Chapter 2009 Encirclement and Annihilation War (Part 2)

Just as Sokov assigned combat missions to his subordinates, von Ludtsov, commander of the 35th Army of the German Army, received an order from the commander of the 9th Army, asking him to lead the troops to Bobruisk at all costs. Or break out in the direction of Pogoliere in the north and rush to join the 4th Army.

   After receiving the order, von Ludtsov immediately summoned his subordinates for an emergency military meeting. It was suggested at the meeting that since all roads were blocked by the Russians, it was obviously unrealistic for mechanized troops to break out along the roads. Therefore, the best solution is to blow up all the technical equipment, and then carry out the breakout operation to the north.

The suggestion of his subordinates was adopted by von Ludtsov. He immediately issued an order to blow up all technical equipment including tanks and armored vehicles. Taking advantage of the fact that the encirclement of the Soviet army had just been formed and was not yet secure, the whole army was lightly armed Break through from the north and rush to join the 4th Army.

   As soon as the explosion on their camp sounded, it was discovered by the forward observation of the 48th Army. The observation post immediately called Sokov's army headquarters to report the loud explosion it had heard.

After answering the phone, Sidolin reported to Sokov, and finally asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, tell me, what's the matter with the explosion sound from the enemy's defense zone? Could it be that our friendly forces are shelling the enemy?" ?"

"I don't think so." Sokov shook his head and expressed his guess: "I think the enemy may want to run, but considering that the road is blocked by our army, they will choose to blow up their own technology." Equipment, and then lightly pack to break through."

"The Germans have a pretty good idea." Pornegelin added: "The Germans thought that they could break through the encirclement with ease by blowing up the technical standards. Where can there be such a good thing? In the direction of their breakthrough, I don't know how many more Our troops are opening their nets and waiting for them to drill in."

"I'm going to make a call to Comrade General and tell him the situation here." Sokov said, picked up the high-frequency phone in front of him, dialed a number, and immediately said bluntly after hearing someone talking on the receiver: "Hello, I am Sokov, Commander of the 48th Army. I have something important to report to Comrade General Command immediately."

   Soon, Rokossovsky's voice came from the receiver: "Misha, it's me! You call me, is there anything important?"

"Yes, Comrade General, I have very important information and I want to report it to you." Sokov said into the microphone: "My observation post reported to me that they heard a huge explosion coming from the enemy's defense zone .”

   "A huge explosion?" Rokossovsky asked in confusion after hearing this, "Misha, what does this mean?"

   "Comrade General, according to my judgment." Sokov said: "The sound of the explosion should be made by the German army blowing up tanks and armored vehicles."

   "Why did they blow up tanks and armored vehicles?" Rokossovsky asked noncommittally: "You know, if they want to break out, tanks and armored vehicles will provide them with the necessary fire support."

"If they are not encircled by our army, use tanks and armored vehicles to open the way in front and open a passage for the follow-up troops." Although Sokov knew very well that he could think of problems, Rokossovsky naturally I would think of it, but I still said my thoughts truthfully: "But judging from the current situation, the encircled enemies have lost their supply lines, that is, the tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery they rely on will have nothing to do after losing supplies. The ammunition and fuel used, not to mention guiding the infantry to break through, it would be nice to be able to break through alone.

   If they want to continue to break out, they have to throw away the technical equipment that has run out of ammunition and fuel. But in order to prevent these things from falling into the hands of our army, we can only choose to blow them up. "

   "That's right, Misha, your analysis makes sense." Rokossovsky asked, "Then tell me, what should we do?"

  "Since the Germans want to blow up their technical equipment and run away, I think we can help them and blow up more thoroughly."

   "More thorough?" Rokossovsky asked in surprise, "How can it be more thorough?"

"I suggest dispatching the air force to bomb the technical equipment in the German defense zone, and by the way, their infantry." Sokov said excitedly: "As long as the German army is completely lost in the bombing, then our army will take the opportunity to launch an attack." , the greatest price can be obtained with the least casualties.”

   "I see, Misha." Rokossovsky waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and said politely: "I'll order someone to understand the situation first, and then decide whether to adopt your suggestion."

Hearing that Rokossovsky did not give himself an affirmative answer, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but he still bit the bullet and said: "Okay, Comrade General, you should send someone to check first to see if the enemy They are blowing up their technical equipment and preparing to break out to the north."

  Rokossovsky put down the phone, called Malinin to him and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you should immediately contact the observation post at the front and ask them if they have heard anything unusual."

   "Strange movement?!" Ma Lining asked in a daze, "Comrade Commander, do you know what the strange movement is?"

   "Chief of Staff, you only need to convey my order, the rest, the commanders below know what to do."

   "Okay, I will contact the forward observation post immediately to see if there is any unusual movement."

   A few minutes later, Malinin reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Commander, I have figured it out. In the defense zone of the German 35th Army, there was a huge explosion..."

   "Huge explosion!" Rokossovsky smiled and asked Ma Linin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, tell me, what does the explosion from the 35th Army defense area indicate?"

   "I have learned that no troops have shelled the 35th Army's defense area, so this huge explosion can only show that the enemy is blowing up something on a large scale."

   "Then tell me, what could it be?"

Ma Linin grinned and said: "If I'm not wrong, it should be their technical equipment. If they fight on the plains, their tanks and armored vehicles will pose a huge threat to us. But here, their mechanized troops If you want to break out with these equipment, as long as our army blocks the front and rear roads, the tanks and armored vehicles will be paralyzed on the road like a dead snake, and they will be blown to pieces by our planes as if they were targets."

"You are right, since the enemy is going to blow up their tanks, armored vehicles and artillery, we might as well help them." Rokossovsky told Ma Linin: "Call the Air Force immediately and ask them to launch a bombing attack." Fighter planes, carry out air strikes on the enemy's armored units. After blowing up these technical equipment, they will bomb and straf the infantry who have lost the cover of tanks and armored vehicles, consuming their vital strength."

Just when Malinin was about to call the commander of the air force, Rokossovsky stopped him again and asked: "By the way, call General Gorbatov and say that the enemy may come from Bobruisk To break out of the siege in the north, now only General Baharov's tank army is active there, lacking the necessary infantry cooperation, let him send at least one infantry division to rush for reinforcements."

  Malinin agreed, picked up the phone and called the Air Force 16th Army Command, and conveyed Rokossovsky's order to bomb the German 35th Army defense area to the Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Rudenko.

After listening to Malinen's phone call, Rudenko assured him: "Don't worry, General Malinin, I will immediately send two air regiments to carry out intensive air assaults on the defense area of ​​the German 35th Army, and try my best to destroy the enemy. ground targets."

  After calling Rudenko, Malinin followed Rokossovsky's instructions and connected the 3rd Army Command.

  The 3rd Army Headquarters was in a busy scene. The staff officer who answered the phone, because of his impatience, his voice was a little loud: "Hello, who is it?"

   "I am General Ma Linin, Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Ma Linin did not argue with the other party, but ordered: "Let General Gorbatov answer the phone."

   When the staff officer learned that Ma Linin was looking for Gorbatov, he didn't dare to neglect, so he hurriedly transferred the call.

   "Hello, General Malinin." Gorbatov asked politely, "May I ask if Comrade Commander has any new combat missions that should be handed over to our army?"

"That's right, General Gorbatov." Malinin said, "Analysed from various signs, the German 35th Army may break out from the north of Bobruisk and flee to Mogilev. Now there is only Baba in that direction. General Harov's tank army is active, its strength is too thin, and there is no infantry support. The commander orders you to send at least one division to strengthen the defense there."

   "General Ma Linin, the only force I can use now is the 108th Infantry Division. I wonder if this strength is enough?"

"Enough, enough." Malinin nodded and said, "The air force is about to launch an intensive bombardment of the German 35th Army and destroy all their technical equipment. You just need to control both sides of the road leading to Mogilev. , can block their escape route to the north.”

  After receiving the order, Gorbatov immediately called Major General Teremov, the commander of the 108th Division, and asked him to immediately send troops to occupy both sides of the road leading to Mogilev to prevent the German army from breaking out from this direction.

While Rokossovsky and Malinin were deploying the bombing of the German army and strengthening the defense forces in the north, the 109th Infantry Division under Sokov launched an attack on the bridge over the Berezina River, trying to get the German army to attack. After capturing the bridge in your hand, rush along the road to the city.

  The 1st Battalion of the German 21st Armored Regiment, which was in charge of standing here, discovered that the Soviet army was attacking towards the bridge. Battalion Commander Schultz immediately mobilized three tank companies to launch a frenzied counterattack against the Soviet attacking troops.

  According to his vision, the attacking Soviet army did not have the cooperation of tanks, and did not even have prior artillery preparations. As long as he charged first, he would be able to preemptively defeat the Soviet attacking troops.

If other Soviet troops are attacking the bridge at this moment, it may cause panic in the face of the tanks rushing over. After all, there is no infantry unit with enough anti-tank fighters. When encountering German tanks, it will become one-sided. massacre.

  But the 109th Infantry Division, which was responsible for the offensive mission, before the offensive began, Sokov equipped them with enough rocket launchers. These things are the nemesis of German tanks. Next, it's time for the German tankers to feel the power of the Soviet rocket launchers.

  The German tank crews who launched an attack on the Soviet army looked at the infantry line approaching them through the observation hole, and felt that the opponent was simply vulnerable. When the Soviet troops were still 800 meters away, the tanks slowed down one after another and stopped one by one, preparing to fire shells at this position to bombard the Soviet offensive formation. If the lucky Soviet army rushed to the front, they would greet them with machine guns on the car.

  But what the German tank soldiers did not expect was that they had already entered the ambush circle of the Soviet anti-tank fighters without knowing it. Twelve anti-tank fighters carrying rocket launchers had already aimed at the approaching German tanks.

   Now seeing the German tank stop at a distance of more than 100 meters from him, the commander of the anti-tank company immediately gave the order to fire. As the order was issued, the twelve fire dragons burst out one after another, and the scorching tail flames evaporated a white steam from the mud behind the shooter.

   There was a loud bang soaring into the sky, making it almost impossible to tell whether it was an explosion or a series of explosions. Of the 12 rockets fired in the first round, 8 hit the target. The rockets penetrated the armor of the Panzer IV, causing the internal ammunition to explode. The turrets of two of them were lifted off directly, and quickly spun and landed tens of meters behind. Fortunately, there is no infantry following here, otherwise it will definitely turn into a ball of meat if it is hit by the turret.

  Seeing the German tanks that were invincible not long ago, now the flames were soaring into the sky, and the smoke was billowing, the soldiers of the anti-tank company couldn't help cheering. But they were not proud of it. After quickly completing the loading, they fired rockets at the remaining tanks again.

  Following a round of rockets, they flew towards the German tanks as if they didn't need money, blowing up the German tank formation to a horrible sight. In less than five minutes, the front of the anti-tank position was full of flames and burning smoke, and the shrapnel from the explosion of the ammunition even fell on the position of the anti-tank company. Concealment, so that it was not injured by shrapnel.

  Three companies of German tanks, about 60 of them, were hit head-on by the Soviet anti-tank company, hurriedly fired a few shots at the Soviet infantry formation in the distance, and then drove away in reverse.

  In this small-scale encounter, twenty-one German tanks were destroyed and two were injured. The casualties caused by the firing of these tanks on the Soviet army were only three people were killed and seven people were injured, and the casualties were so weak that they could be ignored.

  The commander of the 109th Division, who was supervising the battle behind, saw that the anti-tank company repelled the attack of the German tanks so easily, and his eyes widened in surprise. According to his thinking, charging towards the enemy's tank group without tank cover and artillery support is undoubtedly an act of death.

But the actual situation is that after the German tanks were ambushed by the anti-tank company, they lost one-third of the tanks in just a few minutes, and the remaining tanks retreated to their original starting positions in despair. .

   Seeing this situation, the chief of staff of the division asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, didn't the superiors order us to feign an attack? Now that the German tank troops have been repelled so easily, what should we do next?"

"What else can we do? Of course continue to attack." The division commander said excitedly: "If the Germans are really vulnerable, then we will turn the feint into the main attack and rush into Bobruisk ahead of other troops. "

  (end of this chapter)