Chapter 1199 Wrong plan

Sokov said this because he remembered that during the Battle of Kursk, the Soviet Army was equipped with a large number of rockets that could attack ground targets. Although the accuracy could not be compared with the air-to-ground missiles of later generations, it also gave the German army Armored forces took heavy casualties.

   "When do you plan to launch an attack on the Imperial Division?" Zhukov asked.

   "I'm still biding my time."

   "The entire Kursk region, our army and the enemy have already fought together." Hearing what Sokov said, Zhukov said a little unhappy: "How long do you want to wait?"

"Nearly half of my troops have not yet arrived, and General Poluboyarov's tank army is still on the way." Sokov explained to Zhukov: "According to my idea, when the enemy launches an attack first, we rely on Shumakovo's favorable terrain consumes a lot of the active forces of the German army. When the enemy starts to retreat, we will launch a full-scale counterattack. By then, the troops that have turned around from the flanks have already entered the attacking position. Let us attack from both sides. It is possible to wipe out the Imperial Division again."

   "You have a good idea." After complimenting Sokov, Zhukov continued to ask: "Do you think the Germans will really attack your defense zone?"

"Comrade Marshal, please look at the map." Sokov pointed to the map in front of him, and said to Zhukov: "Although the terrain of Prokhorovka is conducive to the German army to deploy their large-scale armored forces, from here to Kur The distance between Kursk and Moscow is too far after all. According to my judgment, the enemy will definitely try to break through from the Shumakovo area where we are holding on, so as to reduce the time to rush to Kursk."

"Your analysis makes sense." Zhukov said calmly, "But have you considered another possibility, that is, the Germans left some of their troops to contain you, and then sent the main force to the Prokhorovka area? ?”

"Comrade Marshal, the possibility you mentioned is entirely possible." Sokov said: "If the German army does not launch an attack on Shumakovo within 48 hours, then my troops will take the initiative to attack." In order to let Zhukov understand the reasons for his decision, he said proactively, "By then, General Poluboyarov's tank corps should have reached the attack position, and our infantry will be able to attack under the cover of tanks." , to launch an attack on the area occupied by the enemy."

   Zhukov knew that although Sokov's army was huge, it lacked tanks and artillery now, otherwise he would not have asked himself for air support again and again just now. After staring at the map for a while, he asked back, "Misha, didn't you say that the terrain here is not conducive to the deployment of large-scale armored forces?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Sokov argued: "When the tank army reaches the designated position, I will order them to cooperate with the infantry in companies. All offensive troops will be equipped with new rockets and bazookas. It can effectively improve their attacking ability.”

When Sokov and Zhukov were discussing when to attack the Imperial Division, Tansen received a call from Hausser: "Mr. Banner Captain, I order you now to hand over the defense area to the 230th Infantry Division immediately, and then all of you The division turned in the direction of Prokhorovka."

"What, hand over the defense area to the 230th Infantry Division?" Hearing Hausser's order, Tansen couldn't help but get angry. One of his regiments suffered heavy losses in the Soviet night attack, and now there is no time to take revenge. Well, he has to turn to another direction, so he is not willing in his heart. So he said righteously: "I'm sorry, Your Excellency Commander, my troops will not leave the existing combat area until the Russians in the Shumakovo area are eliminated."

   "Mr. Banner Captain," Seeing that Tansen refused to obey his order, Hausser was also angry: "Are you going to disobey?"

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander." Tansen said unabashedly: "After hard fighting, the officers and soldiers of our division managed to break through the Russian defenses in the Oboyan area. On the way forward, one of the troops suffered a huge Loss. If we don't retaliate, how can we be worthy of those officers and soldiers who died?"

Perhaps to convince Hausser, Tansen continued after a short silence: "Our division was rebuilt by the head of state himself. If we suffered from the Russians, we would quietly turn to other divisions before we had time to retaliate. direction, I’m afraid it will shame the face of the Führer.”

  Hausser did not expect Tansen to move Hitler out in order to disobey orders. In this way, when he considered the deployment of the Imperial Division, he had to consider this additional factor. After thinking it over and over again, he said: "Okay, Mr. Banner Captain, then I will give you another 24 hours. If you cannot break through the Russian defenses in the Shumakovo area within the specified time, then obediently The defense area was handed over to the 230th Infantry Division and the rapid advance was made to the Prokhorovka area."

Hearing that Hausser no longer insisted on transferring himself to Prokhorovka, there was a smug sneer on Tansen's face, and he secretly considered in his heart that even if he wanted to move in the direction of Prokhorovka, he would still need to Let's take revenge first.

  After Tansen put down the phone, he immediately called his chief of staff to him and asked, "Is there any news from the scouts sent to the Shumakovo area?"

   "Yes, Mr. Banner Captain." The division chief of staff quickly replied: "According to the report of the scouts, the Russian troops stationed in Shumakovo are indeed the 27th Army under the command of Sokov."

   "How many troops do they have?" Tansen continued to ask.

"There are about two infantry divisions, and no artillery or tank units have been found." The reason why the German scouts came to the wrong conclusion was because they thought that the Soviet army's divisional establishment was 8,000 people, but they didn't know that many Soviet troops The troops are not full, so the strength of the four divisions is regarded as two divisions.

  However, Tansen and the chief of staff of the division did not know that the intelligence sent back by their scouts had serious deviations, and they were still formulating the next battle plan based on the intelligence of only two Soviet divisions in Shumakovo. He patted the map on the table with his palm, and said to the chief of staff: "Immediately transfer the 4th Armored Regiment, the 2nd Artillery Regiment, the 2nd Motorcycle Battalion and the remnants of the 3rd Grenadier Regiment to advance in the direction of Shumakovo. To break through the Russian defenses in the shortest possible time."

   "Mr. Banner Captain," after hearing Tansen's attack plan, the division chief of staff reminded him cautiously: "There are many hills in the Shumakovo area, which is not conducive to the deployment of armored troops. I am worried..."

"Worry, what is there to worry about?" Tansen said disdainfully: "What about the troops commanded by Sokov? They have neither artillery nor tanks. How can they stop our attack? Don't forget , A few months ago, the strength of the Russians was several times that of our army, but under the command of Field Marshal Manstein, we still succeeded in defeating the Russians who had a numerical superiority."

From Tansen's tone, the chief of staff of the division could tell that he didn't care about the defenders without artillery and tank troops at all. He knew that if he continued to persuade, the other party would not listen, so he could only smile wryly and agreed to give the subordinate troops Give the order to attack.

  (end of this chapter)