Chapter 359

Boroda put the document on the desk, looked down at it, looked up at the room full of commanders, and said solemnly: "comrades, up to now, the arduous battle of liuban is over. During the six months of fighting, the commanders and fighters of the front army of volhoff showed rare bravery and tenacity. Because of the German superiority in military strength, weapons and equipment, as well as their mastery of the battlefield air supremacy, our goal of helping the Leningrad front army to break the German siege of the city was not achieved. " Seeing that everyone became dejected after hearing this, he added: "however, due to the tenacious fighting of our army, the Germans had to transfer a considerable number of reserves from Leningrad in order to block our March, which greatly reduced the pressure on the defenders in the city and disrupted the German plan to quickly seize Leningrad."

The purpose of this campaign was not achieved for many reasons. The warhoff front is a section of the front between Lake Ladoga and lake irmen. It starts from Novgorod in the East, goes down the volhof River, forms an arc near kirich and turns towards schluselberg. The area separating the volhoff front army from the Leningrad front army is a 16 kilometer area occupied and guarded by the Germans. On the surface, as long as enough troops are gathered to carry out a strong assault, it is enough to make the two front armies join forces and break the siege imposed on Leningrad by the enemy.

However, after the launching of our offensive campaign, we found that we encountered a rare terrain that was not easy to attack. On the way forward, there were boundless forests, swampy mud, watery peatlands and destroyed roads everywhere. Our struggle against nature is no less than our hard struggle against the enemy. In order to fight and live, the army did not dig trenches, but to build wooden walls. Instead, it did not dig trenches for scattered soldiers. Instead, it leveled the ground, spread logs and firewood for several kilometers, and built wooden platforms for artillery and mortars.

As the main force of the campaign, the second shock group army gradually lost its ability to continue to attack in this difficult natural environment. It was unable to eliminate the enemy's heavy army group surrounded by our army. In the end, it was surrounded by the German heavy army. Under such circumstances, the headquarters of the front army had to place the 52nd and 59th army groups on both sides of the long and narrow supply line to ensure the logistics supply of the 2nd assault army group.

In the middle of June, because the supply line was cut off by the Germans, in order to prevent the destruction of the second assault group army in the encirclement, the headquarters of the front army gave them the order to break through. With the indomitable fighting of the commanders and fighters of the 2nd shock group army and the active cooperation of the 52nd and 59th group army, the army successfully highlighted the German encirclement.

However, the casualties of the second assault group army were very heavy, with the number of casualties reaching more than 30000, and many of the units were disabled or even wiped out. What's more, the commanders of the group army headquarters were separated from the main forces when they broke through the encirclement, and their whereabouts are still unknown. "

Vlasov's capture is a certainty. But the rest of the commanders in the headquarters are still missing. They will not all be captured. In that case, the second shock group army will lose face. I raised my eyebrows. Just as I wanted to interrupt, I heard boroda say, "according to commander meletskov's plan, the 2nd shock group army, which was surrounded by the encirclement, huddled with the 52nd and 59th group armies, retreated to the banks of the volhof river for recuperation and replenishment of personnel and weapons."

"I fully agree with the deployment of the commander of the front army. Our army, which has just finished the liuban campaign, is very tired at present and needs to be supplemented and rehabilitated before launching a new campaign." I'm interrupting with lieutenant colonel sholoff, who has been very active all the time, but his attitude towards us has improved, at least on the surface, he won't contradict us any more.

"I'm sorry, comrade sholov." Boroda said faintly: "maybe in a short period of time, the troops can't stop and rest, and our army will launch a new campaign soon."

The whole audience was in an uproar. I also frowned slightly, thinking that our army is now at the end of its rope. Without rest and replenishment, it will immediately enter into a new battle. Isn't that the old man hanging himself?

"Be quiet, please be quiet." Boroda knocked on the table twice, calmed down the whispers among the commanders, and then said, "launch a new campaign immediately. This is the order from the supreme command. On May 12, in order to prevent the German army from launching a new offensive against Moscow from the southwest, our southwest front army, under the command of Marshal Timoshenko, took the initiative to attack the German army. Some progress was made in the first three days. The troops advanced more than 30 kilometers. However, our attack was soon effectively contained by the German army. On the contrary, it created a good opportunity for the German army to encircle and annihilate the Soviet army.

On the 10th day of our attack, German field marshal von bock suddenly launched a large-scale counterattack against our flanks with the strength of 11 divisions. As a result, the 6th, 9th and 57th group armies of our southwest front army were deeply encircled and almost completely destroyed. By June 28, the German army had gained a huge military advantage in the south. On June 30, the German Sixth Army broke through the lines of the Soviet 21st and 28th army in the direction of Voronezh. The situation of the Soviet army in the whole southern direction has further deteriorated. "

Hearing the news of our army's defeat, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became depressed. No one spoke, but they all focused on boroda, who was speaking, patiently listening to him explain the current situation of the enemy and ourselves: "what is more serious is that on July 4, yesterday, our important military fortress in the south, Sevas potor fortress, was captured by the 11th group army of German Marshal von Manstein. The officers and men who held fast to the fortress suffered extremely heavy losses, as long as a few people stood out. "

At this point, he stopped for a moment, scanned the whole scene with his eyes, and made a conclusion: "it is precisely because of the current unfavorable situation that the base camp decided to carry out a new campaign. In addition to breaking through the blockade, we expect the volhoff front army to carry out positive operations in the northwest direction, so as to contain more enemies and prevent them from transferring their forces to the south, Make sure that there is a decisive battle that is possible in the south. "

After introducing the situation, boroda said, "who has any questions?" Then he sat down directly.

"Chief of staff," a lieutenant commander on my left in a black tank uniform stood up and tentatively asked boroda, "may I speak?"

Boroda nodded at him and said kindly, "go ahead, comrade commander."

"I want to know, where and when will we attack?"

I turned my head to boroda and waited for his answer. Boroda picked up the document on the table and read: "the site of this battle was chosen in the so-called schluselberg sinavino bulge, which was formed in September 1941 when the German army came out to the South Bank of Lake Ladoga. The advantage of choosing this direction is that it is the shortest route from the southeast to the Neva River and Leningrad. "

Instead of sitting down, the commander held the table in his hand and said to boroda, "Comrade chief of staff, I want to remind you. I have been to the place you mentioned just now, and the terrain of the bulge is not suitable for offensive operations. The peat mining area there is large, extending from the lakeside of Lake Ladoga to the village of sinavino. To the south of sinavino, there are dense forests and large swamps, where infantry are difficult to pass, let alone our tank troops, which seriously limits the movement of the army, but is very beneficial to the defensive side. The only dry place in this direction is the sinavino highland, which is ten to fifteen meters above the surrounding plains. Naturally, it has become the enemy's main position on our offensive route, and any movement within a few kilometers will be detected by the enemy on the high ground. "

"Comrade commander, what should I call you?" Without waiting for boroda to reply, I said something first, because I think this lieutenant commander is a very capable person. If he can be brought here, he may become my reliable team in the future.

The commander was stunned for a moment. Then he straightened up and said, "report to Mr. commander, I'm lieutenant commander Donskoy, the head of the tank."

I gave him a friendly smile and said, "head Donskoy, please take a seat. The chief of staff of boroda will answer your questions. "

After Donskoy sat down, boroda continued: "Lieutenant Colonel Donskoy is very observant. It's really what he said. After the German army occupied the area, in order to make schluser Fort sinavino protrusion an unbreakable fortress. They made use of all kinds of terrain, built defensive positions along rivers, lakes, deep ditches, swamps, highlands and forests, and set up many resistance hubs and supporting points. Artillery and mortar companies were deployed in the center of the resistance hub. The average density of anti tank guns is seven or eight per square kilometer. Personnel in a solid shelter, the front of the position erected barbed wire, laid mines. In this way, the terrain that is not easy to attack becomes easier to defend and harder to attack. "

"Chief of staff, I don't understand." I was the one who couldn't help interrupting this time. I asked strangely, "since the supreme command has learned the specific situation of the front line and that it's not conducive to the expansion and attack of the troops, why choose this area as a breakthrough?"

"Yes, chief of staff, what's the matter?" The commanders in the room echoed my first question.

"Please be quiet!" The tone of boroda's speech at the moment was a bit dignified, and the room became quiet. "The Supreme Command chose this direction for two purposes: first, under smooth conditions, we can reach the Neva River in two or three days to create the possibility of joining forces with the troops of Leningrad, Because the warhoff front did not have the strength to carry out a longer campaign. Secondly, by launching an attack in a direction unexpected by the enemy, we can ensure the suddenness of this assault and gain an advantage. Of course, the peat swamps to the north of sinavino and the forests to the South will bring me great difficulties, especially the use of heavy artillery and powerful technical weapons. But where else can we find better terrain? As for swamps and forests, you know, they are prominent signs in the north of our country. They are everywhere from Lake Ladoga to Novgorod. "

"Comrade chief of staff, what is our task now?" When boroda's speech came to an end, some people began to ask questions. This time, it was leader sholov who spoke.

"Our current task is to gather the scattered forces and be ready to move at any time. And take advantage of this short time to rest. As for weapons and ammunition, we don't have to worry. The supreme command will supply us in the near future. " At this point, he put his head together and said in a low voice, "Comrade division commander, after the task has been assigned, can we finish the meeting?"

I nodded, stood up with the table, said: "the task has been arranged, the meeting is over." Seeing that everyone stood up in unison and wanted to walk out after saluting, I quickly added: "the others can go back. The commanders will stay."

After a short time, there were only seven people sitting on either side of the table. After I asked them to sit down, I said, "comrades in charge, although I am acting commander of the 378th division, I still don't know you. I'd like to take this opportunity to get to know you. Now let's introduce ourselves. " I pointed to sholov sitting on the right, "let's start with leader sholov." So sholov stood up, straightened up, and reported, "sholov, commander of the 1134th regiment, has the rank of lieutenant colonel." As soon as he finished his report, the stout political worker sitting on his right stood up and said aloud, "I'm Gagarin, political commissar of the 1134th regiment." The third one who stood up was a tall, well proportioned middle-aged man: "Mr. reporter, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Peter, head of the 1133rd regiment." On the right side of Colonel petrel is also a political worker. I guess it should be his political commissar. Sure enough, the commander with round glasses stood up and reported, "I am awakov, political commissar of the 1133rd regiment." The commander on the right is finished, and then it's the left's turn. The first one to stand up was the tank commander, Lieutenant Colonel Donskoy. He briefly introduced his name and rank and sat down. I think the other regiments are all headed by a political commissar, but he is the only one. So he asked curiously, "commander Donskoy, where's your commissar? Why didn't you see his people?" Donskoy's expression suddenly became gloomy, sighed and said: "my commissar was killed in the battle last week when his tank was hit by the enemy's heavy artillery. At present, the higher authorities haven't sent a new political commissar to the regiment, so I'm the only one to come to the meeting today. " When I heard that his political commissar had died, I gave a wry smile. I didn't say anything more. I just made a gesture to the rest of the commanders to introduce myself. Two commanders of the 1132nd regiment also stood up one after another to show me their identities. One was the head of the regiment, major atzenuk, and the other was political commissar zorrotuxin.