"Yes, Comrade Commander of the Front Army, my troops have indeed captured the enemy's riverside positions and are developing in depth."
"How is this possible?" Konev said with some excitement: "less than half of the time we had to prepare for the enemy's artillery fire, you actually told me that your troops had launched an attack and successfully captured
The enemy's positions along the river have been captured and are developing in depth."
"It's true, Commander of the Front Army, everything I said is true."
"Then please explain to me carefully, what is going on?" Konev was worried that Sokov could not fulfill his promise and could not seize the enemy's riverside positions within a quarter of an hour after the attack began, but deliberately
Falsely reporting the results, so he said earnestly: "Comrade Sokov, I can understand your eagerness to win, but you can't fake the results to deceive your superiors. Once found out in the future, I'm afraid it will have a negative impact on your future.
There will be adverse effects.”
Sokov realized that Konev did not believe in his results and even suspected that he had falsified his results, so he quickly explained to him: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, please listen to my explanation."
"I'm listening. Just tell me."
"The situation is like this. The artillery shells stored in our army group can only maintain artillery preparation for one hour. Therefore, before the battle begins, I told the troops that as soon as our artillery stops firing, not only will the artillery fire in the north and northwest continue,
Continue, all assault forces must attack immediately."
Konev raised his hand and looked at his watch. Only fifty minutes had passed since the artillery preparations began. "But it's less than an hour before the artillery preparations begin. Why did you launch the attack in advance?"
"I saw that the enemy's riverside positions had almost ceased to exist under my powerful artillery fire, so I adjusted my strategy in time and ordered the assault troops to launch an attack in time. Before the enemy could recover from the bombardment,
He came to his senses and quickly rushed into their position which was damaged by the bombing."
When Konev heard this, he couldn't help but asked softly: "Comrade Sokov, you once told me that the Weapons and Equipment Department gave you a new type of river crossing equipment. I wonder if you used this during the assault.
Plant equipment?”
"It was used, Comrade Commander of the Front Army." Speaking of the hovercraft, Sokov replied proudly: "It is precisely because of this new type of river crossing equipment that our troops were able to successfully seize the German coast within fourteen minutes.
River position."
Sokov's words made Konev feel itchy. He really wanted to see with his own eyes what the new strictly confidential river crossing equipment looked like. After putting down the phone, he raised his hand and looked at his watch and said to Zakharov
Said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I want to go to Sokov's headquarters, and I will leave this place to you."
When Konev said that he was going to Sokov's headquarters, Zakharov became a little anxious: "Comrade Commander, there is only one hour left before the attack starts. I'm afraid it's not appropriate for you to leave at this time.
?”
"What's inappropriate?" Konev, who was eager to see the new river-crossing equipment, said to Zakharov: "Isn't the bombardment going to end in an hour? Besides, each unit has clearly defined its mission and will wait until the bombardment begins.
, the commander knows that if he directs the battle, that is to say, nothing major will happen within two or three hours, and if I leave for a while, it will not affect the overall situation."
"Comrade Commander is right." As soon as Konev finished speaking, Military Commissar Susekov continued: "Don't say that the shelling has not stopped at the moment. Even if it stops, it will take at least an hour or two.
Only the troops fighting at the front will receive a steady stream of battle reports. In such a long period of time, even if the comrade commander leaves temporarily, it will not affect the overall situation."
After saying these words, Susekov turned to look at Konev, smiled and asked: "Comrade Commander, can I go with you to Sokov's headquarters?"
"Let's go, Comrade Military Commissar." Konev didn't understand Susekov's intention and said to him with a smile: "I think you must also be eager to know about the new river-crossing equipment equipped by Sokov's troops.
What is it like? Then let’s go and see it together, but we have to make the Chief of Staff stay behind to guard the house.”
When Zakharov heard what Konev said, he realized that he might not be able to see what the new river-crossing equipment looked like before the end of the battle. He could only wave to Konev and Susekov.
He said helplessly: "Then you go back quickly. I'm worried that something urgent has happened and I can't handle it alone."
When Konev and Susekov appeared at Sokov's headquarters, Sokov couldn't help being stunned. After he raised his hand to salute the two, he stuttered and asked: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, Military Commissar
Comrade, why did you come to my place?"
"Comrade Sokov, we are here to check whether the victory results you reported are true." Konev said with a smile: "By the way, let's take a look at what the new river crossing equipment you are using looks like."
Only then did Sokov understand that the reason why the two of them were here was because they wanted to see with their own eyes what he had been keeping secret from them.
Now that the hovercraft has been used on the battlefield, Sokov naturally no longer needs to keep it secret. He led the two people to the lookout, handed them a telescope each, and said: "It just so happened that the new troops had boarded the ship.
, are about to go to the other side, you can see this amazing river crossing equipment with your own eyes."
Konev raised his binoculars and looked towards the river first. Except for a row of tanks parked by the river, he did not see any river-crossing equipment. However, he did not say anything and turned his attention to the other side.
position to see if, as Sokov said, they had successfully occupied the position along the river.
Looking at it, Konev saw several bright red flags erected in the trenches that had been damaged by artillery fire, fluttering in the wind. Surrounded by the red flags were busy commanders and soldiers who were repairing the fortifications destroyed by artillery fire.
.
"Comrade Commander," Konev was watching the positions on the other side when he suddenly heard Susekov exclaim: "Look quickly, what is this thing approaching the shore?"
"It should be the new river-crossing equipment that Comrade Sokov mentioned." Konev quickly turned the telescope in the direction Susekov pointed, and saw more than ten or twenty boats with strange shapes, which was surprising.
What's interesting is that these ships can also move quickly on land: "Haha... they can also run so fast on land... they are still accelerating... they are very fast... really fast!... Oh my God,
I'm not blind, am I..."
Susekov's breathing also became rapid, and he raised his voice and shouted: "Comrade Commander, from where they started, they were at least three hundred meters away from the river, but it only took them less than a minute to rush over.
Into the water. Oh my God, they're already on the beach, they're literally flying over the water."
Konev saw the hovercraft arrive on the other side, drive a few hundred meters toward the city, and then finally stop. Then he saw countless commanders and fighters getting off the boat. After they assembled around the hovercraft, they headed towards
He rushed towards the area in front of him that was filled with the sound of gunfire.
When he saw the hovercraft that had unloaded the officers and soldiers and turned back, Konev put down the telescope in his hand and turned to ask Sokov, who was standing behind him: "Comrade Sokov, is this the new river crossing equipment given to you by your superiors?"
"
"That's right." Sokov nodded and replied with a smile: "It is precisely because of this new type of river crossing equipment that we were able to successfully cross the river and seize the enemy's position in such a short period of time."
"You are right." Konev said thoughtfully: "It is precisely because of this high-speed river crossing equipment that more troops can be put into the battlefield in a very short period of time.
Before the enemy could recover, they successfully occupied their defensive positions."
"Comrade Sokov, I wonder what this new type of river crossing equipment is called?" Susekov asked.
"It's called a hovercraft."
"Hovercraft?!" After Susekov repeated the name, he said sideways to Konev: "Comrade Commander, I just counted, there are only 22 such ships, but it can be anywhere from five to ten
Within minutes, a battalion of troops could be sent to the other side.
You can imagine, if we can equip one hundred, two hundred or more hovercrafts, can we place all our troops as close to the enemy's position as possible in the shortest possible time. In this way, we can attack during the attack.
, which can reduce many unnecessary casualties.”
"Comrade Sokov," Susekov's words made Konev's heart skip a beat. If his troops were really equipped with hundreds of hovercrafts, then assault operations against the enemy would become easier. Once the artillery preparations were over,
The enemy hadn't fully woken up from the bombardment. His troops had already rushed in front of them on hovercrafts. Before the enemy had time to organize resistance, they would be wiped out by the Soviet commanders and fighters who rushed in front of them. He suppressed his heart.
Shocked, he nodded silently, and then asked Sokov: "I would like to ask, what is the monthly output of this kind of hovercraft?"
"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, I really can't answer your question." Sokov said with a wry smile: "If you want to know, I can ask someone to answer it for you."
After getting Konev's permission, Sokov picked up the phone on the table and said into the receiver: "Invite Colonel Yakov here and say that someone wants to see him."
Soon, Yakov appeared in Sokov's headquarters. Seeing Konev and Susekov standing here, he quickly raised his hands to salute the two men, and asked curiously: "Comrade generals, what are you doing?"
, why are you here?"
Both Konev knew Yakov, and after hearing his question, they smiled and replied: "I heard that Sokov's troops have occupied the position on the other side, so I wanted to come over and see if his report was true.
But we also have another purpose here, which is to find out what new river-crossing equipment you have equipped Sokov."
"Actually, the hovercraft was originally invented by Sokov." Yakov turned his head and looked at Sokov with admiration, and said sincerely: "Comrade Ustinov only agreed to hand over the newly produced hovercraft to
Sokov's troops come to complete the final testing work."
Konev knew very well that completing the final testing of the equipment was just a high-sounding excuse to prevent other troops from finding trouble with Ustinov when they found out about it. But at the moment, he didn't care about this issue. He was curious.
He asked: "Colonel Yakov, can you tell me what is the monthly output of this kind of hovercraft?"
Konev's question made Yakov frown. After a while, he said awkwardly: "I'm sorry, General Konev, the production data of the hovercraft is top secret, and you cannot know it based on your level. Please."
Don't embarrass me, I won't tell you even if you keep asking."
Although he couldn't get the answer he wanted from Yakov, Konev also understood that the production of this kind of hovercraft would be very difficult, otherwise it would not have been kept secret until now. If it weren't for Sokov's troops
If you want to use hovercraft frequently in battle, even if you are the commander of the front army, you may not be able to see it.
Konev asked a lot of insidious questions, but Yakov was spotless. If the other party asked about his father's situation, he would respond politely. But once it came to the design, development and production of the hovercraft,
He either avoided answering or promptly changed the topic to other aspects.
Seeing that he could not get any useful information from Yakov, Konev was completely disappointed. Seeing that the offensive of the ground troops was about to begin, it seemed a bit inappropriate to continue to stay in Sokov's headquarters, and
After chatting for a few words, he and Susekov said goodbye and left together.
After sending Konev and Susekov away, Sokov was still a little worried that he might make Yakov unhappy by letting them see the hovercraft without Yakov's consent. He was sure
Chance said: "Yasha, I'm so sorry, I didn't expect General Konev to come here without even saying hello."
"It's okay, Misha, you don't have to blame yourself." Unexpectedly, Yakov said generously: "After all, before the battle started, you did a good job of keeping secrets. Except for the troops participating in the assault, the rest of the commanders and combatants knew about the hovercraft.
I have no idea what the new river crossing equipment sent by my superiors looks like."
Having said this, he raised his hand to look at his watch and asked Sokov: "Misha, is there anything else? If nothing happens, I will go back and continue with my men to complete the final testing of the hovercraft."
"Go ahead, go ahead." Sokov nodded and said, "Go and do your work first. If anything happens, I'll call you."
Samyko waited for Sokov to return to him and said to him: "Comrade Commander, the commanders and fighters of the Marine Brigade have now rushed to the edge of the city. In a few minutes, or even dozens of seconds, they will
It is possible to set foot in the city of Belgorod."
Sokov did not blindly ask the troops to attack faster, but told Samyko: "Chief of Staff, tell the commanders below, don't blindly ask for speed, but attack slowly and steadily. Once you capture a building, consolidate it."
Buildings, occupying a street will stabilize that street, and constantly push the enemy away from their defensive positions."
This chapter has been completed!