On the afternoon of February 21, an exciting news reached Sokov's division headquarters: Zaporoz, where Manstein Command was located, was occupied by the troops of the Southwest Front.
When the news came, Sidolin's analysis of Sokov could not help but have doubts: "Comrade Commander, the troops of the Southwest Front have occupied Zaporoze and separated the enemy's front line. Do you think that under this situation, the German army may launch a larger-scale counterattack against our army?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, the Southwest Front troops seized Zaporoze, which does not mean that our army won the victory." Sokov felt that the tactics used by Manstein happened to be the one he was most familiar with, so he reminded Cydollin: "In the past month, our army has recovered so many lost lands, but basically fought a defeat war, not annihilation war. Now the enemy's strength is still there. Even if we temporarily lose some territory, when our army becomes exhausted and unable to attack again, the enemy may launch a counterattack. This is called: if people have lost their land, people and land will exist; if people and land will be lost, people and land will be lost."
"Your statement is quite interesting." Bere said with interest when he heard Sokov say this: "By temporarily giving up some positions, we can concentrate the available forces; and the troops occupying these territories have to separate their hands to hold on, so their strength will become weak. One side has strong forces, while the other side has dispersed forces. It is obvious that whoever wins and loses when fighting."
After listening to the concert between Sokov and Bere, Sidolin immediately realized the seriousness of the problem: "Teacher, deputy commander, so as our army occupied Zaporoze, the enemy's full-scale counterattack may begin?"
"Chief of Staff, you're right. The enemy's full-scale counterattack will begin soon." Sokov said seriously: "So we must be ready to fight as soon as possible."
"Misa, our defense front is ten kilometers wide. Apart from infantry, there are only sixty tanks and five self-propelled artillery." Belle said with some concern: "With such a little technical equipment, will you be sure to win if you are attacked by the German armored army?"
"Under the current circumstances, it is basically impossible to get technical equipment supplies from superiors." Sokov said: "So we have to find ways to strengthen our own defense."
Bere knew that Sokov would not say this for no reason, so he must have thought of a way to deal with it, so he asked curiously: "Misha, do you have any good solutions?"
"Fighting hard is definitely not a solution. The equipment and combat effectiveness of our division are not on the same level as the main force of the German army." Sokov said as usual: "We must find a way to cause a mistake to the Germans, so that they think our army is gathering a huge army in Lugansk."
"What should I do?" Bi Lei continued to ask.
"We can use triple boards to create a large number of fake tanks and fake artillery to arrange fake positions. The real tanks are deployed two kilometers away, and each tank must have three or four firing points, and change the place after a few shots, so that the enemy will think that we have assembled a large number of armored troops in Luhansk."
"Misha, the tactic you mentioned sounds familiar." Bere frowned and thought for a while, immediately remembering where he had heard of it. "This is the tactic that General Katukov once used when he was holding on to Mzensk."
In the Battle of Moscow, Sidolin was still a small staff officer. He didn't know Katukov's history, so he couldn't help asking curiously: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, I want to ask, how effective did this tactic in that year?"
"The effect is quite good." As a tank soldier, Bere naturally praised Katukov's colleague: "You know, when General Katukov just took over the Tank Brigade, he only had 45 two old light tanks and was not enough ammunition. If he drove out to fight against the German tank troops, it would definitely be the end of the destruction of the entire army.
He knew that fighting hard was not a solution, so he asked the soldiers to dig fake bunkers day and night, and used trim boards to build a large number of fake tanks and arrange fake tank positions. The real tank positions were deployed four kilometers away. Due to the great work intensity, his tank soldiers complained and even called him a "German spy who wanted to exhaust everyone."
But when the battle started, everyone found that they had misunderstood Katukov. Fighting with the brigade commander could at least save their lives. During the eight-day battle, the tank brigade destroyed a total of 133 German tanks and two aircraft. In order to commend their military achievements, the superiors awarded them the honorary title of the First Brigade of Guards Tanks."
"Oh my god, they actually destroyed enemy tanks that were twice as many as their own tanks." Cidolin asked cautiously: "What about their casualties?"
"Chief of Staff, I can't remember how many infantry casualties have been killed or killed." Belle replied: "But their brigade only lost four tanks. Two of them were still abandoned during the retreat because of a malfunction."
Knowing that this was a tactic that Katukov had used, Cidolin asked with some concern: "The two division commanders, since they have used tactics, I am worried that I cannot hide it from the Germans."
"I think you can try it." The decision of such a thing is still in Sokov's hands. He said confidently: "Although General Katukov had caused such losses in Mzensk back then, those German commanders would never tell their embarrassing experiences, so many officers were afraid that they did not know the reason for their miserable defeat."
"But what if the enemy knows?" Cidolin asked nervously: "Then the fake position we deployed will be completely ruined."
"Then let's find a way to prevent the enemy from knowing." When he said this, Sokov was already thinking about where to deploy fake positions and what kind of fake positions should be arranged: "Col. Believe this matter, Colonel Bere and I."
Seeing that Sokov had personally taken over the task of establishing a fake position, Cidolin took the initiative to propose, "Two division commanders, then I will organize the residents of the city to help our soldiers use trim boards to make fake tanks."
"No, the city residents cannot participate in the camouflage position." Sokov refused Cidolin's proposal without hesitation. Although the fraudulent tanks and camouflage position were done by the soldiers, and the labor intensity was a bit high, he had to be vigilant. Who knew that among the residents of the city, there were any spies left by the Germans, if the rumors leaked out, his arrangement would be ruined.
In order not to misunderstand Cidolin, he patiently explained to the other party: "Comrade Chief of Staff, our division has not been in the city for a long time, and it is not clear whether there are lurking German spies among the residents. If residents are allowed to participate in the task of arranging fake positions, it is easy to leak information."
Speaking of this, Sokov felt it was necessary to strengthen the guard in the city, so as not to let the German spies lurking in the city find out the details of the troops, and then ordered Cydolin: "Chief of Staff, the war is imminent. Even if there are no German spies in the city, they must be guarded against enemies that may infiltrate. The division guard battalion will draw forces to form a patrol team, and conduct strict inspections at the intersections entering and leaving the city to prevent enemies from entering and entering and leaving the city."
When Sidolin started calling the guard battalion and arranged for the formation of a patrol team, Sokov shook his head at Bere and said, "Let's go, comrade, we will prepare fake tanks and fake positions to welcome the Germans who might attack the city."
On the way to the 122nd Regiment position, Bere suddenly asked something: "Misha, how should we convince the enemy that the fake positions and fake tanks they saw were all real?"
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, I have carefully considered the problem you are worried about." Sokov had a good idea of ​​using how to convince the enemy that the tanks and positions they saw were real: "At the fake tank position, arrange a real tank near the fake tank position, and fire the enemy when the battle starts. In this way, the enemy will think that it is really our tank position, thereby diverting their attention."
Chapter completed!