Not long after setting off, a motorcycle caught up from behind. When overtaking, the staff officer sitting in the sidecar waved desperately to the jeep Sokov was riding to signal that there was an emergency.
Sokov recognized the other party as the communications staff officer of the 354th Division, guessed that there might be some important telegram, and quickly ordered the driver to stop. As soon as the car stopped, Samoylov, who was sitting in the passenger seat, opened the door and got out of the car, and walked towards the staff officer who had just jumped out of the sidecar.
Sokov, who was sitting in the car, saw that after the two exchanged a few words in a low voice, the staff officer handed a telegram to Samoilov, then saluted and turned to leave.
"Comrade Commander," Samoilov returned to the car and handed the telegram he had just received to Sokov: "This is a telegram from the Voronezh Front Army Headquarters."
Sokov was not surprised at all when he learned that the telegram came from the Voronezh Front Army Headquarters. After all, his troops had been temporarily placed under the command of Vatutin, and it would only be a matter of time before he received the order from him.
He took the telegram and read the contents carefully before his eyes. The order is simple. The 69th Army is being attacked by the German Flag Guard Division and the 7th Armored Division. Now Combat Group Kef is also moving closer to the above two German forces, causing the Army to face the danger of being encircled. Sokov is ordered to dispatch at least Two infantry divisions and a tank brigade launched an attack on the side and rear of the German Flag Guard division to attract the Germans' attention and ensure that the 69th Army could safely move to the next line of defense.
"Samoilov," Sokov told Samoilov after reading the telegram, "go and call Colonel Shechtman."
After Samoilov left, Sokov opened the door and got out of the car. He stood beside the car and looked over the roof of the car, looking at the advancing infantry column and thinking. He began to wonder in his heart: How to fight the next battle? Really? Do you want to attack the Color Guard Division first?
After receiving the notice, Shechtman quickly drove over from the front. Appearing with him was Colonel Billing, the division political commissar. After the two of them stood in front of him, Sokov handed over the telegram in his hand and asked: "Colonel Shechtman, after reading this telegram, tell me what you think!"
Before the troops set off, Sokov told Shechtman that the next target of the attack would be Simon's Skeleton Division. After reading the telegram, he couldn't help but become hesitant. He asked Sokov tentatively: "Comrade Commander, what should we do next? Should we follow the orders of our superiors and attack the Color Guard Division?"
"We only have one division, and it is definitely not enough to attack the Flag Guard Division." Colonel Billing echoed from the side: "Otherwise, we will stop advancing temporarily and wait for other troops to arrive before continuing to advance. .”
"What, Comrade Political Commissar." Sokov looked at Billing and said with some surprise: "Do you think we can't deal with the German Flag Guard Division with the strength of one division?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Billing replied in a panic: "Comrade Commander, you should know that the combat effectiveness of the German SS divisions is very powerful. One division is enough to fight against one of our army groups. Now we only have one division. With our own strength, we have to take the initiative to attack the enemy. I am worried that I will suffer a loss..."
Sokov noticed that when Billin spoke, Shechtman remained silent. It seemed that he agreed with Billin's opinion and hoped that Sokov could mobilize more troops to participate in the attack on the Flag Guard Division. After seeing through the opponent's thoughts, Sokov poured cold water on the two of them: "I'm sorry, two comrades, colonels. In the battle outside Prokhorovka, the only force I can use is your division. In addition to the two tank battalions directly under the group army, there will not be any reinforcements."
Sokov's words shocked the two of them. Shechtman quickly reminded Sokov: "Comrade Commander, if you attack the enemy's powerful and powerful Flag Guard Division with this small force, I'm worried that the entire army will be attacked." Danger of destruction.”
"Why, do you have so little confidence in your own soldiers?" Sokov looked at the two men and said with a half-smile: "Don't you want to create a miracle and defeat the enemy's SS division with one division? "After he finished speaking, seeing that the two of them still looked sad, he promptly added, "You know, this is a good opportunity that will go down in history. Are you really prepared to miss it?"
Originally, the two of them were still thinking about how to persuade Sokov to mobilize more troops to attack the German flag guard division. But when he heard that his troops had a chance to make history, his attitude immediately changed 180 degrees. Billy said excitedly: "Comrade Commander, if we defeat the Color Guard Division, we can really go down in history." ?"
"This is natural." Sokov knows the Russians well and knows that they are a nation that values honor. In order to gain honor, they may even sacrifice their precious lives without hesitation. "I assure you that when the battle outside Prokhorovka is over, you and your troops will receive great honors, and the results achieved will be recorded in history by future generations."
Shechtman straightened his back and said solemnly: "Comrade Commander, please give me the order. Even if our division is wiped out, we will still defeat the German Flag Guard division."
"Wait a minute." Seeing that Shechtman was confident in defeating the enemy, Sokov was not in a hurry: "We will not attack the flag guard division for the time being."
"What, no flag guard division?" Shechtman and Billing looked at each other and saw shock in each other's eyes. He turned to Sokov and asked: "Then which enemy unit shall we fight?"
"We should follow the original plan and attack the German Skeleton Division first." Sokov has been thinking in his mind that among the enemies outside Prokhorovka, the weakest one is Simon's Skeleton Division. If they are annihilated first After defeating them, and then turning around to attack the Flag Guard Division, his troops will no longer be fighting alone. The troops used by Rotmistrov to deal with the Skeleton Division can assist him in attacking the Flag Guard Division. "After defeating the Skeleton Division, we can then turn around and deal with the Flag Guard Division."
"Deal with the Skeleton Division first, and then deal with the Flag Guard Division?" Sokov's words made Shechtman feel cold. He originally wanted to sacrifice the entire division in exchange for victory in wiping out the Flag Guard Division, but now But when he heard that he had to fight the Skeleton Division first, and then deal with the Flag Guard Division, his mind suddenly went blank.
Seeing Shechtman's stunned look, Sokov smiled faintly and then said: "Comrade Colonel, do you think that this is an impossible task when you heard that we have to deal with two SS divisions?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Billing took a step forward and said to Sokov before Shechtman: "With all due respect, we are already struggling to deal with a German SS division. If we have to deal with two of them at the same time, even if we use up all the troops, I’m afraid we won’t be able to complete this task.”
"Don't worry, comrades colonels." In order not to burden the two of them psychologically, Sokov reached out to Samoilov for the map, spread it on the hood of the jeep, and then said to the two colonels. : "Look, the Skeleton Division is facing off against General Rotmistrov's 18th Tank Corps near the October Farm northwest of Prokhorovka. After a fierce battle, their troops have been severely weakened. There is only such a small amount of troops, scattered in several scattered locations.
My plan was to concentrate all our forces and launch an assault on Simon's division headquarters. It would be a good thing if he could be captured alive again; even if he could not be captured alive, if the division headquarters of the Skeleton Division was destroyed, the enemy would fall into chaos because they lost their unified command. We can carry out various breakthroughs against scattered enemies at this time. "
Sokov pointed at the map and told the two of them his battle plan: "...After defeating the German Skeleton Division, we will nod south to attack the Flag Guard Division. When we attack the Flag Guard Division, those The troops that were originally facing off against the Skeleton Division will be free to assist us in our attack."
After Sokov explained, the frowns between the two people suddenly relaxed. They found that they had fallen into a misunderstanding, thinking that if they attacked the Skeleton Division first and then the Flag Guard Division, they would be short of troops. Completely forgetting that once the Skeleton Division is defeated, the troops originally entangled by the Skeleton Division will be free to assist them in the next battle.
Looking at the two colonels leaving, Sokov felt that his plan still had some risks. If the troops confronting the Skeleton Division choose to stand aside when their own troops launch an attack, then the combat attrition of the 354th Division will be very terrifying after a melee. Therefore, it is necessary to communicate with General Rotmistrov in advance. , let him understand his next action and take cooperating measures in a timely manner.
Sokov quickly lay on the hood, drafted a telegram, and then ordered Samoilov: "Comrade Lieutenant, ask the telegraph operator to send this telegram to General Rotmistrov immediately."
After Samoilov received the telegram, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he stood there and asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, do I need to wait for his call back?"
"No need." Sokov waved his hand to Samoilov and said, "If General Rotmistrov calls back, the communications staff will send it to me."
After Samoilov delivered the telegram to the operator, the jeep got back on the road. Samoilov knew the contents of the telegram. He half-turned around and asked Sokov with some worry: "Comrade Commander, if General Rotmistrov receives your telegram, his troops will not be allowed to cooperate." , what should we do?"
"What else can we do?" Sokov knew that the possibility Samoilov mentioned was entirely possible. He shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands: "If General Rotmistrov is not willing to let With the cooperation of his troops, we can only rely on our own strength to destroy the Skeleton Division's headquarters, and we can only rely on ourselves for the next battle against the Flag Guard Division."
Fortunately, what Sokov was worried about did not happen. Just as his car was about to reach the offensive position, the communications staff again caught up from behind on a motorcycle and sent him a reply from Rotmistrov.
Rotmistrov's reply was simple. He said that once Sokov's troops launched an attack on the Skull Division, the 18th Tank Army deployed to the north of Hill 252.2 would simultaneously launch an attack on the enemy in front to contain the enemy. strength to ensure the smooth attack of Sokov's troops.
However, at the end of the telegram, Rotmistrov specifically asked Sokov: "Will you report this matter to General Vatutin?"
After seeing Rotmistrov's note, Sokov smiled faintly, then took out a pen and paper and wrote briefly: "No need. All reporting work should wait until the Skull Division is annihilated by us, and then report to It won’t be too late for General Vatutin to report.”
After finishing writing, he tore the paper on which the telegram was written from the book, handed it to the communications staff officer, and ordered him: "Send this reply to General Rotmistrov immediately."
When Sokov's jeep arrived at Shechtman's temporary headquarters, most of the troops were already in attack position. Seeing Sokov's arrival, Shechtman asked with some anxiety: "Comrade Commander, when will we start the attack?"
"How many troops are in attack position?"
"Two regiments have already moved into attack positions." The division chief of staff quickly replied: "The remaining one regiment and the artillery regiment will all enter the designated positions within half an hour."
"So, your division still has half an hour before it can all be in position?" After seeing the division chief of staff nodding in approval of his statement, Sokov decisively issued an order: "To deal with one German division headquarters, two The regiment was more than enough. Colonel Shechtman immediately ordered a battalion of infantry to board tanks and attack the division headquarters of the Skeleton Division. The main force of the division followed closely behind. It was necessary to eliminate the division headquarters of the Skeleton Division in the shortest possible time. "
"What about the artillery preparations before the attack?" The 354th Division has a 76.2mm cannon regiment. According to Shechtman's idea, before the attack, it must use artillery fire to bombard the enemy's position for at least ten minutes. At this moment, I heard the question Cove ordered a direct attack and quickly reminded him: "If there is no artillery preparation, the enemy's fortifications will become an obstacle to our attack."
"Comrade Colonel," Sokov naturally understood what the other party was thinking. These veteran commanders who have been in the army for more than ten or twenty years will feel uneasy if there is no artillery cover before each attack. . He quickly explained to the other party: "You only have one cannon regiment. Even if you bombard the enemy's position, it may not have much effect. On the contrary, you will warn the enemy and tell them that we are going to attack their position."
If we launch an attack directly instead of shelling, the enemy who thinks we will rest for a night before launching an attack will be caught off guard by us. While they have no time to organize effective resistance, we can break through their current defenses in the shortest possible time.
Okay, Comrade Colonel, stop looking forward and backward. Immediately order the troops to board the vehicles and attack. The Skeleton Division's headquarters must be completely wiped out within an hour. "
"Understood, Comrade Commander." After listening to Sokov's explanation, Shechtman finally understood Sokov's intention, and quickly straightened up and replied: "I immediately sent one of the most elite battalions to let them board The tanks attack the enemy division headquarters and must rush to the vicinity of the German division headquarters in the shortest possible time."
