As soon as I spoke, the room fell silent, and everyone was stunned by my whimsy. After a long time, Vitkov hesitated to ask: "Comrade commander, if I heard me correctly, you just said that our next offensive target is Zaporosh, where the Manstein headquarters is located?" ”

"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff," I said with certainty: "you heard me right, I'm talking about Zaporosh." ”

"But why is that, Comrade Commander?" Vitkov asked in surprise: "You must know that not long ago, the German troops broke through the defense lines of friendly forces to the north of us and penetrated straight into the depth of our army group. Is it appropriate to attack in this situation? Perhaps he was afraid that I would forget the German troops west of the airfield, and he specifically reminded me, "Have you forgotten that the German 'Skull' Panzer Infantry Division has been attacking our airfield non-stop." ”

"'Skeleton Division' is not terrible," when I said this, I looked towards the tail of the cabin, and I could barely see Ike lying motionless on the floor, and said in my heart that the attack of the "Skeleton Division" in the past two days was not too fierce, is it because they knew that the division commander had fallen into our hands, so they threw a mouse trap and did not dare to let go of their hands and feet to attack us? Thinking of this, I continued: "Although their attack on the airfield is carried out every day, compared with the brilliant results achieved by the 'Imperial Division', they are not so much attacking as conducting offensive and defensive training. ”

"Offensive and defensive training?!" The term I came up with made them even more confused, and this time it was Kirillov who spoke: "I said Comrade Oshanina, can you please elaborate on this kind of dumb riddle-like statement." We sound struggling. ”

Since Kirillov asked so. I don't go around in circles anymore. Instead, he said straight to the point: "The 'Imperial Division' of the position of the 4th Guards Infantry Army, which attacked today, only took one or two hours to completely annihilate our 25th Tank Army and Colonel Bere's tank brigade, and easily broke through the direction of the infantry and plunged straight into the depth of our army's defense. The 'Skeleton Division' was an SS unit of the same name, and if they really wanted to seize the airfield, they might be able to achieve their goal in a few hours. But now? They fought for a few days. I didn't get through the airport gates. Tell me, what is the reason for this? ”

After I finished speaking, Pugachev said tentatively: "Comrade commander, you are right, the offensive of the 'Skeleton Division' in the past two days is indeed a bit abnormal, giving people a perfunctory feeling. ”

"Not bad," I affirmed of Pugachev's analysis: "According to my analysis, the attack of the 'Skeleton Division' on us was not aimed at seizing the airfield. Rather, it is to pin our army near the airfield so that we cannot concentrate on attacking the flanks of the 'Imperial Division'. Support friendly defensive operations. ”

"Even if the attack of the 'Skeleton Division' is perfunctory, but with our strength, is it a bit too risky to attack Zaporosh?" Vitkov waited for me to finish speaking, and immediately expressed his opinion: "At present, our 308th and 171st divisions are entangled by the Germans and cannot be withdrawn at all. If it were to attack, it would have to rely on the 22nd Guards Division of General Bandereev, which could only use three regiments at present, and it would be almost impossible to conquer a city that might be heavily defended. ”

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you have analyzed correctly." After agreeing with Vitkov's words, I continued: "As I have just said, our army is currently surrounded by the Germans on three sides, and the only thing that can be done to avoid being wiped out by the Germans is to risk attacking Zaporosh, knocking out the German headquarters, and throwing their command system into disarray, which is tantamount to supporting friendly units attacked by the Germans in disguise. ”

Seeing that I had made up my mind and that the plan for the attack on Zaporosh could not be changed, Vitkov no longer tried to persuade me, but began to think about how to make a battle plan. He thought for a moment and asked me: "Comrade commander, do you need to prepare for artillery fire before the attack?" ”

I understood the meaning of his question, although the artillery regiment of Lieutenant Colonel Kaverin had been replenished with a batch of shells two days earlier, but the number was limited, and each gun could only guarantee three bases of ammunition, and if it was to provide artillery support to the attacking troops, the artillery would be faced with a situation of no shells in the next battle. I thought about it, and then said to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, in order to reduce the casualties of our troops in the offensive on Zaporosh, the necessary artillery preparation is still necessary. ”

"Well, I'll call Lieutenant Colonel Kaverin immediately." Although Vitkov still had a helpless expression, he couldn't object to hearing me say this, so he had to say helplessly: "Arrange for the artillery regiment to provide the necessary artillery support for our infantry in tomorrow's attack." ”

Seeing that he was going to make a call, I hurriedly stopped him again and instructed him: "By the way, Comrade Chief of Staff, there are still two divisional artillery battalions in the 22nd Guards Division, and they should be used together." ”

"Yes!" Vitkov agreed, turned around and went to call the artillery regiment.

As soon as Vitkov walked away, Kirillov hurriedly asked: "Comrade Oshanina, what are you going to do tomorrow?" ”

"Comrade Political Commissar, according to my estimates, the German 'skeleton division' will also launch an attack on our positions tomorrow morning." Hearing Kirillov's questioning, I spoke to him what was in my heart without reservation: "When their attack is repulsed, we will shell the German positions outside Zaporosh." After the shelling was over, except for a part of the troops left to continue the confrontation with the 'Skeleton Division', the remaining troops launched an attack on Zaporosh. ”

"Is this appropriate?" Kirillov's face became even more worried after hearing my thoughts, and he asked worriedly: "Comrade Oshanina, will the troops of the 'Skeleton Division' stand by while our troops charge Zaporosh?" If they attack from our flanks, then our attacking forces are in danger of being annihilated. ”

I know that my plan is not perfect, and even the product of a pat on the head, and if I attack according to my plan, then we will have half the chance of taking Zaporosh and destroying the whole army. To ensure the success of the operation. I offered to postpone the attack by a day. Two new orders were issued to Pugachev: "Comrade Major. Immediately send a telegram to Major Godunov, telling him to withdraw his troops before dawn tomorrow and to join us at the airfield. In addition, reconnaissance personnel were dispatched to reconnoiter the German defensive positions in Zaporosh overnight, and it was necessary to find out the distribution of fire on the German positions. ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Pugachev said this respectfully. Turned around and left the headquarters and went to the next telecommunications room to make a report.

Vitkov, who came back after the call, heard that I had postponed the operation, nodded his head, and said with emotion: "Comrade commander, postpone the offensive until the day after tomorrow, so that we have more time to prepare." As long as we find out the deployment of the enemy's forces in the city and strike at them in a targeted manner, I believe that our success rate in capturing the city will be greatly increased. ”

I just smiled bitterly at Vitkov's unconfident statement, because I was worried about whether this attack would succeed. I also don't know the bottom of my heart. I only hope that Major Godunov will bring back more commanders and fighters of the assault engineer battalion, with this group of well-trained assault engineers. In the street battles that are about to unfold, we will have a huge advantage.

Since the last time Godunov led his troops to transfer, they were blocked by the Germans, so I did not have much hope that they would be able to withdraw from the German encirclement this time. I didn't expect that the more hopeless things were, the easier it was to surprise people.

I was sleeping in a daze on the camp bed by the wall when I suddenly felt someone shaking my shoulder, and then I heard Kirillov's familiar voice: "Hey, Oshanina, wake up, wake up." ”

I struggled to open my eyes, looked at Kirillov, who was standing in front of my bed, and asked slowly: "Comrade commissar, is it dawn outside?" ”

"It's still early in the morning," said Kirillov, who was full of joy, and said to me excitedly, "I have good news for you, Godunov and his troops have successfully withdrawn from the German encirclement. ”

"What, Major Godunov led his troops out?" Hearing this, I sat up abruptly from the marching bed, and without bothering to put on my shoes, I stepped on the ground barefoot, and couldn't wait to ask Kirillov: "Comrade commissar, where are they now?" ”

When Kirillov saw that I looked anxious, he smiled and said, "Comrade Oshanina, you are in a hurry. Major Godunov had just called and said that he had led his troops to the Kuban and was recuperating. At this point, he paused for a moment, and then said to me in a consultative tone, "They have been fighting for several days, and the commanders and fighters are very tired, so I took it upon myself to let Major Godunov lead his troops to rest in the Kuban, and then lead the troops to come at noon." ”

Hearing that Godunov and his troops were still in the Kuban, I sat back down on the marching bed, put on my boots and said: "Since they are resting in the Kuban, let them rest for a while, anyway, the offensive will start tomorrow." By the way, is there any new situation coming from the army group? ”

Kirillov nodded and replied: "A telegram has been sent from the headquarters of the army group saying that the Germans, having broken through the defensive line of the 4th Guards Infantry Army yesterday, have advanced almost a hundred kilometers and have approached the location of the headquarters, and that the commander is currently directing the troops and engaging in a fierce battle with the German troops rushing over. ”

"Where is General Gurdiev?" After asking about the situation of the army group, I was concerned about the 308th Division, which was supposed to cover the flank, "Did the Germans move forward in their positions?" Also, I asked him to send a search team to the battlefield to find the survivors of the tank brigade, did it come of anything? ”

"According to General Gurdiev, there are currently no German units on their front." Kirillov picked up a telegram and read it to me: "The search party sent overnight after intense search and rescue about forty wounded of our troops, fifteen of whom were seriously wounded, found no trace of Colonel Bere. ”

Hearing this, I stood up abruptly and said angrily: "How did this Gurtiev do it, it's such a big place, he can't find anyone, it's really a waste." After walking around the house twice with my hands behind my back, I stopped and said to Vitkov, who was standing next to me: "Comrade Chief of Staff, send another telegram to General Gurtiev, and ask him to send more men to continue the search, and if you want to see people alive or dead, you must find the whereabouts of Colonel Berey." ”

"Yes!" Vitkov agreed, handed me another telegram and reported: "Comrade Army Commander, this is a telegram that has just been received, a joint telegram from Major Akhromeyev and Colonel Anderyushchenko, commander of the 171st Division. They said that the German 11th Panzer Division and the 336th Infantry Division pressed up from both directions at the same time, so tightly compressing their maneuver space that they had to engage in brutal positional warfare with the Germans. ”

"Huh?!" Kirillov, who was close to me, was taken aback when he heard the news, and immediately asked me, puzzled: "Comrade Oshanina, why is this happening?" ”

"It's simple, Comrade Commissar." In response to his question, I shrugged my shoulders and said helplessly: "Major Godunov's troops have successfully withdrawn from the German encirclement, then the German troops that were originally pinned down by the new third regiment will have no worries, and they will be able to calmly transfer troops to attack our 171st Division." ”

"With the strength and armament of the 171st Division, it is simply impossible to stop the attack of one armored division and one infantry division of the German army." Kirilov said anxiously: "What are we going to do next, do we watch them being wiped out by the Germans?" ”

"Comrade Political Commissar, don't worry, things haven't reached such a critical moment yet." I hurriedly comforted Kirillov and said: "Since the current strength of our army is too scattered, I intend to let Major Akhromeyev take cover alternately and withdraw to the Kuban, where new fortifications will be built to resist the German attack." Once we have succeeded in capturing Zaporosh, we will withdraw the 171st and 308th Divisions into the city and hold out there for reinforcements. ”

"That's a good idea, I agree." Hearing that my plan was to withdraw the entire army of more than 10,000 or 20,000 men into the city to continue the battle after the capture of Zaporosh, Kirillov's confidence was immediately restored, "Maybe in this way, we can successfully replicate a 'Stalingrad-style' street battle in Zaporosh, and wait until the main forces of the Southwestern Front and the Voronezh Front arrive, and then encircle and annihilate the German troops under the city of Zaporosh." (To be continued......)