Chapter 837

"Although the 6th army of Paulus is surrounded by us, it is not easy to eat them in one bite." As I adjusted my thinking, I said carefully: "now the offensive and defensive situation has changed from attacking us a few days ago to attacking us. However, the German army is just dazed by our sudden counterattack, and their overall strength is not seriously damaged. Even in our encirclement, with their troops and material reserves, they can support us for a long time. In this way, they can rely on the existing fortifications to resist our attack while waiting for their reinforcements to arrive. "

"How many troops can Hitler draw to rescue their besieged troops?" When malining heard this, he shrunk his mouth and said with disapproval, "you must know that the current situation of the national battlefield is favorable to us. The enemy can't draw forces from other battlefields to rescue Paulus and them in the encirclement."

"Comrade chief of staff of the front army, you see the enemy too vulnerable." As soon as malining finished speaking, rokosowski immediately refuted him: "don't think that the enemy is trapped in our encirclement, so we can have a good sleep.". What we have to consider now is how to wipe out the enemy in the encirclement completely and cleanly in the shortest time, so as to draw up enough troops to reinforce our troops in other battlefields. " Then he raised his chin at me. "Rita, go on."

I nodded, and then said, "the 295th German division, which is holding fast to gorodyser, and the 297th German division, which is holding fast to kongnieyi City, retreated to the southwest after being repulsed by us. According to the report of the scout, they occupied a defense position that originally belonged to us more than ten kilometers away, and set up fortifications there."

"Comrade oshanina, the situation is very serious." After I finished speaking, general Batov sighed and added: "the defense fortifications there are built on a hill. At the foot of the chalky cliff, there are deep ditches. The steep slope is as high as 20-30 meters, and there is little place to climb. And the chalky soil is wet and slippery. If we attack hard, we will pay a great price. "

"Comrade political commissar, what is chalk soil?" While general Batov was speaking, I secretly asked kirilov next to him“ It's the first time I've heard the word

Although my voice is small, it is still heard by rokosovsky sitting opposite. He said to Batov with a smile, "general Batov, my female teacher doesn't know any chalk. Please explain it to her."

Rokosovsky's words made me feel ashamed, but I could only listen to Batov's explanation of "chalk soil" with a red face. Batov looked at me and said with a smile: "on the sea, there are many tiny animals and plants floating. One of them is a single celled animal called "multicotyle", whose shell is made of lime. When these organisms die, their tiny bodies sink to the bottom of the sea. In the long run, it has accumulated into a thick shell. Of course, this process will take millions of years to complete. This layer gradually binds together and compresses into a kind of soft limestone, which we call "chalky soil."

As soon as bartov finished, I nodded my head to show that I understood, so as not to be ridiculed by them again. Then I quickly turned off the topic: "Comrade commander of the front army, to conquer the defense fortifications occupied by the German army, we must use heavy artillery. However, our division's existing technical equipment is limited, so it is estimated that it will be difficult to undertake this crucial task. "

"Don't worry, Rita." I thought I was so pushy. Even if rokosovsky didn't get angry on the spot, his face would be as cold as ice. I didn't expect that when he heard me finish, he just waved his hand and said with disapproval: "as I said, your independent division's attack ability is not enough, so you don't have to take part in this attack. You just need to stick to the existing line of defense. Without my order, you are not allowed to step back or move forward. Do you understand? "

When I heard that our division was not needed to take part in the attack on the German army, the stone hanging in my heart immediately fell to the ground, and I replied loudly: "I understand, comrade commander of the front army."

"General Batov, the task will be handed over to your 65th army," rokosovsky asked, looking at Batov. "When can we launch the attack?"

"Report to commander," Batov quickly rose from his seat and replied respectfully, "I intend to send the 173rd infantry division to carry out this crucial task. At the same time, the 1107th and 1166 artillery regiments and the 275 howitzer regiment of the 1st artillery division were transferred to provide necessary artillery support for the offensive forces. "

"Tell me about your plan." Rokosovsky said briefly.

Seeing that rokosovsky was going to discuss the battle plan, it was very inappropriate for me to stay here as an outsider, so I quickly stood up and said to rokosovsky, "Comrade commander of the front army, since you are going to discuss the battle plan, let's avoid it first." Then he called kirilov and went out.

I didn't expect that rokosovsky just glanced at me, then raised his hand and pressed it down, and told me: "Rita, you don't have to leave. Just sit here and listen. It's also very helpful for you to command the battle in the future." After that, he told Batov, "go on, Comrade General."

Batov took a look at me, saw that I was back in my position, and continued: "I plan to move the infantry to hide only one kilometer away from the German position by dawn tomorrow, and the artillery will be placed three kilometers behind the infantry. First, we launched a 20 minute rapid attack on the German position with intensive artillery fire. Then, when they were dazed by our artillery, we let the infantry attack decisively, seize the defense fortification at one stroke, and tear open a hole in the enemy's tight defense line. "

After listening carefully to Batov's plan, I felt a little disapproved. This kind of fighting method was a bit of bullying. Heavy artillery bombarded the German positions first, and then charged after the enemy was severely damaged by the artillery fire. If I had weapons like the 65th army, I would have beaten the Germans all over the place.

I was wondering if I should say a few words when I caught a glimpse of Captain Yushchenko trying to come in through the door, but he was stopped by the guard at the door. The sentry should belong to the Don front army. No matter what Yushchenko said, the sentry standing in the door always shook his head and refused to let him in.

I was afraid that Yushchenko would come to me for anything, so I leaned forward and said to rokosovsky in a low voice: "comrade of the front army command, my guard battalion commander is outside. It seems that there is something urgent for me. I want to go out and have a look."

Rokosovsky looked at the door and spit out a word to me: "go!"

I quickly got up, walked quickly to the door, stood behind the sentry, and whispered to Yushchenko outside, "Comrade captain, what can I do for you?"

"Comrade division," Yushchenko answered me hastily, "the bodies of those soldiers who died have been pulled back. What should we do with them?"

After listening to Yushchenko's report, I immediately remembered what kirilov had said when he pulled Yushchenko aside before entering the command post. Now I remember that it should be arranging Yushchenko to deal with the remains of the martyrs. I quickly put aside the guard in front of me, quickly walked out of the command post, pulled Yushchenko to one side, and asked in a low voice, "have all the remains of the martyrs been pulled back?"

"All of them are back. There are many of them." Yushchenko was deeply afraid that I would not believe what he said, and he specially stressed: "it was I and the soldiers who carried the remains of the martyrs onto the bus, and none of them was pulled down."

I nodded, even said: "good! Good! Our independent division is not in the habit of leaving our comrades behind. Today, you go to collect the remains of the martyrs in person. I am a teacher. Thank you I raised my hand and saluted him.

When Yushchenko saw me salute him, he was stunned at first. Then he raised his hand and saluted me back: "Comrade teacher, this is what I should do."

"Find a place to bury these martyrs." Because I had to rush back to attend the meeting, I had to leave the affairs of the martyrs to Yushchenko, "go and choose a good place for them, and I'll leave it to you."

When I returned to my seat, I saw marinin signing the attack order on the paper, while bartov stood by, his eyes fixed on the pen that was moving rapidly in marinin's hand. Rokosovsky took me seriously back to his position and asked with concern, "Rita, what's the matter?"

I gave rokosovsky a wry smile. In order not to affect malining and Batov, I reported Yushchenko's report to him in a low voice. At the same time, he also told him about our distress on the road.

Rokosovsky's face became serious after listening. When Batov took the combat order issued by malining and went out to send a report, he said to me earnestly: "Rita, you are not only the deputy commander of the 62nd army, but also the division commander of the red flag independent division. Your safety is no longer your personal matter, but is closely related to thousands of commanders and fighters. Once you have an accident, the command system of the independent division will fall into chaos. Have you ever considered the consequences? "

Although I feel that rokosovsky is making a fuss in my heart, on the surface, I still have to pretend to be sincere and admit my mistake to him: "Comrade commander of the front army, your criticism is right. I will pay attention to it in the future and never make similar mistakes again."

Rokosovsky was very satisfied with my attitude. He nodded, looked at kirilov sitting next to me and shejerikov standing behind us. After coughing, he said, "is it political commissar kirilov?"

"Yes, comrade commander of the front army." Kirilov heard rokosovsky call his name, did not know what the other party would command, quickly stood up, leaning forward slightly, respectfully waiting for rokosovsky's instructions.

Rokosovsky said to him politely, "Comrade kirilov, Lida just told me that your company commander, Captain Yushchenko, is going to hold a funeral for several soldiers who died. These soldiers all died bravely. If captain Yushchenko presided over the funeral, it would seem that he did not pay enough attention to it. Therefore, I plan to let you and my chief of staff, comrade malining, preside over the funeral of these soldiers together. What do you think? "

"Comrade commander of the front army," kirilov said respectfully, "I am very happy to obey your orders. I'm going to preside over the funeral of the martyrs. "

Seeing that malining and kirilov both got up and walked towards the door, while xiejerikov was still standing in the same place foolishly, rokosovsky looked at him and asked strangely, "Comrade commander, what are you still doing here? Why don't you follow your political commissar to the martyrs' funeral?"

"Yes, comrade general, I'll go right away," he replied With that, he quickly ran after kirilov and their back.

I know that rokosovsky sent these people away. There must be something important to tell me. Sure enough, when he saw everyone's back disappear at the door, he suddenly lowered his voice and said to me, "Rita, I heard that a few months ago, you were almost shot by someone from the interior department because you were implicated by Vlasov?"

"Yes, Comrade General." When I heard him ask about it, I knew that he was concerned about my safety. My heart was full of gratitude to him, so I answered truthfully, "if the pistol that killed me didn't happen to jam and general fijiuningsky arrived in time, I would not have seen you."

After listening, rokosovsky stood up, came to me from the other side of the table, raised his hand and patted me on the shoulder, and said in a voice that only the two of us could hear: "Rita, maybe you don't know. During the Anti Japanese period, I was also sentenced to death. I was on death row for more than three months, and I was taken to the execution ground at night, Standing on the edge of the bunker waiting to be shot. The generals on my left and right sides were shot, but an empty bullet hit me in the back of the neck. Because I didn't confess my crime and bite others, I was able to survive. Later, because the Soviet army was not successful in the Sufen war, the Supreme Commander himself decided to release some experienced commanders to command the battle, so that I had the opportunity to put on my uniform again. "

Rokosovsky's words surprised me, because I never knew that he had faced death so close as me, but we were lucky to survive. Seeing that I was still in a daze, he continued: "if you have the ability that others can't replace, then you will become very safe and your life will be truly guaranteed. Can you understand me? "

When I heard him say that, I was still at a loss, but I soon figured it out. The reason why I have been able to survive to the present in this particular historical period is probably related to my own ability to save myself from danger again and again. Otherwise, I would have been buried in the soil for a long time.

One hour later, Batov's artillery troops gradually appeared in konaiyi city. I vaguely heard Batov report to trikov that because the infantry had no transport vehicles, they had to walk on both legs and could not arrive until dark at the earliest.

In the early morning of the 25th, Batov's infantry and artillery left kongniai city to quietly occupy the so-called offensive starting position. Rokosovsky and I were standing on the second floor of the command post, looking out at the troops. Rokosovsky suddenly asked, "Rita, do you want to see how our troops captured the enemy positions?"

"Can we go and watch the war?" Although I had long wanted to see how Batov's troops captured the defense fortifications occupied by the German army, I had to stay in the command post and wait for news before I got rokosovsky's permission. Now when I heard him ask, I pushed the boat forward and said, "if I can, I still hope to follow you to the front, See how our brave commanders and fighters capture the enemy's positions. "

In this way, before dawn, our party came to an observation post behind the incubation point of the 173rd infantry division. When we came in, Batov was bending over and putting his eyes close to a gun mirror to observe the movement of the defense fortifications in the distance. Hearing the movement behind him, he stood up straight and turned to look back. See walking in the front is rokosovsky, quickly stand to salute the latter.

Rokosovsky raised his hand and returned a salute. He asked frankly, "general Batov, what's the situation? Is there any movement in the German position?"

"Report, comrade commander," Batov replied honestly, "our transfer seems to have been discovered by the German. I can see that the German in the trench have entered their respective shooting positions."

"General Batov, do you think the Germans are blind and can't see the movement of thousands of people here?" Rokosovsky then asked“ How many guns does the artillery regiment have? "

On hearing rokosovsky's question, general Batov quickly replied, "report to commander, the three artillery regiments have 40 cannons and 20 howitzers, a total of 60 guns."

Rokosovsky raised his hand and looked at his watch. Then he went to the mirror, bent down to learn from bartov, and put his eyes close to the mirror to observe the movement in the distance. After a long time, he stood up straight again, turned to us and said, "now that the Germans have found us, let them stay in the trenches first. When we start the shelling later, we can wipe out a few more Germans. By the way, general Batov, you should let the soldiers have a rest as soon as possible, so that they can always maintain their full strength in the battle. "