After retreating to the friendly defense line, General Rebarco's remnants of troops relocated new defensive positions to fight against the followers of German troops.
After Paul Haussel escaped from Valky Town, he led this matter as a great humiliation in his military career. In order to avenge a revenge, he assembled the main force of the Skeleton Division and the Imperial Division and launched a fierce attack on the positions built by Rebarco's troops.
The troops that just jumped out of the German encirclement were originally depressed and their morale was dispersed, and many of the equipment were lost when breaking through. Therefore, in the face of the German attack, Rebarko's troops were unable to perform well.
When Rebarko learned that positions were broken through by the German army from time to time, he was bizarrely angry. While giving orders to the commanders of each division, he asked them to counterattack the German army and regain the lost positions. While rescued Golikov, hoping to be supplemented.
Unexpectedly, when Golikov received his call, he sighed and said, "Sorry, General Rebarko, I don't have any troops in my hand. You can only rely on your existing strength to firmly defend the defense zone. Once the German army implements an effective breakthrough, Kharkov will be in danger."
Although Golikov had clearly told Rebarko that he had no reserve team, Rebarko was still unwilling to say: "Comrade Commander of the Front Army, as long as you give me another infantry division strengthened by tanks, my troops can block the German attack."
"General Rebarko," said Golikov seriously, seeing that Rebarko had been pestering himself, "I really had no troops in my hands. Besides, almost all of our tanks are reimbursed in battle with the enemy. Now many tank soldiers have changed their careers as infantry."
"If Colonel Sokov's troops could be transferred over, we might be able to defend the enemy's position." Rebarko muttered on the phone: "In the battle to defend Stalingrad, he has fully demonstrated his defensive characteristics."
"Even if Colonel Sokov's troops were transferred, they might not be able to block the enemy's attack." Golikov, who had been the deputy commander of the 62nd Army, naturally knew many inside stories that others did not know: "Long before the German army attacked Stalingrad, they built reinforced defensive tunnels in Mamayev hill. If there were no tunnels, Mamayev hill would not have been occupied by the German army many times."
"So, long before the Germans attacked Stalingrad, he had already judged that the Germans might launch an attack on the city, so he was prepared in advance?"
"Yes, that's exactly what it is."
"Since his analysis is so accurate, I want to ask, did he guess that our situation will become so difficult?"
"As early as the Southwest Front was advancing towards Zaporoze, he warned the base through Rokosovsky, saying that the reason why our army could recover so many cities so easily was the intention of the German army. The purpose was to lengthen our transportation line. When our army was unable to attack again due to insufficient logistics supplies, the Germans launched an attack unexpectedly."
"Ah?!" Rebarco was shocked when he heard this: "When did this analysis be made, why don't I know?"
"It was probably mid-February," Golikov said helplessly: "The warning he made at that time did not attract any attention at all. Some people even proposed to severely punish those who created panic. If Zhukov and Rokosovsky had not guaranteed it, he would have probably been sent to Siberian potatoes at this moment."
"What should we do?" Rebarco knew that he could not count on others in the situation in front of him, so he asked tentatively: "Can you just fight like this?"
"That's right, General Rebarko, you can only try your best to defend the position firmly." Golikov said on the phone: "General Saxko, who is standing in the southwest of Kharkov, has commanded the 25th Guard Division, which is backward, to fight against the German offensive for five days."
"I understand, Comrade Commander of the Front." Rebarco said: "I will do everything possible to extend the time I hold my position."
…………
Just as the situation in Kharkov was getting more and more tense, Sokov, who was stationed in Luhansk, could no longer sit still.
After carefully studying the terrain, he called Rokosovsky who had just arrived in Stalingrad. After the phone was heard, he briefly introduced some recent situation to Rokosovsky to Ada and went straight to the topic: "Commander of the Front Army, I have a bold idea."
"What's your thoughts?" Rokosovsky knew that Sokov had always been brave, so he asked curiously: "What are you going to do?"
"You are right. I do want to make some noise in the rear of the enemy." Sokov said to the phone: "The situation in the direction of Kharkov is now tense. If we can make some big noise, it may disrupt the German attack on Kharkov."
"It's so, Luhansk is less than a hundred kilometers away from Donetsk," Sokov said. "I think so. Now the enemy's main attention is focused on the direction of Kharkov. In the city of Donetsk, there is only one infantry regiment and an armored battalion, as well as some Eastern battalions. Since the enemy's defense is so weak, we might as well launch an attack on Donetsk, so that we can disrupt the German offensive steps."
"Tell me about your plan, how did you think about it?"
"I am going to use the 41st Guard Division and two tank brigades to launch a strong attack from the east, while the 67th Guard Division and the 71st Guard Division will detour from the south and north respectively, with the 75th Guard Division as a reserve."
"Major General Sokov," because the two talked about formal work, Rokosovsky did not call him his nickname, but instead called him with military rank: "Why should the 75th Guard Division be used as a reserve? Can they be deployed to the west of the city cut off the German escape route?"
"Comrade Commander of the Front Army, if the enemy in the city finds that their retreat has been cut off, they will resist tenaciously. To completely eliminate them, it will not only take a long time, but our casualties will definitely be small." Sokov explained to Rokosovsky: "But if we only siege three sides and let the German army see that there is still a retreat behind them, the enemy will not be too tenacious when resisting our attack, which will help us seize the city smoothly."
Rokosovsky was silent for a long time about Sokov's bold plan, and finally asked: "Major General Sokov, have you really considered it? If you attack Donetsk, you will become the key target of the German army. If they assemble heavy troops and launch an attack on you, can you withstand it?"
"Don't worry, comrade Commander of the Front." Sokov had already taken into account all issues before making this decision. Since the railway line to Lugansk was already completed, his troops could be replenished in the shortest time when fighting, with sufficient ammunition and fuel. Are they still worried that they could not defeat the Germans? It was based on these considerations that he replied confidently: "As long as we can obtain enough supplies, seize the city and hold it, there should be no problem."
"Who do you think Luhansk's defense should be handed over to?"
"Col. Chepurtin's 378th Infantry Division," Sokov replied without hesitation: "A regiment of the division is now stationed in a small town south of Luhansk, and it is most appropriate for them to take over the defense."
"I agree with you. I will call General Krelov immediately and ask him to send the 379th Infantry Division to Lugansk." Rokosovsky agreed to Sokov's request readily and then asked: "When are you going to attack Donetsk?"
"The situation in Kharkov is becoming more and more tense now, and we don't have much time left." Sokov replied simply: "In two days, my troops will officially launch an attack on Donetsk."
"Very good, very good." Rokosovsky said two good things in a row and then said, "If there is any difficulty, call me."
Chapter completed!