The German army, which had lost its fighting spirit, could not organize a decent resistance, and was defeated by the Soviet army. The Soviet troops who were in charge of the offensive took turns taking turns, rushing and fighting behind the German troops, which accelerated the chaos of the German troops.
The first to enter the battle was the 188th Division of Koida. This division paid a heavy price in the battle to defend the town of Kazachya Compass. Therefore, after they attacked and advanced five kilometers, Major General Fomenko The 84th Division took over the attack.
When the 84th Division attacked still fifteen kilometers away from Dergach, it encountered enemies who relied on fortifications to resist stubbornly. The defenders here were not the defeated troops who were beaten by the Soviet army and fled in panic, but the 320th Infantry Division responsible for the city's defense. Their tenacious defense shattered Fomenko's intention to seize the German outer positions during the offensive.
However, the 84th Division's attack had just been frustrated, and the 254th Division, which followed closely, took over the attack. The division commander, Colonel Shechtman, personally came to a place less than 800 meters away from the German position, found a place with a wide view and established an observation post, where he directed the troops' attack.
First there was a round of rocket attack. Before the smoke cleared, the commanders and fighters of the 254th Division followed the tanks and spread like a tide towards the German outer positions.
Shechtman originally thought that the fight for the outer positions would be an extremely brutal war of attrition, but what he did not expect was that his troops rushed into the trenches, and the enemies in the trenches actually retreated after a brief resistance.
Seeing that his troops easily occupied the German outer positions, Shechtman couldn't help but be overjoyed. But his political commissar, Colonel Billing, said to him with a puzzled look: "Comrade Division Commander, I feel something is wrong."
Schechtman, who was still immersed in the joy of victory, casually asked: "Comrade Political Commissar, is there something wrong?"
"Did we seize the enemy's peripheral positions too smoothly?" Colonel Billing expressed his doubts, "Is there any conspiracy in this?"
"What kind of conspiracy can there be, my comrade political commissar." Shechtman replied with a smile: "Didn't you see that we hit the enemy with a burst of rockets and knocked them stupid? You saw our tanks and infantry rushing up. , the only thing they can do is turn around and run backwards."
Perhaps because he was too excited, Shechtman laughed a few times after he finished speaking. Shechtman's optimistic spirit inspired the emotions of the officers and soldiers in the observation post, and everyone's face showed a happy smile.
"Comrade division commander," Colonel Billing, although he couldn't explain exactly what happened, but he always had an ominous premonition in his heart. He reminded Shechtman: "I think it's better to report the information here to the group army headquarters. Report it and let Comrade Commander judge what is going on."
"Comrade Political Commissar, what's wrong with you?" Seeing that Colonel Billing had been struggling with this issue, Shechtman was a little unhappy. He said with a straight face: "The enemy retreated so quickly, I think it may be our army's Their combat power and equipment far surpassed theirs. They knew that if they held on any longer, they would be destroyed, so they had no choice but to retreat."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," after Shechtman said this, he turned to call his Chief of Staff and ordered him: "Order the 762nd Regiment to hold on to the occupied outer positions, and the other two infantry regiments continue to move toward Dergach. Push forward.”
"Comrade division commander," after hearing Shechtman's instructions, the chief of staff reminded him: "According to the intelligence we obtained in advance, the enemy may have one or two divisions in the city, so we will use two regiments to attack. Nothing will go wrong, right?"
"What could go wrong?" Shechtman said displeasedly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't forget, there are two divisions, the 84th and 188th, and two tank brigades behind us. Even if we can't annihilate them, The enemies in the city will not be in any danger."
"Comrade division commander," Colonel Billing intervened when he saw that the chief of staff didn't know how to respond to Shechtman's words: "You are right. We do have two infantry divisions and two tank brigades behind us. But you Don't forget, after a long battle, the troops of these two infantry divisions have been severely weakened. To put it bluntly, their combat effectiveness is probably only equivalent to one of our regiments. If our attack is frustrated , when the enemy counterattacks, they can't help us at all."
Seeing that Colonel Billing was on his side, the chief of staff quickly continued: "Comrade division commander, I think we should hand over the outer positions to friendly forces, and then launch an attack on the city with the whole division. This way we can have a greater chance of winning."
When Shechtman heard this, the chief of staff said that it made sense. Using three regiments to attack the city would achieve better results and advance speed than using only two regiments.
After wanting to understand this, he nodded and said: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, I agree with your suggestion. Immediately notify our troops and hand over the occupied peripheral positions to the 84th Division, and then the entire division will launch an attack on Gyor." Gach’s offense.”
While the chief of staff was calling to inform the troops, Colonel Billing once again asked Shechtman: "Comrade Division Commander, I feel that our offensive momentum has begun to weaken at the current level of the war, and it is necessary to request reinforcements from our superiors."
Shechtman originally did not want to share the credit for capturing Dergach with other troops, but when he thought about it carefully, it was very difficult to capture the entire city with just one division. Because of this, he reluctantly agreed to Colonel Billing's proposal: "Okay, Comrade Political Commissar, it's up to you to send a telegram to the Army Headquarters and report our situation here to the commander."
A few minutes later, Samyko handed the telegram he had just received to Sokov, and said excitedly: "Comrade Commander, good news, our troops have occupied the outer positions of Dergach, and now The 254th Division is continuing to advance, and they are preparing to rush into the city before dark."
When Sokov saw the telegram in his hand, he also had a smile on his face. He also said with emotion: "Colonel Shechtman's troops performed well. In the first attack, they easily captured the enemy's Peripheral positions.”
"Comrade Commander, are our three divisions outside the city of Dergach a little too weak?" Samyko cautiously reminded Sokov: "Do you think we should send troops for reinforcements?"
"The 384th Division has now moved to the vicinity of the Compass Town of Kazachya. I think they can be allowed to participate in the siege." After Sokov said these words simply, he ordered Sameko: "Chief of Staff, Immediately send a telegram to the division commander, ordering them to head straight to Dergach without stopping at the Compass Town of Kazachya."
"Okay, I will immediately send a report to the 384th Division and ask them to rush to Dergach as soon as possible." After recording Sokov's order, Samyko asked tentatively: "Chuvashov's 98th Guards The division is still on standby deep in the enemy's defenses. I wonder when we can let them go into battle?"
"Wait a moment, Comrade Chief of Staff." The surprise force Sokov placed deep in the enemy's depth has not yet been used, so he reminded Samyko: "Tell Colonel Chuvashov to let them all grow old." Stay where you are and wait until the main force of our army breaks through the German defense line and approaches the gates of Kharkov, and then cooperate to capture Dergach's troops and seize the bridge on the Oud River."
Samyko called the director of the communications corps and handed him the recorded orders, asking him to immediately send a report to the 384th Division and the 98th Guards Division, asking them to execute Sokov's orders. After doing all this, Samyko curiously asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, how many days do you think it will take for the main force of our army to reach the outside of Kharkov?"
"It's hard to say." Sokov knew that the German army had built a large number of fortifications and laid minefields in the north of the city since they recaptured Kharkov at the beginning of the year. Although the Soviet army is large in number, it may not be easy to break through the German defense system: "I think it will take a week at the earliest for the main forces of the Steppe Front Army and the Voronezh Front Army to reach the outside of Kharkov. .”
"Ah, it takes so long?" Sameko said in surprise: "Then the 98th Guards Division has been lurking in its current position for such a long time, won't it be exposed?"
Sokov couldn't help but fell silent when he heard Samek's question. Although the current 98th Guards Division pretended to be the enemy and occupied a section of fortifications, successfully deceiving the enemy. But after all, it can't be hidden for long. If one day Holt or Kenf discovers that there is a relatively well-organized army here and plans to transfer them to an area with fierce fighting, then Chuvasov and the others will be completely exposed.
He scratched the back of his head and said with a wry smile: "Comrade Chief of Staff, we can only resign ourselves to fate. If they are not seen through by the enemy, this is certainly a good thing. But at the same time, they must be prepared to be seen through by the enemy and attacked from all sides. Prepare. Tell Colonel Chuvasov that even if they are surrounded on all sides, they must hold on tenaciously until the troops who capture Dergach arrive."
When it came to Dergach, the conversation between the two couldn't help but return to Shechtman. "Comrade Commander," Samyko asked curiously: "If Shechtman's 254th Division can successfully capture Dergach this time, then after our army completely liberates Kharkov, his Is it possible for the army to be reorganized into a Guards Division?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I think it will be very difficult to be reorganized into the Guards Division." Sokov smiled bitterly and shook his head and said: "Chuvasov and his three brigades can be reorganized into the 98th Guards Division. It was all Marshal Zhukov’s mediation, otherwise our army would not even have a Guards Division until now.”
"Didn't Major General Malankin's 81st Guards Division once come under our command?" Samek said with some regret: "Unfortunately, after the Battle of Kursk, Malankin's troops were reorganized. If they Being able to stay with us will make us even stronger.”
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I don't think so." Sokov said solemnly: "Malankin's troops already suffered huge casualties when preventing Hot from Oboyan from retreating to Belgorod. Even if the battle is over, Later, they were supplemented by their superiors, but they could not supplement veterans or combat backbones with combat experience like us. I think their current combat effectiveness should be about the same as that of Khokhlov's 182nd Division."
"It's hard to say." Sokov knew that the German army had built a large number of fortifications and laid minefields in the north of the city since they recaptured Kharkov at the beginning of the year. Although the Soviet army is large in number, it may not be easy to break through the German defense system: "I think it will take a week at the earliest for the main forces of the Steppe Front Army and the Voronezh Front Army to reach the outside of Kharkov. .”
"Ah, it takes so long?" Sameko said in surprise: "Then the 98th Guards Division has been lurking in its current position for such a long time, won't it be exposed?"
Sokov couldn't help but fell silent when he heard Samek's question. Although the current 98th Guards Division pretended to be the enemy and occupied a section of fortifications, successfully deceiving the enemy. But after all, it can't be hidden for long. If one day Holt or Kenf discovers that there is a relatively well-organized army here and plans to transfer them to an area with fierce fighting, then Chuvasov and the others will be completely exposed.
He scratched the back of his head and said with a wry smile: "Comrade Chief of Staff, we can only resign ourselves to fate. If they are not seen through by the enemy, this is certainly a good thing. But at the same time, they must be prepared to be seen through by the enemy and attacked from all sides. Prepare. Tell Colonel Chuvasov that even if they are surrounded on all sides, they must hold on tenaciously until the troops who capture Dergach arrive."
When it came to Dergach, the conversation between the two couldn't help but return to Shechtman. "Comrade Commander," Samyko asked curiously: "If Shechtman's 254th Division can successfully capture Dergach this time, then after our army completely liberates Kharkov, his Is it possible for the army to be reorganized into a Guards Division?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I think it will be very difficult to be reorganized into the Guards Division." Sokov smiled bitterly and shook his head and said: "Chuvasov and his three brigades can be reorganized into the 98th Guards Division. It was all Marshal Zhukov’s mediation, otherwise our army group would not even have a Guards Division until now.”
"Didn't Major General Malankin's 91st Guards Division once come under our command?" Samek said with some regret: "Unfortunately, after the Battle of Kursk, Malankin's troops were reorganized. If they Being able to stay with us will make us even stronger.”
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I don't think so." Sokov said solemnly: "Malankin's troops already suffered huge casualties when preventing Hot from Oboyan from retreating to Belgorod. Even if the battle is over, Later, they were supplemented by superiors, but they could not supplement veterans or combat backbones with combat experience like us. I think their current combat effectiveness should be about the same as that of Khokhlov's 182nd Division."
