Chapter 1324

In my limited memory of the Soviet Patriotic War, it seems that as soon as the battle of Kursk ended, the Soviet army went all the way to Berlin. However, it has been more than ten days since Kiev was liberated, and the German army around our defense area, regardless of the slightest sign of defeat, has beaten the 38th and 60th army to the ground.

Yesterday, when the 7th panzer division of the German army launched an attack on the defensive area of the 67th guard division, although I did a lot of preparatory work, I strengthened the artillery and tank brigade for the barksov division. As far as I can imagine, even if they can't deal a heavy blow to the German troops in the snow, they can at least draw with each other.

But unexpectedly, after the first German attack was repulsed by us, the deployment was adjusted in time. After long-range artillery fire was used to suppress our artillery, the infantry, under the cover of tanks, launched a rush to our forward position again.

More than 20 Tiger tanks and leopard tanks spread out in formation and rushed to the defense positions of our army. The fast-moving tracks made deep tracks on the vast snow. However, the 20th brigade of the close guard tank, which was deployed in the front, only had more than 30 T-34 tanks left, but faced with the fierce German tanks, it bravely met them.

Unfortunately, the next battle turned into a one-sided massacre. The 76mm tank gun equipped with the T-34 tank could not penetrate the 102mm front armor of the Tiger tank; The tilted armor of leopard tank also turns most of the shells of the target into ricochets.

Although the T-34 tank is helpless to the German Tiger and leopard tanks, the 88mm tank gun of the German Tiger tank and the 75mm tank gun of the leopard tank can easily pierce the front armor of the T-34 tank at a distance of 1000m and 500m respectively.

With the dull sound of German tank guns, the tanks of the 20th brigade of the close guard tank were destroyed one by one in the snow by German tanks. The turrets of several tanks were lifted to the sky by the lethal ammunition, and then hit the ground heavily, causing certain casualties to the nearby infantry commanders and fighters.

By virtue of their powerful armored assault capability, the German army tore a two kilometer gap in the forward position of the 67th division of the guards. Just as the enemy was rushing down to the city of Zhitomir along the breach, the division commander baksov arrived in time with a regiment. He first ordered the anti tank men to kill the tanks in range with 40 rockets, and then he commanded the troops to attack the German infantry who had lost the cover of the tanks, blocking the gap opened by the German army again.

When it was dark, I was in the headquarters and received a call from baksov, who had just recovered his position. He said with some emotion: "Comrade commander, I thought our troops were supported by fortifications and covered by artillery and tanks. No matter how strong the German 7th Armored Division was, it could easily block them. However, after a real exchange of fire with them, I found that this unit is very different from the units we have contacted before. Their combat effectiveness is too strong. In just a few hours of fighting, I have lost almost a regiment's strength. If such an attack is repeated twice, our division should withdraw to the back and make up for it. "

I didn't talk too much nonsense with him, but simply ordered him: "general baksov, hurry up to repair the fortifications. If there are no solid Fortifications on the plain, it will be the end of the German armored forces."

After I put down the phone, I directly told akhromeyev, "major, call general bere, the commander of the tank army, here."

As soon as I put down the phone, watujing's call came in. He asked me straightforwardly: "Comrade oshanina, the situation in the direction of fativ is very bad at present. According to our latest intelligence, the 48th German armored army has been stationed. If they attack Kiev with all their strength, it may be difficult for me to keep Kiev

Hearing that I was confident two days ago and said that there was no problem at all in keeping Kiev, I used such a euphemistic word to say that Kiev was facing a grim situation. I had an uncertain premonition in my heart: the difficulty is that we intend to launch an attack from the rear of the German army and hold the strength of the 48th armored army, so as to gain more time for Kiev's troops to deploy?

As soon as this idea came out, I immediately denied it, because I think vatukin should be very clear that Zhitomir was threatened from the north, West and south, and had no strength to launch an attack from the German rear of fastif. I hesitated for a moment and asked tentatively, "senior general, do you have any important instructions for calling me?"

"Well, I can't talk about instructions. I just want to discuss with you." "If your close guard sixth group army can launch a surprise attack from the enemy's flank, it may be able to contain part of the German army in the fastif area and relieve some pressure on the 38th and 60th group army sticking to the southwest of Kiev," said vatujing

"Comrade General, if it is your order, I will obey it; If it's just negotiation, I'm sorry. I think I can only refuse your proposal. " In order to avoid causing vatukin's displeasure, I specially explained to him: "the German 48th armored force of fastiev is threatening not only Kiev, but also korostwev. Today, the 7th German Panzer Division in wallensky new town launched an attack against the defense area of the 67th guard division in the face of heavy snow, although after a fierce battle, the enemy's attack was smashed by our brave commanders and fighters. But judging from their strong fighting capacity, I think we can only stick to it for a week at most in Zhitomir. "

"Comrade o'shanina, this is not going to work." After listening to me, vatukin said with some reluctance: "if the other three German armored divisions, together with the 48th armored army of fativ, attack Kiev together, it will be very difficult for me to defend this city. Therefore, I command you to stick to Zhitomir at all costs and keep the German troops from three directions as long as possible. "

"Don't worry, Comrade General." When I heard that he no longer asked us to send troops to harass the flanks of the German army of fastif, he said, "I will tell your words to our commanders and fighters, so that they can fight bravely to defend Kiev. Even if there are only one soldier left, they will never give up their position easily."

Berey, who had received my order, rushed to the headquarters in a jeep in the wind and snow. As soon as he saw me and raised his hand to salute him, he couldn't wait to ask, "Comrade commander, please call me to the headquarters. Do you have any important tasks to explain?"

"Comrade General, I want to ask, many of the original tank brigades have been equipped with new tanks, but why don't they even have one in the 20th brigade of guard tanks?" When I think of the new tanks that surpass this era, they all play the role of hanging tiger and leopard on the battlefield, but now they are rare. I feel very uncomfortable, so my voice is very heavy: "if there are several such new tanks in the brigade, then in today's tank battle, the battle will not become a one-sided trend, They will not be annihilated by German Tiger and leopard tanks. "

When I said that, the muscles on berey's face twitched violently. After a while, he replied, "Comrade commander, you don't know. Although the new tanks were installed in the army for a period of time, they were gradually replaced by the original T-34 tanks because of the serious shortage of maintenance parts and supporting ammunition in the later period."

"Replaced by T-34? So, where did the new tanks go? " I can't help but be stunned when I heard bielei say that, but then I asked, "it's not all coming back, is it?"

"Back to the furnace?! I don't know how it's possible With a bitter smile, berey said: "although two production lines have been opened up, which are specially used to produce supporting ammunition for new tanks, due to the demand of troops, supply has always exceeded demand. Just in the last ten days of last month, it is said that a member of the Supreme Command proposed that efforts should be concentrated on the production of T-34 tanks and supporting ammunition. Even if the tank performance is not as good as the German tiger leopard tank, it can be made up by the advantage in quantity. "

"Who said that?" Bezikov, who had seen the power of the new type of tank, immediately asked after him as soon as he finished saying: "this is not the same as making our tank a target of German tiger leopard tank as soon as it goes to the battlefield."

"I don't know exactly who said it." In response to bzikov's questioning, berey said vaguely: "anyway, my source is reliable, and this is absolutely true."

Seeing the expression that bzikov still wanted to ask, I quickly raised my hand to stop him: "OK, chief of staff, don't ask any more questions. Maybe general Lei doesn't have any trouble about this, so don't embarrass him any more." After that, I looked at bielei and asked, "general bielei, what can you do to deal with the German Tiger and leopard tanks?"

Don't think about it, then said: "Comrade commander, this is not easy to do. Our tanks can't destroy enemy tiger and leopard tanks even within 400 meters, but they can easily blow up our tanks one by one. In addition, it is also very difficult for the infantry to carry 40 rocket launchers to be used alone against the enemy's tanks. They must wait for the enemy's tanks to enter the range of 200 meters before they can shoot down the tanks. "

After berey talked about all the difficulties he was facing, the commanders in the room were silent. After a while, chisgakov bit his back teeth and said, "damned Krauts, it's because we know our fighters can't go out in such snowy weather that we attack us in the snow."

After complaining, he turned to look at me and said, "Comrade commander, I know you are resourceful. You must have thought of a way to deal with the enemy's tanks."

Although I have been thinking about the way to deal with the German tanks, I can't think of a better way in a hurry. At the moment, everyone's eyes are focused on me. When I make up my mind, I can only change some of the old ways I know and say, "general bielei, when you go back, immediately send engineers to bury explosives and anti tank mines on the road of the enemy's tanks. In order to prevent mines from being pulled out by enemy engineers, you should also ambush snipers and anti tank men 200 meters away from the minefield. "

"Sniper and antitank?" Bielei looked at me in surprise and asked, "why do you want this arrangement?"

"It's very simple. Snipers are for engineers who want to clear the ground. As for the anti tank hand, it is to solve those tanks in close range and avoid them causing damage to the sniper. " After I said this, I thought that the snipers and anti tank men were in the infantry company, and quickly added: "when you go back, you can send these men to tavartkilaze in the city of Zhitomir."

"I see, comrade commander." After saying this, bielei immediately straightened up and asked me, "will you allow me to do it now? I want to go back and lay out minefields right now to deal with German tanks“ General berey Seeing that bielei was leaving, I quickly added: "in addition to anti tank mines and anti tank men, we should also consider how to use our tanks reasonably. Do you understand? "“ I see After answering, bielei raised his hand to salute us, then turned and walked out of the headquarters. After berey left, I went to the map on the wall, looked at it for a while, then turned and waved to chisgakov and bzikov to come to me. When the two men came to me, I picked up the explanation stick, pointed to the map and said to them, "you see, if the information from the headquarters of the front army is accurate, now the 48th armored army is stationed in fativ. I think that if I don't say what the combat effectiveness of this unit is, we all know very well. Not long ago, they defeated general konev's troops and drove them across the Dnieper River, exposing our occupied cherkaser to the German army. "“ Comrade commander, what are you worried about? " Asked bzikov cautiously, taking advantage of my pause. I used the explanation stick to place fastiev heavily: "chief of staff, what I am most worried about is here. If the German army wants to recapture Kiev, they must first take our occupied Zhitomir. In other words, in the next battle, we will not only face the German attack from the north, West and south. It is also possible for the 48th armored force in the southeast to deploy some troops to attack us from the East. In this way, the whole of the sixth group army will fall into the encirclement of the German army. "“ What, trapped in a German siege? " Bezikov was startled when he heard me say this. He took a step forward, drew his hand on the map, and said to himself, "if the German army really attacks from the East, then our contact with Kiev will be completely broken, and we will become a surrounded and isolated army."“ Comrade commander. " After bierzikov finished his speech, chisjakov also expressed his own opinion: "our group still has 50000 or 60000 people. The ammunition and various military materials consumed by so many soldiers and horses every day are astronomical. If the German forces cut off the link between us and Kiev, then it will not be long before our troops will be on the verge of extinction because they run out of ammunition and food. "