Red Moscow

  Chapter 579 On the eve of the attack

  The Soviet army wanted to attack the enemy's position, and the tactics they adopted were to launch an infantry attack after the artillery preparations were completed. With any luck, the attacking force can also be supported by tanks or air force. But this kind of tactic of directly lurking troops in front of the German positions and using short-distance assaults is the first time in history. If it wasn't for Sokov to have the final say here, it is estimated that the plan will not be passed.

  Sokov has seen many war-themed movies in later generations, and there are scenes of lurking in front of the enemy's positions. In order to achieve the suddenness of the attack, the latent troops usually have to stay under the nose of the enemy for a day and a night.

Although the lurking time this time was only a few hours, Sokov was still uneasy in his heart. After all, it was the first time for the Soviet army to use such a tactic. The unknown. Also, even if they successfully entered the lurking location, within a few hours, once they were detected by the enemy, the lurking troops would be in danger of being wiped out.

  So after assigning the task, he chose a higher position and raised his binoculars to look at the German positions in the distance. Standing beside Sokov, Bely also imitated him, raised his binoculars, and asked at the same time, "Comrade Brigadier, is it really okay to lurk in front of the enemy's position?"

  Regarding this question from Bely, Sokov could only answer with a wry smile: "Colonel Bely, this is the quickest way for us to seize the enemy's position. As for whether it will succeed, we have to try."

After listening to Sokov, Bely put down the binoculars and said thoughtfully: "This line of defense was built by our army. Since the main defense direction is in the west, the front of our army's hidden area, the Germans There are no minefields laid, no barbed wire fences, only a hastily dug trench, if our army can successfully launch an attack from the hidden position, then there should be no big problem in capturing the enemy's defense line."

  Sokov also put down his binoculars, turned his head and said to Bely: "Comrade Colonel, you are right. The key to the success of our attack this time lies in whether the guard battalion can successfully enter the hiding place."

"I don't think it's a big problem." After some observations, Bely became confident: "We broke through the three front lines of defense and used tank battalions. As long as the Germans don't hear the roar of tank engines at night, Think we're not going to attack."

"Yes, the Germans will definitely think that we will send out tank troops before attacking." Sokov replied: "But they never dreamed that our attacking troops would take advantage of the night to enter this grassland in front of their positions." lurking."

  ...

   When the departure time came, Tenev came to the temporary command post and bid farewell to Sokov. He straightened his body and said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, please rest assured, I will definitely let the troops enter the latent position smoothly."

   "Wait a minute, Comrade Major." Seeing that Tenev was about to leave, Bely stopped him suddenly, then turned to ask Sokov, "Comrade Brigadier, I found that we seem to have overlooked an important issue."

   "What's the problem?" Regardless of the plan of lurking in front of the enemy's position, it was Sokov who proposed it, but he knew in his heart that when he used this tactic for the first time, there must be some imperfections. So when he heard what Bely said, he immediately urged: "Colonel Bely, hurry up and listen."

"How do we communicate with the lurking troops?" Bely pointed out sharply: "I just saw that the grass there is as deep as half a person. After the soldiers enter it, it is difficult for us to see whether they have successfully reached the designated location. .Also, if something unexpected happens, how will they notify us when they need our support?"

  Biely's words made Sokov realize his negligence. After he raised his hand and slapped himself heavily on the forehead, he said angrily, "Damn, damn, why did I forget such an important thing."

He frowned and thought for a while, walked up to Tenev, and said to him: "Comrade Major, your ambush position is very close to the enemy's position. If there is something to contact, you may not be able to call directly, so we have to Arrange a contact method in advance."

   "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what can you do?" Tenev said blankly, "Please give instructions!"

Sokov walked to the radio, picked up the microphone, and motioned to Tenev: "Comrade Major, please remember the several contact methods I demonstrated." After seeing Tenev nod, he said Start the demonstration: After the troops successfully enter the ambush position, blow into the microphone three times in a row, the breath is slow and long; if there is any danger and needs rear support, blow three times in a row, the breath is short and rapid...

Hearing the contact method described by Sokov, Bely's eyes widened in surprise, and he said in an admiring tone: "Comrade Brigadier, you are so amazing that you can come up with such a contact method. In this way, We can know the situation of the hidden troops in time without exposing the target."

Tenev also admired this method of communication. He nodded vigorously and said, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I have remembered it. I will report to you in time after the troops successfully enter the ambush position. "

  After the latent troops set off, Sokov did not go outside to observe, but arranged for two observation posts to monitor the movements of the German positions. Once you find that something is wrong, report it to yourself in time. At the same time, he also ordered Vanya to set up a rocket launcher, ready to fire at the German positions at any time.

About half an hour later, the radio operator suddenly said to Sokov pleasantly: "Comrade Brigadier, the guard battalion has successfully entered the ambush position." Both Ray and Ray could clearly hear Tenev blowing into the microphone.

"Comrade Brigadier, your method of communication is really great." Hearing three long blows representing the troops have successfully entered the ambush position, Bely said again with emotion: "Major Tenev can timely Report to us without being detected by the enemy."

Sokov was not complacent when he heard Bely's praise. On the contrary, he said with emotion: "I really didn't expect that the commanders and fighters of the guard battalion are so well-trained. If you are aware of the situation, you can enter the latent position smoothly."

  Now that the troops have entered the ambush position, Sokov feels a little more at ease. Because the troops will launch an offensive before dawn, it is possible to avoid the situation where many commanders and fighters are exhausted due to too long lurking time, and even the target is exposed.

Sokov took out a cigarette case from Bely's jacket pocket, smoked one and put it in his mouth, but did not light it immediately, but asked with some concern: "Comrade Colonel, do you think we will arrive in Orlovka tomorrow?" After that, can you hold it there?"

"I guess it's enough." Bely once commanded troops to fight in that area, so he said with confidence: "There are no strong fortifications that can be used for defense. If we want to hold on there, we can only fight with the Germans." People struggle to consume, to see who can't support it first."

   "We can't do this kind of loss-making business." Sokov sneered, and then said: "If all the troops are wiped out, what kind of troops will be used for defense in the future?"

   "What?" Hearing what Sokov said, Bely was stunned for a moment, and asked cautiously: "Comrade Brigadier, don't you have any confidence in us holding Stalingrad?"

"If all our troops are lost in this counterattack, it will be very difficult to resist the enemy's attack." Sukov felt that he had to sound the alarm for Bely, so he said with a serious expression : "We have to find a way to save more troops, so that we can be more sure of defending the city."

He lit his cigarette, took a puff, and then remembered another important thing: "Comrade Colonel, I think about it this way. If we evacuate Orlovka again, we must remove the fortifications of the occupied lines of defense." Blow up..."

"What, you plan to blow up the fortifications in these lines of defense?" Bely, who was confused by Sokov's inexplicable order, asked in confusion: "Comrade Brigadier, can I ask why you did this?" ?"

"It's very simple," Sokov said while smoking a cigarette: "When our troops outside the encirclement attack the enemy, the enemy can use these fortifications to block their advance. But if we blow up these fortifications when we evacuate In the face of our army's attack, it will be difficult for the enemy to build a new defense system in the shortest possible time, which will be very beneficial to us in annihilating the enemy who broke into Stalingrad."

"It makes sense, it makes sense." After listening to Sokov's words, Bere couldn't help nodding his head again and again. Before dark yesterday, he led troops to attack the third direction of the German army from the west, and was captured by these fortification chiefs. Time blocks, so he agrees with Sokov's idea very much. He said to Sokov: "Then I will immediately arrange manpower to plant explosives in these fortifications, and when we evacuate, we will immediately blast them."

"Comrade Colonel, you can arrange it now." Anyway, there are still a few hours before the attack, Sokov simply arranged for Bely to do something, so that he would not be too boring: "See how many explosives can be used. In the fortifications. If there is not enough, I will immediately contact the factory manager Peter and ask him to send us some more."

"Okay, leave this to me." Bely said carelessly: "I must plant explosives in all the fortifications before the offensive begins. It's fine if you don't give up the position. Once you give up here, I will immediately blow up the These fortifications will never be left to the Germans."

After Bely left the command post, Sokov received a telegram from Chuikov, which specifically mentioned the information provided by Lisa, telling him to arrive at Orlovka tomorrow morning and set up a defensive position there. Join forces with friendly forces on the periphery of the encirclement.

  After reading the telegram, Sokov found that the problem was more serious than he thought. If the German army really used so many troops to attack the Dzerzhinsky Tractor Factory, it would be impossible to defend it with the strength of the 37th Guards Division. Maybe at that time, Cuikov will let himself be a firefighter again and lead the troops there to provide support.

   After holding Chuikov's telegram for a while, he said to the operator: "Call back to the Army Group Command, saying that my brigade will definitely be able to arrive at Orlovka tomorrow morning."

  While the radio operator was still transmitting, Vanya walked in from the outside, straightened his body and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, our rocket launcher is ready. When can we launch it?"

   "It's still early, Comrade Captain." Sokov walked up to Vanya and said to him, "Leave two launchers on duty, and let the rest of the comrades rest."

   "We still have fifteen rockets," Vanya waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and asked tentatively, "I want to ask, how many rockets will be launched later?"

"Shoot them all out and leave none behind." Sokov thought that even if his troops arrived in Orlovka, they might not be able to stay for long. The soldiers could not run away with such heavy rockets on their backs. It's convenient, it's better to use up all of them when attacking the fourth line of defense.

"Comrade Brigadier," Vanya asked hesitantly about Sokov's order, "if we use up all the rockets when we attack the fourth position, then how about reaching Orlo?" We don't have any rockets to use in Fuka."

   Sokov would not tell Vanya that he just went to Orlovka for a walk according to the order of his superiors, and he had no intention of sticking to it at all. But in the face of Vanya's worries, he still pretended not to care and said, "Comrade Captain, it doesn't matter if you run out of rockets. After we reach Orlovka, we can let Mamayer Fugang will send us another batch. At that time, are you still worried that there will be no rockets to use?"

   Speaking of which, he waved to Vanya and said, "Okay, let your soldiers go to rest quickly. It's not too late to let them enter the firing position when it's time to attack."

After sending Vanya away, Sokov saw that the telegrapher had finished sending the telegram, so he said to him: "Signator, send another telegram to Peter the factory director, asking him to send us five truckloads of explosives, saying that we have Urgent."

  The radio operator heard the conversation between Sokov and Bely, and knew that these explosives were going to be used to blow up those fortifications. He quickly agreed and began to send a report to Peter's factory building.

  Peter received the telegram from Sokov, with a confused expression on his face, he thought to himself: "Five truckloads of explosives, what does Lieutenant Colonel Sokov want so many explosives for?"

  Although he could use so many explosives in his hands, just to be cautious, he picked up the phone and planned to report the matter to Chuikov, asking whether the batch of explosives should be provided to Sokov's troops.

  (end of this chapter)