Burning Moscow

After a day of fighting, we must have done a summary to study why the troops did not achieve the expected campaign goals.

After Zhukov’s gaze swept over us one by one, he fixed his gaze on Sokolovsky: "Comrade Sokolovsky, you are staying in the headquarters most of the time today. If you have a more comprehensive understanding of the whole progress, let you talk about it first."

Sokolovsky nodded, stood up and said to us: "Today, the participating troops of the front army have not reached the pre-determined campaign goals. I think there are many reasons. First, the small rivers and ravines in the area we attacked. The depth has caused a lot of inconvenience to our use of tanks and self-propelled artillery...

We stipulate that the attack speed of the various armies is kilometers per day and night. At first glance, this speed is very common, and every unit can easily reach it. However, past battles have proved that this speed cannot be achieved at the beginning of the battle and when breaking through the enemy's defensive fortification zone. This speed can only be achieved during the development of the campaign, after breaking through the fortification zone, and moving forward to the vast battle area. "

After listening to Sokolovsky's speech, Zhukov just nodded, without comment, and turned his eyes to me and asked: "Lida, you come to talk about your opinion."

I quickly stood up and replied: "According to my observations, the reason why we did not achieve the ideal results in today's battle is because the enemy's defenses have been adjusted accordingly.

Let me give you an example. The enemy has obviously learned from previous combat experience and changed the principles of its defense arrangements. In the past, the enemy deployed the main forces in the first defensive zone. Although the first and third defensive zones were also prepared in the depth of their defense, they did not deploy the first or echelon troops in this area. The tank division or motorized division as the reserve team does not occupy the defensive area, but is deployed in the shallow rear, so as to counterattack our army that has penetrated into the defense at any time.

The Germans have now adopted a new defensive deployment to defend the high ground. It not only occupied the first defensive zone, but also occupied the first defensive zone and the first defensive zone, and deployed a large number of infantry, tanks and artillery there, and deployed a strong reserve in the depth of the defense. After breaking through the first defensive zone along the Old Oder River and Haupt Canal, our troops encountered an organized defense in the first defensive zone already defended by the enemy.

Due to the dangerous terrain of the Zerauf Heights, the troops of the Guards Army had to carry out a feint attack. Everyone knows that whether it is a tank of our army or the enemy, in order to reduce the weight of the tank, only the front armor is the thickest, the side and rear armor is slightly thinner, and the weakest is the top of the tank. When our tanks feint, they will expose their weak top to the enemy and become the target of German anti-tank fighters..."

After my speech was over, Malinin, Kazakov, Orel and others also spoke in succession. They talked about some of the problems that existed in the armored forces and artillery during today's offensive. But I don’t know why, no one mentioned the searchlight tactics implemented by Zhukov, and because the fire on the battlefield was so dazzling, I didn’t even see the light of the searchlight, so I couldn’t make any comments.

Zhukov waited for all of us to have finished speaking, and asked coldly: "You are right. We underestimated the local topographic features, the natural obstacles such as ditches, rivers and lakes everywhere. The lack of roads restricted me. The mobility of the army cannot put a large amount of troops into the impact.

And Hitler's army has actually turned the entire vast area from the Oder River to Berlin into a sprawling fortification area. In this area, in addition to the strong field fortification areas, countless buildings, large forests and water barriers in various settlements are also used as defenses. In order to occupy these settlements, we have to fight over and over again for each house.

Although there are many difficulties, this is not a reason why we did not expect a battle. We are advancing in Berlin, and the Allied forces are advancing from the west to Berlin. We are now competing with them to see who enters Berlin first. Tell me, how long will it take for us to break through the German defense on the Zerauf Heights, and the frontline is directed at Berlin? "

Seeing that we were all silent, Zhukov pointed at me with his hand and ordered: "Go and call Cui Kefu and ask him how he adjusted the deployment."

I dialed Cui Kefu's phone, took a look at Zhukov who was speaking to everyone, and then asked: "General Cui Kefu, Comrade Marshal asked me to ask you, how do you plan to fight tomorrow's battle?"

"Lida, please tell Comrade Marshal," Cui Kefu said loudly in the earpiece: "We have changed the deployment of our troops, moved the artillery positions, and are ready to attack the Zerauf Highlands...."

I returned to the conference table and reported to Zhukov in detail about Cuikov's latest deployment after adjustment. After Zhukov listened, he nodded slightly, and then said to me: "Lida, tomorrow I will stay at the headquarters of the front army, with Cui Kefu, you will go instead for me."

I arrived at Cuikov’s commander only after dawn the next day. At this time, the shelling of the Zerauf Heights had not yet begun. According to Cui Koff, the reason why he chose the time of the shelling during the day was because the artillery observers could better check the effects of the shelling.

At ten o'clock in the morning Moscow time and nine o'clock in the morning local time, Cuikov's group army artillery fired on the fortifications on the Zerauf Heights. Suddenly the entire Zerauf Heights turned into an erupting volcanic crater, wrapped tightly by the black smoke rising up, and the black smoke exploded one after another, one after another, exploding everywhere. There are fires everywhere.

The shelling ended after half an hour, and the troops concealed in the trenches attacked the high ground. The shelling in the daytime is more effective than the shelling in the early morning. Our troops rushed to a place only seventy to eighty meters away from the enemy fortifications, and only sporadic firepower points were fired to intercept them.

By eleven o'clock, the battle reports of the guards, divisions, and regiments came one after another, all reporting to Cui Koff, saying that the troops were progressing well and were advancing deep into the enemy's defenses.

Seeing these battle reports, Cui Kefu let out a long sigh, turned his head and said to me: "Lida, if my troops continue to develop at this speed, I might be able to occupy the entire Zerauf Heights."

Just as the two of us were grateful for the progress of the troops, suddenly the Chief of Staff Vladimirov sent a piece of information, and at the same time said solemnly: "Comrade Commander, something has happened!"

"What's the matter?" I asked silently.

"Comrade Deputy Commander," Vladimirov said to me: "According to a report by Colonel Marchenko, the commander of the Guards Division, the Guards Regiment commanded by Colonel Gritsenko is attacking the west of the Zerauf Heights. It was blocked by the German army on the gentle **** of the city. With the arrival of our tanks, the enemy gave up the position after some resistance and fled through the settlements towards the depths of the defense.

Seeing the enemy escape, Colonel Gritsenko ordered the regiment to advance with the tank. As a result, the tank battalion that cooperated with them took the lead through the residential area and launched a pursuit to the fleeing enemy, and our infantry followed closely..."

When I heard this, it immediately occurred to my mind that the reason why the Germans escaped through the settlements was probably because they set up an ambush for our army in the settlements. As soon as our army's tanks pass, they can attack our infantrymen who pass through the residential area from both sides of the road from the ambushes hidden in the residential buildings.

"When our tanks passed the settlement, everything was calm." Vladimirov continued: "But when the infantry entered the settlement, they were attacked from buildings on both sides of the road. The Germans hid. In the building, we used various weapons to shoot at our infantry in the middle of the road, and also threw grenades.

And the tanks that we passed through the residential area were attacked by the infantry following and tried to turn around to support them, but were attacked by the anti-tank weapons ambushing on the side of the road. The loss was great. "

After seeing the telegram in his hand, Cuikov walked quickly to the map and gestured on it for a long time. Then he called Vladimirov and said: "Chief of Staff, send a message to Colonel Marchenko. Let them stop their frontal attacks on the settlements, use platoons as a unit, carry mortars and machine guns, round the two wings of the settlements, and hit the enemy's flanks and rear severely."

Trikov’s order was quickly communicated to the Guards Division. After receiving the order, Marchenko immediately dispatched two battalions of troops, reduced to zero, detoured back to the enemy’s rear from both sides of the settlement, and beat the enemy by surprise. . After two hours of fighting, the settlements and the enemy to the west were wiped out. The Gritsenko regiment, which suffered huge losses, captured many German officers and soldiers, seized a large amount of weapons and ammunition, and more than 100 vehicles full of military supplies. Truck.

When the Gritsenko regiment was ambushed, I once reported the situation to Zhukov. Now that the battle has ended victoriously, I am sure to report to Zhukov again.

After Zhukov heard that the battle was over and the troops had been seized abundantly, he snorted and said to me: "Lida, please tell Cui Kefu to keep the troops on guard at all times and not underestimate the enemy at any time, otherwise they will Caused great losses to our army. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Marshal." I hurriedly replied, "I will convey your meaning to General Cui Kefu immediately."

Cui Kefu waited for me to put down the phone and asked me with a wry smile: "Lida, the marshal is probably not satisfied with our performance, right?"

"No, no," I said quickly, waving my hands. "Your troops were trapped in German ambushes because they underestimated the enemy, but now the besieged troops have been rescued, and the ambushing enemies have also been wiped out. As long as you improve Be vigilant, don't let the same thing happen again."

After Cuikov listened, he nodded and told Vladimirov: "The chief of staff, send a telegram to the commanders of all armies and divisions, telling them that as long as they find enemy settlements or villages, they must Send a search force to search to prevent another ambush."

"But Comrade Commander, if you really do this," Vladimirov said embarrassedly: "Our offensive speed will be greatly affected. Do you think there is a better way?"

"There is still a way." Seeing Cui Kefu frowned, I hurriedly said: "Each offensive unit is equipped with tanks. When German settlements and villages are discovered, the houses close to the roadside will be collapsed with artillery fire. As long as there is an enemy hidden inside, they will escape before the house collapses, and our soldiers can easily destroy them; even if there is no enemy inside, as long as the building on the roadside is collapsed, the enemy wants to attack from both sides. There is nothing we can do."

"This is a good way." After hearing the idea I came up with, Cui Kefu nodded his head several times and said to Vladimirov: "Just follow the method Lida said."

The battle continued, and before dark, Cuikov's troops and the right neighbor had achieved significant results. There, the Assault Army and the troops belonging to the Guards Army, after breaking through the enemy’s defenses and repelling the enemy’s counter-attacks, went forward to Old Rosenthal, Gelsdorf and Wientalgsee. First line.

Compared with the right wing, the progress of the left wing is still not smooth. Not only was the progress of the Second Army slow, but the progress of the troops of the Second Army and the Guards Tank Army was also unsatisfactory. In the process of advancing westward, they constantly fought against the enemy's counter-attacks, and when it was dark, they only captured the areas of Duchlin and Lieberniken.

??According to the confession of the German prisoners and the documents we seized, we learned that the German motorized division and the infantry division drawn from the reserve and an aviation corps responsible for the urban air defense of Berlin also invested in the defense of the Zerauf Heights. fighting. U U Reading www.uukanshu.com

Fortunately, Cuikov's troops finally captured the first defensive zone before dark, occupied the Zerauf Heights in their offensive zone, and got rid of the bend depression along the Oder River. In this way, in the next battle, they have more room for maneuver.

I returned to the front army headquarters and reported to Zhukov in detail the battle of the Guards Army Group today. After listening to Zhukov, he nodded blankly and said indifferently: "If they didn't underestimate the enemy today, and let the enemy encircle a regiment, they might have achieved even greater results."

After Zhukov finished speaking, I asked carefully: "Comrade Marshal, shall I go to General Cuikov tomorrow?"

"Go, of course." Zhukov said in a positive tone: "As long as our troops do not take Berlin, you will go to Cuikov every day and command the battle with him. Understand?"

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