Red Moscow

Regardless of the honor of capturing Paulus, the base camp was given to the 64th Army. However, the inside story of Paulus's capture was known in detail within the German army.

Although the Imperial Division is now the trump card of the German army, Major General Herbert Wall, who has just taken office for less than a month, has repeatedly warned his troops that if they encounter troops from the 41st Guards Division, they must not act rashly. A unit that can face a strong offensive and still hold on to Mamayev Post cannot be underestimated.

When the current battalion commander confirmed that the troops on the opposite position were Sokov's 41st Guards Division, he canceled the planned attack and ordered the radio operator: "Send a report to the division commander, saying that we are in the east of the Red Army Village." On the heights facing the troops of the 41st Guards Division of the Russians, the attack was repelled by them."

Herbert Wahl received a telegram from Paul Hausser, learning that Donetsk had fallen and that the Red Army Village might also be attacked by the Russians. After the telegram ordering him to send troops for reinforcements, he didn't take it seriously. After all, they fought against the Russians for more than a week. According to his thinking, the reason why Donetsk fell quickly was entirely because there were too few defenders in the city, and he only needed to dispatch a battalion of troops to defeat this desperate Russian army.

However, what happened next deviated from his imagination. He received a telegram from his battalion commander, and learned that the Russian troops that appeared near the Red Army Village were actually Sokov's 41st Guards Division. He couldn't help feeling a little flustered. Let them stop attacking the frontal Russians, turn around and rush to the direction of the Red Army Village to attack the 41st Guards Division that appeared there.

Of course, he didn't dare to hide such an important situation, so he quickly ordered someone to send a telegram to Paul Hauser, reporting the matter to him in detail.

After reading Major General Wahl's telegram, Paul Hauser was silent for a long time, and then asked his chief of staff: "Chief of staff, tell me, isn't the 41st Guards Division of the Russians stationed in Luhansk? Why? Suddenly appeared in the village of the Red Army, and even before that, captured our Donetsk. Could it be some other unit impersonating it?"

"Your Excellency, General." The chief of staff waited for Manstein to finish speaking, and said respectfully: "The designation of a unit can be faked, but the combat style and combat effectiveness of a unit cannot be faked. Since this information is from the Imperial Division Reported by a junior officer, I think the credibility is very high."

"Then what should we do?" Paul Hausser looked at his chief of staff and asked: "Do we need to order the Banner Guard Division and Skeleton Division to stop attacking, and transfer them to the Red Army Village to eliminate the Russians there? "

"Your Excellency, I don't think it is necessary at all." The chief of staff refuted Paul Hausser's statement: "I think the combat power of our army against the 41st Guards Division is greatly exaggerated. Yes. Many elite Russian troops met our Imperial Division, and they all met the same fate, that is, they were crushed or defeated. I believe that after the main force of Major General Val arrived at the Red Army Village, it would be enough to wipe out the army that made us Cowardly officers and soldiers of the Russian troops."

After listening to the chief of staff's analysis, Paul Hauser pondered over it carefully and felt that what the other party said was very reasonable. A few days ago, the Russian assault group composed of two tank corps and three infantry divisions was nearly wiped out by their own three divisions. Now using the imperial division to deal with one of their divisions is already flattering them, and there is no need to use other forces at all.

The Imperial Division, which had launched an attack south of Kharkov, immediately withdrew from the battle after receiving the order of Major General Val, and headed towards the Red Army Village on various transport vehicles.

The remnants of Rebalco were standing in this area. Seeing that the enemy had retreated, the commander at the front immediately reported the situation to Rebalco. Rebalco's first reaction when he heard the news was that this must be a conspiracy by the Germans. Otherwise, how could they have suddenly stopped attacking their own defense zone and voluntarily withdrew from the battle when they had the upper hand?

Rebalco personally went to the front and carefully observed the area where the German army was originally located before confirming that the enemy had indeed withdrawn from the battle. Although he didn't know the reason for the enemy's retreat, he still called Golikov, the commander of the front army, to report.

"General Rybalko, what are you talking about?" Golikov couldn't help being surprised when he heard Rybalko's report: "The enemy has retreated? How is this possible? The enemy is not a fool, how could they have the upper hand Under such circumstances, how about withdrawing from the battle voluntarily?”

"That's right, Comrade Commander of the Front Army." Seeing Golikov's disbelief, Rybalko emphasized again: "I went to the front to see it myself. Except for the areas controlled by the Banner Guard Division and the Skeleton Division, there are still people going to the front line." In addition to our attack, the Imperial Division, which was originally responsible for the frontal attack, has withdrawn from the battlefield."

"Do you know where they went?"

"I don't know." Rebarco muttered, "Anyway, it's either going south or east. Anyway, they have already withdrawn from the battle."

"Okay, General Rebalco. Since the Imperial Division has retreated, no matter whether they have a conspiracy or not, you should transfer the troops defending this area to the other two more dangerous areas as soon as possible. You must not let the enemy approach Harco. husband."

After Golikov put down the phone, he asked the chief of staff, Major General Korzenevich: "Comrade chief of staff, tell me why the Germans let the Imperial Division withdraw from the battle at such a time. Will there be any problems?" conspiracy?"

"Comrade Commander, I'm also confused." The chief of staff of the front army, who had just taken office for less than three days, didn't even remember the names of the division commanders under the front army, and was still in a state of confusion about the whole situation. What constructive opinions can I say, I can only say vaguely: "I think it may be that our army has launched an attack in the enemy's rear. The enemy is worried that their rear will be cut off, so they have to order the imperial division to withdraw. Go out and fight to protect the safety of their rear."

"Philip Ivanovich, I have a hunch." Seeing the ambiguity of the chief of staff, Khrushchev, the military commissar sitting on the side, said: "The enemy's rear must be under a huge threat, otherwise they will never He will order troops to actively withdraw from the battle and move them away from the battlefield when they have the advantage."

"Comrade Military Commissar," Golikov said with a wry smile, "now that General Vatutin's Southwest Front Army has been defeated by the Germans, where are our organized troops behind them? If there is, We wouldn't be in such a mess now."

"Aren't there still troops from the Don Front Army?"

"The 21st Army of the Don Front Army is under the command of General Krylov, but they are too far away from the enemy." Golikov said with a wry smile: "There is no threat to the enemy's rear."

"Besides them, don't we have any other troops?"

"In addition, there is a combat group of Colonel Sokov, but Luhansk where they are located is hundreds of kilometers away from us." Golikov still shook his head and said: "Even if they attack the enemy, I am afraid There is no threat."

"You can't say that. That little guy is simply a genius in combat. Maybe he made some noise again, forcing the enemy to send troops to the rear to put out the fire." Khrushchev said with a smile: "I will The General Staff called and asked what happened."

Khrushchev quickly contacted Antonov using the high-frequency telephone of the headquarters, and he asked with a smile: "Comrade Antonov, I am Khrushchev, what good news do you have for me?" tell me?"

"Yes, Comrade Khrushchev." Since it was Khrushchev who made the call, Antonov would naturally not hide it: "Before dawn today, the 41st Guards Division commanded by Major General Sokov caught the enemy by surprise. Donetsk."

"What, Donetsk has been taken?" Khrushchev, who originally wanted to know about the movements of the battlefields, couldn't help being moved when he heard the news from Antonov. He quickly found it on the map. After identifying the location of Donetsk, he said into the microphone: "No wonder the German Imperial Division suddenly stopped attacking and withdrew from the battlefield. It turned out that Colonel Sokov's troops took Donetsk..."

"Comrade Khrushchev, I want to correct you a little." Although the situation in the Kharkov direction is still tense, some troops have won the battle and even effectively contained the elite German troops. This is something to be happy about. Things: "Not long ago, Sokov was just promoted to Major General, now he should be called Major General Sokov."

The telephones used in this era have very serious sound leakage. The conversation between Khrushchev and Antonov was clearly heard by several people around. When everyone learned that Sokov's troops had recovered Donetsk, they couldn't help but feel happy, and they gathered together to hear more exciting news.

"I really didn't expect that this little guy is now a general. If his father knows about it, he will be happy for him." When Khrushchev talked about his old comrades who had passed away, he couldn't help but sigh, "I hope When faced with the attack of the Imperial Division, his troops can withstand."

At this moment, Antonov on the other end of the phone suddenly said: "Comrade Khrushchev, please wait a moment, I just received a battle report, I will read the content first to decide whether to report to the Supreme Commander himself." Report."

Taking advantage of Antonov's work of checking the battle report, Khrushchev covered the microphone and said to several colleagues around him: "Comrades, I have some good news for you. Before dawn today, the troops commanded by Major General Sokov had already Successfully captured Donetsk. I guess the reason why the Germans transferred the Imperial Division was to deal with Sokov."

Hearing what Khrushchev said, everyone couldn't help worrying about Sokov's fate. Major General Korzenevich said with some hesitation: "Two days ago, the Imperial Division, the Skeleton Division, and the Banner Guard severely damaged General Rybalko's troops, so it can be seen that their combat effectiveness is not weak at all. Can the Sokov troops you mentioned withstand the German attack?"

Before everyone could speak, a voice suddenly came from the microphone held by Khrushchev: "Hello, Comrade Khrushchev, are you still there?"

"I'm here, Comrade Antonov." Khrushchev hurriedly put the microphone close to his ear, and asked, "Can you tell me the content of the battle report just now?"

"Of course it's good news." Antonov said excitedly on the phone: "It's the battle report from Rokossovsky, which said that Major General Sokov's troops had successfully captured the Red Army not long ago. village, wiped out all the enemies in the city."

"What, Sokov's troops occupied the Red Army Village?" Khrushchev stared at the map, measured the distance between Donetsk and the Red Army Village with his hands, and asked in surprise: "Comrade Antonov, His troops did not just occupy Donetsk before dawn, so how could it be possible to occupy the Red Army Village in such a short period of time? Could it be a mistake? "

"No mistake, Comrade Khrushchev." Antonov said with a smile on the phone: "I just read Rokossovsky's detailed report. It turns out that when Major General Sokov captured Donetsk , Only the 124th Guards Regiment was used. After occupying Donetsk, he ordered the marching troops to turn to the Red Army Village, and before the enemy's deployment was completed, he decisively launched an attack with the 125th Guards Regiment. After After three hours of fierce fighting, all the defenders in the city were wiped out and the Red Army Village was occupied."

"This is really great." Although Khrushchev is a layman in the military, he knows very clearly what the liberation of Donetsk and the Red Army Village means. Not long after he was happy, he worried about Sokov's fate again: "Comrade Antonov, does Misha have enough troops in his hands? I'm worried that he won't be able to stop the crazy offensive of the Imperial Division at all."

"Comrade Khrushchev, you don't have to worry about this. He has four infantry divisions in his hands, plus tank brigades and artillery divisions, not to mention an imperial division. Even if he adds the skeleton division and the standard guard, he may be able to Deal with it." Antonov said here, and suddenly quickened his tone: "I want to report this good news to Comrade Stalin immediately, Comrade Khrushchev, let's talk next time." After finishing speaking, before Khru After Xiaofu said something, he hung up the phone.

"Comrades, you have heard it." When Khrushchev put down the phone, he excitedly said to the people around him: "Sokov's troops not only captured Donetsk, but also liberated the Red Army Village not long ago. Now you should understand why the Imperial Division suddenly withdrew from the battlefield when they had an advantage? The enemy had to mobilize elite troops to consolidate their rear because they were worried that their rear would be cut off."

"We currently have no way of knowing how long Sokov's troops can keep the enemy in check." Golikov looked at the map in front of him, and said thoughtfully: "We must hurry up and adjust our defenses, and try to crush the enemy captured by the Germans." Kharkov and Belgorod conspiracy."