Red Moscow

  Chapter 1462

  Sokov raised his binoculars and looked towards the high ground in the distance. Under the light of the remaining fire on the hillside, he could see that the hillside was covered with dense corpses. Seeing this scene, Sokov couldn't help closing his eyes in pain. He didn't expect that the commanders and fighters of the 300th Division paid such a heavy price in order to win this small highland.

  He opened his eyes and continued to observe the situation on the high ground. At the moment there is no movement on the hilltop position, but it does not mean that there is no one there. The enemy should be hiding in those smoking fortifications, pointing their guns at the hillside, waiting for the Soviet attack to start again, and they will not hesitate. Fire and shoot.

  Sokov put down the binoculars, turned his head and asked Weisbach: "When will your new round of offensive start?"

Weissbach raised his hand and looked at the time, and replied: "Comrade commander, our attack was just repelled by the enemy half an hour ago, and many people were injured or injured. The troops that are withdrawing now are on the way halfway up the mountain." After resting in the position, it will take at least two hours before we can attack again."

   "Two hours later, can we attack again?" Sokov frowned and said, "Isn't this giving the Germans sufficient preparation time?"

   "No way," Weissbach replied with a bitter face, "These 3,000 people originally belonged to different companies, but we put them together improvised, and the cooperation between them is very problematic."

"Comrade Colonel, we have no time. We must launch an attack immediately." Sokov said to Weissbach with a serious expression: "If we delay any longer, the enemy's reinforcements will arrive at dawn. It is even more impossible to seize the high ground. Therefore, we must speed up the attack and seize the high ground decisively before the enemy's reinforcements arrive."

"But…"

"It's nothing to worry about. Every minute on the battlefield is precious and can determine the outcome of the battle." Sokov didn't give Weisbach a chance to defend himself, and said to himself: "I'll give you half Hours, you must attack the German positions. If you think you can't do it, you can tell me, and I will replace someone else to carry out this task."

   Weisbach has served as division commander for less than a day. If he is dismissed by Sokov, he may not be able to mix in the army in the future. As soon as Sokov finished speaking, he immediately stated: "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will immediately call the half-mountainside position and order them to attack the enemy's position again in half an hour."

Taking advantage of Weissbach's phone call, Sokov walked aside and called Mikhaiev and others who came with him: "Captain Mikhaiev, it seems that the enemy is fully prepared to attack from the front. , can only increase the casualties in vain. You set off immediately and detour to the back of the high ground.

  You have two tasks, one is to launch an attack from the enemy's rear, and the other is to cut off the enemy's reinforcements so that the enemies on the high ground cannot be replenished. do you understand? "

   "Understood!" Several commanders replied in unison.

"Lieutenant Mikhaiev," Sokov waited for everyone to quiet down, and continued to say to Mikhaiev: "Since you are the deputy brigade commander, the first battalion, the second battalion, the artillery company and the machine gun company are under your command. .”

   Mikhaiev quickly glanced at the high ground where the fire was flickering, and asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, don't you plan to let the artillery company and the machine gun company support the attack of the friendly army?"

   "It's not necessary." Sokov waved his hands and said, "There are more than a dozen tanks from the tank battalion parked at the foot of the mountain. They can suppress the enemy's firepower on the top of the mountain with artillery fire."

Hearing that Sokov said that the artillery company and the machine gun company were not needed to support the high ground, Mikhaiev couldn't help but secretly heaved a sigh of relief, but he still asked tentatively: "What about my first company, should they continue to stay here to cooperate?" Fight with friendly forces, or follow us to the enemy's rear?"

  If Mikhaiev didn't ask, Sokov almost forgot that Narva's 1st company came here earlier than the commanders and fighters of the 300th Division. Now that Mikhaiev mentioned it, he naturally wanted to know about Lian Lian's situation first. He turned his head and looked at Weissbach who had just put down the microphone: "Comrade Colonel, where is Captain Narva's company?"

Weissbach quickly replied: "Comrade Commander, Captain Narva's company has been staying on the mountainside to assist my troops in defense." He was worried that Sokov would transfer the company away, and specifically emphasized that , "Now I have fewer and fewer troops to use. If I want to attack the enemy's position, someone must stay on the mountainside. Captain Narva's company is undoubtedly the best candidate."

  How clever Sokov is, from Weisbach's words, he can hear his intention not to let Narvarien return to the construction. But considering the actual situation on the battlefield, it is indeed more appropriate to keep the company on the mountainside than to call them back. Thinking of this, he said smoothly, "Okay, Comrade Colonel, since you don't have enough troops, let the first company stay on the hillside for the time being."

"Thank you, thank you, Comrade Commander." Knowing that Sokov intends to let Narvarin stay, Weissbach couldn't help but be overjoyed, and repeatedly assured Sokov: "As long as Narvarin sticks to the mountainside On the ground, our army can retain a suitable offensive starting point, which is very helpful for us to finally seize the high ground."

   Mikhaiev thought that his troops would detour to the rear of the high ground, and there must be a fierce battle. Of course, he hoped that he could have as many troops as possible. But now that Sokov agreed to continue to stay on the hillside, he was a little disappointed.

"Comrade Captain," Sokov saw Mikhaiev's loss, raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder, and said, "It's getting late, hurry up and take people out. Can we get back before dawn?" , take down the high ground ahead, but it’s up to you.”

   "Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Sokov's words successfully diverted Mikhaiev's attention, and he quickly assured: "We will not disappoint your expectations, and we will definitely take the high ground before dawn."

After Mikhaiev and others left with the troops, Weisbach said to Sokov with some hesitation: "Comrade Commander, the terrain of the highland is gentle in the west and steep in the east. Even if our army occupies the highland, if It is also difficult to defend the position in the face of the enemy's attack."

  Sokov frowned, and asked Weisbach dissatisfied: "Why can't you hold your position, Comrade Colonel?"

"I have already said, Comrade Commander, that the terrain on the west side of the highland is flat, which is conducive to the enemy's charge." Weissbach replied embarrassingly: "Actually, we occupied the entire position on the top of the hill two hours ago. But without a firm foothold, our fighters were driven off by the enemy's counterattack."

   "How could this be?" Sokov asked sharply, "Are our troops so vulnerable to the enemies of the Viking Division?"

"The enemy bombarded our position violently before attacking." Wiesbach saw that Sukov was angry, and quickly argued: "The position on the top of the mountain was bombed with potholes, which prevented our soldiers from hiding well. , resulting in heavy casualties during the bombardment. As soon as the bombardment stopped, the enemy's counterattack troops rushed up, and it didn't take long to drive our remaining fighters down from the top of the mountain."

  The terrain is gentle, easy to attack and difficult to defend; the fortifications on the top of the mountain were damaged by artillery fire, and it was difficult for the commanders and fighters stationed in the position to avoid the enemy's shelling. While thinking about these two questions repeatedly, Sokov also thought of a question, why can't the troops take down the high ground with the cover of tank guns when they attack?

   Before he could ask this question, Weisbach said first: "Comrade Commander, are you wondering why our infantry still cannot rush to the top of the mountain with our tanks at the foot of the mountain providing artillery cover?"

Seeing that Weissbach guessed what was on his mind, Sokov didn't hide anything, but nodded and replied truthfully: "Yes, I think the tanks parked at the foot of the mountain can fully provide the necessary artillery support for the attacking troops. .”

"Comrade Commander, at the beginning, our tank corps made a great contribution." Weissbach explained to Sokov: "Their artillery fire accurately destroyed the firepower points on the hilltop position, weakening the enemy's firepower against our army. But over time, the Germans learned to be cunning. Before our commanders launched an attack, they deliberately did not shoot, so as not to become the target of tank guns.

  But our soldiers approached their positions, and the tanks at the foot of the mountain were worried about accidental injury. When they stopped shooting, the light and heavy firepower of the position opened fire at the same time, forming a dense firepower network, causing huge casualties to our commanders and fighters. "

  Sokov wanted to ask the other party, since he knew that the enemy's firepower on the top of the mountain was fierce, why didn't he use tank fire to saturate the enemy's position before attacking?

But this time Weissbach again said before Sokov asked: "I also discussed this issue with Lieutenant Colonel Chukliko. He said that when the enemy is hiding in the position, the tank crew cannot see the enemy. , causing the direct artillery fire to lose its effect. And as soon as the attacking troops approached the enemy's position, when the tank guns stopped firing, the firepower points on the position were revived again, killing and injuring a large number of our army's commanders and fighters with intensive firepower."

"Direct artillery fire is useless?" Sokov heard the key point from Weisbach's words: "Comrade Colonel, since direct artillery fire cannot deal with the enemy hiding on the top of the mountain, why don't you try using mortars? "

   Weisbach was shocked all over, and then stared blankly at Sokov.

After a while, he raised his hand and slapped himself on the forehead, and said angrily, "Damn, why didn't I think of this way? Using mortars to deal with the enemies on the top of the mountain is perfect .”

   "Do you have mortars?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander," Weissbach replied, "we have an artillery regiment at the Fesky Kolkhoz, and this regiment has two mortar batteries in its formation. But when I set off, I thought about this The battle was mainly a sneak attack, and the artillery was useless, so we didn't bring them here."

"Since there are artillery, what are you still doing?" Sokov urged: "Hurry up and call Colonel Atakuz and ask him to send two mortar companies over immediately to focus on bombarding the German army. hilltop positions."

   Weissbach didn't dare to neglect, and quickly called Atakuz, who was staying in the Fesky collective farm, and asked him to immediately transfer the two mortar companies. After putting down the phone, he said cautiously to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, it will take at least an hour for the artillery company to arrive here, and I'm afraid it will not be able to catch up with our attack."

  Sokov considered that if the attacking troops were not covered by mortars, they would probably become the target of the enemy's massacre when they were on the hillside. Thinking of this, he decided to adjust his plan, and it would not be too late to attack the enemy's position after the mortar company arrived. "Well, Comrade Colonel, your attack time will be postponed until after the artillery battery arrives."

Seeing Weisbach's relieved look, he added: "Comrade Colonel, if you want to win the battle, you don't rely on the bravery of the commanders and fighters or rushing, but you need to know how to use your brain and think about how to fight." In battle, the greatest victory is achieved with the least cost."

Although Weissbach disagreed with Sokov's statement, he still echoed: "Comrade Commander, you are right. In war, you need to use your brains and know how to preserve yourself and destroy the enemy in order to win more victories." and greater victories."

   But what happened next surprised Sokov. Although he agreed to Weisbach's request to postpone the attack, Weisbach did not notify the commanders and fighters on the mountainside of this order in a timely manner. Those commanders still waited for the time to come, and under the cover of machine guns, they attacked the enemy's position again.

Hearing the gunshots coming from the high ground, Sokov couldn't help being taken aback, and asked instinctively: "Damn, what's going on, why did the attack come earlier?" The seven or eight heavy machine guns in the army began to roar, and the long muzzle flames illuminated the nearby positions, and also illuminated the tired and determined faces in the trenches. The bullet rain flew to the high ground like meteors.

  Sokov put down the phone and asked Weisbach sharply: "Comrade Colonel, please explain to me why the troops on the mountainside launched an attack in advance?"

Weissbach was so frightened by Sokov's words that he was sweating. While wiping the sweat left on his forehead with the back of his hand, he explained in a panic: "Comrade commander, I'm sorry, it was my negligence. Postpone the order, notify the commander on the mountainside."

   "Colonel Weissbach, do you know how many soldiers will die in vain because of your negligence?"

   Sacrifice your life in vain? Sokov stomped his feet angrily: "This unnecessary sacrifice is completely avoidable." "

"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, this is all my fault." Fortunately, Weisbach did not shirk his responsibility, but took the initiative to take the blame on himself: "It was my negligence, I thought the commander in the halfway up the mountain Before the attack started, he would definitely call me to ask for instructions. I didn't expect him to make his own initiative and launch the attack without asking for instructions.

  But the overall responsibility is still on me. If I notify them immediately after you agree to postpone the attack time, this kind of mistake can be avoided. "

"Comrade Colonel, it's too late to say anything now." Sokov said with a straight face: "The army's offensive has already begun, and it can't be stopped even if you want to. You should immediately notify the tank battalion to prepare for battle and wait for our army to attack. When things go wrong, cover them with artillery fire and withdraw."

  (end of this chapter)