After a brief silence, thunderous applause erupted in the small auditorium.
While applauding, Sokov muttered to himself: It seems that there is still a deviation from the history in his memory. It turned out that the Supreme Command issued the commendation order on February 18, but now it has been postponed to March 1.
Also, many experts who studied the history of this war in later generations believe that only more than 10,000 of the 60,000 besieged German troops were annihilated, and the rest escaped from the siege. But according to the battle report of the Supreme Command, the number of German troops annihilated
That's over 60,000.
While applauding on the side, Smirnov touched Sokov's arm with his elbow and said with some excitement: "Comrade Commander, have you heard this? Troops with outstanding military exploits in battle will receive the 'Kohl'
Sun's title will also be awarded and a medal will be awarded at the same time. I estimate that at least three divisions of our group army can receive this honor."
"That's right." Sokov agreed with Smirnov's statement: "Our four divisions stationed near Highland 239 will definitely get the title of 'Korsun'. And Selivanov
The general's 5th Guards Cavalry Corps may also receive this honor."
"That's for sure." Smirnov said with a smile: "In the commendation order just now, not only your name was mentioned, but also General Selivanov's name was mentioned. But he was only temporarily assigned to us.
The one who commands cannot really be considered a part of our army group. Therefore, the honor he receives has nothing to do with us."
At this moment, Sokov suddenly thought that if he did not insist on keeping Muzichenko, but let him follow Selivanov to the cavalry army, he might be able to get a medal this time.
After Susekov sat down, Konev stood up, raised his hands and pressed down. However, the applause on the court only became slightly sparse, and after a while, it became enthusiastic again.
It wasn't until Konev repeated this action for the fifth time that the applause gradually stopped.
"Hello, comrade commanders!" Konev said with a smile: "Did you all hear the commendation order given to our front army by the Supreme Command? Next, let me introduce to you the achievements that emerged in this battle.
Heroes individually and collectively.
First of all, I want to mention our tank troops. It is precisely because of their courageous actions that they became the main force in this battle to encircle and annihilate the enemy group.
Of course, all the commanders and fighters of our front army, whether infantry, artillery, pilots, engineers or communications corps, fought bravely. They fought under bad weather, muddy roads, and complex and changeable conditions, overcame hardships and hardships, and with their own
With all their energy and physical strength, they completed the task gloriously, thus once again proving to the world that Soviet soldiers and loyal sons of the motherland can create any miracle."
Konev's words were once again met with two minutes of warm applause.
“During this battle,” Konev continued, “we had many heroes, both individually and collectively, and many names are worth remembering.
Second Lieutenant Abramtsev of the 2nd Battalion of the 181st Tank Brigade commanded the vehicle crew to set up an ambush at a road intersection 3 kilometers west of the town of Yurkovka. He successfully destroyed 2 tanks and 7 armored personnel carriers, annihilating enemy officers and soldiers.
Nearly 50 people.
In the battle near Zhuerrenqi Town, the tanks he commanded once again destroyed 2 enemy tanks, 4 cannons, 12 armored personnel carriers, and 80 cargo-laden cars, annihilating hundreds of enemy officers and soldiers. Later, due to being outnumbered,
, and died heroically and faithfully performed his military duties. In recognition of Abramtsev's heroism and bravery, the Supreme Command posthumously awarded him the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Colonel Novikov, commander of the 438th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment, when he led his troops to block the enemy troops trying to break out on February 17, 1944, he demonstrated the superb skills of a combat organizer and his personal bravery, heroism and disregard for death.
.
The German army launched an attack on our artillery position with a full company of officers and soldiers. Although they were severely hit by our artillery fire, nearly a hundred XTL bandits still approached our artillery position. Novikov cleverly organized
Counterattack, and personally engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. After the hand-to-hand combat near the artillery ended, the enemy abandoned 40 corpses and fled in panic.
Throughout the day, the regiment repelled many enemy attacks. After the artillery shells were fired, Novikov gathered all the officers and soldiers into the support point and led them to launch a counterattack against the attacking enemy group. Before the end of the day, he alone
He killed four enemies, but was unfortunately seriously injured. In recognition of Novikov's bravery, decisiveness and skillful command of the regiment, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet ordered him to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union."
When Konev said this, he picked up the tea cup on the table and took a sip of water, and continued: "The soldiers of the infantry unit also fought bravely. Sergeant Knyazev, the machine gun squad leader of the 1237th Regiment of the 373rd Infantry Division
, participated in the battles to attack Rzhev, Velizh, Mirgorod, Cherkasy, break through the German defenses in the Smel area, encircle and annihilate the enemy Korsun-Shevchenko Dasky Group, etc.
He showed an example of bravery and heroism in every battle.
During the battle to capture the village of Yablonodaka on February 15, 1944, Knyazev was ordered to take his machine gun forward to the enemy's rear and cut off the enemy's retreat. Knyazev accomplished this brilliantly
Mission. He eliminated more than 50 XTL gangsters with machine guns. In recognition of Knyazev's bravery and heroism, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union."
When Smirnov heard this, he couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. He approached Sokov and asked in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, why does General Konev keep introducing heroes? When will he commend us?
"
"Don't be anxious, my comrade chief of staff." Sokov felt that since Konev mentioned many times that many heroic individuals and collectives emerged in this battle in his previous speech, although he was introducing individuals now, it would soon be over.
The heroes will be introduced to the collective, so he comforted Smirnov and said: "After the individual commendations are over, it will be the collective's turn."
Sure enough, in the following speech, Konev mentioned that this victory relied not only on the regular army, but also on the support of local guerrillas. They destroyed enemy trains carrying ammunition and technical equipment heading to the front line.
The destruction carried out in the rear of the German army provided huge help to the front troops.
Also, the residents of the liberated areas not only actively joined the army, but also assisted the logistics department in transporting supplies to ensure that the front army troops had sufficient supplies for combat and life support.
After thanking the local guerrillas and residents, Konev mentioned the commander who played a great role in this battle: "In this battle, Tank Corps General Rotmistrov gave full play to his role.
With his own knowledge and talents, he used the tank troops at his disposal to inflict heavy losses on the German armored forces.
The 5th Air Force Army commanded by Air Force Lieutenant General Goryunov played a great role in winning this battle. Goryunov is a respectable representative of our heroic aviation force and a cheerful and frank person. He not only
Familiar with the tactics used by aviation forces, and well aware of the nature of modern combined arms combat, he skillfully focused the pilots' efforts on assisting the army units, thereby promoting the coordination of the front army's air force and ground regiments and troops, and improving the aviation force's ability to attack the enemy.
Effect.
In addition, the army commanders General Trofimenko, General Sokov, General Korodeev, General Galanin, most of the army and unit commanders, especially the army commander General Lazarev, Kiri
Generals Chenko, Polozkov, Selivanov, all showed themselves to be experienced and decisive military leaders. Each of them made his own contribution to the crushing of his old enemy.
The command and combat support work of the officers of the Front Army Headquarters and the chiefs of various services have been very successful. I would like to particularly emphasize that Major General Qierlin, Director of the Engineering Corps of the Front Army, and Major General Kurkin, Commander of the Armored Tank Mechanized Corps of the Front Army, were very successful in this battle.
played a huge role..."
Smirnov was anxious. He once again approached Sokov's ear, lowered his voice and said in a dissatisfied tone: "Comrade Commander, our troops play a decisive role in this battle. Why did General Konev
Don't tell everyone about this? Even when the list of army commanders was read out, you were ranked second."
Sokov didn't hear Konev praise him alone, and he felt a little disappointed. After all, if his troops didn't hold on to Hill 239 this time, I'm afraid more German troops would have escaped from the encirclement.
Konev's speech lasted for another ten minutes, and then he began to make the final summary: "Comrade commanders, in this battle, the suddenness and destructiveness of the assault, the extensive maneuvers, the forward advance to the rear,
The rapid action of the troops, the change and deployment of the troops, the tenacity of the defense and the determination of the attack have been fully reflected.
The Korsun-Shevchenkovsky battle space was large in scale, and both sides invested a large amount of troops and technical equipment. On the enemy side, there were about 26 divisions participating in the external and internal frontal battles, including 9 armored divisions.
, in addition to a large number of aviation and artillery. During the battle, the entire group of XTL gangsters was almost completely crushed by our army.
The German troops' clearing of the Korsun-Shevchenkovsky protrusion and its defense forces by our army eliminated the threat of enemy assaults on the flanks and rear of our 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Front troops, thus ensuring the
Each of our group armies can maneuver along the front.
Due to the victorious end of the battle, the enemy was completely driven away from the Dnieper River. All hopes of the enemy's attempt to restore defenses in the middle reaches of the Dnieper River were shattered. Our army was able to subsequently carry out the campaign on the right bank of Ukraine to liberate the country from Hitler's occupiers.
favorable conditions throughout the South.
The road across the Dnieper has been opened, and new battles and new campaigns lie ahead."
As Konev's speech ended, thunderous applause erupted again in the small auditorium.
When the applause stopped, Zakharov announced loudly into the microphone: "Comrade commanders, today's commendation meeting is over. Everyone will go to their respective units. The meeting is adjourned!"
Hearing what Zaharov said, the commanders at the meeting stood up one after another, applauded and sent everyone sitting on the podium away. After Konev and others left, everyone slowly walked towards the door.
.
With the support of Smirnov and Gorokhov, Sokov had just arrived at the door when he was blocked by a lieutenant colonel: "Hello, is this General Sokov?"
"I am!" After answering this question, Sokov first looked at the big-brimmed hat the other party was wearing. He was afraid that the top of the hat was blue. Fortunately, the other party was just wearing an ordinary military hat. Sokov
His heart that was hanging in the air returned to his stomach again. He looked at the lieutenant colonel and asked, "Comrade lieutenant colonel, what can I do for you?"
After confirming Sokov's identity, the lieutenant colonel said politely: "On behalf of General Zakharov, I would like to ask you to go to the headquarters."
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov said with a surprised expression on his face when he learned that it was Zakharov who was looking for him. He asked tentatively: "Do you know what the Chief of Staff of the Front Army is looking for me for?"
"I'm sorry, comrade general." The lieutenant colonel replied expressionlessly: "I was just ordered to ask you to go to the front army headquarters. As for what it is, I don't know very well."
"Comrade Commander," Smirnov said proactively: "We will go with you."
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, the lieutenant colonel said with a serious expression: "I'm sorry, Comrade General. General Zakharov only asked me to invite General Sokov to go alone, and the rest will be spared."
Seeing that Smirnov seemed to want to say something, Sokov quickly raised his hand to stop him, and said to him and Gorokhov: "Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, you go to the parking lot and wait for me.
After I met General Zakharov, I rushed over to join you."
After Smirnov and Zakharov left, Sokov said politely to the lieutenant colonel: "Comrade lieutenant colonel, we can leave now."
"Comrade General," the lieutenant colonel looked down at the cane in Sokov's hand and said with concern: "The headquarters is a street away from here. You have an injury on your leg. I'm afraid it will take a lot of time to walk there.
I think it’s better to go there by car.”
The lieutenant colonel led Sokov to the door, raised his hand and waved to the other side of the road, and soon a jeep parked on the opposite side drove over and stopped in front of the two of them.
The lieutenant colonel stepped forward and opened the rear door, making a gesture of invitation to Sokov: "Comrade General, please get in the car."
After a few minutes of driving, the jeep came to a stop next to a three-story building.
The lieutenant colonel, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and said to Sokov: "Comrade General, we're here. Please get out of the car!"
After saying that, the lieutenant colonel opened the door and got out of the car first, then came to the back to help Sokov open the door and helped him get out of the car.
As soon as the two entered the building, they met Zakharov head-on.
The lieutenant colonel quickly stood at attention, raised his hand to salute the other party, and reported respectfully: "Comrade Chief of Staff, General Sokov has been invited!"
"Thank you, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel. You have nothing to do here, you can do what you want." After Zakharov said this, he extended his hand to Sokov and said friendly: "Comrade Sokov, welcome
You were busy with a meeting just now, so I didn’t have time to receive you. I hope you don’t mind.”
"Look what you said, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Sokov replied with a smile: "Now that the war has temporarily subsided, if you have anything to ask me for, just call me directly and I will respond as quickly as possible.
Speed up and come over to report to you."
This chapter has been completed!