ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, can you tell the truth?" The division commander did not speak, but the lieutenant colonel chief of staff next to him spoke.

Apanashenko listened to him and turned his face stiff. Dissatisfied, he said, "When did I let you tell a lie?" ”

Hearing Apanashchenko criticize his chief of staff, the fat division commander opened his mouth and just wanted to defend a few words, but was stopped by Apanashchenko with his eyes.

The chief of staff of the division hurriedly straightened up and reported: "Comrade Deputy Commander, although we have built a lot of fortifications, it is difficult for us to build a perfect defense system because there are too many hills in the defense area, and most of them are incoherent. In the event of a German attack, our existing defensive positions would last a day or two at most. will be breached. ”

"Do you have any good solutions?" Apanashchenko asked with a blank face.

Hearing Apanashchenko's question, the three division leaders were silent and lowered their heads one after another, saying that they were helpless about the current situation.

Apanashchenko waited for a while, and when he saw that none of them spoke, he couldn't help but sigh in disappointment, turned to me, and said, "Oshanina, do you have any good ideas?" Then he had to turn his head. Explain to the three of them, "This General Oshanina. It was the base camp that sent us to the military defense area to inspect the construction of the fortifications. ”

After the three of them knew my identity, they all showed frightened expressions on their faces, because the report of the chief of staff just now could be completely turned into a sign of the commander's incompetence. In order to reassure them, before explaining to them the idea of my own fortifications, I smiled and said to the chief of staff of the division: "Comrade Chief of Staff. Can you find me a pen and paper? I'm useful. ”

"Pen and paper?" After listening to my words, the division chief of staff hesitated for several seconds, then quickly rushed to the wall, picked up a pen and paper from a table there, and quickly walked back to the table. Respectfully placed in front of me.

I coughed and saw that everyone's attention was on me. I drew a few strokes on paper with a pen, and then began my own explanation: "Comrades commanders, in order to defend against an enemy like the Germans, who are armed to the teeth, the first thing to do is to strengthen the solidity of the position, to defend against enemy artillery fire and bombardment, and to maintain the vitality of our army. Secondly, it was necessary to make the position a complete defensive system, which would be convenient for blocking the attack of German tanks and infantry.

According to the topography of your division's defense area, I believe that the defensive position should establish support points, construct Zhan Hang, implement circular defense, control each other, and form a defense system based on support points, so as to achieve the purpose of dividing the German battle formation.

There are many ways in which support points can be established. The first is with two tunnels running through the front and back of the hill, connected by a horizontal tunnel in the middle of the two tunnels, making it an 'H' row, connected by a trench on the outside, and fortifications are located at the four exits of the tunnel.

In the second case, two tunnels are crossed left and right to form an "X" shape, and the outside is connected by trenches on all sides, and various firing positions are placed on both sides of the mound, so that they can spread fire to the surrounding area of 300 meters. This kind of support point can be used as the backbone defense point of the basic position......"

When I first started speaking, the three divisional commanders had disapproving expressions on their faces, but as I spoke more and more, the expressions on their faces became solemn, and the chief of staff even took out his notebook and began to record it quickly.

After I had finished explaining the shape of a few fortifications, I pushed the sketch in front of the division chief of staff, and finally said: "Remember, no matter what style of fortification, there must be strong cantonment holes on its anticline, and on both sides of the mound there must be anti-impact trenches or communication trenches, or even tunnels. ”

After the division chief of staff waited for me to finish speaking, he cautiously asked: "How should the troops of these support points be deployed?" ”

"The number of troops hoarded at the support point should be at least more than double the original defensive force." When I said this, seeing the puzzled expressions on everyone's faces, I further explained: "For example, if there is a company of support points, at least two companies of troops should be preserved as a starting position for a counterattack against the Germans. ”

After I finished speaking, Apanashchenko smiled and said to his men: "Comrades, you all heard what General Oshanina said. Now have any other questions? If so, bring it all up at once and let her give you a detailed answer. ”

"Comrade General," said the political commissar of the division, who had remained silent all along, politely asked, "I would like to ask what are the basic requirements for the construction of fortifications?" ”

Looking at the division commissar in front of me, who was wearing a pair of round-rimmed glasses, I instinctively turned my head to look at Apanashchenko. At this moment, the voice of the division commander sounded: "Comrade General, please don't misunderstand, my political commissar graduated from Leningrad University of Architecture, and when he heard about these architectural things, he was particularly interested. If you don't object, we'd like to hear about it too. ”

"Yes, Comrade General." The chief of staff of the division also helped: "We also want to learn more useful information from you, which will be very helpful for us to build fortifications." ”

"General Oshanina." After the division commander and chief of staff of the division political commissar finished speaking, he said to me with a smile on his face: "I have read the construction drawings of the 'Oshanina trench' sent to us by my superiors. To tell you the truth, after I read it, I admired you very much, because such an anti-tank trench can only be designed by heaven, so I ......"

Although the anti-tank trench was the Golan trench that I copied, I still accepted his compliment to me without blushing, and politely said to him: "Since Comrade Political Commissar wants to understand the basic requirements for the construction of fortifications, then I will say a few more words." ”

I paused for a moment, took a sip of water, and then continued: "In fact, the basic requirements for the construction of fortifications are very simple, first, the location of the fortifications should be selected, which should be determined according to the tactical value of the terrain and the role of various fortifications in battle.

Generally speaking, the thickness of the tunnel fortification should be about 20 meters, and the thickness of the tunnel entrance and exit should be at least 5 meters or more, and open into a flat mouth to make it suitable for camouflage.

The third is the combat equipment inside the tunnel fortifications. Shooting fortifications should be built at the turns, and there should be special facilities for storing food, drinking water and ammunition inside the tunnels. ”

After hearing what I said, the commissar became more and more excited, and he asked repeatedly: "Is that all?" Anything else? Seeing that I stopped talking, he even begged me to say, "Comrade General, could you please speak in more detail?" It's great to know what you're talking about, and if it can be replicated across the division, our chances of winning the defense will be greatly improved. (To be continued.) )