What Sokov didn't expect was that two hours before dawn, General Kazakov, the commander of the army's artillery, came to his command center. Seeing Sokov's confused look, Kazakov joked: "Why, Major Sokov, do you seem to be unwelcoming my arrival?"
"Welcome, of course!" Sokov hesitated for a moment and knew that Kazakov came to his command center. The other party wanted to observe the effect of the shelling here, so he quickly said enthusiastically: "Comrade General, please sit down! I think you must be tired, come and have a cup of hot tea."
"That's great. I'm thirsty now." Kazakov sat down at the table and looked up at Sokov and said, "Let me have a cup of hot tea quickly." After the staff officer brought the tea over, Kazakov asked Sokov again, "Major Sokov, where are your observations?"
Sokov had already established a spacious observation room on the nearby hills so that the command center could also be transferred there if necessary. When Kazakov asked about the observation room, he quickly replied: "Our observation room is only two or three hundred meters away. Do you need to command artillery there?"
Regarding Sokov's question, Kazakov nodded and expressed his affirmation: "Yes, I am planning to command the artillery there." Then he ordered Sokov, "Comrade Major, the communications consultant I brought is outside. You can find someone to take him to the observation station and lay a telephone line that can directly contact the Group Army Command."
Sokov quickly said to Potukin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, send an officer to accompany General Kazakov's communications officer to the observation center and help him lay the telephone line."
When Potukin left the division command and went outside to find someone, Sokov asked Kazakov: "Comrade General, in a few hours, our artillery will open fire on the enemy's position. I want to ask, how long will the artillery fire be prepared for this time?"
After hearing Sokov's question, Kazakov was silent for a moment, and then said, "Major Sokov, I don't want to hide anything from you. The superiors gave us very little supplies and came very slowly, so that we did not stock up on enough ammunition to support this attack. Therefore, I can only provide you with two regiments of artillery support, and the time will not be too long, just about half an hour."
Sokov felt a little disappointed when he learned that the artillery could only provide him with half an hour of artillery fire support, but then he thought that the German fortifications on the other side of the Jizdra River were not particularly strong. After half an hour of artillery attack, most of the civil bunkers or fire points should be destroyed.
Seeing that Sokov was reluctant to speak, Kazakov guessed that he must be a little disappointed. After all, the artillery could provide him with too little support, so he changed the subject and asked: "Major Sokov, are you ready to cross the river?"
"Yes, my troops have arrived at the crossing site." Sokov shook his head and tried hard to get rid of the things that made him upset. He looked at Kazakov and said, "As long as I give my order, they can cross the Juzdra River immediately."
Although Kazakov is a member of the headquarters, many things involve secrets. Rokosovsky did not explain to him, so he still thought that the Sokov army had a breakthrough, so he chose to go to the area where he was about to shell. He kindly reminded the other party: "According to the information I have, the frontier position of your division is only two or three hundred meters away from the German position, and there is also a river fifty or sixty meters wide in the middle. If a forced crossing is carried out during shelling, it may be accidentally injured by our own shells; and after the artillery fire is ready, the German army will soon recover from our shells, and they are fully capable of stopping your attack. Even if you barely break through the German defense, you will pay a huge price."
Considering that the battle would start a few hours later, Sokov did not hide his true intention from Kazakov. He pointed to the map and said, "Comrade General, our breakthrough is not here. At present, the main force of our division has reached the upper reaches of the Jizdra River, and has chosen a suitable crossing point there. They will cross the river at the right time and attack the German flanks hard."
After hearing that the main force of the 328th Division had quietly entered the upper reaches of the Jizdra River, Kazakov was also secretly surprised, thinking that your confidentiality work was done very well. As a member of the Army Command, I didn't know about this. After Sokov finished speaking, he asked with concern: "Comrade Major, the Germans did not find that the main force of your division was deployed in the upper reaches of the Jizdra River, right?"
"No." Sokov shook his head and explained to Kazakov: "In order to prevent the Germans from discovering our actions, I used the tactic of stealing the world to attract their attention."
"What did you say?" Kazakov asked in surprise when he heard the word Sokov said: "I didn't understand what tactics you were talking about. Can you say it more in detail?"
From Kazakov's reaction, Sokov realized that he had let it go, so he quickly avoided the important and introduced the tactics he used to hide the truth and introduced them to Kazakov. After hearing this, Kazakov nodded and said with approval: "Not bad, Major Sokov, your tactic is very good. The Germans must have thought that our army had gathered a large number of heavy troops on the position opposite them, so that we had to strengthen the defense of the frontier positions. In this way, when we prepare for artillery fire, we can eliminate more enemies."
Considering that the artillery preparation time was too short, Sokov decided to adjust the original combat plan. He ordered the radio operator to send a telegram to Lieutenant Colonel Pavel, informing him to cross the river an hour in advance. After completing the crossing mission, he quickly went south and rushed directly to the German flank, and gave them a lesson.
Half an hour before the shelling began, Sokov accompanied Kazakov to the observation center he set up, intending to command the attacking troops here. As soon as he entered the door, Kazakov saw the communication staff he brought, and asked, "Comrade Staff, what's the situation? Can you directly call the headquarters?"
"Yes, Comrade General." After answering the question, the communications consultant asked carefully: "Do you need to try the telephone line?"
Kazakov thought that the battle had not started yet, and if he found any problem with the phone, he could still deal with it in time, so he urged the communications officer: "Then call the Group Army Command immediately, and I want to call the commander."
The phone was quickly connected, and Rokosovsky's voice came from the receiver: "General Kazakov, you should be in the 328th Division now, what are their morale now?"
After a quick glance at Sokov, Kazakov smiled and said to the microphone: "Their morale is very high, and I believe they will definitely achieve good results in the next battle. By the way, Comrade Commander, how are the other troops ready?"
Thinking of what secret matters Kazakov and Rokosovsky might have to talk about, Sokov walked to the lookout, raised his telescope and looked at the German positions in the distance. He saw that the enemy's position was silent and there was no sign of anyone at all. I don't know if the enemy was afraid of being beaten by the Soviet snipers and dared not show up, or if it was too early and the Germans had not yet got up.
As soon as the attack time came, Kazakov turned his head and nodded to the staff member holding the microphone behind him, indicating that he could start shelling. The staff member who received the signal immediately shouted at the microphone: "General's order, fire immediately!"
As the order was issued, the rumbling of shell explosions came from outside. The German positions in the distance rose into the German positions, curled up in the trenches, and the bodies of the German soldiers huddled in the civil fortifications were constantly blown into the air by the air waves. Many missed shells fell into the Hizdra River, raising water columns that soared into the sky. Seeing the water columns rising in the river, Sokov thought to himself: Fortunately, I did not choose to attack from the front, otherwise our ship would be shot in the river, not only would the ship be smashed to pieces, but no one on the ship would survive.
Seeing that their positions were bombarded by the Soviet army, the German artillery positions deployed in the distance also fired, and they tried to suppress the Soviet artillery. As a result, after firing a few artillery, the Soviet artillery deployed in another direction fired, and used powerful firepower to suppress the German army, which soon made the German artillery mute.
Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch, turned his head and asked Potukin who was standing beside him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, where has Lieutenant Colonel Pavel's troops reached?"
"Please wait, comrade of the division commander. Let me see if there is any telegram." Potugin quickly put down the telescope in his hand and walked towards the radio operator sitting in the corner.
After two or three minutes, Potukin walked back to Sokov and said to him: "Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Pavel called back. They were two kilometers away from the German position. Once the artillery fire stopped, they could launch an attack immediately."
Twenty minutes after the shelling was launched, a new idea suddenly popped up in Han Zhan's mind. He said to Portokin: "Chief of Staff, call Colonel Bindasov and prepare them for attack."
"What, let the 1135th Regiment be prepared for attack?" Potukin heard Sokov's order and quickly reminded him: "Comrade Commander, you should have seen the situation outside. If our troops attack at this time, they may be accidentally injured by their own artillery fire."
"It will take at least twenty minutes for Bindasov and his troops to enter the attack position." Sokov glanced at Potukin and said to himself: "If they take action after the shelling is over, at least the same time will be delayed. You should be very clear that every minute on the battlefield may determine the outcome of the war..."
Seeing Sokov say this, Potukin did not argue with him, but went to call Bindasov and ordered him to start assemble the troops and prepare for attack.
As soon as the shelling stopped, the 1137th and 1139th Regiments near the German positions launched an attack on the enemy's positions. Most of the German soldiers who were so shocked by the Soviet artillery fire had not yet run out of the empty land, so their resistance seemed insignificant in the face of the Soviet troops rushing up. A battalion of the 1137th Regiment rushed into the German trenches in less than five minutes and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the surviving German troops.
"Col. Bindasov," Sokov saw this situation and immediately put down his telescope, picked up the microphone and said to Bindasov: "It's almost time, let your soldiers attack. Remember, your movements should be fast and you must not be able to escape even a German. Do you understand?"
"I understand, comrade of the division commander." Bindasov replied loudly: "We will never let you down your trust in us, and we will never let a German escape."
Not long after, the commanders and soldiers carrying the boat crossed the front line and rushed directly to the Jizdra River. When they arrived by the river, they threw the boat into the river, then climbed onto the boat, and started paddling with the oars and shovels in their hands, allowing the boat to sail to the opposite shore quickly.
Before the boat could get on the other side, the soldiers jumped into the water, drifted to the shore, and rushed to the German positions in groups of three or five. The boating soldiers turned around and sent the commanders and soldiers waiting on the shore across the river.
The commanders and soldiers of the 328th Division launched attacks on the German positions from two directions at the same time. The German army, which had suffered heavy casualties in artillery fire and was blown to the point of turning toward the enemy, could not resist such a fierce attack? The battle quickly became one-sided. Except for a few German troops who were still resisting stubbornly, the rest saw that the situation was not good, either fled or surrendered voluntarily.
In less than an hour, the guns and cannons on the other side completely stopped. Looking at the position where smoke was still rising in the distance, Sokov turned his head and said to Kazakov: "Comrade General, I will leave this observation site for you. I will take the troops up."
"What, you have to lead the troops up in person?" Kazakov asked unexpectedly when he heard Sokov say this, "Who will command the troops?"
"That's right, comrade General." Sokov was preparing to take people across the river, not to charge like ordinary soldiers, but to move his command forward: "In order to understand the situation on the battlefield in a timely manner, I plan to move my command forward, and I will command the battle closer to the troops."
Hearing Sokov said this, Kazakov gave up the idea of ​​persuading him, because he clearly remembered that Rokosovsky liked to repeatedly emphasize that the commander should be as close as possible to his troops, so that the key to winning the battle was the key. Therefore, he stretched out his hand to Sokov and said with a smile: "Major Sokov, I wish you good luck and achieve a brilliant record in the next battle."
Chapter completed!