Of course, Yang Mingzhi really wanted to have a drink and a meal with his old subordinates and comrades, talk about each other's experiences, and relive the battlefield days in the swamp.
Comradeship, especially, is as precious as family ties.
Especially Lavrenti and Yevgeny, these two were loyal soldiers under Yang Mingzhi when he was just a battalion commander.
Yang Mingzhi is a general who rose quickly from the grassroots through military exploits, and these two are exactly the same. Today's Lavrenti and Yevgeny, although they do not have the Gold Star Medal on their chests, they have many other medals. Such a number of medals
Hanging it on your clothes really makes others admire you.
Yes, this is an era of war, and defending the country is the obligation of every Soviet citizen. To be a hero, join the army! Defend the motherland, defend your family, and defend everything you own.
Therefore, soldiers who have made meritorious deeds on the battlefield are the most popular among young girls, and this atmosphere can further stimulate young people's enthusiasm for joining the army.
Yang Mingzhi is very willing to believe that they can train the infantry division well. At least they need to have the most basic and excellent discipline, which is the core thing.
As for the technical and tactical skills and the operation of weapons that need to be learned, that is a matter for later.
Yang Mingzhi has always believed that a real soldier must have excellent and unchanging discipline. No matter how fierce the soldiers are in combat, if they are degenerated into lack of discipline, they will be a group of armed bandits, which is also a betrayal of themselves.
"Are they conducting brand-new infantry training like my 284th Division? They had better do this, otherwise, they will not be able to adapt well to new equipment in the future." Yang Mingzhi tried hard to believe that the three newly promoted division commanders,
We will definitely not train recruits dogmatically according to the 1939 version of the Soviet infantry drill. However, we can only make a conclusion by visiting their camps in person.
In any case, there is no doubt that these three people have extremely sufficient experience in commanding regiment-level troops in combat.
Zhukov didn't know how many fantastic ideas Yang Mingzhi had in his mind. He took the initiative to ask: "Since the three of them have sufficient experience, Comrade Berekov, it should be impossible for them to reproduce three units like the 284th Division."
Question?"
Yang Mingzhi gritted his teeth and answered affirmatively: "Of course, no problem! In the past year, they have been commanding full infantry regiments, more than 2,000 infantry regiments formed in accordance with my requirements. Now, they
It just changed from leading an infantry regiment to leading four or five. I am their superior and I believe they have this ability."
"Then arm them first!"
The speaker was none other than Stalin, and his voice was extremely influential and instantly attracted everyone's attention.
"To equip three infantry divisions with a large number of new infantry weapons, Comrade Berekov, if this is credible, what do you think their combat effectiveness will be?"
"One of their divisions can hold up to the enemy's three divisions!" Yang Mingzhi replied sonorously.
"That is to say, you are very optimistic about it? That's good! So, we can place this new type of infantry division into the main offensive force! Put them... um..."
Stalin paused, then looked down at the large map. His eyes were fixed on a red wooden block placed on the map, which represented the 39th Army.
"Comrade Konev."
"Here! Comrade Stalin."
"Those three infantry divisions were to be added to your 20th Army?"
"Yes!"
"Now the situation has changed. I hope they will be added to the 39th Army of the Kalinin Front. As for the infantry division added to your army, please replace it with other units."
Stalin's idea seemed arbitrary, and of course he had his own considerations.
The 39th Group Army has been fighting the Germans on the front line in Rzhev for almost a year. This unit was once on the verge of being beaten by the Germans. After they worked hard to break through, they launched a counterattack with perseverance.
Does such a thing as a military spirit really exist? Stalin believed that it was completely real.
The so-called military soul is the tradition of an army. The 39th Group Army has been fighting a tug-of-war with the German army for a long time. The troops under its jurisdiction have adapted to this combat mode and have been trained to be very resilient.
Therefore, in Stalin's view, such a unit may not be an excellent combat group for assault operations. If it is a defensive battle, the 39th Group Army will definitely be a good one.
The reality is that the 39th Group Army is one of the main offensive forces in the Smolensk strategic counterattack planned for late October at the latest!
In early September, the group army was replaced by Commander Berzalin who was more adept at offensive operations. However, the original troops of the army could not be replenished during the long September tug-of-war. At the same time, they became increasingly adept at defensive operations.
Fighting.
Stalin did not think that this group army was a qualified assault force. Besides, the situation on the map was already very obvious. If an attack was to be carried out, the heavy burden of attacking the eastern part of Smolensk city should be borne by the 39th Group Army.
According to Zhukov's combat plan, the Soviet offensive to liberate Smolensk was a "pincer offensive." Two mechanized armies attacked frontally, and the 39th and 43rd Army detoured from the two wings respectively. The most optimistic estimate is that these
The attacking force could liberate the entire city before friendly forces from the Western Front could backstab the Germans south of Smolensk.
To accomplish this feat, it was necessary to desperately strengthen the Soviet assault force.
The 39th Group Army that Stalin had in mind would inevitably have two tasks. First, to break through the German defense lines and attack the western part of the city. Second, to block the crazy counterattack of the main force of the retreating German Army Model.
This is what Stalin is thinking now. His view is supported by Zhukov. Zhukov also has to admire one thing. Isn't his superior a military strategist?
"Ah! Comrade Stalin! You...you are really a tactical expert. You have thought very carefully."
Stalin waved his hand: "I don't need any form of flattery, I just need this place! There are hundreds of thousands of people in Smolensk who are longing for redemption under the cruel rule of the enemy! We must complete all this victoriously.
That imperial division, I learned that their combat effectiveness is very strong, and the soldiers' fighting will is also very tenacious. Therefore, we need an equally strong offensive force. Comrade Zhukov, by adding such a new infantry division to assist in the battle, do you think we have a high chance of winning?"
"This..." Zhukov hesitated for a moment, he actually hesitated!
Zhukov's principle is not to fight without preparation. It seems that giving a large amount of new equipment to the newly formed infantry division will significantly improve the combat effectiveness. The current example is only the 284th Infantry Division under the personal command of General Berekov. Can the same superiority be achieved?
Applying it to other troops? Zhukov is really not sure.
Zhukov also knew that Stalin needed his support the most, so he said: "I think... I have 90% confidence."
"You hesitated?"
Yang Mingzhi was always listening and looking for opportunities to talk.
Now, he indeed found a good opportunity. He spoke here and boasted by the way: "Comrade Stalin, Comrade Zhukov. The Imperial Division, our 284th Division has fought against them, especially a regiment-level combat unit under their command."
"Oh? There is such a thing?!" Stalin quickly turned around and asked: "What is going on? What is the result of the battle?"
"Yes! That was the retreat last July. We retreated all the way to the swamps and encountered them on the way. At that time, I brought my men to fight with them. We killed at least 600 of them. The enemy fled, and we
Continue the tactical retreat. This happened in July last year. Among the people involved in the battle, there were two of these three division commanders! Because, I think they will never be afraid of the elite German Imperial Division, because they have won before.
"
What Stalin and Zhukov really need now is the confidence to win.
Is the Soviet army really powerful now? It looks very powerful, like a puffy fat man rather than a sturdy boxer.
In the future, two large-scale counterattacks will be launched around the end of November. Before that, the Soviet army had never launched a strategic counteroffensive of a similar level!
In another dimension of history, the "Winter Offensive" began in mid-November 1942, including operations against Rzhev in the north and operations against Southern Russia in the south. The total number of Soviet troops deployed in the battle was close to four million.
In the new dimension, the intensity of war will only become more cruel.
The fierce battle in Rzhev is in the past, and the Soviet army is already trying to liberate Smolensk in one go. It is reasonable to gather more troops for this purpose.
Stalin was really overjoyed by Yang Mingzhi’s remarks!
Whether it was Konev or Purkaev, they had been fighting on the front line, and they had the most say in what happened to the Imperial Division. Stalin may have detailed information about the strength of the Imperial Division, but it was the intelligence provided by these two men.
He really didn't expect that the three newly promoted division commanders had fought against the first division of the Imperial Division and actually took advantage. They fought well, which must be due to their ability in command.
Because of Yang Mingzhi's support, Stalin was more determined to form three special infantry divisions and integrate them into the first attack echelon as an assault force.
Stalin's attitude was very resolute, and Zhukov himself agreed very much with it.
Zhukov was the one who formulated the campaign plan. Now he must once again adjust the Soviet offensive force and establish it as a written document.
The strategic goal of liberating Smolensk suddenly became a major strategic task for the Soviet army in the winter of 1942. To win this battle, Zhukov had to make more preparations.
In fact, even without the assistance of the so-called new infantry division, Zhukov planned to organize the first offensive echelon in this way, that is, two standard group armies surrounded on both sides, and two mechanized armies attacked in the middle. This is a very traditional tactic.
Behind them is the second attack echelon, which is a large number of newly formed infantry divisions. Once the first echelon's attack is blocked or some troops suffer heavy casualties, it will be the time for the second echelon to refuel and follow up.
So, in addition to the second echelon, has Zhukov prepared a third echelon?
That's perfectly natural!
The dead Tukhachevsky created a new strategic method, which is the "great depth theory".
When defending, the army builds a very deep defense system to dilute the enemy's offensive edge and eventually eliminate it.
When attacking, the army builds a very deep attack formation. Even if the frontline attack is frustrated, the follow-up troops can continue to follow up.
Zhukov himself admired Tukhachevsky's theory very much. Now he has huge command authority and is recognized by Stalin.
Therefore, in November, two huge strategic counteroffensives will be launched. The suffering people of the Soviet Union, the people's army composed of their sons, brothers and fathers, can rely on their absolute superiority in strength to form a huge offensive and launch it in depth.
An offensive that brings victory.
In today's wars, no commander would confidently believe that he can overwhelm the enemy's front with just one charge. Often, troops must organize multiple charges to defeat the enemy.
This tactic was nicknamed the "fuel tactic", and Zhukov completely regarded it as a mediocre tactic.
Maybe the enemy can stop the offensive of the first echelon, but can they still withstand the second echelon? Okay, even if they show the strongest fighting will to withstand two echelons, can they still withstand the third echelon?
In this bunker seventy meters underground, Zhukov personally planned as many as three rounds of attack echelons for the Kalinin Front.
The first echelon of Purkayev's Kalinin Front will be greatly strengthened, with a pure combat force of up to 150,000 people! According to estimates of the current actual situation, when the campaign starts, the first echelon of tanks will be strengthened to
Eight hundred vehicles! In addition to increasing the number of tank troops in the mechanized army, we also need to increase the number of support tanks for ordinary infantry divisions.
The second round of attack echelon consisted of at least twenty divisions. In order to gather so many division-level combat units, Zhukov decided to insert the cavalry division in the rear.
Slashing tanks with a saber was an Italian war correspondent's description of a German-Polish war in 1939. Although the Italian article later proved to be too exaggerated, the Germans needed it to prove the enemy's stupidity, while the Poles needed it to exaggerate their own tragedy.
.
Of course, this incident also greatly touched the Soviet army. More importantly, the Soviet army, especially Stalin himself, was not optimistic about how much contribution the cavalry could make in the war of the new era. If it were not for the love of his old comrade Budyonny
Raising horses, the cavalry culture in the army is still strong, and he has long wanted to abolish a large number of cavalry.
However, the fact is that during the twenty-year interwar period between World War I and World War II, various new weapons sprung up like mushrooms after rain, but most of the things taught in military schools in various countries were still the same old ones.
Quite a few countries, including Germany, which is currently invading the Soviet Union, still maintain several fully-equipped cavalry divisions. Not only Germany, but the current US and British forces also have cavalry divisions.
Compared with these countries, the Soviet army had a very strong cavalry culture and was very short of trucks. It was of practical significance to form a large number of cavalry units.
Fortunately now, the Soviet army has maintained forty cavalry divisions for a long time, and they have rarely participated in battles.
Now that the country is in danger, Zhukov's big move is to add a total of forty reorganized divisions to the two front armies. This situation is untimely, and the cavalry divisions must also go to the front.