"What? You captured the German flag?" Zhukov personally called my division headquarters to verify the matter after seeing the telegram I sent him.

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." I looked at the pennant in front of me and said with certainty: "The captured military flag is a pennant, divided into three colors from top to bottom, black, white, and red. The white part in the middle, It is written with letters and numbers representing the unit number."

After listening to Zhukov, he hummed, and then said: "What you have captured is a division command flag, which can be regarded as the flag of the 19th Armored Division. By the way, did you occupy the entire city of Tomarovka?"

"Report to Comrade Marshal, the battle in the east of the city is still going on." I listened to the sound of guns coming from outside, and continued to report to him: "I just transferred troops from the 51st and 71st Guards Divisions. Chengdong reinforced the 52nd Guards Division. I think the battle should be resolved before noon today."

"Which senior commander is there with you?" Zhukov asked again.

I don’t know why Zhukov asked so, but I told him honestly: “Sivakov, commander of the 22nd Guards Corps, and Major General Tavartkilasze, commander of the 23rd Guards Corps, are in the city.”

"Immediately hand over your position to Major General Tavart Kiradze," Zhukov said in an unquestionable tone: "Then you rush to the northwest of Belgorod and meet with your deputy commander Danilov. "

I have already informed my superiors about my mobilization of troops to Belgorod, so it is not surprising that Zhukov knew about it, but I was surprised that he suddenly transferred me to that direction. What happened. Because I asked cautiously: "Comrade Marshal, don't you know what important task is to transfer me there?"

Zhukov waited for me to finish and said briefly: "One is to cooperate with the Steppe Front Army and the Seventh Guards Army to launch an offensive against Belgorod; the other is to cut off the German forces in Belgorod and Tomarovka. The connection between the two. That’s it. The attack on Belgorod will begin at 8 o’clock in the morning. Time is tight. After you immediately hand over the command, you will rush to join General Danilov. Move fast!" After speaking, he hung up the phone without waiting for me to say anything.

Although Zhukov was in a hurry, there were a lot of things I had to arrange. First, people were asked to find Povsky who was not in the headquarters, and then they called Tavartkilasze who was staying in the northern headquarters.

After hearing my voice, Tawart Kiradze asked with concern: "Comrade Commander, when will you come back to the headquarters?"

"Comrade General, I will formally inform you now." I didn't even bother to explain to him. He bluntly ordered: "From now on, you will take over the command of all troops in the city. Do you understand?"

Hearing this order from me, Tawart Kiradze was taken aback for a while, and said in confusion: "Comrade Commander, I don’t understand. Are you still in the city? Why do you want to hand over the command of the troops to me? What?"

"Comrade General, I just received an order from my superiors to rush to the outer command troops in Belgorod, so the troops in the city. I will hand them all to you to command." Although it is only a matter of time to regain the entire city, But I still urge him: "After I leave, you remember to call each division and commander. Tell them about this to avoid confusion in command. Do you understand?"

After listening to my question, Tawart Kiradze answered his question happily this time: "Understood, Comrade Commander. I will wipe out all the German troops in the city as soon as possible."

As soon as I finished the call with Tavart Kiradze, Povsky hurried back to the headquarters. As soon as he saw me, he asked me blankly: "Comrade Commander, I am gathering the artillery scattered in the city. Is there anything important if you send someone to look for me in such a hurry?"

"That's it. Comrade Colonel." Because our group army was not the main force in the attack on Belgorod. So there was no chance for the artillery of the group army to show off their skills, so I decided to keep Povsky in the city. In order not to make him worry. I also specifically explained to him: "I was ordered to command the troops to participate in the Belgorod offensive, so I handed over the command to General Tavart Kiradze. If possible, you will return to the command north of the city as soon as possible. The Ministry, commanding artillery there is much more convenient than here."

"I understand, Comrade Commander, I will rush back to the northern headquarters as soon as possible." Povsky reached out and shook my hand, and said friendlyly, "I wish you a safe journey."

"Thank you, Comrade Colonel." After I finished speaking, I shouted outside: "Major Basmanov!"

"Here!" As soon as I finished speaking, Basmanov appeared at the door, standing straight and waiting for my order.

As I walked out, I ordered him: "Major, go and gather the guard company. We must leave here as soon as possible."

An hour later, we arrived at the headquarters in a village northwest of Belgorod. As soon as I walked into the headquarters, I found that in addition to Danilov and the three guards under my command, there was an acquaintance in it.

I walked up to this person with a smile on my face, smiled and stretched out my hand to him, and said friendlyly: "Hello, General Rodimtsev, I didn't expect that we would meet again here."

Rodimtsev quickly raised his hand to his forehead and saluted me before he took my hand and said respectfully: "Hello, Commander Oshanina, I never thought we could meet here."

Looking at this comrade-in-arms at the Battle of Stalingrad, I curiously asked: "Comrade General, why are you free to come to me?"

"That's it, Comrade Commander." Before Rodimtsev could answer, Danilov said first: "General Rodimtsev’s 13th Guards Division is now assigned to General Katukov. Commanded by the First Army of Guards Tanks. They came here today to be ordered to sever the connection between the Germans Belgorod and Tomarovka."

When I heard Danilov say this, I couldn't help but feel a little surprised. Didn't Zhukov give me an order to let me be responsible for cutting the connection between the two places? Why is it that even Katukov’s First Guards Army has received the same order?

Seeing my surprised expression, Rodimtsev hurriedly replied: "Comrade Commander, to be precise, our teacher should accompany you to cut the connection between the two cities. I obey your orders. Please give an order."

"Well, Comrade General. Since you have received the order and are the same as us, then I will send troops to assist you in completing this task." said. I turned my head to look at Danilov and said, "Comrade Deputy Commander, draw a regiment from the 77th Guards Division. Cooperate with General Rodimtsev to complete this task."

"Comrade Commander, I can't use so many troops." Rodimtsev smiled and said to me: "We only need to set up a regiment with the 77th Guards Division to complete the task of cutting off the German army." Then, he turned and pointed to a major general standing nearby, and introduced to me, "This is my deputy commander Major General Bakranov." At this point, he lowered his voice and said to me, "I will soon I need to be transferred to another unit. He will take over as my commander when that happens."

After listening to Rodimtsev’s introduction, I smiled and stretched out my hand to Bakranov standing aside: "Hello, Comrade Major General, I am glad to meet you. I believe the 13th Guards Division is in Rodimtsev. Under the command of the general and you, even more brilliant results can be created."

"Hello, Comrade Commander." Bakranov took my hand and said respectfully: "Our 13th Guards Division will definitely cooperate with your troops."

After greeting Rodimtsev and his deputy commander, I walked to the table and looked down at the map placed on it. Asked Danilov: "Comrade Deputy Commander, tell me about your offensive plan!"

"Okay, Comrade Commander." Danilov pointed to the map in front of me with a red and blue pencil and said to me: "Our troops are already deployed outside Belgorod. After our army's artillery preparations are over, The group army units will follow the friendly forces and attack the city at the same time. The order of the troops' attack is the 89th Guards Division, the 77th Guards Division and the 90th Guards Division."

After listening to him, I tried hard to recall the Belgorod battle in my memory, and it felt as if it had been mentioned in the history books, proving that the battle was not intense. Therefore, he did not raise any objections to the order of attack arranged by Danilov. He just asked casually: "Which are the friendly forces?"

"The 53rd and 69th Army of the Steppe Front will attack Belgorod from the north." Danilov did not read any information. I opened my mouth and said what I wanted to know: "The 7th Guards Army of General Shumilov launched an offensive from the south; the newly arrived Fifth Mechanized Army detoured from the southwest to Belgorod. Cut off the German army. Retreat."

I raised my hand and looked at my watch, and then said: "Now the battle is about to start. There is still a quarter of an hour. The divisions and commanders will return to their troops first. When the battle begins, cut off the road connecting Belgorod to Tomarovka. , And proceeded at the same time as the attack on the city.” At this point, I suddenly remembered that I had once made a ticket in front of Vatutin, and the guards of the Sixth Army were the first to rush into Belgorod , So I stopped Xie Liujin again, and emphasized to him: "Comrade Colonel, I hope that the red flag of your division will be the first to fly over Belgorod. Are you sure?"

Hearing my order, Xie Liujin's face flushed with excitement. After hesitating for a while, he replied decisively: "Comrade Commander, please rest assured, I assure you that the banner of our division will be the first to fly over Belgorod. If it can't be done, You remove my position."

"Okay, Comrade Colonel." I waved to Xie Liujin and said, "You do your best. Even if you fail to be the first to put the red flag in the city, I won't blame you. Hurry up and return to the army. Go ahead."

When only me and Danilov were left in the command post, he asked me worriedly: "Comrade Commander, will your order to Colonel Xie Liujin be a bit tough?"

"Why do you say that, Comrade Deputy Commander?" I asked curiously.

"We must know the assists provided by our troops." Danilov said with some regret: "Moreover, the German army is facing our direction, and the defensive force is also very strong. Therefore, if our troops want to rush into the city, they will definitely pay a high price. Price."

"Comrade Deputy Commander, you are too pessimistic." After listening to Danilov's concerns, I smiled and said to me: "Our attack on Tomarovka was also very difficult, but we managed to rush in. In the city. Not only did most of the defenders in the city be wiped out, but the 19th Armored Division of the German Army from where it was sourced was almost completely wiped out and their flag was captured."

"Captured the flag?!" Danilov was not in the group army headquarters, so he obviously didn't know about this matter yet, so when he heard this news from me, he immediately opened his mouth in surprise. After a long time, he stammered: "Comrade Commander, you didn't joke with me, did you?"

"Comrade Deputy Commander, how could I be joking with you about this kind of thing?" As I said, I took out the captured command flag from my carry-on bag, spread it out in front of him, and pointed with my hand. And said: "Look, the flag is here."

When Danilov saw the flag, the muscles on his face twitched twice, and then he said: "Although it is not the flag of the German armored division, the ability to capture this command flag is even more significant."

After I waited for him to finish reading, UU Reading www.uukanshu.com put the flag away, and then said: "As long as our troops first attack Belgorod today, then we have a chance to capture the real German flag. Now first Check whether the communication with the divisions is normal, so as not to make contact with each other, it is easy to make mistakes."

Danilov heard what I said, nodded, and then shouted outside: "Hey, the communications staff is there, come in."

As he shouted, a young ensign ran in, stood straight in front of us, and asked respectfully: "Comrades, two commanders, what instructions do you have?"

I waited for him to finish reading, put the banner away, and then said: "As long as our troops first attack Belgorod today, then there will be a chance to capture the real German flag. Now let’s check with the divisions. Is your communication normal, lest you can’t get in touch with each other and it’s easy to make things wrong.

Danilov heard what I said, nodded, and then shouted outside: "Hey, the communications staff is there, come in."

As he shouted, a young ensign ran in, stood straight in front of us, and asked respectfully: "Comrades, two commanders, what instructions do you have?" (to be continued .)