While we were waiting for reports from the front, Vatutin called me and asked me about the progress of the troops' assault on Smilla and when the city would be captured.

I stared at the new battle report in front of me, and replied clearly: "Comrade commander, Colonel Szerikov's 51st Guards Division, has stormed into the city of Smilla, occupied two-thirds of the city, and is engaged in a fierce battle with the recalcitrant enemy. ”

"When will Smilla be freed?" Vatutin repeated the question he had just asked.

Although, judging by the current situation, maybe in two hours, or even less, we will be able to deal with the entire enemy. However, for the sake of safety, I deliberately postponed the time: "Comrade General, I think they can successfully occupy Smilla before noon. ”

"What, before noon?" Vatutin asked with some surprise: "Haven't you already occupied two-thirds of the area?" How can it take more than ten hours to seize the remaining third? ”

"The reason why the early stage of the troops went smoothly was because the enemy's forces were limited and the deployment was too scattered." To Vatutin's satisfaction, I tried to weave a plausible reason to reply to him: "Now that the enemy is confined to a limited space, it becomes difficult for us to defeat them as quickly as we imagine at the beginning of the battle, as they concentrate their forces. ”

After listening to my explanation, Vatutin nodded and said thoughtfully, "Well, you have a point. The enemies have all been driven together by you, and it will be very difficult to eat them. Well, I wish you the best of luck and hope that you will take Smilla sooner rather than later and inform me of the good news in a timely manner. ”

After I put down the phone, Bezikov asked curiously: "Comrade commander, judging by the current progress of the battle, our troops will be able to solve the battle in two or three hours at most. But why do you tell Comrade General that we need at least ten more hours to liberate Smilla? ”

I looked at Bezkov, smiled and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, we, as commanders, must always consider the unfavorable factors that may arise on the battlefield. Even when the odds of victory are in hand, you can't take it lightly. Although judging from the current situation, the liberation of Smilla by our troops within two hours is a sure thing. But not afraid of ten thousand, just in case, if Spola's enemies rushed desperately to support, then the time spent on the battle would be prolonged. ”

As soon as I finished speaking, Lopukhov came up with a telegram and reported to me: "Comrade commander, General Seryukin reports that the 89th Guards Division is only two kilometers away from Smilla, and the sound of gunfire from the city can be clearly heard. He asked us for instructions, do we need his troops to fight? ”

After listening to Lopukhov's report, Chistyakov took the telegram from his hand and, after reading it carefully, looked up and asked me: "Comrade commander, how are you going to reply to Division Commander Seryukin?" ”

I thought only for a moment, and then said decisively to Lopukhov: "Major, record my order: the 89th Guards will continue to advance according to the original route, and there is no need to participate in the friendly battle for Smilla. Seeing that he had finished recording, I waved at him, "Alright, send the telegram." ”

Hearing this order from me, it was Chistyakov's turn to be puzzled this time, and he asked in surprise: "Comrade commander, why didn't you let General Seryukin's troops go into battle?" You must know that the enemy in Smilla is already struggling, and even if we invest a little more troops, we can easily destroy or defeat the enemy. ”

"Comrade Deputy Commander, the city of Smilla is too small, and if we put too many troops, the troops will not be able to deploy. That's why I ordered General Seryukin to continue to lead the troops and advance along the original route. ”

"I see." After listening to this, Chistyakov nodded slightly, and then buried his head in the map in front of him.

Seeing his expression, I couldn't help but chuckle in my heart, and said that if he was the commander of the group army and wanted to organize troops to attack Smilla, it is estimated that there would not be only one division of the 51st Guards Division, and perhaps even the 52nd Guards Division and the 375th Infantry Division would be thrown into battle together. He never thought that investing too many troops in a small city would not only make it difficult for the troops to deploy, but also be prone to mutual constraints.

Two hours later, I received a call from Shederikov. He said excitedly on the microphone: "Comrade commander, the enemy in the city of Smilla has been cleared, and the entire city has been occupied by us. ”

"Well done, Comrade Colonel. You and your men are doing well! After I said two words of appreciation, I covered the microphone and asked Bezikov softly: "Chief of Staff, where is the troops of Division Commander Seryukin?" ”

Betzikov pointed to the map with his hand and said: "They should be here now, and in two hours or so they will be able to reach the location of the prisoner of war camp." ”

If I had known Seryukin's location before Shedelikov reported the good news to me, I would have said: "Yes, they marched quite fast." But at this moment, when I heard Bezikov's answer, I frowned and said, "It's too slow, it's too slow." It is believed that the enemy will soon get the news of the loss of Smilla, so that they will hurry up and prepare for battle, and wait for Seryugin's troops to attack, which will add many unnecessary casualties. ”

Chistyakov, who was familiar with my character, knew that I usually had something to say, so he respectfully asked: "Comrade commander, do you have any good ideas?" ”

I didn't let go of my hand covering the microphone, I just nodded at the map, and then said: "I intend to Speilikov's troops, under the cover of tanks, directly along the road. Seryugin's troops, on the other hand, were only responsible for attacking the prisoner of war camp and rescuing the prisoners of war of our army who were imprisoned inside. ”

"With such a two-pronged approach, I believe that the enemy will be caught off guard." After looking at the map, Chistyakov nodded in agreement with me: "Just do it." ”

I released my hand from the microphone and said to Sederikov: "Colonel, listen carefully: except for one regiment left to hold Smilla, the rest of the troops, under the cover of tanks, immediately rushed along the road to Spora in an effort to liberate the city in the shortest possible time. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." After listening to my order, Sederikov said disapprovingly: "A city as small as Spola, my troops can take it in an hour at most. ”

"Comrade Colonel, there is something I haven't had time to inform you about." I was afraid that Shederikov would be carried away by the victory, and I made a point of reminding him: "Although Spora is only a small town, there are now more than 80,000 civilians in it. Except for some of the aborigines, the rest of the population was taken from abroad. ”

My words startled Shederikov, who, after being silent for a while, asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, do you mean that in a small city like Spola, there are more than 80,000 civilians?" ”

"That's right, according to reconnaissance intelligence, although there are not many defenders in this city, there are as many as 80,000 residents, so you are a little constrained in battle." In order to prevent him from underestimating the enemy, I deliberately sounded the alarm bell for him, "Although it only took you a few hours to capture Smilla. But it wasn't so easy to recover this little Spora. ”

Since they will be fighting side by side with Seryukin's 89th Guards Division, I also emphasized: "General Seryukin's Guards Division is now passing through the forests near Smilla, intending to seize a prisoner of war camp outside the city and free our captured commanders and fighters. Remember to send someone to scout their location and keep in touch with them at all times to avoid misunderstandings. Do you understand? ”

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Shederikov politely asked: "Permission for me to carry out your order to go?" ”

"Go, Comrade Colonel, good luck!"

Thinking that Smilla has successfully recovered, it is undoubtedly the best time to call Vatujing to report the good news at this time. So I dialed the headquarters of the Front, and when I heard someone talking, I politely said: "Hello, I am Oshanina, commander of the Sixth Guards Army, please let Commander Vatutin answer the phone." ”

After less than a minute, Vatutin's voice came out of the earpiece, and he asked with a smile: "Comrade Oshanina, you called me at this time, is there any good news to inform me?" ”

"That's right, Comrade General, I am calling you at this time, and I do have good news to tell you." I politely said: "Ten minutes ago, our troops managed to destroy all the enemy in the city of Smilla, liberated the city, and planted the red flag on the commanding heights of the city. ”

"Well done, Oshanina! You're so good that you snatched Smilla from your enemies so quickly. After a pause, he asked, "What are your plans after the troops have captured Smilla?" ”

"Comrade General," I heard his question, and hastened to state my arrangement: "I have ordered Colonel Sederikov's troops, leaving one regiment to hold on to Smilla, and the remaining two regiments, under the cover of tank units, to rush along the road to Spora in an effort to liberate the city in the shortest possible time. ”

"Spora! Spora!! After repeating the name twice, Vashukin smiled and asked: "Oshanina, how many hours are you going to take the city?" ”

To his question, I was prepared and hastened to reply: "Our army will attack Kspora by this evening at the latest." ”

"What, wait until evening?" Vatutin, hearing my answer, almost jumped out of his seat, and he was a little out of breath and said, "Smilla is a medium-sized city, and you can take it in just a few hours." Spola, on the other hand, is a small city, and it takes you more than a dozen hours to attack, which is incredible. ”

"Comrade General, please don't be in a hurry." I was afraid that he would give me a time limit to complete the occupation of the city by a few o'clock, so I quickly explained to him: "If it is to attack another city, I may not have any problem." However, in a small city as Spora, the Germans actually settled more than 80,000 residents, which made it difficult for us to attack. ”

Vatutin, waiting for me to finish, sighed, and said helplessly: "Yes, Comrade Oshanina, the enemy has so many residents in such a small city, what a vicious intention. As long as a single shell falls, more than a dozen people may be killed or wounded. Well, since that's the case, I'm not going to give you a set time. However, I have one condition. ”

"On what terms?" I asked in agreement.

"In the process of seizing the city, try not to harm our residents." When Vatujin said this, his tone was hesitant, "I don't want them to sacrifice their lives in vain when they are about to see victory. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade General." Although I knew that it was inevitable to accidentally injure civilians in battle, I replied stubbornly: "I will tell the troops below to be careful not to accidentally injure ordinary residents when attacking." ”

To his question, I was prepared and hastened to reply: "Our army will attack Kspora by this evening at the latest." ”

"What, wait until evening?" Vatutin, hearing my answer, almost jumped out of his seat, and he was a little out of breath and said, "Smilla is a medium-sized city, and you can take it in just a few hours." Spola, on the other hand, is a small city, and it takes you more than a dozen hours to attack, which is incredible. ”

"Comrade General, please don't be in a hurry." I was afraid that he would give me a time limit to complete the occupation of the city by a few o'clock, so I quickly explained to him: "If it is to attack another city, I may not have any problem." However, in a small city as Spora, the Germans actually settled more than 80,000 residents, which made it difficult for us to attack. ”

Vatutin, waiting for me to finish, sighed, and said helplessly: "Yes, Comrade Oshanina, the enemy has so many residents in such a small city, what a vicious intention. As long as a single shell falls, more than a dozen people may be killed or wounded. Well, since that's the case, I'm not going to give you a set time. However, I have one condition. ”

"On what terms?" I asked in agreement.

"In the process of seizing the city, try not to harm our residents." When Vatujin said this, his tone was hesitant, "I don't want them to sacrifice their lives in vain when they are about to see victory. ”

"Don't worry, Comrade General." Although I knew that it was inevitable to accidentally injure civilians in battle, I replied stubbornly: "I will tell the troops below to be careful not to accidentally injure ordinary residents when attacking." (To be continued.) )