Red Moscow

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov said to Sameko after putting down the microphone and earphones, "It looks like the Germans are about to launch a full-scale attack. We must find a way to help them."

Sameko asked in surprise, "What should I do?" He thought to himself that Sokov had just ordered him that even if the troops on the blocking position couldn't hold on, he couldn't support them. Why did he say he wanted to help them when he shifted? ? Could it be that I just misheard the order?

"Contact General Konev immediately and tell him that the enemy is launching a crazy attack on my defensive position." Sokov told Sameko: "Ask him to send air force support."

After Sokov finished speaking, seeing that Sameko was still standing still, he urged him to say: "I need to get in touch with General Vatutin immediately, and request that the troops in the Oboyan area speed up their counterattack and force the enemy to attack with the same speed. Retreat south as quickly as possible."

Vatutin heard the communication staff report to him, saying that Sokov had something to look for him. Before taking the phone, he turned to Zhukov and said: "Comrade Marshal, it is Major General Sokov. The situation has taken an unexpected turn."

"Ask him," said Zhukov, who was sitting opposite him, calmly, "what happened?"

"Major General Sokov," Vatutin, who had received Zhukov's instructions, asked into the microphone, "Marshal Zhukov asked me to ask you, did anything happen?"

"Yes, Comrade General." Sokov quickly replied, "The enemy has accelerated their attack. Our army may not be able to stop them for ten hours."

"Comrade Marshal," Vatutin hurriedly reported to Zhukov after listening to Sokov's report, "Major General Sokov said that the enemy is speeding up the attack, and his troops may not last ten hours."

"Give me the microphone."

Zhukov took the microphone, put it close to his ear, and asked dissatisfiedly: "Comrade Sokov, what seems to be the matter with you, you still have so many troops in your hands that have not been put into battle, yet you actually told me that you can't stop them at all?" Stop the enemy, are you panicked by the enemy?"

"No, Comrade Marshal." Regarding Zhukov's accusation, Sokov quickly denied it: "Even if the enemy is allowed to pass through our blocking position in advance, it will not affect our subsequent operations."

Zhukov raised his hand to look over it, and said, "Now there are still five hours before the time I set. Do you have to make it so long in advance?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal, the time to open the channel for the German army must be advanced." Sokov said firmly: "I don't want to pay unnecessary casualties. If this battle is a tragic victory, then the next battle , we will have no troops to use."

"But have you ever thought about it, once the German army breaks through your line of defense, redeploys, and retreats to Belgorod with alternate cover retreats, then everything we have done now will be in vain."

"Comrade Marshal, this is really the reason why I called you." Sokov knew that his plan would be implemented without the help of a big man like Zhukov, it would be impossible to realize it, so he said bluntly: "As long as Oboyan The troops will increase the intensity of the attack and make the enemy feel threatened. In this way, after they break through our blocking position, they will rush to Belgorod and have no time to adjust their deployment.”

Regarding Sokov's statement, Zhukov thought for a while and found it very reasonable. As long as the Sixth Guards Army and the First Tank Army in the direction of Oboyan speed up their attack, the German army will break through the blocking position established by the 27th Army. , would be impatient to flee to Belgorod, and there would be no time for alternate cover retreats.

But he was still worried, and continued to ask: "Are you sure you can let the enemy have no time to adjust their deployment?"

"Yes, I have a solution."

"Okay." Seeing that Sokov spoke so confidently, Zhukov stopped embarrassing him: "I will order the troops in the direction of Oboyan to speed up the counterattack and force the enemy to retreat southward quickly."

When more than 30 Soviet attack aircraft appeared on the battlefield, the German army was attacking the Soviet blocking position. The fighter plane swooped down and roared towards the target on the ground. From a height of 300 meters, the aerial bombs and machine gun bullets were tilted onto the enemy's head like a storm.

The German army on the ground suffered disaster immediately, and the infantry was beaten to death by dense bullets; the special aerial bombs carried by the attack aircraft were prepared to deal with German tanks, and as long as they were hit, they could not escape the fate of being destroyed.

Under the cover of the same number of fighter planes, 20 Soviet bombers came to the sky above the battlefield, just in time to meet the German bomber group that was coming to bomb the Soviet artillery positions.

The escorting fighter planes immediately accelerated and rushed up to attack the German bombers, while the Soviet bombers without escorts continued to fly towards the area where the German troops were assembled.

Although the German bombers had a certain combat effectiveness, they were no match for the Soviet fighters. After a fierce battle, nine of the twelve bombers were shot down, and the rest fled the battlefield in a hurry.

The Soviet fighters and bombers left the battlefield one after another after completing their ground attack missions.

Under the attack of Soviet air power, the German army paid a huge price. However, at this moment, Huot has determined that the southern line defended by Sokov's troops is the weakest defense of the Soviet army. He gave the troops an attack order, asking them to break through the Soviet defense at all costs in the shortest possible time. .

The reorganized German army launched a new attack on the blocking position of the Soviet army.

Since the defenders who stood on the first line of defense did not receive any supplements, after repelling two German attacks in a row, they finally could not stop the enemy's third attack, and the first line of defense was finally broken by the Germans.

According to the orders of their superiors, the remaining defenders withdrew to the left and right wings of the line of defense, giving way to the German army in the middle.

After the German army broke through the first line of defense, except for a small number of troops left to deal with them, the main force launched an attack on the second line of defense.

When Marankin saw that the first line of defense was broken by the Germans, and several tanks covered hundreds of soldiers rushing towards his position, he couldn't help panicking, and quickly called Sokov through the intercom: "Comrade Commander, the enemy has already broken through our position." The first line of defense of the army is rushing towards the second line of defense held by our division, I ask for support, ask for support!"

"Major General Malankin," Sokov's voice from the earphones was unusually calm: "Don't worry, once the enemy rushes to your division's position, you only need to resist for a while, and then immediately withdraw to The two wings of the defense line, give the enemy a way in the middle."

"What, give way to the enemy?" Hearing Sokov's inexplicable order, Marankin asked in puzzlement: "Comrade commander, why is that?"

Sokov did not explain the reason to him, but ordered him directly: "This is my order, you don't have to ask why, execute it immediately."

"Yes." Although Marankin didn't get the answer he wanted from Sokov, he still bit the bullet and agreed, "I will resolutely obey your orders."