Red Moscow

Sokov, who was far away in Safran, did not know the news that Manstein was about to be dismissed. He was checking the results of the Air Force. The destruction of the airfield on the outskirts of Uman and the complete loss of German air supremacy in this area was indeed a great victory. However, the effect of the aerial fortress' attack was not satisfactory. Only a few missile launchers were destroyed, and the V1 missile was not even seen.

"The record is very good." After reading the battle report, Shtemenko said with a smile: "Comrade Sokov, your decisive action today not only caused huge losses to the Germans, but also dealt a heavy blow to their morale." The morale and morale of the army. I believe that in the next few days of the offensive, the resistance you will suffer will be greatly weakened."

But Sokov just smiled lightly after hearing this, and then said to Shtemenko: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, although the German airport in Uman was completely destroyed in the bombing, as long as our army's Once the offensive campaign is launched, they can dispatch planes from other areas to compete with our air force for air supremacy.

Also, the biggest threat to us by the Germans today is not the bomber, but the damn V1 missile. "

"V1 missile?" Unexpectedly, Shtemenko laughed loudly after hearing this, and then he said disapprovingly: "Comrade Sukov, are you too nervous. That's right, the power of the German V1 missile is It is quite powerful, but its disadvantage is also obvious, that is, the hit rate is not high. To hit and destroy a target, a large number of missiles need to be launched at the same time. I think the cost of this kind of thing should not be cheap, in the hands of the Germans There may be a limited number."

Seeing that Shtemenko underestimated the enemy so much, Sokov was really dumbfounded. The V1 missile sounds quite expensive, but the actual cost is not enough, otherwise the German army would not mass-produce it, and launched tens of thousands of V1 missiles to the British Isles.

Sokov coughed lightly and began to explain his point of view: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, you may not understand the horror of V1 missiles."

"Oh?" Stemenko asked curiously, "What do you mean?"

"Based on the production capacity of the Germans, they can produce a large number of V1 missiles in a short period of time." Sokov said: "In fact, the cost of this missile is far lower than our imagination. Just imagine, if The area where our troops are assembled is discovered by German scouts and provides targets for the missile forces behind them, how much casualties will be caused to us."

"Sokov, are you exaggerating the level of German scouts too much?"

"It's not an exaggeration at all." In order to convince Shtemenko, he offered specific examples: "The first time the Germans used V1 missiles to attack, it was the old headquarters of Marshal Konev. And several Hours ago, the Germans again accurately attacked my army headquarters.

If the missiles attacking Marshal Konev's headquarters and my headquarters are not one or two, but twenty or thirty missiles, what kind of losses will be temporarily stored at that time, have you thought about it? "

Shtemenko had seen the photos after the attack on Morenzi village, so he could naturally resonate with Sokov's statement. After a long silence, he asked Sokov, "Comrade Sokov, what good way do we have to deal with the German V1 missiles?"

"Judging from the effects of the night attack and the daytime sky fortress air attack, the German missile launch positions are all hidden in very hidden positions. It is obviously impossible to find them all." If Sokov had Su Si said: "Therefore, I think the best way is to cut off their transportation, so that the missile launch site will not be replenished with missiles, so that the threat to us can be minimized."

"You mean, cut off their transportation lines?" Shtemenko couldn't help frowning after asking this: "But what method do the Germans plan to use to deliver these missiles?"

"Needless to say, it must be the railway." Sokov explained to Shtemenko: "Now it's the spring thaw season. If the Germans use cars to transport by road, they will definitely be stuck in the quagmire. Therefore, they In order to send the missiles to the forward launch sites as soon as possible, they can only be transported by rail.”

"It makes sense, it makes sense." Shtemenko nodded and said, "It seems that we should send scouts to conduct close reconnaissance near the German station to confirm which station the German missile got off at."

"I think we can do both." Sokov waited for Shtemenko to finish speaking, and immediately added his own opinion: "One is to send scouts to lurk near the German train station to find out whether the Germans have brought V1 missiles; The second is to send small units, like guerrillas, to destroy the roads, railways, culverts and bridges behind the enemy, so that the Germans cannot transport the needed V1 missiles to the front in the shortest possible time."

"This is a good idea. I agree with you." After hearing the proposal, Stemenko thought it was a good idea. If ordinary guerrillas were to carry out sabotage operations, he would not be at ease. After all, those people were not professional, and every sabotage would have little impact on the Germans. But now, with professional troops, whether it is destroying traffic or attacking key German troops, the effect is obviously much better. "The offensive campaign is about to start. I think you should arrange actions as soon as possible. In case the German army discovers the area where our army is assembled, and then launches an attack with V1 missiles, it will cause us huge casualties."

"Comrade Chief of Staff!" Sokov yelled casually, but no one agreed, and he realized that he was not at his headquarters at the moment, and Smirnov was not by his side.

Just when he was feeling a little embarrassed, Ponegerin promptly rescued him: "Comrade Commander, if you have any orders to convey, you can tell me, and I will arrange them for you."

"Don't we have several detachments in the enemy's rear?" Sokov said to Ponejielin: "Let Chief of Staff Smirnov inform them that if the enemy's missile launch site cannot be found, they should look for the enemy's transport Lines, whether they are roads, railways, culverts or bridges, are all blown up if they can be blown up."

"They were all blown up?" Bonejelin asked hesitantly, "Then how will our army get through after we regain Uman?"

"There is nothing to worry about," Sokov said carelessly: "After our army has recovered Uman, we will send engineers to repair it. Destroy the enemy's communication lines to prevent their forward troops from gaining more combat Supplies."

After Pornegerin understood Sokov's intentions, he couldn't help but secretly sighed in his heart. When he was the commander of the group army, he never considered sending troops deep behind the enemy lines to destroy the communication lines of the German army. All day long, I think about how to build fortifications to resist the German attack.

After Sokov finished explaining his work, he found that Ponegerin did not call immediately, but stood there in a daze, so he asked curiously: "Lieutenant Colonel Ponegerin, why don't you make a phone call and stand still?" What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." Ponederin blushed and said embarrassedly, "I'll call Chief of Staff Smirnov immediately."

While Ponedelin was on the phone, Shtemenko looked around and found that Muzichenko was seven or eight meters away from him. If he spoke in a low voice, the other party would not be able to hear him. So he asked in a low voice: "Comrade Sukov, I don't understand, why do you insist on keeping the three commanders rescued from the prisoner-of-war camp by your side and entrusting them with important tasks? Worry?"

"worry about what?"

"What else is there to worry about?" Shtemenko said in a low voice, "Of course I'm worried that they will affect your future."

"Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff," Sokov saw that Shtemenko was prejudiced against Ponedelin and others, and explained to him: "Although they were captured by the Germans, I believe that they have great respect for the motherland." Loyalty. Now that they have escaped from the German prisoner-of-war camp and have another chance to serve their motherland, I believe they will exert their great potential to deal a severe blow to the Faxi Temple invaders."

When Shtemenko asked about this, he did not want to blame Sokov, but just out of concern. You know, if he was in Sokov's position, facing the three rescued commanders, it would be too late to hide, so how could he keep them all by his side and entrust them with important tasks?

Seeing that Sokov was supporting Ponedelin and others at this moment, Shtemenko couldn't continue talking, but changed the subject in time: "Comrade Sokov, after the offensive campaign started, you really don't plan to put Is the tank brigade in combat?"

"Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, as I just said, it is the spring thaw season in Ukraine." Sokov replied: "The T-34 equipped by our army and the Sherman tanks provided by the United States are not suitable. No need to fight on such a muddy road. Therefore, at the beginning of the liberation of Uman, I did not intend to use tank troops."

"Comrade Sokov," Shtemenko smiled wryly when he heard Sokov say this: "If your tank crew hears you say that, I think they will be disappointed."

"I just said that they will not be used in the initial stage of the campaign, but I don't mean that they will not be allowed to participate in the entire campaign." Sokov responded with a smile: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, you and I can talk about this, But don’t go outside and say it, or it will affect the morale of our army.”

After the two teased each other a few words, the topic returned to the upcoming battle of Uman: "Comrade Sukov, I have heard more than one person say that your judgment of the battlefield situation is very accurate. Then you analyze it." How long will it take for this offensive campaign launched by our army?"

Although Sokov knew about the battle, he really didn't know how long it took. He could only answer vaguely, "I think it may take more than a month."

"It's already March now." Shtemenko said with emotion: "If it really takes a month to eliminate the enemies in the Uman area, then in the remaining eight months of this year, it is still necessary to liberate the entire Ukraine. An impossible task."

"Not necessarily." Sokov, who knows history, naturally knows that the Soviet army completely drove the German army out of its own land after the entire Ukraine was liberated on August 29, 1944. "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, don't look at the slow speed of our westward advance, but as long as we launch one or two large-scale battles at the right time, we can shorten the time to drive the Germans out of the country. I estimate , When the first snow falls in the second half of the year, we have already liberated the whole of Ukraine."

"We now have four front armies in Ukraine. Although we are fighting the enemy every day, the progress is not optimistic." Shtemenko obviously did not believe Sukov's words. He shook his head and said, "Do you really think that , can we launch a larger offensive in Ukraine?"

"Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, it is not necessarily necessary to launch a new offensive in Ukraine." Sokov wanted to know whether the Supreme Command had any plans to attack Belarus at this moment, so he pointed to the location of Belarus and said to Shtemenko: "In addition to Ukraine, we can also open up new battlefields in Belarus. I believe that with the ability of General Rokossovsky, the entire Belarus can be liberated within one to two months,"

"Hahaha, Comrade Sokov, you really know how to joke." Shtemenko laughed, and he said to Sokov: "From the end of the Battle of Kharkov to the present, we have fought in the Dnieper River Basin. After more than half a year, how far has it advanced into Ukraine?

Even if the Supreme Command agrees to General Rokossovsky's actions in Belarus, it may take protracted battles to gain a firm foothold in Belarus. "

Sokov clearly remembers that the Battle of Belarus took place from June 23 to August 29, 1944. The Soviet army participating in Operation Bagration crushed the resistance of the German army and wiped out more than 400,000 enemies. Finally, they were completely driven out of Belarus.

But the history Sokov is familiar with can only be hidden deep in his heart, but he can't tell anyone casually, otherwise it will cause him unnecessary trouble.

"Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff," Sokov realized from Shtemenko's reaction that the Supreme Command had no plans to launch an offensive campaign in Belarus at this moment, so he said euphemistically: "Actually, our army is in the direction of Belarus, or With a strong force, if we launch an attack on the Germans from here, we may achieve unexpected results."

After listening, Shtemenko restrained the smile on his face, stared at Sokov's face and lost himself in thought. After a long time, he finally said: "Comrade Sokov, you are right. We do have a large number of troops assembled in the direction of Belarus. If they also launch an attack, it will definitely disperse the German defense forces. From our Fighting in the Ukrainian region has become easier."

"That's right, that's right." Seeing that Shtemenko had understood his intentions, Sokov nodded and said, "If there is no major action in the direction of Belarus, the German army may deploy troops in Belarus to strengthen them. The defense of the Ukrainian region, thus hindering the progress of the main force of our army."

"You're right, Comrade Sokov." Shtemenko nodded and said, "When I return to Moscow, I will convey your thoughts to General Antonov, Chief of the General Staff. Maybe he will talk to you personally. Let's talk, let's get to know your thoughts, and I hope you can tell him your thoughts truthfully, so that we can use them as a reference when we formulate the next battle plan."

"Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, if you can really adopt my opinion, it is my honor." Sokov said respectfully: "If Comrade Chief of General Staff really wants to communicate with me personally, I will definitely report my thoughts to him truthfully.”