Burning Moscow

Chapter 1667 New Year Offensive (3)

After a short while, Cui Kefu called again and reported to Zhukov: “Comrade Marshal, the second trench of the German army is also occupied by our army. Up to now, the first line of defense of the German army has been completely controlled by our army. .”

“Good job, Comrade Cui Kefu, good job!” Zhukov heard that the first line of defense had been taken, and said emotionally: “I congratulate you for successfully seizing the first line of defense of the German army. I have issued an order to General Kazakov to move the artillery position forward and continue to provide artillery support to the attacking troops.”

“It’s great, this is great, Comrade Marshal.” After Cui Kefu said it repeatedly, he began to introduce Zhukov to the difficulties they were facing: “But now we are still facing many difficulties, such as the fog is too thick, our artillery. Observers cannot observe the effects of the shelling, so it is still unknown whether the full firepower advantage will be returned.”

“Comrade Cui Kefu, don’t worry about this.” Zhukov replied: “Because you launched the offensive ahead of time and successfully seized the German defense positions, our artillery saved a lot of ammunition. When they reach the front, you can. Intensive shelling was carried out to the pre-marked areas, covering the infantry to continue to attack the enemy’s second line of defense.”

The battle lasted around ten o’clock, as the fog on the battlefield dissipated, the recovered Germans began to counterattack. According to the battle report we received, the Germans used part of the 6th, 45th, and 215th Infantry Divisions, under the cover of a tank regiment of the 19th Tank Division, to just occupy the second line of defense, and still breathe. The 4th Guards Corps under the command of the undecided General Glazunov launched a counter-assault in an attempt to prevent the rendezvous between the Eighth Guards Army and the 61st Army. Because once the units of the two armies meet, it means that the German divisions on the front of the Magnusev landing site have fallen into the encirclement of our army.

Zhukov frowned when he heard the news. After sitting at the table staring at the map for a while, he looked up and asked Malinin: “Chief of Staff, can the Air Force plane take off?”

We all understand why he asked this. As soon as our air force is dispatched, the German armored units on the ground will become lambs to be slaughtered. As long as their armored forces are destroyed, the enemy’s counterattack will naturally end in failure. Although I understand in my heart that in such a foggy day, even if the plane barely takes off, it is impossible to see the situation on the ground. However, I still look at Ma Lining with a trace of luck, hoping to hear some good news from his mouth. .

But what is regrettable is that Malinin shook his head vigorously in the gaze we were expecting, and said regretfully: “I’m sorry, Comrade Marshal, I have already called the Air Force commander. He said that in such a foggy day, The plane can’t take off at all. Even if it barely takes off, the pilots can’t distinguish the enemy from us. In the end, not only will they fail to support the ground forces, they may even be bombed by mistake.”

After hearing the word “Mistakenly exploded” from Malinin’s mouth, everyone fell silent. A month ago, the 6th Infantry Corps of the 3rd Ukrainian Front Army, which was fighting in Yugoslavia, was accidentally bombed by a U.S. aircraft while marching on the outskirts of Niš. This resulted in the death of Lieutenant General Kotov, the commander of the army, and The tragedy of hundreds of soldiers killed and wounded occurred.

I think of today’s battle, although there is no aircraft to help, but our troops are under the cover of artillery and tanks, but they are playing very well, and now the remnants of the German army are in the second line of defense. He took the initiative to say to Zhukov: “Comrade Marshal, using aviation to bomb the enemy’s armored units is the best effect. But now that the fog has not cleared, even if our pilots barely lifted into the air, the visibility is too low to detect ground movements. German troops, so in the next battle, we can only rely on our ground troops to solve the battle.”

“General Kazakov,” Zhukov, after listening to me, called the artillery commander in front of him: “You order the self-propelled artillery regiment to go to the front of our defense position and destroy the German tanks with direct fire. To ensure that the rendezvous of the 8th Guards Army and the 61st Army will not be affected.”

“Understood, Comrade Marshal.” General Kazakov replied with a serious expression: “I will immediately order the self-propelled artillery regiment to go into battle and crush the German armor.”

At noon, the 69th and 33rd Army Groups deployed at the Puławy Landing Field, as well as the 11th and 9th Tank Army and the 7th Guard Cavalry Army, also launched an assault on the frontal enemy. Among them, the 33rd Army also has a special mission, which is to transfer a part of its forces to the Sidlowiec area movement in the southwest, and cooperate with the Ukrainian First Front Army to the north, and encircle and annihilate Radom and Ostrowitz. The German Army Group in the region.

Although the left flank of the 8th Guards Army was violently counterattacked by the Germans, the 28th Guards Army, on the right flank of the Guards Army, under the command of Lieutenant General Rezhov, successfully broke through the enemy’s third defense before dark. Position and captured Strometz-Podreshe.

After reading this telegram, Zhukov walked to the wall and looked up at the map hanging on it. He pointed his finger to Malinin and said: “Chief of Staff, call General Katukov and let his tank army go into battle immediately. We must meet the 28th Corps of Guards of General Rezhov before dawn tomorrow.”

Although from the map Katukov’s troops are only more than 60 kilometers away from the area occupied by the 28th Guards Corps. But since most of their troops are still on the east bank of the Vistula, even if they start to mobilize now, it will not be easy to get to the designated position before dawn tomorrow.

When Zhukov saw Malinin recorded the order, he went on to say: “Also, tell Cui Koff to let the 28th Guards Corps rest on the spot, and when it’s dawn tomorrow, they will immediately attack the enemy’s depth to ensure that the Guards Tanks 1 Army can enter the breakthrough from the Falka-Radom railway line.”

In the face of various battle reports, Zhukov did not appear flustered at all. He could always issue a series of orders to Malinin in time according to the changes in the battlefield situation in the shortest possible time, and communicate them to the troops below through him. Go in.

Soon after dark, Cui Koff once again reported good news: The 4th Guards Army had smashed the crazy German counterattacks and successfully defended the second line of defense of the occupation.

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