Asia said the first sentence after waking up, she grabbed Ulanova's arm and asked emotionally: "Ulanova, my Misha, where is my Misha?"
"Asia," Ulanova said softly, "The brigade commander is still in Orlovka, and he will be back soon."
Asia suddenly sat upright and said firmly, "I'm going to see Misha, I'm going to Orlovka to meet Misha immediately, and now." After that, she struggled to stand up and prepared to walk outside.
Although Ulanova knew the content of the telegram sent by Sokov, she thought in her heart that the content was just to comfort everyone. As far as she knew, there were not many troops trapped in the German encirclement to successfully break through. If Asia really wanted to go to Orlovka, it would be like to die. She quickly grabbed Asia's arm and said nervously: "Asia, no, you can't go to Orlovka. The Germans have cut off the road to there, and you can't get through at all."
"But my Misha is still there!" Asia looked at Ulanova and said in a crying voice: "I want to find him, even if I die, I will die with him."
"Asia!" Brisky followed Sokov for a long time, knowing that he had always had the ability to create miracles. Although he was surrounded by the German army, he must have the ability to escape safely. Seeing Asia's mood was so out of control, he quickly comforted the other party and said, "Don't worry, the brigade commander just sent a telegram saying that everything was in his control. I believe he would definitely come back safely."
Although Brisky was full of confidence in Sokov, Koida did not think so. According to his thinking, a unit of hundreds of people, plus a small number of tanks, was surrounded by the German army. It was a dream to jump out of the encirclement. However, in order not to stimulate Asia, he did not mention this matter, but said to Brisky and Ulanova: "Comrade Asia's situation is not very good. You two will send her back to rest first."
Koida's words hit Brisky's thoughts. He felt that keeping Asia, who was depressed, would affect the command and operation. Since Koida asked him to send Asia back, he nodded and walked out of the command center with Ulanova, with Asia's arm alone.
After Asia was sent away, Mashkov sighed and said in a regretful tone: "Maybe in a few days, or even hours, she will become a widow."
"Okay, comrade political commissar, don't talk sarcastically here." Koida knew that Sokov and his friends were in their lives and felt particularly bad. He said to Mashkov: "Let's discuss how to strengthen the defense in the assembly workshop. You must know that this counterattack has exhausted the only reserve force of the Army Command. We may not get any supplies for soldiers and materials in the next battle."
"It's not OK to not be able to get the replenishment of soldiers and supplies." Mashkov frowned and said, "Just with the little force in our hands and the armed workers in the assembly workshop, we cannot stop the enemy from breaking into the factory."
"We have to find a way to stop it," Koida said with a wry smile: "The 39th Guard Division, which is responsible for the defense of residential areas and factory main gates, suffered huge losses in this counterattack. In the following battle, we not only cannot get their support, but maybe we will also send troops to reinforce them."
Mashkov is a political cadre. When it comes to war, he still wants to follow Koida Ma's lead: "Comrade Commander, then tell me, what should we do?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, this is how I think about it." Koida said thoughtfully: "No matter what, we still have hundreds of people taking ten tanks to block one or two German offensives. There is still no big problem. As for the addition of the troops, are there many hundreds of wounded people in the basement? I want you to come forward to do propaganda and agitation for them. Maybe some of the wounded people can be mobilized and enriched into the combat troops."
Regarding Koida's proposal, Mashkov said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Commander, the wounded people who are recovering from wounds in the basement are from different troops. Even if I go to do political agitation, it is still an unknown whether they are willing to join our troops."
Koida took out a cigarette from the cigarette box placed on the table, lit it, and said in a muffled voice: "Comrade Political Commissar, you must find a way to mobilize more wounded people and enrich them into the combat troops. You must know that maybe one more person can decide the outcome of a battle."
"Okay." Seeing that Koida's attitude was so firm and insisted on letting himself mobilize the wounded, Mashkov could only answer helplessly: "I will do my best."
…………
Just when Koida and Mashkov were having a headache for the defense of the assembly workshop, it was already dark outside. According to Sokov's order, after it was dark, except for the guards left by the positions, the other commanders and soldiers took advantage of the night to move closer to the hidden village of the Tank Battalion.
However, when everyone arrived at the designated location one after another, they unexpectedly found that the village had been burned into ruins, and some burned logs were still emitting green smoke. Sokov's command center was located in the woods not far from the village. In order to prevent the arrival of commanders and soldiers from finding their location, he also sent people to pick them up.
While the troops were still moving, Sokov summoned several commanders to meet and discuss the plan for breaking through with them again. In a temporary tent, a map was spread on the ground, and the commanders participating in the meeting were squatting around the map. Sokov held a steam lamp in one hand and gestured on the map with the other: "Comrades Commanders, I chose the direction of breaking through the north. Our troops quietly moved to this area under the cover of the night. Before dawn, under the cover of the tank battalion, we unexpectedly launched an attack on the enemy's defense line, striving to break through the enemy's defense line in the shortest time."
"Comrade Brigade Commander, I want to ask." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Gurdiev raised his own question: "How is the enemy's defense in the north? With our existing strength, can we break through the enemy's defense?"
Sokov can understand this question about Gurdiev. You must know that Rokosovsky mobilized several divisions of troops to launch an attack in that direction, but he was unable to break through the enemy's defense. The troops he had in his hands were only a thousand people, but it was a bit incredible to break through the enemy's defense in a short period of time.
Sokov pointed his hand at Fei Lei and said with a smile: "I think Colonel Bere should introduce the situation. He has been in this area for the longest time and is the best at understanding the situation of the enemy."
Biele coughed gently, cleared his throat, and said, "The enemy's defense line is eight kilometers north of the north, with a river against a back. The reason why the attack launched by General Rokosovsky was unable to break through the enemy's defense was because the terrain of the German defense line was steep in the north and there was a river between them. If friendly commanders and fighters want to seize the enemy's position, they must first cross the river and then rush up to the steep hillside. However, the enemy's firepower point can use the terrain to kill and injure our attacking troops from a high place..."
Hearing Bere’s words, everyone finally understood why Rokosovsky’s troops were unable to break through the German defense for a long time and rushed to meet with them. After pausing for a moment, Gurdiev asked again: “Col. Berere, what is the defense of the enemy facing our side?”
"Let me put it this way, the enemy's defense direction is mainly aimed at the north, while there are very few firepower points to the south." In order to make the commanders and fighters know it, Biele explained in detail: "More importantly, the south side of the German defense line is a gentle slope, which is easy to attack and difficult to defend. Our tanks can even drive directly to the enemy's firepower points."
"Our tanks can be directly driven in front of the enemy's firepower point. Is this true?" Gurdiev asked with shock when he heard this: "Since that is the case, why did our troops in the encirclement not take the initiative to attack the enemies here? If we really did, we might have met with oncoming friendly forces long ago."
"Col. Gurdiev," Bere glanced at Sokov, and then said: "In the past, the troops stationed in Orlovka were blindly sticking to each other, waiting for reinforcements outside the encirclement to come to meet with him, and never considered actively attacking outwards. Therefore, they knew nothing about the weak links on the German defense line."
After Bere's analysis, Gurdiev found that this was really the case. A regiment under his command was ordered to enter Orlovka some time ago. The order they received was to hold their positions at all costs and wait for reinforcements outside the encirclement to come and reunite. Unfortunately, the reinforcements did not arrive, and the commanders and soldiers of this regiment were destroyed by the German air strikes and artillery attacks. He thought to himself that if the regiment commander under his command could send people to the north to reconnaise, find the weakness of the German defense line, and cooperate with Rokosovsky's troops inside and outside, they might have broken through the enemy's defense line long ago.
Thinking of this, Gurdiev suddenly remembered an important question: "Comrade Brigade Commander, in a few hours, we will implement a breakthrough. Do you really need to report our breakthrough plan to your superiors?"
"No need." The reason why Sokov did not report the breakthrough plan to Cuikov, nor did he generate electricity to Rokosovsky, notifying himself that he was about to break through to his place was because he was worried that the news would leak out, which would lead to the failure of the breakthrough plan. Therefore, he shook his head at Gurdiev's proposal and said firmly: "If we report the breakthrough plan, I am worried that the Germans will soon realize that our breakthrough action will be successful."
"What about the specific attack time?" Gurdiev asked briefly.
"Col. Bere," before answering Gurdiev's question, Sokov turned his head and asked Berere: "How long will it take for your tank battalion to reach the German defensive position from here?"
Bi Lei silenced for a moment in his heart, and then replied in a positive tone: "Report to the brigade commander, if you drive at full speed, you can reach the battlefield within a quarter of an hour."
"Very good!" Sokov nodded in praise, and then said to Gurdiev: "Col. Gurdiev, your offensive starting position should be two kilometers away from the German defense line. You will launch an attack at 7:45. Colonel Bere's tank will surpass your infantry within a quarter of an hour and rush towards the enemy's position first."
"I understand." Gurdiev replied: "It is only eight kilometers from here to the enemy's position. At three o'clock in the morning, I will lead my troops to move closer to the enemy's defense line and establish an offensive starting position without the enemy's awareness."
"In this attack, Colonel Gurdiev's 308th Infantry Division was responsible for the main attack under the cover of the tank battalion." Sokov put the gas lamp on the ground and said to everyone: "The first battalion of Vanya, Tnev's guard battalion was followed as the second echelon. Once the first echelon breaks through the enemy's defense, you must find a way to tear the breakthrough even further."
Next, Sokov answered the questions raised by several commanders one by one and gave a solution. Finally, he saw that no one was talking, solemnly said: "Comrades, wait for our destiny. Is it the entire army to be destroyed, destroyed or captured by the enemy? Or have you successfully broken through the defense line and joining with friendly forces? Is it all here? Are you confident of winning?"
All the commanders stood up in unison and answered neatly and loudly: "We have confidence."
"Since the mission is clear, everyone will go back to their respective troops." Sokov waved his hand to everyone, "Get the time to let the soldiers rest, and wait for three in the morning to quietly think about getting closer to the enemy's position."
After the commanders left the tent, Yakov, who had never spoken, asked Sokov tentatively: "Misha, do you really have confidence to lead the troops to break through the enemy's defense line?"
"Yakov, under the current circumstances, if we cannot break through the enemy's defense line, then waiting for our destiny will either be captured or sacrificed." Sokov smiled sadly and said, "So, we must break through the enemy's defense line at all costs and rush to join forces with General Rokosovsky's troops."
Chapter completed!