Red Moscow

"Before I formally assign the task, I will announce something important to you." Ye Liaoming looked at his subordinates and said seriously: "From now on, we will stop fighting the Kwantung Army, and instead The combat area is handed over to General Konev's 3rd Division."

"What?" Hearing what Ye Liao Ming said, several regiment leaders were stunned: "Comrade division commander, why is this?"

In particular, Kravtsov was the most excited. His 15th regiment suffered a lot of casualties in today's battle, but still failed to capture the positions controlled by the Kwantung Army. When he was preparing to organize his troops to launch another attack, he received a call from the division chief of staff, asking him to stop fighting and immediately rush to the division headquarters for a meeting. He originally thought that the division commander would assign some new combat tasks to him, but he did not expect to inform him that the troops were about to hand over the combat area to friendly forces. Naturally, he was unwilling to do so.

"Comrade Division Commander," Kravtsov said, patting the table: "Our regiment has sacrificed so many soldiers here, and we are about to capture the enemy's position. I can't think of handing over the position to friendly forces at this time. "

The other two regiment leaders remained silent at this moment. They wanted to find out what kind of medicine was sold in Ye Liao Ming's gourd. Otherwise, how could they withdraw a main regiment that was attacking a difficult situation at the most critical moment. Especially Baryshev, he had heard something wrong in Ye Liaoming's words, and felt that an order that would make the division commander not complain would definitely give people a surprise.

Sure enough, as soon as Ye Liao Ming spoke, several group leaders were excited: "Comrades, group leaders, I just said that the superiors feel that our advancement is too slow, and they plan to ask us to change our style of play and strive to achieve victory in the shortest possible time. Inside, get ahead of other friendly forces and reach the hinterland defended by the Kwantung Army. Our division will shoulder this arduous task."

"Comrade Commander," Baryshev finally spoke: "Stop being so pretentious and tell us quickly what the superiors are planning."

Ye Liao Ming smiled slightly and did not answer the question immediately. Instead, he asked: "What is the number of our unit?"

His question made several regiment commanders stunned for a moment, and then they answered in unison: "The 4th Guards Airborne Division."

"Yes, you still remember the designation of our division, which is very good." Ye Liaoming walked back and forth in front of the three of them with his hands behind his back: "Since we are airborne troops, we should airborne to fight behind enemy lines."

"What, parachute to fight behind enemy lines?" Kravtsov asked in surprise: "To what position?"

"Here." Ye Liaoming stopped, called the regiment commander to the table, pointed to the map spread out on it and said: "The order given to our division by our superiors is to occupy this city and cooperate with the main force of the frontal attack inside and outside. , completely encircling and annihilating the Kwantung Army in this area."

"Comrade division commander, is it possible that the new task given to us by our superiors is to parachute into the enemy's rear and fight?" Baryshev asked tentatively.

Ye Liaoming nodded and gave Baryshev a positive reply: "Yes, it is indeed the case."

"However, our division has been used as ordinary infantry by our superiors in the past few years." Baryshev said worriedly: "Almost all the experienced airborne troops have been lost, and the newly added troops are all Infantry, let them go to airborne operations. With all due respect, that's letting them die."

"Yes, Comrade Division Commander." The commander of the 9th Regiment also promptly expressed his opinion: "Our regiment originally had more than 1,700 senior airborne troops, but after these two years of fighting, the remaining airborne troops Less than a hundred people.”

"The situation in our regiment is similar," Baryshev continued.

Just when Kravtsov was about to speak, Ye Liaoming raised his hand to stop him: "I know the situation of each of your regiments, and the commander also knows it. The reason why friendly forces are allowed to take over our operations is to prepare us to have Time is used to train commanders and fighters so that they can become qualified airborne soldiers in a short period of time."

"I wonder how much time our superiors can give us?" Kravtsov said carelessly: "According to my experience, it will take at least two months to train so many soldiers who have never parachuted before to become qualified airborne troops. .”

"Comrade Kravtsov," who knew that as soon as Kravtsov finished speaking, Ye Liaoming said with a straight face: "Judging from the current progress of our army, the combat effectiveness of the Kwantung Army cannot be compared with that of the Germans. That is, He said that when fighting the Germans in the past, a battle would last two or three months, but according to my estimation, fighting the Kwantung Army would only take a few months at most. The entire campaign only lasted a few months. What do you think? Will your superiors give you two months to train the troops?"

Baryshev originally wanted to echo Kravtsov, but after hearing Ye Liaoming's words, he swallowed the words on his lips and asked cautiously: "Comrade division commander, I wonder how much time our superiors can give us to train the troops?"

Ye Liao Ming stretched out a finger and said: "In a week, if the battlefield situation changes, the training time may be shortened. So after friendly forces come to take over our operations, you should start training immediately. Although each regiment There are only about a hundred airborne troops left, but using them as the backbone to train new airborne troops, I believe the efficiency is still very high."

Although everyone felt that what Ye Liaoming said was reasonable, one week was too short after all. Kravtsov muttered: "Comrade division commander, one week is too short. If we want to train ordinary infantrymen into qualified Airborne soldiers, this is not an easy task.”

Before Ye Liaoming could speak, Baryshev said first: "Colonel Kravtsov, the current combat cycle is too short, and the time left for us to train will naturally not be too long. I have an idea, in such a short time It is obviously unrealistic to train a group of qualified airborne soldiers within a short period of time. How about we use this time to let ordinary soldiers train in parachuting subjects. As long as they master the skills of parachuting, then airborne soldiers in the army In the process, the situation of breaking a leg or directly falling to death when parachuting to the ground can be greatly reduced, thereby reducing unnecessary non-combat attrition."

"Lieutenant Colonel Baryshev is right." Ye Liaoming agreed with Baryshev's statement: "What are airborne troops? They are soldiers who can parachute. Although basically none of your regiment has any airborne experience. They are ordinary soldiers, but as long as we use this week to let them complete the parachuting training, then we can confidently and boldly carry out the space missions assigned to us by our superiors."

In this way, the 4th Guards Airborne Division, which had withdrawn from the battle, began their airborne training in a designated area near the Daxingan Mountains.

After receiving a call from Afuning and learning that Division Ye Liaoming had begun airborne training, Sokov nodded with satisfaction, and then said: "General Afuning, it depends on whether our troops can successfully complete the mission of airborne landing behind enemy lines. How's the training going with the 4th Division? I hope they don't disappoint me."

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Afuning said quickly: "I assure you that we will complete the airborne training within the specified time and ensure that it will not affect the superior's combat plan. If we cannot do this, you Just send me to a military court.”

Sokov was not in the habit of sending his men to military courts. He said calmly: "General Afnin, I believe you and wish you good luck!"

While Sokov's 53rd Army was advancing smoothly, the 6th Guards Tank Army on the right had problems.

As the main offensive force for the mid-range assault, Kravchenko's 6th Guards Tank Army consisted of the 5th Guards Tank Army, the 7th and 9th Guards Mechanized Corps, and the 36th and 57th Motorized Divisions. A total of With 1,019 tanks and self-propelled artillery, 188 armored vehicles, 1,150 artillery pieces and mortars, 43 rocket launchers and 6,489 vehicles, the firepower of just one group army is enough to crush the entire Kwantung Army.

But fighting is all about logistics. Without adequate logistical support, the technical equipment owned by the 6th Guards Tank Army will not only not be able to play their due role, but will also become a huge burden. When this huge force crossed the Greater Khingan Mountains and entered the water-scarce plains, water consumption became Kravchenko's biggest headache. He was currently staying in his headquarters, listening to the chief of the logistics department's report on the situation.

"Comrade Commander, according to pre-war estimates, each of our military officers and soldiers consumes 5 liters of water per day, each vehicle consumes 25 liters, and the tank reaches an astonishing 100 liters. This is difficult for our logistics troops to complete. Task……"

When Kravchenko heard this, he raised his hand to interrupt what the logistics director was saying, and said impatiently: "Each fighter uses five liters of water every day. Isn't this data a bit too exaggerated? I'll let you drink water openly. , can you drink so much?"

Seeing Kravchenko's unhappy face, the chief of the logistics department quickly explained: "Comrade Commander, because it is summer and the weather is hot, commanders and soldiers will become dehydrated if they do not replenish enough water while marching. . Therefore, the data of five liters of water per person per day has been calculated repeatedly by us and should not be wrong."

"Okay, Comrade Director, even if what you say makes sense." Kravchenko said helplessly: "Then what measures do you think should be taken to solve the problem of water shortage?"

"Before the troops set off, I plan to add some more tank trucks that can carry three tons of water. The water tanks in each tank will also be filled with water. Each soldier will carry a five-liter kettle with him." The director of the logistics department said: "In addition, the troops The amount of ammunition and fuel carried should be reduced to free up more trucks for transporting buckets full of water."

"Reduce the amount of ammunition and fuel carried by the troops?" Kravchenko frowned again: "Then how much ammunition and fuel do you think we should carry during the march?"

The director of the logistics department took out a small book, looked at the data on it, and continued to report to Kravchenko: "The materials carried by the group army include: 3 bases of diesel, 3.5 bases of gasoline, 3 bases of tank ammunition, 2 base infantry ammunition and 12 days of food. At the same time, we also need to contact the Air Force and ask them to prepare enough transport aircraft for us to airdrop supplies to us at critical moments."

After thorough preparations, the troops of the 6th Guards Tank Army advanced rapidly.

According to the scout's report, the enemy blocking their front at this moment is the 63rd Division of the Kwantung Army. The 5th Guards Tank Corps was responsible for the main attack. Commander Saveliev originally thought that a fierce battle would break out to seize the enemy's position. But what he didn't expect was that when his troops reached a distance from the Kwantung Army, The defense line was only two kilometers away, but the defensive position in front was completely silent, as if no one was defending at all.

Saveliev thought this was a conspiracy of the Kwantung Army, and planned to wait for his troops to approach before firing unexpectedly, thereby causing huge casualties to his troops. In order to find out the enemy's strength, he sent a tank company to conduct reconnaissance of the enemy's positions.

The tank company responsible for the reconnaissance mission originally thought that it might be hit by anti-tank fire when it reached a position one kilometer away from the enemy's position. However, when the tank soldiers drove their tanks to this area cautiously, what awaited them was silence. , there was still no movement on the enemy's position.

Seeing this situation, the tank company commander quickly reported to the battalion headquarters through the vehicle radio, and at the same time requested that several three-wheeled motorcycles be sent to cooperate with the operation. The battalion commander dispatched two three-wheeled motorcycles without hesitation and rushed to the front to cooperate with the tank company's actions.

When the motorcyclist rode his motorcycle to the location of the tank company, the tank company commander opened the hatch of the turret, leaned out half of his body, leaned over and said to the motorcyclist below: "There is no movement at all on the enemy's position. , please go over and check to see what’s going on.”

After receiving the order, the motorcyclist immediately drove towards the enemy's position without hesitation. The motorcyclist driving the motorcycle secretly thought, if we are attacked by machine guns when approaching the enemy's position, I must turn around and ride back as soon as possible, otherwise my life may be lost.

But when the motorcyclist arrived only fifty or sixty meters away from the enemy position on his motorcycle, there was still silence on the position. Seeing this situation, a motorcycle stopped. The soldiers on the car got off and prepared for battle using the motorcycle as a cover, while the other motorcycle continued to drive towards the enemy's position.

When another motorcycle arrived in front of the position, the soldier sitting in the sidecar jumped out of the motorcycle and stepped forward to check with his gun. Soon, he turned around and shouted several times towards the back, then got into the sidecar and let the motorcycle come towards the location of the tank company.

When the motorcycle returned to the tank company's position, the tank company commander loudly asked the approaching motorcyclist: "Hey, how is the situation on the enemy's position?"

"Comrade Captain." The soldier who went to check the position said loudly: "There is no one on the position, not a single person. This position is not fortified at all."

"What, there are no enemies on the position?" When the tank company commander heard what the soldier said, he was full of doubts. In order to find out what was going on, he quickly gave an order to the tank crews through the microphone: "The whole company has them. , obey my order and move towards the enemy's position!"