"Misha, don't you know that all the troops are now short of soldiers?" Zhukov said with some displeasure when he heard the conditions proposed by Sokov: "At this time, where can I replenish you?" troops?"
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov knew very well that the German army, which still maintains its offensive posture at this point in the battle, is only at the end of its strength. They may be defeated by the counterattacking Soviet army at any time. If his troops are not replenished, they will not be able to become the main force on the battlefield in the next series of battles, so he shamelessly said to Zhukov: "Please think of a way, if you can give me another Ten thousand people, I can lead the troops to fight all the way to the city of Belgorod."
If Sokov had only spoken in general terms about what would happen in the coming battle, Zhukov would have ignored his request. But when he heard the other party mention the place name of Belgorod, Zhukov couldn't help but hesitate. As the new campaign planner, he naturally knew that the next focus of the Soviet army's attack was to regain Kharkov. To successfully control Kharkov, Belgorod must first be captured.
During the Battle of Stalingrad, Sokov used his actual actions to prove that his troops were very good at fighting defensive battles and could achieve the greatest victory with minimal casualties. In this battle of Kursk, Sokov once again used a series of victories to prove to everyone that he was not only a general who was good at defense, but also a commander who knew how to attack.
It is precisely because of this that after Zhukov learned that the 19th Armored Division had been annihilated, he began to consider whether Sokov's troops should be assigned the main offensive task when the attack on Belgorod was launched. The reason why he asked Sokov to transfer two divisions to the outside of Prokhorovka to participate in the final attack on the German army was to see with his own eyes whether Sokov's troops could take on this important task.
"Misha," fortunately, Zhukov didn't hesitate for long before he made his decision: "I can give you a new group of soldiers before tomorrow. But these are recruits without any experience, and there may be many of them. When people hear the sound of gunfire, they will be so frightened that they lie down in the trench and dare not move. Are you sure that within a few days, you can train them into a force that can fight the enemy?"
In just a few days, the difficulty of training a group of new recruits with no combat experience into warriors who can fight is simply S-level. However, Sokov considered that the army had been severely depleted recently and was in urgent need of new soldiers. He could only bite the bullet and agreed to Zhukov's proposal: "Okay, Comrade Marshal, I will do my best to train these new soldiers to be able to fight." warrior."
Zhukov was very satisfied with Sokov's answer. He smiled and nodded, and then said: "Now that we have negotiated the terms of exchange, when can your two divisions arrive at Prokhorovka?" outside?"
"Comrade Marshal, my 254th Infantry Division is now southwest of the city of Prokhorovka, launching an attack on the flag guard division's position." Since Zhukov agreed to replenish his troops, he transferred two divisions to join Prokhorovka. The battle outside Lovka City was a matter of course: "I will send Major General Fomenko's 84th Infantry to rush over later."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, Samyko next to him asked Sokov excitedly: "Comrade Commander, did Marshal Zhukov tell us how many additional troops he would give us?"
"Comrade Marshal did not say exactly how many soldiers we will be supplemented with." Sokov felt that it was necessary to inoculate Samyko, lest Samyko would be disappointed when the additional soldiers arrived: "But these new soldiers are all They are just recruited and have no combat experience. Maybe if a shell falls nearby, they will be frightened and run away."
Unexpectedly, Sameko didn't care. He said carelessly: "Comrade Commander, it doesn't matter. No one is born to fight. After we fight two battles, these recruits will become veterans."
Seeing that Samyko was so thoughtful, Sokov stopped nagging. He began to think about how to return to Konev's Steppe Front after the Battle of Kursk.
Frankly speaking, among the front commanders in the late Patriotic War, the one Sokov despised most was Vatutin. After the Battle of Kursk began, this boss could not figure out the main direction of the German army's assault. , the troops can only be used equally in all defensive areas, which results in the troops of the subordinate armies being too dispersed. When they are attacked by the German army, it is difficult for the defensive forces to effectively prevent the German army from advancing.
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov sent Samyko to contact Major General Fomenko and urgently transfer the 84th Infantry Division outside Prokhorovka. After Samyko walked away, he poured a cup of tea for Lunev who was sitting at the table and asked politely: "I want to ask you, if you could choose, would you rather stay in the Voronezh Front or the Steppe Front?" ?”
"If I had to choose, I would definitely choose the Voronezh Front." Lunev said without hesitation: "Judging from this battle, this front will become the main force of our army. If we continue to stay in the steppe front, we will only Can always be used as a reserve team.”
"Comrade Military Commissar, may I understand this. Once the battle is over and the base camp asks for our opinions and asks us which front we would like to stay in, there is a high probability that you will choose General Vatutin's Voronezh Front?"
"Needless to say, it must be a choice..." Before Lunev finished speaking, he immediately realized that Sokov must have a purpose in asking this, and quickly changed his words and asked: "Comrade Commander, you don't want to stay Are you on the grassland front?"
Sokov did not speak, but fell into thought.
On October 20, after the Battle of Kursk, the Voronezh Front was reorganized into the 1st Ukrainian Front; the Steppe Front was reorganized into the 2nd Ukrainian Front. The commander, General Konev, due to his outstanding performance in the battle, Was promoted to general.
In February 1944, Vatutin was injured and unable to continue to perform his duties as commander of the 1st Ukrainian Front, and was temporarily replaced by Marshal Zhukov. Soon, the First and Second Fronts merged, and Konev, who had just been promoted to the rank of marshal, served as the new commander. Since the new Ukrainian Second Front was reorganized shortly after the merger of the two fronts, this merger was only mentioned lightly in the history books, and not many people in later generations knew about it.
Even if he chooses to stay in the Voronezh Front, he will still become Konev's subordinate by February next year. However, in this way, the friendship between him and Konev may become estranged due to these few months of separation, which is not conducive to his future development in the army.
After some careful consideration, Sokov said to Lunev: "Comrade Military Commissar, my idea is exactly the opposite of yours. Although the Steppe Front is only a reserve front, in this battle of Kursk, the Steppe Front belongs to The troops have played a great role. I believe that after the battle is over, the Grassland Front Army will be able to get rid of the fate of serving as a strategic reserve force and become a major combat force."
"I agree with Comrade Commander." Sameko, who had just finished the phone call, came over and said to the two of them: "Although the Steppe Front Army was only a reserve front army before the battle began. But the performance of this unit in the battle The capabilities they have demonstrated are obvious to all. I think that after the battle is over, it will be possible to upgrade the current reserve front army to a formal combat force."
Lunev was surprised to see that Sokov and Samyko had the same opinion: "Commander and Chief of Staff, the possibility you mentioned does exist. But I think for the sake of safety, it is better to just Stay in the Voronezh Front. You know, General Vatutin is more valued than General Konev."
"Comrade Military Commissar, what is going on?" Samyko heard from Lunev's tone that there was something behind it, so he asked curiously: "Tell me about it."
"At the beginning of the year, the Voronezh Front and the Southwest Front suffered heavy losses from Manstein in the Kharkov area." Lunev, who came from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, naturally knew many inside stories that others did not know. Anyway, there were only three people present, so there would definitely be no one. Leaving what he said out, he said confidently and boldly: "Although General Golikov and General Vatutin were dismissed afterwards, it didn't take long for General Vatutin to make a comeback and serve as the commander of the Voronezh Front. Commander, tell me, how could you have resumed such an important position in such a short period of time if you had not received the attention of the Supreme Commander himself?"
When Samek heard this, it seemed that this was really the case, so he turned to Sokov and said: "Comrade Commander, I think what the military commissar said is somewhat reasonable. Will you decide which front we will go to in the future?" Think about it again?"
"No need to think about it." Sokov waved his hand and said resolutely: "We were originally affiliated with the Steppe Front Army, and now we are just cooperating with the Voronezh Front Army. After the great battle, we will definitely choose to return to the army and return to the army. To the grassland front."
Now that Sokov has made the final decision, even if Lunev has other ideas, it's hard to persuade him. He sighed secretly and thought to himself that it would be better to wait for a while, choose the right opportunity, and persuade Sokov again to try to make him change his mind and not stay in the Steppe Front Army, which had no future.
"Comrade Commander," Samek turned the topic back to the current defense, "After we annihilated the 19th Armored Division, our defense area has almost doubled. Now we have transferred two more divisions, and we have to defend it." In such a vast area, will the military strength become weak?”
"The 84th Division, which was originally responsible for the defense of the Pushor River, left the defensive positions left by the infantry brigade and two marine brigades." Sokov said confidently: "They will carry out the defense. I am Very reassuring.”
Samyko understood what Sokov meant by this. In the entire army, except for the Air Force, the unit with the highest combat quality is the Navy. The Marine Corps Brigade, which is formed from troops drawn from the Navy, is also very powerful in combat effectiveness. Whether it is offensive or defensive, it is far superior to the same number of armies.
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Sameko quickly replied: "I will immediately dispatch vehicles and transport troops to take over the defense on the Pushor River."
When seeing Samyko arranging transportation work to the head of the logistics department, Sokov was thinking secretly: Now that the 19th Armored Division has been annihilated, can he take advantage of this opportunity to remove Asiya from the 182nd Division? Take it back?
"Comrade Commander," Lunev saw Sokov looking forward with no focus in his eyes. He guessed that he might be thinking about important things, so he called him twice cautiously and asked, "What are you thinking about?" Woolen cloth?"
Sokov was awakened by Luniev's cry. Naturally, he would not tell the other party that he was considering whether to bring his wife back from the front. Instead, he said perfunctorily: "Comrade Military Commissar, I'm wondering what the new recruits Marshal Zhukov is going to give us look like."
After hearing Sokov's words, Lunev did not bother to confirm whether what he said was true or false, so he took the initiative to help him think about it: "I think what Comrade Marshal said is very strange. If it was at the beginning of the war, the recruits recruited It's fair to say that he doesn't have any combat experience. But the war has been going on for more than two years, and he still says that someone has no combat experience. I think this is unlikely."
"I think so too." Sokov nodded and said: "Even if these recruits have never been on the battlefield, before they joined the army, their homes were bombed by German planes and their relatives were killed by the Germans. Experience, right? How can you not have any combat experience, and even hear the sound of gunfire and be frightened into panic? I think it is simply incredible. "
"How do you plan to distribute these new recruits?" Lunev asked.
Sokov thought for a while and then replied: "I estimate that the recruits our superiors can give us this time are at most one or two thousand. If they are assigned to various units, they will not have much effect. Simply assign them all. The 182nd Division allows Colonel Khokhlov’s troops to regain some strength.”
Lunev guessed that it was because Asiya was in the 182nd Division that Sokov paid special attention to this division. He did not tell the truth, but followed Sokov's words and said: "This division is the first unit of our group army to enter the battle. After such a long battle, the losses of the soldiers must be considerable. We will give priority to supplying them. We I think it’s completely necessary.”
"Since you have no objections, when the new recruits arrive, notify Colonel Khoklov to come here to pick them up." Sokov said: "They have many veterans and combat cadres who can help the new recruits quickly master the technical and tactical skills. , and learn how to protect yourself on the battlefield.”
