Burning Moscow

Kolpakitch pushed Semikov to the side, turned around and put his hands on the table, panting, and cursed angrily: "What the **** Cuikov wants to do? Doesn't he know, his troops? With such a withdrawal, will all the left wing of our army be exposed to the Germans?"

Shemikov was pushed so much by Kolpakchi, and he took a few steps back and slammed into the log wall. Hearing the loud bang, I couldn't help but shudder in my heart, saying that the impact was not light. But Shemikov just frowned, didn't even hum, then straightened his body and stood there against the wall.

Moskalenko also slapped the table with great anger, and said angrily: "Damn, this Cui Koff is really horrible. I asked him yesterday if he could stand firm and protect our flanks. He also vowed to say that at the time. The troops in the area have been strengthened. Even if they are not inexorable, they can prevent the Germans from advancing at least one step. But what is the reality? Our troops are carrying out counter-assaults against the enemy on the front. When the progress is going well, Cui Kefu is He quietly ordered his troops to retreat, exposing our flanks to the Germans. In this way, all the results we have achieved today may be wiped out." Then he shouted into the microphone. Said: "Colonel Luo Jin, go ahead, go ahead! Quickly rushed to the German tanks, the enemy's planes could do nothing about us."

Even Gurov, who has always been good-tempered, said: "What Cui Koff did is tantamount to pitting us. It is still a trivial matter that we have achieved results today. What I am worried about is that the troops will be surrounded by the Germans." Here. He paused intentionally. Seeing everyone's attention is focused on him. Then he continued: "We should report this incident to the commander of the front army and the chief of staff immediately, and ask them to give an order to Cui Koff, so that the 64th Army will immediately stop the retreat and stay in the original position to resist the German offensive and ensure that we The security of the flank of the group army."

Kolpakchi meditated for a while, then turned to ask Moskalenko: "Comrade Moskalenko, what's your opinion?"

Moskalenko said solemnly: "Comrade Commander, I agree with Comrade Military Commissioner's suggestion. Cui Kefu's cowardly fleeing in spite of his friendly forces should be reported to his superiors. We should not only report to the commander of the Front Army, Gordo. The report should be reported to General Zhukov and the Chief of Staff Vasilevsky. We should also report to the Deputy Commander General Zhukov and the Supreme Commander himself. We will send all those cowards who are greedy for life and fear of death to the military court."

When the three of them condemned Cui Koff, I murmured in my heart, saying Cui Koff would not be so unbearable. You must know that the battle of Stalingrad was his battle of fame. If he had committed too strong enemies at the beginning of the battle. Regardless of the low-level mistake of the friendly retreat without authorization, there should be nothing wrong with him in the later stages of the battle. It is estimated that he was sent to the military court to be executed long ago, and he has no chance to become the future marshal. Seeing Gurov picking up the phone and preparing to call Golddorf and Vasilevsky, I hurriedly stepped forward and called out timidly, "Comrade Military Commissioner."

Gurov held the microphone and frowned and asked, "Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, what do you want to say?"

I firmly believe that it is impossible for Trikov to escape. If Gurov and Kolpakchi are allowed to sue their superiors at this time, coupled with Moskalenko’s proof, even if the relationship between Cuikov and the superior is good, it is estimated that Can't escape the fate of being dismissed and investigated. If the war is stable, whether Cui Kefu is removed will have little impact on us. But at this time, the friendly neighbors on the left wing of our army are in chaos, and the defense line is in danger of being breached. At this time, a commander like Cui Kefu must be used to stabilize the military's mind and ensure that the front is not breached.

I looked at Gurov and said what I really thought in my heart: "Comrade Military Commissioner, although I have not been in contact with General Cuikov for a long time, I don’t think he is the kind of person who is in danger and just throws down his friendly forces and leads the troops to retreat without authorization. People. I think there may be some misunderstandings. Look, should I call General Cui Kefu to figure out what happened?"

Hearing what I said, Gurov, who had originally wanted to call to file a complaint, hesitated. He turned his gaze to Kolpakci. Kolpakic glanced at him, turned his head and asked Moskalenko: "Do you think we should call and ask Trikov? Kirill Semenovich."

Moskalenko was still holding the microphone in his hand, but at this moment there was no sound coming out again, and it was not known whether it was a communication failure or the tank of Colonel Luo Jin who was talking to him was destroyed. Hearing Kolpakci's question, he said irritably: "Comrade Commander, this is a matter between you and the 64th Army. How to deal with it? You don't need to ask for my opinion."

Kolpakchi hesitated for a while, and finally made up his mind: "Well, I'll call Cui Koff first and ask him what's going on, why he didn't even say hello, so he ordered the troops to retreat without authorization. "He picked up the phone and shook the handle vigorously, and said loudly, "Give me the front observation post of the 64th Army, and talk to Cui Kefu."

When Kolpakic was on the phone, Moskalenko, who had lost contact with the 168th Tank Brigade, threw Huamai to the adjutant with a dark face. He went back to the observation hole and raised the telescope in his position. , You can clearly see the battle between the two tank units.

Trikov’s call was connected, and a hoarse voice came from the microphone: "Hey, is this General Kolpakchi? What can you do with me?"

Kolpakchi asked sternly, "General Cuikov, I would like to ask you to explain why you ordered the 64th Army to retreat without saying hello to us? Do you know that your withdrawal? , Exposing all the left wing of our army to the Germans?"

"General Kolpakchi," Cuikov replied calmly, "The enemy concentrated its superior forces today, and under the cover of aircraft cannons, it rushed down Chilskaya, trying to capture the Don River Ferry and the Chil River at the same time. Ferry. I ordered the Marines of the 66th Brigade to deploy in place. To block the enemy. Under the tenacious battle of the sailors. Their offensive was repelled. At this moment, our army is located in the Don and Chil. The troops on the right bank of the river received the retreat order, so the troops gave up their positions and rushed towards the ferry. After I heard the news, I immediately dispatched the artillery director General Browder, the combat director of Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, and the group army’s engineering service director. Colonel Brillov has been a staff officer of numerous group army headquarters, and went to various ferry crossings to stop the people and vehicles rushing to the ferry crossing, and let them return to their positions."

Putting down the phone, Kolpakic let out a sigh of relief and defended Cuikov: "Comrade Cuikov and I are old comrades for more than ten years. He is a brave and experienced commander, and I believe in letting the troops withdraw without authorization. The order to leave the position will not be issued by him.” He paused for a while, and saw that Moskalenko was still observing the battlefield, and said to Gurov: “Comrade Military Commissioner, I will leave it to you here. Under the command of General Moskalenko, I want to go to Trikov immediately."

Gurov may have long been accustomed to Kolpakci's command style, and he didn't stop it, just nodded. Instructed: "Comrade Commander, the fighting there is fierce. You must pay more attention to your safety! How many people do you plan to take?"

Kolpakic snorted to Semikov and me and said: "The crowded target is too big and easy to be spotted by enemy planes. Let Lieutenant Colonel Oshanina, Captain Semikov and me go, and bring a few more guards. member."

A group of eight of us, divided into two jeeps, braved the enemy’s air attack, and arrived at Trikov’s observation post in Lower Kirskaya an hour later.

In the observation post, apart from Cui Kefu and a few communicators, there was not even a sentry at the door. If the small German troops sneaked over at this time, they would definitely be able to block Cui Kefu in the observation post alive.

Seeing our arrival, Cuikov was shocked. After shaking hands with Kolpakchi, he said in a hoarse voice: "Comrade Kolpakchi, why are you here?"

Kolpakchi didn't care about the greetings either, and asked straightforwardly: "Comrade Cui Koff, how is your situation here?"

Trikov replied with a bitter face: "It's very bad. I just received information. Due to the violent bombing of the ferry by enemy planes, I sent General Browder, Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, and Brillov to command the ferry. The colonel and other officers in the group army headquarters have all sacrificed. The enemy's vanguard tanks are only four kilometers away from the ferry. Once they rush into the river, those troops crossing the river are in danger of being wiped out."

"Did you take any measures?"

"I transferred the two battalions of the 66th Marine Brigade and an artillery battalion," he said, pulling Kolpakchi to the observation hole, pointing to the outside and saying, "They will deploy. At the Northwest Defense Line of the Observatory. These are all the troops I can mobilize at present."

Kolpakitch raised his binoculars and looked at it, and asked with a worried expression: "Comrade Cuikov, there is an open area with no trenches. Can the artillery battalion be deployed there to withstand the enemy's attack?"

Cui Kefu smiled bitterly and replied: "There is no way. The artillery battalion’s artillery is towed by mules and horses. After a long journey, the horses are very exhausted. The artillery soldiers took pains to deploy the artillery in place. "

"Cui Koff, how effective is this naval artillery battalion? If they can't stop the enemy's attack and let the tank rush to the river, your 64th Army's troops at the ferry will be over."

At this time, a staff officer came over and reported to Cuikov: "Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Datlyev of the Artillery Battalion called and said that the artillery battalion has been deployed and can be put into battle at any time. The lieutenant also said that as long as the artillery battalion If there is one other person, the Germans will never be allowed to break through their defenses."

There was a violent explosion outside, and Cui Koff said lightly: "This must be the German attacking."

When the two of them came to the observation hole, I raised the telescope and looked at the smoke billowing place. I saw about 20 German tanks spreading out in formation a kilometer or two away, stopping in place and firing at our artillery positions.

Although the artillery shells fell on the artillery position and exploded, raising piles of smoke, but our artillery remained silent and did not rush back. Seeing that our army had not returned the attack, the German tanks increased their horsepower and rushed up.

When the locals' tanks were four to five hundred meters away from the artillery position, the artillery, who had been silent, started firing decisively. After the first round of shooting, the two tanks with their tracks broken were spinning around in place with heavy smoke, and the rest continued to rush forward.

The forward-impacting tank was hit by our army's shells from time to time, and it drove forward for a certain distance with heavy smoke and fire, and then stopped. But the enemy tank shells fell on the bare artillery positions, and shrapnel flying horizontally knocked down the artillery soldiers in patches. When the German tank approached the position, there were only two or three guns that could fire. The rest were either damaged or the gunner died.

When the enemy's tank rushed to our army's position, the surviving artillery soldiers rushed up with anti-tank grenade and Molotov cocktail, and died together with the enemy's tank.

The battle lasted for nearly an hour. The artillery soldiers of the Marine Brigade held their positions tenaciously. The Germans dropped 12 destroyed tanks and retreated sullenly.

When the enemy tank disappeared from our sight, Cuikov called the artillery battalion commander in front of us. As soon as the phone was connected, he smiled and said to the other party: "Good job, Lieutenant Datlyev, I saw with my own eyes you stubbornly repelled the enemy's offensive and ensured the safety of the troops crossing the river."

"Serve the Soviet Motherland!"

"Good job! Comrade Lieutenant~www.wuxiaspot.com~ You and the commanders in your battalion are good. I want to give you credit and honor you. How about, are the casualties of the troops high?"

Lieutenant Datlyev replied with a heavy tone: "Report to Comrade Commander, the troop has suffered a lot of casualties. Two-thirds of my company’s casualties, only three artillery remain; the second company’s Lieutenant Rozhkov was injured. , The commanders and fighters sacrificed half; the third company Lieutenant Datlyev sacrificed..."

"Wait a minute, Comrade Lieutenant." Hearing this, Cui Kefu interrupted him and asked in a puzzled way: "Aren't you Lieutenant Datlyev? What the **** is going on? You all **** me. Confused."

"Comrade Commander, I and the third company commander are brothers. My younger brother died in the battle just now."

Cui Kefu fell silent and said after a while, "I understand, Comrade Lieutenant. Immediately organize manned repairs to cope with the possible attack of the German army tomorrow. If you want to avenge your brother, you must destroy more Germans, I Do you understand?"

"Yes!" Lieutenant Datlyev promised loudly: "I will immediately organize manpower to build fortifications. As long as the Germans come again, I will definitely make them pay the price." (To be continued...)