After receiving the delivered artillery shells, the German artillery regiment continued to violently bombard the Soviet positions. The Soviet commanders and fighters in the position, at the beginning of the artillery bombardment, just like the last time, withdrew along the communication trench to the anti-slope position.
Tansen stood on a hill, holding up his binoculars and looking at the Soviet position that was blown into a sea of flames. He turned to a staff officer standing nearby and said: "Lieutenant, do you think that under such a violent shelling, the Soviet positions on the position will be damaged?" Will the Russians survive?"
"If it is the Russians' solid defense fortifications, our artillery attack of this scale may only destroy some of their fortifications, but it will be difficult to cause them too many casualties." The staff officer replied: "But the Russians now only have simple field battles. Fortifications, under such a fierce shelling, I am afraid not many people can survive.”
After hearing this, Tansen snorted heavily, and then said coldly: "Our last shelling was as fierce as now. But when our attack started, the Russians who should have been wiped out by artillery fire were actually They appeared out of nowhere and caused huge casualties to our attacking troops."
The staff officer stared at the hills shrouded in fire and smoke in the distance, frowned and thought for a while, and said to Tansen: "Mr. Flag Captain, when our army is bombarded by Russians, we will withdraw our troops from the first line to the second line. Do you think the Russians do the same thing?"
The staff officer's statement immediately aroused Tansen's vigilance. He thought that after the last shelling, the troops launched an attack before the smoke on the hill had cleared. If the Russian troops did withdraw to the second line, they would not have enough time to get into defensive positions.
Tansen shook his head and said: "This is impossible. If the Russians really moved to the second line position, when our army launched the attack, they would not have enough time to return to the position."
Seeing that Tansen denied his guess, the staff officer continued: "Could there be hidden fortifications somewhere we can't see? Every time we start shelling, the Russians hide in those fortifications. Waiting for the shelling After that, they quickly moved into defensive positions."
"Well, it's possible." Tansen remembered that Sokov's troops were known for being good at defense. There were so many troops attacking Mamayev Heights, but no troops had ever successfully occupied it. If they still rely on fortifications for defense this time, it will be extremely difficult for them to continue to advance.
At this moment, Tansen began to secretly regret in his heart. If he had obeyed Hauser's order earlier, handed over the combat area here to the 230th Infantry Division, and followed the main force to advance towards Prokhorovka, he might have broken through the Russians long ago. line of defense. But it was too late to regret it now. He made a promise to Hauser that he must capture Shumakovo. No matter how difficult the next battle was, he could only fight hard.
After the hour-long bombardment ended, it took a full ten minutes for the smoke that shrouded the hills to gradually become thinner. Through the telescope, Tansen saw that the fortifications above were basically destroyed in the shelling, and ordered the troops who were already preparing to attack the hills controlled by the Soviet army.
But the result was the same as last time. The charge launched by the German army was repulsed by the Soviet army that suddenly appeared. After leaving corpses strewn all over the slope, they retreated to the starting point of the attack in dejection.
Zhukov, who was staying at the headquarters, learned that the two German attacks had been repelled by the defenders standing on the front line, so he asked Sokov: "Misha, the enemy's attacks have been repelled twice by you. I want to ask you, when do you plan to attack the enemy?"
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov replied with a smile: "My roundabout troops have just entered the designated position, and the commanders and soldiers have already become exhausted after a long march. I plan to wait for them to rest for a while, and then start from the enemy." It’s not too late to launch an attack from behind.”
"Then how long do you plan to rest the troops?" Zhukov has been staying at the headquarters, and he is very clear about the series of orders issued by Sokov. But so far, Sokov's orders have only directed how to defend, and there are no orders related to offense.
"I plan to wait until it is almost dark before ordering the troops to attack." Seeing Zhukov waiting for him to attack the Imperial Division, Sokov explained to him: "The battle will not last long, and it will be dark. By then the enemy will The aircraft, tanks and artillery are ineffective, but the weapons we are equipped with can give us an advantage in close combat with the enemy."
Seeing that the enemy's two attacks were repelled, Zhukov originally wanted Sokov to launch a comprehensive counterattack. But after hearing what he said, I think what he said makes sense. When attacking during the day, the most worrying thing is being bombed by enemy planes. Many attacks that were originally advantageous in the past were because the air control on the battlefield was in the hands of the Germans. After some indiscriminate bombing, the Soviet offensive collapsed. . If you attack near dark, not only will the enemy be unable to send out its air force to support the ground troops, but the ground troops will also become exhausted due to the long battle. Choosing this time to attack will achieve the greatest results.
After a period of silence, Zhukov asked: "Which troops are you going to order to launch a counterattack?"
Sokov pointed to a position on the map and said to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, one of my infantry brigades and two marine brigades have arrived at this position. When it gets dark, they will first face it from the front. The enemy attacks."
"Three brigade-level units," Zhukov said thoughtfully after seeing clearly the unit numbers marked on the map: "If there is no unified command, then after the battle starts, I am afraid it will fall into chaos. When the time comes, each will fight. It’s difficult to form effective coordination, and the Germans may defeat them one by one.”
"Don't worry, Comrade Marshal." In response to Zhukov's worries, Sokov said with a smile: "When the counterattack begins, please and my military commissar, General Lunev, stay at the headquarters, and I will personally command the three brigades. Launch an attack on the enemy."
After listening to Sokov's arrangements, Zhukov shook his head and said with some laughter and tears: "Misha, are you the marshal or am I the marshal? A major general actually commands a marshal. I'm afraid it won't even tell anyone. Someone believe it."
"Comrade Marshal," seeing that Zhukov seemed reluctant to stay here to help him control the overall situation, Sokov quickly said with a smile: "My chief of staff and several other troops are still marching on the road. If he is here, I will I definitely won’t trouble you…”
"Okay, okay, stop talking." Zhukov waved his hand to interrupt Sokov's words before he finished speaking, "It seems that you have already made plans to let me help you command the troops. Well, until your chief of staff arrives, I will temporarily help coordinate and command the troops."
Seeing that Zhukov agreed to his proposal, Sokov was overjoyed. He quickly raised his hand to salute Zhukov and said respectfully: "Comrade Marshal, thank you. Please rest assured that after dawn tomorrow, the empire rebuilt by the Germans will The division will cease to exist.”
