Burning Moscow

When I heard the news, I began to calculate that the so-called occupation of Lviv was nothing more than a red flag on the roof of the municipal building in the middle of the city. It was only a nominal occupation. The German army was still in the city. In most areas, there was resistance. Should I report this news to Konev now, or should I report it after the overall situation is settled?

Right here, Lelyushenko's voice suddenly rang in his ears: "Lida, this is really great. You should immediately report this good news to Marshal Konev and ask him to pass it to Comrade Stalin. Maybe ours. The Supreme Commander himself is anxiously waiting for such a report."

I was still hesitant. After listening to Lelyushenko’s words, I immediately made a decisive decision and called Konev immediately, because I knew that Lelyushenko had always been highly regarded by Stalin. A general, he had a thorough understanding of Stalin's psychology, he said that it is the best time to report the results of the battle to Stalin, so it must be the best time.

So I didn’t hesitate to call the Konev headquarters and reported to him: “Comrade Marshal, I have good news to tell you that we have invaded Lviv’s troops and are already in the middle of the city. A red flag was planted on the top of the municipal building."

"Really, our red flag has been planted on the municipal building in Lviv. Great, this is great. I will report this news to Comrade Stalin immediately." Konev finished this. After a few clichés, he then asked: "Lida, is the resistance of your city's defenders still going on?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal, the enemy is not reconciled to their failure, and is still continuing the final resistance." I did not conceal the truth of the current battlefield to Konev, but truthfully reported: "At present, most of the city is still there. In their hands, our troops only occupied part of the east and south of the city."

　　 "The situation you just reported, I will report to Comrade Stalin as soon as possible." Konev said calmly: "But you also have to speed up the attack and try to take Lviv down as soon as possible."

"Understood, Comrade Marshal, we will do our best to speed up the liberation of this city." When I reported, I suddenly remembered Captain Potapov who were fighting alone in the city, and couldn't help telling Ke. Nev said: "By the way, Comrade Marshal, I have one more thing to report to you."

　　 "What's the matter, please tell me." Konev said absently.

"Comrade Marshal, this is the situation." I will be trapped in the city by the German army, and I will report to Konev briefly about Captain Potapov and Sergeant Hudyakov, who are still fighting to the end. Asked indifferently: "I want to ask, after we liberate Lviv, what kind of awards should be given to such brave commanders?"

Regarding my question, Konev was silent for a while, and finally said slowly: "I think they fully meet the criteria for granting the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. When the battle is over, if the two commanders you mentioned are still alive If you do, you can tell them the good news yourself."

　　 After speaking with Konev, he saw that Lelyushenko was reading a telegram and asked casually: "Comrade General, is there any good news?"

Lelyushenko handed the telegram in his hand to me and shook his head and said, "The attack from the south of the city by General Moskalenko and I has been smooth so far, but General Kurochkin , It’s difficult!"

"Why is this happening?" I asked curiously: "Although we have invested two armies in the south of the city, due to the terrain constraints, the forces deployed on the front of the offensive are roughly equal to those on the east, and we are on the offensive today. Earlier, our artillery had used intensive artillery fire to destroy the German artillery position on Mount St. George. Why is General Kurochkin’s progress so slow?"

"Lida, you don't know something." Lelyushenko explained to me: "Although Lviv was built in the 16th century, the east of the city was designed and built in accordance with the standards of a battle fortress. The fortress is dense like a spider web, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Our tanks and armored vehicles are simply unable to exert their due combat effectiveness in this kind of terrain."

I very much agree with Lelyushenko’s remarks. After he finished speaking, I added: "The offensive was not smooth, and it was also related to the old-fashioned tactics of our army. Before the offensive, our army was dispatched. The air force and artillery units attacked the enemy’s defensive positions. After the fire coverage and strike were completed, tanks, armored vehicles and infantry were sent into the city to start street fighting with the enemy. Because there are so many residents in the city, we can’t use it. The artillery fire destroyed all the buildings so that the enemy could hide in the buildings on both sides of the road unscrupulously and attack our offensive forces."

　　 "Then what should we do?" Lelyushenko asked.

"Using the tactics of battling step by step, our army will consolidate one place as soon as it is occupied, bit by bit to push deeper into the enemy's defense." I reluctantly said: "Under the current circumstances, we can only adopt this stupid method. "

　　 "But with this style of play, we need too much time." Lelyushenko said worriedly: "I'm worried that if you do this, you will be blamed by your superiors."

"If you want to speed up the attack, there is no way." I tapped my fingers gently on the table, and said carefully: "That is to adopt a two-pronged approach. While sending the main force forward along the street, it also sends out small groups. Unit, penetrate into the enemy's defensive position."

"I understand." Lelyushenko is also a wise man. Before I finished speaking, he understood what I meant, and quickly nodded and said: "I will give the following troops an order to let them transfer. Elite soldiers and strong generals use small infiltration methods to penetrate into the depth of the enemy's defense, completely disrupting their defensive deployment."

Seeing that Lelyushenko understood my intentions so thoroughly, I smiled and nodded, "It is not only your army who wants to do this, but even Moskalenko’s 38th Army and Kurochkin’s 60th Army. The same tactics need to be adopted. Only in this way can we completely liberate Lviv in the shortest possible time."

My order was quickly conveyed. In addition to continuing to advance along the street towards the city center, accompanied by tanks and armored vehicles, countless small units also penetrated their defenses from the weak lanes of the German army. .

　　 After a day and night of fighting, in the early morning of the 27th, the entire Lviv was occupied by our army.

After I got an accurate report, I didn’t want to wait for the statistics to come out, so I called Konev and reported to him: “Comrade Marshal, our troops have completely occupied Lviv. The defenders were either killed or captured by our army. No formed troops escaped our encirclement."

"Very well, Lida, you did a good job." Konev was overjoyed when he heard my report. He also specifically told me: "You immediately transfer the headquarters to Lviv, and then Gather the commanders of the group army and sum up the gains and losses in the battle to liberate Lviv. I will be there in a few hours."

Standing aside, Lelyushenko heard the conversation between Konev and I. As soon as I put down the phone, he took the initiative to ask me: "Lida, next to the Liberty Avenue Opera House, there is a church that was intact during the battle. The ground has been preserved, do you see if we put the new headquarters there?"

"Yes," I have never been to Lviv. I don’t know what the layout of the city is like. If I were to choose a place, I really don’t know where I should choose, since Lelyushenko said the opera house. The church next to it is still intact, so it would be more appropriate to locate the new headquarters there. I smiled at him and said, "Comrade Marshal is coming soon. Please arrange for manpower to arrange this place as soon as possible."

　　 "No problem, I will send someone to prepare." After Leliushenko finished speaking, he turned to call the Director of Communications, apparently preparing to give orders.

Suddenly I remembered the two heroes who were standing in the city, and quickly ordered Lelyushenko: "Comrade General, if possible, let Captain Potapov and Sergeant Hudyakov come to see me at the new headquarters. "

　　…………

　　 When I came to the location of the new headquarters, it was still a busy scene. The communicators were setting up antennas and laying telephone lines; staff officers were constantly coming in and out. On the conference table in front of Lelyushenko, a thick pile of documents has been piled up.

　　 I raised my hand and looked at the watch, and asked Lelyushenko, who was immersed in the documents: "Comrade General, when will the three commanders, Rebarko, Moskalenko, and Kurochkin, be here?"

　　 "They didn't come so quickly." Lelyushenko replied without looking up: "I guess they won't come here until all the results are counted, so you need to wait patiently."

As soon as he finished speaking, I saw Major General Belov, commander of the 10th Guards Tank, walked over quickly. He walked up to us and raised his hand to salute, and put the stack of battle reports in Leliu. In front of Shen Ke. Lelyushenko looked up at him, then stretched out his hand to point to the empty seat next to him, and said, "Comrade Belov, please sit down."

As soon as I saw Belov, I immediately remembered Captain Potapov and Sergeant Hudyakov, who had been in the city for two days, and couldn’t help asking Belov: "Comrade Commander, your subordinate Where are the two heroes?"

"Two heroes under me?" Belov was taken aback when he heard my question, then he thought of who I was talking about, and quickly replied: "You are talking about Captain Potapov and Captain Hudyakov. Taxi?"

　　 "Yes, it's them." I nodded and asked, "Where are they now?"

　　 "Sergeant Hudyakov may not be able to come. He was seriously injured in the battle and has been sent to a military hospital for treatment. As for Captain Potapov, he is waiting outside for your interview at this moment."

　　 "Comrade Commander, since our hero is outside," I heard Potapov was outside, and I urged Belov: "Hurry up and call him in."

　　 Belov stood up and shouted at the outside, immediately a famous officer wearing a big brimmed hat walked to the conference table and straightened his back and waited for Belov's order. Belov said to him, "You go outside and call Captain Potapov in."

　　 The officer nodded, turned and walked quickly towards the church. After a while, he walked over with a tall captain wearing a helmet and his face blackened. The captain took a step forward, raised his hand to salute us, and then said loudly: "Comrades generals, Captain Potapov, tank company commander of the 3rd Guards Tank Brigade, is ordered to come, please give instructions!"

Hearing the voice of the captain, Lelyushenko, who was busy, stopped working, sat in his chair and turned halfway around, looked at the captain who had just reported to us with interest, and asked curiously: "You are here. Captain Potapov, the tank company commander who has stood by for two days in the city?"

　　 "Yes, Comrade Commander, it's me." Potapov replied without squinting: "My tank company and an infantry unit have been surrounded by the enemy for two days."

　　 "Comrade Captain," I stood up, walked in front of Potapov, and asked with a smile, "Did you or someone else insert the red flag of the municipal building?"

　　 Potapov glanced at me from the corner of his eye, and immediately replied loudly, "Comrade Admiral, I personally put the red flag on the top floor of the municipal building."

"Comrade Captain," I looked at the handsome young officer in front of me and asked with interest, "As far as I know, the municipal building was captured only four hours after the red flag was planted. Can you tell me how you are Did you put the red flag on the top of the building?"

Potapov heard me asking this, and replied a little embarrassed: "Comrade Admiral, the German army has heavy troops in the municipal building. Only with my three tanks and dozens of people, it is impossible to attack. So. I had an idea and ordered the troops to pretend to attack from the front, but I took the two soldiers around to the side of the building, climbed from the fire stairs to the stairs, and placed the red flag on the roof."

　　 In the report I got, I only know that the red flag has been flying on the top of the municipal building occupied by the German army, but the specific fighting situation is not clear. So, I went on to ask: "After you put the red flag on the top of the building, did the enemy launch a counterattack?"

　　 "Yes, the Germans have launched several counterattacks~www.wuxiaspot.com~ Potapov said with some pride: "We stand by the fire stairs and fire at them as soon as the enemy appears. After the enemy had killed seven or eight people in a row, he stopped the attack, but rebuilt the fortifications downstairs, cutting off our contact with the rest of the troops. Fortunately, the main force of our brigade rushed to the vicinity of the municipal building after less than half an hour, so that the enemy had no time to take care of us on the top of the building. "

"Comrade Captain, you are good." I raised my hands and patted his arms, and said approvingly: "In recognition of your bravery and stubbornness in the battle to liberate Lviv and the tremendous achievements you have achieved. As a result, the Front Command decided to grant you the title of Hero of the Soviet Union."

　　 Potapov heard that he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and he grinned silently.

　　 After I encouraged him a few more words, I waved at him and said, "Comrade Captain, you have worked hard. Go back and take a good rest. We will arrange time for the award."

Potapov raised his hand to salute me, took off a rucksack on his back, held it in his hand, and said to me: "Comrade Admiral, this is the trophy I have seized. I want to use it as a gift. Give it to you. I don't know if you are willing to accept it?"

"Comrade Captain, are you going to give gifts to the deputy commander of the front?" Hearing Potapov's words, it immediately aroused the interest of Lelyushenko and Belov. They also came over, staring at Potapov. With the rucksack in his hand, he asked curiously: "What's in it?"

　　 Potapov did not speak, but opened the rucksack and took out the contents. When I saw what was in his hand, I couldn't help being taken aback.