After the right wing's offense failed, the two division commanders who participated in the offense sat together with Be Lei to discuss how to attack next.
Instead of expressing his opinion immediately, Gurdiev looked at Bere and said, "Col. Bere, you have a close relationship with Colonel Sokov. How are they going?"
Like Gorishne, Colonel Gorishne fought in Stalingrad for a period of time, but later because of the loss of troops, he was withdrawn to the east coast for replenishment. This time, the replenishment of troops had just been completed and was transferred back to the city to participate in the counterattack. Gorishne originally planned to perform well this time, but he did not know that the first battle would start unfavorably.
Hearing Gurdiev's proposal, he sneered and said, "What's wrong with you, Colonel Gurdiev? Our right-wing troops were able to overcome the enemy's defense with tanks when attacking. Do you think the performance of the left-wing Mamayevgang is better than us?"
Gurdiev just smiled faintly, and then asked at Berei: "Col. Berei, do you think the attack in the direction of Mamayev's gang will make progress?"
Regarding Gurdiev's question, Bere cautiously said: "This is not easy to say. Although the left-wing troops did not cooperate with the tank troops when attacking, Sokov was a man who knew how to fight and would probably give us an unexpected surprise."
After saying that, he immediately asked the communications officer to connect to the phone from the Mamayevgang Command, and he wanted to talk to Sokov in person. After some twists and turns, he finally contacted Sokov and asked directly: "Misha, how is the situation there?"
"We have occupied the enemy's first line of defense," Sokov was not sure about the direction of the right-wing Red October factory, so he asked curiously: "Col. Don't you break through the enemy's defense?"
"Oh, stop talking. Our attack was repelled by the enemy and lost several tanks." After Belle finished speaking in a grievance, he asked tentatively: "Do you see if you can draw a small army to move to the right wing as we launch a new attack to help us seize the enemy's position."
Both Gurdiev and Gorishne heard Bere's request. They couldn't help but hold their breath, leaned their heads over, and let their ears get as close to the microphone as possible so that they could hear Sokov's reply. After a while, Sokov's voice came from the receiver: "No problem, Colonel Bere. When you attack again, I will send a battalion of troops to move to the right wing to help you seize the enemy's position."
"It's so strange." Seeing Bere putting down the microphone, Goreshne couldn't help but say curiously: "It's so strange how they broke through the enemy's defense without the cover of tanks."
Gurdiev grinned and then said to Gorishne: "Col. Gorishne, that's because you haven't fought with Colonel Sokov, so you don't know him. Although he's young and has not been a commander for a long time, when it comes to war, there's really something that makes people admire him."
"Really?" Gorishne couldn't help but believe in Gurdiev's statement.
"We were surrounded by the enemy in Orlovka some time ago. He commanded us to break through the enemy's defense line in the north and rushed out to join friendly forces." In order to increase the credibility of the incident, he pointed at Belei with his hand and said, "At that time, the tanks commanded by Colonel Belei covered my troops and rushed into the enemy's positions and wiped out the defenders. The price we paid was minimal."
After Gorishne waited for Gurdiev to finish speaking, he turned his head and looked at Bere. Seeing the other party nodding hard, he confirmed that what he heard was true. Although he still looked down on Sokov, his thoughts were a little shaken. He looked at Bere, then looked at Gurdiev, and asked tentatively: "Can he help us seize the enemy's position?"
…………
After Sokov agreed to send troops to support the right wing troops, he immediately called Papuqinko: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, are you ready for the attack?"
Papchinko quickly replied: "Everything is ready and can launch an attack at any time."
"When you attack the enemy's second line of defense, there is no artillery fire support, so you must find a way to establish more machine gun positions near the enemy's position to suppress the enemy's firepower and cover our soldiers' charge." After Sokov ordered the opponent, he thought of the request of Bie Lei, and continued: "I promised the commanders of the right wing to mobilize troops to reinforce them when they launch an attack on the enemy's position. When you see that the attack of the friendly forces begins, you will immediately send a battalion to the right wing to support our friendly forces."
"Comrade of the Division," Papuqinko said hesitantly when he heard Sokov's order: "I have observed the enemies on the right wing. They have built ring fortifications. Even if we launch an attack from the flank, we may suffer considerable casualties. Don't let a lot of casualties be killed or killed by then, but the enemy's position has not been taken down."
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you can't just rely on fierce fighting to rush." ​​Sokov said slowly after he finished speaking: "You should use your brain more. If the tactics are used properly, it can greatly reduce the casualties of the troops."
Papuqinko has not been a subordinate of Sokov for a long time, so he naturally does not understand what tactics should be used to reduce the casualties of the troops. So he asked carefully: "Comrade Commander, what should we do to minimize the casualties of the troops?"
Hearing Pupicko's question, Sokov couldn't help but sigh softly, saying that if it were his old subordinates, they would probably have understood his intentions from his words. Pupicko had not been in contact with him for a long time, and he would need to communicate more with him in the future so that he could gradually adapt to the tactics he used.
Since Papchinko has raised questions, Sokov naturally has to answer him: "You draw a battalion and let half of them wear Romanian uniforms. When the friendly forces on the right wing start attacking, you order the soldiers in enemy uniforms to pretend to escape to the enemy's defensive positions, while the other half of the soldiers who have not changed their clothes will be chasing them in the back. In order to perform more realistically, during the pursuit and escape, both sides must keep firing and pretending that someone is shot and fallen, so that they can deceive the enemy's eyes."
Sokov's words have already reached this point. If Papchinko cannot understand it, then Sokov will plan to change the regiment to a new regiment commander. Fortunately, Papchinko is not too stupid, and he quickly replied: "I understand, comrade of the division commander. The purpose of our doing this is to give the enemy an illusion that the surviving soldiers on the position are ready to escape to their positions, so that our soldiers will be attacked when they approach the enemy's positions."
"Ltd Colonel, you're right." Seeing that Papchinko understood his intentions, Sokov nodded with a smile and said with satisfaction: "Using this tactic to attack the enemy's positions can minimize your casualties. Also, be careful not to cause accidental injury."
"Comrade Commander, please rest assured. I will remind the soldiers to pay attention and try to avoid accidental injuries." Papuqinko said this, hesitated for a moment, and then asked: "I want to use this tactic to attack the enemy's second line of defense. I wonder if it is possible?"
"No, lieutenant colonel." Sokov immediately denied it when he heard Papchenko say this: "When the friendly forces on the right wing launched an attack, the enemy's attention was attracted. When they saw a force of their own people appearing on the flank, they would think it was a survivor on the position we occupied. And the enemy on your front is in a state of high tension at this moment. Even if they see a force of their own escape from our position, in order to prevent our troops from rushing in, they will definitely shoot without saying a word."
Ivanov, standing beside Sokov, almost spoke, but quietly observed how Sokov commanded the troops. To be honest, he was dissatisfied with his superior demoted himself but letting a young officer take his post. But since he saw two regiments easily take the enemy's position today, he immediately realized the shortcomings between him and Sokov. If he had replaced himself to command the attack, even if he barely seized the enemy's position, the casualties of the troops would probably increase exponentially.
When Sokov issued orders to commanders at all levels, he was still worried that Ivanov would come out to sing a counter-tune. However, with a series of orders issued, Ivanov not only did not sing a counter-tune with him, but also performed very well, which made Sokov feel very satisfied.
Half an hour later, Bere called Sokov again: "Misha, we will launch a new attack on the enemy in five minutes. How about it, are your troops ready?"
"Be ready, Colonel Don't ray." Sokov replied readily: "As soon as your attack begins, my troops will attack the enemy from the flank."
"That's great. I'll let the troops start attacking." Bi Lei said, and was about to hang up the phone, but heard Sokov shouting in the microphone: "Col. Bi Lei, please wait, I haven't finished speaking yet."
Bere knew that Sokov must have something important to remind him, so he quickly put the earpiece close to his ear and asked, "Misha, do you have anything else to add?"
"Col. Bere," Sokov said cautiously: "According to what I have, our army's progress in Orlovka's direction is not going well. The German army may go south at any time. You must take precautions as soon as possible to avoid being caught off guard."
Sokov's words shocked Bereh in a cold sweat. If Sokov did not remind him, he would have forgotten that the German troops in the front were all drawn to the north, and the Romanian troops in the vassal state remained on the front. After he put down the phone, he said to Gurdiev and Gorishne: "Two division commanders, Sokov just reminded that the enemy in the north may go south at any time, and we must take precautions as soon as possible."
Gurdiev and Gorishne looked at each other, and both saw shock in each other's eyes. Gorishne said to Gorishne: "Col. Gorishne, I think Sokov's analysis makes sense. The German army heading north may move south again at any time. We must take precautions as soon as possible."
"How many troops are you going to transfer to the north for defense?" Gorishne asked cautiously.
"A regiment." Gurdiev stretched out a finger and said, "What I mean is that we will draw a regiment to go to the north to defend. You must know that this area is safe and can't stop the enemy if there are fewer troops to defend."
"Col. Gorishne," said Gorishne, however, opposed Gorishne: "If we draw a regiment of troops to defend against enemies who may go south or may not go south, then our frontal offensive power will be weakened. In my opinion, we can draw a battalion to defend, but it is not too far away anyway. Once we see the situation, the troops responsible for offensive tasks can turn around and support them in time."
"Col. Gorishne," said Gurdiev, not arguing with him about this idea, but wisely: "For the safety of our flanks, I decided to draw a regiment for the defense of the north. As for how many troops you plan to send, that is your business, and I have no right to ask."
Although Gorishne heard Gurdiev's tone with anger when he heard this, he considered that it was far from enough to attack the enemy's front with just two regiments of troops. Therefore, he insisted on his opinion and planned to send a battalion to strengthen the defense in the north.
After the right-wing troops launched a new attack, more than 100 soldiers wearing Romanian uniforms suddenly emerged from the left-wing positions occupied by the Soviet army, and fled to the right-wing Romanian army positions in a mess. Behind them, more than 200 Soviet soldiers followed closely.
The Romanian soldiers who were running away in front kept firing shots at the back while running. The Soviet soldiers chasing behind saw the Romanian soldiers in front firing, but did not dodge, but shot while advancing. Amid the dense gunfire, people on both sides kept falling down.
The soldiers on the Romanian position were shooting at the Soviet commanders and fighters who were rushing from the Red October factory. Suddenly, they saw a group of comrades who had escaped from the lost position appeared on their right wing, and more than 200 Russians were chasing behind them. A Romanian officer hurried to the right side of the position, poked out half of his body from the trenches, waved at the soldiers desperately, and shouted loudly: "Hurry up, come to me quickly!"
Chapter completed!