Chapter 1570 Two Tankers

  The frontal counterattack on the landing field, the offensive troops advanced rapidly. While reading the battle report, Sameko checked the place names mentioned above.

After Sameko put down the battle report, he smiled and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, if our troops advance at the current speed, we will be able to wedge into the German defense two to three kilometers deep before dark. "

   Derevyanko on the side heard what Sameko said, and his heart was full of envy. Our own troops were in the northwest of the city and could only carry out a difficult defense. However, the troops of the 27th Army did not counterattack. As soon as they counterattacked, they completely defeated the German defense in the south of the landing field and had the opportunity to wedge into the depth of the German defense. .

   But before Derevyanko could speak, he saw Sokov shaking his head, and then responded to Sameko resolutely: "Comrade Chief of Staff, no, our troops cannot enter the depth of the German defense."

Sameko naturally knew what Sokov was worried about, and reminded him bluntly: "Comrade Commander, because the troops are progressing smoothly, the two divisions we originally planned to participate in the counterattack have not yet been engaged in combat. I think it is entirely possible. Put them all into battle before dark, maybe we can achieve greater results in this way."

Sokov didn't want to destroy a few more enemies, but he knew better that the reason why the counterattack on the landing field went smoothly was nothing more than the fact that the German 1st Army under the command of General Blaskowitz had no experience in fighting against his own troops. He used the tactics he used against other Soviet troops to deal with himself. When you use heavy artillery to bombard the opponent's position, the opponent may think that you are just bluffing to force them to withdraw the left bank troops.

  General Blaskowitz's underestimation of the enemy allowed him to achieve the desired result so easily. If you continue to fight, your troops will definitely be able to achieve results, and even wedge deeper into the German defense line, but it won't be long before the German army recovers and reinforcements arrive. Be a lone army. At that time, not to mention continuing to destroy the enemy, it is still unknown whether he can retreat completely.

It was precisely because of this consideration that Sokov shook his head and said firmly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, when I first formulated the counterattack plan, my principle was a limited counterattack. Now that our combat goal has been achieved, There is no need to create extra problems. In case the German reinforcements come up, our deep defense troops behind the enemy may become a lone army because of being encircled."

Derevyanko, who was standing not far away, approached Managarov and said in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, I think you can persuade General Sokov that the situation is very favorable to our army. If we continue to attack , may be able to achieve greater results."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right." Managarov turned his head to look at Derevyanko, and said in the same low voice: "If the troops of the 27th Army advance to the enemy's defensive area, it may be possible to achieve more Great battle results. But have you considered that although we have no shortage of logistical supplies now, the number we have cannot support us to launch a large-scale offensive operation. If the troops of the 27th Army continue to advance and fall into the encirclement of the enemy , How can they break through the enemy's defenses when ammunition and supplies are insufficient?"

   When Managarov spoke later, because he was a little emotional, he involuntarily raised his voice, which happened to be heard by Sokov. Sokov hurriedly used his topic to continue: "That's right, Comrade General. We can't just see that the situation in front of us is beneficial to us, and then become underestimating the enemy. If it is really because of rash advances, one or two troops will be killed. Surrounded, even wiped out by the Germans. In this way, not only our strength is weakened, but also the morale and morale of the army will be affected.”

  After Sokov explained to everyone the reasons for not expanding the results of the counterattack, everyone began to think about what he said. After thinking about it for a while, I have to admit that the situation he said has a high probability of happening, and when it really comes, it will be joy and sorrow.

Seeing that no one was talking anymore, Sokov told Sameko: "Chief of Staff, send a report to the forward troops and stop advancing after reaching the designated counterattack position. After the follow-up troops arrive and hand over the defense to them, withdraw to the original garrison area."

   When Sameko sent a telegram to the troops on the landing site according to Sokov's order, Lunev walked in from the outside. After greeting Managarov and others, he walked up to Sokov and asked with a smile, "Comrade Commander, are you free now?"

  Sokov did not immediately answer whether he was free, but asked instead: "Comrade Military Commissar, what's the matter?"

   "Come out for a while." Lunev glanced at where Managarov and the others were sitting, and said in a low voice, "There are some soldiers outside who want to see you."

   "Is there a soldier who wants to see me?" When Sokov learned that there was a soldier outside who wanted to see him, his first reaction was to resolutely refuse. Just kidding, I command nearly 100,000 troops. If every soldier who wants to see me goes to meet him, there is no time to do other things.

   At first, the words of refusal came to his lips, but after thinking about it, Lunev asked himself so seriously that maybe these soldiers had extraordinary backgrounds, so he changed his mind temporarily. He stood up and said to Lunev: "Comrade Military Commissar, where are they, show me."

   Lunev saw that Sokov agreed to see the soldiers, and a slight smile appeared on his face: "Comrade Commander, please come with me, and I will take you to meet them."

  The two left the church and walked across the square. Sokov couldn't help asking, "Comrade Military Commissar, where are you going to take me?"

   Lunev smiled lightly and said, "Comrade Commander, don't worry, you'll know where you are."

   Soon, they came to a three-story building with soldiers standing guard at the door. Sokov knew that this was the residence of the 483rd Tank Battalion directly under the Army Group.

Seeing the arrival of Sokov and Lunev, the sentinel standing at the door quickly raised his hand to salute. He probably never dreamed that Sokov would suddenly appear here, so when saluting, he was so nervous that he couldn't even shoot. fell to the ground.

  Sokov couldn't help frowning when he saw the soldier bent down to pick up the gun on the ground in a hurry. But he didn't get angry easily, because the opponent was not a regular infantryman, but just a tank soldier, and he simply said: "Comrade soldier, we just came here for a casual look, don't be so nervous."

  After the two entered the door, Lunev grabbed a passing tank soldier and asked him, "Where is the coca gold?"

  The tank soldier saw that the people standing in front of him were actually the commander and the military commissar, so he couldn't help feeling a little nervous and said: "In the restaurant on the second floor, I just saw him in the restaurant on the second floor."

"Coca gold?!" Sokov heard the name a little familiar, and after the tank soldiers left, he asked Lunev curiously: "Military Commissar, the name you mentioned sounds very familiar, as if I heard it somewhere. "

   "It's right to hear it." Lunev said with a smile: "When you see him, maybe you will recognize him immediately."

   Regarding Lunev's statement, Sokov smiled wryly and shook his head. He didn't think that with his own memory, he could recognize soldiers who had only seen it once or twice at a glance.

  Come to the restaurant on the second floor. As Sokov and Lunev walked into the restaurant, the commanders and fighters who were eating got up one after another and raised their hands to salute Sokov.

After getting up, an officer quickly picked up the big-brimmed hat on the table and put it on his head, ran over to salute Sokov and Lunev, and reported dryly: "Comrade Commander, Comrade Military Commissar, tank Captain Akimov, the commander of the 1st company of the 483rd Battalion, is reporting to you that all the commanders and fighters of the 1st company are eating, please give instructions!"

   "Continue to eat." Lunev waved at Akimov and said, "We are here to find two people, so as not to affect the soldiers' meals."

   Just as Akimov was about to leave, Sokov suddenly stopped him and asked politely, "Comrade Captain, may I ask, where are you from?"

   "I am from Pripyat, Ukraine."

   Lunev saw that Sokov had stopped the company commander without warning, and couldn't help but asked: "Comrade commander, do you know Captain Akimov?"

   "I don't know." Sokov quickly shook his head and denied.

   "Am I allowed to leave?" Akimov asked respectfully.

   "Allowed, of course." Sokov said hastily: "Let the soldiers continue to eat."

  Akimov turned around and returned to his position, and issued a series of passwords to the soldiers standing upright. Following his command, the standing warrior sat down again and continued to bury his head in eating.

   "Comrade Commander," Lunev thought about Sukov's strange behavior just now, and asked tentatively, "Why did you ask the captain where he is from?"

The reason why Sokov asked the captain where he was from was entirely because when he heard his name, he thought of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant decades later. The person responsible for the accident was Akimo husband. However, when he knew that the other party was from Pripyat near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, Sokov changed his mind: Although this person is called Akimov and is also from Pripyat, it does not mean that the other party It is the person responsible for the accident in the future, maybe it is just a coincidence.

  At this moment when Lunev asked, Sokov naturally would not tell him the truth, but said perfunctorily: "Comrade Military Commissar, the captain is directly under our army. Is there anything wrong with knowing some of his personal situation?"

   Lunev felt that Sokov's explanation seemed reasonable, so he didn't continue to ask, but led him to a dining table near the wall.

  The five tank soldiers who had been sitting around the dining table saw Sokov and Lunev coming in front of them. They couldn't sit still, put down the tableware in their hands and stood up.

   "Comrade Commander," Lunev dragged a gray-haired tank sergeant in front of Sokov, and said with a smile, "Look who he is?"

   Sokov stared at the elderly tank sergeant in front of him, feeling that he looked familiar, but in a hurry, he couldn't remember where he had seen him.

   "Comrade Commander," the sergeant saw that Sokov's brows were getting tighter, and he took the initiative to say, "Do you still remember the T-34 tank with the white cross painted on it?"

Sokov's memory was revived with the white cross tank. He pointed at the other party and said with some excitement: "Oh, I remembered, you are the one who drove the tank out of the prisoner-of-war camp...that...that ..." Sokov said here, but still couldn't remember the other party's name.

   Lunev saw the cold sweat on Sokov's forehead, and quickly reminded him: "Coca gold, Sergeant Coco gold."

"Yes, it's Sergeant Gu Kejin." Sokov reached out to hold the other's hand, and said enthusiastically, "The last time we met on the battlefield, you were taken away. I thought there would be no chance to see you again." When it comes to you, I didn't expect to meet you here. By the way, where are your two companions?"

   Hearing Sokov's question, another sergeant, who was slightly younger, stepped forward and replied a little shyly, "Comrade Commander, I am here."

"This is Sergeant Rikov." Lunev was worried that Sokov would not be able to call out the other party's name. In order to avoid his embarrassment, he reminded him first: "After he and Gu Kejin finished the review, after a period of time training, and was reorganized into tank units."

   After shaking hands with Rikov, Sokov took a step back and asked curiously: "I remember there was a girl at that time, where is she now?"

   "Comrade Commander, are you talking about Katayeva?" Gu Kejin said: "She is now in a military hospital in Moscow."

Since Katayeva did not stay in the army, Sokov did not ask any more questions about her, but asked Kokokin curiously: "Comrade Kokokin, I remember the last time I saw you, you were a Chinese Sergeants, they are all sergeants now."

Hearing what Sokov said, Gu Kejin showed a shy expression on his face: "When we were under investigation, we were suddenly notified that what we said had been verified and it was all true. Not only were we released, He also promoted me and Rikov to the military ranks, and then sent them to a training class for a period of time before being reintegrated into the army."

Sokov glanced quickly over the shoulders of the other three soldiers, and found that none of them had military ranks, they were just ordinary soldiers, so he asked Gu Kejin with great interest: "Comrade sergeant, are you the commander of the vehicle now?" ?”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Hearing what Sokov said, Gu Kejin replied proudly: "I am the commander of the tank now. And the tank we are driving is the latest T-34/85 tank. He thought that Sokov didn't understand this new type of T-34 tank, and he took the initiative to introduce, "The previous tank only had four crew members, but now one has been added, and it has become five."

"Comrade Sergeant," Lunev said with a smile, "You may not know that this new type of tank was developed by the commander during the Battle of Stalingrad with engineers from the Red October factory. "

  Gu Kejin's eyes widened, and he said in surprise: "I really didn't expect that Comrade Commander knows how to improve tanks."

  Sokov just smiled slightly after hearing this, and then asked: "Are there still telephones installed behind the tanks today?"

"No, at least my tank doesn't have one." After Gu Kejin finished speaking, he noticed that Sokov's eyebrows were furrowed again. He immediately realized that it was Sokov's idea to install a phone on the tank, so he quickly added : "Comrade Commander, although our tanks are not equipped with telephones, during training in Moscow, telephones were installed on the back of the tanks used for training."

  (end of this chapter)