"Two comrades, marshals," Apanashchenko waited for Vatutin to finish, turned to Zhukov and Vasilevsky, and said to them: "I think you should know very well that once the battle begins, once the 19th
The commander of the armored division, finding that the enemy on his right wing has not made any movement, will definitely leave only a small number of troops for surveillance and allocate the main force to reinforce the right wing that is under attack."
"Yes, it is indeed like this." Vasilevsky nodded and asked the question in his heart again: "Then why not let the troops on the left wing of our army assist Sokov's troops in launching the attack?"
"Comrade Marshal, this is what I think about." Apanashenko replied: "Once the troops on the left attack at the same time as Sokov's troops after the battle starts, the enemy will definitely put up a desperate resistance.
The battle in this area will fall into a stalemate.
But if only Sokov's troops are allowed to attack and the troops on the left remain stationary, the enemy can relax their vigilance. When the enemy transfers their troops from the right to the left, which is the right of our attacker, the Guards Division can attack the enemy.
Defend empty areas and launch sudden attacks. In this way, our army can easily break through the enemy's defense line."
After listening to Apanashenko's proposal, Zhukov began to think. If the left wing troops remained stationary in the early stages of the battle, it would give the German army the illusion that this attack was launched by Sokov's troops alone.
The troops on the left wing should not be affiliated with him, so there is a high probability that they will not cooperate with his actions. In this case, the German commander will make a misjudgment. In order to block the offensive of Sokov's troops, he will move his right wing
The troops will be transferred to support the left wing. At that time, the Guards Division, which is stationary, will be able to find suitable fighters and decisively break through the enemy's defenses.
When Zhukov was considering whether Apanashenko's plan was feasible, Vatutin said: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I am worried that if the Guards Division on the left remains stationary, the enemy may attack Sokov's flank. Once the attacking troops
If it is cut off by the enemy, the attack may fail."
In response to Vatutin's worries, Zhukov waved his hand and said confidently: "If you can't even protect your flanks, then you are not the Misha I know. This matter has been decided, Comrade Vatutin,
You immediately inform Generals Trufanov and Malankin that when Sokov's troops attack the 19th Armored Division, they must hold on and are not allowed to attack the enemy until they receive new combat orders.
.”
"Do I need to inform General Sokov?" Vatutin asked cautiously: "After all, our arrangement will disrupt his original deployment."
"No need." Zhukov still shook his head and said, "I want to take this opportunity to see how well he can adapt to circumstances."
…………
After the bombardment, commanders and fighters of the 188th and 384th Infantry Divisions mounted tanks from two tank brigades and launched an attack on the German positions in front.
Sokov, who was staying in the command post, could only understand the progress of the battle through reports from his subordinates because he could not see the attack with his own eyes. He personally called Koida, the commander of the 188th Division, and got straight to the point.
Question: "Comrade Colonel, has the 81st Guards Division on your left wing launched an attack on the enemy?"
The other party was silent for a moment, and then replied: "No, Comrade Commander. My observation post just reported to me that there was no movement at all from the friendly forces on the left."
Samyko, who was standing next to Sokov, couldn't help but panic when he heard Koida's words: "Comrade Commander, if the friendly forces on the left don't take cooperative actions, there will be enemy troops on the flanks of the 188th Division that are charging forward.
May be exposed to the enemy, and then they are in danger of being cut off."
Sokov did not seem to hear what Samyko said, but continued to ask Koida: "Comrade Colonel, are you really sure that the 81st Guards Division on the left has no signs of action?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander, I can assure you." Koida said firmly: "There is no movement at all from the troops on the left."
"Damn it," Sokov muttered softly when he heard this: "Didn't they receive orders to coordinate operations?"
"Comrade Commander," Sokov spoke in a low voice, but Koida could hear him clearly. He quickly asked tentatively: "Do you need me to contact General Malankin?"
"I don't think contact is necessary." Sokov felt in his heart that since Zhukov promised to let the troops on the left cooperate with him, he would definitely not go back on his promise. Maybe there was some reason that caused the original plan to change. Thinking of this, he expressed his feelings towards Koida
Said: "Comrade Colonel, in order to prevent your flank from being attacked by the Germans, I now order the 46th Infantry Brigade to connect to your original position; while the 62nd Marine Brigade is responsible for covering your left flank to avoid being attacked by the Germans.
s attack."
After listening to Sokov's arrangements, Koida felt much relieved. With troops to take over his original defense area and troops to cover his flanks, he could confidently and boldly advance deeper into the enemy's defenses. But he thought of the left wing that was standing still.
Friendly troops, he still asked unconvinced: "Comrade Commander, don't you really want to know why the friendly troops on the left don't cooperate with our actions?"
"Comrade Colonel, if you could cooperate with us in fighting, I think General Malankin's troops would have been dispatched long ago. Since they have been holding back for so long, they must have received some order from their superiors." Sokov said into the microphone: "Your division
Your mission is to continue to push deeper into the enemy's defenses. Also taking offensive actions at the same time as your division is Major General Gritsenko's 384th Infantry Division. You can compete in the battle to see who achieves more glorious results.
"
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, Samyko said anxiously: "Comrade Commander, I think we should ask the front army headquarters what is going on? How to fight if we don't agree that the left wing troops will cooperate with us?
Once the fight started, there was no movement from them?"
Although Sokov also wanted to call Zhukov and ask him what was going on. It was a joint operation that was agreed in advance. Why didn't he even say hello to save Huang? But he then thought about it. Since Zhukov didn't communicate with him,
It seems that he has higher-level considerations. Fortunately, the opponent is only a severely depleted armored division. If he can't solve the opponent with two infantry divisions, a tank corps, and two artillery divisions, then he still takes the initiative.
Forget it and let capable people take over your posts.
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov said to Samyko: "You must know that we are commanded by the front army headquarters, not the other way around. Therefore, there is no need to explain to us not only the decisions made by our superiors.
We just need to do our part and that's it. Could it be that without the cooperation of the friendly forces on the left, we can't destroy the 19th Armored Division?"
"Comrade Commander, what are you talking about?" Before Samek could speak, Lunev's voice suddenly sounded at the door. As he walked toward the room, he asked curiously: "Can you tell me?"
When Sokov saw Lunev appearing in the headquarters, he couldn't help but panic. Instead of complying with the other party's request, he couldn't wait to ask: "Comrade Military Commissar, why are you back? Asya, how is she?"
?”
"The review has ended. I saw that they were very tired, so I arranged for them to rest."
"The review was completed so quickly?" Sokov asked with some lack of confidence.
"Yes." Lunev walked to the table, put a cup of hot tea from the samovar, took a sip and continued: "Asya and the others were kidnapped by the enemy for less than 12 hours, so what's the problem?
?The so-called review is nothing more than going through the procedures according to regulations."
"Comrade Military Commissar," when he learned that the review of Asiya and others had ended successfully, Sokov finally felt relieved. He quickly stepped forward, held Lunev's hand, and said gratefully:
"Thank you!"
"This is my responsibility, you're welcome." After Lunev said this, he curiously asked again: "By the way, how is our attack going?"
Sameko looked through the battle report in his hand and replied: "Judging from the current situation, our army is making very smooth progress. Both divisions have broken through the first line of defense of the German army and are advancing towards the second line of defense."
."
Seeing that Samyko did not mention the friendly forces on the left, Luniev asked curiously: "As for the troops of General Trufanov and General Malankin on the left, are they progressing smoothly?"
Unexpectedly, he was greeted by silence. Lunev asked puzzledly: "What's going on? Haven't they broken through the enemy's defense yet?"
"It's not that they didn't break through the enemy's defenses, it's that they didn't take any action at all." Samek said angrily: "Now we are fighting alone against the German 19th Armored Division."
"What on earth is going on?" Samyko's words confused Lunev: "Didn't they agree to jointly fight? How could they break their promises like this?"
Sokov was worried that if the two men continued to talk, they would say something that would affect unity, so he quickly interjected: "I think the reason why the friendly forces on the left did not take action may be that they received orders from the front army headquarters, so they could only hold on.
out."
"An order from the Front Army Headquarters?" Lunev was even more puzzled: "If we can defeat the 19th Armored Division in a short time, then we can turn around and attack the enemy outside Prokhorovka."
"Comrade Military Commissar, I don't know the specific reason." Sokov said with a wry smile: "But I believe in my troops and our commanders and fighters, we will definitely be able to defeat the 19th Armored Division."
When Sokov's troops were fighting fiercely with the German 19th Armored Division, Zhukov, who was staying at the front army headquarters, also learned about the progress of the battle through special intelligence channels. After reading the battle report, he looked at the people in front of him.
Said: "It seems that Misha's performance is stronger than I imagined. Without the support of friendly forces, he defeated the enemies of the 19th Armored Division steadily. According to me, the enemy may be defeated before dark.
Annihilate or be driven away from the current area by him."
"Comrade Marshal," at this moment, the person in the front army headquarters who is most worried about Sokov's troops is none other than General Vatutin. He knows very well that once Sokov's attack fails, his strength will be damaged.
.If the German army mobilized troops from the direction of Oboyan to reinforce the enemy outside Prokhorovka, then the defense line established by Sokov's troops would be very easy to destroy. Therefore, he asked nervously: "What do you think about Soko's troops?"
Can General Hu win the final victory?"
Zhukov did not immediately answer Vatutin's question, but asked with a smile: "Comrade Vatutin, do you know about the Decembrist uprising?"
"Of course I know, Comrade Marshal." Vatutin asked in confusion: "But what does this have to do with whether General Sokov can win?"
Zhukov still did not answer, but replied to himself: "Nicholas I commanded the troops loyal to him to confront the rebels in the Senate Square in the center of Petersburg. When he saw new Guards troops entering
When he entered the square, he thought he was coming to reinforce his troops, so he stepped forward to welcome him. Unexpectedly, the officer leading the team told him that he was loyal to Emperor Constantine and was not here to help him. After saying that, he went with
The troops went to the other side of the square to join the rebels arrayed there.
When the officer led his troops to join the rebel army, he reported to Kakhovsky, one of the leaders of the uprising, that he had met Nikolai on the way here and refused his invitation. Kakhovsky
After hearing this, he was immediately shocked and asked him why he didn't take advantage of the opportunity to get close to Nicholas to detain or kill him, so that this uprising would be successful."
This period of history that Zhukov mentioned is very clear to everyone here. However, Vatutin still did not understand what Zhukov meant: "Comrade Marshal, I still don't quite understand what you mean. Can you say something better?"
Is it clearer?"
"If that officer more than a hundred years ago had decisively detained or killed Nikolai while he was surrounded by his troops, then Russian history would have been rewritten." Zhukov smiled at everyone.
Said: "The reason why I mentioned this period of history is that if Misha's wife had not been captured by the enemy, I am afraid that Misha would have to wait until we completely defeated the enemy outside Prokhorovka.
Launch a final attack on the 19th Armored Division."
After listening to Zhukov's comments, everyone finally understood why he inexplicably mentioned the Decembrists. Vasilevsky nodded and said: "Comrade Marshal, you are right. Sokov's wife was captured before the enemy."
, completely angered him, I think even without the two artillery divisions we provided him, he would have launched an attack on the enemy and won the final victory."
"As long as Misha wants to destroy the enemy, even without the two artillery divisions we gave him and the cooperation of friendly forces." Zhukov agreed: "He is also capable of destroying the enemy. This can be seen from the many victories he has achieved.
come out."
This chapter has been completed!