Red Moscow

In the evening, two unexpected guests arrived at Sokov's new headquarters.

Sokov, who was sitting at the table drinking tea with Sameko and Lunev, saw the two people appear, and quickly stood up from his seat. Before he even had time to put on the military cap on the table, he raised his hand When he reached his forehead, he asked in surprise, "Comrade Front Army Commander, Comrade Military Commissioner, why are you here?"

Seeing Sokov jumping up suddenly, Sameko and Lunev couldn't help being taken aback, but when they heard what he said later, they instinctively turned their heads and looked towards the door, and saw clearly that the people who came were Konev and Susekov . He quickly stood up and raised his hand to salute the two.

Konev stepped forward to shake hands with the three of them one by one, and said with a smile: "Comrade Sokov, I came here specially to see you. Don't be restrained, please sit down."

Although Konev told the three to sit down, none of the three dared to sit down before he sat down.

Fortunately, Sameko was smarter. He immediately ran to the side and poured two cups of hot tea. After adding sugar, he put it down in front of Konev and Susekov, and said with a smile: "Comrade Commander, Military Commissar Comrades, please drink tea!"

After everyone sat down, Susekov, as the military commissar of the Front Army, felt that he should say a few words first. He looked at Sokov and said with a smile on his face: "Comrade Sokov, your 27th Army is indispensible for being able to liberate Belgorod so quickly this time."

Having said that, he turned his head and glanced at Konev, and continued: "In order to commend your feats in this battle, after discussing with the commander, I decided to report the merits to the Supreme Command for you. A commander and fighter who has made meritorious deeds can get their honor."

"This is the honor you deserve." As soon as Susekov finished speaking, Konev continued: "Aside from other things, at least the commanders of your troops at all levels can generally be promoted to the rank of one rank."

Speaking of this, Konev couldn't help sighing softly, and continued: "Since our Steppe Front Army belongs to the Reserve Front Army, its rank is also lower than ordinary troops. But after the Battle of Kursk and this During the battle to liberate Belgorod for the first time, the base camp has changed its view of us, and no longer treats us as ordinary reserves, and plans to improve our treatment accordingly.”

"I took a look at the roster of officers of the 27th Army." Susekov continued: "The commanders of several infantry divisions and artillery divisions that belong to your army, except for the commander of the 84th Division Fomenko, the commander of the 384th Division Except for the division commander Gritsenko who is a general, the rest of the division commanders are still colonels. If the commendation order we submitted this time can pass, all your division commanders can become generals."

Knowing that the division commanders under him can basically be promoted to the first rank, from a school officer to a general, Sokov is also happy for them. He quickly stood up and raised his hand to salute Konev and Susekoff: " Commander, Comrade Military Commissioner, on behalf of several division commanders, I would like to express my gratitude to you!"

"You don't need to thank us, this is what you deserve." Konev said, raised his right hand, pressed the palm down twice, and said to Sokov: "Don't be so restrained, just sit down and talk about anything. .”

"Comrade Commander," Sameko asked Konev tentatively after Sokov sat down, "I want to ask, when will we launch an attack on Kharkov? Also, what is the direction of our army's attack?" where?"

Facing the question raised by Sameko, Konev smiled lightly, and then said: "I don't know the specific time to launch the attack on Kharkov, after all, we just captured Belgorod, and it will take some time for the troops to come." Rest and wait for our superiors to replenish our soldiers and weapons and ammunition.

As for the direction of attack you mentioned. I consider letting you attack from the west of Kharkov. There is a wide Ude River in this direction. You have advanced hovercraft. You should not have much problem in completing the task of crossing. "

"Comrade Commander of the Front Army." Now that Konev mentioned the direction of the attack on Kharkov, Sokov boldly expressed his doubts: "I wonder if the superiors have figured out the situation in the Kharkov area. What about the deployment of the German troops?"

"We have already figured out the general deployment of the enemy's troops." Konev nodded and said, "The enemy's deployment in the west is the 11th Army of the Kenff Battle Group, also known as the Rolls Army. And what we have to deal with It was the 42nd Army of the Kenff Battle Group and the 4th Panzer Army of Hoth; the Voronezh Front was dealing with the 7th Army of the German 2nd Army..."

When Sokov listened to Konev's introduction of the enemy situation, he couldn't help muttering to himself: Shouldn't this be the deployment of the German army in Belgorod in real history? How did it become Kharkov? Is it because of the existence of this traverser that history has shifted here?

"Comrade Sokov," Konev said, seeing Sokov in a daze, he couldn't help asking curiously, "What are you thinking?"

"Comrade Commander of the Front Army," hearing Konev asking himself, Sokov quickly straightened up and replied, "I was just thinking, since the enemy was caught off guard by our hovercraft outside Belgorod, then why should the enemy be caught off guard by our hovercraft?" Will they set up obstacles in a targeted manner on the Ude River outside Kharkov this time, so that our hovercraft cannot pass through!"

"It's very possible." Konev agreed with Sokov's concern, adding: "Before I came here, Comrade Military Commissar and I had already dispatched scouts to enforce the Kharkov area. Reconnaissance, I believe they will be able to report back the enemy's situation soon."

"If the enemy deploys various anti-tank barriers in front of the position along the river to deal with our hovercraft." Sameko asked tentatively: "I wonder what help the superior is going to provide us?"

"General Sameko, you don't have to worry about this." Konev comforted Sameko: "Before the attack, we will carry out a long-term artillery preparation for the enemy's position. As for the area you are going to break through, I can send planes Bombing, destroying all kinds of anti-tank obstacles in front of enemy positions."

Konev's words gave Sokov a reassurance. If shelling and bombing are used to destroy various obstacles in front of the enemy's position before the attack, it is completely possible to open up a passage for the hovercraft to travel.

That night, the scouts dispatched sent back reconnaissance information.

After reading the telegram, Sameko said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the situation is the same as your analysis. The enemy has arranged a large number of anti-tank triangle cones and triangle brackets in front of the position along the river, and pulled up barbed wire. , A minefield was set up, and I think it is impossible for our hovercraft to rush in front of the enemy by surprise, just like when we attacked Belgorod."

"I know." Sokov was thinking in his heart. Although shelling and bombing can remove the triangular cones and triangular brackets deployed by the German army in front of the positions, the roads will also be completely destroyed by then, and all kinds of debris piled up in front of the positions will be destroyed. Rotten copper and rotten iron will also hinder the advancing route of the hovercraft. "Chief of Staff, I would like to ask, is there any way to open up a passable path for the hovercraft without shelling and bombing the enemy's positions?"

"Yes." Sameko said without hesitation: "We can send people to the opposite bank to blast the obstacles in front of the enemy's position, so as to clear a passage."

"This method won't work." Lunev said unexpectedly: "If we can all send troops to the opposite bank to blast the enemy's obstacles, then why use the hovercraft? Wouldn't it be easier for the troops crossing the river to rush into the enemy's position? Is it?"

"If you can't use hovercraft and only use ordinary river crossing equipment to carry out forced crossing, you will inevitably pay huge casualties." Sameko said to Sokov: "I heard from Colonel Koida that during the battle to liberate Belgorod In the movie, when they assisted the friendly army to cross the river, they saw that the commanders and fighters of the friendly army were intercepted by the enemy's mortar and machine gun fire while crossing the river, and suffered great casualties. If they hadn't followed your order to attack the enemy's positions along the river , to cover the friendly army to cross the river, maybe that division will be exhausted, and it will not be able to force the crossing successfully."

"Yes, if we can't use the hovercraft and can only use ordinary river crossing equipment to cross the river, our assault troops will inevitably suffer huge casualties." Sukov frowned, and tapped lightly with his fingers: "I want to A good way to clear the obstacles in front of the enemy's position, so that our hovercraft can reach the enemy's position smoothly."

"Misha, what are you talking about?" Just when everyone was at a loss, Sokov heard Yakov's voice.

As soon as Sokov looked up, he happened to see Yakov coming in from the door, so he tried to squeeze a smile on his face and greeted him politely: "Yasha, you are here, have you had dinner yet?"

"I have. But I can have some tea with you."

Sokov poured a cup of tea for Yakov himself, put it down in front of him, and asked casually: "Yasha, in a few days, we will attack Kharkov, can your hovercraft be used?" ?”

Two days ago, Yakov said that the hovercraft needed maintenance and could not be used temporarily. Sokov asked this question to find out whether these hovercraft could be used in the battle to liberate Kharkov.

"No problem." Yakov nodded and said, "After simple maintenance, all the hovercraft have returned to their best condition, and you can use them again at any time."

"Yasha, you came just in time. I have something to ask you for advice."

"Misha, if you have anything to say, just say it."

"It is like this." Sokov pointed to the map on the table and said to Yakov: "According to our reconnaissance, the enemy has arranged a large number of triangular cones and triangular brackets in front of their positions along the river, as well as two Barbed wire and minefields. I would like to ask, if this area is shelled and bombed, can the hovercraft pass through this area without any problems."

Hearing Sokov's question, Yakov stared at the map for a while, then slowly shook his head and said, "Misha, although the hovercraft can adapt to any complex terrain, it certainly cannot include those that have been shelled and bombed. area."

In order for Sokov to understand what he meant, he also picked up a pen and paper and drew a schematic diagram for the three of them: "Look, if the ground is full of bomb craters after shelling or bombing, the hovercraft may pass through smoothly. But if After being bombarded and bombed, the area with triangular cones and triangular brackets will make the terrain of this area more complicated. If our hovercraft wants to forcefully pass through here, the triangular cones below may be delimited. Breaking the bottom of the hovercraft will cause the hovercraft to be reimbursed, and the commanders and fighters on board will also be in danger."

If it is said that before Yakov came, Sameko still had a fluke mentality, but after hearing what Yakov said, his heart suddenly became cold. But he still didn't give up, and asked unwillingly: "Colonel Yakov, is there no way for us to pass through this area?"

"No way." Yakov shook his head first, then thought of a possibility, and quickly added: "Unless you can use a hovercraft to get around here."

The speaker has no intention but the listener does. Yakov's words made Sukov's thoughts suddenly clear. He slapped the table with his hand, and said repeatedly: "Great, this is really great, why didn't I think of such a good way."

"Comrade Commander," Sokov's reaction stunned the three of them. After a while, Sameko asked cautiously, "Did you think of any good solution?"

"Yasha reminded me." Sokov pointed at the map with his hand and said: "We can use the speed of the hovercraft to detour to the rear of the enemy's riverside positions from other directions and catch them by surprise."

"How to detour?" Sameko asked curiously.

"From here." Sokov picked up the red and blue pencils and drew a line on the map: "According to my observation, the enemy is in the southeast of us, and there is a gap of about one kilometer. We can let the commanders take the hovercraft , entered the depth of the German defense from the gap here, and detoured to the rear of the position along the river."

"However, even if the hovercraft is fully loaded, it can only take a battalion of troops." Sameko saw that Sokov's plan was so aggressive, and quickly reminded him: "And there are no heavy weapons. Once I encounter the superior German army, I worry about them. There will be danger."

"Aren't half of the bus stations equipped with anti-aircraft machine guns? Even if you can't beat them, you should be able to escape before the enemy's encirclement circle is formed." Sokov tapped the map twice with a pencil , Continued: "But after the troops on the hovercraft have detoured to the rear of the position along the river, they must seize the bridge controlled by the enemy as quickly as possible, so that the main force of our army can pass through the bridge and continuously pass through the Oud River. Attack the enemy's positions along the river."

"Misha, I think your plan is very risky." As for Sokov's plan, Yakov couldn't help but said: "And there is only one chance, once the troops on the hovercraft implement a detour, they fail to capture Ude If there is no bridge on the river, your troops will have to take ordinary river-crossing equipment and brave the enemy's bullets to carry out the forced crossing. At that time, you may pay huge casualties."