Red Moscow

According to Sokov's idea, Rudenko could send twenty or thirty bombers to bomb the enemies hidden in the Dubovka woods, which would be a great honor to himself.

But what he didn't expect was that Rudenko actually sent 526 planes to bomb the German army in that area for an hour.

The enemy hiding in the woods never dreamed that the Soviet army would resort to such a violent bombing, and was immediately stunned by the bombing. In order not to be killed or burned to death in the woods, they ran out of the woods one after another, scurrying around like headless chickens. Unexpectedly, many officers and soldiers jumped into the Berezina River in an attempt to swim to the other bank, but they were hit by the firepower of the Soviet army on the other bank. Soon, piles of corpses appeared on the river, and some sections of the river were even stained red with blood.

After the air force's bombing was over, the smoke slowly cleared, and the observation post of the 48th Army found that the bombed area had turned into a huge cemetery-there were enemy corpses and technical equipment that had been bombed crookedly everywhere.

After receiving the report from the observation post, Sokov called Rudenko and thanked him: "General Rudenko, thank you! Thanks to your air force, the German forces in the Dubovka area were saturated. The bombing has basically wiped them out, so that my troops can attack Bobruisk without any scruples. On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the group army, I would like to express my sincere thanks to you and the air force under your command."

"General Sokov, you don't have to be so polite." Rudenko said with a smile: "I never thought that this kind of saturation bombing could wipe out a huge German army. It seems that I will have more bombs in the future." carry out such bombing in order to achieve greater results."

Sokov knew very well that it might not be easy to bomb German troops with such a dense formation in the future. But he just thought about these words in his heart and didn't say them out loud, "General Rudenko, I congratulate you on such a great victory."

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Sokov put down the phone and asked Sidolin who had just finished the call: "Comrade Chief of Staff, how is the offensive situation at the front?"

"General Onupriyenko reported that the troops of the 4th and 10th Guards Regiments have reached the outskirts of Bobruisk." Sidolin said with some hesitation: "However, there was an attack on the German position." Bai Qi seems to want to send someone to negotiate with us."

"Someone in the German army wants to negotiate with us?" Sokov was taken aback when he heard what Sidolin said, and then he understood what was going on. The troops originally deployed by the Germans to the east of the city, which were intended to attack the flanks of their attacking troops, were now subjected to devastating bombing by the Air Force. Now that the original plan fell through, the Germans must have had new ideas.

But since the Germans wanted to negotiate, Sokov decided to give them a chance. If you can really persuade the opponent to put down their weapons and surrender, it will greatly reduce the casualties of the troops. Why not do such a thing? Thinking of this, Sokov decisively told Sidolin: "Chief of Staff, call General Onuprienko back and order the 6th Guards Division to suspend the attack and let the negotiators sent by the Germans come over."

Following the order, the 6th Guards Division, which was fighting in the southeastern outskirts of Bobruisk, stopped its offensive, but built fortifications in situ, preparing to switch from offense to defense.

However, before the German negotiators arrived, Rokossovsky called first. He asked angrily on the phone: "Misha, what's the matter with you? Why did you stop the attack?"

"Comrade General," Sokov heard his anger from Rokossovsky's voice, and quickly explained to him: "My subordinates told me that white flags were raised on the German positions, and their commanders The officer wants to negotiate with us. I think that if the Germans can really let the Germans take the initiative to lay down their weapons, unnecessary casualties of the troops can be reduced, so I ordered the stop of the attack.”

After listening to Sokov's explanation, Rokossovsky slowed down and said, "Misha, do you think the Germans will take the initiative to lay down their weapons and surrender?"

"It's not realistic to ask them to obediently put down their weapons and surrender." Sokov shook his head and said, "I think the negotiators sent by the German army are nothing more than testing or delaying time. But even if only 1% If there is a chance, we have to make 100% efforts. Once the German army is really persuaded to surrender, this will greatly reduce the sacrifice of our army.”

"Misha, your idea is good, but it is not an easy task to get the Germans to surrender." Rokossovsky said with a sneer, "While the Germans are sending you a signal to negotiate, On the one hand, troops were organized to launch a frenzied counterattack in the offensive area of ​​the 65th Army. After fierce fighting, Batov's troops were forced to abandon some newly occupied areas."

Hearing what Rokossovsky said, Sokov couldn't help being taken aback, thinking that the Germans were coming to negotiate, but it was just a tactic to delay the attack, and they just wanted to gain precious time to readjust the defensive deployment. Just when he was about to speak, he suddenly heard Pornegerin muttering softly, "Maybe the Germans who are going to negotiate are not the same group of Germans who are fighting back."

The speaker was not interested in the listener, and Sokov's eyes lit up with what Ponedelin said, and he quickly said to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Commander, I think the Germans who want to negotiate with us, and counterattack the first The enemies of the 65th Group Army may not be together, so there is such a contrast."

"Oh, the enemy you said you want to negotiate is not the same group as the enemy who launched a counterattack?" Rokossovsky said thoughtfully after hearing Sokov's words: "Could it be that the Germans in the city Infighting?"

"Comrade General, as for whether the enemies in the city have internal strife, I will know what happened after I talk to their negotiators."

What happened next proved that the guesses of Sokov and Ponegerin were completely correct.

The negotiator of the German army was a major, and after he stated his purpose, Sokov asked bluntly: "Major, since you are coming to negotiate with us, why did you launch a counterattack in the west and southwest of the city?" ?”

"Mr. General!" The German major's Russian is very good, and he can clearly express his intentions without a translator: "I am sent by General Haman, the commander of the city defense. The counterattacks in the southwest and west of the city are General Goffmeister, commander of the 41st Tank Corps. There was a big difference between General Harman and General Goffmeister as to whether to continue fighting or to stop resisting."

After confirming his guess, Sokov continued to say to the major: "Major, General Haman proposed that he hand over the city to us, and we will let your troops leave safely. Please forgive me, I cannot promise you this." condition."

"Why?" the German major asked in surprise.

"The reason is very simple." Sokov looked at the German major and said, "We want to recover all the land occupied by you. Bobruisk, which let you leave today, will fight you in other cities tomorrow. To At that time, will you still take the initiative to hand over the city to us?"

"I don't think so." The major said with some lack of confidence: "From the current situation, it is unwise for our army to continue to stick to Bobruisk, so it is allowed to choose to give up. But when we arrive in a new city, Maybe we're going to fight you to the last man."

"Major, it seems that you are an honest person." After listening to the major, Sokov said in an appreciative tone: "Why don't you stay and join the anti-war alliance formed by the Germans themselves. Wait After the war is over in the future, people like you will be needed to build a new Germany."

Sokov's words surprised the major of the German army. He asked in surprise: "Mr. General, although our army has suffered defeats recently, it does not mean that we are incapable of continuing to fight. When it comes to defeating us, it is too late." too early."

"Major, I can make a bet with you." Sokov looked at the other party, and said with a half-smile: "Germany will persist for another year at most, and it will be completely defeated by us."

"This is impossible." The German major jumped up from his seat and said sharply: "Don't look at our recent wars, but we still have such excellent marshals and generals as Manstein, Rommel, and Model. They must have ability to defeat you."

"Then let's wait and see." Sokov said to the major: "Major, go back and tell General Haman that your only way out is to lay down your weapons and surrender to us. Only by doing so can more lives be saved. Only when you re-establish a new Germany in the future can you save enough elites."

After sending away the German major, Sokov said to Sidolin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, inform General Onuprienko that after the German negotiators enter their defense zone, the 6th Guards Division will resume its original position." attack."

"Okay. I'll call General Onupriyenko immediately and get him ready to resume the offensive." When Sokov was negotiating with the German major, Sidolin was sitting by the side, and he was afraid that Sokov would suddenly If you don't notice, if you fall into the trap of the Germans, it will be troublesome if you really agree to the other party's proposal. Hearing the order given by Sokov at this moment, he was immediately overjoyed, and after a loud promise, he ran to the side to make a phone call.

"Comrade Commander," Ponedelin said to Sokov, "since our guess has been confirmed, do we need to report to General Rokossovsky immediately?"

Sokov picked up the phone, dialed the Front Army Command, and reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade General, I have figured everything out. The person who negotiated with us was General Harman, the commander of the city defense; It is the units of the 41st Tank Corps that the 65th Army is conducting a counterattack."

"So that's the case. It seems that there are indeed some disagreements among the defenders in the city, which will be very powerful for our next attack." After finishing these few words, Rokossovsky asked back: "Misha, Now that your negotiations are over, what are your next plans?"

"Comrade General, I have ordered General Onuprienko's Guards 6th hour to resume the attack after the negotiators return to the other side." Sokov reported to Rokossovsky: " At the same time, the 1st Guards Division of General Tolstikov will also launch a crossing operation from the east bank of the Berezina River. After successfully crossing the river, it will launch an attack from the east of the city to assist the 6th Guards Division Take Bobruysk."

"Well, Misha, you are very thoughtful." Rokossovsky agreed with Sokov's deployment. "I hope you will be the first troops to enter Bobruisk."

"Comrade General," the situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly, and Sokov does not dare to guarantee that his troops will be the first to enter Bobruisk, so he can only say euphemistically: "We will do our best."

After Sidolin finished calling Onuprienko, he heard Sokov assure Rokossovsky that he would try to be the first force to storm the city. As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he tentatively asked, "Comrade Commander, the enemy who poses the greatest threat to our flank has been wiped out by the air force. Do you think we should transfer the main force of the group army to attack the city?"

According to the original plan, the main task of the group army was to draw out and destroy the enemies in the city. But as the war progressed, the situation changed, and some of the original plans could no longer be implemented.

Sokov also realized this, so when he heard Sidolin say this, he nodded and said: "That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff, even if we make any feints, the enemies in the city will not dare to go out of the city to pursue them casually. So we have to adjust the plan and launch a full-scale attack on the city. You should immediately inform all the troops to move towards the city, especially the 1st Guards Division, preferably within two hours, to carry out the operation of forcibly crossing the Berezina River."

"Comrade Commander, are you planning to use the 1st Guards Division?" Sidolin waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and asked tentatively, "Are you planning to let them rush into Bobruisk first?"

"Each unit depends on its own ability." Although the number of the 1st Guards Division represents the strength of this unit, it does not mean that they can be the first to rush into the city, so Sukov said reasonably: "It depends on whose luck." Even better, be the first to rush into the city. Whichever army enters the city first will be awarded the honorary title named after the city in the future."

Knowing that Sokov did not pre-designate the first team to enter the city, but let everyone show their magical powers across the sea, Sidolin felt more at ease in his heart. But he went on to ask: "There are a large number of German fortifications in the east of the city. Do you think it is necessary to transfer all the artillery of the group army to the east of the city to assist the 1st Guards Division in the siege operations?"

Sokov thought for a while, and then said: "I don't think there is any need to mobilize the artillery. After all, the main force of the artillery is deployed in the southeast of the city, so that it can completely provide the 1st Guards Division that is attacking from the east. The necessary artillery support."

"Comrade Commander, in some places, due to the angle, the artillery deployed in the southeast may not be able to destroy individual fortifications." Sidolin carefully reminded Sokov: "Look, can some artillery be transferred to the city Heading east to support the 1st Guards Division?"

"Let's do this." Sukov felt that Sidolin was telling the truth, so he said to him: "You can transfer a Guards Rocket Battalion to the east of the city to help the 1st Guards Division destroy the fortifications of the German army. "

"What?" Sukov's words surprised Sidolin, and he asked in puzzlement, "Can the rocket launchers of the Rocket Launcher Battalion be able to deal with the German fortifications?"