Red Moscow

Sokov laughed dryly, and said awkwardly, "Oh, I misremembered, it should be the 316th Infantry Division."

Tsvetayev looked at Sokov and asked with some surprise: "General Sokov, as far as I know, you once participated in the defense of Moscow, and you were in General Rokossovsky's 16th Army. .Why, you don't know General Panfilov?"

"I don't know." Sokov shook his head and said like a rattle drum: "Although I participated in the Moscow Defense War, I was only leading a squad of garrison troops and stationed in the town of Khimki until the counteroffensive began. I have just officially become a subordinate of General Rokossovsky."

When talking about the town of Khimki and Rokossovsky, Sokov couldn't help thinking that after he led people to stop the German army in the town, he was promoted to the commander of the garrison platoon by Artemyev, commander of the Moscow garrison, and Roko It was in this situation that Sovsky appeared, and he tried to persuade himself to join his army, even willing to directly appoint himself as the company commander.

Sokov thought to himself: If I had agreed to Rokossovsky and became his subordinate, would I still be the commander of the 27th Army today?

"What are you thinking, General Sokov?"

Tsvetayev's voice woke Sokov from his contemplation, and he replied in a panic: "General Tsvetayev, I was thinking that since the enemy was so powerful at that time, they were all defeated by us. However, the enemy standing in the city of Kharkov is much weaker than the German army at that time, so we should not have much problem in defeating them."

"Yes." Sokov's words resonated with Tsvetayev: "General Sokov, to tell you the truth, when the war broke out, I was working as a lecturer at the Frunze Military Academy. Before graduating from the advanced class, the trainees returned to the army one after another to serve as division commanders, brigade commanders, or even higher positions, and participated in the war against Germany.

After entering August, I once inquired about this group of students. Some of them died on the battlefield, and some disappeared. Some survived and are now serving in more important positions in the army. "

Knowing that Tsvetayev had once served as a lecturer at the Frunze Military Academy, Sokov couldn't help being interested, and he tentatively asked: "General Tsvetayev, I also want to go to the Frunze Military Academy." Learning, I don’t know what kind of procedures need to go through?”

"Do you still need to learn?" Hearing what Sokov said, Tsvetayev said with a look of surprise: "Do you know? Some of the battles you commanded in the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Kursk, They are all listed as classic battle cases by the Frunze Military Academy. Think about it, if you enter the Frunze Military Academy with your ability, who would dare to be your teacher?"

"General Tsvetayev, you can't say that." Ever since he became the commander of the group army, Sokov gradually realized that his ability was seriously insufficient, and he was eager to enter a military academy to study systematically. He said humbly: "I have never received systematic command training. I am barely able to be a division commander. Now that I am the commander of the group army, I feel a little powerless. I urgently want to enrich myself in a military academy."

When Sokov said these words, Tsvetayev kept staring into his eyes. After making sure that the other party was not joking with himself, he said solemnly: "Comrade Sokov, since you want to enter the Military Academy so much Why don’t you ask Marshal Zhukov to study at the school? You know, although I used to be a lecturer at the Frunze Military Academy, I have been away from the academy for two years. Whether the new school leaders will buy me is still unknown. And as long as Marshal Zhukov comes forward in this matter, the school will definitely accept you to study in the school."

The two were talking, and the communications staff reported to Tsvetayev: "Comrade Commander, the Chief of Staff called back. The 87th Division and the Tank Brigade have already set off, and they can arrive here in about an hour."

"General Sokov," Tsvetayev said to Sokov with a smile after the staff officer finished speaking, "my troops will arrive in an hour, won't it be too late?"

"It's not too late," Sokov said, waving his hands. "It's just dawn, and our attack will start at nine or ten at the earliest. Your troops just need to arrive before the attack."

Tsvetayev looked outside and asked in surprise, "General Sokov, where is your artillery?"

"Artillery?!" Sokov was taken aback for a moment, then understood what Tsvetayev meant, and explained to him: "General Tsvetayev, we usually don't prepare for artillery fire before attacking."

"What, you didn't have artillery preparations before the attack?" Tsvetayev became anxious when he heard that, "General Sokov, if we don't have the necessary artillery preparations to destroy the enemy's fortifications before our infantry attack begins, Eliminate the vital forces in the fortifications, and when the offensive begins, the attacking troops will suffer huge casualties."

"General Tsvetayev, don't worry, please listen to my explanation." Sukov knew that the Soviet army was used to bombarding the German positions before launching a ground attack: "The reason why I am here Before the attack, no artillery preparations will be carried out. It is entirely because when the enemy is bombarded by our army, only a few observation posts will be left to monitor our army. The remaining officers and soldiers will retreat along the communication trench to the second line of defense. Our artillery shells can give The casualties caused by the enemy were very limited. When the Germans waited for the shelling of our army to end and the infantry began to charge, they would return to the first line of defense along the communication trenches and try their best to block our army's attack."

After listening to Sokov's words, Tsvetayev raised his eyebrows and asked doubtfully, "Is what you said true, General Sokov?"

"Of course it is true, General Tsvetayev." Sokov replied confidently: "Instead of dropping shells on positions without defenders, it is better to wait until our army and the enemy are engaged in firefights before carrying out targeted shelling." .”

"General Sokov," Tsvetayev heard this, and immediately realized that the tactics Sokov used were the foundation of his frequent victories, so he pulled Sokov to sit down and asked urgently: "Hurry up!" Tell me, how to carry out targeted shelling?"

Seeing that Tsvetayev asked him for advice so humbly, Sokov naturally did not hide his secrets, and taught the opponent his frequently used tactics. His purpose in doing this was to hope that Tsvetayev's assault army could reduce unnecessary casualties by adopting its own tactics in the following battles.

"General Tsvetayev, we usually deploy artillery behind the assault troops, at a distance of no more than one kilometer. Once we find a strong German fire support point in front, we will use the artillery to shoot directly at them. Once destroyed, clear the way for our attacking forces."

When Tsvetayev heard what Sokov said, it was quite reasonable. After he quickly wrote down what Sokov said, he turned his head and told the communications staff officer standing next to him: "Comrade staff, immediately send a telegram to the headquarters and ask the chief of staff to send two more artillery regiments to participate in this mission." combat operations."

The communications staff officer agreed, turned around and sent a telegram.

But Sokov's heart became uneasy, although Tsvetayev transferred two more artillery divisions, which will be very helpful for the next attack. However, he knew very well that Tsvetayev's troops were also limited. If the direction of the landing field was strengthened, the strength in other directions would be severely weakened, and he didn't know whether this would affect the next battle.

Thinking of this, he tentatively asked Tsvetayev: "Comrade General, if you transfer so many troops here, won't the strength of other places be weakened?"

Tsvetayev understood what Sokov meant, and replied with a smile: "Don't worry, General Sokov. In addition to the three infantry divisions, the Seventh Tank Corps and the Artillery Corps, I also have a mechanized No. The 4th Army, as well as other forces, they are fully capable of controlling our existing defense zone."

Since Tsvetayev said so, Sokov no longer discouraged, but asked instead: "Then where do you plan to deploy them?"

"Here, isn't there a clearing in the middle of the woods over there?" Tsvetayev pointed to a clearing in the distance, and said to Sokov, "We can deploy our artillery there."

Sokov looked in the direction of Tsvetayev's finger, and felt that it would be appropriate to place one or two artillery regiments there. If two artillery divisions were placed there, it would appear crowded. In the past, more than two hundred artillery pieces would be wiped out in a short period of time.

"No, General Tsvetayev, I think it would be very inappropriate to put two artillery divisions there."

Hearing that Sokov actually opposed his proposal, Tsvetayev asked in surprise, "Why?"

"General Tsvetayev, the clearing there is too small. If you put two artillery divisions there, it will look crowded." Sokov explained to the other party: "Once the enemy finds our artillery The position of the position, if artillery countermeasures are implemented here, I am afraid that it will not take long before this place will turn into a sea of ​​flames."

Tsvetayev has actually considered what Sokov is worried about. He frowned and said to Sokov: "General Sokov, if the artillery deployment is too scattered, it will be difficult to form a powerful artillery strike against the enemy."

"Actually, scattered artillery is not necessarily a bad thing." Sokov replied with a smile: "At least when the enemy wants to launch artillery countermeasures against our artillery positions, it will be difficult for us to choose because we have too many targets. Once they counterfire on one of our artillery positions, the other artillery positions can concentrate their fire to destroy the enemy's artillery positions."

"That's what I said, but the artillery is too scattered. How should we use them in battle?" Seeing Tsvetayev's puzzled look, Sokov continued: "When we want the artillery to When shelling a certain target, it is entirely possible to notify all the artillery positions by telephone to focus fire on a certain coordinate. Since the artillery positions are scattered and the angles of shelling are also different, the losses caused to the enemy positions will be greater; One point is that when the enemy wants to counterattack our artillery, it will be difficult to choose because we have too many positions. Even if they finally select a certain target, the rest of the artillery positions can attack the enemy at the same time, exposing them Artillery positions destroyed."

The phone in the headquarters rang, and Major General Gritsenko, who had been ignored all the time, picked up the receiver and handed it to Sokov after listening for a while: "Comrade Commander, it's General Sameko, Chief of Staff. phone."

Knowing that it was Sameko who called, Sokov couldn't help being a little surprised: "Oh, your phone here can actually be directly connected to the army headquarters? Then why didn't you tell me just now?"

Gritsenko replied with an aggrieved face: "Comrade Commander, you didn't ask me just now."

Sokov put the receiver close to his ear and said loudly, "I'm Sokov!"

"Comrade Commander," Sameko's anxious voice came from the receiver: "Why did you run to the defense zone of the 384th Division? Since the radio station could not reach you, I called many troops to find you. Telephone."

"I'm sorry, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov remembered that he was in a hurry to go to Tsvetayev's headquarters, leaving the radio station at the Fesky collective farm, and when he came to the 384th Division's defense zone, he forgot to call again Telling Sameko his whereabouts, he quickly apologized and said: "I was accompanying General Tsvetayev, the commander of the Shock Army, to the landing site, and I didn't inform you of my whereabouts in time. I'm sorry to make you worry about me."

The focus of Sameko's attention is obviously not why Sokov forgot to bring the radio, but curious about how he got involved with Tsvetayev, he asked cautiously: "Comrade commander, who do you say you are with?" Together? Assault Fifth Army Commander Lieutenant General Tsvetayev?"

"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov replied truthfully, "You guessed it right, I was indeed with him."

"Isn't he angry that we poached the 300th Infantry Division from his establishment?"

"No, Comrade Chief of Staff, he is not angry." Sokov glanced at Tsvetayev with a smile on his face, and went on: "On the contrary, he is very reasonable and even willing to send troops from the 384th Division. The established landing field joins the battle and advances to Kharkov with our troops."

Sameko learned that Sokov planned to attack the enemy's defense depth from the landing field established by the 384th Division together with his friendly forces, and asked nervously: "Comrade commander, you are launching an attack on the left landing field, so how do we attack?" What should we do? Should we continue to stand firm, or attack Kharkov at the same time as you?"

"Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff." According to the performance of the 300th Division, Sokov felt that the combat effectiveness of the assault army was much weaker than his own. The problem, it is not necessary to launch an attack from two landing fields at the same time. In case the attack by the left wing fails, it will inevitably have a negative impact on the right wing. Therefore, the safest way is to attack on the left-wing landing field, while the right-wing landing field does not move, and continues to contain the main force of the German army. "For the time being, you are still on the defensive. Whether to attack the enemy depends on the progress of the left wing."

"I understand." Sameko waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and immediately repeated his order, and finally said: "While conducting defensive operations, I will order the troops in the right landing field to prepare for the attack. "