Due to insufficient strength, the German troops in Pavlish were temporarily unable to launch an attack on the warehouse area occupied by the Soviet troops, thus buying valuable time for the Mikhailov Battalion.
Although there would not be much danger in the warehouse area before the main force of the German army arrived, Sokov, as the commander of the group army, was extremely anxious. He walked back and forth in the headquarters with his hands behind his back, wondering whether he should launch an attack in advance and join the Mikhailov camp in Pavlish as soon as possible?
Samyko knew that Sokov was thinking about the problem, so he did not disturb him. Instead, he patiently checked the preparations reported by the divisions below, so that when Sokov asked, he could accurately tell the latest situation.
After walking back and forth in the headquarters for more than a dozen times, Sokov suddenly stopped and turned to ask Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, how are the offensive preparations of the forward troops going?"
Upon hearing Sokov's inquiry, Samyko quickly put down the battle report in his hand and came over to report to him: "The current 254th and 300th Divisions are ready to attack and can attack the enemy's defense line at any time. But I want to ask, where do you plan to choose the direction of attack?"
Sokov did not reply, but walked quickly back to the table, looked down at the map, then pointed to a location and said: "Chief of Staff, I plan to use this as the main direction of our army's attack."
Samek came over and took a look, with an expression of astonishment immediately showing on his face: "Comrade Commander, this is the defense line where the German armored divisions are stationed. If we choose to break through from this direction, I'm afraid the chance of success will be very low."
After listening to Samek's words, Sokov stared at him for a while and then asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I want to ask you, if we implement a breakthrough from the direction of the German infantry division, what will happen to their armored division?" reaction?"
"Needless to say," Samek replied without hesitation: "Once the defense area of the German infantry division is attacked by our army, the nearby armored division will immediately provide support, dispatch tanks or directly attack our offensive troops with artillery fire. .”
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right." After agreeing with Samyko's statement, Sokov continued: "As long as we choose the infantry division's defense zone as the breakthrough direction, the German armored division will actively But now we have changed the main attack direction and used the area where the German armored divisions are as the direction of breakthrough. The Germans will be confused and think that we are making a fake move, and their commander will order the infantry division to stay where it is. The ground is on standby and does not support the armored division. This creates an excellent opportunity for our army."
Sokov picked up the red and blue pencils and tapped the map gently: "Besides, the troops we deployed in front of the German armored division are Colonel Shechtman's division. I am still very relieved about their combat effectiveness. If Launching an attack will definitely break through the German defense line in the shortest possible time.”
Samyko has no doubts about Sokov's statement, but what he is most worried about right now is the Mikhailov camp currently staying in Pavlish. After he waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he asked cautiously: "Comrade Commander, what about the Mikheyev Camp in Pavlish City? Their strength is limited. If they are attacked by the German army, they may not be able to sustain it for long. Time, when will we rush to support them?”
"The German army has limited troops in Pavlish, and the Mikhailov Battalion used the weapons and ammunition in the warehouse to arm the workers and their families." Regarding the Mikhailov Camp in Pavlish, Sokov Not worried: "I believe they will not be in any danger within a day or two."
"Comrade Commander," Sameko asked tentatively: "In the upcoming offensive battle, is there no need for the participation of the 73rd Infantry Brigade?"
Sokov raised his eyebrows and asked with some surprise: "Isn't the mission of the Guchakov Brigade to break through the German defense line in front of them as soon as possible, rush to Pavlish City, and join the Mikhailov Camp?"
After saying this, Sokov suddenly realized that he had not explained clearly to Samyko. No wonder the other party misunderstood, and quickly explained: "I am not not letting the Guchakov Brigade participate in the attack, but I plan to let the 254th and the 300th Division launched an attack first to attract the attention of the German army. When our troops broke through the German defense line, the Guchakov Brigade launched an attack on the enemy from their defense area. I believe it will not take long to break through the defense. , rushed into the city of Pavlish, and joined forces with the Mikhailov battalion holding firm in the reservoir area."
Seeing that Sokov had considered all the issues that should be considered, Samyko paused for a moment and then asked: "Comrade Commander, when will we start the attack?"
Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch and said: "I see that in half an hour, the artillery division will first bombard the German armored division area. After the bombardment lasts for forty minutes, the infantry will launch an attack, which should be able to break through the German defense." "
Within half an hour, more than two hundred artillery pieces of various calibers from the First Artillery Division and the Second Artillery Division, which received the order, launched a fierce bombardment towards the German armored division's defense area. For a time, the sound of artillery roared, and the German defense area was filled with flames and smoke.
Although the commander of the German armored division had long noticed that the Soviet troops on the opposite side were moving, according to his experience, every time the Soviet troops attacked, they attacked the weakest troops first. Troops with strong combat capabilities like his own were usually avoided by the other side. Object.
When he received a report from the front that the Soviet army was showing signs of launching an attack, he called several regiment commanders disapprovingly and asked them to be prepared to send troops to reinforce friendly neighbors on the flanks, because he felt that the infantry division must be the Soviet army. The primary target of the attack.
As soon as the artillery fired, he learned that the artillery shells had landed on his own defensive position. The armored division commander did not take it seriously. He believed that this was a deliberate artillery suppression by the Soviet army in order to prevent itself from reinforcing the friendly forces under attack. But with the increasingly fierce artillery fire, he was suddenly confused. Didn't he choose to attack the weak enemy first every time he attacked? Why did he greet him as soon as the artillery fire started?
Taking a chance, he called the commander of the infantry division to learn about the shelling of the opponent's defense area. But the other party's answer surprised him: "We have not been attacked by any artillery fire here."
"What, you were not attacked by artillery fire?" Hearing the other party's reply, the armored division commander went a little crazy: "This is impossible, you are the weakest in the eyes of the Russians. And according to their tradition, every time It is to choose the weakest target to attack. How could it be reversed today? General, your subordinates may have deceived you."
But the infantry division commander's next words shocked him: "No, Your Excellency General. After I heard the sound of artillery, I went to the commanding heights to observe. Our defense area was not shelled by the Russians."
Due to insufficient strength, the German troops in Pavlish were temporarily unable to launch an attack on the warehouse area occupied by the Soviet troops, thus buying valuable time for the Mikhailov Battalion.
Although there would not be much danger in the warehouse area before the main force of the German army arrived, Sokov, as the commander of the group army, was extremely anxious. He walked back and forth in the headquarters with his hands behind his back, wondering whether he should launch an attack in advance and join the Mikhailov camp in Pavlish as soon as possible?
Samyko knew that Sokov was thinking about the problem, so he did not disturb him. Instead, he patiently checked the preparations reported by the divisions below, so that when Sokov asked, he could accurately tell the latest situation.
After walking back and forth in the headquarters for more than a dozen times, Sokov suddenly stopped and turned to ask Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, how are the offensive preparations of the forward troops going?"
Upon hearing Sokov's inquiry, Samyko quickly put down the battle report in his hand and came over to report to him: "The current 254th and 300th Divisions are ready to attack and can attack the enemy's defense line at any time. But I want to ask, where do you plan to choose the direction of attack?"
Sokov did not reply, but walked quickly back to the table, looked down at the map, then pointed to a location and said: "Chief of Staff, I plan to use this as the main direction of our army's attack."
Samek came over and took a look, with an expression of astonishment immediately showing on his face: "Comrade Commander, this is the defense line where the German armored divisions are stationed. If we choose to break through from this direction, I'm afraid the chance of success will be very low."
After listening to Samek's words, Sokov stared at him for a while and then asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I want to ask you, if we implement a breakthrough from the direction of the German infantry division, what will happen to their armored division?" reaction?"
"Needless to say," Samek replied without hesitation: "Once the defense area of the German infantry division is attacked by our army, the nearby armored division will immediately provide support, dispatch tanks or directly attack our offensive troops with artillery fire. .”
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right." After agreeing with Samyko's statement, Sokov continued: "As long as we choose the infantry division's defense zone as the breakthrough direction, the German armored division will actively But now we have changed the main attack direction and used the area where the German armored divisions are as the direction of breakthrough. The Germans will be confused and think that we are making a fake move, and their commander will order the infantry division to stay where it is. The ground is on standby and does not support the armored division. This creates an excellent opportunity for our army."
Sokov picked up the red and blue pencils and tapped the map gently: "Besides, the troops we deployed in front of the German armored division are Colonel Shechtman's division. I am still very relieved about their combat effectiveness. If Launching an attack will definitely break through the German defense line in the shortest possible time."
Samyko has no doubts about Sokov's statement, but what he is most worried about right now is the Mikhailov camp currently staying in Pavlish. After he waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he asked cautiously: "Comrade Commander, what about the Mikhailov Camp in Pavlish City? Their strength is limited. If they are attacked by the German army, they may not be able to sustain it for long. Time, when will we rush to support them?”
"The German army has limited troops in Pavlish, and the Mikhailov Battalion used the weapons and ammunition in the warehouse to arm the workers and their families." Regarding the Mikhailov Camp in Pavlish, Sokov Not worried: "I believe they will not be in any danger within a day or two."
"Comrade Commander," Sameko asked tentatively: "In the upcoming offensive battle, is there no need for the participation of the 73rd Infantry Brigade?"
Sokov raised his eyebrows and asked with some surprise: "Isn't the mission of the Guchakov Brigade to break through the German defense line in front of them as soon as possible, rush to Pavlish City, and join the Mikhailov Camp?"
After saying this, Sokov suddenly realized that he had not explained clearly to Samyko. No wonder the other party misunderstood, and quickly explained: "I am not not letting the Guchakov Brigade participate in the attack, but I plan to let the 254th and the 300th Division launched an attack first to attract the attention of the German army. When our troops broke through the German defense line, the Guchakov Brigade launched an attack on the enemy from their defense area. I believe it will not take long to break through the defense. , rushed into the city of Pavlish, and joined forces with the Mikhailov battalion holding firm in the reservoir area."
Seeing that Sokov had considered all the issues that should be considered, Samyko paused for a moment and then asked: "Comrade Commander, when will we start the attack?"
Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch and said: "I see that in half an hour, the artillery division will first shell the German armored division area. After the shelling lasts for forty minutes, the infantry will launch an attack, which should be able to break through the German defense. "
Within half an hour, more than two hundred artillery pieces of various calibers from the First Artillery Division and the Second Artillery Division, which received the order, launched a fierce bombardment towards the German armored division's defense area. For a time, the sound of artillery roared, and the German defense area was filled with flames and smoke.
Although the commander of the German armored division had long noticed that the Soviet troops on the opposite side were moving, according to his experience, every time the Soviet troops attacked, they attacked the weakest troops first. Troops with strong combat effectiveness like his own were usually avoided by the other side. Object.
When he received a report from the front that the Soviet army was showing signs of launching an attack, he called several regiment commanders disapprovingly and asked them to be prepared to send troops to reinforce friendly neighbors on the flanks, because he felt that the infantry division must be the Soviet army. The primary target of the attack.
As soon as the artillery fired, he learned that the artillery shells had landed on his own defensive position. The armored division commander did not take it seriously. He believed that this was a deliberate artillery suppression by the Soviet army in order to prevent itself from reinforcing friendly forces under attack. But with the increasingly fierce artillery fire, he was suddenly confused. Didn't he choose to attack the weak enemy first every time he attacked? Why did he greet him as soon as the artillery fire started?
Taking a chance, he called the commander of the infantry division to learn about the shelling of the opponent's defense area. But the other party's answer surprised him: "We have not been attacked by any artillery fire here."
"What, you were not attacked by artillery fire?" Hearing the other party's reply, the armored division commander went a little crazy: "This is impossible, you are the weakest in the eyes of the Russians. And according to their tradition, every time It is to choose the weakest target to attack. How could it be reversed today? General, your subordinates may have deceived you."
But the infantry division commander's next words shocked him: "No, Your Excellency General. After I heard the sound of artillery, I went to the commanding heights to observe. Our defense area was not shelled by the Russians."
"How is this possible?" the armored division commander said to himself: "How could the Russians change their usual fighting style? There must be a mistake somewhere."
