Chapter 1806

"Commanders," Konev said without hesitation after the other party had finished speaking, "Have you ever thought that our current soldiers and ammunition are insufficient, and the Germans are also facing the same problem. If you want to Wait until the replenishment given by the superior arrives, and the replenishment of soldiers and ammunition is completed, before launching an attack on the enemy. By then, the enemy has already completed the replenishment and rest. If we want to defeat them, we will inevitably pay huge casualties."

  The commanders present heard what Konev said, and after careful consideration, it was true. While their own troops are replenished with soldiers and ammunition, the Germans will not be idle, and will definitely replenish them. After both sides have completed replenishment and rest, before launching an attack on the enemy's defense zone, it is bound to increase the casualties of the troops.

Seeing that the commanders were silent, Konev understood that they were thinking about what he said, so he said while the iron was hot: "The reason why we are about to launch the Uman campaign this time is so hasty is entirely because the Germans have We have acquired weapons that can carry out long-range strikes against us. Just think about it, the Germans can launch missiles at our defense area every day, and we have no way to fight back, so we can only be beaten passively. In order to prevent this from happening, we It was necessary to surprise the Germans and destroy their missile bases in Uman before they could complete their new defenses..."

Hearing this, Sokov could not help but smile wryly in his heart, secretly saying that the German missile launch sites could be moved at any time. Even if Uman and Vinnytsia were liberated, it did not mean that the German missile launch sites were destroyed, and they could be transferred to other places. The city continued to carry out long-range attacks on the Soviet defense zone.

  However, he did not point this out to Konev in public, but quietly listened to Konev's arrangement, secretly wondering whether the other party would hand over the task of attacking Uman to his troops.

Unexpectedly, he thought so, and saw Konev's eyes fall on himself, and then heard the other party say: "Comrade Sokov, I plan to let your army group take the lead in this battle of Uman. You have a problem." ?"

   After Konev finished speaking, Sokov stood up slowly, and said slowly: "Comrade Marshal, if we attack the enemy with the current strength of our army, it will be tantamount to suicide."

  Konev probably never dreamed that Sokov would say such a thing. According to his thinking, when Sokov heard himself asking this question, he would definitely answer loudly after getting up: "There is no question." Hearing the answer he least wanted to hear, Konev frowned and looked at Sokov Kefu asked with some displeasure, "Comrade Sokov, when do you think that when you attack the Germans, you don't let your commanders commit suicide?"

Sokov heard the anger in Konev's voice, realized that he had misunderstood, and quickly explained: "Comrade Marshal, my superiors just gave me a batch of weapons and equipment, and they are currently in transit. I am afraid I will have to wait another four or five days." The time will come. As soon as this batch of equipment arrives, I will be able to arm all the commanders and fighters, thereby enhancing the combat effectiveness of the troops."

  After listening to Sokov's explanation, Konev realized that he had wronged him. He coughed heavily, cleared his throat, and asked, "Comrade Sokov, how many days do you need to prepare?"

  Sokov made some calculations in his heart, and felt that it would take four or five days for Yakov to prepare the weapons and equipment for himself. Then he replied: "Comrade Marshal, I think it may take four or five days."

"No, four or five days is too long." Konev shook his head and said, "We will launch an attack on the enemy in six days. If you wait for the weapons and equipment to arrive, then move to the designated location and wait until the location , I am afraid that the commanders and fighters have been exhausted for a long time, how can they still have the strength to fight the enemy?"

"Comrade Marshal," Sokov said: "While waiting for the arrival of weapons and equipment, our troops will actively prepare for combat, and some troops may even drive to the designated place first and receive new equipment there. .”

   "That's fine." Konev felt that what Sokov said was reasonable. Although the weapons and equipment were not in place yet, it was entirely possible for the troops to go to the designated area first, where they could receive and familiarize themselves with the equipment. "Then do as you say."

Zakharov waited for Konev to finish speaking, then interjected and asked: "Comrade Sokov, how is the performance of the team you sent to the enemy's rear these two days? We don't seem to have received any information from them. "

  The chief of staff of the front army actually directly asked about the small unit sent by the following troops to the enemy's rear, which made the commanders present very puzzled. But only Sokov knew in his heart that what the other party was actually asking was why the troops carrying the new rockets had not yet attacked the German missile launch base.

   Sokov, who also didn't get any reply, knew very well in his heart that if the enemy's squad remains silent, it means that they have not yet reached the location for reconnaissance. After organizing the vocabulary in his mind, he replied: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, I haven't contacted the dispatched squad yet. According to my analysis, they should still be on the march at this moment."

   "What happened, why is the speed so slow?" Zakharov said displeased after hearing this: "Don't you know that the longer the delay, the greater the threat to our army from the Germans?"

Faced with Zakharov's harsh tone, Sokov was a little bit apologetic for his subordinates, so he retorted: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, you cannot blame the comrades in the squad. After all, our defense zone is far away from Uman. It’s too far away, and you have to pass through many German defense areas along the way, as long as you can arrive at the designated location within three days, it will be very remarkable.”

Just when Zakharov wanted to teach Sokov a few words, Konev raised his hand to stop him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, General Sokov is right, it is indeed too far from his defense zone to the Uman area." In order to avoid being discovered by the enemy, the scouts have to go out at night and day, so naturally it will take more time."

Although Konev said good things for Sokov, he finally told him: "General Sokov, since your group army is the first echelon of the offensive, you must all arrive at the designated position on March 8. How about it?" , is there any difficulty?"

   "No difficulty, Comrade Marshal." Sokov readily agreed this time, "I guarantee that all the troops will arrive at the designated location within the specified time."

  Konev nodded, and when he was about to speak, a staff officer suddenly walked in from the door. He came to Zakharov's side, bent slightly, approached Zakharov's ear, and whispered a few words.

   "What's the matter?" Seeing the unexpected visitor, Konev said with a straight face and a stern tone: "Didn't you see that we are having a meeting?"

  The staff officer hurriedly faced Konev, straightened his back and said, "Report to Comrade Marshal. I just received a telegram from the Supreme Command. I think it is necessary to report to Comrade Chief of Staff."

   "A telegram from the Supreme Command?" Konev had a surprised expression on his face: "What does it say?"

  The staff officer looked at the many commanders present, hesitant to speak. Konev slapped the table with his hand, and said sharply: "There are no outsiders here, if there is anything, just say it."

"Comrade Marshal," replied the somewhat nervous staff officer: "The telegram from the Supreme Command stated that in order to strengthen the strength of the 53rd Army, the 3rd and 4th Guards Airborne Divisions were to be placed under the command of the 18th Guards Infantry Army. The new troops will arrive at their designated locations by today at the latest."

   Today's 53rd Army has three armies, namely the 18th Guards Army, the 49th and 57th Infantry Army. The two infantry corps each had three infantry divisions, while the 18th Guards Army had only one 41st Guards Division. At this moment, when he heard that his superiors were going to send two Guards Airborne Divisions to replenish the 18th Guards Corps, Sokov, who felt that he had been hit by a piece of pizza falling from the sky on his head, immediately beamed with joy.

   "The 3rd and 4th Guards Airborne Divisions?" Konev couldn't believe it when he heard the news. He looked at the staff and asked, "Is the news reliable?"

   "Totally reliable." The staff officer said as he pulled out the folder under his arm, opened it, took out a telegram from it, and handed it to Konev: "This is a telegram from the Supreme Command."

  Konev took a look, and sure enough, as the staff said, the Supreme Command assigned two Guards airborne divisions to Sokov's 53rd Army and directly incorporated them into the 18th Guards Army.

"Congratulations, General Sokov." Konev handed the telegram to Sokov, and said with a smile: "In this way, you don't have to worry about the lack of troops. And as far as I know , These two airborne divisions have made great achievements on the battlefield, and I believe they will become the elite of your army in a short time."

  The other commanders present, knowing that the Supreme Command had added two divisions to the 53rd Army, couldn't help casting envious glances at Sokov. Although I felt a little sour in my heart, I still stepped forward to congratulate Sokov.

  After the meeting, Sokov and Smirnov got in the car and hurried back to the Army Group Command, intending to tell the good news to the military commissar Gorokhov who stayed at the headquarters.

   Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the headquarters, Sokov saw Ponedelin, Gorokhov and others talking to three strange officers. Sokov was a little curious about who these people were, so he greeted Gorokhov: "Comrade Military Commissar, who are these commanders?"

"Comrade Commander, you are back!" Gorokhov saw Sokov appearing, with a surprised expression on his face, he stepped forward to shake Sokov's hand, and then pulled his people to the place where the three of them stood. In front of him, he introduced to him: "I have some good news to tell you that the Supreme Command has added two Guards Airborne Divisions to our army to supplement the 18th Guards Infantry Army, which has only one Guards division."

  He pointed to one of the major generals and introduced to Sokov: "Come and meet him, this is the new commander of the 18th Guards Rifle Corps, Major General Afunin."

   "Hello, Commander Afunin." Sokov stepped forward to hold Afunin's hand and said friendlyly, "Welcome to be one of us."

   Next, Gorokhov introduced a colonel who looked to be in his forties: "This is Colonel Konev, commander of the 3rd Guards Airborne Division."

"Konev?!" Sokov heard that the colonel had the same surname as Marshal Konev, and couldn't help joking: "Comrade Colonel, I didn't expect you to have the same surname as Marshal Konev. What a coincidence, maybe In the future you will also be a marshal."

   When the middle-aged colonel heard what Sokov said, he first laughed, and then said: "Comrade commander, I never thought about being a marshal. I only hope that I can live until the day of victory."

   Sokov almost blurted out that there was only one year left before the end of the war. Fortunately, he realized this low-level mistake in time, swallowed the words that came to his lips in time, and swallowed them again: "Don't worry, Colonel Konev. Although I can't guarantee that everyone will live to the day of victory, I will But we can try our best to let all the commanders above the regiment level live to see the banner of victory flying over the Nazi lair."

  Sokov's words made Colonel Konev excited: "Comrade Commander, can I really live to see the day of victory?"

   "Of course." Sokov didn't know whether the 53rd Army under his command, after Konev became the commander of the Ukrainian First Front Army, could continue to fight under his command and become the force that conquered Berlin. But in order to let the commanders under him have full confidence in victory, he replied with such an expression: "I think everyone in this room should be able to see the day of victory."

   After getting to know Major General Rumyantsev, commander of the 4th Guards Airborne Division, Sokov looked at Ponedelin and asked, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, have you informed General Kurishenko, commander of the 41st Guards Airborne Division?"

"No."

   "Why didn't you notify?" Sokov said with a straight face: "Since the commander of the 18th Guards Army has taken office, should Kurishenko come to meet his new superior?"

   "I will call General Kurishenko immediately and ask him to rush to the headquarters immediately."

Taking advantage of the time when Ponegerin was calling the 41st Guards Division, Sokov said to Afunin: "Commander Afunin, in the original establishment of our 18th Guards Army, there was only one 1st Guards Division. 41st Division. Seeing that a war is about to start, I am still wondering whether the Guards should be the first echelon of the offensive, or should they stay behind as a reserve team.”

"Comrade Commander," Afunin waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and said respectfully, "The two guard airborne divisions I brought this time are troops with illustrious military exploits. Combat experience. You can safely and boldly put us into the first echelon, I believe I will not let you down."

Smirnov, who had been listening for a long time, interjected: "Comrade commander, I believe what General Afunin said. The officers and soldiers in the airborne troops are all well-trained, and the soldiers lost in the battle are directly Recruiting recruits from other units instead of recruiting recruits without any combat experience, so their combat effectiveness is never diluted by replenishment."

   It was the first time Sokov heard of the fact that the airborne troops were directly transferred from the combat troops to supplement the troops after the battle losses. However, he feels that this method of replenishing troops is the most effective way to maintain the combat effectiveness of the troops. As soon as the replenishment is completed, they can immediately go into battle. Unlike the recruits recruited temporarily, even after a few months of training and going to the battlefield, their combat effectiveness is still not reassuring.

  (end of this chapter)