As Lida expected, the attacks of the 5th and 7th Guards Armies were not going smoothly, which made Konev very upset. After reading the telegram sent by Sokov, his pupils began to shrink violently. He never dreamed that Sokov would actually request to participate in the attack on Poltava.
Seeing Konev's unnatural expression, Chief of Staff Zakharov quickly asked with concern: "Comrade Commander, I seem to be worried. What happened?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, please read this telegram." After Konev handed the telegram to Zakharov, "We deployed two armies to attack Poltava, but no results have been achieved. Now Sokov became anxious and asked to participate in the attack on Poltava?"
After reading the telegram, Zakharov did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he asked Konev tentatively: "Comrade Commander, will you agree to his request?"
Konev sighed softly, turned and walked to the wall, looked up at the map hanging on it, and said thoughtfully: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I do not deny that once Sokov's troops are deployed, The attack on Poltava will greatly increase the speed at which we can capture the city."
As Konev's chief of staff, Zakharov could naturally guess what he was thinking, and went on to say: "Comrade Commander, I understand what you mean. If Sokov's troops are allowed to participate in the attack, we can indeed shorten the capture period." Time in Poltava. But in this case, what about the landing sites at Kremenchug and the right bank? Even if a group army is transferred there at this moment, it may not be able to hold it in the face of the fierce German offensive."
Seeing that Zakharov guessed what he was thinking, Konev nodded slightly and said with a wry smile: "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, this is what I am worried about. Let Sokov's troops participate in the attack on Porta If we don't take Poltava quickly, we will risk losing the right bank landing site and Klemenkoug. But if we can't take Poltava quickly, we won't be able to completely open the road to the Dnieper River. Don't look at Sokov's troops Now they are staying on the banks of the Dnieper River, but their logistics supply line is very weak, so weak that the defenders of Poltava can cut it off with artillery fire."
"The weapons equipped by Sokov's troops are heavily dependent on the later stage." Zakharov echoed: "Once their supply line is cut off, then what awaits them will be catastrophe."
Konev took a few steps back, turned to look at Zakharov and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, this decision is difficult to make."
"How about we ask Marshal Zhukov what he means." Zaharov said cautiously: "It would be good to hear his thoughts."
Regarding Zakharov's proposal, Konev rejected it without hesitation: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I don't think it's appropriate. Although this matter is of great importance, it is an internal matter of our front army. If it is reported to Marshal Zhukov rashly, I'm afraid it will It makes him feel that there is a problem with the capabilities of our command.”
After hearing what Konev said, Zaharov also felt that his proposal was inappropriate. This is indeed an internal matter of the front army, but if you want to ask Zhukov for instructions, I am afraid it will arouse the other party's doubts. He coughed lightly to cover up his embarrassment, and then asked: "Comrade Commander, what do you think about it?"
"Reject Sokov's request." Konev had already made a decisive decision at this time: "It is absolutely impossible to allow him and his troops to continue to stay in the Kremenchug area and be responsible for defending the landing site on the right bank of the Dnieper River. Let the enemy take it away. At the same time, order General Managarov to speed up the march and arrive as soon as possible to join forces with Kremenchug and Sokov."
"What about Poltava?" Zaharov asked Konev for instructions: "Judging from the current situation, the troops of the 5th and 7th Guards Armies will be basically in a state within a week to half a month. The city cannot be captured.”
"Then let them fight slowly. Now that Sokov's troops have occupied Kremenchug and cut off the retreat and supplies of Poltava's enemies, I want to see how they can survive under our siege. How long will it last?" After Sokov said these words in one breath, he continued: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the troops on the right are fighting the enemy, and the troops in other directions cannot be idle. The troops near the center of the battle line are The troops of the 6th Guards Army immediately launched an attack in the direction of Kobelyaki; the troops of the 57th and 46th Army on the left wing pursued the retreating enemy in the direction of Dnipropetrovsk."
After Zakharov recorded all of Konev's orders, he immediately asked the telegraph operators to send them to the headquarters of each group army, asking them to carry out combat missions in accordance with the instructions of their superiors.
Sokov received a reply from the front army headquarters and saw that the order given to him was to hold on to Kremenchug and the landing site on the right bank, and when the time came, he would decisively attack the enemy and expand the area of the landing site.
After Chuvashov came over to read the contents of the telegram, he asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade Commander, your superiors have rejected your request to lead troops to attack Poltava. What are your plans next?"
"Plan?!" Sokov said with a wry smile: "Of course we will follow the orders from our superiors and stick to Kremenchug and the right bank landing site with all our strength, and when the time is right, take the initiative to attack the enemy."
Seeing that Sokov was in a bad mood, Chuvashov quickly took out a cigarette from the cigarette case and handed it to Sokov. After he put the cigarette in his mouth, he diligently lit the fire for him.
After Sokov took two puffs of cigarette, he saw Chuvashov sitting next to him and couldn't help but asked curiously: "Comrade Colonel, as the commander of a division, you are always by my side. Don't you have to ask the division?" What’s going on inside?”
"Comrade division commander, I have a good chief of staff." After hearing Sokov's question, Chuvashov couldn't help but said proudly: "Lieutenant Colonel Uzakov is a competent staff officer, even if I am not at the headquarters , and he can handle everything in an orderly manner." As Lida expected, the attacks of the 5th and 7th Guards Armies were not going smoothly, which made Konev very upset. After reading the telegram sent by Sokov, his pupils began to shrink violently. He never dreamed that Sokov would actually request to participate in the attack on Poltava.
Seeing Konev's unnatural expression, Chief of Staff Zakharov quickly asked with concern: "Comrade Commander, I seem to be worried. What happened?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, please read this telegram." After Konev handed the telegram to Zakharov, "We deployed two armies to attack Poltava, but no results have been achieved. Now Sokov became anxious and asked to participate in the attack on Poltava?"
After reading the telegram, Zakharov did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he asked Konev tentatively: "Comrade Commander, will you agree to his request?"
Konev sighed softly, turned and walked to the wall, looked up at the map hanging on it, and said thoughtfully: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I do not deny that once Sokov's troops are deployed, The attack on Poltava will greatly increase the speed at which we can capture the city."
As Konev's chief of staff, Zakharov could naturally guess what he was thinking, and went on to say: "Comrade Commander, I understand what you mean. If Sokov's troops are allowed to participate in the attack, we can indeed shorten the capture period." Time in Poltava. But in this case, what about the landing sites at Kremenchug and the right bank? Even if a group army is transferred there at this moment, it may not be able to hold it in the face of the fierce German offensive."
Seeing that Zakharov guessed what he was thinking, Konev nodded slightly and said with a wry smile: "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, this is what I am worried about. Let Sokov's troops participate in the attack on Porta If we don't take Poltava quickly, we will risk losing the right bank landing site and Klemenkoug. But if we can't take Poltava quickly, we won't be able to completely open the road to the Dnieper River. Don't look at Sokov's troops Now they are staying on the banks of the Dnieper River, but their logistics supply line is very weak, so weak that the defenders of Poltava can cut it off with artillery fire."
"The weapons equipped by Sokov's troops are heavily dependent on the later stage." Zakharov echoed: "Once their supply line is cut off, then what awaits them will be catastrophe."
Konev took a few steps back, turned to look at Zakharov and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, this decision is difficult to make."
"How about we ask Marshal Zhukov what he means." Zaharov said cautiously: "It would be good to hear his thoughts."
Regarding Zakharov's proposal, Konev rejected it without hesitation: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I don't think it's appropriate. Although this matter is of great importance, it is an internal matter of our front army. If it is reported to Marshal Zhukov rashly, I'm afraid it will It makes him feel that there is a problem with the capabilities of our command.”
After hearing what Konev said, Zaharov also felt that his proposal was inappropriate. This is indeed an internal matter of the front army, but if you want to ask Zhukov for instructions, I am afraid it will arouse the other party's doubts. He coughed lightly to cover up his embarrassment, and then asked: "Comrade Commander, what do you think about it?"
"Reject Sokov's request." Konev had already made a decisive decision at this time: "It is absolutely impossible to allow him and his troops to continue to stay in the Kremenchug area and be responsible for defending the landing site on the right bank of the Dnieper River. Let the enemy take it away. At the same time, order General Managarov to speed up the march and arrive as soon as possible to join forces with Kremenchug and Sokov."
"What about Poltava?" Zaharov asked Konev for instructions: "Judging from the current situation, the troops of the 5th and 7th Guards Armies will be basically in a state within a week to half a month. The city cannot be taken."
"Then let them fight slowly. Now that Sokov's troops have occupied Kremenchug and cut off the retreat and supplies of Poltava's enemies, I want to see how they can survive under our siege. How long will it last?" After Sokov said these words in one breath, he continued: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the troops on the right are fighting the enemy, and the troops in other directions cannot be idle. The troops near the center of the battle line are The troops of the 6th Guards Army immediately launched an attack in the direction of Kobelyaki; the troops of the 57th and 46th Army on the left wing pursued the retreating enemy in the direction of Dnipropetrovsk."
After Zakharov recorded all of Konev's orders, he immediately asked the telegraph operators to send them to the headquarters of each group army, asking them to carry out combat missions in accordance with the instructions of their superiors.
Sokov received a reply from the front army headquarters and saw that the order given to him was to hold on to Kremenchug and the landing site on the right bank, and when the time came, he would decisively attack the enemy and expand the area of the landing site.
After Chuvashov came over to read the contents of the telegram, he asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade Commander, your superiors have rejected your request to lead troops to attack Poltava. What are your plans next?"
"Plan?!" Sokov said with a wry smile: "Of course we will follow the orders from our superiors and stick to Kremenchug and the right bank landing site with all our strength, and when the time is right, take the initiative to attack the enemy."
Seeing that Sokov was in a bad mood, Chuvashov quickly took out a cigarette from the cigarette case and handed it to Sokov. After he put the cigarette in his mouth, he diligently lit the fire for him.
After Sokov took two puffs of cigarette, he saw Chuvashov sitting next to him and couldn't help but asked curiously: "Comrade Colonel, as the commander of a division, you are always by my side. Don't you have to ask the division?" What’s going on inside?”
"Comrade division commander, I have a good chief of staff." After hearing Sokov's question, Chuvashov couldn't help but said proudly: "Lieutenant Colonel Uzakov is a competent staff officer, even if I am not at the headquarters , and he can handle everything in an orderly manner." As Lida expected, the attacks of the 5th and 7th Guards Armies were not going smoothly, which made Konev very upset. After reading the telegram sent by Sokov, his pupils began to shrink violently. He never dreamed that Sokov would actually request to participate in the attack on Poltava.
Seeing Konev's unnatural expression, Chief of Staff Zakharov quickly asked with concern: "Comrade Commander, I seem to be worried. What happened?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, take a look at this telegram." After Konev handed the telegram to Zakharov, "We deployed two armies to attack Poltava, but no results were achieved. Now Sokov became anxious and asked to participate in the attack on Poltava?"
As Konev's chief of staff, Zakharov could naturally guess what he was thinking, and went on to say: "Comrade Commander, I understand what you mean. If Sokov's troops are allowed to participate in the attack, we can indeed shorten the capture period." Time in Poltava. But in this case, what about the landing sites at Kremenchug and the right bank? Even if a group army is transferred there at this moment, it may not be able to hold it in the face of the fierce German offensive."
Seeing that Zakharov guessed what he was thinking, Konev nodded slightly and said with a wry smile: "Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, this is what I am worried about. Let Sokov's troops participate in the attack on Porta If we take Poltava quickly, we will risk losing the right bank landing site and Klemenkoug. But if we cannot take Poltava quickly, we will not be able to completely open the road to the Dnieper River. Don't look at Sokov's troops Now they are staying on the banks of the Dnieper River, but their logistics supply line is very weak, so weak that the defenders of Poltava can cut it off with artillery fire."
