Chapter 1182

The army's relocation work was completed in the early morning of the 17th. As part of the Manstein troops were transferred to Italy, and the remaining troops suffered heavy losses in the early fighting, the German ground troops did not respond except for two small-scale air strikes during the movement of our group army.

When I saw the group army's new defense plan, I could not help feeling better. It seems that history has a great correction power. Before the battle of Kursk, our group army's defense line was more east than the real defense line in history. Now, after such an adjustment by the supreme command, it has unconsciously returned to the standard historical track.

"Comrade commander," perhaps bzikov found that I had been giggling at the map, so he asked me curiously, "what are you laughing at? Do you have new considerations about today's plan to counter attack butovo?"

I quickly restrained the smile on my face, looked up at him, and said in a disguised way: "chief of staff, I am looking at the formation of our army. I find that as long as we don't move, we can defeat the Germans as soon as we launch an attack."

Danilov, who had been dozing at the table, heard me say this, opened his eyes and asked, "Comrade commander, if we really attack, can we reach Kharkov?"

"Kharkov?" I repeated Danilov's place name, and then said in a sarcastic tone: "Comrade deputy commander, you underestimate the strength of our army. Once the two front forces assembled in the south of Kursk attack the German army, it will be a thunderbolt. Do you think that Manstein, who has just been repulsed by us and has been transferred many troops, can still block our fierce offensive? "

As for my point of view, Danilov just laughed and didn't express any opinions. Perhaps in his mind, he was thinking about the battle of Kharkov a few months ago. At that time, the Soviet army also had an absolute advantage in the number of people. In the end, he was not beaten by the German army, losing hundreds of thousands of troops, not to mention several generals including haridonov.

When I think of general haridonov who died, I inevitably think of the exchange of Ike's body for the general's body and the captured wounded, as well as the events in which Manstein sent people to persuade him to surrender. Now that the general situation of the German army is gone, it's time for me to settle the accounts with him.

Thinking of this, I said to Danilov solemnly: "deputy commander, I know what you are worried about. You are worried that our attack this time may be like the battle of Kharkov a few months ago. Although we have gained all the advantages in the early stage, it will end in failure in the end."

Danilov listened to me, nodded unexpectedly and said frankly, "yes, comrade commander, that's what I think. In the last battle, we, who just won the battle of Stalingrad, were several times more powerful than the German army and had the same weapons and equipment as the enemy, but we failed in the end and lost a lot of our living strength in vain. Although our strength seems to be equally strong this time, my heart is still not stable, and I'm afraid that we will make the same mistake again. "

"Comrade deputy commander, this is the rotation of defeatism." After hearing this, bezikov immediately retorted: "the German army has consumed almost all their living strength in the battle near Kursk. They have no resistance in the face of the attack we are about to launch."

"Yes, I agree with the chief of staff." I echoed: "the strength of the last battle was due to the fact that our troops were too far away from the supply base and the logistics couldn't keep up. So we lost a battle when our troops and equipment were dominant."

Kirilov, who is nearby, may be afraid that some of us will argue, so he quickly digs off the topic. "By the way, Rita, the 67th division of the guards will attack bhuttovo at eight o'clock. Will you go to the front in person?"

I waved my hand and said, "comrades of the military commissar, we need to specify the commanders below. Since the task has been assigned, how to complete it is their job as teachers. We should not interfere too much so as to affect their performance. "

Just as I saw povsky coming, I turned my attention to him: "Comrade Colonel, are our artillery units ready?"

"Yes, comrade commander." Povsky replied: "the two artillery regiments and a close guard rocket battalion are all ready to attack the enemy as soon as the time comes."

"Good." Artillery implemented, and then I asked bzikov: "chief of staff, have the tanks entered the designated position?"

When bizikov heard my question, he thought about it for a moment, and then replied, "because of the road problem, the tank brigade is still on the March, and has not reached the designated position for the time being."

"Chief of staff, why is the movement of the tank brigade so slow?" Danilov said with some dissatisfaction: "if we delay today's attack, can Colonel berey afford the responsibility?"

"Comrade deputy commander, we can't blame the tank brigade for all this." I know a lot about the recent situation of berey's tank army, so I heard Danilov angry and explained to him: "after more than a week's fighting, many tanks in the tank brigade have different degrees of failure. After the emergency repair of the maintenance station, 80% of the tanks were barely kept in good combat condition. In addition, the road leading to butovo was bombed by enemy planes and became uneven, so our tanks were very slow to advance. "

"So our tank brigade can't take part in the attack at 8 o'clock." When Danilov heard this, he said thoughtfully, "since they can't take part in the war, we should let them stay in the repair station and maintain all the tanks."

"You can't say that, comrade deputy commander." After listening to Danilov's words, I said with a smile: "maybe our tank platoon will not be useful in the battle of liberating butovo, but there are still two small cities to recover. Let the tank brigade enter the designated position as soon as possible, we can adjust the combat deployment according to the actual situation, and even connect several separate combat deployments together to form a series of attacks and tear up the enemy's defense as soon as possible. "

After listening, Danilov nodded and said, "well, since that's the case, let's wait until the battle starts and see the actual effect."

It's a hard time to spend such a slow time in the twinkling of an eye. When the pointer finally pointed to eight o'clock, I nodded to povsky, who had been standing by with a microphone, indicating that the artillery could start shelling the German position in butovo.

Understanding the bofsky immediately at the microphone loudly said: "the commander orders, artillery immediately to butovo open fire!"

Although we are tens of kilometers away from butovo, when povsky's order was issued, I vaguely heard the rumble of artillery from outside, as if I saw the dense shells fired by our artillery, which blew up the enemy's position into a sea of fire.

I sat at the table, looking at the map with my eyes, but from time to time I cast a glance at the phone in the middle of the table, hoping that Colonel baksov, who was in charge of the army's attack, would call me immediately and report to me that the army had successfully occupied butovo.

But I also know that this is impossible, because the shelling is still going on. How can the infantry attack? I just hope that after the shelling, the 67th division of the guards can speed up and rush into the city before the enemy reacts. After repeated fighting between the enemy and us in the city, almost all the buildings collapsed, so street fighting is unlikely. As soon as the troops rush into the city, they will win.

After a while, I suddenly heard bzikov's voice: "the artillery preparation is over. Our troops should charge. I believe that good news will come soon."

"Yes, chief of staff." Danilov also said: "the positions outside bhuttovo can not be supported by our strong artillery attack. I believe it will not be long before the troops can successfully recover bhuttovo."

Although I sat by without a word, I was more nervous than anyone else. Although the city of butovo is not big, it has become the focus of contention between the enemy and us. Last time, although the troops under the command of shejerikov once recovered butovo, under the fierce German offensive, the troops with heavy casualties had to give up their positions and withdraw from the city.

I've been waiting for about ten minutes, but the phone hasn't rung yet. He called the director of communications, Mr. lophoff, to him, pointed to the phone on the desk and asked in a serious voice, "Comrade major, what's the matter with this phone? Why hasn't it been ringing? Is there something wrong?"

Lophov did not dare to speak. He picked up the phone and listened to it. Then he reported to me, "Comrade commander, everything is normal on the phone. There is no problem."

"Rita," kirilov said as he helped lophoff out of the siege, "there must be no problem with the phone. You're in a hurry. The battle didn't last long. Even if Colonel baksov wanted to report the situation to you, it wasn't so fast. At least he had to wait for half an hour or even an hour. "

After listening to kirilov's words, knowing that he was too impatient, I waved to lophov and asked him to go back to his post. Then I tried to say to kirilov in a smooth tone: "Comrade military commissar, this is the first battle of our group army after being supplemented. I want to see how the actual combat effectiveness of the troops supplemented with new recruits is through fighting."

"Colonel baksov is also an old commander. He knows how to lead soldiers. I'm sure his performance will not disappoint you." Kirilov saw that I was still a little upset, and immediately comforted me and said, "according to the reconnaissance, the German garrison in the city has only one incomplete regiment. Can they block the attack of one of our main divisions?"

"Yes, comrade commander." Bezikov also echoed kirilov's opinion, saying: "during the period of acting division commander Sergeant Sergeant shijerikov, I believe he has instilled your tactical ideas into the following commanders and fighters in various ways. Although this is our attack, I believe the casualties will not be too great. "

"Chief of staff," Danilov said suddenly, "I can't agree with you."

Danilov's words stunned all of us. After a while, bzikov asked in surprise, "Comrade deputy commander, I don't know what my view is wrong?"

"After the end of the arduous Finnish campaign, the slogan of" less blood "to win was criticized by the higher authorities as an incorrect slogan to guide the army to dream of winning easily." Danilov quoted a classic saying: "in the battle of liberating butovo, if we still instill this wrong idea into the commanders and fighters, the troops will become passive when there are large casualties in the attack."

To tell you the truth, this is the first time I've heard of the so-called "less bleeding" point of view, so I also looked at Danilov blankly to hear what he would say next. Danilov turned to me, looked at me and said, "Comrade commander, I know that many battles under your command have been fought many times to achieve the greatest results at the lowest cost. But have you ever thought that if all the commanders have such an idea, how can we fight the next battle? " When Danilov finished, I shook my head and said, "Comrade deputy commander, I don't understand you."“ Is it not obvious what I mean? " Danilov said excitedly: "since the beginning of the battle of Kursk, you can also see how cruel the battle we have been fighting. In the situation of great disparity between the enemy and ourselves, no matter what tactics you use, you will still cause heavy casualties in the battle. If every commander only wants to reduce the casualties of the troops, they will become passive in the battle and always consider what methods should be used to reduce the casualties of the troops. Therefore, I firmly oppose instilling the wrong idea that "less blood" can easily win in the group army. " Danilov's words made me speechless. As I was thinking about how to retort, the phone that had been silent on the table finally rang“ It must be colonel baksov When I heard the telephone ring, the first thought came out of my mind. I grabbed the receiver and stuck it to my ear. I said in a loud voice, "Hello, this is the headquarters of the group army. Is that Colonel baksov?"“ Yes, it's me, comrade commander. " Colonel baksov said in a low voice: "I report to you that the attack against bhuttovo has failed. After a fierce battle, our troops who rushed into the city were forced to withdraw from the outside of the city“ What are the casualties of the troops? " I tried to control my emotions and asked coldly“ One third of the troops who were in charge of the attack were killed or injured. " "They have now returned to their starting position and are assembling for a new attack," baksov said cautiously