Just when Sokov was assigning combat tasks to his men, the commander of the German 35th Army, von Ludtsov, received an order from the commander of the 9th Army, asking him to lead the troops to Bobruinsk at all costs. Or break out in the direction of Pogorere to the north and rush to join the 4th Army.
After receiving the order, von Ludtsov immediately convened an emergency military meeting with his men. Someone pointed out at the meeting that since all roads were blocked by the Russians, it was obviously unrealistic for mechanized troops to break out along the highway. Therefore, the best plan is to blow up all the technical equipment and then carry out a breakout operation northward.
The suggestions of his subordinates were adopted by von Ludtsov. He immediately issued an order to blow up all technical equipment including tanks and armored vehicles. Taking advantage of the fact that the Soviet encirclement had just been formed and was not yet secure, the entire army attacked lightly. Breakout from the north and rush to join the 4th Army.
As soon as the explosion in their camp rang out, they were discovered by the forward observer of the 48th Group Army. The observation post immediately called Sokov's army headquarters and reported to him the huge explosion heard.
After answering the phone, Sidorin reported to Sokov, and finally asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, tell me, what is the reason for the explosions coming from the enemy's defense zone? Could it be that our friendly forces are shelling the enemy?" ?"
"I don't think so." Sokov shook his head and expressed his guess: "I think the enemy may want to run away, but considering that the roads are blocked by our troops, they will choose to blow up their own technology Equip, then break out lightly.”
"The Germans have a pretty good idea." Ponyjelin added: "The Germans thought that they could break through with ease by blowing up the technical standards. How can there be such a good thing? I don't know how many more are there in the direction of their breakout. Our troops are setting up a net and waiting for them to get inside."
"I want to call Comrade General and tell him what's going on here." Sokov said, picking up the high-frequency phone in front of him and dialing a number. When he heard someone speaking on the receiver, he immediately said bluntly: "Hello, I am Sokov, commander of the 48th Group Army. I have important matters that need to be reported to Comrade General's headquarters immediately."
Soon, Rokossovsky's voice came from the receiver: "Misha, it's me! Are you calling me? Is there anything important?"
"Yes, Comrade General, I have very important information to report to you." Sokov said into the microphone: "My observation post reported to me that they heard a huge explosion from the enemy's defense zone. .”
"A huge explosion?" Rokossovsky asked with some confusion after hearing this: "Misha, what does this mean?"
"Comrade General, according to my judgment." Sokov said: "The explosion should have been made by the German army when they blew up tanks and armored vehicles."
"Why do they want to blow up tanks and armored vehicles?" Rokossovsky asked noncommittally: "You know, if they want to break out, tanks and armored vehicles will provide them with the necessary fire support."
"If they do not fall into the encirclement of our army, use tanks and armored vehicles to clear the way in front and open a passage for the following troops." Although Sokov knew very well that he could think of problems, Rokossovsky naturally also He would think of it, but he still truthfully expressed his thoughts: "But judging from the current situation, the encircled enemy has lost its supply line, that is, the tanks, armored vehicles and artillery they rely on will have nothing to rely on after losing supplies." The ammunition and fuel used, let alone guiding the infantry to break through, it would be good to be able to break through alone.
If they wanted to continue their breakout, they would have to throw away these technical equipment that had run out of ammunition and fuel. But in order to prevent these things from falling into the hands of our army, we can only choose to blow them all up. "
"That's right, Misha, your analysis makes sense." Rokossovsky asked, "Then tell me, what should we do?"
"Since the Germans want to blow up their technical equipment and escape, I think we can help them and bomb them more thoroughly."
"More thorough?" Rokossovsky asked in surprise: "How can it be more thorough?"
"I suggest dispatching the air force to bomb the technical equipment in the German defense zone, and by the way, blow up their infantry." Sokov said excitedly: "As long as the German army completely loses its organizational structure, then our army will take the opportunity to launch an attack. , we can achieve the maximum price with the minimum casualties.”
"I understand, Misha." Rokossovsky waited for Sokov to finish and said politely: "I will order someone to understand the situation first, and then decide whether to adopt your suggestion."
Hearing that Rokossovsky did not give him a positive answer, Sokov could not help but feel a little disappointed, but he still said bravely: "Okay, Comrade General, you will send someone to verify first to see if the enemy is They are blowing up their technical equipment and preparing to break out to the north."
Rokossovsky put down the phone, called Malinin in front of him and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, please immediately contact the forward observation posts and ask them if they have heard any strange noises."
"Strange movement?!" Ma Lining asked in confusion: "Comrade Commander, what's the strange movement?"
"Chief of Staff, you only need to convey my order. The commanders below will know how to do the rest."
"Okay, I'll contact the forward observation post immediately to see if there is any strange movement."
A few minutes later, Malinin reported to Rokossovsky: "Comrade Commander, everything is clear. There was a huge explosion in the defense zone of the German 35th Army..."
"Huge explosion!" Rokossovsky asked Malinin with a smile: "Comrade Chief of Staff, tell me, what does the explosion from the 35th Army defense area indicate?"
"I have learned that no troops have carried out artillery bombardment on the 35th Army defense area, so this huge explosion can only mean that the enemy is blowing up something on a large scale."
"Then tell me, what could it be?"
Malinen grinned and said: "If I guessed correctly, it should be their technical equipment. If they fight on the plains, their tanks and armored vehicles will pose a huge threat to us. But here, their mechanized troops It cannot be deployed. If we want to break through with this equipment, as long as our army blocks the road in front and behind, the tanks and armored vehicles will be paralyzed on the road like a dead snake and be blown to pieces by our aircraft as if they were targets."
"You are right. Since the enemy wants to blow up all their tanks, armored vehicles and artillery, we might as well help them." Rokossovsky told Malinin: "Call the Air Force immediately and ask them to send out bombardments." Use fighter planes to carry out air strikes on the enemy's armored units. After blowing up all these technical equipment, they will then bomb and straf the infantry who have lost the cover of tanks and armored vehicles, consuming their effective strength."
Just when Malinin was about to call the Air Force Commander, Rokossovsky stopped him again and told him: "By the way, call General Gorbatov and tell him that the enemy may come from Bobruyinsk." Breaking through from the north, where only General Baharov’s tank corps is active now, lacking the necessary infantry coordination, he is asked to send at least one infantry division for reinforcements.”
Malinin agreed, picked up the phone and made a call to the headquarters of the 16th Air Force Army first, conveying Rokossovsky's order to bomb the German 35th Army Defense Area to Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Rudenko.
After listening to Malinin's call, Rudenko assured him: "Don't worry, General Malinin, I will immediately dispatch two aviation regiments to carry out intensive air assaults on the German 35th Army's defense area, and do my best to destroy the enemy." ground target."
After calling Rudenko, Malinin followed Rokossovsky's instructions and answered the phone to the headquarters of the 3rd Army.
There was a busy scene in the headquarters of the 3rd Army. The staff officer who answered the phone, because of his impatience, said in a loud voice: "Hey, who is it?"
"I am General Malinin, Chief of Staff of the Front Army," Malinin did not argue with the other party, but ordered: "Let General Gorbatov answer the phone."
When the staff learned about it, Malinin called Gorbatov. He didn't dare to neglect, so he hurriedly transferred the call.
"Hello, General Malinin." Gorbatov asked politely: "Comrade Commander, do you have any new combat tasks that you want to entrust to our group army to complete?"
"That's right, General Gorbatov." Malinin said: "According to various signs, the German 35th Army may break out from the north of Bobruyinsk and escape to Mogilev. Now there is only Pakistan in that direction. General Harov's tank corps is active, but its strength is too thin and there is no infantry cooperation. The commander orders you to send at least one division of troops to strengthen the defense there."
"General Malinen, the only force I can use now is the 108th Infantry Division. Is this strength enough?"
"Enough, enough." Malinin nodded and said: "The air force is about to dispatch to carry out intensive bombing of the German 35th Army and destroy all their technical equipment. You only need to control both sides of the road leading to Mogilev , can block their escape northward."
After receiving the order, Gorbatov immediately called Major General Teremov, commander of the 108th Division, and asked him to immediately send troops to occupy both sides of the road leading to Mogilev to prevent the German army from breaking through from this direction.
While Rokossovsky and Malinin were deploying bombing raids on the Germans and strengthening northern defenses, the 109th Infantry Division under Sokov launched an attack on the bridge over the Berezina River in an attempt to escape from the Germans. After seizing the bridge, rush along the road towards the city.
The 1st Battalion of the German 21st Armored Regiment, which was responsible for staying here, discovered that the Soviet army had launched an attack in the direction of the bridge. Battalion Commander Schulz immediately mobilized three tank companies and launched a frantic counterattack against the Soviet offensive troops.
According to his assumption, the attacking Soviet army did not have the cooperation of tanks or even advance artillery preparations. As long as he launched the charge first, he could preemptively defeat the Soviet offensive troops.
If other Soviet troops were attacking the bridge at this moment, facing the tanks rushing over, it would probably cause panic. After all, if an infantry unit without enough anti-tank fighters encounters a German tank, it will become one-sided. massacre.
But before the attack began, Sokov equipped the 109th Infantry Division with offensive missions with enough rocket launchers. These were the nemesis of German tanks. Next, it was up to the German tank crews to feel the power of the Soviet rocket launchers.
The crew of the German tank that was attacking the Soviet army looked at the infantry formation approaching them through the observation hole and felt that the opponent was simply vulnerable. When they were still 800 meters away from the Soviet troops, the tanks slowed down and stopped one by one, preparing to fire artillery shells from this position to bombard the Soviet offensive queue. If any lucky Soviet troops rush in front of them, they will greet them with the machine guns on their vehicles.
But what the German tank soldiers did not expect was that they had unknowingly entered the ambush circle of Soviet anti-tank fighters. Twelve anti-tank fighters carrying rocket launchers had already targeted the approaching German tanks.
Now seeing the German tank stopped more than a hundred meters away from him, the anti-tank company commander immediately gave the order to fire. As the order was given, twelve fire dragons burst out and rushed out one after another. The scorching tail flames steamed up the mud behind the launcher into a sheet of white steam.
A loud noise soared into the sky suddenly, making it almost impossible to tell whether it was a single explosion or a series of explosions. Of the 12 rockets launched in the first round, 8 hit the target. The rocket penetrated the armor of the Panzer IV tank, causing the internal ammunition to explode. The turrets of two of them were directly lifted off, spinning rapidly and falling dozens of meters behind. Fortunately, there were no infantry following him, otherwise he would definitely be turned into a ball of flesh if hit by the turret.
Seeing the German tanks that had been so arrogant not long ago, now with flames shooting into the sky and thick smoke billowing, the soldiers of the anti-tank company couldn't help but cheer. But they were not proud of this. After quickly completing the reloading, they fired rockets at the remaining tanks again.
As rockets flew towards the German tanks as if they were free of charge, they blew up the German tank formations horribly. In less than five minutes, the front of the anti-tank position was filled with fire and thick smoke. The shrapnel from the explosion of ammunition even fell on the anti-tank company position. Fortunately, the anti-tank crews were able to fire the rockets in time after firing the rockets. He was hidden so he wasn't injured by shrapnel.
When three companies of about sixty German tanks were hit head-on by a Soviet anti-tank company, they hurriedly fired a few shots at the Soviet infantry formation in the distance, then drove away in reverse.
In this small-scale encounter, twenty-one German tanks were destroyed and two were damaged. The casualties caused by the firing of these tanks to the Soviet army were only three killed and seven wounded. The casualties were so weak that they could be ignored.
The commander of the 109th Division, who was supervising the battle from behind, couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise when he saw that the anti-tank company repelled the German tank attack so easily. According to his idea, charging towards the enemy's tank cluster without tank cover and artillery support is undoubtedly a death-defying act.
But the actual situation is that after the German tanks were ambushed by an anti-tank company, one-third of the tanks were lost in just a few minutes, and the remaining tanks returned to their original departure point in a state of disgrace. position.
Seeing this situation, the division chief of staff asked tentatively: "Comrade division commander, didn't our superiors order us to attack? Now that we have defeated the German tank troops so easily, what should we do next?"
"What else can we do? Of course we continue to attack." The division commander said excitedly: "If the Germans are really vulnerable, then we will turn the sheep attack into the main attack and rush into Bobruyinsk ahead of other troops. .”
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