Red Moscow

"Colonel Bely," Sokov pointed in the direction where gunshots and explosions were still ringing out, "in a few minutes at most, this German line of defense will fall into our hands. You go back immediately and prepare , After our army has completely occupied the enemy's position, you will lead the tank battalion to attack, and you must go out to the Orlovka area before the enemy plane appears."

"Comrade Brigadier," Biely said hesitantly, looking at the battle still going on in the distance, "I think the tank battalion should wait until dawn before starting. Don't think that our army is about to occupy the enemy's position, but there may be some The anti-tank fighters survived, and if they attacked the advancing tanks under cover of darkness, we would have suffered needlessly."

In all fairness, Bely's concerns are justified. If the tank troops are sent out before dawn, one is that they are easily attacked by hidden anti-tank fighters, and the other is that the soil in some areas is too soft. T The -34 tank is easy to sink into. However, considering that the tanks were marching during the day and were vulnerable to air attacks by German aircraft, Sokov had to take a risk: "Colonel Bely, I understand what you mean. The tank battalion may not be attacked until after dawn. German anti-tank attack, but may be bombed by enemy planes..."

Before Sukov finished speaking, Bely understood why the other party urged him to leave, and quickly took over the conversation and said: "I understand, Comrade Brigadier Commander, I will go back and make preparations. Once the battle ahead is over, I will Lead the tank battalion and set off."

From where the tank battalion was stationed, it was almost ten kilometers to Orlovka. The tank battalion led by Bely arrived at the destination in less than forty minutes. Although there is a company of German troops stationed here, due to the lack of long-range anti-tank weapons, in the face of the Soviet tanks rushing up, the anti-tank hand can only hold anti-tank grenades and rush forward to blow up the tanks. But how could the infantry who acted together with the tanks allow them to do so. The soldiers jumped out of the tanks one after another, and with intensive firepower, knocked down the anti-tank fighters rushing over one after another.

The German commander hiding in the command post saw the anti-tank fighters coming out of the trench and fell under the intensive firepower of the Soviet army. And the machine guns on the ground could not pose any threat to the approaching Soviet tanks, and they were even blown to pieces by shells from time to time, so they knew that it was meaningless to continue fighting. So, he gave his soldiers an order to retreat.

After the order to retreat was issued, many German soldiers stopped shooting and ran back along the traffic trench, trying to run as far away from the Soviet tanks as possible. It's a pity that there are open plains around the position here. As soon as they left the fortifications, they became the targets of Soviet tank fire and machine gun attacks, and were killed in patches on the open ground.

The German soldiers who stayed in the position saw that continuing to resist would be death, and fleeing would be death, so they decisively put down their weapons and raised their hands to surrender to the charging Soviet commanders and fighters.

Seeing that his subordinates assisted the infantry in capturing Orlovka, Bely couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and then reported to Sokov via the vehicle radio: "Comrade Brigadier, we have successfully reached Orlovka. "

"Great, Colonel Bely, this is really great." Hearing that the troops led by Bely had successfully reached Orlovka, Sokov couldn't help being overjoyed. But he didn't get carried away with it. He reminded Bely: "Comrade Colonel, immediately deploy defenses to prevent the enemy's counterattack. I will take the troops to join you as soon as possible."

After finishing the conversation with Bely, Sokov felt that he should report to Chuikov that the troops had already arrived at Orlovka, so he ordered the radio operator: "Radio operator, send a report to the Army Group Command, and just tell me The corps has successfully broken through the German fourth line of defense and advanced to Orlovka."

Although the sky is not completely bright at the moment, in Cuikov's headquarters, it is a busy scene. The radio operator desperately called the commanders of various units into the microphone; the busy staff officers were constantly walking in or going out. The three chiefs of the group army were sitting at the table, looking down at the map in front of them, discussing in a low voice the focus of today's attack.

Krylov said to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, we have verified Lisa's report, and the enemy does show signs of gathering troops. Once our counterattack fails, then they can concentrate their superior forces and attack Dzerzhinsky. The factory attacks, trying to establish a stronghold here..."

"Our soldiers have been exhausted." Military Commissar Gurov frowned and said: "If the German army really launched an attack with such a large force, then Major General Rudev's 37th Guards Division would not be able to stop it at all." of."

Faced with Gurov's worries, Cuikov's face was clouded with gloom. He knew that the counterattack against the German army would soon end in failure. Once the German army regained the initiative on the battlefield, it is unknown how many defensive areas will be lost.

Just when everyone was at a loss, a communications staff officer walked over quickly, straightened his body and reported to Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, just received a telegram from Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, they have successfully broken through We broke through the fourth line of defense of the German army and went out to the Orlovka area."

In the huge headquarters, it suddenly became silent. Everyone felt unreal when they learned that Sokov's troops had broken through the German fourth line of defense and arrived at Orlovka smoothly. Krylov did not reach out to answer the telegram, but looked at Chuikov, and asked with some surprise: "Comrade Commander, did I hear correctly? The staff said that Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops had successfully advanced to Orr Lovka area?"

Chuikov did not speak, but snatched the telegram from the staff officer's hand, read it carefully, and leaned over to look at the map on the table. After a while, he slammed his hand on the table and said with some excitement: "It's great, it's really great! Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops went out to Orlovka, and today's battle It will be very beneficial."

Hearing what Chuikov said, Krylov still felt that the matter was a bit unbelievable, so he whispered to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, as far as I know, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops took it after dark yesterday. The third direction. And there was no fighting all night, how could they break through the enemy's fourth line of defense without making a sound, and go out to Orlovka? I think there is something wrong with this telegram, and it needs to be repeated Check it out."

Chuikov waited for Krylov to finish speaking, then handed over the telegram in his hand, and said to him, "Comrade Chief of Staff, then go and verify the authenticity of this telegram."

After waiting for Krylov to leave, Gurov asked Chuikov in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, do you think the contents of this telegram are true?"

Hearing Gurov's question, Chuikov nodded without hesitation: "I think it's true."

"Since it's true," Gurov glanced at Krylov who was instructing the operator to send a report, and couldn't help asking curiously: "Then why did you ask the chief of staff to send a message to verify it?"

"Comrade Military Commissar," Chuikov explained to Gurov, "although I think Sokov's telegram is true. But when did they launch an attack on the enemy's fourth line of defense, and when did they break through the enemy's positions?" , and went to Orlovka, but did not elaborate. I asked the chief of staff to verify, just to find out what was going on, so that I could know what was going on when I assigned today's combat missions."

"So that's the case, I understand." Gurov said understandingly: "In any case, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's victory came too suddenly. We must understand what the real situation is like."

About ten minutes later, Krylov came back with the telegram he had just received, and said with a smile on his face: "Comrade Commander, I have figured it out. In the early hours of this morning, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov ordered the guard battalion Lurking in front of the German positions in the dark, after the rocket attack this morning, the lurking troops launched an attack on the enemy, and took down the fourth line of defense of the German army in just ten minutes. At the same time, Colonel Bely commanded The tank battalion rushed to Orlovka quickly before dawn, wiped out the enemies there, and established a support point."

"You did a great job!" Chuikov waited for Krylov to finish speaking, and immediately praised Sokov: "When Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops reach Orlovka, they can contain some of the German troops." The force will be very beneficial to our counterattack during the day today."

"However, Comrade Commander," Krylov saw that Chuikov was so happy, he reminded him cautiously: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops must have lost a lot of troops after successive battles. If we don't give them If reinforcements are made, it is estimated that it will be difficult to defend Orlovka."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Chuikov couldn't help but frowned upon hearing the word reinforcement, "We have already assigned the guard battalion to Sokov, so how can there be any troops to reinforce him?"

After staring at the map on the table for a while, Krylov said to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, the 308th Infantry Division of Colonel Gurdiyev is located four or five kilometers east of Orlovka. We can order them to move closer to Sokov's troops and defend Orlovka together."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Gurov couldn't help interjecting when he heard this, "I want to ask, after the two troops join forces, who will be in command? Is it Colonel Gurdiyev or Central Sokov?" school?"

"Needless to say, of course it's Sokov." After Chuikov said this, he couldn't help laughing: "Although Sokov is only a lieutenant colonel, he is now commanding several colonels. Can command the general. Well, it's settled like this, let Colonel Gurdiyev lead the troops closer to Orlovka."

Krylov promised and was about to call Colonel Gurdiyev when Chuikov suddenly asked: "By the way, Comrade Chief of Staff, what's going on with Sokov's troops lurking in front of the enemy's position? "

In fact, even if Chuikov didn't ask, Krylov planned to report Sokov's new tactics to Chuikov at the right time. Since the other party asked at this moment, he replied truthfully: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov took advantage of the cover of night and deployed Major Tenev's guard battalion in the grass in front of the German positions. According to him, this can shorten the time. The attack distance, in the shortest time, rush to the enemy's position, and catch the enemy by surprise."

"I really didn't expect that Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's tactic is quite effective." After hearing this, Cuikov couldn't help but said with emotion: "We still understand the situation of the German fourth line of defense. Even if it is a It would take at least several hours for a full-staffed infantry regiment to launch an attack on them, but Sukov and the others managed to settle the battle in ten minutes. It seems that such a new tactic should be spread within the entire army as soon as possible Promote."

…………

After receiving the telegram from the headquarters, Sokov immediately talked to Bely on the phone: "Colonel Bely, I just received a telegram from the headquarters, saying that the 308th Infantry Division of Colonel Gurdiyev will start from Dongmian rushed over to join us, please pay attention to identify, don't fight with your own people."

"Don't worry, Comrade Brigadier Commander." Bely assured Sokov: "It's dawn now, and there will be no more accidental injuries. I will send a tank company to meet the comrades of the 308th Infantry Division."

After notifying Bely, Sokov planned to take the troops to Orlovka. Considering that he had too few troops, he called Guriyev for help: "Comrade General, hello, this is Sokov. Lieutenant Colonel Cove."

Hearing Sokov's voice, Guriyev couldn't help but said with a smile: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I heard that your troops have successfully broken through the German fourth line of defense and advanced to Orlovka." area, is there such a thing?"

"Yes, Comrade General, the information you have is completely correct." After flattering the other party, Sokov continued, "I called you to ask for your help."

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Guriyev said in a very good mood when he learned that Sokov's troops had already arrived in Orlovka, "If you have anything to say, just say it, as long as I If you can do it, your request will be fulfilled.”

"That's right, Comrade General." In order to make up for his lack of troops, Sokov planned to abandon the occupied positions: "My troops are limited. In order to strengthen the defense in the direction of Orlovka, I plan to send the third and All the troops in the fourth line of defense have been transferred away. I hope you can send people to defend the vacated defensive positions."

Guriyev thought it was a great event, but when he learned that he had sent someone to take over the defense, he immediately patted his chest and promised, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, apart from leaving a platoon on each of the two lines of defense, Wait for my troops to take over the defense, and the rest can be transferred to the Orlovka area."