Burning Moscow

Because of their outstanding performance on the battlefield, all the commanders and fighters of the Second Artillery Battalion in the division received a medal after dark. The battalion commander, Captain Kurishenko, was very brave, decisive and enterprising in the battle against German fascism, and he was awarded a Red Star by Cuikov himself.

Seeing that the commanders and fighters of the No. 2 Artillery Battalion received awards from their superiors, the commanders and fighters of the No. 1 Artillery Battalion were jealous. Early the next morning, Major Morozov walked into my headquarters. With a grieved expression on his face, he said to Kirilov and me: "Commander, political commissar, I am here to ask you to fight on behalf of the entire battalion of officers and soldiers?"

Kirilov and I looked at each other and smiled and asked: "Major Morozov, please fight, what kind of fight? Didn't you hear the command issued by the commander not long ago to let all the commanders and fighters of the division stick to the current position? Do you maintain a confrontation with the Germans?"

After taking a quick glance at me, Morozov complained to Kirilov: "Comrade Political Commissar, the soldiers saw that the newly joined Second Battalion had made such a great battle, but our battalion was always on standby. There are emotions..."

"I think it is not the soldier who is emotional, but you, the battalion commander." Kirilov interrupted his words before he could finish, put away the smile on his face, and began to teach him. Come: "Comrade Major, although our division has the largest force in the entire group army, the enemy we face is much stronger than ours. If we do not get the cooperation of friendly forces, we will attack without authorization, or else. How long will the dominant enemy force be annihilated. So we must also stick to the existing defense zones to withstand the enemy’s impact on us. Contain their forces, while gradually accumulating strength, and wait until the critical moment to give the enemy a thunder One blow completely wiped them out."

After sending Morozov to leave, I called both Bantai Leyev and Akhromeev in front of me. Discuss with them how to assign combat missions to the regiments. Bantai Leyev first stated: "Comrade commander, I think your previous arrangements were good. Although our division’s strength is the largest in the entire group army, we are currently in a state of solitary and deep forces. If there is no cooperation from friendly forces, Then, they attacked the enemy. It is possible to be encircled and annihilated by the Germans."

"Comrade Deputy Commander, you are too pessimistic." Akhromeyev is obviously more optimistic about the current situation of the enemy and us. He retorted Pantaiyev and said: "Although in the defense zone of our group army, the German army is still On the defensive, friendly forces in other directions are constantly attacking the enemy. I believe it will not be long before the other group armies of the front army will be able to meet us in the city."

"Meet the teacher?!" After Bantai Leyev repeated the word, he said with a sneer: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I remind you to pay attention to one thing. It has been nearly a month since the Great Counterattack began. However, the troops of all fronts have always stayed in the areas previously occupied. I think you must know this. Moreover, the German reinforcements are constantly attacking the outside of our encirclement. It is possible at any time to protect against the encirclement. Luce troops will join forces. Once they join forces, Paulus may completely abandon his plan to break out of the siege and launch a counter-attack on our troops and drive us into the Volga River."

Kirilov did not express any opinion to the two persons in the dispute, but turned his head and said to me: "Comrade Oshanina, tell everyone what you think. Let us all know it."

Kirilov’s words calmed down both Bantaiyev and Akhromeyev, both of whom were the same as Kirilov. He cast his gaze on me, waiting for me to express my thoughts.

I glanced at them. Immediately, he issued a simple order: "Each regiment strengthens its positions, sticks to the existing defense areas, and blocks the German attack. At the same time, seize the time to train recruits and wait for the final counterattack.

In the next two days, the Germans launched several attacks on the defense zone of the first regiment. But without exception, they all ended in failure. The group not only successfully blocked the enemy's attack, but even took the initiative to take down several buildings occupied by the enemy.

On the evening of the 16th, I received a call from General Krylov from the headquarters of the group army, saying that Cui Koff would let me go. Upon hearing such a notice, the first reaction of the three of Kirilov was that the final attack was about to begin.

But I am not as optimistic as the three of them. Mainstein's troops are still attacking outside the encirclement. The final attack of the group Paulus will not begin until he repels him.

After arriving at the headquarters, I saw that in addition to the commanders of the group army headquarters, there were also division commanders such as Lyudnikov, Guriyev, Rodimtsev, and Vachuk who attended the meeting. Looking at this posture, and looking at Cui Kefu's face that can squeeze the water out, I knew that tonight I would definitely not discuss the topic of the final attack, but to report what location the friendly attack was frustrated.

Seeing my arrival, Chief of Staff Krylov nodded at me, and then announced the beginning of the meeting. He picked up a piece of paper on the table and read it out in public: "In recent battles, although the German offensive force has been exhausted, it is no longer possible to launch a large-scale attack on the defense area of ​​our group army. It was still a very difficult task to seize the position in his hands. Especially on December 16, when the news came that Hult’s 4th Panzer Army broke through the 51st Army’s defense line on the Aksai River, he saw hope. The officers and soldiers of Paulus’s army were as excited as chicken blood. They forgot about hunger and fatigue, and encouraged each other. The German troops in the Voroshilov district faced the fierce attack of the 64th and 57th army of our army. At that time, he was extremely tenacious. After a day of fierce fighting, the offensive of the two armies ended in failure. Except for the piles of corpses in front of the German defensive positions, no progress was made.

The morale of our army was seriously affected by the German troops that had entered the outside of the encirclement of our army and the German positions in the city that had been unable to attack for a long time. Individual commanders became panicked, and some troops even appeared many deserters. "

After listening to Krylov's introduction, the commanders present were whispering to each other. The offensive failed, this is understandable, after all, in everyone's mind. Paulus's 6th Army is the elite force of the German army. But the occurrence of deserters made everyone feel incomprehensible, so the content of the discussion revolved around this aspect.

I didn't join them in the discussion. I just smiled bitterly in my heart. The commanders mentioned by Krylov are probably worried about going on like this. In the end, not only was it unable to encircle Paulus's troops, but his own troops were surrounded by reinforcements from Mainstein who rushed up. When the German army comes to meet the inside and outside, we will not be able to escape the end of annihilation of the entire army.

I am even more aware of the reasons for the setbacks of the 57th and 64th Army's offensive. The Soviet army's offensive mode has long been mastered by the Germans, and they therefore formulated a set of targeted defensive tactics, that is, when our infantry charges intensively. First, a sniper will shoot and kill the commander in the troop. Our troop will be thrown into chaos because of the loss of command. Finally, we will have to retreat across the board. As soon as the infantry retreats, our tank loses its protection. At this time, the German army will give priority to destroying our army's command tanks equipped with radio receiving and transmitting devices. Because only it can issue commands, other tanks are only equipped with receivers. Once the command tank is killed, then other tanks will be overwhelmed by the lack of instructions, so that the German anti-tank players have the opportunity to destroy these tanks one by one.

Cui Kefu did not stop everyone from whispering, but silently glanced over everyone present to see how everyone reacted. After the discussion subsided, Cui Kefu turned his attention to me and asked bluntly: "Comrade Oshaninna. What do you think of the failure of the 57th and 64th Army's offensive?"

Although I just sorted out the reasons for the Soviet army's failure in my mind, I heard Cui Kefu ask at this moment. I didn't immediately say what I was thinking, but instead asked, "Comrade Commander, I wonder if there are any detailed reports of the 57th and 64th Army?"

Hearing my question, Cui Koff turned his head to look at the commander of the group army operations standing next to him, and asked, "Colonel Zalzyuk, except for a simple report. Do you have a detailed report?"

Colonel Zalzyuk shook his head and replied: "I'm sorry. Comrade Commander, I have so far. I haven't received a detailed report from the friendly army yet."

Cui Kefu glared, and said to the other party dissatisfied: "Then you should go to the communications room and ask the communications director, Colonel Youlin, to see if they have received the latest telegrams."

Colonel Zalzyuk didn't dare to argue, he agreed, turned around and ran out of the headquarters, obediently went to the communications room to find the communications director, and asked if he had received the latest battle report.

Although there is no latest battle report for the time being, Cui Kefu used this effort of waiting for the telegram to continue to tell everyone: "In today's battle, the 57th and 64th Army, a total of three divisions and one brigade were maimed."

Cui Kefu’s words caused everyone's confusion again, but this time Cui Kefu did not let it go, but decisively stopped everyone’s private discussion, and said with a straight face: "Maybe everyone thinks that the German army has a lot of troops here, which led to our army. I have paid such a heavy casualty. I tell you that you are all wrong." At this point, he slammed the table and stood up, and said sadly, "According to the reconnaissance of friendly forces, stationed in the Voroshilov district. These two blocks are only two dissatisfied battalions of the German army, and there are no tanks, armored vehicles, and the number of artillery is very limited. Therefore, our friendly forces will use these two blocks as a breakthrough, and as a result, they have prepared for half a month’s offensive. , It ended in failure."

After Cui Koff finished speaking, Rodimtsev who had a good relationship with him tentatively said: "Comrade Commander, maybe the soldiers in our army are recruits and lack sufficient combat experience, so they will suffer such a big loss. . You must know that the German officers and soldiers are far stronger than us in terms of equipment and training. Even veterans, one-on-one contests with them can’t take advantage of them, let alone recruits. For those who have not been trained. , The Germans can kill dozens of us alone."

If Rodimtsev’s remarks had previously been a manifestation of defeatism, Trikov or Gurov could immediately dismiss him from the military and send him to a military court. But after listening to his words, not only Trikov and the others did not respond, but the other teachers also remained silent. It seemed that they all agreed with what Rodimtsev said in their hearts.

When Colonel Lyudnikov listened, he hummed softly in his nose, as if he didn't agree with what Rodimtsev had said. Gurov’s ears pointed, hearing Lyudnikov's grunt, and he asked curiously: "Colonel Lyudnikov, do you have any different opinions on what General Rodimtsev said? "

Hearing Gurov’s inquiry, Lyudnikov quickly got up from his seat and replied loudly: "Report to Comrade Military Commissioner. I cannot agree with General Rodimtsev’s statement just now. He said that our army is equipped. I admit that it is worse than the German army in training. But when it comes to recruits who have not been trained can not fight, and dozens of people cannot beat the German army alone, I cannot agree with this point."

Lyudnikov's words aroused everyone's curiosity. Even Trikov asked with interest: "Comrade Colonel, why do you say that?"

Lyudnikov turned his head and looked at me and said, "Comrade Commander, I think what General Rodimtsev said is not applicable to General Oshanina’s troops at least. You know, her independent division was formed. At the beginning, most of the soldiers in the division were recruits without any training, but it did not affect the independent division's victory again and again in the battle to defend Stalingrad."

Lyudnikov's compliment on me made everyone focus on me again, and made me feel ashamed. Trikov stared at me and asked, "Comrade Oshanina, if Colonel Lyudnikov didn’t mention it, I would have forgotten it. Tell me, how did you train into such a strong unit? What’s the trick? No?"

Hearing Cui Kefu’s question, I quickly stood up and replied loudly: "Reporting to Comrade Commander, in fact, there is no trick. After the recruits enter the army, I will arrange special political workers to conduct political and ideological work on them, because there is only The Red Army soldiers armed with Stalin's thought are invincible."

Because this is too numb to say, when I said it, I got goose bumps on my body, and the rest of us can imagine it. But when I finished speaking, Gurov actually took the lead and clapped, and I was seated again amidst the warm applause of everyone.

As soon as the applause stopped, Colonel Zalijuk returned to the house. He reported to Cuikov: "Comrade Commander, the 64th Army has sent a telegram saying that the enemy’s fierce firepower directly led to the failure of their offensive."

After Cuikov read the telegram that Zalijuk handed him, UU Reading www.uukanshu.com frowned and glanced at it, then threw it on the table, then stood up and said to me: "Comrade Oshanina, look It’s unrealistic to try to figure out what happened from the friendly army’s battle reports. Therefore, I now decide to entrust this task to you. You must figure out why the friendly army’s offensive failed within three days. You can do it. Are you there?"

Trikov’s order immediately made me dumbfounded. Oh my God, from the Dzerzhinsky district where my division is located to the Voroshilov district where the friendly attack failed, there is a full distance of more than 30 kilometers, and there is still They are all German troops. If you want to unknowingly cross the German defense line and figure out what happened, this is an impossible task.

Seeing my helpless look, Cui Kefu added: "Comrade Oshanina, I know that this task is very difficult. For the commanders of other divisions, it may be an impossible task; but for your independence. As far as the division is concerned, it is much simpler.” At this point, a smile appeared on his face, “Aren’t there many surrendered German soldiers in your division? This task can be done by them.” (To be continued)

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