The German 5th Chasseur Division, which suddenly entered the town of Puutusk, caught the advancing 6th Guards Division off guard. The Germans quickly controlled the favorable terrain and began shooting wildly at the charging Soviet troops.
.Many Soviet commanders were killed on the spot, and the unit structure was disrupted. The commanders and fighters who lost unified command mingled together and could only hide in the corners of houses or behind obstacles on the roadside, allowing German bullets to fly overhead.
, watching the cannonball land and explode not far from him.
When the division commander Onupryenko learned that the attack of the 25th Guards Regiment at the forefront had been frustrated, he made a direct phone call to the regiment's headquarters. He bluntly said to the staff officer who answered the phone: "I am the division commander Onupryenko.
"Come on, let your regimental commander, Lieutenant Colonel Alexey Miresiev, answer the phone."
Hearing Alexey Miresiev's voice coming from the receiver, Onupriyenko slapped the table and cursed angrily: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, please explain to me, what on earth is going on?"
What's going on, how could your regiment's attack be contained by the Germans?"
"Comrade Division Commander," Alexey explained to Onupryenko on the phone: "The German army unexpectedly occupied some important buildings and blocked the path of our attack. If we forcefully launch an assault, the troops will pay a great price."
Heavy casualties.”
After Onupryenko put down the phone, he said to his chief of staff: "Comrade chief of staff, you will be responsible for the work in the division. I will go to the 25th Regiment to see how the situation is."
"Comrade Division Commander," seeing Onupriyenko going to the 25th Regiment, the Chief of Staff quickly asked: "Do we need to report the news of the setback of our attack to the headquarters?"
Regarding the chief of staff's proposal, Onupryenko only hesitated for a moment before making a decision. He knew that Sokov was paying attention to the battle in the town of Puutusk. Even if he did not report it, the other party could pass it through others.
"Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, please immediately report the news of the setback of our attack to the headquarters."
On the surface, the division chief of staff was reporting to the headquarters about the fighting inside the town. In fact, he wanted to report on Onupryenko's trip to the front. Now that the war was critical, he did not want the division commander to take risks. He knew very well that if he directly persuaded
, Onupryenko would not listen at all, but if Sokov knew about this, he would only need a phone call to have Onupryenko immediately return to the division headquarters.
After the call was connected, the chief of staff recognized that the person answering the phone was the group army's chief of staff Sidorin, and he quickly said respectfully: "Hello, General Sidorin, I am the chief of staff of the 6th Guards Division. I have
Important information needs to be reported to you."
"Oh, it turns out to be the chief of staff of the division." Sidorin was about to call the 6th Guards Division to learn about their fighting situation. Since the other party took the initiative to call, he asked naturally: "What's the situation there?
How about it?"
"It's not good, Comrade General." said the chief of staff of the division: "Originally, our progress was very smooth, but the enemy seemed to have suddenly increased its troops, seized some important buildings, and blocked our army's path forward with firepower."
The 25th Guards Regiment, which is responsible for the main offensive mission, suffered a certain amount of losses after being suddenly attacked by the Germans. The troops are currently suppressed by the enemy's firepower and unable to move forward."
"Where is your commander?" Sidorin asked in a stern tone: "What is he doing?"
"The division commander just went to the regiment headquarters of the 25th Guards Regiment." The division chief of staff reported: "He said he wanted to see for himself the distribution of enemy firepower."
"What, Onupryenko went to the front." Sokov couldn't help but frowned when he heard the conversation between Sidorin and the division chief of staff: "Chief of staff, call the 25th Guards Regiment immediately and ask him to
Onupriyenko returned to his headquarters as soon as possible. Tell him that he is the division commander, not the company commander or platoon commander. There is no need to go to the front line in person. Let him return to his division headquarters immediately. What should happen to the front line?
To fight, he only needs to give orders."
Next to him, Ponedelin couldn't help laughing when he heard what Sokov said: "Comrade Commander, I think General Onupryenko is a bit similar to you. Whenever there is a war, he always likes to run to the front.
Understand the situation on the battlefield immediately."
Seeing that Ponedelin exposed his background, Sokov smiled and said with some embarrassment: "I sit in my command post and can only rely on the battle reports sent back from the front line to understand the situation on the battlefield. I feel
I cannot grasp the specific situation on the battlefield in time, so I will go to the front twice from time to time. However, the places I go to are usually relatively safe and not as dangerous as the places where General Onupriyenko goes."
Sidorin, who was on the phone, raised his head and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I just called the headquarters of the 25th Guards Regiment. The chief of staff of the regiment who answered the phone told me that Onupuriyan
General Cote and regimental commander Lieutenant Colonel Alexei Miresiev went to the front line for inspection."
"What the hell, what happened to Onupryenko?" Sokov said angrily after hearing this: "Not only did he not stay at his headquarters honestly, but he even went to the front-line headquarters in person.
At the frontier, doesn't he know that if something happens to him, the entire 6th Guards Division will fall into chaos because it loses unified command? Chief of Staff, immediately ask the regiment's staff to take Onupriyenko
Recover the general and Lieutenant Colonel Alexey Miresiev."
Sidorin nodded and said into the microphone: "Comrade Commander has an order to immediately send people to retrieve General Onupryenko and Lieutenant Colonel Alexei Milesiev. We cannot let them go."
They stay in dangerous places."
While Sidorin was on the phone, Sokov said to Ponedelin: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I have a bold idea."
"A bold idea?" Ponedelin looked at Sokov and asked with interest: "I wonder how bold it is?"
Sokov grinned and continued: "Now the attack of the 1st Guards Division is going smoothly. I plan to have the 3rd Infantry Division rush to the south of Puutusk through the passage they opened to attack the German attack.
attack."
"While our army has not completely occupied the town of Puutusk, let a force pass through the channel opened by the friendly forces, rush to the south of the town, and launch an attack on the enemy."
Regarding Sokov's statement, Ponedelin expressed doubts: "Is this possible? It won't cause unnecessary confusion, right?"
"If we control the rhythm well, I think what you are worried about will not happen." Sokov continued: "I would like the 1st Guards Division to turn directly to attack the enemy to the south of the position. But carefully
When I thought about it, it was inappropriate to do so, as it would disrupt the rhythm of their attack. It shouldn't be a big problem to send a force out through the gap they opened to the south of the town to attack the enemies there."
"Comrade Commander, although your proposal is a bit risky, I think this risk is worth taking." Ponedelin expressed his position to Sokov: "Is it necessary to conduct artillery preparations before the 3rd Infantry Division's attack begins?"
"Of course." Sokov nodded and replied: "As we agreed in advance, we will first launch an artillery attack on the German 5th Division so that they can no longer deploy troops to reinforce the town. If we do this, we can also give
The Germans created the illusion that we launched an artillery bombardment on the 5th Jäger Division after discovering they were sending additional troops to the town."
"Okay, I'll call General Potapov." Ponedelin raised his hand and glanced at the time: "I asked him to launch an artillery bombardment on the enemy's position in a quarter of an hour."
While Ponedelin was on the phone, Sokov was not idle either. He picked up the phone on the table and ordered the communications team to call the headquarters of the 1st Guards Division: "General Tolstikov?
I’m Sokov!”
"Hello, Comrade Commander." Hearing the call from Sokov himself, Tolstikov felt a little nervous. He thought the other party was asking when the town could be captured, so he quickly explained:
"The commanders and fighters of our division are fighting tenaciously in the town, but I really don't have an accurate answer for you when we will capture the entire town. After all, we are not the only division responsible for the offensive mission."
"You are right, General Tolstikov." Sokov said: "Your division fought very well. If I had given your division the task of attacking the town to complete alone, you might have already done it.
We took down the whole town."
From the tone of Sokov's words, Tolstikov heard that the battle to capture the town was not going smoothly, and he quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, isn't the attack on the 6th Guards Division not going well?
"
"When their attack first started, it went very smoothly." Sokov replied cautiously: "But the enemy suddenly sent more troops to the town, seized many important buildings, and blocked their advance with powerful firepower.
road, thus causing the attack of the 25th Guards Regiment, which was responsible for the main attack, to be frustrated."
"Comrade Commander," Tolstikov heard this and asked tentatively: "Do you need me to send troops to assist them? If we launch attacks from two directions at the same time, we may be able to crush the German resistance."
"It's not necessary." Sokov said: "I called you not to ask you to reinforce the 6th Guards Division. I believe they are capable of destroying the enemies entrenched in the town. I have other things to do.
I want to inform you and hope that you can fully cooperate." Although Tolstikov didn't know what Sokov would say next, he still replied simply: "Please say it, Comrade Commander, as long as I can
If you do, I will definitely cooperate with you fully.”
"That's it, General Tolstikov. I plan to have General Kirillov's 3rd Infantry Division advance through the channel opened by your division to the south of the town of Putusk and attack the troops who are holding on there.
The German 5th Jäger Division launches an attack. I hope you can provide some help to friendly forces when they pass through."
It would be impossible for Tolstikov not to feel disappointed when he learned that friendly troops were going to pass through his combat area, move forward to the south of the town of Puutusk, and launch an attack on the German troops holding there.
Now that Sokov has given the order, no matter how unwilling he is, he can only choose to obey.
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Tolstikov said: "I will send a special person to respond and help the friendly forces pass through our division's combat area smoothly." Seeing Tolstikov agreeing so readily, Soko
The husband's heart suddenly felt at ease. He continued: "In a quarter of an hour, our artillery will launch an artillery bombardment on the German positions south of the town, and then the 3rd Infantry Division will enter the town. I hope you will send someone to guide them through the fighting area.
"
After receiving Tolstikov's affirmative reply, Sokov called Kirillov again. After hearing Kirillov's voice, Sokov asked bluntly: "General Kirillov,
Are your troops ready for battle?"
When Kirillov heard Sokov's question, he couldn't help but tremble in his heart, wondering if things had changed and the commander no longer planned to let his troops carry out combat missions? Thinking of this, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander,
What happened?"
"The situation on the battlefield has changed a bit." Sokov said: "The enemy's 5th Chasseur Division suddenly sent more troops to the town. In order to prevent their actions from affecting our next battle, I plan to let you
Enter the battlefield in advance.”
"No problem." After realizing that he was just advancing his attack time, Kirillov suddenly felt more at ease. He nodded with relief, and then said: "Our division has made all preparations for combat and can go into battle at any time.
"
"In another quarter of an hour, the artillery of the group army will launch an artillery bombardment against the enemy." Sokov said: "As soon as the artillery bombardment begins, you will lead the troops into the town of Putusk. Tolstiko of the 1st Guards Division
General Hu will send someone to pick you up and guide you smoothly through the town and out of the vicinity of the German positions in the south of the town."
While the artillery and the 3rd Infantry Division were making final preparations before the attack, Onuprienko and Alexei Milesiev were hiding behind a pile of rubble, raising their binoculars to look at the front.
Condition.
Just as Onupryenko had estimated, the Germans seemed to be in a favorable position, but they seemed very panicked. Although the firepower composed of machine guns and submachine guns was fierce, they were shooting wildly without any target.
Onupryenko put down the telescope in his hand and turned to look at Alexei beside him: "Comrade commander," after all the battalions participating in the attack returned to the trenches, Petrovsky asked the commander: "
Is this what you call an unbreakable line of defense?"
Seeing Alexei's silence, Onupryenko calmly gave the order: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I will give you one hour to reorganize the attack. After two hours, we must occupy all the areas we are responsible for."
When Alexei heard what Onupryenko said, he immediately blushed and replied with some embarrassment: "Understood, comrade division commander, I will regroup the troops immediately and attack the enemy again an hour later. But...
…”
"But what?" Onupryenko said: "Are you worried that you don't have enough troops? You don't have to worry about this. I will dispatch the 4th Guards Regiment to assist you. The 1st Guards Division fought well.
, if they get ahead of us and control the area they are responsible for, Division Commander Tolstikov probably won’t know how proud he will be when he comes to the headquarters for a meeting in the future.”
Onupriyenko's words ignited fighting spirit in Alexei's heart: "Comrade division commander, who can win the area in charge first is related to the honor of the army. Don't worry, I will never let friendly forces get there first."
Our front is to complete the combat mission assigned by our superiors."
This chapter has been completed!