Red Moscow

As soon as Konev's telegram was sent, the situation on the battlefield changed again. The German army, already aware of the actions of the 5th Guards Tank Army, dispatched the air force first, preparing to bomb the Soviet tank units that were fiercely fighting in various villages.

The German bombers carried 1,800 kilograms of aerial bombs. These aerial bombs were originally used to deal with warships, but they were used to deal with the Soviet tank troops on the ground.

Still far away, the tank troops that were gathering in the village heard the roar of the aircraft engines in the air. But they didn't pay much attention to it. In any case, their troops are the main force of the attack. The enemy is probably thinking about how to deal with their own planes and ground attacking tank troops. The roar of engines in the air may be preparing to bomb Air Force in German positions.

But in the next second, the commanders and fighters of the tank unit realized that something was wrong. Amidst the monotonous roar of the transport fleet, they heard a distinctive high-pitched sound, which was all too familiar to everyone. Before they listened carefully, the sharp whistle sound became extremely clear, and countless black guys rolled and fell from the sky.

"Boom!" "Boom!" The bombs landed in the village, and the huge explosion instantly drowned out the roar of the bombers. In the villages bombarded by heavy aerial bombs, fireballs exploded one after another, and pillars mixed with mud and various debris shot up into the sky. The tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, etc. on the ground, like paper toys, were torn to pieces by the power of the explosion, then lifted into the air, and then fell down one after another.

Buildings in the village burst into flames, but were quickly extinguished by the blasted earth. The tanks and armored vehicles that had been bombed started up one after another, trying to quickly leave the village and hide in a safe place. However, they are often destroyed by direct hits by aerial bombs or overturned by huge air waves generated by explosions before driving far.

The troops stationed in the village are the 2nd Tank Brigade under the 2nd Guards Tank Corps. As soon as the brigade commander escaped from the headquarters, he was held in a nearby bomb shelter by several loyal subordinates to avoid the Germans. air strikes.

The tank brigade commander staying in the bunker felt the ground trembling violently, and the scene in front of him became blurred. Although he opened his mouth wide, his ears still hurt from the loud explosion. Shrapnel, dense as a rainstorm, flew over the head with a howling sound, ruthlessly knocking down those commanders and fighters who had no time to hide.

The tank brigade commander curled up and squatted in the bomb shelter, trying his best to relieve the pain in the internal organs caused by the ground tremor, so as not to be shocked to death by the shock wave of the explosion.

After an unknown amount of time, the German bombers went away, and the sound of explosions gradually subsided. The tank brigade commander got up and shouted loudly to the surroundings: "Quickly calculate the casualty data of all troops!"

However, he couldn't hear his shout, nor could he hear someone nearby answer him. He quickly touched his ears and found that there was no blood on his hands, to confirm that the eardrums were not shattered by the loud explosion. He covered his ears with the palm of his hand, pressed hard a few times, and let a gust of air rush into the ear canal. He regained his hearing as the noisy sound wave hit his face.

"Quickly count the casualties of all troops!" The tank brigade commander shouted again, looking around, he found burning tanks everywhere in the village, and some tank soldiers who were covered in fire were escaping from the tanks. The surviving soldiers nearby hurried forward to help them save Grin on their bodies.

The chief of staff of the brigade covered in dirt ran over from the side. He came to the brigade commander and leaned close to his ear and said loudly: "Comrade brigade commander, the headquarters was destroyed by aerial bombs during the bombing. We and our superiors have already lost their lives." got in touch."

The tank brigade commander felt that such an important matter should be reported to his superiors immediately. Then he sternly said to the chief of staff: "Chief of staff, immediately send communications troops to the military headquarters, and report what happened here to the commander of the army, Colonel Bourjayne."

The chief of staff agreed, and turned to look for the communications soldier, preparing to report the air raid here to the military headquarters.

But what the tank brigade commander and the chief of staff did not expect was that not only the village where their brigade was assembled was bombed by German bombers, but also the troops assembled in three or four other villages were ruthlessly bombed by the Luftwaffe. Tank units suffered huge losses in the bombing.

When the signal corps drove a motorcycle to the village where the military headquarters was located, Colonel Bourjeine, the commander of the army, was also troubled by the bombing of his subordinate troops. Knowing that the 2nd Tank Brigade had also been bombed, his face turned livid. He looked at the signal soldier and asked, "How about your brigade's casualties?"

"Still counting, Comrade Commander." The communications soldier replied with a look of embarrassment: "But at least two-thirds of the troops have lost their combat capabilities during the bombing."

After dismissing the signal corps, Colonel Bourdejny personally connected Rotmistrov's phone and reported to him in a heavy tone: "Comrade Commander, I am Colonel Bourdeyne, and I have a Sad news to report to you immediately."

"Colonel Bourdeiny," Rotmistrov asked sternly, "is it true that your army was bombed by the German army, causing heavy casualties?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Seeing that he hadn't spoken yet, but Rotmistrov had already guessed what he was going to report, he couldn't help asking in surprise, "How did you know?"

"How do I know?" Rotmistrov replied with a wry smile: "Colonel Bourdeiny, ten minutes before you called, the commander of the 5th Guards Mechanized Corps also called me. The phone call, and the troops that their army was gathering were also bombed by the Germans, and the troops suffered heavy casualties."

Colonel Bourdeiny learned that more than one of his troops had been attacked by the German army, he couldn't help taking a breath, and asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, what should we do next? Or follow the original plan and attack the enemy?" Attack?"

"Colonel Bourdeiny, do you think your troops are still capable of continuing?" Rotmistrov asked the other party sternly, then sighed softly, and said helplessly: "I think the offensive is still temporary." Postpone, when to launch an attack, wait for my next notice."

"Comrade Commander," as soon as Rotmistrov put down the phone, Solomatin, the chief of staff, came over to him and asked him for instructions: "General Konev ordered us to send people to conduct reconnaissance in the sunflower field. Do you see if we can do it immediately?" Send out scouts to scout the area."

At the moment Rotmistrov was troubled by the bombing of his troops. Hearing Solomatin mention this matter, he said impatiently: "Comrade Chief of Staff, our top priority now is how to quickly regroup the troops and prepare for a new attack on the enemy. As for reconnaissance, you can send them as you like." Two reconnaissance teams, just go to that area to have a look."

After Solomatin recorded Rotmistrov's order, he asked tentatively: "Do you need to report the news that we have been bombed to your superiors?"

Rotmistrov raised his head, stared at his chief of staff for a while, and nodded slowly: "Comrade chief of staff, immediately send a report to the headquarters of the front army, and report to us in detail what happened here. Report from your superiors. And plead with General Konev to allow us to postpone the offensive for two to three days."

"Delay for two to three days?" Solomatin was taken aback by Rotmistrov's words. He deliberately reminded the other party: "Comrade Commander, the order given to us by the superior is an hour later." Launch an attack. If we want to postpone the attack time for two or three days, will it affect the overall combat deployment of the superior?"

Solomatin's concerns are justified. Now the troops of the two front armies are fighting together. If the offensive in the northwest is delayed due to his own reasons, once the superiors investigate, he may go to a military court. After trying to understand this, Rotmistrov said with a solemn expression: "Comrade Chief of Staff, after you report the situation here to General Konev in detail, then ask him how long he can give us." time?"

Soon, Konev received a telegram from Solomatin. After reading the telegram, he fell into deep thought. Zakharov, who was busy on the sidelines, saw that Konev's expression was a little off, he hurried over and asked tentatively, "Comrade Commander, what happened?"

"Something happened to Rotmistrov." Konev handed the telegram to Zakharov: "The tank brigades and mechanized brigades they were gathering at the front were all bombed by the Germans. Troop casualties were very heavy."

"What, the 5th Guards Tank Army was bombed by the enemy?" Zakharov was frightened into a cold sweat when he heard the news. While looking down at the telegram, he said in surprise: "Don't our Air Force not Are you dispatching support in time?"

Konev shook his head, and replied: "We only now know the news that the 5th Guards Tank Army was bombed by the enemy, let alone the Air Force." Speaking of this, Konev couldn't help getting angry for no reason, " What did Goryunov do, didn't he promise me that the air supremacy of the entire battlefield is firmly in the hands of our army? When Rotmistrov's troops were bombed by the enemy, his air force was in where?"

Seeing that Konev was in a fit of anger, Zakharov quickly comforted him and said: "Comrade commander, don't worry. I think the Luftwaffe that bombed the tank army may have taken off from other airports. General Goryunov's subordinates did not It was not detected and therefore air cover was not provided for Rotmistrov in a timely manner."

In order to find out what happened, Zakharov called Goryunov and asked in a stern tone: "General Goryunov, Comrade Commander asked me to ask you, didn't you promise him , is the air supremacy of the entire battlefield in your hands? When General Rotmistrov's 5th Guards Tank Army was bombed, where were your fighters, attack planes and bombers?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff!" Hearing what Zakharov said, Goryunov's breath became short of breath: "What did you say, the enemy launched an air strike on the 5th Guards Tank Army?"

"Yes, the German Air Force dispatched a large number of bombers to bombard our assembled troops indiscriminately. The troops that were hit by air strikes suffered huge losses." Zakharov said in a stern tone: "The Army has suffered such heavy losses, and your Air Force is to blame."

Goryunov raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat off his brow, and replied tremblingly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, we have been operating reconnaissance planes in that area, and we have been closely monitoring the Kharkov airfield towards the German army. We have not found any aircraft taking off. Signs. The Luftwaffe that carried out the air strike this time probably came from another field airfield.”

Konev walked over and snatched the microphone from Zakharov's hand, and said loudly in his ear: "General Goryunov, I don't care where the enemy is from, I just want to remind you. If Rotemi If General Stroeve's troops are bombed by enemy planes again, then you will be court-martialed!"

After hearing Konev's eloquent words, Goryunov quickly assured him: "I immediately dispatched fighter jets and attack aircraft groups to patrol the area and provide air cover for General Rotmistrov's troops. .”

Although the measures taken by Goryunov are a bit late, they are better than nothing. No one knew if the Germans would attack again, so their own air force patrolled the sunflower fields, providing timely air cover should ground forces come under attack.

After waiting for Konev to hang up the phone, Zakharov asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, the 5th Guards Tank Army suffered heavy losses in the bombing, so much so that General Rotmistrov proposed to postpone the attack. request. Let’s see, can you give them a few days to regroup?”

Konev raised his hand to look at the time, then silently calculated the progress of other troops in his mind, and said to Zakharov: "I will give them five hours, and they must report to the designated German army before dark. Attack the position."

"Comrade Commander, five hours is too short." Zakharov interceded for Rotmistrov: "The army suffered heavy losses in the bombing, and if we want to regroup within five hours To build up and go on the offensive, I don't think it's going to be possible."

"Then tell me, how long should I give them to regroup?"

Zakharov stretched out two fingers and said to Konev: "Comrade Commander, I think it will take at least two days for General Rotmistrov's tank army to regain the ability to attack."

"No, two days is too long." Konev shook his head vigorously and said, "Even if I agree, I'm afraid the headquarters will not agree after hearing the news. After all, doing so will seriously affect the next battle. plan."

"Just one day." Zakharov was afraid that Konev would object again, and emphasized: "I think they should be able to complete the regrouping of troops within such a long period of time and launch an attack on the enemy."

"Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, then I will give Rotmistrov another day to prepare." Konev said blankly: "When the time comes, we must launch an attack on the enemy."