In order to quickly break through the German defense, the Soviet air force entered the battle. Hundreds of fighter planes took off one after another, completed their formation in the air, and flew towards the German defense line.
Among these aircraft, there are a large number of IL-2 attack aircraft. Their appearance is painted in camouflage colors. During ultra-low-altitude attacks, it is difficult for enemy aircraft in the sky to detect them, and their thick armor can well resist ground anti-aircraft machine guns.
Shooting. A tactic often used by pilots of attack aircraft, patrolling and flying in a formation of 4 aircraft at an altitude of 800 meters. Once a ground target is discovered, they will immediately disperse and conduct dive attacks on the ground target in turns, using rockets, aircraft cannons or machine guns to attack tanks.
The vehicle was used for shooting, and the effect was very good. In addition, its ear-piercing whistling sound when it dived at low altitude gave the enemy a great psychological shock.
In addition to carrying ordinary bombs, attack aircraft can also launch anti-tank rockets and small bombs called PTAB. Although the hit rate of rockets was pitifully low based on the technology at the time, once it hit, the RS-82 rocket
It can penetrate 50 mm of armor, and the armor penetration thickness of the RS-132 reaches 70 mm. This is tantamount to a disaster for the top armor of any German tank, so the Germans - especially their armored troops will be
The Er-2 attack aircraft is called the "Black Reaper".
When Soviet fighter planes bombarded the German positions indiscriminately, Rokossovsky ordered Batov's 65th and Popov's 70th Army to be mobilized to prepare to strengthen the frontal offensive force and speed up the attack.
The speed of breaking through the German defense lines.
After Bogolyubov notified the two group army commanders to mobilize troops, he contacted the new artillery commander Sokolsky: "General Sokolsky, how is the ammunition reserve of the artillery so that it can carry out operations on the enemy's positions?"
How long will the bombardment last?”
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokolsky replied after recognizing Bogolyubov's voice: "According to the regulations before the start of the battle, the artillery at the group army level stores four bases of ammunition, while the artillery ammunition reserve of the front army
It is a base of seven. Based on the intensity of artillery preparations in the previous two days, we can continue for three days."
"That's great." Bogolyubov said into the microphone: "Now our air force is bombing the enemy's positions. After their bombing is over, it will be your artillery's turn."
"Chief of Staff, I don't understand." After Sokolsky waited for Bogolyubov to finish speaking, he immediately raised his own question: "According to convention, before each attack, the artillery is not the first to call, and it is not the artillery that takes the lead in attacking the enemy.
The positions were subjected to fierce artillery bombardment. After the artillery preparations were completed, the air force was dispatched for bombing. Why was it reversed today, with the air force being dispatched first and then the artillery preparations being carried out?"
Bogolyubov glanced at Rokossovsky who was on the phone next to him, and said to Sokolsky: "General Sokolsky, the reason why we will adjust the order of artillery and air force attacks is because
This is completely the opinion of Comrade Marshal. He feels that if we carry out artillery preparations first, then the enemy will definitely retreat to the second line of defense to hide, especially their tanks, and will hide in nearby tunnels. Wait for our army's attack to begin.
Later, the concealed tanks and infantry will emerge to meet our attack, causing huge casualties to our army.
But if we dispatch our air force for bombing first, the enemy will think that our ground attack will start immediately, and they will stay on the existing position and hide in pre-dug shelters or tunnels. Wait until our air force finishes bombing and leaves.
After that, the enemy will return to the ground again, and your artillery fire will pour onto the enemy's position at this time, which will cause them great casualties."
After Bogolyubov's explanation, Sokolsky finally understood what was going on. He nodded and said thoughtfully: "So that's it!" The next moment, he asked Bogolyubov.
Boff stated, "Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff, I will order the artillery units to prepare for battle. As long as we receive your order to fire, we will blow up the enemy's position into a sea of flames in the shortest possible time."
"I hope so." Bogolyubov sighed and said: "At dawn today, the 2nd Assault Army launched an attack on the enemy's position."
"What was the result of their battle?"
"They successfully occupied the first line of defense of the German army." Bogolyubov said with regret: "Unfortunately, when attacking the second line of defense, they encountered a crazy counterattack by the German army. The JS-2 heavy tank covering the infantry attack
, encountered German Tiger tanks, and after a fierce battle, we lost 22 taels of JS-2 heavy tanks, but the enemy's losses were minimal."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, our artillery will blast the German tanks into a pile of scrap metal later to cover our infantry's smooth breakthrough of the enemy's defense line."
At this time, Rokossovsky finished the call and asked Bogolyubov, who was still holding the phone: "Chief of Staff, what is the status of the artillery's ammunition reserves?"
"General Sokolsky reported that the artillery of the front army has seven basic shells, and it can still fire for several days even if it does not receive supplies."
"Very good." Rokossovsky nodded, and then thought of something: "By the way, I just heard you call the 48th Group Army and said that the superiors wanted to assign a military commissar to them. With this
Is it something?"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Bogolyubov nodded and said, "In fact, you also know the new military commissar of the 48th Army."
"I know him too?" Rokossovsky asked in surprise: "Who is it?"
"It's Sokov's old partner." Bogolyubov said: "I just received a notification from the Supreme Command that a new military commissar has taken office."
"The original old partner, Lunev?!" Rokossovsky said with a face full of shock: "It's strange that he didn't stay in Moscow as his deputy minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but went to the front to become a military commissar. It's simply
It’s incredible.”
"Yeah, I don't understand why I want to go to such a dangerous place on the front line when I'm staying well in Moscow." After Bogolyubov said this, he tentatively asked Rokossovsky: "Comrade Marshal,
Do you need to call and ask General Sokov?”
"There is no need." Rokossovsky waved his hand and rejected Bogolyubov's proposal: "Since it is Misha's old partner who is here, I believe that he will not hinder Misha in the coming days.
Son, maybe you can become his best assistant."
At the same time, at the headquarters of the 48th Army, Sokov and others knew that the air force had been dispatched in large numbers and was bombing the German positions indiscriminately, so everyone began to study the next action plan.
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin said: "Why did the superiors bomb the German positions without preparing artillery fire?"
"Yes, today's action is quite abnormal." Ponejelin also echoed: "In previous attacks, artillery preparations were carried out first, and then based on the situation on the battlefield, it was decided whether to send out air force bombing. But today is better.
Hundreds of planes came out to bombard the German positions indiscriminately, with no intention of involving artillery in the battle."
Sokov was also very confused about Rokossovsky's approach. He asked himself secretly: "Did Rokossovsky really follow his own advice and send out the air force to carry out groundless operations on the enemy's positions?"
Intermittent intensive bombing to achieve the purpose of destroying the German defense lines?"
"I don't know very well." Since everyone present was not an outsider, Sokov did not talk in circles, but truthfully stated his true thoughts: "I did not suggest to Comrade Marshal that the air force be dispatched to attack the German army.
The position carries out continuous intensive bombing to destroy those fortifications hidden in the blind spots of artillery fire and clear the way for our army's ground attack."
Lunev did not participate in the discussion of the previous two days, so he naturally did not know what Sokov meant, so he asked curiously: "Misha, what are you talking about? Why can't I understand it at all? Can you
Can you explain it in detail?"
Considering that Luniev is now the military commissar of the group army, Sokov will naturally not hide the internal affairs of the group army from him, so he repeated to him what he reported to Rokossovsky yesterday.
After hearing this, Lunev nodded vigorously and said thoughtfully: "Misha, your proposal is good. In order to prevent our army's artillery fire from destroying their fortifications, the Germans built many fortifications in very tricky positions. Our
Artillery fire really can't hit it. But the situation is different when the air force is dispatched. Regardless of whether the German fortifications are built on a positive slope or a reverse slope, they can blow it to pieces, thus clearing the way for our attacking troops."
Hearing the words "positive bevel, reverse bevel" spoken by Luniev, Sokov felt very cordial. It seemed that Luniev had learned a lot of military terminology from him during the days when he got along with him. At this moment
When expressing opinions, they are clear and logical.
"Comrade Military Commissar," Ponedelin asked Lunev: "Do you think that after the bombing is over, it will be the time for our army to launch an offensive?"
"How do you say this?" In response to Ponejelin's question, Lunev replied hesitantly: "According to the usual practice, after our artillery preparations are completed, the air force will occasionally be dispatched to attack those that have not been destroyed.
The fortifications were bombed. But now that there was no artillery preparation, the bombing was carried out directly by planes. I was thinking that maybe Marshal Rokossovsky had never thought of launching a ground attack at all, but just wanted to use the air force's bombing to destroy
The remaining fortifications on the German positions."
As a senior military commander, Ponedelin heard the hidden meaning of Lunev's words, and asked tentatively: "Comrade Military Commissar, do you think that this large-scale deployment of the air force is just to destroy the enemy's
fortifications instead of launching a ground attack?”
Lunev chuckled, and then said: "Comrade Deputy Commander, if it is a job in political work, you will definitely not be able to compare with me. But when it comes to formulating combat plans and commanding troops to fight against the Germans, I will definitely not be able to match you.
Here you go. The analysis I just made is just my personal opinion and is for your reference only."
Seeing that Lunev's words were flawless, Ponedelin nodded and expressed his doubts: "What is the purpose of Comrade Marshal's move? I really can't understand it. You can understand,
Comrade Commander?" His next words were directed at Sokov.
"I can't understand either." Sokov shook his head, and then ordered Sidorin: "Chief of Staff, inform the divisions at the front to prepare for an attack. As soon as my order comes, they will immediately report to the German army.
Position and launch an attack."
Seeing that Sidorin still had a puzzled expression on his face, Sokov said to everyone: "I'm not afraid of your jokes. I don't know what Comrade Marshal is thinking at the moment. It is definitely right to order the troops to prepare for battle. If you order us
If we attack, the troops who have been prepared for a long time can immediately go into battle; if we are not allowed to attack, just cancel the battle alert and let the commanders and soldiers rest where they are."
After listening to Sokov's explanation, Sidorin nodded, then walked quickly behind a telegraph operator and ordered him: "Contact me immediately to the 3rd Infantry Division and the 120th Guards Division on the front line.
I want to speak to their teacher."
"Comrade Commander." While Sidorin was in contact with the front line, Ponedelin asked Sokov cautiously: "During the process of liberating the town of Puutusk, the 1st and 6th Guards Divisions both
They suffered a lot of casualties. Do you think any other troops will be sent to take over their defense?"
"The war is imminent, and I don't think it's appropriate to mobilize troops at this time." Sokov shook his head and said, "If there is chaos when the two sides change defenses, it may affect the morale and morale of the front-line troops. I
It seems that even if we really need to change defenses, we will have to wait until today's battle is completely over before making arrangements again."
Ponyjelin quite agrees with Sokov's statement. Now the troops south of the town of Puutusk are preparing to attack the German positions, but the troops in the town behind them are making large-scale defense changes.
It is obviously impossible to affect the morale of the army. However, considering that the 3rd Infantry Division and the 120th Guards Division still suffered a lot of casualties in the first day's battle, Ponejelin added: "Otherwise,
Let two infantry brigades enter the town of Puutusk to serve as a reserve for the front-line troops?"
Sokov thought about it carefully and felt that what Ponedelin said was quite reasonable. Although the two divisions south of the town of Puutusk did not pay a high price when seizing the German positions, they still suffered casualties.
When they launch an attack deep into the German defenses, there will definitely be a shortage of troops. If, according to Ponejelin, two infantry brigades are deployed into the town to act as their reserve, then when the two front-line divisions attack
When exhausted, these two infantry brigades can be replenished in time.
It happened that Sidorin came over at this time, and Sokov called him in front of him and said: "Chief of Staff, I just discussed with the deputy commander and decided to dispatch two infantry brigades into the town of Puutusk to serve as the front line.
The reserve of the army.”
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin heard this order and asked quickly: "I wonder which two brigades you plan to send to the town of Puutusk?"
"You are the chief of staff," Sokov handed the choice to Sidorin: "Which two brigades will enter the town of Puutusk to serve as reserves, it is completely up to you."
Seeing that Sokov trusted him so much and gave him the right to choose the troops, Sidorin felt very comfortable. He nodded and said: "Okay, Comrade Commander, I will leave this matter to you.
