After the cavalry army left, the defense near Highland 239 became weak again.
For this matter, Smirnov asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Commander, which unit do you think will take over the defense area vacated by the cavalry army?"
"Don't there be four tank brigades under the group army?" Sokov thought for a moment and said: "Let them fill this gap. Once the 41st Guards Division's defense area is tight, they can rush over in time to provide reinforcements."
"Transfer the tank brigade?" Regarding Sokov's arrangement, Smirnov put forward a different view: "Comrade Commander, I think it is inappropriate to send the tank brigade to take over the cavalry army's defense area."
"Why?" Sokov asked in surprise.
"Although we have four tank brigades, they have been under-staffed." Smirnov explained: "And after the early battles, the total number of usable tanks now does not exceed fifty."
The muscles on Sokov's face twitched violently several times. He never dreamed that the four tank brigades under his command actually had less than fifty tanks, which meant that each brigade only had ten tanks. Once the battle broke out,
If the German armored division encounters it, it will probably be wiped out in an instant.
"When I called Yakov a few days ago, he said that he could not provide us with tanks and artillery." Sokov frowned and said: "Without enough tanks and artillery, we can only stay in the trenches for defense.
, and cannot take the initiative to attack the enemy."
"Yes, without a sufficient number of tanks and artillery, we are simply no match for the German armored divisions." Smirnov also said with emotion: "Let alone one-on-one, even if our entire army is put into battle, we will not be able to defeat it."
It would be impossible to stop the assault of even one German armored division."
It is not a fantasy but a fact that a German division defeated a Soviet group army. During the Battle of Kursk, the troops commanded by Vatutin basically used a group army to fight against a German division, but they were still beaten hard.
After the defeat, if the superiors had not successively deployed several armies from Konev's Steppe Front to support them, the outcome of the Kursk battle would have been really unknown.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I think you are worrying too much." Gorokhov interrupted: "Don't forget, Comrade Commander is the nemesis of the Germans. Many Germans may not even be able to sleep when they hear his name.
Be practical. Let me ask you, in this case, how could they take the initiative to attack us?"
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov felt happy when he heard Gorokhov praising him, but he did not feel complacent about it, but said solemnly: "But as long as the Germans fight us,
Then they will find that I am just a false name, and then they will make us a priority target for elimination."
Although he had already guessed the result, Smirnov still asked tentatively: "So, it is impossible for us to launch an attack on the enemy before we are supplemented by tanks and artillery?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, that is indeed the case."
"How about we call Commander Konev and ask him if he can provide us with tanks or artillery?"
As soon as Smirnov's proposal came out, he was rejected by Sokov. He shook his head: "I don't think that is necessary. The various units that encircled and annihilated the German army this time suffered heavy casualties and losses in technical equipment.
, I am afraid that in the past two days, people have often called the commander of the front army to ask for soldiers and weapons and equipment, and he may be too busy to take care of himself at the moment."
Smirnov knew what Sokov was saying was true, and said with a grimace: "Then what should we do? Is it true that the commanders and soldiers can only stay in the trenches and conduct passive defense?"
While they were talking, a middle-aged colonel walked in from outside. After he entered the door, he said loudly: "Hello, comrades generals!"
Seeing that the colonel was an unfamiliar face, Sokov thought he was the commander of a unit under the group army, so he turned to ask Smirnov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, who is he?" According to his idea, Smirnov
My husband should know all the colonel-level officers in the 53rd Army, after all, this rank can serve as division commander or deputy division commander.
Unexpectedly, Smirnov shook his head, looked at the visitor with confusion and said, "I don't know him either."
The colonel came to the table and stopped. After scanning the three Sokovs one by one, his eyes stopped on Smirnov: "Comrade General, are you General Sokov, the commander of the group army?"
"No, I am Chief of Staff Smirnov." Smirnov pointed at Sokov with his hand: "This is Lieutenant General Sokov, commander of the group army."
"Hello, Comrade Commander!" The colonel raised his hand and saluted Sokov with a solemn military salute, and then reported: "Colonel Burgos, director of the armored tanks and mechanized forces of the group army, has been ordered to come to report to you. I am waiting for you.
Order, please give instructions!"
"Please rest a moment, comrade colonel." Sokov recited the awkward position twice in his mind before he could barely pronounce it correctly. He asked curiously: "You said you are the director of armored forces of the group army. Why don't I recognize you?
?”
"Comrade Commander," Burgos grinned, and then said to Sokov: "Today is the first time I meet you. It is normal that you don't know me."
"Comrade Colonel, you said you are the armored force director of the group army." Smirnov took two steps forward, came to Burgos, and said seriously: "But why didn't I receive the order from my superiors?
"
"This is a temporary appointment. I guess I haven't had time to inform you yet." Burgos said, opening the briefcase he was carrying, taking out a folded paper from it, and handed it to Smirnov: "This is
My letter of appointment.”
Smirnov took the piece of paper, unfolded it and browsed it for a while, then handed it to Sokov and said: "Comrade Commander, take a look."
Sokov leaned over and looked at the contents of the paper carefully, and found that his superiors had indeed appointed Colonel Burgos as the director of armored forces of the 53rd Army.
After confirming the identity of the other party, Sokov extended his hand to the other party and said friendly: "Colonel Burgos, on behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the 53rd Army, I welcome you."
After Sokov asked the other party to sit down, he sighed and said: "Comrade Colonel, although your superiors appointed you as the armored force director of the group army, you have basically been a bare commander since taking office."
"Comrade Commander, what do you mean?" Burgos looked at Sokov and asked in confusion: "I don't quite understand what you mean."
"Comrade Colonel, before you came in, we were talking about the tank brigade." Sokov explained to the other party: "Although there are four tank brigades in the group army, after this period of fighting, our remaining tanks have been added
There are less than fifty vehicles in total. Such armor may be enough for defense, but if it is used to attack the German armored divisions, it is tantamount to seeking death."
Burgos raised his eyebrows and said with some surprise: "The army's tank brigade only has less than fifty tanks left?"
"Yes, we have less than fifty tanks left." Smirnov added: "To be precise, there are only 47 tanks, but they are early models of T-34. After you take office, you can't command
Do you want dozens of tanks to compete with the German army, which has superior strength and technical equipment? That would be like asking you to die."
Unexpectedly, Burgos grinned after hearing this: "Comrade Commander, Comrade Chief of Staff, let me tell you the truth. I was originally ordered by my superiors to lead a tank unit to strengthen the 5th Mechanized Army.
Not long after Zhigang set off, he received a new order and was appointed as the armored force director of our 53rd Group Army, and all the tanks originally planned to be allocated to the 5th Mechanized Army were delivered to the 53rd Group Army for use."
"Oh, your superiors asked you to lead the tank troops to strengthen the 5th Mechanized Army...what, the tank troops?" Sokov's face showed an expression of disbelief: "Colonel Burgos, what did you just say? You brought
The tank troops are preparing to go to the 5th Mechanized Army, did I hear you correctly?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander, you heard that right." Burgos nodded and said, "I was indeed ordered to lead a tank unit to the 5th Mechanized Army. But later my superiors gave me new orders.
The command……"
Before Burgos could finish speaking, Sokov interrupted him and asked impatiently: "Comrade Colonel, where are our tanks now?"
"The main force is still on the way, but the two tanks I brought are parked at the door..." Before Burgos could finish his words, he saw Sokov limping outside with a cane.
Go. Smirnov and Gorokhov followed closely. Seeing that the three chief officers had left the headquarters, it was impossible for Burgos to sit still, so he quickly followed them.
When Sokov walked out of the headquarters and saw the tanks parked outside, he couldn't help but be stunned. He turned and asked Burgos, who was following him: "Colonel Burgos, this is the tank you originally planned to send to the 5th Mechanized Army.
tank?"
"That's right." Burgos nodded and replied: "There are 80 vehicles in total, and these are just two of them. The rest are still marching on the road. It is estimated that they will not arrive until the evening at the earliest."
When Sokov and Burgos were talking, Smirnov and Gorokhov also discussed the two tanks outside the door: "Chief of Staff, this appearance is so strange, it doesn't look like a T-34 at all. Is it possible that it is another tank?"
Is there a new model out?”
"I don't know." Smirnov shook his head and said, "This is the first time I have seen this kind of tank."
"Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov heard the conversation between the two, stopped talking to Burgos, and said to the two: "This is indeed not a T-34, but a Sherman tank from the United States.
…”
When Sokov said this, he thought that he still didn't know the model of this Sherman tank, so he turned to Burgos and asked: "Comrade Colonel, what is the model of this tank?"
"Comrade Commander, this is the M4A2 (76) W Sergey tank that the Allied forces are assisting us. It is equipped with a 76mm cannon with 71 rounds of ammunition and two 7.62mm machine guns with 6250 rounds of ammunition." Burgos
Said: "The M4A2 model that first assisted us had a 75mm gun and often ran out of ammunition. Later, after relevant departments pointed out, the Allies changed the gun caliber from 75mm to our commonly used 76mm caliber.
The sloped armor on the front is 63.5 mm, which is equivalent to 90 mm of armor..."
While Burgos was introducing the parameters of the tank to everyone, Sokov was staring at the tank in a daze, thinking that the armor of this tank looked quite thick, but in the face of the powerful Tiger tank, it would basically be wiped out in one shot.
The King Tiger tank introduced by the German army in the later period was even more accurate. After the Sherman tank's weak armor was hit, it would cause the ammunition to explode, especially the tank cockpit. Once it was hit, it would burst into flames. It was simply a...
Tin lighter.
Looking at Smirnov and Gorokhov who were listening with great interest, Sokov sighed secretly in his heart. These two deputies did not know the poor performance of the Sherman tank on the battlefield, but now they simply regarded it as
precious.
"Colonel Burgos," Sokov interrupted Burgos, who was talking incessantly, and deliberately raised his voice and asked: "How does this tank perform on the battlefield?"
"Not bad." Burgos nodded and said, "We once competed with the German No. 3 and No. 4 on the battlefield, and the battle loss ratio was two to seven."
"Oh, seven enemy tanks were destroyed, and we only lost two." Smirnov turned to look at Sokov and exclaimed: "This battle loss ratio is really amazing."
"Well, that's pretty good." Sokov thought to himself. Just competing with No. 3 and No. 4 and achieving such a battle loss ratio is nothing at all. If he encounters the German Panther or Tiger on the battlefield,
If you don't have tanks, you will become a lamb to be slaughtered if you don't thank the steamed buns. However, in order not to dampen the enthusiasm of the other party, he still pretended to be happy and said to Burgos: "Comrade Colonel, you assign the tanks to various tank brigades as soon as possible so that everyone can get familiar with them."
Here’s a new tank.”
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Burgos did not notice Sokov's strangeness, and said excitedly: "I will let the tank crews become familiar with this tank as soon as possible, and you will look at us in the next battle.
How to beat the Germans hard."
Facing Burgos, who was now confident, Sokov laughed dryly, thinking that when he encountered German tanks on the battlefield, he still didn't know who would beat whom. Maybe his tank troops would be beaten by German armored troops.
His teeth were all over the floor. He laughed dryly and said to Burgos: "Colonel Burgos, I will arrange for someone to send you to meet the commanders of each tank brigade. As for how to distribute the tanks in the future, it is up to you.
It’s up to you.”
After saying that, Sokov shouted to Koshkin, who was standing not far away: "Lieutenant Koshkin!"
Following Sokov's shout, Koshkin trotted over, stood at attention, and respectfully waited for Sokov to give him an order.
Sokov pointed at Burgos with his hand and ordered: "Comrade Lieutenant, take Colonel Burgos to the tank brigade."
"Yes!" Koshkin answered loudly.
Afterwards, Sokov smiled and said to Burgos: "Comrade Colonel, Lieutenant Koshkin is my adjutant. Let him accompany you to the tank brigade. If you need anything, just ask him and he will find a way to satisfy you."
requirements.”
After Koshkin left with Burgos, Sokov turned to the two Smirnovs and said: "Let's go, Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, let's go back and continue to discuss our next course of action."
As he walked into the house, Gorokhov suddenly said: "The reconnaissance team we sent has been away for three or four days. How come there is no news back yet?"
