"Misha, you are right." Zhukov agreed very much with what Sokov said: "Without air supremacy, the combat effectiveness of our army will be greatly reduced. During the Battle of Stalingrad, why were we in the north of the city? Several large-scale attacks launched ended in failure because the attacking troops lost air supremacy. Even if the situation on the battlefield was favorable to our army, as soon as the enemy's planes appeared and bombed the attacking troops indiscriminately, they would be destroyed. It will cause a setback to our offense."
After hearing what Zhukov said, Sokov couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope: as long as he had the cooperation of the air force, there would be no need to worry about the German troops attacking the city. At that time, as soon as the enemy's artillery positions or tank assembly points are discovered, the air force can be called immediately to attack and destroy the enemy.
Without the cover of tanks and artillery, it would be extremely difficult for the German army to break through the Soviet defenses. By then, their chances of holding the city would be greatly increased.
He tentatively asked Zhukov: "Comrade General, I wonder if the Air Force can provide us with air cover?"
"Misha, I am here this time as a representative of the base camp." To Sokov's question, Zhukov did not answer immediately, but said with a smile: "If I want to command any nearby troops, I can also Isn’t it just a matter of one sentence?”
Sokov was immediately relieved. Since Zhukov appeared here as a representative of the base camp, as long as he gave the order, I believe no one would dare to disobey the order, so his request for air cover would be equivalent to his agreement.
"Great, this is really great." Sokov said excitedly: "With air cover, no matter how many enemies come, we can have a good fight with them."
"There are ten aviation divisions under the Eighth Army of the Air Force. I can order one or two of them to obey your command." Zhukov looked at Sokov and said: "I hope your performance will not disappoint me. otherwise,……"
Although Zhukov did not say "otherwise", Sokov understood that the outcome would definitely be bad. Even if he was not sent to a military court, he would probably be dismissed from his post. He quickly promised: "Comrade General, please rest assured, I will not let you down."
But soon, Sokov thought of a key question: "Comrade General, I have a question. Since the Southwest Front has an air force group, why is there no air cover provided for the troops of the Southwest Front?"
"The reason is very simple." Zhukov said with a bitter look on his face: "The headquarters of the Eighth Army of the Air Force is too far away from the combat area of the Southwest Front Army, more than a thousand kilometers away. By the time the plane arrives at the battlefield, the fuel has been almost consumed, so what else can be done? Fight enemy aircraft, or provide air cover for ground forces?”
"So that's it." Sokov immediately understood that the reason why Zhukov agreed to the Air Force providing him with air cover was entirely because his location was within the combat radius of the Eighth Air Force Army, so that he could unscrupulously agree to provide him with air cover. Provide air cover yourself.
"Telegram, telegram!" A communications staff officer rushed over waving a telegram and reported excitedly to Sokov: "Comrade division commander, this is a telegram from Colonel Bely. The 1st Tank Battalion has successfully broken through the enemy's defensive position. , and joined forces with the friendly forces coming from the opposite side."
"The troops have joined forces. This is good news." Zhukov snatched the telegram from the staff and checked it carefully: "Yes, the troops have indeed joined forces. Colonel Bely also saw General Popov with his own eyes."
When Zhukov returned the telegram to Sokov, he asked curiously: "Misha, why did the staff officer just call you division commander?"
"That's it, Comrade General." Now that Bely's troops have joined forces with Popov and the others, Sokov feels particularly good. He explained to Zhukov with a smile: "The staff officers and communications corps here are all from close range. The 41st Guards Division. Although I am now the commander of the combat group, I am also the commander of the 41st Guards Division, so they are still used to calling me the division commander."
"So that's what happened. I thought the staff officer made the wrong call in a moment of excitement." After Zhukov said this, he waved his big hand and said to Sokov: "Let's go to meet General Popov. "
"Misha, you are right." Zhukov agreed very much with what Sokov said: "Without air supremacy, the combat effectiveness of our army will be greatly reduced. During the Battle of Stalingrad, why were we in the north of the city? Several large-scale attacks launched ended in failure because the attacking troops lost air supremacy. Even if the situation on the battlefield was favorable to our army, as soon as the enemy's planes appeared and bombed the attacking troops indiscriminately, they would be destroyed. It will cause a setback to our offense."
After hearing what Zhukov said, Sokov couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope: as long as he had the cooperation of the air force, there would be no need to worry about the German troops attacking the city. At that time, as soon as the enemy's artillery positions or tank assembly points are discovered, the air force can be called immediately to attack and destroy the enemy.
Without the cover of tanks and artillery, it would be extremely difficult for the German army to break through the Soviet defenses. By then, their chances of holding the city would be greatly increased.
He tentatively asked Zhukov: "Comrade General, I wonder if the Air Force can provide us with air cover?"
"Misha, I am here this time as a representative of the base camp." To Sokov's question, Zhukov did not answer immediately, but said with a smile: "If I want to command any nearby troops, I can also Isn’t it just a matter of one sentence?”
Sokov was immediately relieved. Since Zhukov appeared here as a representative of the base camp, as long as he gave the order, I believe no one would dare to disobey the order, so his request for air cover would be equivalent to his agreement.
"Great, this is really great." Sokov said excitedly: "With air cover, no matter how many enemies come, we can have a good fight with them."
"There are ten aviation divisions under the Eighth Army of the Air Force. I can order one or two of them to obey your command." Zhukov looked at Sokov and said: "I hope your performance will not disappoint me. otherwise,……"
Although Zhukov did not say "otherwise", Sokov understood that the outcome would definitely be bad. Even if he was not sent to a military court, he would probably be dismissed from his post. He quickly promised: "Comrade General, please rest assured, I will not let you down."
But soon, Sokov thought of a key question: "Comrade General, I have a question. Since the Southwest Front has an air force group, why is there no air cover provided for the troops of the Southwest Front?"
"The reason is very simple." Zhukov said with a bitter look on his face: "The headquarters of the Eighth Army of the Air Force is too far away from the combat area of the Southwest Front Army, more than a thousand kilometers away. By the time the plane arrives at the battlefield, the fuel has been almost consumed, so what else can be done? Fight enemy aircraft, or provide air cover for ground forces?”
"So that's it." Sokov immediately understood that the reason why Zhukov agreed to the Air Force providing him with air cover was entirely because his location was within the combat radius of the Eighth Air Force Army, so that he could unscrupulously agree to provide him with air cover. Provide air cover yourself.
