Red Moscow

  Chapter 1555 Bait

  Sokov at this moment is really dumbfounded. It seems that the taint of the 300th Division being drunk on the battlefield will accompany them for a lifetime, maybe until they are revoked from the establishment. Thinking of the abolition of the organizational system, Sokov couldn't help but fell into contemplation: Even the 150th Infantry Division, which conquered the Berlin Reichstag, was abolished shortly after the end of World War II, let alone other troops. Don't look at yourself as the commander of the group army now, once the troops are withdrawn, what should I do?

"General Sokov," Managarov saw that Sokov was lost in thought, thinking that his words had embarrassed the other party, he quickly argued, "I'm just talking casually, you must not take it to heart. "

"Comrade General," Sokov said, looking at Managarov, "I'm thinking about the stain of the 300th Division, I'm afraid I'll have to bear it for the rest of my life. Is it necessary to talk to the commander of the division so that they can put it down?" Burden, in the next battle, establish new exploits."

"Comrade Commander," Lunev interrupted as soon as Sokov finished speaking, "I think you can leave this matter to me, and I will go talk to the commanders and fighters of the 300th Division and let them relax. This baggage."

   "Okay." The battle was imminent, and Sokov didn't want to be distracted by these trivial matters, so he nodded decisively and agreed to Lunev's request: "Comrade Military Commissar, this matter will trouble you."

   "Comrade General," after handing over the headache to Lunev, Sokov turned to Managarov and asked, "Your troops are also arriving one after another. How do you plan to deploy them?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Managarov seemed to have guessed that Sokov would ask this question, and quickly ordered his Chief of Staff Derevyanko: "Show General Sokov the defense plan we have drawn up. .”

Derevyanko took the deployment map, came to Sokov, put it on the table, and then began to explain: "General Sokov, according to our plan, the 28th Guards Infantry Division, the 116th Infantry Division, The 130th Division was deployed in the north-northwest of Klemenchug to guard against enemies from upstream; while the 214th, 233rd, and 252nd Infantry Divisions were deployed in the southwest of the city to prevent enemies from downstream. The 299th Division and the tank regiment, artillery, and ski brigade were deployed to the north of the city to guard against the enemy who might retreat from Poltava."

After reading the deployment map of the 53rd Army, Sokov nodded slightly, then called Sameko, pointed to the deployment map and said to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please copy this map, do it right. The friendly army is well aware of the deployment, so as to avoid the situation of repeated deployment."

  Sokov said so, but it is not unfounded. According to his experience, there are serious problems in the coordination and communication among the Soviet troops. When carrying out joint defense, troops are not deployed in the same area, or there is a gap of several kilometers or even more than ten kilometers in the junction, which is blocked. The Germans made a hole.

After listening to Sokov's order, Sameko nodded and said, "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will immediately order the combat staff to make a copy of this picture." After saying this, he suddenly remembered that Sokov seemed to be It seemed a little inappropriate to let myself be in charge of the deployment map without saying hello to the other party. He hurriedly said to Derevyanko, "General Derevyanko, I want to copy your defense map. Do you have any objections?"

When Derevyanko heard this question, he didn't answer it immediately. Instead, he glanced at Managarov quickly. Seeing his expression, he nodded and said, "How could it be, General Sameko? Since We are friendly forces, and it is the right thing to let you know about our deployment."

After obtaining Derevyanko's permission, Sameko called a staff officer, handed him the deployment map, and told him: "Comrade Lieutenant, please make a copy of this map immediately, we are waiting for it Well. Remember, it must be kept secret."

   "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." The staff officer took the defense map in Sameko's hand, turned around and walked aside to draw the map.

  The staff officer who made the map was a skilled person, and it took less than ten minutes to complete the drawing work of the deployment map. Sokov took the blueprint in his hand and looked at it. It was no different from the defense map that Derevyanko gave him. After a few compliments, he let him leave.

Then Sokov handed back the original deployment map to Derevyanko, and said with a smile: "General Derevyanko, thank you for the deployment map. I think after having this deployment map, the battle between our two troops Together, it will be even more perfect.”

   "Comrade Commander," Sameko came to Sokov with a recently received telegram and said with a serious expression, "The first line of defense of the 73rd Infantry Brigade has been occupied by the Germans."

"What, the first line of defense of the infantry brigade is occupied by the enemy?" Sokov told Managarov not long ago, saying that even if the Germans wanted to break through the defense line of the landing field, the first line of defense would not be the The defense zone of Guchakov's brigade. Unexpectedly, the words were still in his ears, but he got the news that the infantry brigade's defense line had been breached, which made Sokov embarrassed.

   While Sokov looked down at the telegram, Sameko continued: "Comrade Commander, according to Major Guchakov's report, the loss of the first line of defense seems to be their voluntary abandonment."

   Sokov, who was browsing the telegram, heard what Sameko said, instinctively raised his head, and said with some surprise: "Is it the first line of defense that the infantry brigade voluntarily gave up?"

After reading the telegram, Sameko knew that the important content was at the back of the telegram. Before Sokov saw it, he continued: "Major Guchakov reported that their frontline positions are not solid. Fortifications, after the enemy’s shelling, the entire fortification of the position was destroyed. Without the troops to rely on the fortifications, it is bound to pay a huge price to block the enemy’s attack?”

   Before Sokov could speak, Derevyanko, who was still standing aside, interrupted and asked, "The commanders and fighters of the infantry brigade withdrew to the second line of defense. Is it because there are reinforced fortifications there?"

   "No, Derevyanko." Sameko replied unexpectedly.

   "Since there are no solid fortifications, why did you give up the first line of defense?" Derevyanko asked puzzled.

"The reason is simple." Sameko explained to Derevyanko: "The front of the first line of defense is an open field. Even without the guidance of artillery observers, the artillery fire can hit the target accurately. Now the infantry brigade has withdrawn to the second If there is no line of defense, there is an extra hill between the new position and the enemy's artillery, and if the enemy's artillery wants to bombard the new position, they have to move their positions."

"Even if there is an extra hill that blocks the view of the German artillery, it probably won't take much time for them to move their positions." Derevyanko shook his head and said disapprovingly: "At most an hour later, Enemy shells would fall on the infantry brigade's second line of defense."

"That's not necessarily the case, General Derevyanko." Sameko said confidently: "I have already contacted the air force, and they will be dispatched in ten minutes. , will become the target of their bombing.”

Managarov smiled when he heard this, and he said to Sokov: "General Sokov, your chief of staff is very thoughtful. The infantry brigade has abandoned the first-line position, and the enemy wants to continue to attack them." For shelling, you have to shift your position. And the air force just arrived at this time, and the indiscriminate bombing of the enemy is bound to cause them heavy casualties. As long as the enemy's artillery suffers huge losses, in the next defensive battle In the process, the pressure on the defenders will be greatly reduced."

"That's right." Sokov also read the telegram at this moment, and said to Managarov with a smile: "The infantry brigade's abandonment of the first-line position is tantamount to throwing a bait to the Germans. And the enemy thinks that our army can't do it." To counter their powerful artillery fire, they had to abandon their positions and retreat, and quickly occupied the abandoned positions of our army. But they didn't know that once this position was occupied, the artillery had to move their positions if they wanted to bombard the infantry brigade on the second line , In this way, it is equivalent to giving the artillery to our air force."

  Things developed exactly as Sokov expected. When the German army occupied the first-line position abandoned by the infantry brigade, they found that the second-line position of the Soviet army was only a few hundred meters away from them. If your artillery stays at the original position and shells, then a lot of shells will fall on your own heads.

  In order to better destroy the second-line fortifications of the Soviet army, the German commander gave orders to the artillery units to move forward, find better shooting positions, and establish new artillery positions to bombard the second-line defense positions of the Soviet army.

  When the German artillery was preparing for the transfer, they never dreamed that the fighter planes of the 5th Army of the Soviet Air Force were taking off one after another, preparing to fly to the landing site and bombarding the German artillery in the transfer.

  The air force goes into the air to fight, and it is inevitable to lose some aircraft. But not long ago, a fighter squadron stationed in Klemenchug was destroyed under the siege of the superior German forces. Two of the four pilots died and one was injured. Husband was very annoyed.

  When he received Sameko's call for help, knowing that the German artillery unit would be transferred soon and asked him to dispatch fighter planes to carry out air strikes, he immediately agreed without hesitation. He intends to use this opportunity to avenge the sacrificed pilot.

In order to ensure the success of the air attack, he dispatched not only bombers from two aviation regiments, but also an equal number of fighter jets. At the same time, two aviation regiments were on standby at the airport. support in the area.

  When a large number of Soviet fighter planes rushed over the landing field, they soon discovered the German artillery positions being deployed on the ground. The bombers immediately lowered the ground and began to dive and drop bombs. As the aerial bombs fell on the artillery positions and exploded, the German cannons were blown to pieces, and the remains of the artillery were thrown high by the air waves, and scattered on the ground like a goddess. In the hot soil.

   Knowing that the artillery was attacked by the Soviet army, four German fighter jets rushed to the sky above the landing site and joined the battle group. Although the German fighter jets and pilots who rushed over had rich combat experience, at the beginning of the battle, two bombers and a fighter plane were hit and fell with long black smoke tails.

  But regaining consciousness, the Soviet fighter planes immediately launched a siege on the four enemy planes.

  A leading fighter was besieged by five Soviet fighter planes. Bullets flying from all directions hit the wings and fuselage of the German fighter jets and were riddled with holes. Before the pilot could jump out, the plane was blown into the air and exploded.

   After killing the enemy plane, the Soviet fighter planes dispersed again, and launched a siege to the remaining three German fighter planes.

  Since the Kuban air battle, the German army has experienced a serious shortage regardless of the number of aircraft, or the fuel and ammunition required by the aircraft. Those who can still fly into the air at this moment are all experienced veterans who have achieved good results in air combat with Soviet fighter planes.

  But a good man is hard to beat with two fists. No matter how good the German pilots are, they still feel a deep sense of powerlessness in the face of Soviet fighters several times larger than themselves.

  After a fierce battle, the remaining three German fighter jets were all shot down. Except for one pilot who was seriously injured and unable to parachute, and died with the crashed plane, the remaining two pilots successfully parachuted.

   But the area where they parachuted happened to be within the defense zone of the infantry brigade. Seeing a German pilot parachuting in the sky, Guchakov quickly dispatched a guard platoon to search the area where the German pilot parachuted, and brought them back regardless of whether he was dead or alive.

  After killing the German artillery, those bombers who had not dropped all their aerial bombs came to the sky above the front-line positions occupied by the Germans again, and dropped all the aerial bombs in one go, blowing up the German officers and soldiers who did not have solid fortifications.

  Seeing that the enemy was blown to pieces by our own air force, the commanders and fighters on the second-line positions asked their superiors to fight, hoping to take the opportunity to launch a counterattack and take back the lost positions from the enemy.

But Guchakov was unmoved, just shook his head and said: "No, we can't launch a counterattack here. It is undeniable that once we launch a counterattack, it is indeed possible to regain the position from the enemy, but then Well, the commanders and fighters who stick to this position will have to face the enemy's powerful artillery fire every day, and there will inevitably be a large number of casualties. If the casualties of the troops are too large, then the next battle may not have our share Let alone making meritorious deeds."

   A word of meritorious deeds immediately silenced the commanders who were eager to fight. Everyone thought about it carefully, and it seems that this is really the case. If the troops suffer heavy casualties during defensive operations, when the offensive begins, the troops will be transferred to the rear for replenishment due to excessive casualties and insufficient manpower. . In this way, everyone will pass by making contributions.

Although Guchakov persuaded everyone not to mention the counterattack, Chief of Staff Askel still reminded him: "Comrade Brigadier, I think you should send a telegram to the headquarters first, explaining the reasons why we cannot counterattack." Report it. In order to avoid waiting for the superior to ask, we will be a little passive if we defend ourselves."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, what you said is very reasonable." Guchakov agreed with Askel's statement very much, so he ordered him to say: "Then it is up to you to draft the telegram to the headquarters, and we can't implement it." Make a detailed report to the superiors about the difficulties of the counterattack.”

  (end of this chapter)