Sokov's words silenced Sameko. Yes, the assault rifle is certainly powerful, but its powerful firepower output is based on consuming a large amount of ammunition. The weapons and ammunition of the Soviet Union and Germany were not interchangeable. Even if the German equipment was captured, if the commanders and soldiers did not replace it with German weapons, the captured ammunition would not be put to use.
It is not realistic for commanders and fighters to fight with German weapons. The weapons and ammunition captured on the battlefield are limited. In such a fierce battle, these captured ammunition will soon be used up. At that time, the weapons in the hands of commanders and soldiers will also become useless fire sticks. .
Just when everyone was frowning, Yakov walked in from outside. He came to the table with familiarity and sat down. Seeing that everyone looked gloomy, he asked Sokov angrily: "Misha, are you encountering any difficulties?"
"Colonel Yakov," Samyko frowned and said after hearing Yakov's question: "The situation is like this. We encountered a little trouble when attacking Dergach's troops, which caused us to take longer to capture the city. Postponement. This would put the 98th Guards Division, which was lurking deep in the German defenses, at risk of being exposed."
"So that's what happened." Yakov said disapprovingly after hearing this: "Your 98th Guards Division is not far from the Oud River. If it is exposed, it can directly launch a counterattack against the enemy, seize the bridge, and build a foundation for your The main force of the army group opens the road to the city."
"It is not difficult to seize the bridge over the Oud River." Sokov knocked his hand on the table and said to Yakov: "The difficult thing is how to hold the bridge and ensure that the enemy cannot retake the bridge before the main force of our army arrives. .”
Yakov misunderstood Sokov's meaning and said with a puzzled face: "Misha, I remember that the 98th Guards Division was made an exception because of its outstanding performance. Why, you have no regard for them. confidence?"
"Our soldiers are very brave. If we have enough ammunition, I believe there will be no problem even if we hold on for three to five days." Sokov said solemnly: "But they only carry two basic amounts of ammunition. It is estimated that it will take half a day." If they don't use it anymore, they will use up all the ammunition. Once there is no ammunition, how can they block the enemy's attack by using bayonets?"
Yakov originally wanted to make a few jokes with Sokov, but seeing the other party's serious expression, he immediately contacted Sokov during the Battle of Stalingrad. Sokov's troops who stood at Beigan had run out of ammunition. And had to fight with the enemy with bayonets. Although the enemy attack was repelled in the end, the troops paid a huge sacrifice.
"We can find a way to deliver ammunition to them."
"What Colonel Yakov said makes sense," Lunev heard this and said before Yakov could finish: "We can find ways to transport ammunition to the 98th Guards Division, such as air transport or even air drops. That’s it.”
"Comrade Military Commissar," Samyko shook his head and rejected Lunev's proposal: "The Ude River already belongs to the German army's defense depth. In addition to a complete ground defense system, they must also have powerful anti-aircraft firepower. Our transport aircraft It was probably shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire before it even got close to the target.”
When Lunev made the suggestion, he really ignored the German anti-aircraft firepower. Hearing what Sameko said now, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious: "Then what should we do? Are we just going to watch the 98th Guards Division being destroyed?" Are the enemies annihilated?”
"Comrade Military Commissar, don't say anything again about the 98th Guards Division being annihilated by the enemy." Sokov reminded Lunev expressionlessly: "Even if they are surrounded by German troops, Colonel Chuvasov can lead them Troops break out."
"Comrade Commander," Samyko said to Sokov: "You can call General Konev to learn about the progress of the main force of the front army yesterday. If the results they achieved put tremendous pressure on the enemy, Then even if the 98th Guards Division is besieged, the enemy will not be able to mobilize more troops, but they will besiege them."
"That makes sense. I'll call General Konev right now and ask them how the frontal attack is going."
Sokov ordered the director of the communications corps to connect the phone to the front army headquarters. When he heard Zakharov's voice coming from the receiver, Sokov quickly said with a smile: "Hello, comrade chief of staff of the front army."
"It's Sokov." Zaharov recognized Sokov's voice and said with a smile, "You called me so early. Do you have any good news to tell me?"
Zakharov's words made Sokov blush, and he said with some embarrassment: "I'm sorry, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, I think what I brought you is not very good news."
"Not good news?" Yesterday, Sokov reported the battle report of the 254th Division's invasion of Dergach to the Front Army Headquarters after dark. When Zakharov heard what Sokov said, he was filled with emotion. He couldn't help but chuckle, and asked tentatively: "Comrade Sokov, could it be that something happened at Dergach?"
"That's right." Sokov answered truthfully: "In the early morning, the enemy suddenly launched a fire attack on our army occupying the north of the city. It not only caused a large number of casualties to our commanders and soldiers and residents of the city, but also forced our army to Don’t quit the city.”
"Ah, the enemy carried out a fire attack on your troops who invaded Dergach?" Zakharov was surprised and asked angrily: "Why didn't you organize fire fighting, but handed the city over to the Germans? ?”
"It's not that we don't put out the fire, it's that we can't put out the fire at all." Sokov explained to Zakharov with a wry smile: "The enemy used flamethrowers to set fire, and it was upwind, so the fire spread quickly. Our commanders and fighters Let alone putting out the fire, even if you escape a little slower, you will be killed in the flames, so there is no way to be driven out of the city by the enemy."
After understanding the situation at that time, Zakharov's mood became relatively calm. He asked curiously: "Comrade Sokov, did you call me so early just to tell me the bad news?"
"Of course not, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Sokov quickly stated the purpose of his call: "I just want to know the results of the main force of the Front Army's attack yesterday, and what actions will be taken today?"
The other end of the phone was silent. After a while, Zakharov finally asked: "Comrade Sokov, is my answer important to you?"
"Yes, it's important!"
Seeing Sokov's answer so simply, Zakharov said: "In yesterday's attack, we successfully wedged eight to twelve kilometers into the German defense line. If today's attack goes well, maybe some troops can reach Kharkov Outside the city.”
After answering this question, Zakharov asked curiously: "Your army group has been fighting independently. What is the purpose of asking this?"
"That's it, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Sokov asked for help from the other party, and naturally he would not conceal his true purpose: "Due to the arson by the German army, our troops had to withdraw from Dergach, so we asked Kazakhstan Erkov's attack time will be delayed. However, the 98th Guards Division lurking deep in the German defenses will face the possibility of being exposed due to the delay in our attack time.
According to our plan, once they are discovered by the enemy, they will decisively launch a fierce attack on the enemy along the Oude River, and seize the bridge on the river in the shortest possible time to ensure that the main force of our group army can successfully cross the Oude River. But if they are exposed prematurely and our main force is unable to rush over for reinforcements, they will be in danger. "
Zakharov frowned slightly and said: "Comrade Sokov, if I remember correctly, the 98th Guards Division was just reorganized into the Guards Division not long ago. Is it possible that their combat effectiveness is so weak that they can't even defeat the enemy?" Can’t you withstand the attack?”
"It's not that their combat effectiveness is incompetent, but that the ammunition they carry is limited." Sokov explained: "Once they are surrounded by the German army, they will soon use up all the ammunition they carry, and then they can only We are fighting with the enemy with bayonets, and there is no way we can sustain it until the main force arrives."
After Zakharov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he hummed softly, and then said: "Comrade Sokov, I understand. When Commander Konev comes, I will report the matter to him . Find ways to strengthen the frontal attack to attract the attention of the German army, so that they dare not move too many troops from the front, but besiege the 98th Guards Division."
Seeing that the purpose of his call had been achieved, Sokov couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly expressed his gratitude to Zakharov: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, on behalf of the commanders and fighters of the entire group army, thank you!"
After putting down the phone, Sokov said to Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, General Zakharov promised me that they will find ways to strengthen the frontal attack to contain the enemy's main force so that they cannot deploy too many force to besiege our 98th Guards Division."
While Sameko breathed a sigh of relief, he asked the question he was worried about: "Then how to replenish ammunition for them?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, have you forgotten my hovercraft?" Yakov interrupted again: "Don't forget, each of our hovercrafts can carry 30 soldiers or eight tons of cargo. Even if we only dispatch ten hovercrafts, It can provide eighty tons of ammunition to the defenders, and it can also bring back the wounded when it returns."
Yakov's words made Samyko's eyes light up. He quickly turned to face Sokov and said excitedly: "Comrade Commander, I think Colonel Yakov's plan is feasible. How about we give it a try?"
Sokov did not reply to Samyko immediately, but turned to Yakov and asked: "Yasha, I know that the load capacity of the hovercraft is very large. What I am concerned about now is whether your ammunition and supplies are safely delivered to the Guards. 98th Division?”
Hearing Sokov's question, Yakov hesitated for a while, and then replied: "I think there shouldn't be a big problem."
"Yasha, I don't want your people to encounter any danger because of transporting supplies." Sokov said sternly: "You know, the hovercraft is a top-secret device of our army. Before attacking Kharkov, even Kok Commanders at the level of General Nev are not qualified to know the existence of this kind of technical equipment. If any danger occurs while you are transporting supplies, causing the hovercraft to be damaged or even captured by the German army, I am afraid that neither you nor I will be able to escape. responsibility."
"Misha, I think as long as we find a passage that can avoid the enemy, our hovercraft can smoothly transport supplies to the 98th Guards Division and help them transport the wounded back." Although we know that using a hovercraft is the closest The 98th Guards Division transporting supplies is a dangerous and extremely dangerous thing, but Yakov is not willing to give up easily. After Zakharov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he hummed softly, and then said: "Comrade Sokov, I understand. When Commander Konev comes, I will report the matter to him . Find ways to strengthen the frontal attack to attract the attention of the German army, so that they dare not move too many troops from the front, but besiege the 98th Guards Division."
Seeing that the purpose of his call had been achieved, Sokov couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly expressed his gratitude to Zakharov: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, on behalf of the commanders and fighters of the entire group army, thank you!"
After putting down the phone, Sokov said to Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, General Zakharov promised me that they will find ways to strengthen the frontal attack to contain the enemy's main force so that they cannot deploy too many force to besiege our 98th Guards Division."
While Sameko breathed a sigh of relief, he asked the question he was worried about: "Then how to replenish ammunition for them?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, have you forgotten my hovercraft?" Yakov interrupted again: "Don't forget, each of our hovercrafts can carry 30 soldiers or eight tons of cargo. Even if we only dispatch ten hovercrafts, It can provide eighty tons of ammunition to the defenders, and it can also bring back the wounded when it returns."
Yakov's words made Samyko's eyes light up. He quickly turned to face Sokov and said excitedly: "Comrade Commander, I think Colonel Yakov's plan is feasible. How about we give it a try?"
Sokov did not reply to Samyko immediately, but turned to Yakov and asked: "Yasha, I know that the load capacity of the hovercraft is very large. What I am concerned about now is whether your ammunition and supplies are safely delivered to the Guards. 98th Division?”
Hearing Sokov's question, Yakov hesitated for a while, and then replied: "I think there shouldn't be a big problem."
"Yasha, I don't want your people to encounter any danger because of transporting supplies." Sokov said sternly: "You know, the hovercraft is a top-secret device of our army. Before attacking Kharkov, even Kok Commanders at the level of General Nev are not qualified to know the existence of this kind of technical equipment. If any danger occurs while you are transporting supplies, causing the hovercraft to be damaged or even captured by the German army, I am afraid that neither you nor I will be able to escape. responsibility."
"Misha, I think as long as we find a passage that can avoid the enemy, our hovercraft can smoothly transport supplies to the 98th Guards Division and help them transport the wounded back." Although we know that using a hovercraft is the closest The 98th Guards Division transporting supplies is a dangerous and extremely dangerous thing, but Yakov is not willing to give up easily. Sokov did not reply to Samyko immediately, but turned to Yakov and asked: "Yasha, I know that the load capacity of the hovercraft is very large. What I am concerned about now is whether your ammunition and supplies are safely delivered to the Guards. 98th Division?”
