Burning Moscow

I knew in my heart that Kistyakov's ability would never give me some bad ideas. Behind his words, there must be some deeper intentions. ~~щww~suimеng~lā Before I came up with a reason, Batov could not wait to ask: "General Kistyakov, I don't understand why you are doing this. Can you explain it to me? "

Kistyakov did not immediately answer Batov's question, but looked at me with a smile and asked: "Comrade Commander, can you guess what I mean?"

I vaguely guessed Kistyakov’s intentions, but for the sake of safety, I still asked tentatively: "Comrade Deputy Commander, if I am not mistaken, the reason for giving way to the German army is to make the Germans absolutely Now that there is a way of life, it doesn’t make any sense to continue to fight with our army. This way, the German army can be free from fighting spirit and only want to escape. Achieved great results."

"Yes, Comrade Commander, you are right." After praising me, Kistyakov turned his head and explained to Batov: "General Batov, if we get out of the way, as long as The Germans do not attack them when they pass, and they will not take the initiative to provoke us. What these Germans want to do is to escape our encirclement as soon as possible and return to a safe place early. And we will let them pass deliberately before Follow them and the Germans will be in a mess, and there will be no decent resistance at all, so that our army can achieve the greatest victory with the least casualties."

After listening to Kistyakov’s explanation, Batov nodded, and then he thought about it and said: "Comrade Kistyakov, your idea is good, it's worth a try." He is also an activist, saying and doing. Just do it, get up immediately and call the liaison officer, ask him to inform the 11th Army's troops to slow down their attack on the Germans, and allow the Germans to withdraw from the open gap.

With the successful breakthrough of the German army from the west of the city, the German forces in several other directions also gave up their existing positions, and fought and retreated to the city.

Bezikov walked over with the battle report he had just received and said to me: "Comrade Commander, from the current situation, the Germans are shrinking their forces. But they plan to break through the west of the city or stay and stick to the city. It's not easy to judge for the time being."

"Comrade Oshanina," Batov waited for Bezikov to finish, and immediately turned to ask me: "What should our troops do next? Should they follow the defeated German troops into the city, or continue to think of ways to move The enemy is attracted to the fortifications outside the city to be destroyed?"

"Our troops closest to the city are still in the third line of defense, fighting fierce battles with the Germans, and there are at least five kilometers away from the city." I made a decision in a moment: "Just continue to increase the offensive. With strength, the enemy will be pressed back to the city little by little, so as to encourage these enemies to make a determination to break through."

"I understand, Comrade Commander." Bezikov nodded at me, and then asked for instructions: "Currently, the 90th Division of General Cherniv's Guards has reached the outside of the city. Need them to participate in the offensive? "

"What, the 90th Guards Division is here?!" Bezikov's report surprised me, because in his report just now, the 90th Guards Division was not mentioned at all, so I thought they were Stayed in Smolensk. Seeing Bezikov nodded affirmatively, I proceeded and said, "Since General Chernov's troops have arrived, let them cooperate with Lukin's commanders and attack from the east."

Seeing that Bezikov was going to give orders, I added another sentence after him: "If the 67th and 71st Guards Divisions arrive, let them go around from the direction of the north of the city, and cooperate with the 11th Army and the self-propelled troops. The artillery regiment pursued the German troops in the process of retreat."

The German breakthrough from the west of the city stopped after dawn. The German troops who had been holding on to the outer positions, after abandoning their positions, all retreated into the city one after another and continued to resist our army's offensive.

Seeing that the German troops in the city showed no signs of breaking through the siege, Kistyakov couldn't help being a little anxious. After walking around the house a few times with his hands on his back, he said to me: "Comrade Commander, things are a little bit wrong. Why did the Germans on the periphery not retreat after their friendly forces broke through our defenses, but stayed and confronted us? Is there any conspiracy in this?"

I also think there is a problem with this move by the Germans. But considering that there is at least one German division in the city, if I rush to lift the siege of the city and send troops to chase the fleeing German troops, the enemies in the city can cause us a lot of trouble.

Not only did I see the key to this problem, Batov also discovered it. He kindly reminded me: "Comrade Oshanina, I think the situation is not quite right. Your four divisions, my three divisions, and the two divisions of the 11th Army have a total of nine divisions. Besieged the enemy here. After a fierce battle, we only eliminated two German regiments. The current situation is that one division has broken through the siege, and the other division is still standing in the city. I don't know what we should do next?"

I stared at the map, frowned and started thinking. Regardless of the fact that there is only one German division in the city, if it is used for defense, even if we put all nine divisions into battle, we may not be able to eat it in a short time, not to mention that these divisions are not all returned. I command, so in battle, I can't achieve the effect of doing whatever I want.

Seeing that I have been slow to speak, Kistyakov couldn't help but urged: "How is it, Comrade Commander, have you made the final decision?"

"It's decided." I clicked on the city under our siege and said: "If we don't eat this enemy in the city, we will have a large number of troops restrained by them, maybe one inadvertently. They will still suffer a great loss. So our current task is to eliminate them. As for the enemies who escaped, let them be arrogant for a while, and we will get rid of them sooner or later."

After I finished speaking, I looked up at Bezikov and said sternly: "Chief of Staff, record my order. The 51st Guards and the 89th Guards Division, immediately joined forces with the 11th Army, were closed and opened by the Germans. The breakthrough point to ensure that no one of the enemy’s soldiers can escape from the city."

After Bezikov recorded my order and was about to convey it, Akhromeyev suddenly ran over with a panic on his face and handed me a telegram. I took it and only took a few glances, then I was so angry that I slapped the tele-paper on the table and said angrily: "It's just a nonsense. Who gave them the right to let them without asking their superiors, Just mobilize troops without authorization."

"What's the matter, Comrade Oshanina?" Seeing me getting angry, Batov asked curiously: "Who made you so angry?" Then, he was about to reach for the one on the table. A telegram to figure out what makes me angry.

When his hand had just touched the tele-paper, before he had time to pick it up, one of his staff also hurried in from the outside. The staff officer came to him, handed him a telegram, and said solemnly: "Comrade Commander, this is an urgent telegram from the liaison officer."

Batov took the telegram, looked at it only a few times, and reacted like me. He raised his voice and followed me and said, "This group of people is just a fool. They adjusted their deployment without asking for instructions to report. Do they want to live anymore?"

Kistyakov and Bezikov on the side saw that both of us were angry, with confused expressions on their faces. In the end, Kistyakov first asked: "Comrade commanders, I think you are both very angry. Is there something unexpected?"

I grabbed the telegram on the table, stuffed it into Kistyakov's hand, and said angrily: "The troops of the 11th Army left their positions without asking for instructions and chased the fleeing west. The German troops went. Fortunately, the 51st Division of Guards of Colonel Sederikov filled the gap in time, otherwise it is unknown how many German troops would jump out of here."

"How could this be?" Kistyakov said puzzledly while reading the telegram: "Don't they know the consequences of acting without authorization?"

Batov snorted heavily and said, "I think they are bold, thinking that the troops are about to be dismantled and they can do whatever they want. No, I need to report this matter to the commander of the front immediately, and let him stop this kind of indifference. Organize undisciplined behavior."

When I saw Batov picking up the phone on the desk to contact Rokosovsky, I remembered that the 11th Army had fallen into a situation where there was no leader after Feijuninsky’s transfer. The commanders of the divisions under unified command can do whatever they want.

Batov quickly got in touch with Rokosovsky. After the two talked for a while, he handed me the microphone and said in a low voice: "Comrade Oshanina, the front commander wants Talk to you."

I took the receiver and put it in my ear, and said politely: "Hello, Comrade Commander of the Front Army, what instructions do you have?"

"I already know about the 11th Army." Rokosovsky said helplessly: "Since Fejuninsky was transferred, since the reorganization is imminent, the superior has not appointed a new commander, so this team The troop is a bit messy. But now I authorize you to give you full command of this troop."

Rokosowski’s arrangement gave me some confidence. I quickly stated to him: "Don’t worry, Comrade Commander, I will immediately contact the commanders of these two divisions to stop them from pursuing them. Return to the original defense zone to perform its duties and responsibilities."

After I put down the phone, Bezikov immediately asked me for instructions: "Comrade Commander, what should we do now?"

"Order the 51st and 8.9th Guards Divisions to immediately take over the original defense zones of the 11th Army to prevent possible breakout operations by the Germans." I said carefully: "After the 90s Guards Division arrived in the north of the city, it quickly merged with the above two divisions. Strengthen the defensive force in the west of the city."

"What about the 67th and 71st Guards Division?" Bezikov asked next: "They and the tank army will arrive here soon. How should we arrange them?"

"Let them stand by in the east side of the city for the time being." Having said that, I thought for a while and then continued: "As for when they will go into battle, I will make a decision based on the development of the battle."

When Bezikov went to the radio station to send a telegram, I called Akhromeyev over again and told him: "Major, find a way to contact the two divisions of the 11th Army and tell the two division commanders. Said that they are now under the command of our Sixth Guards Army. Let them immediately stop their blind actions and wait in place for my latest order."

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Akhromeyev replied with his usual expression: "I will find a way to get in touch with them."

When I was deploying a mission to Akhromeyev, I caught a glimpse of Batov’s expression on the side next to him with a hesitant expression from the corner of my eye, and hurriedly faced him and asked politely: "General Batov, Don’t know what you need to remind me?"

"Comrade Oshanina," Batov grinned when I asked him, and then hesitated: "The two divisions of the 11th Army are pursuing the Germans at this time. Is it really appropriate to stop chasing? Isn’t it just vomiting out the meat that you ate?

"General Batov~www.wuxiaspot.com~ To be honest, I am not optimistic about the strength of these two divisions." I waited for Batov to finish and said frankly to him: "They are defensive. , Can't stop the enemy's attack. If the Germans stopped retreating and counterattacked them during the pursuit, I really can't imagine what the consequences would be."

Bartov heard me say this, and said bitterly: "Comrade Oshanina, I admit that these two divisions did not perform very well in the night battle. But now the German army is busy escaping. Thinking about how to escape to a safe place as soon as possible, they will not fight with our army at all. Moreover, the two commanders are also commanders with rich combat experience. I believe they will do well in the next battle. So I think your worry is completely unnecessary."

Seeing that Batov was so partial to the commanders of these two divisions, I couldn't say anything, so I looked down at the map in front of me to avoid the embarrassment that suddenly appeared in the room.

Before Akhromeev and the two divisions of the 11th Army could contact, the staff officer under Batov broke in again from outside. He came to us quickly and handed a telegram to Batov. At the same time, he said: "Comrade Commander, the situation is not good. The two divisions of the 11th Army were caught in the vicinity of the German army and have fallen into Enclosed." (To be continued.)