The offensive of the Steppe Front on Kharkov, which lasted a whole week. Thanks to the stubborn resistance of the German army, relying on strong fortifications, General Konev's frontal offensive suffered a serious setback, and it fell into a long and extremely brutal positional battle.

Although the situation of our army's offensive was not ideal, the four armies belonging to the steppe front still pushed closer to Kharkov little by little. By the 17th, our troops approached Kharkov from both the north and the east, and although the offensive was completely suppressed, the Germans also suffered heavy losses. The German divisions on the defensive line were only the size of regiments and battalions, and the number of infantry was seriously insufficient. The tanks and artillery of the 3rd and 6th Panzer Divisions were also exhausted in the battle.

When Konev and the Germans were fighting, I was not idle. Due to the fact that more and more troops have been rebuilt, the original defense area will certainly not be able to accommodate so many troops, so in order to solve the problem of relocating troops, I made a special telephone call to Vatutin. He complained: "Comrade General, because there are so many troops that have recently been rebuilt, we can no longer accommodate them in our existing defense area. ”

When Vatutin heard me say this, he was silent for a moment, and then said in embarrassment: "Comrade Oshanina, I know that if you let four infantry divisions be rebuilt, your defense area there will be narrow. Well, I'll call General Konev later, and talk to him about it, and see if I can make room for you to come out again. ”

"No, no, Comrade General." When I heard that he was going to consult with Konev, I quickly refused, and said my plan: "Actually, I have a good eye on a place, and I plan to drive the troops over one after another. With your permission, I can even transfer the entire army group of troops. ”

As soon as I said this, it immediately aroused Vatutin's interest. He asked curiously, "Comrade Oshanina, I don't know what place you fancy is?" If it really can accommodate the entire Sixth Guards Army, I will definitely approve it. ”

"Gergach!" After talking about the ground, I added: "Comrade General, I think it is most appropriate to deploy the entire army group in this area. ”

"What. Dergach?! "Vatutin, after listening to the names of the places I said, almost dropped the phone. It took him a long time before he said in surprise: "Comrade Oshanina, you are not mistaken, right? Dergach is to the west of Kharkov, a full eighty kilometers from your present defense zone. ”

"Yes, Comrade General, you are quite right." I explained to Vatutin: "Dergach is eighty kilometers from our current defense area, but the German defense in this area is the weakest. If our army group can enter Durgach, then it can threaten Kharkov from the west. Relieve the offensive pressure of the Steppe Front in the north and east. ”

After Vatujing waited for me to finish, he did not immediately give me an accurate reply, but said in an angry voice: "I will discuss with Comrade Marshal first, you wait for a while, don't hang up." ”

I know that Zhukov has been anxious about the offensive in the past two days, and has even fired at Konev a few times, and if he had listened to my proposal at such a time, he would have readily agreed.

It didn't take long. A voice came from the earpiece again, and the person who spoke had changed from Vatutin to Zhukov. He asked in a deep voice, "Leda." Tell me your reasons, why did you transfer the troops to Djergach? ”

"Comrade Marshal," I immediately said respectfully, hearing that it was Zhukov's voice, "I think that the stationing of our army in Dergach will not only contain the strength of the German army, but also relieve the pressure of the frontal offensive of the steppe front. Meantime. At the right time, it was also possible to launch a decisive offensive and cut off the retreat of the German army. ……”

After listening patiently to what I said, Zhukov asked, "Lida, do you need any help from me?" ”

"Yes. Comrade Marshal. I have two requests. Since Zhukov asked me to make a request, it would be a fool not to know how to take advantage of this opportunity, so I said confidently and boldly: "First of all, you have to convince Commander Vatutin and Commander Konev that both of them agree to the change of defense area of our army. ”

Speaking of which, I deliberately paused to wonder what Zhukov's reaction was. Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately replied to me: "Don't worry, Leda, I have full control over this matter, and you can rest assured and boldly move your troops." Now, what's your second request? ”

"Although my army group has eight infantry divisions and a tank corps, as well as a number of artillery regiments and guards rocket artillery battalions." Hearing that Zhukov had agreed to my first request, I moved on to the second thing, "But there is a lack of sufficient air defense, so many troops are mobilized, it is impossible not to be detected by the Germans, and if they send their air force to carry out air strikes, we will suffer heavy casualties." ”

"I understand," Zhukov was visibly relieved when he heard my second condition, and then said: "Don't worry, I will ask the Air Force to send planes to provide you with the necessary air cover." ”

"Thank you, thank you, Comrade Marshal." Hearing that he readily agreed to my request, I hastened to thank him, and at the same time said: "When I am stationed in the new defense area, I will definitely disturb the Germans." ”

After Zhukov waited for me to finish, he asked again: "Lida, when can you leave?" I'll arrange for the fighters to cooperate with you. ”

I raised my hand and looked at my watch, and then said: "Comrade Marshal, it is one o'clock in the afternoon of the 17th. At the vanguard was General Baksov's 67th Guards Division, which was to set off at five o'clock. ”

"Very well, then I'll let the Air Force go out at five o'clock. Good luck! After Zhukov finished speaking, he decisively hung up the phone again.

I put down the phone and immediately ordered Bezkov: "Chief of Staff, call the commanders of the divisions and ask them to immediately rush to the headquarters for a meeting." ”

"In addition to informing the commanders of the Guards Division and the Tank Corps," Bezikov, after listening to my order, did not immediately carry it out, but stood still and asked: "Is it necessary to inform the commanders of the artillery regiment and the Guards rocket artillery battalion?" ”

Regarding Bezikov's question, I thought about it with a frown, then shook my head and said: "Forget it, the commander of the artillery side, just have General Povsky to participate, and the rest do not need to be notified." "I say that for a reason. Recently, the commanders of all divisions have been promoted to major generals because of their outstanding combat achievements. In a large group of generals, except for a few lieutenant colonels and even majors, it will give people a sense of place.

Half an hour later, the stars in the headquarters flashed, and more than a dozen generals gathered. Greeting each other and chatting loudly about how their troops have behaved in the recent period. For a time, the entire headquarters was as lively as a vegetable market.

When I saw that everyone was here, I gave Bezikov a look and signaled that the meeting could be held. Bezzikov nodded, then stood up and shouted at the commanders present: "Quiet, comrades commanders. Be quiet, please! ”

The first two sounds had no effect, so he raised his voice and shouted a few more words, which were heard by all of them, and hurriedly stopped the conversation and sat down in his seat. The entire command office was quiet again.

I stood up and faced the division commanders who were attending the meeting and said: "Comrade division commanders, in the last week, the troops of the steppe front have launched an offensive on Kharkov from two directions, north and east. Although we inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. But at the same time, it has come at a huge cost. Just today, the offensive of friendly forces on Kharkov. It has been completely stopped. ”

As soon as I finished speaking, the following suddenly became lively again, and the division commanders talked in low voices: "What, the offensive on Kharkov has stopped?!" ”

"Didn't it go well yesterday, how can you say stop and stop?"

……

Bezkov stood up and tried to stop their discussion, but I stopped him. I know that the reactions of the division commanders are all normal reactions. So instead of interrupting them immediately, he stood at the table with his hands behind his back and patiently waited for the end of their discussion.

After about four or five minutes, the discussion among the division commanders finally ended. Then I smiled and asked, "Commanders, you just had a lively discussion." Who's going to say. What do you think about the cessation of the offensive of our army on Kharkov? ”

After my question, the commander of the 22nd Guards Army, Sivakov, stood up. He asked puzzledly: "Comrade commander, I don't understand, since the front line is fighting so hard, why do you leave our new force here and ignore it?" Is it the commanders of friendly forces who feel that our combat effectiveness is too weak and will hold them back? ”

Sivakov's words were like sprinkling a handful of salt into a pot of red-hot oil, and the atmosphere in the room became lively again. I heard someone say loudly: "In the attack on Belgorod, it was our 89th Guards Division, and the 272nd Regiment of the 90th Guards Division planted the red flag on the roof of the radio station building......"

Seeing the turmoil of the crowd, I felt that when the plan for the southward expansion of the troops was announced later, I would definitely not be opposed by everyone, so I looked at them with a smile and let them express their opinions.

Finally, after the field was quiet again, I smiled and said to everyone, "Okay, comrades division commanders." What is the combat effectiveness of our Sixth Guards Army, others say it doesn't count. We need to use our actions to show those friendly forces who have misunderstood us how strong our fighting power is. ”

Sivakov, who was still standing, asked me with a serious expression: "Comrade commander, I don't know what the tasks of our 22nd Guards Army are?" As long as you give an order, no matter whether you go up the sword mountain or down the sea of fire, all our commanders and fighters will definitely have no hesitation. ”

"And our 23rd Guards Army." As soon as Sivakov's words were finished, General Tavart Kiradze, who was sitting next to him, stood up and said in a loud voice: "Comrade commander, please give us orders. If our army cannot take Kharkov, you can remove me from my post. ”

Seeing that their army commanders had come out to grab the task, the rest of the division commanders couldn't sit still, and they stood up one after another. Seeing that the headquarters was about to turn into a vegetable market again, I hurriedly raised my hand to stop everyone who wanted to speak: "Okay, comrades commanders, you don't have to say anything. I see what you mean, so sit down and I'll assign you tasks next. ”

After everyone had sat down, I officially announced: "Comrade commanders, after my request to my superiors, the superiors have agreed to adjust the defense area of our group army from its current position to Dergach...... I was deeply afraid that someone would interrupt me, so I deliberately paused for a moment when I said this. Seeing that everyone was listening carefully to me, he continued, "It is eighty kilometers from here to Djergach, and although the German defenses along the way are weak, we will have to go through continuous battles before we can reach Djergach and establish a new defensive zone there. ”

"Comrade Commander," Tarvat Kiradze waited for me to finish, and immediately asked eagerly, "I wonder which division you plan to send as the vanguard to march towards Djergach?" ”

I turned my eyes to Baksov, who was sitting behind Sivakov, and then said unhurriedly: "After my repeated consideration, I have decided to let General Baksov's 67th Guards Division, as the vanguard of the whole army, take the lead in advancing towards Dorgach. At the same time, General Bere sent the 82nd tank brigade to act together with General Baksov. Before dark, be sure to advance to Dergach. ”

Berey and Baksov stood up and replied neatly: "We promise to complete the task." ”

Then, I arranged the troops that served as the second echelon, the third echelon, and the post-break mission in turn. After I had been assigned all the tasks, I habitually asked, "Does anyone have any problems?" ”

As soon as my words fell, Povsky stood up, and he said with a frown: "Comrade commander, it is impossible for us to move on such a large scale that it is impossible not to be detected by the Germans, and what will we do if the Germans send air forces to carry out air strikes on our marching troops?" ”

His words resonated with everyone, and the division commanders sitting below began to whisper to each other again. I hurriedly slapped the table twice and shouted loudly: "Quiet, quiet, comrades commander, please be quiet." ”

When everyone had stopped talking, sat up again, and looked at me, I continued, "As for air defense, don't worry. Marshal Zhukov said that he would send the Air Force to provide air cover for our transfer. ”

"There's air force support." Hearing me say this, a smile appeared on Povsky's face, and he said happily: "In this way, I am relieved." Then he made a statement to me, "Comrade commander, I will definitely let the artillery advance to the Djergacht area as soon as possible." (To be continued.) )