The Sokov troops who launched an attack on the enemies retreating south met the enemies coming out of the city seven or eight kilometers away from Belgorod, and the two sides started a fierce battle.
After Sokov learned the news, he quickly said to Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately send a telegram to all combat units, ordering them to stop advancing, and after getting rid of the enemy, retreat to the town of Yakovlevo and station near it. .”
"Comrade Commander, why do you want to stop the attack?" Samek asked puzzledly: "When the enemies in the city come out, we can just give them a head-on blow, and maybe consume more of their vitality?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov said to Samyko: "Our troops are smaller than the enemy. The reason why we were able to defeat them was because after a fierce battle, we deliberately opened a passage for them to make the enemy think They can successfully return to Belgorod, thereby weakening their combat consciousness, and then launch a surprise attack to achieve the effect of defeating the enemy.
The enemies coming out of the city to meet us now are superior to us in terms of numbers and equipment. If we fight head-on with them, we will suffer a big loss. "
Having said this, Sokov glanced out the window and continued: "It's getting late now and our air force can no longer be dispatched. Do you think we can stop the Germans' crazy counterattack without air cover?"
After Sokov said this, Sameko immediately understood that he thought of the problem too simply. It may be that the attack a few hours ago was too smooth, so that he inevitably had the thought of underestimating the enemy.
After understanding this truth, Samyko quickly apologized to Sokov and said: "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, I was too eager for success and almost made a big mistake."
The battle to stop the Hoth Armored Group's southward movement has come to an end. The next step is the siege of Belgorod. Sokov looked at the battle report he received and thought about how many troops he had left. .
Seeing Sokov's silence, Lunev asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, I think you seem to have something on your mind. What are you thinking about?"
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov pointed to the map on the table and said to Lunev: "Now most of the enemy has retreated to Belgorod. Our army's next move should be to attack the city."
"That's right." Although Lunev didn't know much about military matters, he also knew that after this period of war, the next task must be to attack Belgorod: "Now the military forces near Kursk The enemy has been driven back to the starting point of the attack by us, and it is now up to us to attack them."
"I'm worried that the next battle to attack Belgorod may have nothing to do with our 27th Army."
"Why?" Not only Lunev was surprised, but even Samyko was unconvinced and said: "The performance of our army group in the entire Kursk battle is obvious to everyone. Why was the battle to liberate Belgorod... Won’t we be allowed to participate?”
"Chief of Staff, you misunderstood." Seeing that Samyko had misinterpreted his meaning, Sokov quickly explained to him: "I'm not saying that our superiors won't let us participate in the attack, but that we don't have the ability to attack again."
Sokov tapped the pile of battle reports on the table with his fingers and sighed: "Several divisions belonging to the group army were seriously attrited during the battle, especially the 188th Division and the 81st Guards Division. Now that the designation is empty, can such a unit continue to fight?"
"We can ask our superiors to replenish our troops." After blurting out the words with anger, Sameko said with some annoyance: "Yes, the troop attrition is serious. Even if our superiors give us replenishment, I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to replenish our troops." The combat effectiveness will be formed in a short period of time, let alone attacking fortresses. Even if we hold on to the position, I am afraid that the combat effectiveness will be greatly reduced."
Seeing Sokov's calm look, Lunev guessed that he might have some good ideas, and quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, have you thought of any good ideas?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov did not immediately answer Lunev's question, but asked instead: "Do you still remember how we replenished the 46th Infantry Brigade?"
"Comrade Commander, are you saying that we select personnel to supplement the troops from among the commanders rescued from the prisoner of war camps?" When Sokov said this, Samek's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Yes, that's what I think about." Sokov nodded and replied: "That's what I think about. These captured commanders and fighters basically have combat experience, and their technical and tactical levels are not low. They will be added to the army in the morning. , you can join the battle in the afternoon.”
The light on Sameko's face quickly dimmed: "But, Comrade Commander, where are we going to find so many rescued commanders and combatants?"
“It doesn’t mean that we don’t have it here in other places.” Sokov remembered that during the Battle of Kursk, especially on the southern front, more than 30,000 Soviet commanders and fighters were captured, and he came from the prisoner-of-war camp outside Yakovlevo Here, only more than 2,000 people were rescued. In other words, he still had the opportunity to add 20,000 to 30,000 prisoners of war to the army.
"Somewhere else?" Sameko asked in surprise, "Where?"
"If I'm not mistaken, there must be a prisoner-of-war camp established by the German army in the direction of Oboyan." Sokov said to the two men: "Although Hott is our enemy, I don't think he would massacre prisoners of war. The commanders and fighters of our army who were captured by him must be imprisoned somewhere in the Oboyan area. We can completely add all the commanders and fighters who were rescued in the prisoner-of-war camp to our troops, and then we will have enough troops. Participate in the attack on Belgorod.”
"Oboyan is now the chassis of the 6th Guards Army and the 1st Tank Army." Sameko said with a melancholy look: "Will they allow us to replenish these prisoners of war?"
"I will call Comrade Marshal immediately." Sokov knew that if he did not ask Zhukov to come forward, there would be no hope, because these commanders and fighters rescued from prisoner-of-war camps would basically be sent directly to Siberia instead of being compiled. Join the team. "Ask him to allow us to integrate all these rescued commanders and fighters into our troops."
Unexpectedly, after hearing Sokov's words, Samyko immediately thought of a key question and quickly stopped Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I think you should not call Comrade Marshal."
"Why?" Sokov asked puzzled.
"The reason is very simple." After the muscles on Samek's face twitched violently for a few times, he said: "People who are rescued from the prisoner of war camp, regardless of the reason why they are captured, will be sent to Siberia to dig potatoes."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't worry. Marshal Zhukov and I will negotiate this matter." Sokov didn't know that he was playing with fire. If he was not careful, he would fall into an irreversible situation. However, he still bit the bullet and said: "In order to achieve the final victory, we must take some special measures."
Sokov quickly got on the phone with Zhukov. On the phone, after he reported to the other party the results achieved by the troops, he decisively proposed that the commanders and fighters rescued from the prisoner-of-war camp in the Oboyan area be directly integrated into the army. own troops.
Zhukov, who was grinning from ear to ear when he heard the news of the victory, gradually solidified the smile on his face after hearing Sokov's request. He asked with a straight face: "Major General Sokov, do you know what you are talking about?"
Sokov knew that the other party was angry from Zhukov's change of address to him, and quickly defended: "Comrade Marshal, after a long period of fighting, my troops have been severely reduced in number and cannot undertake new combat tasks. If we can save the rescued The commanders and fighters have all been integrated into my unit, and I assure you that we will definitely achieve more brilliant results in the next battle."
Sokov's words made Zhukov fall into deep contemplation. Didn't he know that most of the commanders and fighters rescued from the prisoner-of-war camps were the backbone of the army. Their participation would not only make up for the shortage of soldiers in the army, but even bring the combat effectiveness of the entire army to a higher level.
Zhukov knew very well that in addition to Sokov who often rescued commanders and fighters from prisoner-of-war camps and directly incorporated them into the army after simple screening, Central Front Army Commander Rokossovsky also did the same.
In the past, he turned a blind eye to such things, but now he is not the only one stationed on the Voronezh Front as the representative of the base camp, there is also Marshal Vasilevsky, the former Chief of General Staff. If he didn't agree, Sokov's plan would be ruined.
However, Zhukov did not immediately reject Sokov, but said into the microphone: "We have to discuss this matter, and we will give you an answer after the results of the discussion are reached."
"Okay, Comrade Marshal." When Sokov heard what Zhukov said, he guessed that he was also in a dilemma, so he said smoothly: "Then I'll wait for your answer."
After Sokov put down the phone, Lunev quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, what did Marshal Zhukov say? Does he agree with your opinion?"
Sokov shook his head and said: "Comrade Marshal said that this matter is of great importance and he needs to think about it carefully and call me to inform me after he has the answer."
Besides, after Zhukov put down the phone, he summoned Vasilevsky, Vatutin, Apanashenko and others, told them the contents of Sokov's phone call, and finally asked: "Tell me about it. , Should I agree to Major General Sokov’s request?”
"No, absolutely cannot agree." As soon as Zhukov finished speaking, Apanashenko said first: "The Supreme Commander himself said: We have no prisoners of war, only traitors to the motherland. How can we remove those from the prisoner of war camps? Will all the traitors rescued be added to our army?"
What Apanashenko said was that after Paulus was captured, Mustache wanted to exchange Stalin's son for him. In order to refuse to exchange a marshal for a soldier, Stalin specifically asked the Red Cross people Said: We have no prisoners of war, only traitors to the motherland.
In this time and space, due to the appearance of Sokov, Yakov, who was captured by the Germans, had long been rescued and even held an important position in the Weapons and Equipment Department in Moscow. But now, this is what Stalin said when the Germans planned to exchange other captured Soviet generals for Paulus.
Vasilevsky, who originally wanted to support Zhukov, couldn't help but hesitate when he heard what Apanashenko said. Even though he is a marshal now, while Apanashenko is only a general, the other person was a general before the war and was much more senior than himself. Even Stalin would have to give him three points of respect, let alone himself as a newly promoted marshal.
When Zhukov saw that Vasilevsky was silent, he directly called his name and asked straight to the point: "Vasilevsky, tell me, should we agree to Major General Sokov's request and send Chistyakov to the hospital?" All the commanders and fighters rescued by Katukov and the others were handed over to Sokov’s troops?”
"Comrade Marshal," Vasilevsky replied awkwardly when Zhukov turned the conflict over to himself: "I think this matter is of great importance, so I'd better ask the Supreme Commander himself for instructions. As long as he doesn't object, I will definitely not Any opinions.”
Vasilevsky's words reminded Vatutin, and he quickly echoed: "Yes, Comrade Marshal, this matter is of great importance and is not something we can decide. I think we should ask the Supreme Commander himself for instructions. As long as he doesn't object, we can safely add people to Sokov's troops."
After Zhukov's eyes scanned the bodies of several people, he felt that what Vasilevsky said was reasonable, and he should ask Stalin for instructions. After all, there would be more captured commanders and fighters who would be taken from the enemy's prisoner-of-war camp by his own people. rescued.
Thinking of this, he picked up the high-frequency phone in front of him, dialed the Kremlin switchboard, and said to the operator who answered the phone: "I am Zhukov, please help me get through to Comrade Stalin's office."
When he heard that the caller was Zhukov, the operator dared not be negligent and quickly transferred the call to Boskrebyshev.
"Hello, Comrade Marshal." Poskrebyshev learned that the call was from Zhukov, and asked respectfully: "What can I do for you?"
"What is Comrade Stalin doing?" Zhukov asked.
"He is convening a meeting with several leaders in Moscow. Wait a minute..." Poskrebyshev said, "After the meeting seems to be over, I will report to him immediately."
After Boskrebyshev waited for the people in the meeting to leave, he entered the door and reported to Stalin: "Comrade Stalin, Marshal Zhukov called you and said that he has something important to report to you immediately."
Stalin lit his cigarette butt and said slowly: "Put the phone in."
A moment later, the phone in front of Stalin rang. Stalin picked up the phone receiver in front of him, put it to his ear and said: "Hello, Comrade Zhukov, this is Stalin. I heard that you have something important to ask me for?"
"Yes, Comrade Stalin." Zhukov said respectfully: "I have an important situation and need to consult you immediately!"
"Please speak, Comrade Zhukov."
