Sokov thought to himself: "It seems that Rokossovsky is planning to leave the task of attacking Zizdra to our division. It's ridiculous to say that just a few days ago, Zizdra
Lacheng was still like a ripe apple, which would fall from the tree with just a slight touch. But this city, which made the infantry army retreat in defeat, has now become a hot potato."
He did not speak and continued to remain silent, waiting for Rokossovsky to continue. He only heard Rokossovsky continue to say: "General Orlov's infantry army failed to attack Zhizdra.
, I think you should know it. In order to open the road to Bryansk as soon as possible, I plan to leave this task to your division to complete. How about it, are you confident?"
In response to Rokossovsky's inquiry, Sokov did not rush to express his position, but asked: "Comrade Commander, I would like to ask, what kind of support can our division receive when attacking Zizdra?
"
Rokossovsky glanced at Kazakov and Orel, then asked Sokov with a smile: "Major Sokov, I wonder what kind of assistance you need?"
"I need the support of artillery and tanks." Since Rokossovsky had already asked what kind of help he needed, Sokov was naturally not polite and said straight to the point: "When seizing the German positions outside the city,
I need the support of two artillery regiments and a tank brigade; as for the battle inside the city, it is enough to rely on the original strength of our division."
Seeing that the number of artillery and tanks required by Sokov was far lower than what he expected, Rokossovsky couldn't help but curiously asked: "Major Sokov, don't you think the support you need is too little? Still?"
Yes, why is it that when fighting in the city, the army does not need to provide artillery and tank troops to cooperate?"
"Comrade Commander, every time the German army is shelled by our army, it will withdraw its troops to the second line of defense, causing our army's artillery shells to fall on empty positions. According to my observation, Zizdra
The German second line of defense outside the city has a limited area, and the firepower of the two artillery regiments is enough to cause heavy casualties to them." Sokov explained to Rokossovsky: "Tanks in street fighting in the city, due to their visibility,
The limitations in terms of speed and speed make it more vulnerable to attacks by German anti-tank fighters. If the tanks of the tank brigade are allowed to enter the city, as long as the Germans destroy the first and last tanks respectively, the entire tank column will be unable to
Move forward and become a target when parked on the street."
"Major Sokov, I can provide you with all the support you need." Rokossovsky looked at Sokov and asked, "When can you launch an attack?"
"I need to go back and prepare," Sokov thought for a while before replying: "As long as the artillery and tank brigades are in place in time, we can launch an attack on the city early tomorrow morning."
After the meeting, Sokov originally planned to return to the division headquarters immediately, but as soon as he walked onto the street outside, he was stopped by Malinin who was chasing him. The chief of staff of the group army asked with concern: "Misha, are you sure you can seize it?"
Zizdra?”
Regarding Malinin's question, Sokov was silent for a long time, then slowly shook his head and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I am not sure." Seeing the disappointed expression on the other person's face, he quickly added
He said, "But I will try my best. I believe that all the commanders and fighters in the division have the same idea as me."
"When I just came out, I saw Kazakov and Orel making phone calls. I believe that when you return to your division headquarters, the artillery regiment commander and tank brigade commander who are cooperating with you may have arrived first."
Having said this, Malinin stretched out his hand towards Sokov and said sincerely: "Misha, I wish you good luck! The commander and I will wait for your good news." After Sokov and Malinin shook hands, he gave his right hand to
Raise it to your forehead, salute the other person, then turn around and leave.
Sokov returned to the division headquarters. Before he entered his room, he heard the roar of people in the room. He walked into the room and saw that in addition to Chief of Staff Potukin and three regiment commanders, there were three other school-level officers sitting at the table.
beside.
"Comrade commanders, please be quiet." Seeing Sokov walking into the room, Potukin quickly stopped the ongoing discussion. After the room regained calm, he stood up and came over: "Division Commander
Comrade, you are back!"
"Yes, I'm back." While shaking hands with Potukin, Sokov looked at the three unfamiliar officers and asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what were you discussing before I came back?"
?”
"Comrade Division Commander," Potukin shrugged and spread his hands and said, "What else can we discuss? Of course, we are studying how to seize the German outer positions."
On the way back, Sokov considered how to attack, but in the end he regretfully found that there was really no other way except a violent attack. "Has there been any result from the discussion?"
"I'm sorry, Comrade Division Commander." Potukin replied with a red face: "We haven't developed any useful tactics yet."
"Are you Major Sokov, acting commander of the 31st Guards Division?" A middle-aged colonel with a round face stood up from the table, came to Sokov, stretched out his hand to him, and said enthusiastically: "I
It’s Colonel Lyabinkin, commander of the 229th Artillery Regiment.”
"Hello, Comrade Colonel." After confirming that the other party was the artillery commander cooperating with him, Sokov quickly held his hand and said enthusiastically: "Nice to meet you."
"Comrade Major, let me introduce you." Lyabinkin pointed to a pudgy officer next to him and said to Sokov: "This is my old friend, Lieutenant Colonel Peter, the commander of the 317th Artillery Regiment.
"
"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel Peter." Sokov quickly extended his hand to Lieutenant Colonel Peter and said with a smile: "Welcome!"
After getting to know the two artillery regiment commanders, Sokov stopped his eyes on a colonel wearing a tank uniform and asked with a smile: "If I am not mistaken, you are the commander of the tank brigade. Comrade colonel,
I don’t know what I should call you?”
"Comrade Major, you can call me Gustov." Perhaps because he saw that Sokov's military rank was two ranks lower than his own, the tank brigade commander said with a somewhat dull expression: "Our brigade has been ordered to come and obey your orders.
command!"
"Comrade commanders, please stop standing. Please sit down." After everyone sat down, Sokov looked at the commanders present and said, "Let's continue to discuss tomorrow's battle."
After he said this, he stopped, thinking that his three regiment leaders or these three commanders might say something. Then after waiting for a while, he found that everyone remained silent, so he tried his best to keep a smile on his face.
He forced out a smile and asked: "What's wrong, comrade commanders, why don't you speak?"
"What is there to say?" Colonel Gustov said angrily: "The task of our tank brigade is to accompany the infantry in the charge. As for whether you can break through the German outer positions, it depends on your luck."
But Lyabinkin's tone of voice was much more polite: "Major Sokov, our two artillery regiments are cooperating with you in the battle. Just give us your instructions on what to do."
"Comrade Colonel," Sokov directly chose to ignore Gustov's strange temper. He looked at Lyabinkin and asked: "I would like to ask, how much time can you provide us with artillery preparations?"
"Comrade Major," Lyabinkin's expression turned serious after hearing Sokov's question: "Due to the limited number of artillery shells, the artillery preparations before the attack can only last for about a quarter of an hour at most."
"A quarter of an hour of artillery preparation? That's enough!" Sokov pushed the map in front of Lyabinkin and told him: "Comrade Colonel, look at this, this is the first line of defense of the German army.
The second line of defense is seven to eight hundred meters behind. After tomorrow's artillery preparations begin, you will first bombard the first line of defense for five minutes, and then conduct extended fire to concentrate the artillery fire on the enemy's second line of defense!"
"Comrade Major, I don't quite understand what you mean." After hearing this, Lyabinkin looked at Sokov with strange eyes and asked: "Why do you spend so much time bombarding the second bomb that is temporarily impossible to capture?"
Where is the defense line?" This question of Lyabinkin was also a question of the commanders present. Everyone focused their attention on Sokov, trying to figure out his purpose of doing this.
"The reason is very simple. Every time the German army is bombarded by our army, it will withdraw its troops to the second line of defense. Our army's artillery fire basically bombards empty positions. And when our army's artillery fire stops,
When the infantry launches an attack, the German army will pass through the communication trenches and return to the first line of defense to block our army." In order to explain to everyone, Sokov raised his voice and said: "The reason why I want the artillery to attack the first line of defense is
The purpose of the five-minute artillery bombardment on the defense line was to give the Germans the illusion that our army was still using precious artillery shells on empty positions as before. When they were paralyzed, the artillery launched an extended artillery fire unexpectedly.
Bombard their second line of defense. While the enemy was stunned by our artillery fire, our infantry began to attack under the cover of tanks."
Gustov heard Sokov's voice-over, so he waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and then asked: "Comrade Major, if I guess correctly, you are planning to bombard the German 3rd Army in the artillery regiment."
When we reach the second line of defense, we order our infantry to charge. Do I understand correctly?"
"That's right, Colonel Gustov. That's how I thought about it." Seeing that Gustov guessed his intention, Sokov did not hide it, nodded and admitted: "While the shelling was in progress, the tanks of the tank brigade
The tanks open the way in front, while the infantry follows the tanks. If we can successfully capture the first line of defense, except for leaving a few troops to defend, the remaining troops will continue to advance towards the second line of defense, and the infantry will hide behind
Advancing from behind the tank can avoid accidental damage from our artillery fire."
Sokov's words aroused Gustov's interest. He stared at the map and said: "Comrade Major, what you said makes sense. If our army launches an attack on the enemy's second line of defense before the bombardment stops,
When attacking, the tanks marching in front can block the flying shrapnel for the infantry."
Seeing that the tank brigade commander agreed with his statement, Sokov pointed at the map and said: "Colonel Gustov, the starting point of your regiment's attack is here. I wonder when you can enter the starting position of the attack?"
Gustov raised his hand and looked at his watch, and then said: "My tank brigade is still on the march. It will not arrive at the starting position until after two o'clock in the morning at the earliest."
"There's enough time!" Sokov said to Gustov with a smile: "Our attack will start at six o'clock in the morning."
After arranging the artillery and tank troops, Sokov then began to assign offensive tasks. He said to Pavel: "Lieutenant Colonel Pavel, your 1137th Regiment has the smallest casualties in the entire division, so tomorrow's main offensive task will be handed over to Pavel.
You guys are in a group."
"Don't worry, comrade division commander." Seeing that Sokov handed over such an important task to his regiment, Pavel quickly stood up and said: "Our regiment promises to break through the German outer positions."
Sokov nodded and once again turned his attention to Bindasov who was sitting aside: "Colonel Bindasov's troops, after Lieutenant Colonel Pavel's 1137th Regiment broke through the German outer positions, quickly emerged from the breach.
Enter the battlefield and cooperate with friendly forces to eliminate the enemies in the city. Do you understand?"
"Understood!" Bindasov quickly stood up and agreed.
Although Sokov felt that his success rate in capturing Zizdra was very high, he did not make a desperate move, but went on to announce: "As for Lieutenant Colonel Ajik's 1139th Regiment, it will serve as the reserve team of the entire division. Accompanying the division
The artillery battalion and tank battalion operate together."
"Comrade Commander, I want to talk about my thoughts." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Ajik stood up and said with a grimace: "In the battle some time ago, our regiment almost played a supporting role. Is it possible that in this battle?
In the battle to liberate Zizdra, do you want us to continue to play supporting roles?"
"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," Sokov understood that Ajik had just been transferred to the division as the regiment leader and he hoped to make some achievements as soon as possible for his superiors to take a good look at, so he said these words and comforted him.
Said: "Don't worry, the protagonist and supporting role on the battlefield are constantly changing. Maybe you thought that you would only be a supporting role in your life, but maybe you became the protagonist due to some strange circumstances."
Sokov waved to the commanders present and said: "Okay, today's military meeting is over. Let's go back to our respective units to make preparations. Remember, artillery preparations will start at six o'clock tomorrow morning.
, the infantry and tank troops will attack from the starting position at 6:05. Do you understand?"
"Understood!" the commanders in the room responded loudly at the same time.
