Burning Moscow

Chapter 1669 New Year Offensive (5)

Due to the congestion of the road leading to the starting point of the offensive, the artillery unit of the 8th Guards Army arrived at the designated position only two hours after dark.

When I received a call from Cui Kefu, I thought that the soldiers were exhausted after a day of fierce fighting, and that they launched attacks in unfamiliar areas at night, which was not conducive to the cooperation between the tanks and infantry that were not under each other, so I decisively said to Cui Kefu. “Comrade General, it’s getting late. Order your troops to stop the offensive and rest on the spot. After dawn tomorrow, they will attack the enemy’s railway embankment.”

When Cuikov began to give orders to his troops to stop the offensive and rest on the spot, I called Zhukov and reported to him the decision I had made. After listening to me, Zhukov asked slowly: “Lida, do you think that Cuikov’s troops can achieve their combat goals tomorrow?”

Although I don’t remember the next battle, after hearing Zhukov’s question, I replied without hesitation: “Comrade Marshal, I think this should not be a problem.” The reason why I am so confident is that Because on the way I came, I saw how big our army is. If the enemy’s defenses cannot be broken through with such a strong army, then Cui Kefu and the likes would be a bit ignorant.

“Well, Lida,” Zhukov said rationally after listening to me, “Since you are so confident, then follow your arrangements and let the troops temporarily stop the offensive, take time to rest on the spot, and wait until early tomorrow morning. , And then attack the enemy.”

Early the next morning, I drove to the command of the 29th Guards Corps in the village of Czarne Lugar, where I saw Cui Koff who was commanding the battle.

Seeing me walking into the command post, Cui Kefu stopped explaining to his subordinates. Instead, he walked over and shook hands with me. He said excitedly: “Lida, you came in time. In five minutes, our rocket brigade will respond. The German defensive positions in the station carried out a salvo, and then tanks covered the infantry charge.”

“Comrade General, how many rocket launchers do we have?” I asked curiously: “How many volleys are needed to destroy the resistance of the German army?”

“Lida, currently we have deployed a guards rocket artillery brigade in the south of the village. There are 36 state-of-the-art rockets,” Cui Kefu said to me with some pride: “We will use these rockets later to give us a lesson. German.”

In order to check the situation of the attack, Cui Kefu and I went to a nearby observation post. After the firing order was given, countless rockets made an arc in the air and disappeared in the station occupied by the German army. Then there was a terrible rumbling sound, and even the ground under our feet was trembling slightly. . Hundreds of rockets smashed into the station and the edge of the forest like a storm, turning the entire station and the defensive positions outside the forest guarded by the Germans into a sea of ​​flames.

Just when I thought that Cui Koff would make another salvo from the Guards Rocket Brigade, he gave the troops an offensive order. I asked curiously: “General Cuikov, are you not going to shoot another salvo on the German position?”

“No need, Lida.” Cui Kefu said with some disdain: “The defenders in the station should have been scared by the salvo just now. There is no need to waste precious rockets.”

Before the gunpowder smoke dissipated in the distance, the commanders of the 29th Guards Army rushed to the station and the edge of the forest under the cover of the tank unit. Sure enough, as Cui Koff expected, the enemy had been scared by our rocket volleys. When our troops rushed into their defensive positions, they still did not organize a decent resistance.

The battle between the station and the edge of the forest ended in less than half an hour, and then I saw groups of prisoners with dull-eyed eyes coming out of the station and the fortifications on the edge of the forest under the **** of our soldiers. .

Seeing this, I quickly called Katukov and said to him: “General Katukov, the troops of the 8th Guards Army, has successfully occupied the station and is crossing the railway embankment. The enemy’s defenses are advancing in depth, and your troops should hurry up to keep up.”

“Okay, Lida.” Katukov said emotionally: “I will give the troops an order to advance!”

After finishing the call with Katukov, I felt that I had to report to Zhukov immediately what had happened on the front line, and returned to the army command with Cuikov.

After listening to my report, Zhukov smiled and said: “Lida, thank you for the good news. I also have two good news to tell you: The tanks of the 11th and 9th Corps are approaching. Dom, is currently launching an offensive against the German forces in the city; secondly, the 47th Army and the Polish 1st Army have attacked at the same time in the north and east of Warsaw.”

“Comrade Marshal, this is really exciting good news.” I didn’t expect this battle to go so smoothly. The changes in the battle situation are simply to develop in accordance with the combat plan we have drawn up in advance. “I believe we will wait until dark. Before, we can hear more good news.”

After two days of heavy fog permeated the west bank of the Vistula River, it finally dissipated. Air Force fighters that had long been ready to take off took off one after another and flew to various sections to help. As soon as the German armored units are deployed, within five minutes, they will be bombarded by our air force. The German counterattacks relying on the armored units suddenly collapsed.

Just as I was about to follow Cui Kefu back to his group army headquarters, there was a sudden burst of intensive shooting outside. Hearing the gunshots, I instinctively drew the pistol and prepared to rush out the door. But they were blocked by several staff officers of the 29th Guards Corps. They held pistols in their hands, turned their backs to me and blocked me, saying: “Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, it’s too dangerous outside, you Can not Go Out.”

“Yeah, Lida, the outside situation is unknown, we can’t go out.” Cui Kefu also grabbed me quickly and reminded me: “We will go out again when we figure out what happened.”

The intensive gunfire outside soon stopped, but occasionally there were sporadic shooting sounds. I turned my ears to listen. They were all sounds made by assault rifles. I frowned and said to Cui Kefu: “Comrade General, send someone out to see what is going on outside?”

Cui Kefu agreed, and was about to send someone to figure out what had happened. But a major officer ran in first and shouted: “Comrade Commander, it’s not good, it’s not good, something has happened!”

Cui Kefu saw clearly that it was his own officer, and quickly pushed aside the staff in front of us, walked out and asked, “What happened outside? Why did you shoot?”

The officer glanced at me, who was squeezing out the crowd with Cui Kefu, with an embarrassed expression on his face. Seeing the officer hesitating to speak, Cui Kefu said impatiently: “Your ears are deaf. Didn’t you hear me asking you questions?”

“Comrade Commander,” the officer was answering Cui Kefu’s question, but his gaze stayed on me: “Our troops brought back more than a hundred prisoners. They were on the square not far from here. The guard company brought by the deputy commander of the front army shot and killed.”

The guard company I brought has killed all the prisoners? When I heard what the officer said, I was a little confused. And Cui Kefu frowned and asked, “Do you know the reason?”

The officer shook his head and replied, “Our people wanted to go up and stop, but they were stopped by the rest of the guard company!”

“Wait, Comrade Major.” I heard from the officer’s words that it seemed that it was not the entire guard company who shot the prisoner of war, but only a part of it: “Is it the entire guard company or only a part of it that shot the prisoner?”

“There are only a few people.” The officer replied without hesitation: “They were staying by the truck to eat and chat. When they saw prisoners being escorted, they walked towards the prisoners with their guns. They escorted us to the prisoners. The soldier drove far away, and then shot at the prisoner of war.”

I felt it necessary to figure out what happened in person, so I said to Cui Kefu: “General Cui Kefu, let’s go out and see what is going on.”

“Let’s go, I also want to see why these soldiers indiscriminately shot and killed all the prisoners of war.”

Before I walked out of the command post, I turned to face the staff members who were still standing neatly, and said gratefully: “Comrades, the move that you have just stood in front of me and are ready to block bullets for me makes me very much. Moved. Here, I want to express my gratitude to you!” After speaking, I raised my hand and paid a solemn military salute to them.

Cui Kefu and I walked out of the headquarters and came to the nearby square. We saw hundreds of commanders and fighters surrounded by them. Judging from their outfits, most of them were under Cui Kefu’s men, and the guard company I brought Surrounded by the crowd Comrades, please let me, Comrade Commander is here! “Cui Kefu’s guards walked in front of us. They shouted loudly as they walked, opening a passage for us from the crowd.

I walked into the crowd, almost choked with the strong smell of blood, and saw hundreds of **** German corpses lying on the ground. Thirty scrawny soldiers stood among the corpses covered in blood with assault rifles in their hands.

When I saw that the soldiers standing among the corpses were all rescued from the Majdanek concentration camp a few months ago, I suddenly guessed what happened. However, I guessed the reason. It does not mean that Cui Kefu and his men also knew the reason why the soldiers shot the prisoners. Therefore, the procedures to be followed still have to go.

I deliberately asked the group of soldiers: “Can any of you tell me why you shoot and kill these German prisoners of war without authorization?” For mobile phone users, please browse and read for a better reading experience.

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