Red Moscow

"No!" Sokov said resolutely: "The shelling cannot be stopped until each artillery shell has fired a base number of shells."

Sokov knew very well that even if he made a mistake in his judgment, since the bombardment had already started, he would be punished the same no matter whether he stopped the bombardment or continued the bombardment. , Bring yourself an unexpected surprise.

Smirnov couldn't bear to see Sokov being punished for this incident, so he said cautiously: "Comrade Commander, I think there should be no lurking enemies in front of the 239 Heights, and the shelling carried out was a bit sloppy. It's better to stop now Shelling, when you go to the headquarters of the front army, you may receive a lighter punishment."

"Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said to Smirnov with a wry smile: "Since we have already fired towards the front of the high ground, whether it is a base number or only one shell, the nature is exactly the same. Since this is the case, why not continue the bombardment according to my original plan, if luck is not too bad, there may be a turning point for this matter."

Seeing that Sokov didn't listen to his persuasion at all, Smirnov couldn't help sighing softly. It was the first time he found that Sokov was so stubborn that he didn't listen to his persuasion. Fortunately, the timely ringing of the phone resolved the embarrassing atmosphere in the headquarters.

"I'm Smirnov, where are you?"

"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff." The voice of Colonel Stirlitz, commander of the 116th Infantry Division, came from the receiver: "I am Stirlitz, and I would like to ask, where is the shelling going on?"

Smirnov glanced at Sokov, and then replied: "Colonel Stirlitz, we have received information that there may be Germans lurking in front of Height 239. In order to ensure the safety of the position, we ordered the 41st Guards The division's artillery regiment shelled the area in front of the high ground."

After figuring out where the shelling was going on, Stirlitz went on to ask: "How is the effect?"

To the question raised by Stirlitz, Smirnov said euphemistically: "So far, we have not received any reliable battle reports."

Stirlitz is also a smart man. Hearing what Smirnov said, he immediately realized that the shelling might have caused a loneliness. However, in order to take care of the mood of the Army Group Command, he still said insincerely: "Since the suspicious situation has been discovered, shelling is absolutely necessary. I think that when the Battle of Kursk broke out, our army was not the first to gather in the German army. , launched a heavy artillery bombardment, which obliged the Germans to delay the attack by several hours."

"Comrade Colonel," Smirnov said dumbfoundedly, "it's not the same as it was before the Kursk battle. At that time, our army was passive, and the Germans had the final say on when the battle would start. But now, the battlefield The situation on the ground has undergone fundamental changes, and we have the final say on where to fight and when to attack."

As he continued to say this, another phone next to Smirnov rang again, and he hurriedly spoke to Stirlitz a few words before hanging up. The new call was from another division commander, who was still asking about the shelling in the middle of the night. Smirnov patiently explained a few words to the other party, and then hung up the phone.

These two calls were just the beginning, and soon a steady stream of calls came in. In addition to the commanders of the infantry divisions and tank brigades under the group army, the heads of friendly troops also called. The contents of the phone calls are all the same, trying to figure out why the shelling took place in the middle of the night.

When the phone stopped ringing, Smirnov was already sweating profusely from exhaustion, and he said to Sokov with a bitter face: "Comrade Commander, it seems that we have made quite a fuss. The neighboring troops were alarmed."

"Yeah, the movement is not small." Sokov muttered in his heart. If he did not get any valuable information after the shelling stopped, he would definitely become the laughing stock of everyone.

As soon as the bombardment ended, Sidolin called Sokov again and reported to him: "Comrade commander, our bombardment has ended. From the observation of the position, we found nothing unusual. Look, do you need to Send someone over to have a look?"

"Forget it, Sidolin." When Sokov learned that the shelling hadn't achieved any effect, his heart sank, and he said into the microphone: "Let the soldiers rest well, and it won't be too late to go down to check after dawn. .”

"Comrade Commander," Smirnov waited for Sokov to put down the phone, and said cautiously to him: "There are still more than four hours before dawn, and you can still hurry up and sleep for a while."

"No need, I can't sleep." Sokov was in such a mess at the moment, he didn't have any thoughts of sleeping. He waved his hand at Smirnov, and came to the map hanging on the wall alone, staring at the enemy and us on it. Analyze the situation and analyze where your judgment has gone wrong.

The defenders of the 239 Heights were originally in a state of readiness, but after the shelling ended, it was found that there were no traces of the Germans in front of the position, and the spirits of the commanders and fighters suddenly relaxed.

After the commander of the second battalion asked Du Halin for instructions, he left the fifth company on the position to stand firm, and the other two companies followed him into the Tibetan soldier cave on the reverse slope, and continued to sleep there, preparing to wait until dawn before going to the front of the position Check.

After the second battalion commander led the other two companies to evacuate, the remaining company only left a squad of soldiers as guards, and the rest returned to the shelter to continue resting.

The soldier who first discovered the explosion of the landmine was arranged by the company commander to serve as a guard. An old soldier was standing guard with him. He squatted in the trench and lit a cigarette, and said in a complaining tone: "Look what you have done? We all slept soundly, but you found a star in the distance The explosion of the landmine made such a big commotion that I couldn't even sleep soundly."

Hearing the veteran's complaints, the soldier dared not say a word. He can be said to be the instigator of such a big commotion tonight. Not only disturbed the dream of the whole company, but even alarmed the artillery regiment to shell the front of the field. At this moment, I don't know how many people are complaining about themselves behind their backs. He walked up and down the trench with a gun in his hand, praying that it would be light so he could join the search team and figure out what caused the mine to explode last night.

While walking back and forth in the trenches, he suddenly heard some movement outside the trenches, so he stopped and listened carefully. Seeing his action, the veteran snorted coldly and said, "What are you doing again, do you want to tell me that the Germans have appeared in front of our positions again?"

However, in the next second, the veteran saw a man in a white camouflage suit and a steel helmet appearing in his field of vision. With a single dive, he threw his companion over, and then covered his companion's mouth. He raised a dagger and stabbed it in the chest.

Seeing this scene, the veteran was shocked into a cold sweat. If he didn't know that the person who appeared in front of him was a German, then the bread of the barracks for so many years would be wasted. He wanted to raise his voice to warn, but due to the suddenness of the incident, he was trembling with fright. Although he opened his mouth wide, he couldn't make any sound.

He raised the rifle in his hand and was about to fire a warning shot, but he felt his mouth was covered from behind, and then he felt a pain in his chest, and completely lost consciousness.

The German soldiers who entered the trench first, after killing the two Soviet sentries, sent a signal to the outside of the trench. Soon, more German officers and soldiers wearing white camouflage uniforms entered the trenches in groups. As soon as they entered the trenches, they separated left and right, and quickly advanced along the trenches to eliminate the Soviet commanders and fighters who appeared in front of them.

Their actions were quickly discovered by Soviet sentries in other areas, and they quickly shot at them. As soon as he shot down a soldier, he fell under random gunfire.

The gunshots alarmed the commanders and fighters in the shelter who were still asleep, and they rushed out with weapons. As soon as some people came out, they were spotted by the German army in the trenches, and they were knocked to the ground after a few shots. Others shot before the Germans and knocked them down.

All of a sudden, gunshots erupted in the trenches.

Glushko, who was staying in the command post of the Foothill Regiment, was awakened by the sudden gunshots.

He turned over and got off the camp bed, rushed to the desk and dialed the number of the Second Battalion. As soon as he heard a voice coming from the receiver, he asked loudly: "Second Battalion Commander, what's going on on the high ground, why did the gun fire?"

"I, I don't know very well." The second battalion commander replied in a panic, "I'm not on the high ground, so I don't know what happened."

At this time, a soldier with a gun ran up from the outside, and said out of breath: "Report to Comrade Battalion Commander, our position was suddenly attacked by the Germans, and the platoon commander ordered me to come here to report to you." Report."

"Where's your company commander?" Knowing that the soldiers in front of him came down from the high ground, the second battalion commander didn't even care to cover the microphone, so he asked angrily, "Where is he, why didn't he call me in time?"

"The company commander and instructor have died." The soldier lowered his head and said to the second battalion commander: "Now our platoon leader is commanding the living and fighting the Germans who rushed in."

Grushiko on the other end of the phone heard the conversation between the second battalion commander and the soldiers clearly, and he quickly raised his voice and said, "Second battalion commander, I order you in the name of the deputy regiment commander to immediately lead the troops into the high ground and be sure to hold on to it." Position. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Deputy Commander." The second battalion commander did not dare to neglect, and quickly replied: "I will immediately lead people to the high ground and drive the Germans out of our position."

After putting down the phone, Grushiko went to find Harin, the regimental commander, who was resting in the wooden house: "Comrade commander, the situation is not good. Our 239 highland was suddenly attacked by the enemy."

"What, the high ground was attacked by the enemy?" Duharin had already heard the sound of gunfire and grenade explosions from the high ground, and realized that something might have gone wrong. At this moment, when I heard that the enemy had attacked the high ground, I couldn't help but turn pale with shock: "How many enemies are there, and how is their firepower equipped?"

"Because the fighting broke out so suddenly, these circumstances are not clear yet." After answering Duharin's question, Glushko offered to propose: "Comrade commander, the attack on the high ground is not a trivial matter. We need to report to the division immediately. Ministry report."

"Wait a minute, Comrade Chief of Staff." But Duharin felt that this was not the time to report, so he stopped Grushko: "I think it's okay to report to the division after the Germans are repulsed." Late."

"We can't wait any longer, Comrade Commander." Seeing Duharin's hesitation, Glushko hastily reminded him: "Even if we don't report what happened here, the division will know soon. Wait." After the division understands the situation, we will report to the higher authorities, and we will appear very passive.”

Hearing what Grushiko said, Duharin immediately changed his mind: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, you will report this matter to the division headquarters. I will immediately notify the other two battalion commanders and let them prepare to support the 239 Heights. preparation."

When Sidolin heard gunshots and explosions from the direction of Height 239, he was also very nervous, not knowing what happened there. Just as he was about to call the 126th Regiment, Glushko's call came in first.

"Lieutenant Colonel Grushiko," Sidolin asked anxiously, "What happened there, why are there gunshots and grenade explosions on Height 239?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Glushko said solemnly, "Our Heights 239 was attacked by the Germans, and the troops holding on to the Heights fought fiercely with them."

"How many troops does the enemy have?"

"I don't know."

"What, don't know?!"

"Yes," Glushko explained: "It was the Second Battalion who stood firm on the high ground. After the shelling was over, because no movement was found, the commander of the Second Battalion only left one company on the position and took the other two companies with him. , and entered the cave to rest on the reverse slope. He is preparing to lead people to the high ground for reinforcements, and the specific situation can only be clarified after the second battalion goes to the high ground."

"Then quickly find out the enemy's strength." Sidolin told Glushko on the phone: "Once you have definite news, report it to me immediately."

When Sidolin put down the phone, he saw Kurishenko walking in from the outside, and quickly reported to him: "Comrade commander, Lieutenant Colonel Glushko, the deputy head of the 126th regiment, called just now and said that the 239 Heights were suddenly attacked. The German attack, and now the fighting is going on. He promised me that he would report to me as soon as he found out what was going on in the field."

Not long ago, Kurishenko was still complaining about Sokov's order to fire. Now he heard that the German army was attacking Height 239, and he couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat. He took out his handkerchief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and murmured, "Have the Germans really started to attack Height 239?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sidolin nodded, then pointed to the outside with his hand, and said, "Listen to the gunshots and explosions outside, all coming from the direction of Height 239."

"But we have carried out a long bombardment in front of the 239 Heights, where did the enemy come from?"

Sidolin also couldn't understand this question, so he could only say vaguely: "Maybe when we shelled, the Germans hid in the blind spot of our artillery fire, so they were not wiped out by our artillery fire. Now our artillery fire has stopped. The Germans took advantage of this opportunity to carry out a sneak attack on our 239 Heights."

After a pause, he reminded Kurishenko: "Comrade commander, this matter is of great importance. I think we should report it to the headquarters immediately to see what instructions our superiors have."