Rokosovsky made a difficult decision after repeated thought. It is important to know that the 2nd Air Force Army, which belongs to the Bryansk Front, nominally, has 8 aviation divisions and 2 independent aviation regiments, but in fact, the only ones who can participate in the battle are the 205th, 206th and 227th Air Force Divisions. They undertake heavy combat tasks and compete with the German air force for air supremacy in the direction of Voronezh to provide air cover for the front's ground forces. Once they are transferred to Kursk, it means that the front forces will not be able to receive support from the air force for a period of time.
Seeing Malining sending a telegram to Sokov, military commissioner Shabalin walked to Rokosovsky and asked with a serious expression: "Comrade Commander, have you really made a decision?"
Rokosovsky understood what Shabarin asked, so he nodded and said with a serious expression: "Yes, comrade of the military committee, I have decided. As long as I can defend Kursk and separate the front lines between the German Central Army Group and the Southern Army Group, even if the main force of the front army has to fight the enemy without air force support for a long time, it is completely worth it."
"Comrade Commander," Shabalin did not agree with Rokosovsky's decision. He felt that Rokosovsky was too risky. If all the air forces were sent to Kursk, the front troops that had lost their air cover might be defeated by the German army. If Kursk could not defend at that time, as a military member of the front, he would have an unshirkable responsibility and even a possibility of being sent to the military court. When he thought of the fate of General Pavlov and his colleagues such as his chief of staff, Shabalin would fight in a cold way. In order to avoid repeating the same mistake, he felt that he should persuade Rokosovsky: "Have you ever considered that even if we sent the air force to support, Sokov's Istria Battalion is not right, and now called the 73rd Infantry Brigade, it may not be able to defend Kursk. Do we need to take this risk?"
"Although we may not be able to defend Kursk if we send air force to support us, we may not be able to defend Kursk, but if we do not send air force to support us, Kursk will definitely not be able to defend us." Rokosovsky looked at Sabahrain and said with a serious expression: "If the strategic intention of the base camp to establish the Kursk protrusion is destroyed, it will be a loss of mind."
Rokosovsky's words silenced Sabahlin. After a long time, he spoke: "Okay, comrade Commander, it seems that it is completely necessary for us to provide air support to Kursk."
Sokov, who had just returned to the command center, felt much more at ease after receiving the telegram from Malining. He handed the telegram to Belkin and said, "Comrade Political Commissar, look, this is a telegram from the Front Command. From tomorrow, they will provide us with enough air cover."
"This is really great." After quickly browsing the contents of the telegram, Belkin said excitedly: "With the support of the air force, we are confident in defending Kursk."
Considering that there will be support from the Air Force tomorrow, Sokov decided to make full use of the artillery, so he picked up the microphone in front of him and called the artillery company commander Porochenko: "Comrade Lieutenant, come to my command center immediately."
After Belkin waited for Sokov to call, he asked curiously: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what are you asking the artillery company commander to come here?"
"I estimate that the German army will launch a new attack tomorrow. In order to reduce the casualties of the troops, it is necessary to use artillery fire to intercept the enemy's attack at the beginning to reduce the pressure on the defensive forces."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, if we bombard the Germans when they attack, they will easily be suppressed by German artillery fire." Belkin said with some concern after hearing this: "We only have a dozen artillery pieces, but we cannot compete with the enemy's artillery group."
"Comrade Political Commissar, you don't have to worry about this." Sokov said confidently: "As long as there is support from the air force, we don't have to worry. As long as the enemy's artillery positions are exposed, our air force will destroy them."
When Porochenko came to the command center, Sokov immediately said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant, judging from the current situation, the German army may launch an attack again tomorrow. The task I give you is to intercept the enemy with artillery fire when attacking to reduce the defensive pressure of the third battalion. Can it be done?"
Porochenko was not sure of the matter of obtaining air force support the next day, so he felt a little embarrassed about Sokov's order: "Comrade Brigade Commander, judging from the situation of today's battle, the German army had more than twenty artillery pieces in one regiment. If they ordered a division-level unit to attack, their number of artillery would be greater. Once we were counter-attacked by them, there would be a danger of the entire army being destroyed."
"Don't worry, Comrade Lieutenant." Seeing that Porochenko was also worried that using artillery too early tomorrow would be retaliated by the German superior artillery, he comforted him and said, "There will be air force to support us tomorrow. If the German army does not fire artillery, it will be enough. As long as it should fire artillery, our bomber formation will blow them up to pieces."
"Really?" Porochenko's face showed a surprise expression on his face with the cooperation of the Air Force: "Comrade Brigade Commander, if this is the case, we will no longer have to worry about the enemy's artillery."
The failed German army soon made a comeback. The next morning, the German commander Major General Von Derebel used forty-eight 150mm artillery to launch artillery bombardment on the Soviet positions in the east of the city. The originally quiet position suddenly turned into a sea of ​​fire. Although the commanders and fighters of the Third Battalion were hiding in the solid concrete fortifications, they were still shocked by the dazzling fire balls outside, thunder-like loud noises.
Not long after the German shelling began, Sokov, who was in the city command center, heard a voice. He was eager to know the situation ahead, so he called the third battalion commander Andre, but picked up the microphone and there was no sound inside. He thought there was something wrong with the phone, so he immediately called the communication company commander Maxim and asked sternly: "Comrade Lieutenant, what's going on? Why can't he contact the third battalion?"
Maxim took the phone and listened, and then replied: "Comrade Brigade Commander, it may be that the German artillery fire was too fierce and the telephone line was blown off."
"Immediately order someone to check the route," Sokov immediately ordered as soon as he finished speaking, "I need to know the situation of the Third Battalion."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, don't worry." Seeing Sokov's angry look, Maxim hurriedly explained: "Although the telephone line was blown up, they are equipped with a radio station and can contact us via telegram or wireless phone."
"Send a telegram to Captain Andre immediately," Sokov listened to the rumbling cannons coming from the east of the city. He knew that even if a wireless call could be used, the call effect would probably be affected. It would be easier to use a telegram, so he instructed Maxim: "Let him report the situation on the position immediately."
Captain Andre, hiding in the command post, had no idea that the telephone line between him and the brigade had been broken by the German artillery fire. He felt like he was sitting in an erupting crater, wrapped tightly by the rising smoke. The explosion of the smoke passed one after another, and there were explosions everywhere, and there were fires everywhere. The logs as thick as bowls used in the trenches used to strengthen fortifications were also blown to pieces by shells and flew around in the air.
He was so fainted that the radio operator shouted several times, but he didn't hear it. It was not until the radio operator put his hand on his shoulder and shook it hard twice that he found that the radio operator was calling him. "What's the matter?" As soon as Andre said, he found that he could hardly hear his voice, and he realized that his ears were shocked by the explosion of the shells.
Chapter completed!