Burning Moscow

When the artillery bombarded the second line of defense of the German army with fierce artillery fire, Konev suddenly said to Sokolovsky: "The Chief of Staff, when our artillery preparations are over, we will immediately deploy the tank units at the front. Go into battle and let them guide the infantry to break through the German defense.??"

"Comrade Marshal," Sokolovsky couldn't help being taken aback after hearing Konev's orders, and then said euphemistically: "According to the orders of the Supreme Command, the tank army and cavalry mechanized clusters should not be used for breakthroughs. It should be used to expand the results after breaking through the German defense."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Seeing Sokolovsky rebutting his proposal, Konev showed an unhappy expression on his face. He waved at the opponent and said dissatisfied: "I am the commander of the front. When and where to use tank troops, I have the final say. Do you understand?"

"Understand, Comrade Marshal." As the chief of staff, Sokolovsky knew very well that Konev's deployment was in conflict with the orders issued by the Supreme Command, but after a short period of hesitation, he still decisively He replied: "I will call General Katukov and order to send tank troops to cooperate with our new round of offensive."

　　Although I have not expressed my opinion, I have some disapproval of Konev's order. You know, according to the report just now, I know that before the second line of defense of the German army, there are not only concrete piers, large tripods and insurmountable anti-tank trenches specially used to block the advancement of tanks, but also withdrawal from the first line of defense. The 72nd and 88th Infantry Divisions. Obstacles everywhere and infantry divisions that have not received any losses all add to the difficulty of our upcoming offensive.

　　 After the shelling ended, the infantry of the 76th Infantry Corps, under the cover of a tank brigade sent by Katukov, attacked the second line of defense of the German army that had not yet dissipated.

　　 Seeing our offensive troops rushing towards their position under the cover of 70 or 80 tanks, the German commander immediately called the artillery deployed in the rear and ordered them to intercept and shoot our tanks.

　　 After receiving the order, the German artillery immediately intercepted and fired on our offensive forces. After several rounds of shelling, a lot of galloping tanks were shot and burst into flames. After driving hard for a certain distance, they stopped and burned on the battlefield. The tank soldiers who escaped from the smoke-bearing tanks were lucky enough to escape. Spread your feet and ran back. Although many tanks were destroyed by German artillery fire, the remaining tanks continued to move forward, stopping to fight back from time to time.

　　 But these tanks soon discovered that their way forward was blocked by dense concrete piers and large tripods. In this case, they can only stop and fire at the enemy's position to provide fire support for the infantry following.

　　 The infantry who charged behind the tank was also intercepted by German artillery. From time to time, the blast of air lifted our commanders and fighters into the air, and the human bodies in the air were torn to pieces by the flying shrapnel, and they were thrown down from the air. Although the artillery fire caused great casualties to our commanders and fighters, they literally passed through the shelling area in the frenzied bombardment of the enemy, surpassed the tanks parked in front of the obstacle, and rushed to the German defensive positions.

　　 Seeing our commanders pass the obstacle, the Germans hiding in the fortifications started shooting. In the intensive rain of bullets, the shocking formation burst into a cloud of blood. The tweeted bullets and shrapnel flying across their bodies penetrated their bodies and tore their flesh and blood. The blood was thrown on the bodies and faces of the people next to them. The flesh and blood of the shot shook under the rain of bullets, and the corpse was like being thrown out. His broken pocket was topped under the impact of the bullet, but the living commanders still howled and shocked.

Although the officers and men of our army performed very bravely and played tenaciously, an hour later, General Golddorf, commander of the 3rd Guards Army, reported to Konev: "Comrade Marshal, our 76th Infantry The army’s attack on the German second line of defense ended in failure."

I saw Konev's hand holding the microphone trembling after listening to Golddorf’s report, and the muscles on his face twitched violently. I guess he did not expect the second attack. Will get this result. However, he soon recovered his calm, and said in his usual tone: "Comrade General, first withdraw our troops, let them rest for a good night, and attack again tomorrow."

　　 Konev put down the phone, immediately called Sokolovsky in front of him, anxiously asked him: "Chief of Staff, when will our successor troops enter the attack position?"

Sokolovsky looked at him with a wry smile and replied: "Comrade Marshal, if we don’t start the attack one day in advance, the offensive forces will all reach the attack position at ten o’clock tonight. But because of our shelling in the early morning today. All the artillery shells were consumed. In order to replenish artillery shells as soon as possible, our logistics department had to change the trains and cars that were originally intended to transport troops to carry artillery shells, and the troops could only move forward to the designated position by walking."

"No, Comrade Chief of Staff, it is impossible to do this." Konev heard Sokolovsky's words, and suddenly said with some irritation: "Many of the troops involved in the offensive are stationed far away from one hundred and two hundred kilometers away. , If they take a walk, it will take them at least three to four days to get to the designated location, which will make things wrong. You understand, they will make things wrong!"

Facing Konev’s reproach, Sokolovsky replied with a wry smile: "Comrade Marshal, I understand what you mean. But now there is no way. The advance attack disrupted our prior deployment. If all means of transportation are used to transport troops, then weapons and ammunition cannot be delivered to the front line in time."

　　 Konev listened to Sokolovsky’s defense, looked at me and asked tentatively: "Lida, do you have any good ideas?"

"Comrade Marshal," the problem that caused Konev and Sokolovsky's headaches is nothing to me. Since Konev is asking me for advice at this moment, I naturally know everything. Exhaust: "I don't think there is any need to transport the artillery shells with the means of transport that are prepared to transport troops."

"But, Comrade Oshanina," Sokolovsky interrupted my words before I could finish, and said unconvincedly: "Then what kind of transportation should we use to transport the artillery. The shells?"

　　 "Chief of Staff, don't interrupt, listen to what Lida said." Konev probably stopped Sokolovsky from disrupting my thinking, and then said to me: "You continue to speak."

I smiled at Konev and nodded, and continued to say: "In fact, we can use civilian vehicles to transport the urgently needed shells on the front lines. As far as I know, with the resumption of work in the cities, there are a large number of civilians. The vehicle can be used by us."

"Is it possible to transport shells with civilian vehicles?" Konev heard me say this, with a worried expression on his face: "It is estimated that it will take us a lot of time to organize so many civilian vehicles. If it is not well organized, it can even cause chaos."

"Don't worry, Comrade Marshal." Regarding Konev’s concerns, I smiled and said: "There is no need to send someone to organize. We only need to inform the leaders of the local and enterprise to say that our frontline is in urgent need of shells, but we lack transportation vehicles. They will help us. Just tell them where the driver drives the vehicle to load the shells and where to send it."

"It's ridiculous, it's ridiculous." Sokolovsky refuted me as soon as I finished saying: "How can we let civilian vehicles enter our arms warehouse, in case one or two saboteurs get in? The arsenal, as long as you throw a grenade, it can cause us huge losses."

"Yes, Lida." Konev listened patiently to Sokolovsky's concerns, and looked at me with a worried look and asked: "If a German spy gets into our arms The library is sabotaging, what should we do?"

The method I proposed was not a product of my brainstorming, but a real event in the early 1980s. In order to support the needs of the Chinese Army’s artillery shells, military vehicles and various local vehicles were gathered in Jianshui. The army and civilians worked together to grab shells for the Laoshan front line. Therefore, I confidently said: "Don’t worry, Comrade Marshal, I think the possibility of the Germans entering the arsenal for sabotage is extremely low. But for the sake of safety, it is up to you to adopt this suggestion. To decide."

　　 Konev stood up, walked back and forth in the room with his hands on his back, without expressing his opinion for a long time. Sokolovsky saw Konev still not expressing his stance, he couldn't help being a little anxious: "Comrade Marshal, what should we do? Most of the participating troops are still marching on the road. If the transportation is not solved, it is estimated that it will be noon tomorrow. Unable to enter the attack position."

After hearing these words of Sokolovsky, Konev finally stopped, first looked at him, then turned his eyes to me, and asked in a stern tone: "Lida, you Do you really think there will be no problems if you do this?"

　　 "Comrade Marshal," To be honest, although my proposal was inspired by real events in later generations, I am really not sure whether it is applicable in this era. But since Konev asked me specifically, I can only bite the bullet and answer: "Under the current situation, we can only take a risk. Please call Comrade Khrushchev immediately and ask him to call each city. The leader of the People’s Republic of China called and asked local vehicles to help our army transport the much-needed shells."

　　 "How should I tell Comrade Khrushchev?" Konev moved his heart by what I said, but he hesitated and said, "What if he doesn't agree to cooperate with us?"

　　 I struck while the iron was hot and said, "Comrade Marshal, you just say'everything for the front line.' Maybe in this way, Comrade Khrushchev will agree to our bold request."

"Well, Lida, since you said that, I'll call Khrushchev." Konev finally made up his mind, and he said in a big way: "If something goes wrong, the superior will be held accountable. , I will bear it independently." After speaking, he picked up the phone on the desk and dialed Kiev.

When Khrushchev heard Konev’s request, he was taken aback for a moment, and then asked: "Comrade Marshal, if I am not mistaken, the idea of ​​letting civilian vehicles transport the shells for you was proposed by Lida. Right?"

　　 Konev glanced at me, then smiled and replied: "Comrade Khrushchev, you guessed it, it is indeed Lida's proposal. How about, would you like to help us?"

Maybe Khrushchev knew that this plan was proposed by me, so he readily agreed: "Well, Marshal Konev, I immediately call the leaders of the cities below and ask them to send enough civilian vehicles to cooperate fully. You transport the shells that are urgently needed on the front lines."

"Thank you, thank you, Comrade Khrushchev." Konev didn't expect Khrushchev to agree to his request so readily. He thanked him excitedly: "I represent all the commanders and fighters of the Ukrainian First Front. Thank you."

　　 "Comrade Marshal~www.wuxiaspot.com~ you are welcome." Khrushchev replied politely: "Everything we do for the front line is to defeat the fascist invaders."

After Konev and Khrushchev reached a consensus, they asked Sokolovsky to inform the logistics department that the transportation of artillery shells was done by civilian vehicles on the local level. The original transportation vehicles were still used to transport ours. Participating troops.

　　 Two hours later, the logistics department called and reported to Konev that the vehicle that was originally intended to transport ammunition had already carried our army's commanders and fighters to the front. At this moment, at the door of the arsenal, civilian vehicles that are out of sight are lined up, waiting to be transported to the forward artillery positions.

　　 A smile appeared on Konev's face when he heard the news reported by the logistics department. After putting down the phone, he said to me: "Lida, it seems that your method is very effective. At present, the walking troops have boarded their vehicles and rushed to the front line; and the vehicles sent by factories and mines have lined up at the entrance of the arsenal. We are in a long queue, waiting for the shells to be loaded into the truck and transported to the front line."

　　 "My God." Sokolovsky heard Konev say this, and couldn't help but ask dubiously: "The drivers who go to deliver the shells will not complain, right?"

"Chief of Staff, you are worrying too much." Konev smiled and said to Sokolovsky: "When the superiors will deliver the shells to the factories and mines, the drivers will not only have no complaints, but they will also rush to get ahead. I want to perform this glorious task. It seems that before dawn, not only our follow-up troops will be able to enter the designated position, but the artillery will also reach a satisfactory number of shells."8