"This is simply impossible, Comrade Stalin." As soon as Stalin finished speaking, Zhukov retorted without hesitation: "After repeated calculations, we concluded that it takes one and a half months to prepare our troops.
Sufficient soldiers and technical equipment, and be ready to launch an offensive campaign."
Seeing that Zhukov rejected his proposal, Stalin was not angry, but continued to ask: "If our counterattack is only carried out from north to south and from south to north along the Don River, can the preparation time be shortened?"
p>
"Comrade Stalin," Zhukov said without condescension, "if we really do this, the Germans can quickly transfer their armored divisions from the vicinity of Stalingrad to resist our assault. By then our
If we counterattack, we risk falling into a stalemate."
Stalin stared at the plan in Vasilevsky's hand, but did not pick it up because he had seen several plans with similar content since the start of the Battle of Stalingrad. The plan was quite thorough, but
During the implementation process, there will always be various unexpected accidents, resulting in repeated offensive attempts to relieve the siege of Stalingrad, which ultimately ended in failure.
Thinking of this, Stalin turned his attention to Zhukov and asked: "Comrade Zhukov, tell me the details in your plan."
Seeing that Stalin had not reached out to take the plan, Zhukov guessed that he might have lost confidence in the various counterattack plans made by the General Staff, so he quickly said: "Comrade Stalin, according to our plan, this time
The counterattack will be carried out in two stages: first, the offensive troops must break through the German defenses, join forces with the defenders in the city, encircle the German Stalingrad group, and establish a solid frontal defense to isolate the group from external enemies.
Contact; secondly, prevent the enemy's attempts to break through the blockade and completely annihilate them."
After Zhukov finished talking about the contents of the draft plan, Stalin reached out and took the plan from Vasilevsky's hand. While he quickly browsed the contents above, he said to Zhukov: "Your plan is good, I will read it first."
Let’s see what needs to be improved. By the way, the most important task at the moment is to prevent the Germans from continuing to advance in the direction of Stalingrad.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the phone on his desk rang. After Stalin frowned and looked at the phone for a while, he quickly walked to the table, put the plan in his hand on the table, and picked it up.
He put the microphone to his ear and said: "I am Stalin."
"Hello, Comrade Stalin." Yeremenko's voice came from the receiver: "I am Yeremenko. I have important information and I want to report to you immediately."
Hearing Yeremenko say that he had important information to report, Stalin couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. He thought to himself: Did Yeremenko call me to tell me that Stalingrad had been occupied by the Germans?
? Although he was panicking, he still tried his best to ask in a calm tone, "Comrade Yeremenko, what happened?"
"That's it, Comrade Stalin." Yeremenko said on the phone: "According to the reconnaissance of the Air Force, the German army is moving a large number of tank troops towards the factory area. It seems that they are planning to launch a large-scale attack in this area.
."
"I understand." When Stalin learned that the German army was mobilizing a large number of tank troops toward the factory area, he said into the microphone: "Comrade Yeremenko, I will immediately send aviation troops to support you."
After putting down the microphone, he began to assign tasks to Zhukov and Vasilevsky: "Comrade Zhukov, you immediately fly back to the Stalingrad Front and study the defensive deployment in the Kletskaya area with Rokossovsky.
You, Comrade Vasilevsky, the day after tomorrow, as a representative of the Supreme Command, fly to the headquarters of the Southeastern Front in Yereomenko to study with them how to defend the city."
Before Zhukov and Vasilevsky were about to walk out of the office, Stalin also specifically told them: "Regarding the counterattack plan you have formulated and the issues we have just discussed, in addition to the three of us, I do not want there to be a fourth
I personally know it. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Comrade Stalin." Zhukov and Vasilevsky replied in unison.
The situation in Stalingrad was critical. After Zhukov left Stalin's office, he said goodbye to Vasilevsky and rushed to the airport by car. He planned to return to the front line and discuss necessary measures with Rokossovsky.
Reduce the pressure on city defenders.
…………
Just as Zhukov's plane took off from the military airport in Moscow, Chuikov also received a call from Yeremenko and learned that the German army had assembled a large number of armored troops to the west of the factory area in an attempt to attack the factory area.
Carry out an assault.
After learning the news, he immediately discussed with Chief of Staff Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the Front Army Headquarters has just informed us that the German army has assembled a large number of armored units in an attempt to launch an assault on the factory area."
Located in the factory area north of Stalingrad, there are many factories such as the Red October Factory, the Tractor Factory, the Barricade Factory and the Dzerzhinsky Factory. When the German army approached the city, these factories began to switch to the production of tanks and artillery, and they
Products are continuously delivered to troops on all fronts through various channels.
Chuikov knew very well that once these factories were occupied by the Germans, the troops on all fronts would lose a way to replenish tanks and artillery. Therefore, he must find a way to defend this place. He stared at the map and asked Krylov:
"Comrade Chief of Staff, how is our defense strength in these factories?"
"It's not good, Comrade Commander." Krylov shook his head and said: "The several divisions originally stationed in the factory area have been exhausted in the battle. Nowadays, almost all defense tasks are carried out by factories.
An annihilation battalion composed of militiamen will be responsible."
"Are the main defense forces in the factory area all militiamen?" Chuikov couldn't help frowning when he heard this. He said to Krylov worriedly: "The terrain of the factory area is flat, which is conducive to the deployment of the German armored forces. If
The people defending this area are militiamen, and I'm worried that they won't be able to hold it at all."
Krylov was also very worried about the current situation. Some time ago, several divisions finally crossed the river and entered the factory area. Before they had time to take a breath, they all launched a counterattack, and as a result, they were all lost in the battle.
Krylov stared at the map for a while, sighed softly, and said, "It would be great if Lieutenant Colonel Batyuk's 284th Infantry Division could enter the city as soon as possible."
"What? Lieutenant Colonel Bachuk's 284th Infantry Division hasn't entered the city yet?" Chuikov heard what Krylov said and couldn't help but asked in surprise: "According to our battle plan, shouldn't they be with the Infantry Division?"
Will the 95th Division and the 112th Division carry out a counterattack against the enemy?"
"Comrade Commander, you don't know something." Seeing that Chuikov didn't understand the situation of Batyuk's troops, Krylov quickly explained to him: "According to the plan, the 284th Infantry Division should have entered the city long ago, but just now
When they were preparing to cross the river, for unknown reasons, the front army headquarters suddenly stopped and asked them to stay on the left bank. Therefore, not a single soldier has entered Stalingrad yet."
"What the hell, what the hell is going on?" After hearing what Krylov said, Chuikov took off the military cap on his head, slammed it on the table, and said angrily: "They are obviously assigned to our troops, why are they withheld?"
Not giving it?"
"Comrade Commander, I think the superiors may have their own reasons for doing this..."
"What are the considerations?" Chuikov didn't wait for Krylov to finish speaking, and said angrily: "Don't they know that the defenders in the city are dying every minute? The defenders in the city are seriously insufficient, and a full force
Our infantry division was detained by the front army headquarters on the left bank and refused to be given to us. What is this?"
Just when Chuikov went to strengthen the defense of the factory area because he had no reserve team, his adjutant Klimov hurried in from outside and reported to Chuikov emotionally: "Comrade Commander, our reinforcements have arrived!"
"Reinforcements have arrived?" Hearing Klimov say this, Chuikov couldn't help but be startled, and then asked: "Where did the reinforcements come from?"
"Where else could it come from? From the other side of the Volga River, of course, Comrade Commander." Klimov said excitedly: "It's Lieutenant Colonel Batyuk's 284th Infantry Division."
"What, the 284th Infantry Division has arrived?" After hearing clearly the unit number mentioned by Klimov, he quickly asked: "Where is their division commander?"
"I'm here, Comrade Commander." Before Klimov could answer, an officer with a medium build and a dark face strode in from the door, raised his hand and saluted Chuikov and Krylov.
After the ring ceremony, report in accordance with the regulations: "Comrade Commander, Battyuk, Commander of the 284th Infantry Division, reports to you that our division has been ordered to defend Stalingrad. I follow your order, please give me instructions!"
"Welcome, Colonel Batiuk." Chuikov stepped forward and held the other party's hand, and said emotionally; "You arrived at this time, it is really timely."
When Batiuk heard that Chuikov addressed his military rank as "colonel" instead of "lieutenant colonel", he quickly reminded him carefully: "Comrade commander, I am a lieutenant colonel, not a colonel..."
Before he finished speaking, Chuikov waved his hand and interrupted what he was saying, and said in a tone that left no room for doubt: "Colonel Bachuk, I said you are a colonel, and you are a colonel. Don't argue with me on these details. Wait.
Remember to add a line to the collar badge later, do you understand?"
Hearing what Chuikov said, even if Batyuk reacted slowly, he knew that the other party had temporarily promoted his military rank, and hurriedly replied: "I understand, Comrade Commander." When he said this, he did not realize that he was a little excited because of his emotions.
, with a hint of vibrato in his voice.
"Colonel Batiuk, come here." Since a Manchu division had arrived, Chuikov suddenly felt confident. After calling Batiuk in front of him, he pointed to the factory area on the map and said: "According to what we have learned,
According to the intelligence we have, the German army will soon use armored troops to launch an assault on the factory area. The task of your division is to strengthen the defense of the Red October Factory and the Tractor Factory. The Germans must not be allowed to occupy our factory."
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Batiuk waited for Chuikov to finish speaking, then responded loudly, and then tentatively made a request to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, it is our first time to come to Stalingrad.
I’m not familiar with the city. Could you please send us a guide?”
"No problem." Chuikov said cheerfully: "I will ask my adjutant Klimov to take you to the Red October Factory and the Tractor Factory. Klimov," Klimov, who was standing aside, listened.
When Chuikov called him, he quickly took two steps forward, straightened his body and waited for Chuikov's order. Chuikov pointed at him with his hand and said: "Klimov, you act as a guide for Colonel Batyuk and the others, take them immediately
Go to the designated defense area and seize the time to build fortifications to resist the German attack after dawn."
After Klimov left with Batyuk, Chuikov let out a long sigh and said to Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, now that the 284th Infantry Division has joined us, we are even more certain to defend the factory area.
Big."
"It's a pity that the only troops we can use now are the 284th Infantry Division." Krylov waited for Chuikov to finish speaking, then said solemnly: "The defenses of the barricade factory and the Dzerzhinsky factory are still
The militia annihilation battalion is in charge, and we need to transfer some regular troops from other places to strengthen them."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, we have just discussed this issue." Chuikov asked with a straight face: "Now we can't even have a platoon-level reserve team, where can we draw regular troops to strengthen other areas?"
Where are the defenses of the two factories?"
"If that doesn't work, do you think it's possible to mobilize the 73rd Infantry Brigade?" Krylov is now in trouble, so he can only think of Sokov's troops again: "Anyway, they still have
There are more than 3,000 people. We only need to dispatch 1,000 to 1,500 people to the factory area, and we will be sure to ensure that the defense line will not be breached by the German army."
"No, absolutely not." Regarding Krylov's proposal, Chuikov only thought for a moment and rejected it: "If the troops of the 73rd Infantry Brigade are transferred, the Mamayev Heights will be occupied by the Germans because of their weak strength.
If we do, the enemy can take the opportunity to occupy the crossing of the Volga River and cut us off from the other side. Comrade Chief of Staff, how long do you think we can hold on in this city after our supplies are cut off by the Germans?"
Chuikov's words left Krylov speechless.
Seeing Krylov's delay in speaking, Chuikov felt that his tone might be too harsh, so he softened his tone and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, we should find a way to allocate forces from other areas to strengthen the defense of the factory area.
”
This chapter has been completed!