In 1944, there were only a handful of German air raids on Moscow, so the actions launched by the German army in August were rare.
The bombing achieved certain results, but more than 20 bombers were shot down by anti-aircraft artillery units over Moscow, and were intercepted by Soviet fighter jets on their way back. An air battle broke out between the Soviet Union and Germany three thousand meters above Vyazma, and finally
As a result, the German frontline air force was damaged. Of the 150 Henschel bombers that participated in the bombing, only about 70 successfully returned. Even if they returned, ground crew inspections found that all aircraft fuselages were more or less intact.
There are bullet holes.
It is conceivable that if the Soviet anti-aircraft firepower was stronger, it would not be impossible for the entire army to be annihilated.
Soviet fighter planes had been chasing the returning bombers, and the German Second Air Force scrambled more than 200 fighter planes into the air. After a fierce battle, more than 50 German pilots pursued them. Some parachuted, but due to the wind direction, they landed
In the Soviet battlefield. Compared with the loss of fighter planes, the loss of pilots caused great harm to the German army!
It can be said that this retaliatory air strike decided by Mustache himself was a failure. But the German army was not discouraged. After all, some bombs exploded in Moscow.
The operation fully proved one thing - Moscow's air defense did have loopholes, and the German army had an opportunity to take advantage of it.
Several days have passed since the air raid, and order in Moscow has long been restored. All the building ruins in the city have been cleared, the bodies of the victims have been recovered, and a large number of sick and wounded in the hospital have been transferred out of Moscow. The impact of the air raid has almost been eliminated.
Stalin was extremely angry about this German air raid, and the commanders of various units responsible for urban air defense were questioned.
The officers cannot escape the blame for why Moscow was hit by another air raid. But thinking about it rationally, if the German army went crazy and did not hesitate to pay the price, just like a drill bit desperately drilling into Moscow, even if the radar found its traces, it would not be possible for the enemy aircraft.
All interceptions are also a difficult operation.
In this time and space, high-performance air defense weapons such as anti-aircraft missiles, anti-aircraft gun VT tubes, fire control radars, and Vulcan cannons either do not exist or are only theoretical.
The ground air defense forces of any country almost always rely on high-performance anti-aircraft guns and highly skilled artillery.
Moscow has increased its anti-aircraft firepower, the number of anti-aircraft artillery units in the city has increased, and the number of balloons floating in the sky has increased.
The Soviet Fighter Aviation Corps retaliated by attacking three German frontline airfields. More than a hundred Il anti-enemy attack aircraft participated in the attack. They relied on their armor to withstand the German anti-aircraft firepower and used their high maneuverability to evade the German anti-aircraft guns.
Fly to the enemy airport, attack the enemy aircraft parked on the runway with aerial cannons, and bombard the enemy hangar with mounted aerial bombs.
Offense is the best defense. The German frontline air force suffered a heavy blow. At least the forward lines of Zhukov and Konev's troops will be much less exposed to air threats.
However, almost all German bombers come from the airports in Minsk and Vitebsk, and the air threat faced by Moscow will always exist unless the entire territory of Belarus is liberated.
For a period of time, it was unlikely that the Germans would launch another air raid. During this gap, those from the Partisan Republic flew back to Moscow, and the possibility of them encountering an air interception was also very small.
On the night of August 28, Ponomarenko received a telegram from the Partisan Republic. Early the next morning, he happily went straight to Stalin's office in the Kremlin.
The unattractive door opened again, and he, still unable to conceal his excitement, stood in front of Stalin himself.
"Reporting to Comrade Leader, we have received a telegram from the Guerrilla Republic. They reported that the airport has been built."
"Don't be too excited. Sit down and talk slowly." Stalin picked up his pipe and took a puff. It was obvious that he was in a good mood.
"Comrade Ponomarenko, I also received a telegram. Last night I was informed that they had repaired the airport. And a few days ago, the telegram I received actually stated that Comrade Berekov claimed that we had set a list of names.
The number of people was too small, so he thought more people should be transferred."
"Yes." Ponomarenko sat upright, "I think the increase in the list is reasonable. I really didn't expect that they successfully rescued the international students! Other outstanding officers are also indispensable treasures for our army."
These words spoke to Stalin’s heart!
Ask yourself, the supreme leader of the Soviet Union was evaluating the failure in the early stages of the war. He now believes that if there had been a large number of outstanding officers in the army at that time, the army would not have surrendered on a large scale. Some capable personnel would have been purged.
Officers, they may not necessarily be of use to me. Officers who are promoted by surprise are still inexperienced.
However, based on the surprise during the civil war, Stalin knew very well that many new stars would appear during the war, and many low-level officers who were insignificant before the war would become very outstanding officers based on their military merit.
He had read Berekov's expanded list, which mentioned three officers, all of whom were the backbone of the 84th Guards Division. These people could serve as division commanders at the very least!
Apart from this, the guerrilla republic saved some children who were enslaved by the German army. This situation is really horrifying to think about.
"They rescued the kidnapped children from an international primary school, including a Chinese. The Chinese embassy has moved to Kuibyshev, and the international student will arrive in Moscow by flight. We need to report this matter to the Chinese office in Moscow.
Please explain those people."
"This... maybe we should be more cautious about this matter."
"Why?"
"Because this child's identity is quite special."
"I understand, but she is a Chinese citizen, and we must inform the Chinese side. As for her family members being our Chinese comrades, we don't need to get too entangled."
"All right……"
"But..." Stalin knocked on the table, "When Comrade Belekov returns, we must prevent him from contacting the people in the China Office in the city. I don't want to cause any complications, and Belekov's actions should be kept secret as much as possible. By then,
I will send someone to take care of it, so when he arrives, your authority over him will be over.”
Ponomarenko nodded deeply, feeling really sad in his heart.
He paused and then said: "The German army transported our children to Germany as slaves in the occupied territories. The rescued international student must be able to provide a lot of information. They rescued not only Chinese students, but also Yugoslavia
Children. I am afraid that tens of thousands of children were transported to Germany as slaves, and millions of Soviet citizens were working as slave labor, so our army must pay attention to this when we counterattack Germany."
"We should pay attention to this matter and do our best to rescue those people. According to the telegrams they provided, several guerrilla groups rescued at least a thousand children from the enemy. They are the hope of our country's future and they must take them all back.
"Comrade Ponomarenko, this matter is your responsibility. Tell me, can you complete it? Are the number of transport aircraft sufficient?"
"It's completely enough. I will complete the task perfectly." Ponomarenko stood up, faced the leader's bright eyes, and swore.
In order to make the leader more reassured, he continued: "The 101st Long-range Aviation Regiment has carried out several airdrop missions against the guerrilla republics. The aviation troops of the Southwest Front have carried out more airdrop missions. They are already very familiar with the geographical environment of the Pripet Swamp.
They are familiar with it, and the route they fly can be determined to be very safe. The new airport is located in the town of Homnich. Comrade Berekov liberated the city at the beginning of a few years. It has always been their defense zone, and its geographical location is absolutely perfect.
Safety!"
"Whether it is absolutely safe or not, I want to see the result. Well, you are solely responsible for this matter, and you must do a good job. In a few days, Mr. and Mrs. Berekov must stand in front of us to report their work. Go and prepare, and finish the action as soon as possible."
give it to me!"
"As ordered! Comrade leader."
The 101st and 10th Long-range Aviation Regiments are now combined into the 1st Long-range Aviation Division. This division is still under the direct leadership of the Guerrilla Movement Command. Since the war situation in the Don River area is very tense, most of the aircrews of this division are involved in supporting Stalin.
During the Battle of Grad.
The famous flying hero Gorizodubova still serves as the commander of the 101st Long-range Aviation Regiment. In fact, after completing the support work for the Battle of Gomel in July, her troops began to support the Southwest Front non-stop, and
The newly formed Stalingrad Front.
Ponomarenko believed that Gorizodubova sent excellent crews to fly to the guerrilla republic. This task must be familiar to them. What's more, the current 101st Regiment is not what it used to be, because almost all transport aircraft have fought a battle.
Modification.
During the entire war, the Soviet Union has been lacking long-range bombers, or it has been lacking bombers. So when the war ended, the Soviet Union began to desperately make up for their technical shortcomings, so much so that they just developed the gorgeous "science fiction" of supersonic long-range bombers.
product.
No matter what kind of aircraft it is, as long as it can fly long distances and carry a large number of bombs, it is equivalent to a bomber. Therefore, the Soviet army carried out large-scale modifications of domestic civil aviation aircraft in 194, and some of these purely civil aviation transport aircraft became completely bombers.
Even if it is purely used for transportation, a turret is installed on the back of the machine, and a twin Deshka heavy machine gun becomes the main firepower.
The transport aircraft has the capability of self-defense, which objectively reduces the task pressure of the escort fighter aircraft, and makes the commander more confident in letting it carry out long-distance aviation missions alone.
For the officers and soldiers of the two long-range aviation regiments, they always have to perform infiltration airdrop missions. The increased powerful self-defense firepower makes the officers and soldiers more confident.
Ponomarenko, who came out of the Kremlin and returned to the office, immediately called Gorizodubova: "You lead an aviation squadron and fly to Tula Airport immediately, waiting to carry out a special operation!"
In order to show sincerity and to increase the reliability of the operation, Ponomarenko decided to let the regiment leader Gorizodubova perform the task of "picking up people".
He estimated that at least five transport planes would be dispatched for this operation. It was impossible for the planes to leave empty-handed. It was already autumn, and the Guerrilla Republic must be facing severe winter pressure again.
I'm afraid the situation is not as optimistic as Belekov claimed. Giving them a batch of new cotton-padded clothes, especially some new military uniforms for the soldiers, will not only provide them with winter protection, but their military morale will also be improved.
When the plane returns, those who are picked up are definitely not those on the list.
Didn't they save a lot of children? The young children probably only weighed 30 kilograms at most. There would be absolutely no problem in forcing a hundred children into a transport plane!
An aviation squadron composed of transport aircraft will arrive at the military airport in Tula, and the aircraft's fuel is enough for a round-trip flight. Ponomarenko estimates that in this one operation alone, all the war orphans collected by the entire guerrilla republic will be picked up from the rear.
.
Action was imminent, and Stalin's character was all too familiar to those who had come into contact with him.
To be fair, Ponomarenko believed that Stalin always wanted to do it well in the simplest and crudest way when faced with problems, and was sometimes very willful, self-righteously believing that the Soviet army had great advantages. In May, he tried to
The strategic counteroffensive on the southern front was forcibly carried out against all objections. Fortunately, the counteroffensive momentum in the first half of the year was gone. Instead, the Soviet Union was launched by the Germans in a strategic counteroffensive. The Soviet army had to launch a defensive war in the entire Don River Basin.
This strategic disaster finally made him sober. Since then, Ponomarenko also believed that his work was easier to carry out. When communicating with him, he could also notice that the former steel leader was much kinder in his words.
I'm afraid it was only his words that made him kind. What Stalin wanted was absolute obedience, and his subordinates must complete the tasks he issued.
Ponomarenko knew very well that if he could not complete this mission well, then his job as commander-in-chief of the guerrilla movement headquarters would be over. At that time, he would probably remain idle until the entire territory of Belarus was liberated, and he would return to serve. At least.
In Moscow, you can't stay any longer.
After meeting Gorizodubova, Ponomarenko immediately held a small meeting, where a detailed action plan was discussed.
Originally, Stalin ordered the Guerrilla Republic to complete the construction of the airport before September 1st. Once it was completed, the operation began immediately.
Since the airport was built ahead of schedule, the aviation units involved in the operation could move ahead of schedule.
On the night of the 29th, a report document was submitted to Stalin's desk.
At the same time, Ponomarenko sent a telegram to the Guerrilla Republic reporting the entire action plan.
Gorizodubova will personally lead an aviation squadron, totaling ten miles of transport aircraft, to take off from Tula Military Airport at 2 a.m. on September 1 and is expected to arrive at Homnich Airport at 6 a.m.
The return time of the fleet is initially set at 8 pm on September 1, and it is expected to arrive in Tula in the early morning of September 2.
The Belekovs will arrive at the Kremlin on the afternoon of September 2.
Just to cater to Stalin's wishes, Ponomarenko deliberately issued such harsh orders that everyone involved in the matter was pressed for time.
Therefore, at the end of the telegram he sent to the Guerrilla Republic, he emphasized: "You must start taking action immediately. It is best to start preparations after receiving the telegram." (To be continued)