Sivakov, commanding a group of lumberjacks and carpenters selected from the troops, began the construction of the new headquarters two or three hundred meters from the vicinity of the observation post. I thought that the wooden house would not take shape until at least dark, but just as I was going to see it myself, Kirillov and Bezikov arrived with a group of people from the command of the army group. I had to dismiss the idea of going to the scene to supervise the work, and took them back to the division headquarters in Baksov to find out about the situation of the follow-up troops first.

As soon as we had lunch, Sivakov hurried in from outside and proudly reported to me: "Comrade commander, the headquarters has been built, and you can move in at any time. ”

"It was built so quickly?" I raised my hand and looked at my watch, it was only more than four hours before I gave the order, and I didn't expect them to set up the temporary headquarters. So I gave Sivakov a thumbs up and praised: "Well done, Comrade Commander, you and your fighters are good. After that, I turned to Kirillov and said, "Comrade Military Commissar, let's go to the new command!" ”

When our group came out of Baksov's division headquarters and walked along the communication trench towards the newly repaired wooden house in the distance, there was a sound of car motors in the distance. I looked in the direction from which the sound came, and saw a convoy of five or six jeeps and three trucks full of soldiers coming towards us.

Kirillov stood where he was, squinting his eyes and looking over there for a long time, and then asked me: "Leda, are you from our army?" ”

"It's General Managarov, they've arrived." Chistyakov excitedly said to me: "Comrade commander, let's go out to meet them." With that, he climbed out of the traffic trench on his hands and feet, and headed towards the convoy.

By the time Kirillov and I left the trench and headed for the convoy. The convoy had stopped fifty or sixty meters away, and the people in the car had also gotten out of the car one after another. From the crowd, I recognized at a glance that I had seen Managarov the other day.

I walked briskly towards the commander of the army group, and while I was still far away, I raised my hand and greeted him: "Hello, General Managarov, I didn't expect us to meet here!" ”

I didn't expect Managarov to come and stand upright. After saluting me, he respectfully reported: "Comrade General, the commander of the 53rd Army, Managarov, reports to you, I am leading the 53rd Army to report to you, to listen to your orders, please instruct!" ”

I raised my hand in return, pulled his hand down from my forehead, shook hands and said, "General Managarov, we are all old acquaintances. There's no need to be so polite. I looked at him with a serious expression, and knew in my heart that he must have been temporarily assigned to my command, and my heart was depressed, so I quickly changed the topic and asked, "Why didn't I see your troops?" ”

"Report to Comrade General." Managarov still said with some restraint: "The troops are still marching on the road, and it is estimated that they will not be able to reach here until dark." But I'm here with the commanders of the army group headquarters to receive your orders. ”

"Let's go, General Managarov. Let's go to the command first. With that, I guided him towards the new headquarters.

The new headquarters was spacious. In the middle of the room was a crudely made table, and several sections of the bark-cut trunk were fastened to the remaining stumps to make simple benches. After seeing the furnishings in the house, I said to Managarov with some embarrassment: "Comrade General, the environment here is too simple. Don't be surprised. ”

When Managarov heard this, he just smiled faintly, and then said to me: "Comrade commander, you can see that this has just been built, okay?" ”

"That's right, General Managarov." Chistyakov said: "This temporary command is before you arrive. It was just built, and we came in for the first time. ”

"Then I was so lucky that as soon as the house was built, I was one of the first people to enter." Managarov turned his face sideways and jokingly asked me: "Comrade commander, do we need champagne to celebrate?" ”

I chuckled, then turned to the group that followed me and said, "Okay, comrades commanders, you have to drink champagne, and when we liberate Kharkov, you can drink as much as you want." Now let's talk about how to exterminate the German army in the forest. ”

Due to the limited number of seats, except for the commanders at the army and group army levels, the remaining dozen or so division commanders gathered around the wooden table, quietly waiting for me to give orders.

I looked to the left and right, and then asked Managarov: "Comrade General, you should tell me first, after all, you have been dealing with the Germans lately." ”

"Comrade commander, you must know that we have an advantage in troops, and this battle will be much easier to fight." Although Managarov's attacks on the north of Kharkiv during this period ended in failure, he did have some ability. Hearing my question, he shrugged his shoulders and said: "There is no need to spend much brain cells at all, it is nothing more than artillery preparation, tank infantry cover forward movement, and at the same time flank outflanking." When the extended artillery fire comes to an end, the infantry will be deployed to lure the enemy's firepower points to be exposed, and give full play to their own advantages to suppress and concentrate on clearing. Then concentrate on striking on the other side, forcing the enemy to have to move forces...... Finally, drive the enemy out of the forest, or annihilate them all. ”

After Managarov finished speaking, I turned around and asked the division commanders gathered around: "Do you have different opinions?" are free to speak. ”

Hearing my words, all the division commanders shook their heads neatly and replied in unison: "No, Comrade Commander." We do your bidding. ”

"Okay, since everyone has no opinion, I'll give the battle order." Since everyone is looking at me, I am not polite, pointing to the map and saying to Povsky: "Comrade Artillery Commander, please immediately mobilize no less than two artillery regiments to shell the German positions in the forest area for an hour. ”

Hearing my order, Povsky quickly got up from his seat and replied loudly: "Yes!" ”

I turned my gaze back to Bere: "General Bere, when the shelling is over, your tank units will cover the infantry and carry out a surprise attack on the forest area. Do you understand? ”

"Understood!" Berey also stood up and replied loudly.

"As for the infantry troops." When I said this, my eyes first swept over the body of the division commanders, and then said: "It is still up to Colonel Babakhin's 71st Guards Division to complete it." And General Chernov's 90th Guards Division, as the second echelon, waited for the enemy in the forest to be cleared, and then launched an assault on the north bank of the Oud River. (To be continued.) )

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