After the cavalry army left, the defense near Highland 239 became weak again.
For this matter, Smirnov asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Commander, which unit do you think will take over the defense area vacated by the cavalry army?"
"There are four tank brigades under the group army." Sokov thought for a moment and said: "Let them fill this gap. Once the defense area of the 41st Guards Division is tight, they can rush over in time to reinforce."
"Transfer the tank brigade?" Regarding Sokov's arrangement, Smirnov put forward a different view: "Comrade Commander, I think it is inappropriate to send the tank brigade to take over the cavalry army's defense area."
"Why?" Sokov asked in surprise.
"Although we have four tank brigades, they have been understaffed." Smirnov explained: "And after the early battles, the total number of usable tanks now does not exceed fifty."
The muscles on Sokov's face twitched violently. He never dreamed that the four tank brigades under his command actually had less than fifty tanks, which meant that each brigade only had ten tanks. Once they encounter a German armored division, they will probably be wiped out in an instant.
"When I called Yakov a few days ago, he said that he could not provide us with tanks and artillery." Sokov frowned and said: "Without enough tanks and artillery, we can only stay in the trenches for defense. , and cannot take the initiative to attack the enemy."
"Yes, without a sufficient number of tanks and artillery, we are simply no match for the German armored divisions." Smirnov also said with emotion: "Let alone one-on-one, even if our entire army is put into battle, we will not be able to defeat it." It was impossible to stop even one German armored division from attacking."
The fact that one German division defeated one Soviet army group is not a fantasy, but a fact. During the Battle of Kursk, the troops commanded by Vatutin basically used a group army to fight against a German division. However, they were still beaten back steadily. If the superiors had not deployed several group armies from Konev's Steppe Front for support, The outcome of the Battle of Kursk is really unknown.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I think you are worrying too much." Gorokhov interrupted: "Don't forget, Comrade Commander is the nemesis of the Germans. Many Germans may not even be able to sleep when they hear his name. Be practical. Let me ask you, in this case, how could they take the initiative to attack us? "
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov felt happy when he heard Gorokhov praising him, but he did not feel complacent about it. Instead, he said solemnly: "But as long as the Germans fight us, They will find out that I am just a vain person, and then they will make us a priority target for elimination."
Although he had already guessed the result, Smirnov still asked tentatively: "So, it is impossible for us to launch an attack on the enemy before we get the reinforcement of tanks and artillery?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, that is indeed the case."
"How about we call Commander Konev and ask him if he can provide us with tanks or artillery?"
As soon as Smirnov's proposal came out, he was rejected by Sokov. He shook his head: "I don't think that is necessary. The various units that encircled and annihilated the German army suffered a lot of casualties and losses of technical equipment. , I am afraid that in the past two days, people have often called the commander of the front army to ask for soldiers and weapons and equipment, and he is probably too busy to take care of himself at the moment."
Smirnov knew what Sokov was saying was true, and said with a grimace: "Then what should we do? Can we really just let the commanders and soldiers stay in the trenches and conduct passive defense?"
As he was talking, a middle-aged colonel walked in from outside. After he entered the door, he said loudly: "Hello, comrades generals!"
Seeing that the colonel was a stranger, Sokov thought he was the commander of a unit under the group army, so he turned to Smirnov and asked: "Comrade Chief of Staff, who is he?"
Unexpectedly, Smirnov shook his head, looked at the visitor with confusion and said, "I don't know him either."
The colonel came to the table and stopped. After scanning the three Sokovs one by one, his eyes stopped on Smirnov: "Comrade General, are you General Sokov, the commander of the group army?"
"No, I am Chief of Staff Smirnov." Smirnov pointed at Sokov with his hand: "This is the commander of the group army, Lieutenant General Sokov."
"Hello, comrade commander!" The colonel raised his hand and saluted Sokov with a solemn military salute, and then reported: "Colonel Burgos, director of the armored tanks and mechanized forces of the group army, has been ordered to report to you. I am waiting for you. Order, please give instructions!"
"Please rest a moment, Comrade Colonel." Sokov recited the awkward position twice in his mind before he could barely pronounce it correctly. He asked curiously: "You said you are the director of armored forces of the group army. Why don't I recognize you? ?”
"Comrade Commander," Burgos grinned, and then said to Sokov: "Today is the first time I meet you. It is normal that you don't know me."
"Comrade Colonel, you said you are the director of the armored force of the group army." Smirnov took two steps forward, came to Burgos, and said with a serious expression: "But why didn't I receive the order from my superiors? "
"This is a temporary appointment. I guess I haven't had time to inform you yet." Burgos said, opening the briefcase he was carrying, taking out a folded paper from it, and handed it to Smirnov: "This is My letter of appointment.”
Smirnov took the piece of paper, unfolded it and browsed it for a while, then handed it to Sokov and said: "Comrade Commander, take a look."
Sokov leaned over and looked at the contents of the paper carefully, and found that his superiors had indeed appointed Colonel Burgos as the director of armored forces of the 53rd Army.
After confirming the identity of the other party, Sokov extended his hand to the other party and said friendly: "Colonel Burgos, on behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the 53rd Army, I welcome you."
After the cavalry army left, the defense near Highland 239 became weak again.
For this matter, Smirnov asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Commander, which unit do you think will take over the defense area vacated by the cavalry army?"
"There are four tank brigades under the group army." Sokov thought for a moment and said: "Let them fill this gap. Once the defense area of the 41st Guards Division is tight, they can rush over in time to reinforce."
"Transfer the tank brigade?" Regarding Sokov's arrangement, Smirnov put forward a different view: "Comrade Commander, I think it is inappropriate to send the tank brigade to take over the cavalry army's defense area."
"Why?" Sokov asked in surprise.
"Although we have four tank brigades, they have been understaffed." Smirnov explained: "And after the early battles, the total number of usable tanks now does not exceed fifty."
The muscles on Sokov's face twitched violently. He never dreamed that the four tank brigades under his command actually had less than fifty tanks, which meant that each brigade only had ten tanks. Once they encounter a German armored division, they will probably be wiped out in an instant.
"When I called Yakov a few days ago, he said that he could not provide us with tanks and artillery." Sokov frowned and said: "Without enough tanks and artillery, we can only stay in the trenches for defense. , and cannot take the initiative to attack the enemy."
"Yes, without a sufficient number of tanks and artillery, we are simply no match for the German armored divisions." Smirnov also said with emotion: "Let alone one-on-one, even if our entire army is put into battle, we will not be able to defeat it." It was impossible to stop even one German armored division from attacking."
The fact that one German division defeated one Soviet army group is not a fantasy, but a fact. During the Battle of Kursk, the troops commanded by Vatutin basically used a group army to fight against a German division. In the end, they were beaten back steadily. If the superiors had not successively deployed several group armies from Konev's Steppe Front for support, The outcome of the Battle of Kursk is really unknown.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I think you are worrying too much." Gorokhov interrupted: "Don't forget, Comrade Commander is the nemesis of the Germans. Many Germans may not even be able to sleep when they hear his name. Be practical. Let me ask you, in this case, how could they take the initiative to attack us? "
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov felt happy when he heard Gorokhov praising him, but he did not feel complacent about it, but said solemnly: "But as long as the Germans fight us, They will find out that I am just a vain person, and then they will make us a priority target for elimination."
Although he had already guessed the result, Smirnov still asked tentatively: "So, it is impossible for us to launch an attack on the enemy before we get the reinforcement of tanks and artillery?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, that is indeed the case."
"How about we call Commander Konev and ask him if he can provide us with tanks or artillery?"
As soon as Smirnov's proposal came out, he was rejected by Sokov. He shook his head: "I don't think that is necessary. The various units that encircled and annihilated the German army this time suffered a lot of casualties and losses of technical equipment. , I am afraid that in the past two days, people have often called the commander of the front army to ask for soldiers and weapons and equipment, and he may be too busy to take care of himself at the moment. "
Smirnov knew what Sokov was saying was true, and said with a grimace: "Then what should we do? Can we really just let the commanders and fighters stay in the trenches and conduct passive defense?"
As they were talking, a middle-aged colonel walked in from outside. After he entered the door, he said loudly: "Hello, comrades generals!"
Seeing that the colonel was an unfamiliar face, Sokov thought he was the commander of a unit under the group army, so he turned to ask Smirnov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, who is he?"
Unexpectedly, Smirnov shook his head, looked at the visitor with confusion and said, "I don't know him either."
The colonel came to the table and stopped. After scanning the three Sokovs one by one, his eyes stopped on Smirnov: "Comrade General, are you General Sokov, the commander of the group army?"
"No, I am Chief of Staff Smirnov." Smirnov pointed at Sokov with his hand: "This is the commander of the group army, Lieutenant General Sokov."
"Hello, Comrade Commander!" The colonel raised his hand and saluted Sokov with a solemn military salute, and then reported: "Colonel Burgos, director of the armored tanks and mechanized forces of the group army, has been ordered to report to you. I am waiting for you. Order, please give instructions!"
"Please rest a moment, comrade colonel." Sokov recited the awkward position twice in his mind before he could barely read it correctly. He asked curiously: "You said you are the director of armored forces of the group army. Why don't I recognize you? ?”
"Comrade Commander," Burgos grinned, and then said to Sokov: "Today is the first time I meet you. It is normal that you don't know me."
"Comrade Colonel, you said you are the director of the armored force of the group army." Smirnov took two steps forward, came to Burgos, and said seriously: "But why didn't I receive the order from my superiors? "
"This is a temporary appointment. I guess I haven't had time to inform you yet." Burgos said, opening the briefcase he was carrying, taking out a folded paper from it, and handed it to Smirnov: "This is My letter of appointment.”
Smirnov took the piece of paper, unfolded it and browsed it for a while, then handed it to Sokov and said: "Comrade Commander, take a look."
Sokov leaned over and looked at the contents of the paper carefully, and found that his superiors had indeed appointed Colonel Burgos as the director of armored forces of the 53rd Army.
After confirming the identity of the other party, Sokov extended his hand to the other party and said friendly: "Colonel Burgos, on behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the 53rd Army, I welcome you."
After the cavalry army left, the defense near Highland 239 became weak again.
For this matter, Smirnov asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Commander, which unit do you think will take over the defense area vacated by the cavalry army?"
"There are four tank brigades under the group army." Sokov thought for a moment and said: "Let them fill this gap. Once the defense area of the 41st Guards Division is tight, they can rush over in time to reinforce."
"Transfer the tank brigade?" Regarding Sokov's arrangement, Smirnov put forward a different view: "Comrade Commander, I think it is inappropriate to send the tank brigade to take over the cavalry army's defense area."
"Why?" Sokov asked in surprise.
"Although we have four tank brigades, they have been understaffed." Smirnov explained: "And after the early battles, the total number of usable tanks now does not exceed fifty."
The muscles on Sokov's face twitched violently. He never dreamed that the four tank brigades under his command actually had less than fifty tanks, which meant that each brigade only had ten tanks. Once they encounter a German armored division, they will probably be wiped out in an instant.
"When I called Yakov a few days ago, he said that he could not provide us with tanks and artillery." Sokov frowned and said: "Without enough tanks and artillery, we can only stay in the trenches for defense. , and cannot take the initiative to attack the enemy."
