Steel Soviet Union

Vatutin likes Malashenko's perseverance, bravery, honesty, and thorough and meticulous execution of orders. These are all the good qualities that a good soldier should possess. And Malashenko happens to be a collection of these excellent qualities, which really adds a lot of points to Vatutin.

"This time I transferred your division to the Third Belarusian Front. I made a promise to Comrade Stalin and fought with many people."

Before Malashenko, the person involved, could say anything, Vatutin, who had already taken a seat on the sofa next to Malashenko, continued to speak.

"The level of mobilization for this campaign is unprecedented. The goal is to liberate Belarus and restore the national borders of the motherland to the pre-war state. What hinders us from completing this strategic goal is the absolute main force of the Germans: Army Group Center."

"This is a very large strategic group force. To deal with it, we must be fully prepared and determined to overcome all difficulties. But its current strength is not complete. A considerable part of the troops have been lured by us towards Army Group South. The enemy It was mistakenly believed that we would continue the assault based on the victory of the Battle of Cherkasy and fully expand our advantages.”

"What the enemy can think of is what we want to deceive. Obviously we did it. The front army headquarters expects that the resistance of the enemy armored forces encountered in the early stages of the battle will be much smaller than expected. You can seize this period and strive to move forward. Assault a certain distance and expand the advantage.

"In the middle and late stages of the battle, a considerable number of enemy armored units will inevitably return to support Army Group Center. At that time, you must pay special attention to the changes in the battlefield and not underestimate the enemy. The First Ukrainian Front Army will contain the remaining troops of Army Group South. , launch an attack on it, and try to reduce the number of German troops returning to support Army Group Center, but the most important task still depends on you. "

After hearing what Vatutin said, Malashenko couldn't help but become interested and then asked casually.

"First Ukrainian Front? After you were transferred and left, who is the current commander?"

I have the impression that the First Ukrainian Front Army I once stayed in was a Soviet field group with extremely strong combat effectiveness trained by Vatutin. This has been well reflected in the Battle of Cherkasy.

In the front, the main force of the 1st Ukrainian Front pressed the formation, and in the back, Malashenko's 1st Stalin Guards Tank Division was shaking things up in their stomachs. It can be said that the hundreds of thousands of German troops surrounded in the pocket of Cherkasy never had a good day. They did not organize an effective defense from beginning to end, and were always under attack from the front and back.

Although Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division can fight, the main force of the 1st Ukrainian Front, which is pressing forward, is not a vegetarian. Only by tacit cooperation between the two can they achieve such a desperate effect for the German army. Malashenko does not dare to take all the credit. On one's own body.

Upon hearing Malashenko's casual question, Vatutin answered quite simply without thinking too much.

"It's Marshal Konev. Comrade Stalin personally asked him to take over the work in Ukraine."

"He integrated the First Ukrainian Front and the Second Ukrainian Front together to form the new First Ukrainian Front. It is currently the strongest first-level unit of the front in our Red Army, with a total strength of 1.2 million people."

"It is not an easy task to find Marshal Konev to get your division over. Even though he has 1.2 million troops in his hands, he still doesn't want to let your division go. He reported to Comrade Stalin that the troops who were encircling and annihilating the German North Ukraine Cluster were The battle also requires the leader's division as the main force. Your division is already included in his strategic plan, and it is still placed at the forefront of the assault. "

"Of course I couldn't tell Comrade Stalin that I had compromised. It was clear which direction needed the leadership division more, and the decision was in Comrade Stalin's hands. Of course, Comrade Stalin supported me in the end, and Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division was It was assigned to the Third Belorussian Front under the command of Vatutin. This is the final answer.”

The Stalin Guards 1st Tank Division is really a very special unit. Among the 240 tanks of various types under the division's jurisdiction, the vast majority are the latest and most powerful new heavy tanks of the Red Army, and even Even medium tanks and self-propelled artillery are the latest models.

If used properly, the combat power of the Stalin Guards 1st Tank Division is no less than that of a fully equipped tank corps. This is a special ace unit that wears the name of a leader, enjoys special treatment and priority equipment supplies, and is the only one in the Red Army.

It is nothing more than that Konev will pull out the Stalin Guards 1st Tank Division alone and assign the main offensive tasks in his own plan. No front-level commander will ignore such a powerful heavy assault force. .

Malashenko, who knows the actual concept and level of his army, has actually long been accustomed to the feeling of being "fighted over" by the big guys.

My brother is just a small teacher, and you big guys are fighting over it. I can't get involved, let alone have the right to interfere. Anyway, as long as the order is given, just follow it.

So Vatutin just talked about Tongkonev's "robbing people" from Comrade Stalin, while Malashenko just listened to it and changed the subject without intending to express any specific opinions. , asked Vatutin.

"So, Comrade Commander, when you transfer our division to the border of Belarus this time, what specific tasks do you want to entrust to me and let our division complete? I want to know what specifically you need me and my comrades to do. And we promise to complete the mission as always.”

Malashenko's tone was very calm, but it sounded reassuring to Vatutin, as if it was a guarantee that he would never be disappointed.

"That's a good question. This is the mental outlook I expect from frontline commanders and combatants."

Vatutin got up from the sofa and came to the war zone map hanging on the wall of his office. Knowing that Vatutin was about to assign a combat mission, Malashenko immediately got up and followed closely behind him. Stand next to you and in front of the war zone map.

"Our front army is located in the center of the north of the four fronts participating in the operation. To the north is the 1st Baltic Front for cover and coordination, and to the south is the 2nd Belarusian Front. So you don't need to worry about threats from both wings in this operation. All you have to do is Lead your division across the Line of Actual Control, tear through the enemy's first line of defense as quickly as possible, penetrate it, and continue the assault!"

"After your operation is successful, the front army headquarters plans to launch an encirclement and annihilation operation in the first phase of the assault in the deep area, and try its best to encircle and eliminate the enemy's heavy defense forces deployed on the border of the actual control line, and to maximize the destruction of the enemy's effective forces. . Prevent the enemy from withdrawing more troops and organize the next line of defense."

"After the attack actually begins, the front army headquarters will quickly complete the specific details based on the progress of your division's assault. In other words, where and at what distance the first phase of encirclement will be launched depends on the actual combat performance of your division. , do you understand this?”