Burning Moscow

Kirilov heard that a new commander was coming, and immediately returned from Mozyli. After meeting with Beloborodov, he offered to me: "Lida, it won’t be long before we have Many troops will be transferred. Do you think we should hurry up to complete the award ceremony for commanders and fighters at all levels before these troops are transferred?"

Long before the battle of Kharkov, I had promised to the commanders of the divisions that I would award medals to the commanders and fighters who made outstanding contributions and performed bravery in the battle. However, because our group army participated in too many battles, this matter has been delayed. At this moment, when I heard Kirilov's old incidents revisited, I couldn't help but think of a movie I watched in later generations. The Berlin City Defense Commander had announced his surrender to the Soviet and Allied forces, but their honoring ceremony for the soldiers continued. Continue, thinking of this, I nodded and agreed to Ji Lingling's proposal, and added: "Comrade Military Committee, please contact the Political Department of the Front Army as soon as possible and ask them to send us a batch of medals as soon as possible."

"No problem," Kirilov readily agreed to the matter, and then asked: "But is this award ceremony hosted by me or by us?"

"It's up to you to do it." I don't like to participate in this so-called awarding ceremony, especially those awarding certificates to be read. Except for the different names, the contents above are all the same, so I am very interested in this kind of occasion. I can push as long as I can. But as soon as I finished saying this, even Kirilov's face turned ugly, and he quickly said: "The deputy commander, General Kistyakov, will accompany you in this work."

I pushed the matter to Kistyakov. I thought he would decline, but he happily agreed: "Yes, Comrade Commander, I obey your orders!"

After I finished my account, I turned to Bezikov and said, "Chief of Staff, while General Beloborodov is here, you can tell him about our information."

Bezikov agreed, walked to the big map hung on the wall, pointed it at the top of the guide and said to Beloborodov: "Comrade General, please see, our army is in Mozili and Ka To the north of Linkovich, two divisions were deployed to confront the German Ninth Army. The enemy was in the direction of Kalinkovic, and the 102nd and 900th Infantry Divisions were deployed; while in Mozili To the north, there are the 35th and 161st Infantry Divisions of the 5th Army, and the 28th Infantry Division of the 8th Army.

To the west of us is the 61st Army of General Belov. They confronted the Second Army of the German Army to ensure the safety of the left wing of our Army. In the Rechca area on the right wing of our Army, General Batov was deployed. The 65th Army, they are responsible for blocking the enemy from the Gomel region. To the south of us, the troops of the Ukrainian First Front are our backing. "

After listening to Bezikov’s introduction, Beloborodov looked at me and said: "Comrade Commander, Marshal Ernst Busch of the German Central Army Group is a very powerful opponent. We have eaten He has suffered many losses, and I hope we can be ashamed this time."

"Don't worry, General Beloborodov." After I waited for Beloborodov to finish speaking, I smiled and said to him: "Not only are we going to teach Marshal Busch severely, even his Ninth Army Commander Walter Model, also firmly cannot let it go. We will teach them a lesson they will never forget in this land of Belarus."

"Report!" As soon as I finished speaking, I heard someone shouting for a report. When I looked up, it turned out that it was the other two guards commanders, Tavart Kirazzi and Sivakov, who spoke in unison. I reported: "Comrade Commander, we are here, please give instructions!"

After I introduced Beloborodov to the two of them, I asked them to sit down and continue to explain my views on the current situation: "...According to the information gathered from all sides, I think the German commander might give up The decision of the protrusion, the purpose of doing so, not only can prevent the troops of the protrusion from being eliminated by us, but also shorten the line of defense to strengthen the defensive power of local areas and increase the difficulty of our army's next attack..."

"Comrade Commander," Beloborodov asked tentatively after I had finished speaking: "If the German commander made a decision to withdraw from the salient and was opposed by Hitler, what would they do? "

To his question, I answered with a smile: "General Beloborodov, if this is really the case, then it would be great for our army. In this way, the enemy will have to be in many important areas. , In a tug of war with our army, regardless of the final victory or defeat, their soldiers will lose very seriously. When their military consumption increases, the German High Command will find that they cannot provide the troops needed for defense. "

As soon as I finished speaking, Bezikov said in surprise: "Comrade Commander, if the German forces are really not enough to defend such a vast occupied area, can we not launch a large-scale counterattack?"

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Thinking that there are no outsiders here, I didn't scrupulously talk so much: "When our army consumes a lot of the vital forces of the German army, we can launch one or two major battles to push the front. Toward the national border, I did not expect to drive all enemies away from our country before the end of this year!"

I heard that before the end of the year, the Germans could be driven out of our country. Not only did the three army commanders whispered to each other, but even Kirilov was not calm. He asked in a trembling voice: " Lida, our troops, is it really possible to drive the enemy out of our country before the end of the year?"

"Yes, Comrade Military Commissioner, that's for sure." To make me believe my words even more, I got up and walked to the map, picked up the explanation stick leaning against the wall, pointed to the map and said to them: "Look, everyone. At present, in the territory of Belarus, our army and the 61st and 65th army have occupied the southeast part. Although there is still a German army in the Gomel region, they have become a urn to catch turtles. It is only a matter of time before we eliminate them. .

Orsha, north of Mogilev, was also surrounded by our army. As long as our army launches an attack, it can take up to two or three days to take this important city and open the road to Minsk. Once the friendly forces occupy Orsha, they can cut off the road to Pskov-Kiev south of Vitebsk, leaving the German forces in the city of Vitebsk alone. "

"What about us?" Kistyakov couldn't help it this time. He couldn't wait to ask: "What kind of action will our group army take?"

"It's very simple. Destroy or defeat the five German divisions in front of our army, and then advance north," I said after tapping the place name of Belarus with the explanation stick a few times: "Then occupy Belarus. And use this as the starting point for the attack to capture Minsk."

Kistyakov said with endless reverie: "It would be great if our group army could participate in the battle to liberate Minsk."

According to the history I know, in the campaign to liberate Minsk, Chernyakhovsky’s Belarusian Third Front was the main attacker, while Rokosovsky’s Belarusian First Front only dispatched one. , Cooperate with friendly forces to carry out a centripetal assault in the direction of Minsk. Although I don’t know whether our group army is fortunate enough to be a unit that cooperates with friendly forces with the changes in history, I still bite the bullet and said to Kistyakov: “Don’t worry, Comrade Deputy Commander, if we really occupy Belarus. Laros, then we must have the opportunity to participate in the liberation of Minsk."

...

I had just arranged for people to take Beloborodov to rest. The tank commander Major General Bere and Artillery Commander Major General Povsky walked into the headquarters one after the other. The expressions on the two faces are quite different, the former is frowning, while the latter is smiling.

I took a strange look at the two of them. After I greeted them to sit down, I asked, "Two generals, what's the matter? Why are you all downcast and happy?"

"Comrade Commander," Bie Lei, who spoke first, said to me with a sad face: "I have received an order from a superior to let us guard the Fifth Tank Army to withdraw from the existing tanks before January 22. In the defense zone, drive towards Mogilev."

"What, let you go to Mogilev tomorrow?" This unexpected news surprised me. I turned my head and asked Bezikov, "Chief of Staff, have you received a comrade from a higher level?"

"No!" Bezikov said, looking at me blankly, "Comrade Commander, I have not received any orders from my superiors." After saying this, he turned his head and looked at Berei and asked, "Comrade General. , Who gave you the order?"

"It's an order sent to me by the head of the armored force of the front." Bie Lei said, took out a piece of paper from his body and handed it to me. At the same time, he said, "Our army will be placed under the command of the front army on the Baltic coast."

After reading this order signed by the superior commander, I felt very uncomfortable. Regarding the transfer of my troops by the superior, but enriching the other troops, I can understand this, but at least I have to say hello. Now go directly over me and give orders to the commander below. What is going on?

I threw the order after reading it on the table, and then asked Povsky: "General Povsky, I see you looking happy, is there anything good?"

"Comrade Commander, of course it is good news." Povsky said with a look of excitement: "The superior is about to send us a new artillery unit."

"The new artillery unit?!" I heard Povsky say this, and couldn't help but ask curiously: "Comrade General, I don't know how many new artillery units the superior can send us?"

"It's too much. I can't tell it for a while." Povsky took out a piece of paper from his briefcase and handed it to me smugly: "Comrade Commander, see for yourself!"

I took the piece of paper and saw that it was densely written: "The artillery units assigned to your army are as follows:

Guards 333th and 335th self-propelled artillery regiments

Guards 8th Artillery Division, Guards 26th and 27th Artillery Brigade)

The 21st Breakthrough Artillery Division 103rd High Power Howitzer Brigade, 64th and 94th Heavy Howitzer Brigade, 55th Howitzer Brigade, 66th Light Howitzer Brigade, 25th Mortar Brigade)

64th and 283rd Howitzer Brigade

Guards 4th Artillery Brigade, Guards 38th Artillery Regiment, Guards 22nd and 99th Mortar Regiment, Guards 2nd Mortar Division Guards 20th and 26th Mortar Brigade)

45th Anti-tank Artillery Brigade, 496th Anti-tank Artillery Regiment, 295th and 408th Mortar Regiment, Guards 2nd Mortar Division Guards 20th and 26th Mortar Brigade); Guards 22nd and 99th Mortar Regiment

39th Anti-aircraft Artillery Division 1406th, 1410th, 1414th, 1526th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment)

46th Anti-aircraft Artillery Division (609th, 617th, 618th, and 717th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiments)

The 1487th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment..."

After reading the dense data, the mood that had become heavy because the Fifth Tank Army was about to be transferred tonight has become happy again. I thought about it again. Anyway, we can't use tank troops on a large scale in this area. The addition of so many artillery troops to us by the superiors is tantamount to raising our ability to attack fortifications to a higher level.

After I read it, I gave this piece of paper to Kistyakov, Bezikov, and others for circulation, and then said lightly: "If the superiors really equip us with so many artillery units, then we will break through the German army. There is no difficulty in constructing the fortifications~www.wuxiaspot.com~ After I said this, I found that Bezikov looked at the list of artillery troops with a surprised expression on his face, and knew that it must have been the superior again. We directly notified Povsky and asked him curiously: "Comrade General, who provided you with this list of artillery units? "

"Moscow Artillery Command!" After Povsky said this, he seemed to have thought of something, and then asked in a cautious tone: "Comrade Commander, didn't the superior inform you?"

"No." I shook my head and said with a serious expression: "Not only did we increase the artillery force, but did not inform us; at the same time, the transfer of General Berei's tank corps did not pass with us in advance."

"Comrade Commander," Kistyakov stood up and said to me, "I think whether it is to transfer the tank corps or increase the artillery corps for us, we should talk to the commander of the front army and let him do the same. I know it in my mind."

I thought about Kistyakov's proposal for a moment, and then readily agreed. Because I know that in the Soviet army, it is still possible for the superiors to directly transfer troops without saying hello, so I must talk to Rokosovsky and let him know so that he can make overall arrangements according to the actual situation.