Before the start of Operation Bagration, the two flank groups of the 1st Belarusian Front were divided by a wide swamp. Now as the battle progresses, the Polesiya Swamp has been left far behind, and the frontal front of the Front has almost shortened.
Half of it.
In this case, Rokossovsky shifted the focus of his work from the right wing of the front to the left wing. He planned to use the forces of the left wing to launch an attack, advancing hand in hand with the troops on the right wing, and pushing the depth of the German defense together.
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Rokossovsky looked at Malinin and asked: "What troops do we have on the left wing now?"
"Report to Comrade Commander," Ma Linin said excitedly: "On our left wing there are five combined arms armies, one air force group, and the rapid corps has one tank army and two cavalry corps.
These units are: Lieutenant General Popov's 70th Army, Lieutenant General Gusev's 47th Army, Lieutenant General Chuikov's 8th Guards Army, Lieutenant General Kolpakchi's 69th Army, Bogdanov Tank Corps
General's 2nd Tank Army, Lieutenant General Polainin's 6th Air Force Army, Lieutenant General Konstantinov's 7th Guards Cavalry Army, Lieutenant General Kryukov's 2nd Guards Cavalry Army, Western
Lieutenant General Germund Bellinger's Polish 1st Army."
"I really didn't expect that the strength of the left-wing troops far exceeded that of the right-wing troops." Rokossovsky said with emotion: "I just don't know if they can achieve more results than the right-wing troops on the battlefield."
"Comrade Commander, since you plan to attack the enemy from the left wing, would you like to invite several group army commanders over so that we can study the next battle plan together?"
"I think it's okay." Rokossovsky agreed with Malinin's proposal: "I just called Popov, Gusev, Chuikov and Kolpakchi over. After all, in the next offensive battle
Among them, the combined army of various arms under their command played the greatest role."
After receiving Malinin's notice, Popov, Gusev, Chuikov and Kolpakch all rushed to the front headquarters within an hour.
Seeing the arrival of the four men, Rokossovsky stepped forward and shook hands with them one by one and said: "Four comrades, commanders, I have invited you here today to study the next battle plan. If you have
If you have any ideas, just speak them out, it will be very helpful for us to formulate a battle plan."
When Popov heard what Rokossovsky said, there was an expression of surprise on his face: "Comrade General, what do you mean, our troops deployed on the left wing of the front army also have the opportunity to participate in offensive battles?"
"Yes, General Popov." Rokossovsky nodded and gave the other party a positive reply: "The attack of the right-wing troops has completely disrupted the German defense. In order to destroy the German defense system as soon as possible
, drive them out of our land, and I decided to put all the troops on the left into battle."
"Comrade Commanders," Ma Lining said from the side: "This meeting we have today is very important. Let's sit down first, and then listen to Comrade Commander speak slowly to you."
After the four group army commanders sat down, Ma Lining ordered someone to bring tea and some snacks, and then said: "There is tea and snacks here. You are welcome. You can discuss it while eating."
"General Rokossovsky," Chuikov was the first to ask, "I wonder which of our troops you plan to let attack first?"
"Comrade Chuikov," Rokossovsky said: "We have carefully studied the enemy and terrain information, and the position of the enemy troops has not changed much in recent times. After discussing with the chief of staff, I made a decision
: The vanguard battalions of your group armies shall conduct combat reconnaissance on the enemy's defensive positions. Once it is clear whether the enemy has withdrawn its main force to deep areas and only left covering troops in front of us. Knowing this will enable us not to
As for the ammunition used to break through the main defense line."
"Yes, this is indeed what should be done." Chuikov said.
"General Chuikov, as far as I know." Ma Lining stared at Chuikov and said with a smile: "The reconnaissance battalion took the lead in launching the charge. After understanding the enemy situation on the position, we decided whether to invest a large force in the attack or let the reconnaissance battalion withdraw.
Tactics are your inventions and creations. I wonder if you can continue to use this tactic to deal with the German solid defense zones in the coming battles?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right, this tactic was indeed invented by me." Chuikov did not question Malinin's statement, but continued: "I think it can also be used in the next attack.
Use this tactic to deal with the German defensive positions."
"General Chuikov." Rokossovsky said to him: "Tell me more details."
Chuikov said "hmm" and continued: "We can let the vanguard battalion launch a trial attack. Based on the enemy's resistance, we can judge whether the enemy's main force is still on the defensive position to decide whether to invest the main force."
"General Chuikov is right," Gusev agreed: "Our vanguard battalion, under the cover of tanks, attacked the enemy's defensive positions. If the main force of the Germans is still on the position, then the advance battalion's attack will
You will definitely encounter stubborn resistance. If the resistance is weak, it means that the enemy has withdrawn their main force deep in the defense."
"So, everyone agrees to use the vanguard battalion to launch a tentative attack on the enemy's defensive positions?" Rokossovsky looked at everyone and asked, "Is my conclusion correct?"
"Exactly, Comrade Commander." Chuikov said, "That's exactly what we mean."
Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Rokossovsky put forward his own idea: "Comrade generals, why don't we organize a group of generals to go to the forward command post in the Radoshina area to observe our army
The attack situation. I wonder what you think?"
"Agree!" Chuikov was the first to express his opinion.
"I agree too!" Popov followed closely.
Gusev and Kolpakchi, who realized it later, were stunned for a while before expressing their opinions: "I agree too!"
"Okay, since everyone has no objections, let's go to the Radoshina area immediately." Rokossovsky turned to Malinin and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you will be responsible for the work in the headquarters.
Already."
Two hours later, everyone arrived at the observation post in the Radoshina area. From here, using telescopes, they could clearly see the German defensive positions and the scene of the battle.
Rokossovsky raised his hand to look at the time, picked up the phone and called Kazakov, the front artillery commander: "Comrade artillery commander, let's start!"
As the order was issued, the artillery unit commanded by Kazakov carried out intensive artillery bombardment on the German defensive positions.
As soon as the shelling stopped, before the smoke cleared, the vanguard battalion, which was already ready to attack, rushed towards the enemy's position with the tanks. The German artillerymen who saw the Soviet army launching an attack used artillery to intercept the attacking troops.
Seeing that the offensive force was intercepted by German artillery fire, Rokossovsky quickly called Polainin, commander of the 6th Air Force Group Army: "General Polainin, I ordered the Air Force to take off immediately and use a four-plane formation to go.
Attack German artillery positions."
But the Germans had obviously long expected that the Soviet army would use bomber planes to attack the enemy's artillery positions. Soon after the Soviet bombers bombed the ground positions, German fighter planes appeared in the sky, and the Soviet bomber group
A fierce battle began.
Since the Soviet army dispatched a small number of bombers and was unable to gain air superiority over the battlefield, the attacking forces were suppressed by German firepower.
However, the vanguard battalion, which served as a test attack, successfully rushed into the enemy's first trench under the cover of tanks. As the battle became more and more intense, Rokossovsky already knew clearly in his mind that what the troops encountered was
The enemy's main line of defense could not wait any longer. He immediately gave an order to the artillery commander Kazakov, asking him to use artillery fire to destroy the enemy's defenses.
General Kazakov, who received Rokossovsky's order, immediately ordered his men to open fire. A salvo of artillery fire of various calibers caused the German enemy's position to be shrouded in gunpowder smoke.
Since the order given by Rokossovsky to Kazakov was to prepare for two hours of artillery fire on the enemy's position, it was necessary to destroy the German defense system so that the subsequent troops participating in the attack would have enough time.
Complete the assembly and launch the final attack on the enemy.
During the artillery preparations, Chuikov kept making phone calls, asking and understanding the current positions of each division to determine whether he needed to modify the original battle plan.
The high-frequency phone in the observation post rang, and everyone turned their attention to Rokossovsky, waiting for him to come and answer the phone. Since high-frequency phones are used to communicate with the outside world, the others are even the commanders of the group armies.
level task, you have no right to touch this phone casually.
Rokossovsky picked up the phone on the table, and Antonov's voice came from the receiver: "General Rokossovsky, judging from the battle report, your troops are progressing very smoothly. I want to ask
Let me ask you, when do you plan to let the troops on the left attack? You must know that the Supreme Command has given you great support and provided you with a sufficient number of soldiers and weapons and equipment. I hope you will not disappoint us.
"
"Don't worry, General Antonov." Rokossovsky thought about the attack he launched today and had not had time to report to the General Staff. Since Antonov took the initiative to call at this moment, Rokossovsky
Key then spoke into the microphone: "General Chuikov's troops and the German troops on our left flank launched an attack."
"What, you have launched an attack on the enemy?" After hearing this, Antonov said with a shocked face: "When did this happen?"
"Just about half an hour ago, I had issued an attack order to the troops." Rokossovsky explained to Antonov: "However, because the troops entering the battle at this moment only have a vanguard battalion, as well as a small number of tanks and
There were only a small number of aircraft and the scale of the battle was too small, so no report was made for the time being."
"So that's it." After Antonov figured out what was going on, he asked tentatively: "General Rokossovsky, your left wing is attacking the enemy, so can I understand that you intend to abandon the right wing?
attack?"
"How could it be?" Rokossovsky said to Antonov with a smile: "The attack on the left wing of the front is a continuation of the battle that started in Bobruisk, but this does not mean that the right wing will stop fighting.
.I have given the order to the right-wing troops to continue the attack and let them advance towards the Brest fortification area. This is very important. Because at this stage, the direction of Kovel has become our decisive direction, and we can
Success depends in many ways on whether the enemy commits its main reserves to the defense of Brest."
"General Rokossovsky," Antonov said, looking at the map in front of him: "If your attack in the direction of Kovel goes smoothly and you launch an attack on Sedelce and Lublin, in a few days,
Your troops will be able to enter Poland."
"Yes, Comrade Chief of General Staff." Rokossovsky agreed with Antonov's statement: "Although the right-wing troops entered the battle relatively late, I believe they will be able to defeat the right-wing troops.
The troops entered Poland in advance.”
Hearing what Rokossovsky said, Antonov suddenly remembered something and quickly asked: "General Rokossovsky, I would like to ask whether the troops commanded by Sokov are now on the left or the right.
?”
Hearing Antonov ask this, Rokossovsky couldn't help but be stunned, and then asked: "Comrade Chief of General Staff, don't you read the battle reports from the front line every day? Don't you know that the 48th Group Army commanded by Mischa,
Right wing or left wing?”
"Well, I remember that the 48th Group Army he commanded was the right wing of the front army." Antonov said: "When fighting in Ukraine, the troops he commanded were the first to advance to the national border and entered Romania.
.If his troops can be the first to enter Poland, then he will have the opportunity to leave a heavy mark in the history books."
When Rokossovsky heard this, he thought, right? In the future history books, it will definitely be recorded who was the first commander to enter the enemy's territory, and Sokov must be on the list. After all, the troops he commanded,
He was the first to cross the border and enter Romania. If the troops he now commands can also be the first to enter Poland, historians in later generations will definitely praise him.
"Comrade Chief of the General Staff," Rokossovsky felt regretful when he thought that the troops commanded by Sokov could not be the first troops to enter Poland: "Due to the obstruction of the Brest Fortress,
I think the troops commanded by Misha will not be able to enjoy this honor this time."
When Rokossovsky said this, he was secretly wondering whether he should find a time to appease Sokov to avoid any dissatisfaction in his heart.
Before the call with Antonov ended, Chuikov reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade General, the troops of our group army have arrived at the designated position and are ready to attack the enemy at any time."
Rokossovsky quickly covered the microphone with his hand and ordered Chuikov: "General Chuikov, since your troops have reached the attack position, as soon as the artillery preparations are completed, they will immediately attack the enemy's position. Remember.
, we must break through the German defense lines within two hours and advance deep into their defenses."
"Yes, Comrade General!" Chuikov replied resoundingly: "I will never disappoint your expectations."
