Red Moscow

  Chapter 222 Attack (Part 2)

   What Sokov didn't expect was that two hours before dawn, General Kazakov, the artillery commander of the group army, came to his headquarters. Seeing Sokov's bewildered expression, Kazakov said jokingly, "Why, Major Sokov, you don't seem to welcome me?"

"Welcome, of course welcome!" Sokov hesitated for a moment, then he knew the purpose of Kazakov's visit to his headquarters. The other party wanted to observe the effect of the shelling here, so he quickly said enthusiastically: "Comrade General, please sit down." I think you must be tired, let's have a cup of hot tea."

"That's great, I'm thirsty right now." Kazakov looked up at Sokov after sitting down at the table and said, "Hurry up and bring me a cup of hot tea." After bringing it over, Kazakov asked Sokov again, "Major Sokov, where is your observation post?"

  Sokov has long established a spacious observation post on a nearby hill so that the command can be transferred there if necessary. Hearing Kazakov ask about the observation post, he quickly replied: "Our observation post is only two or three hundred meters away from here. Do you need to command the artillery there?"

Regarding Sokov's question, Kazakov nodded in affirmation: "Yes, I intend to direct the artillery there." Then he told Sokov, "Comrade Major, the communications staff I brought is outside. You find someone to take him to the observation post, and lay a telephone line that can directly contact the headquarters of the group army."

  Sokov hurriedly said to Potukin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you send an officer to accompany General Kazakov's communications staff officer to the observation post and help him lay the telephone line."

When Potukin left the divisional headquarters and went out to find someone, Sokov asked Kazakov: "Comrade General, in a few hours our artillery will open fire on the enemy's positions. I would like to ask , How long did it take to prepare for this artillery fire?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Kazakov was silent for a moment, and then said: "Major Sokov, I don't want to hide anything from you. The supplies given to us by the superiors were very small and came very slowly, so that we didn't Stock up enough ammunition to support this attack. Therefore, I can only provide you with artillery support for two regiments, and the time will not be too long, just about half an hour."

Knowing that the artillery could only provide him with artillery support for half an hour, Sokov felt a little bit lost, but he thought about it, the German fortifications on the other side of the Zizdra River were not particularly strong, after half an hour of shelling, It should be possible to destroy most of the civil bunkers or firepower points,

Seeing Sokov not speaking for a long time, Kazakov guessed that he must be a little bit disappointed. After all, the artillery can give him too little support, so he changed the subject and asked: "Major Sokov, do you want to cross the river?" Are you ready?"

"Yes, my troops have arrived at the crossing point." Sokov shook his head, trying to shake off the things that bothered him, looked at Kazakov and said, "As long as I give an order, they will You can immediately cross the Zizdra River."

Although Kazakov is a member of the headquarters, many things involve confidentiality. Rokossovsky did not explain it to him, so that he now thinks that the breakthrough of Sokov's troops will be in the area where he is about to bombard . He kindly reminded the other party: "According to the information I have, the forward position of your division is only two or three hundred meters away from the German position, and there is a river fifty or sixty meters wide in the middle. , may be accidentally injured by our own shells; and after the artillery preparations are over, the German army will soon be able to recover from our shelling, and they are fully capable of stopping your attack. Even if you barely break through the German defense, you will There will be a huge price to pay."

Considering that the battle would start in a few hours, Sokov did not hide his true intentions from Kazakov. He pointed to the map and said, "Comrade General, our breakthrough is not here. The main force of our division is currently They have reached the upper reaches of the Zhizdra River, where they have chosen a suitable crossing point, and at the right time, they will cross the river and hit the German flank severely."

Hearing that the main force of the 328th Division had quietly entered the upper reaches of the Zhizdra River, Kazakov was also secretly taken aback, and said in his heart that your secrecy work is really good. The members don't even know this. After waiting for Sokov to finish speaking, he asked with concern: "Comrade Major, the Germans didn't find out that the main force of your division is deployed in the upper reaches of the Zhizdra River, right?"

   "No." Sokov shook his head, and explained to Kazakov: "In order to prevent the Germans from discovering our actions, I used a tactic to attract their attention."

"What did you say?" Hearing the word from Sokov's mouth, Kazakov asked in surprise: "I didn't understand what tactics you were talking about, can you explain in more detail? "

  Judging from Kazakov's reaction, Sokov realized that he had slipped his tongue, and quickly avoided the important point and introduced the deception tactics he used to Kazakov. After listening to Kazakov, he nodded his head and said approvingly: "Not bad, Major Sokov, your tactic is very well used. The Germans must have thought that our army had assembled a large number of troops on the position opposite them." As a result, we have to strengthen the defense of the forward positions. In this way, we can destroy more enemies when we prepare for artillery fire."

  Considering that the time for artillery preparation was too short, Sokov decided to adjust the original combat plan. He first ordered the operator to send a telegram to Lieutenant Colonel Pavel, informing him to cross the river an hour in advance. After completing the task of crossing the river, he quickly went south, rushed directly to the flank of the German army, and gave them a severe lesson.

  Half an hour before the shelling began, Sokov accompanied Kazakov to the observation post he set up, where he planned to command the attacking troops. As soon as he entered the door, Kazakov saw the communication staff officer he had brought, and asked, "Comrade staff officer, how is the situation, can you talk to the headquarters directly?"

   "Yes, Comrade General." After answering the question, the communications staff asked cautiously, "Do you need to try the telephone line?"

   Kazakov thought that the battle had not started yet, and if there was any problem with the phone, he could deal with it in time, so he urged the communications staff: "Then call the army headquarters immediately, and I want to talk to the commander."

  The phone was connected quickly, and Rokossovsky's voice came from the receiver: "General Kazakov, you should be in the 328th Division now, how is their morale now?"

After a quick glance at Sokov, Kazakov smiled and said to the microphone: "Their morale is very high, and they must be able to achieve good results in the next battle. By the way, Comrade Commander, other How is your army preparing?"

  Sokov thought that Kazakov and Rokossovsky might have something confidential to discuss, so he walked to the lookout and raised his binoculars to look at the German positions in the distance. There was silence on the enemy's position, and no one could be seen at all. I don't know if the enemy was scared by the Soviet snipers and didn't dare to show up, or it was too early and the Germans hadn't gotten up yet.

  As soon as the time for the attack came, Kazakov turned his head and nodded to the staff officer holding the microphone behind him, indicating that the shelling could begin. The staff officer who received the signal immediately said loudly into the microphone: "The general orders, fire immediately!"

As the order was issued, there was soon the rumble of shells exploding outside, and clusters of dazzling flames rose from the German positions in the distance. It was lifted into the air by the air waves. Many shells that missed the target fell into the Zhizdra River, setting off jets of water that soared into the sky. Seeing the water column rising from the river, Sokov thought to himself: Fortunately, I did not choose to attack from the front, otherwise our boat will be shot in the river, not only the boat will be blown to pieces, but no one on board will survive. down.

   Seeing that their position was being bombarded by the Soviet army, the German artillery positions deployed in the distance also fired. They tried to suppress the Soviet artillery. As a result, after a few shots were fired, the Soviet artillery deployed in another direction fired, suppressing the German army with powerful firepower, and quickly silenced the German artillery.

   Sokov looked at his watch, turned his head and asked Potukin who was standing beside him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what position has Lieutenant Colonel Pavel's troops reached?"

   "Please wait a moment, Comrade Commander. I'll see if there is a telegram." Potukin quickly put down the binoculars in his hand and walked towards the operator sitting in the corner.

Two or three minutes later, Potukin walked back to Sokov and said to him: "Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Pavel called back, they are still two kilometers away from the German position, and they will be ready when the artillery fire stops. Attack now."

   Twenty minutes into the shelling, a new idea suddenly popped up in Han Zhan's mind. He said to Potukin: "Chief of Staff, call Colonel Bindasov and get them ready to attack."

"What, let the 1135th regiment get ready to attack?" Potukin heard Sukov's order and quickly reminded him: "Comrade commander, you should have seen the situation outside. If we let our troops If you attack at such a time, you may be accidentally injured by your own artillery fire."

"It will take at least 20 minutes for Bindasov and his troops to enter the attack position." Sokov glanced at Potukin and said to himself: "If they take action after the shelling is over , at least the same amount of time. You should be well aware that every minute on the battlefield may decide the outcome of the war..."

  Seeing what Sokov said, Potukin didn't argue with him, but went to call Bindasov and ordered him to start gathering troops and get ready to attack.

  As soon as the shelling stopped, the 1137th and 1139th regiments, which came near the German positions, launched an impact on the enemy's positions. Most of the German soldiers who were blown dizzy by the Soviet artillery fire had not yet escaped from the empty soil, so facing the charging Soviet troops, their resistance seemed insignificant. A battalion of the 1137th Regiment rushed into the German trenches in less than five minutes and engaged in hand-to-hand and hand-to-hand combat with the surviving German troops inside.

"Colonel Bindasov," seeing this situation, Sokov immediately put down his binoculars, picked up the microphone and said to Bindasov: "The time is almost up, let your soldiers attack. Remember, your actions It's going to be fast and hard, and there must be no way for a German to escape. Understand?"

   "Understood, Comrade Commander." Bindasov replied loudly: "We will never disappoint your trust in us, and we will never let a German escape."

   After a while, the commanders and fighters carrying the small boats crossed the forward position and rushed directly to the Zhizdra River. When they reached the river, they threw the boat into the river, then climbed into the boat, and started paddling with the paddles and shovels in their hands, so that the boat quickly sailed to the opposite bank.

   Before the boat reached the opposite bank, the soldiers jumped into the water, dripped to the shore, and rushed to the German positions filled with smoke. The soldiers rowing turned around and sent the commanders and fighters waiting on the bank across the river.

  The commanders and fighters of the 328th Division attacked the German positions from two directions at the same time. How could the German army, which had suffered heavy casualties from artillery fire and was blown dizzy, withstand such a fierce attack. The battle quickly became one-sided. Except for a small number of German troops who were still resisting, the rest saw the situation was not good, and either fled or surrendered voluntarily.

   In less than an hour, the sound of gunfire on the other side completely stopped. Looking at the position still smoking in the distance, Sokov turned to Kazakov and said, "Comrade General, I will leave this observation post to you, and I will take the troops up."

   "What, you want to lead the troops up there yourself?" Hearing what Sokov said, Kazakov asked in surprise, "Then who will command the troops?"

"That's right, Comrade General." Sokov was about to lead his people across the river, instead of charging into battle like ordinary soldiers, he moved his headquarters forward: "In order to keep abreast of the situation on the battlefield, I plan to My command has moved forward, and I will be directing the battle closer to the troops."

Hearing what Sokov said, Kazakov gave up the idea of ​​persuading him, because he clearly remembered that Rokossovsky liked to emphasize repeatedly that the commander should be as close to his troops as possible. The key to victory. So he stretched out his hand to Sokov and said with a smile on his face: "Major Sokov, I wish you good luck and achieve brilliant results in the next battle."

   "Thank you, Comrade General." Sokov shook Kazakov's hand and replied: "I think I will live up to your expectations. Goodbye, see you when the battle is over!"

  (end of this chapter)