Chapter 1280 The Germans have confessed (Part 1)

   "Great, Comrade General, this is really great." Although Sokov kept saying that he wanted to cover the positions of the 19th Armored Division with firepower, his strength was still lacking. The enemy's positions are very scattered. It is obviously unrealistic to cover the German positions with hundreds of new rockets. Now the superiors have given themselves two artillery divisions, so they can bombard district by district, destroy the enemy's fortifications, and create favorable conditions for the assault of tank troops.

The superior gave himself such a big gift, so Sokov naturally had to express it. He said quickly: "Please rest assured, comrade general, with the assistance of these two artillery divisions, we will definitely be able to capture the 19th Armored Division." position."

  If Sokov had said this a day or two ago, Vatutin would have expressed doubts. However, the performance of the 254th Division last night made Vatutin change his view. He felt that since Sokov said such words, it should not be too difficult to seize the position of the 19th Armored Division. So he smiled and said: "General Sokov, I am waiting for your good news. Good luck!"

After Vatutin put down the phone, he immediately reported to Zhukov on the side: "Comrade Marshal, General Sokov said that with the assistance of these two artillery divisions, he is very sure to capture the 19th Armored Division of the German Army." position."

   After listening to Vatutin's report, Zhukov just nodded slightly. He took Sukov's statement for granted. He pointed to the map on the wall and said to Vasilevsky: "Comrade Vasilevsky, look, if Sokov's troops destroy the 19th Armored Division, then he can fight with the 81st Guards Division, As well as Trufanov's tank units, they completely cut off the retreat of the Banner Guard Division and the Kenf Combat Group. In this way, not only did the 69th Army and the 5th Guards Tank Army not have to retreat, they could even take advantage of the enemy's logistical supplies When problems arise, decisively launch a comprehensive counter-offensive and thoroughly crush the enemies outside Prokhorovka."

Vatutin, who was standing aside, felt relieved when he heard Zhukov analyze the situation in this way. He did not expect that as soon as Sokov's troops appeared on the battlefield, the situation on the battlefield would change drastically, and the balance of victory would be tilted towards a certain point. It is beneficial to the development of the Soviet army. It seems that the tragedy that I was worried about the encirclement and annihilation of the troops by the German army will never happen again.

   After Zhukov finished speaking, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Marshal, when do you think we can launch a full-scale counterattack?"

  Unexpectedly, Zhukov was unexpectedly silent when he heard Vatutin's question. Zhukov thought to himself, if Vatutin was not so anxious to organize a counter-offensive when the battle broke out, but learned from Rokossovsky on the northern front, relying on solid fortifications and a perfect defense system, then he would have launched a counter-offensive at this moment I don't know that after receiving reinforcements from several group armies, they were still beaten by the Germans in a hurry.

  Seeing Zhukov's delay in speaking, Vatutin realized that his question was a bit too reckless, and he asked awkwardly: "Comrade Marshal, so we don't have the conditions for a counterattack here yet."

"Comrade Vatutin, a counterattack must be carried out." Zhukov looked at Vatutin and said with a serious expression: "But when we can launch a counterattack, it depends on whether Misha's troops can destroy the 19th Armored Division, and Can we cut off the logistical supplies of the enemies outside the city of Prokhorovka? Only when these two points are achieved can we have the conditions for a counterattack."

"So that's how it is." Vatutin said thoughtfully, "But General Katukov's tank army and several other units are entangled by the Germans. That way, it will be more certain to annihilate the 19th Armored Division."

  The muscles on Zhukov's face twitched a few times, and he thought to himself: If the troops from the direction of Oboyan can be transferred, will the situation outside Prokhorovka be as bad as it is now? I thought so in my heart, but said in my mouth: "I think the attack of Misha's troops on the 19th Armored Division will be the key to reversing the situation on the Kursk southern front."

Seeing that Zhukov praised Sokov so much, Vatutin deliberately refuted a few words, but after careful consideration, he felt that what the other party said was very reasonable. If there were no Sokov's troops, the situation outside Prokhorovka would be worse than it is today. worse. Among other things, the Skeleton Division and the Banner Guard Division alone would have beaten him to death. If the Imperial Division had not been annihilated in the direction of Oboyan, three SS Divisions had appeared outside Prokhorovka at the same time. Can you still hold the city?

   Wanting to understand this, he could only nod in agreement, and secretly prayed for Sokov in his heart, hoping that his troops would achieve another success in the next battle and successfully eliminate Schmidt's 19th Armored Division.

  ...

  While discussing the elimination of the 19th Armored Division in various aspects, the division commander Schmidt was sitting in his command post, listening to a major below report to him about the sneak attack on the 182nd Division's garrison.

After listening to the major's report, Schmidt said slowly: "Major, since you failed to attack the Russian division headquarters, you should withdraw immediately. Why did you enter the Russian field hospital and slaughtered so many people?" Many wounded."

"Master Commander," the German major didn't expect that his actions would be questioned by Schmidt, so he could only explain: "At that time, we wanted to get rid of the pursuers through the Russian field hospital and retreat quietly to our defense zone. Unexpectedly, before entering the field hospital, he was spotted by the sentinel."

"Major," Schmidt's face turned livid when he learned that the sneak attack troops disguised as the Soviet army were spotted by the sentries guarding the field hospital, "Didn't you say that your disguise is absolutely flawless? Why? Even a Russian sentry can easily see through your disguise?"

"Your Excellency, I don't know what's going on." The major raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, and explained to Schmidt frightened: "I think our disguise is very successful. You know, before leaving If you hadn’t greeted the defenders in advance before your own defense zone, you would have almost started a fight.”

"Since your disguise is so successful, why did the Russians see through it?" After raising this question, Schmidt said with a straight face: "Also, we are soldiers of the Wehrmacht, not the SS. Butcher, how can you attack those wounded who are unarmed and have lost their resistance?"

"Your Excellency, this is completely an accident." Schmidt's questioning made the major sweat even more, and he desperately argued: "The scene was chaotic at the time, and we couldn't tell which were Russians with combat effectiveness and which were Russians." It was the wounded who lost combat effectiveness, so some accidental injuries were inevitable."

   Schmidt didn't delve into the major's explanation. After all, it was during the war. Once the battle started, there was no time to distinguish which targets were threatening to him and which were not. If anyone really did this, I am afraid that they would not survive the moment when the battle ended, and they would be shot to death.

   "Where are the captives you captured now being held?" Schmidt then asked.

"In a wooden house not far from the division headquarters, there are six people in total, all of whom are female health workers." The German soldiers who captured Asia and the others were shot to death in the ensuing battle. The major saw six people They were all dressed in the same clothes, so they were regarded as female hygienists.

   "Since they are all medical staff, there is no threat to us." Schmidt ordered the major, "You send someone to a nearby village to find some villagers, and ask them to send these medical staff back."

  Hearing Schmidt's order, the major was dumbfounded. After a while, he tentatively asked: "Your Excellency, why did you send the prisoners back to the Russians? Since they are all medical staff, we can send them to the POW camp behind without harming them. Let them treat prisoners of war."

"If these prisoners of war were captured from other troops, I will not ask how you deal with them." Schmidt said with a serious expression: "But you captured them from Sokov's troops. Sokov What kind of person is he, don’t you know? If it’s because of a few captives that he’s going to take crazy revenge, I don’t think it’s necessary at all.”

   "Your Excellency, Division Commander," the division chief of staff came in from the outside and reported to Schmidt: "There are several Russians who want to see you."

   "Are there any Russians who want to see me?" Hearing the chief of staff say this, Schmidt showed a surprised expression on his face: "Where are they?"

   "It's just outside the division headquarters." The chief of staff asked Schmidt: "Do you need to let them in?"

   "What, they are outside?" Schmidt asked in surprise: "How did they pass through our defense zone and come outside the headquarters?"

   "They should be scouts lurking near the division headquarters. They came here to see you after receiving orders from their superiors."

  If it was in normal times, Schmidt would definitely be furious when he heard that Soviet scouts appeared nearby, and he might even call in the officer in charge of the division's security work to scold them. But what aroused his interest at the moment was the origin of the Soviet scouts: "Is there anything these Russians want from me?"

   "The leading officer said that he was authorized by Major General Sokov to negotiate with you."

   "Negotiate with me?" Schmidt said in a daze, "What can I talk to him about?"

  The chief of staff didn't have time to ask the scout commander, so he naturally didn't know what the other party was negotiating for. Hearing Schmidt's question at this moment, he couldn't answer, and could only ask back: "Let them in?"

   "Let them come in." After Schmidt gave this order, he added a special sentence: "Before they come in, remember to ask them to surrender their weapons."

   A few minutes later, two Soviet soldiers appeared in front of Schmidt. An officer wearing a second lieutenant's collar badge stepped forward and said to Schmidt neither humble nor overbearing: "General Schmidt, I am Second Lieutenant Rebin. I have been authorized by the commander, Major General Sokov, to negotiate with you."

  The major standing next to Schmidt faithfully translated what the second lieutenant said to Schmidt. After listening, Schmidt asked inexplicably: "What is the content of the negotiation?"

"Your troops attacked our field hospital last night, killing hundreds of innocent wounded and kidnapping six medical staff." Second Lieutenant Lei Bin said without humility: "I have been authorized to use the corpses of those German soldiers , to capture our kidnapped six medical staff."

  Schmidt asked: "Second Lieutenant, you mean that General Sokov is willing to use the bodies of those German soldiers who died in battle to capture the six medical staff we captured?"

   "That's right." Second Lieutenant Lei Bin nodded and replied, "Exactly."

   Dozens of corpses of German officers and soldiers were exchanged for six captured medical staff. The major, who worked as a translator, felt that such a deal seemed strange. After translating what Rebin said, he said to Schmidt in a low voice: "Your Excellency, don't you think there is a problem with this?"

   "Is there a problem?" Schmidt turned to look at the major and asked, "What's the problem?"

   "The Russians were willing to exchange dozens of corpses of German officers and soldiers for six medical staff." The major explained to Schmidt: "I think there must be important people among them."

   "You are right, Mr. Major." When Rebin received Colonel Khokhlov's instructions, he knew that in order to increase the bargaining chip in the negotiation, he could reveal Assia's identity to the Germans. It is believed that after the Germans knew Assia's identity, they did not dare to do anything excessive, otherwise they would wait to bear Sokov's anger. So Lei Bin said truthfully: "Among the six medical staff who were taken away by you, there is indeed an important person."

  Seeing that Second Lieutenant Rebin could speak fluent German, Schmidt couldn't help asking in surprise: "Second Lieutenant, since you can speak German, why do you still need to talk to me through an interpreter?"

   "If you find out that I don't understand German, you can feel free to say a lot of things so I can find out if you're telling the truth or not."

Schmidt directly ignored what Second Lieutenant Rebin said later, but asked directly: "Second Lieutenant, you said that among the six captured medical staff, there was an important person. I want to ask, what important person you mentioned who is it?"

   "Assia, the assistant military doctor." After Rebin said Asiya's name, he added: "She is the wife of our commander, General Sokov."

"Wife?!" Schmidt, who was originally sitting on the seat, jumped up suddenly when he heard Rebin say this: "Second Lieutenant, what are you talking about? Among the six prisoners we captured, one of them is Soko General Husband's wife?"

"That's right." Rebin nodded, and replied affirmatively: "Comrade Asia has been serving as an assistant military doctor in the field hospital of the 182nd Division. During this time, she has saved many people with her superb skills. The lives of the wounded. If the commanders and fighters of the 182nd Division know that she has fallen into your hands, even if the comrade commander does not issue any orders, they will probably not stay in the trenches and do nothing. If something happens uncontrollably What happened, and all the consequences caused, will be borne by you."

  (end of this chapter)