Chapter 1128

At about 8 a.m. the next day, akhromeyev came into the headquarters from the outside with a battle report he had just received. He came to the table, pointed to the map spread out on the table and said, "Comrade commander, intelligence shows that the German army is gathering near Yakovlev. There are about seven divisions with a total force of about 100000 people, including the Hitler division and the imperial division. Although the enemy's offensive forces have not yet been fully launched, according to the situation on the battlefield, they intend to launch a large-scale offensive against Prokhorovka after the 51st division of the guards has been eliminated. "

After staring at the map for a while, I nodded and said, "major, I agree with you. The Germans were more cunning than we thought. After occupying several defensive areas we gave up, they also concentrated their forces to attack positions 2 and 3 of the 51st division. In this case, they could have driven straight in, directly along the bergorod Kursk highway, heading north to oboyan; Or gather some strength to attack prohorovka. But instead of rushing forward, they are gathering near Yakovlev, ready to wipe out the 51st guard division. "

After reading the war report and looking down at the map for a while, Danilov solemnly expressed his opinion: "it seems that the Germans want to establish a solid starting point for attack in Yakovlev, so the 51st division of the guards originally stationed here has become the object they must destroy."

I looked around and saw that bzikov was standing next to a telephone. He was talking to someone loudly. He thought he would not come back to me for a while. So I asked kirilov sitting at the table, "Comrade military commissar, what's your opinion?"

"We can't let the Germans wipe out our 51st guard division." When kirilov heard my question, he immediately and unambiguously replied, "if the enemy eats them and consolidates their position, then they may draw up some troops to reinforce the" skeleton division "and launch a larger attack on the 52nd division of the guards. Therefore, we must take action to smash the German plot. "

"Comrade commander, do you want me to move the tank army forward?" "Now we can hand over our defense to the 5th army of the melee tanks, and then transfer the 82nd and 101st brigades to Yakovlev," Colonel berey interjected. With our present strength, as long as the German army does not send its air force, their tanks will only be in a passive situation when they meet us. "

I didn't reply to the volunteer Colonel berey immediately. Instead, I kept staring at the map and thinking. Judging from our heart, we have assembled a lot of tank brigades and artillery regiments in Yakovlev. If we want to block the impact of the German army, we can only do it by force. If we can't, we have to pay a higher price. If the 33rd army of Colonel berey's tanks is transferred at such a time, it may be able to form a certain local advantage.

While I was weighing my interests, the telephone on the table suddenly rang. I picked up the receiver and stuck it to my ear. Then I heard the voice of vatukin: "Hello, comrade oshanina? I'm watukin. What's the situation with you? "

"Comrade General," I said thoughtfully, staring at the map, "at present, there are seven German divisions gathering near Yakovlev. It seems that they are trying to eliminate our forces in the area, and then launch a large-scale offensive against oboyan in the north or Prokhorovka in the northeast."

"What measures are you going to take to counteract this attempt of the German army?" "I have sent you two tank troops and several artillery regiments. I believe it is enough to deal with the German armored forces with such strength," vatukin asked slowly

It sounds like a lot of troops that vatukin sent to me, but it seems a little less to deal with the German Manstein group. But I also understand that under the current situation, these are almost the greatest help he can offer me. I think about it. Although we can't ask him for troops, we can let the air force provide us with necessary support through him. As long as the air supremacy is in our hands, our tank troops will be able to teach the Germans a lesson with advanced new tanks.

Thinking of this, I solemnly said to vatujing: "Comrade commander, I intend to transfer the 33rd tank army originally deployed in Prokhorovka area to Yakovlev area to further strengthen the anti tank forces there. But there's one thing I need you to do right now. "

"What's the matter? Just say it. " After hearing my arrangement, watujing readily agreed, "as long as I can do it, I will meet your requirements."

"Comrade General, in yesterday's battle, the German army bombed many of our defensive areas, causing many casualties to our defenders. The fall of bhuttovo has something to do with the German bombing. " I first mentioned the harm of the German air force, and then said, "it's more than 40 kilometers from prokholovka to Yakovlev. In such a long march, our tanks would easily become the targets of German aircraft if they were not covered by the air force. You see, can you ask the 2nd group army of the close air force to send out fighters to cover the turning of our tank troops? "

To my request, vatukin was silent for a moment, and then said decisively: "well, comrade oshanina, I'll call lieutenant general krasovsky of the air force, and ask him to send the 205th fighter Aviation Division and the 223rd short range bombing Aviation Division to help you launch a counterattack against the German army in Yakovlev area. Well, that's it. Good luck After he finished, he hung up without waiting for me to speak.

Watujing had hung up for a long time, but I was still in a daze with a microphone with bursts of busy sounds in my hand. I just wanted the air force to go out and cover the 33rd army of Colonel berey's tanks to go to Yakovlev. I didn't expect that vatukin ordered me to launch a counterattack.

Although this wrong order of vatukin put me in a dilemma. At such a time, I can't call vatukin again and tell him that we have no intention of counterattack against the German army, let alone that the number of German troops is larger than ours. Even if the troops and weapons are equal, we are not the opponent of others.

The orders of the superior can't be changed. At such a time, I can only make mistakes right. I put down the phone and first said to Colonel bere, "Comrade Colonel, gather your troops immediately and try to rush to Yakovlev area as soon as possible." Seeing that he opened his mouth and seemed to want to say something, I quickly added, "senior general has promised to let the air force send two divisions to cover your army's departure towards Yakovlev."

When I heard that there was a cover from the air force, there was a smile on Colonel berey's face. When he answered me, his voice was especially loud.

I watched as soon as I put down the phone and came to us, bzikov said, "Comrade chief of staff, call Colonel Chernoff, commander of the 90th division of the close guard immediately, and ask them to leave with the tank army and quickly rush to Yakovlev area."

Before bzikov left, Danilov, who heard the news, exclaimed excitedly, "great, this is great! Comrade commander, as long as the 90th division of the guards is dispatched, the gap between our forces in Yakovlev and the German forces will be greatly narrowed. You can rest assured that as long as the air supremacy of the battlefield is in our hands, we will be able to repel the enemy. "

I tried to squeeze a smile on my face and said to him with a smile: "although the German army made some progress yesterday, they also paid a huge price. I believe these achievements have greatly inspired the morale of our army's commanders and fighters. Seeing so many reinforcements again today, they will certainly have a better performance. "

Originally, I said something perfunctorily, but Danilov took it seriously. He nodded his head and volunteered to me: "Comrade commander, there are too many numbers of troops near Yakovlev, and there is no unified command. So I want to ask you to allow me to go there to command the troops. "

Danilov is telling the truth. In addition to the original units of our group army, there are more than a dozen tank troops and artillery regiments newly transferred by vatukin. If there was no unified command, so many troops would fall into the situation of fighting separately and eventually be defeated by the German forces.

Just as I wanted to answer Danilov's request, I saw rasmishin rushing in. Seeing the flustered look on his face, I can't help but secretly complain that something has gone wrong again, otherwise he would not behave so impolitely. Before he came to me, I asked in a loud voice, "Hello, comrade commander, what's the matter with you in such a hurry?"

"Comrade commander," rasmish came up to me, frowned and handed me a telegram. He said solemnly, "the telegram from the front, general apanashenko, deputy commander of the front army, appeared near Yakovlev."

"What?" At rasmish's words, I snatched the telegram in his hand and looked down. The telegram was sent by basmanov, chief of staff of the new regiment. He wrote in the telegram: General apanashchenko, deputy commander of the front army, and a driver and two security guards had just passed their defensive area five minutes ago and went to Yakovlev.

Hell, hell. I couldn't help cursing in my heart. Apanashchenko was not staying in the headquarters of the front army, but he ran to Yakovlev at this time, didn't he make trouble for me? Thinking of this, I slapped the telegram heavily on the table, then grabbed the phone and called vatukin.

As soon as I got through the phone, I didn't care about any etiquette, so I said in a hurry, "senior general, I want to ask how the deputy commander of the front army went to Yakovlev?"

Vatukin obviously didn't expect me to call him about this. He was surprised. Then he asked cautiously, "Comrade oshanina, are you right? How could commander apanashchenko go to the front at such a time? "

"Yes, Comrade General." When I heard that vatukin knew nothing about this matter, I couldn't help being at a loss. However, as for his suspicion, I replied positively, "I only knew that the deputy commander had passed his defense area and went to Yakovlev after receiving a telegram from a ministry." In order to increase the authenticity of what I said, I specially stressed that "the person who sent me the telegram, who used to be my guard battalion commander, is a very reliable commander. I believe he can't lie about this."

After hearing this, watujing did not speak to me, but lowered his voice and said to the people beside him, "you call commander apanashchenko's headquarters and ask if he is in?"

"Yes The man who heard his command gave a loud promise.

Soon I heard watujing say to me, "Comrade oshanina, thank you for providing me with such important information. I have sent someone to contact the headquarters of Comrade deputy commander to see if he is still there. "

"What, comrade general, it turns out that you and Comrade deputy commander are not in the same headquarters?" This unexpected situation really surprised me. I muttered in a low voice, "if you give two contradictory orders at the same time, who should I listen to?" Watujing didn't know if he heard my complaint, but after coughing, he was a little embarrassed and helpless and said, "Comrade oshanina, you don't know something. The headquarters of general Apana and I are separate. After all, his seniority is older than me, and he has been promoted to senior general for a longer time than me. It would be very embarrassing when we met to let him live under me as my deputy. So as early as half a month ago, our headquarters was divided into two places. " After listening to watujing's explanation, I couldn't laugh or cry. I didn't expect that apanashchenko was still an old soldier. As a deputy commander, he didn't stay in the headquarters to command the battle, but ran along the most dangerous place. It seems that only by doing so can he show his fearless spirit of not afraid of death. But he didn't think about it. He is now the deputy commander of the front army with hundreds of thousands of people under one person. In case of any accident, it will be a blow to the morale of the army. At the end of the call with watujing, I raised my head and asked rasmishin, "Comrade commander, do you know where deputy commander apanashchenko is now?" After hearing what I said, rasmishin shook his head and said with a bitter face, "sorry, comrade commander, I haven't got any further information about general apanashenko. I only know that he is on his way to Yakovlev." Apanashchenko's capricious act obviously disrupted my arrangement. The Deputy commanders of the front army have gone to our first line of defense. I'm sure I can't stay in the headquarters any longer. So I had no choice but to say to Danilov, "Comrade deputy commander, I've decided that you should stay at the headquarters and command the forward forces. I'll take charge of it myself."