"Comrade Commander," the chief of staff covered the microphone with his hand and reported to Chernyakhovsky with some emotion: "General Rokossovsky is not only the commander of the Belarusian Front, but also the commander of the base camp. Representative of the 1st Ukrainian Front. Not long ago, he took over the command of the troops as acting commander."
For Chernyakhovsky, all the previous words are nonsense, only the last sentence is the key. In the past, Zhukov and Vasilevsky were also representatives of the base camp, but most of their guidance was directly ignored by Vatutin. The two of them considered that the other was the favorite general of the Supreme Commander, so they often chose tolerate.
At this moment, he was overjoyed to learn that Rokossovsky had taken over the command of the front troops. He quickly took the microphone from the chief of staff, put it to his ear and said: "Hello, General Rokossovsky, My name is Chernyakhovsky."
"Hello, General Chernyakhovsky." After greeting the other party, Rokossovsky asked straight to the point: "I heard that you just went to the front to inspect the battle situation. I wonder what the situation is now. ?”
"Comrade Acting Commander," Chernyakhovsky said to Rokossovsky: "The enemy defending the city of Korosten is the German 59th Infantry Army. Facing the fierce attack of our troops, this army Two divisions have been withdrawn from the city, leaving only the 291st Infantry Division still resisting."
"Oh, the enemy has withdrawn the two divisions from the city?" Rokossovsky couldn't help but be stunned when he heard the news, and then asked: "Where are the two divisions that have withdrawn from the city now?"
Chernyakhovsky quickly replied: "The two divisions that evacuated the city did not choose to retreat westward and join other German troops, but moved to the north and south of the city respectively. It seems that they The plan is to form an encirclement around us after our army captures the city."
Hearing what Chernyakhovsky said, Rokossovsky laughed: "General Chernyakhovsky, it seems that the Germans have a pretty big appetite. They are trying to use science and technology to Luo Jian will serve as bait to eat you."
"Comrade Acting Commander, the enemy does have fewer troops than us. When they form a siege on the city, they are also in danger of being outflanked by our troops outside the city." Chernyakhovsky finished this. After speaking, his expression suddenly became serious: "I heard that the 38th Army in the center has been driven out of Zhitomir by the Germans. The 3rd Guards Tank Army on the left is also facing being cut off by the Germans. Danger on the road back..."
"General Chernyakhovsky," although what Chernyakhovsky said was true, Rokossovsky interrupted him before he finished speaking: "You Your mission is to ensure that the attack on the right wing goes smoothly, and as for operations in other directions, you don’t have to worry about it.”
"Comrade Acting Commander, my current strength is limited." Chernyakhovsky said with a solemn expression: "Even if we occupy Korosten, I am afraid that we will not be able to continue to expand our results."
"You can rest assured on this." Rokossovsky said: "I have ordered General Pukhov's 13th Army to move towards you. After you join forces, you will be responsible for commanding the two armies. .”
When he learned that Rokossovsky had given him command of two armies, Chernyakhovsky couldn't help but feel ecstatic. Out of gratitude, he respectfully asked: "Comrade Acting Commander, I wonder if our army is occupying After Korosten, what will be the next combat mission?”
"After you occupy Korosten," Rokossovsky knew that Chernyakhovsky's chief of staff might not have conveyed what he just said to him, so he took the initiative to say: "After consolidating At the same time as the defense line, the 13th Army sent some troops to move to Chernobyl and Pripyat in the north, echoing the troops of the Belarusian Front in the north, forcing the enemy to divide their forces for defense."
"Understood, Comrade Acting Commander." Chernyakhovsky said quickly: "After the 13th Army arrives, we will definitely capture Korosten in the shortest possible time and consolidate the security in the area. defense."
"Very good." Rokossovsky arrived and was very satisfied with Chernyakhovsky's statement. Before he put down the phone, he finally asked: "General Chernyakhovsky, do you have any other requests?"
"Comrade Acting Commander," Chernyakhovsky thought for a while, and finally made a request to Rokossovsky: "I wonder if you can provide us with air support so that we can seize it more smoothly. City."
"As long as the weather conditions permit, I will definitely send the air force out." After Rokossovsky finished saying this, he hung up the phone without waiting for Chernyakhovsky to speak again, and then turned to Bo Golyubov said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please record my order. If the weather conditions permit tomorrow, the Air Force will provide the necessary air support for the 60th Group Army to capture Korosten."
After saying this, Bogolyubov glanced at the expressionless Vatutin next to him, and continued: "I just received a telegram from the 3rd Guards Tank Army saying that there was a fire in Brusilov's west. In front of the anti-tank positions in the south, we successfully destroyed a certain number of German tanks and killed Colonel Schonberg, commander of the 1st Armored Regiment of the Flag Guard Division."
After learning that the 3rd Guards Tank Army had killed a German armored regiment commander during the battle, Rokossovsky felt that this was a good opportunity to boost morale, so he ordered Bogolyubov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Immediately send a commendation telegram to General Rybalko, commander of the 3rd Guards Tank Army, to commend them for their achievements."
"Comrade Acting Commander, based on current indications, the battle on the center and left wing will be concentrated in the Brusilov area." Bogolyubov asked Rokossovsky cautiously: "We need to send troops for reinforcements. Them?"
"There is no need." Rokossovsky rejected Bogolyubov's proposal without hesitation: "Now our center and left wing, as well as the 38th Army and the 3rd Guards Tank Army, we I believe they have the ability to block the enemy’s attack.”
Bogolyubov originally wanted to tell Rokossovsky that Katukov's 1st Tank Army had arrived in Kiev and whether to send them to reinforce the center or left wing, but after hearing what Rokossovsky said, He wisely gave up the idea and asked tentatively: "Comrade Acting Commander, General Katukov, Commander of the 1st Tank Army, has arrived in Kiev. Do you think you can meet him?"
"Oh, Katukov has arrived in Kiev?" Hearing that Katukov had arrived in Kiev, Rokossovsky showed an expression of surprise on his face. He quickly said to Bogolyubov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you immediately Inform him to come to my place, I want to have a good chat with him."
"Comrade Commander," the chief of staff covered the microphone with his hand and reported to Chernyakhovsky with some emotion: "General Rokossovsky is not only the commander of the Belarusian Front, but also the commander of the base camp. Representative of the 1st Ukrainian Front. Not long ago, he took over the command of the troops as acting commander."
For Chernyakhovsky, all the previous words are nonsense, only the last sentence is the key. In the past, Zhukov and Vasilevsky were also representatives of the base camp, but most of their guidance was directly ignored by Vatutin. The two of them considered that the other was the favorite general of the Supreme Commander, so they often chose tolerate.
At this moment, he was overjoyed to learn that Rokossovsky had taken over the command of the front troops. He quickly took the microphone from the chief of staff, put it to his ear and said: "Hello, General Rokossovsky, My name is Chernyakhovsky."
"Hello, General Chernyakhovsky." After greeting the other party, Rokossovsky asked straight to the point: "I heard that you just went to the front to inspect the battle situation. I wonder what the situation is now. ?”
"Comrade Acting Commander," Chernyakhovsky said to Rokossovsky: "The enemy defending the city of Korosten is the German 59th Infantry Army. Facing the fierce attack of our troops, this army Two divisions have been withdrawn from the city, leaving only the 291st Infantry Division still resisting."
"Oh, the enemy has withdrawn the two divisions from the city?" Rokossovsky couldn't help but be stunned when he heard the news, and then asked: "Where are the two divisions that have withdrawn from the city now?"
Chernyakhovsky quickly replied: "The two divisions that evacuated the city did not choose to retreat westward and join other German troops, but moved to the north and south of the city respectively. It seems that they The plan is to form an encirclement around us after our army captures the city."
Hearing what Chernyakhovsky said, Rokossovsky laughed: "General Chernyakhovsky, it seems that the Germans have a pretty big appetite. They are trying to use science and technology to Luo Jian will serve as bait to eat you."
"Comrade Acting Commander, the enemy does have fewer troops than us. When they form a siege on the city, they are also in danger of being outflanked by our troops outside the city." Chernyakhovsky finished this. After speaking, his expression suddenly became serious: "I heard that the 38th Army in the center has been driven out of Zhitomir by the Germans. The 3rd Guards Tank Army on the left is also facing being cut off by the Germans. Danger on the road back..."
"General Chernyakhovsky," although what Chernyakhovsky said was true, Rokossovsky interrupted him before he finished speaking: "You Your mission is to ensure that the attack on the right wing goes smoothly, and as for operations in other directions, you don’t have to worry about it.”
"Comrade Acting Commander, my current strength is limited." Chernyakhovsky said with a solemn expression: "Even if we occupy Korosten, I am afraid that we will not be able to continue to expand our results."
"You can rest assured on this." Rokossovsky said: "I have ordered General Pukhov's 13th Army to move towards you. After you join forces, you will be responsible for commanding the two armies. .”
When he learned that Rokossovsky had given him command of two armies, Chernyakhovsky couldn't help but feel ecstatic. Out of gratitude, he respectfully asked: "Comrade Acting Commander, I wonder if our army is occupying After Korosten, what will be the next combat mission?”
"After you occupy Korosten," Rokossovsky knew that Chernyakhovsky's chief of staff might not have conveyed what he just said to him, so he took the initiative to say: "After consolidating At the same time as the defense line, the 13th Army sent some troops to move to Chernobyl and Pripyat in the north, echoing the troops of the Belarusian Front in the north, forcing the enemy to divide their forces for defense."
"Understood, Comrade Acting Commander." Chernyakhovsky said quickly: "After the 13th Army arrives, we will definitely capture Korosten in the shortest possible time and consolidate the security in the area. defense."
"Very good." Rokossovsky arrived and was very satisfied with Chernyakhovsky's statement. Before he put down the phone, he finally asked: "General Chernyakhovsky, do you have anything else to ask for?"
"Comrade Acting Commander," Chernyakhovsky thought for a while, and finally made a request to Rokossovsky: "I wonder if you can provide us with air support so that we can seize it more smoothly. City."
"As long as the weather conditions permit, I will definitely send the air force out." After Rokossovsky finished saying this, he hung up the phone without waiting for Chernyakhovsky to speak again, and then turned to Bo Golyubov said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please record my order. If the weather conditions permit tomorrow, the Air Force will provide the necessary air support for the 60th Group Army to capture Korosten."
After saying this, Bogolyubov glanced at the expressionless Vatutin next to him, and continued: "I just received a telegram from the 3rd Guards Tank Army, saying that in Brusilov's west In front of the anti-tank positions in the south, we successfully destroyed a certain number of German tanks and killed Colonel Schönberg, commander of the 1st Armored Regiment of the Flag Guard Division."
After learning that the 3rd Guards Tank Army had killed the commander of a German armored regiment during the battle, Rokossovsky felt that this was a good opportunity to boost morale, so he ordered Bogolyubov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Immediately send a commendation telegram to General Rybalko, commander of the 3rd Guards Tank Army, to commend them for their achievements."
Bogolyubov originally wanted to tell Rokossovsky that Katukov's 1st Tank Army had arrived in Kiev and whether to send them to reinforce the center or left wing, but after hearing Rokossovsky say this, He wisely gave up the idea and asked tentatively: "Comrade Acting Commander, General Katukov, Commander of the 1st Tank Army, has arrived in Kiev. Do you think you can meet him?"
"Oh, Katukov has arrived in Kiev?" Hearing that Katukov had arrived in Kiev, Rokossovsky showed an expression of surprise on his face. He quickly said to Bogolyubov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you immediately Inform him to come to my place, I want to have a good chat with him."
