The battle the next day was indeed as Sokov judged.
The 40th Armored Army of the German army launched a fierce offensive against the Popov rapid cluster. The battle lasted for a whole day. It was dark that the Soviet army, which suffered heavy losses, calculated its own damage and found that there were less than 40 intact tanks left, and the fuel and ammunition had basically been consumed.
General Popov, the commander of the fast cluster, personally called Vatujing after clearing the damage caused by the war: "Comrade General, our situation is very bad. After the fierce battle with the enemy today, there were only less than forty intact tanks left. With our current strength, if we continue to carry out the attack as planned, it would be equivalent to jumping into the abyss."
"No, General Popov." Vatujing said coldly: "I don't see any need to change the attack, so your fast cluster should continue to attack the enemy according to the original plan."
"Comrade General," Popov was a little anxious when he saw that Vatujing did not agree to stop the attack: "To attack, sufficient ammunition is needed; and our tanks are only the fuel in the fuel tank. If we drive the remaining tanks and attack the enemy, it will probably take less than half a day to reimburse them all."
"Then what do you think we should do?"
"Stop and wait for the fuel, ammunition, and newly added tanks from the rear to launch an attack on the enemy." In order to let Vatujing understand his situation, Popov also specifically emphasized: "Now, my troops have not only lost their offensive capabilities, but also have a problem in defense. Our situation is extremely dangerous..."
"Enough, General Popov." Before Popov finished speaking, Vatutin interrupted his words and said in a stern tone: "If you think you are not competent for the position of commander, I can send someone to take over your position. If you don't want to be removed, continue to attack according to the original plan."
Popov did not want to be dismissed at this time. After weighing the pros and cons, he could only grit his teeth and answer: "I understand, Comrade General, my troops will continue to attack as planned tomorrow."
"That's right, General Popov." After hearing Popov's reply, a smile appeared on Vatujing's cold and frosty face: "The Germans are unwilling to suffer failure and will definitely struggle to death. Their attacks these two days are just the last madness. As long as we grit our teeth and persevere, the final victory must belong to us."
"Comrade Commander, what should we do?" Seeing Popov put down the phone, the Cluster Chief of Staff asked worriedly: "Do you really have to follow General Vatujing's orders to carry out this mission of dying?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Before his chief of staff finished speaking, Popov raised his hand and interrupted his later words: "Since it is the order of the superior, whether it is right or wrong, we can only execute the order, rather than discuss the order. Do you understand?"
"I understand, comrade Commander." After the Chief of Staff instinctively agreed, he still felt something was wrong, so he reminded Popov: "Based on the information I have, General Rokosovsky had a guard division stationed in Lugansk. The division was equipped with a tank brigade, and I estimate that there should be fifty or sixty tanks. Do you think Rokosovsky asks for help and ask him to second the tank brigade to us? As long as the number of tanks we have is nearly 100, then according to the original plan, there is still no big problem to continue the attack."
Popov, who was originally anxious, couldn't help but see that there was a tank brigade in Luhansk. But for the sake of safety, he still asked: "Chief of Staff, is your situation reliable?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." The Chief of Staff nodded and replied, "My news is absolutely reliable."
Confirm that there is really a tank brigade in Lugansk. Popov seemed to have grabbed a life-saving straw. He quickly ordered the Director of the Communications Soldier: "Comrade Director of the Communications Soldier, immediately connect me with General Rokosovsky's command."
Regarding the incident of the Popov rapid cluster being severely damaged by the German army, Rokosovsky also saw it from the base camp's notice. At this moment, he received a call from his old comrade-in-arms General Popov. He asked curiously: "Popov, I heard that your troops were attacked by the German army and paid a lot of money. Is this true?"
"Yes, Comrade Rokosovsky." Popov naturally would not hide his old comrade-in-arms: "We were attacked by the 40th German Armored Army in today's offensive battle. Due to the lack of fuel and ammunition in the tank, our technical equipment suffered a lot."
After listening to Popov's story patiently, Rokosovsky couldn't help but frown. He found that the situation on the battlefield was, as Sokov analyzed, the Soviet army was facing a huge crisis. He was silent for a while and asked, "Popov, what did Navatutin think about it? Do you want to turn to the defense on the spot?"
"No, I once proposed this plan, but it was rejected by General Vatujing." Popov replied with a wry smile: "The combat mission of our combat cluster tomorrow is still to continue to attack the depths of the German army."
"Damn, with your existing strength, even if you turn to defense on the spot, whether you can block the enemy's attack is a big question, let alone launching an attack on the enemy." Rokosovsky felt very confused about the order issued by Vatujing: "Isn't this asking you to die?"
When Popov heard Rokosovsky's question, he didn't say anything, but just laughed dryly.
Hearing the bitter laughter from the headphones, Rokosovsky immediately understood what was going on. Since Vatutin's order has been issued, not to mention that Popov's combat cluster still has a certain combat power, even if there is only one company left, the offensive mission will not be cancelled.
After understanding this, Rokosovsky asked tactfully: "Popov, do I have anything to help you?"
"Konstantin Konstantinovich." Popov called Rokosovsky's real name and father's name, and asked in embarrassment: "I heard that you have arranged a guard division in Lugansk, and the division is also equipped with a tank brigade. Is it true?"
"Yes, I placed Colonel Sokov's 41st Guard Division in Luhansk. In order to strengthen their firepower, I also specially assigned Colonel Bere's tank brigade to their division." Rokosovsky asked in surprise: "Popov, what are you asking about this?"
"The nearest unit to me is the unit you deployed in Luhansk." Popov asked tentatively: "Can you lend me this guard division and tank brigade for a while?" He was worried that Rokosovsky would refuse, and added, "Once the combat mission is completed, I will let this unit be built."
Unexpectedly, as soon as Popov's request to borrow troops was submitted, he was immediately rejected by Rokosovsky: "I'm sorry, Comrade Popov, although we are old comrades and old friends, I cannot hand over this army to you."
"Why?" This time it was Popov's turn to be puzzled.
"The reason is very simple. Colonel Sokov made a judgment just a week ago. I reported this to the Supreme Command and warned General Vatutin. But judging from the current situation, he did not seem to obey my advice." Rokosovsky explained to Popov: "The reason I placed the 41st Guard Division in Luhansk is to ensure that after the Southwest Front is defeated by the enemy, there is a support point to block the enemy."
Rokosovsky's words scared Popov into a cold sweat. He asked in a panic: "What did you say just now? Is it possible that our entire Southwest Front would be defeated by the German army?"
“Yes, this could be very big.”
"I don't think it's possible." Popov was half-believing about Rokosovsky's statement: "Although the Germans have launched counterattacks in the past two days, we still have hundreds of thousands of people. I think it's still possible to smash the enemy's attack. As for the defeat of the entire front army by the enemy, I think it's a fantasy."
"Popov, if you knew Colonel Sokov like me, you wouldn't say this." Rokosovsky felt it was necessary to let Popov understand Sokov, so he continued: "As early last year, he pointed out the shortcomings of the Kharkov battle to Marshal Temuxingo, and the Marshal ignored his opinion of an unknown soldier. But in the subsequent battle, the direction of the German offensive was completely consistent with what he analyzed.
Also, after the troops attacking Kharkov were frustrated, he proposed to his superiors that the next target of the German army would be Stalingrad, and he took the initiative to request to enter Stalingrad. It was precisely because of his foresight and the construction of complete fortifications in Mamayev Hill that Mamayev Hill was turned into a fortress that the enemy could not conquer."
After listening to Rokosovsky's introduction to Sokov's deeds, Popov couldn't help but breathe: "So, it won't take long before the Southwest Front troops will be defeated by the enemy?"
"It's not just the troops of the Southwest Front," Rokosovsky said with a wry smile: "The Voronezh Front, too, can't escape the same fate."
"What should we do?" Popov said in a slight sense of silence: "With our existing strength, attacking the enemy will be like killing us."
Chapter completed!