Since this is a matter of concern to all, when kirilov finished speaking, everyone's eyes focused on Khrushchev and wanted to hear what he said.
Khrushchev laughed at us, then stood up from his seat and said, "comrades commander, I know you are very concerned about when to liberate Kharkov. I'm in the same mood as you. I hope our troops can immediately liberate Kharkov from the hands of the Communist aggressors. However, comrades, as far as I know, the supreme command has no plan for the Voronezh front army and the grassland front army to attack Kharkov. "
Khrushchev's words made everyone except me feel sorry. After he finished speaking, bzikov said to himself, "we have just liberated Belgorod, and the morale of our commanders and fighters is high. Attacking Kharkov at this time will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort."
"Comrade chief of staff," when I saw bezikov talking to himself, Khrushchev glanced at him. He was afraid that he would be criticized. He quickly refuted him in public and said, "although we have won in Belgorod, you should also see what price we have paid for this victory."
"Yes," Khrushchev added unexpectedly, "our commanders and fighters paid a high price to liberate Belgorod. But in order to save the motherland from the evil claws of the bandits, we can accept even the biggest price we pay. "
After waiting for him to finish, I asked carefully, "Comrade military commissar, it is the troops of the grassland front army who are mainly attacking bergorod this time. I don't know how many casualties they have?"
When Khrushchev heard my question, he sighed and said, "I don't know the exact number of casualties. Yes, I see that in their report to Marshal Zhukov, the 53rd army alone needs to add 20000 recruits. From this, you can judge how heavy their casualties are. "
Khrushchev's words made everyone take a breath. Kirilov was surprised and said, "ah, I didn't expect that there were so many casualties."
"It's true," Khrushchev said helplessly, "the Germans not only built a lot of fortifications to the north of bergorod, but also laid tens of thousands of mines. The 52nd and 69th army groups launched several attacks because they were blocked by these pesky mines and had to withdraw from their starting positions. The 89th division of the guards who joined you took the lead in rushing into the city and dispersing the German forces. It is estimated that they have not been so easy to open up a road in the German minefield, and the offensive and defensive battle of bergerord will last for a longer time. "
Perhaps because he was afraid that he would lose if he said too much, Khrushchev left in a hurry after saying these words.
After we sent Khrushchev back, chisjakov began to perform his duties. He said to the three division commanders: "from tonight, comrades, you will send reconnaissance troops to conduct a comprehensive reconnaissance of the German defense zone to the north of Kharkov..."
After hearing a series of tasks he told him, Xie Liujin said with a sad face: "Comrade deputy commander, at present, the German army has arranged many defensive positions in Kharkov, and has also set up hidden observation posts in many places to closely monitor our defense area. I can say that as soon as our scouts leave the position, they will be found by the Germans. How can we carry out reconnaissance? "
"Mr. sherekin," chisjakov said solemnly to the new general, who was constantly complaining, "I've given you the task. As for how you complete it, I won't care. I only care about the final result. "
Hearing chisjakov's serious words, the dejected Xie Liujin turned to me for help, hoping that I could stand up and say a few words for him. Seeing his pitiful appearance, I coughed and roared, and said to him seriously, "general Xie Liujin, don't you know that the orders of the superior are not allowed to be discussed, but can only be carried out? If you go out from the front of the defense area, you will be found by the German observation post. Can't you go around in other directions? "
After listening to me, Xie Liujin nodded his head like a chicken pecking rice and repeatedly said, "I understand, I understand, comrade commander. Since our front is closely watched by the German army, I will send someone to come out from other directions to avoid the eyes and ears of the German people. Is that what I mean
"Yes, that's what it means." After I finished this sentence, I urged him to say, "OK, comrade general, go back to the army as soon as possible, and take advantage of the good time when it's dark and the Germans are not conducive to observation to send out the reconnaissance team."
"Yes, I'll arrange it now." Xie Liujin finished, raised his hand to salute us, and left with the other two teachers.
Rodymzev was a little worried to see that we had never assigned him a task. As soon as the other three teachers left, he came up to us and asked anxiously, "Comrade commander, don't you know what our division's task is?"
Hearing this question from rodimzev, chisjakov turned to look at me and asked strangely, "why, comrade commander, have you not arranged any task for general rodimzev?"
"Comrade deputy commander," bzikov quickly explained, "the 13th division of general rojmtsev's guards was only sent by the superior to help us cut off the traffic between tomarovka and bergorod. Today, although Belgorod and tomarovka have been recovered one after another, because the superior has not yet issued an order for them to return, they have not arranged any combat tasks for them even though they are stationed here. "
Rodimzev listened to what bzikov said, and hurriedly said, "Comrade deputy commander, please assign us some tasks. The commanders and fighters watched as the friendly troops around them were busy, but they could only stay in the secret department to sleep. Everyone was in a mood. If it goes on like this, it's not easy for the troops to take them. "
After hearing this, chisgakov could not help laughing, and then joked to rodimzev: "Comrade division, I don't think the soldiers below have emotions, but you as a division have emotions. When you withdraw from the Northwest with the headquarters of the group army, you think there will be a hard fight here. Who knows, when I look here, I find that there is no sign of war at all, and other troops are busy with mine clearance and reconnaissance, while their own troops have nothing to do. Then there will be a feeling of loss, which I can understand... "
When I heard chisgakov preaching to rodimzev, I approached kirilov and whispered to him, "Comrade military commissar, look, comrade deputy commander is not the material of a political worker. I believe that as long as he goes out to do the political and ideological work of the soldiers, he will achieve unexpected results. "
Kirilov laughed, nodded and agreed, "yes, Rita, I think you're absolutely right. Although it is my first contact with him, I also think he is the material of a political worker. "
"Besides political work, he is also very good at military affairs." I went on with kirilov's words: "Comrade Khrushchev has just said that there are many incomparable advantages in him, which is worth learning from him."
After preaching to rodimzev, chisjakov sent him away, then sat down at the table, looked at kirilov and me and asked, "comrades commander, do you know what I should do next?"
"Comrade deputy commander," I said politely to chisgakov, "I think you have done a good job. Judging from the current situation, the superior has no plan to attack Kharkov for the time being, so we have nothing to do except to let the troops take a rest as soon as possible. "
"Do you really think we will not attack Kharkov in the short term?" Chisgakov looked at me and asked politely, "is this the way to confront the Germans?"
"It must be so in a short time, comrade deputy commander." Although I can't remember when the Soviet army began to attack Kharkov, it will never stop here, "but I think the superior will launch an attack on Kharkov in a week or less at most."
When I said this, chisgakov could not help looking at me. He looked at me and said, "Comrade commander, I don't think your idea coincides with mine. I also think that after a short rest, the main force of our army will launch a new round of attack on Kharkov, which is occupied by the German army. "
"We attacked Kharkov three times, if I remember correctly." Bezikov said with some disappointment: "although we had an advantage at the beginning, we lost the battle in the end. I don't know if there will be a repeat of history this time..."
"Chief of staff," I was deeply afraid that his words would cause chisgakov's displeasure. I quickly stopped him, and then pretended to say sternly to me, "although we have lost several previous battles near Kharkov, it doesn't mean that we can't beat the Germans. After dealing with the Germans here for so long, our commanders should have accumulated rich combat experience. I believe we will certainly achieve brilliant results in the new battle. "
At the end of my speech, chisjakov proposed to me: "Comrade commander, anyway, it's not too late. How about we make a deduction on the map?"
"Deduction on the map?" Chisjakov's words surprised me. I didn't expect that he would play such high-end map homework. Although I said that I knew nothing about the exercise on the map, since there was an opportunity to learn, I would not give up, so I readily agreed.
Chisgakov put a map in front of me and asked, "Comrade commander, which side do you want to play, our army or German army?"
"I'll play the German army." Staring at the map in front of me, I said without looking up, "I will deal with your attack in the way of Mannstein."
"I'll judge for you." When kirilov saw that we were going to play the high-end activity of figure deduction, he immediately came out and said that he could be our referee.
I looked up at chisgakov on the opposite side and saw that he nodded in agreement. Then I turned to kirilov and said, "well, comrade military commissar, you will be the referee."
When I felt ready, I said to chisgakov, "well, comrade deputy commander, I'm ready. You can start your attack."
In addition to kirilov and bezikov, there are also operations director akhromeyev, communications director lophov and others around, so chisgakov picked up a stick, pointed to the map and said to everyone, "I will detour back to the south from the two wings of Kharkov to cut off the retreat of the garrison in the city. Then, under the cover of artillery and aircraft, the 53rd and 69th army groups attached to the grassland front army stormed the northern side of Kharkov. " At this point, he put down his explanation stick, pointed to a position in the north of Kharkov with his finger, and added, "my troops will first tear a gap here, and then the tank troops will expand the breakthrough, and use the forces of two divisions to rush into Kharkov..." kirilov, when they heard chisjakov's explanation, they couldn't help nodding, I agree with you. Only after I listened to his plan, I felt bitter in my heart. Because according to his method of playing, we should concentrate our superior forces and first surround the German army in Kharkov, and then our army will rely on our superior artillery and air power to cover the troops and penetrate into the city layer by layer like peeling onions. From the heart, this kind of play is in order, and the most likely way to win is to wipe out the main force of the German army in the end. But the only drawback is that the speed of attack is too slow, and the casualties of our army are also quite heavy. After I waited for chisjakov to finish, I sneered and retorted, "Comrade deputy commander, do you think the situation is too simple. With respect, you think our army is too powerful, and at the same time, you seriously underestimate the existing strength of the German army. If we really compete with the German army in this way, we will suffer a great loss. " As soon as I said that, not only chisjakov was stunned, but kirilov was also at a loss. It was obvious that everyone didn't understand why such a perfect attack plan was so perfect. After listening to it, I didn't think so. I didn't want to beat around the Bush, so I said to them, "well, since Comrade deputy commander has said his attack plan, next, I'll talk about how I will defend against his attack."