Chapter 57: Angry Nikita
A few minutes later, another person walked into the command room. Tupikov looked up and saw that the person was Rodimtsev, Alexander Ilyich Rodimtsev. He commanded the elite 5th Airborne Brigade, which performed exceptionally well in the battle to defend the Juliano Airport. In early August, it was under his command that the 5th Airborne Brigade pushed back the German army 3 kilometers in the direction of the Juliano Airport, buying precious time for the arrival of reserve troops.
When he saw Rodimtsev, a smile appeared on Tupikov's face. It was not that he thought there was anything funny about Rodimtsev, but he thought of the battle in early August. The shrewd German army made an incredible mistake when facing the 5th Airborne Brigade. Thinking back on it still makes people laugh.
On August 8, the vanguard of the German Ninth Army captured the Juliano Airport. At dusk that day, Rodimtsev's 5th Airborne Brigade entered the battle and quickly launched an offensive against the German positions. At that time, after the 5th Airborne Brigade launched its offensive, there was a long silence on the German positions. It was not until the soldiers of the airborne brigade rushed to the front of the German positions that the Germans, who had just fallen asleep, began to counterattack. However, they only lasted less than 40 minutes before they retreated in a hurry.
Afterwards, the Soviets got a strange answer from the captured German soldiers. It turned out that when the 5th Airborne Brigade launched the offensive, the German soldiers stationed at the airport were all stunned because they found that the ones who attacked their positions were actually a large number of Soviet pilots. The uniforms of the soldiers of the 5th Airborne Brigade were similar to those of the pilots, and even the soldiers' hats were flight helmets. The German soldiers stationed at the positions couldn't believe what they saw. Damn, there were so many Soviet pilots, and the role they were playing was still cannon fodder infantry. Therefore, many German soldiers were stunned.
That battle has become a joke and is still circulating within the front.
Rodimtsev was a very cheerful man. After he entered the command room, he greeted everyone warmly. Finally, he ran to Tupikov and asked, "I heard that the 34th Brigade fought well last night?"
Tupikov nodded, and after more than ten seconds, he said, "The counterattack organized by Major Yuri was very effective, but the troops also suffered heavy casualties."
Patting the document in front of him, he added, "He hopes the command center can dispatch reinforcements to him."
"Continue to hold the urban defense line on the north bank of the Berezna River?" Rodimtsev blinked and said, "He is very determined. However, if the 34th Brigade can really firmly hold the north bank of the Desna River, the speed of the German army's southward advance will inevitably slow down, which will play a great role in supporting our battles in the Mirgorod and Lubny directions."
Tupikov nodded silently, which was considered as his approval of Rodimtsev's words. However , although he was the chief of staff of the front, many things about the war arrangements were beyond his control. After talking with Comrade Stalin a few days ago, Kirponos's attitude of sticking to Kiev became more resolute, and he became a little stubborn in decision-making. In addition, the theater command had been moved to Priluki by Marshal Timoshenko, who had just taken office. It was close to Lubne, which was resisting the German offensive on the southern front. It can be seen that the marshal paid more attention to the war on the southern front, and his idea should be the same as Comrade Kirponos, that is, to concentrate on defeating the German troops on the southern front first.
As for the northern line where the 34th Brigade was stationed, more of it was handed over to the Western Front and the Bryansk Front.
As the front's chief of staff, Tupikov knew very well why Yuri was transferred to the 34th Brigade. The main reason was that Potekhin doubted his ability. After all, he was promoted too quickly. He was only a battalion commander before, and was promoted to the position of brigade commander in less than two months. The 147th Division under Potekhin's command was responsible for the defense of the fortified area northwest of Kiev, which was very stressful. Naturally, he hoped that the brigade commanders under his command were experienced commanders.
But the embarrassing thing is that when Yuri was in command of the 239th Brigade, this unit always firmly controlled the fortified area of Peskovka, but a few days after Yuri was transferred, this solid fortified area was lost. For this reason, Comrade Khrushchev, who had vigorously promoted Yuri, ridiculed Potekhin at the meeting of the headquarters, which really embarrassed him a lot, and even Baghramyan was in trouble.
Tupikov knew exactly what kind of person Khrushchev was. This guy was a smiling tiger. He looked modest and warm on the surface, but in fact he was petty and vindictive. Khrushchev valued Yuri very much. The reason was very simple. When Yuri was still a battalion commander , Khrushchev met him on the battlefield. Later, under Khrushchev's operation, Yuri was promoted as a combat hero. From this point of view, there was already a certain interest connection between the two. From this point of view, Potekhin's distrust of Yuri would certainly make Comrade Khrushchev dissatisfied. However, if there were no subsequent events, Khrushchev, who did not know much about military affairs, would probably just swallow his anger.
But unfortunately, after Yuri was transferred away, the 239th Brigade failed to hold its position under the massive offensive of the German army . Whatever the reason was, it undoubtedly gave Khrushchev a solid excuse, and when there was a chance to lose his temper, this guy certainly would not miss it.
What's even more unfortunate is that in a battle yesterday, the 34th Brigade commanded by Yuri, a unit composed entirely of new recruits and not favored by anyone, fought the Germans very well. It can be predicted that today's battle will definitely not be easy for Potekhin.
Tupikov was thinking, if the intelligence he had just received from the Western Front were announced at the meeting, how much trouble it would cause to Comrades Potekhin and Baghramyan.
At five o'clock this morning, the Western Front intercepted a piece of intelligence from the German army, which proved that the 47th Motorized Army commanded by Joachim Limelson had launched an offensive towards Berezno since yesterday. In this battle that lasted all day, the German army suffered nearly 1,600 casualties. At the same time, 11 tanks and 4 assault guns were destroyed by the Soviet defensive forces, and another German lieutenant colonel staff officer was hit by Soviet artillery fire and died on the spot.
Limelson, commander of the 47th Motorized Army, believed that it might take him three to five days to storm Berezno and wipe out the Soviet troops there, and it would come at a heavy price. For this reason, he suggested abandoning the plan to attack Berezno and instead attack Sosnitsa, and then move south from Sosnitsa to attack Romny and join up with the German troops on the southern front.
Previously, although Yuri's 34th Brigade launched a counterattack and achieved certain results, they suffered heavy losses, and the high casualties reduced the results. But looking at the current intelligence, it is obvious that the Germans suffered greater losses. With a new brigade facing an experienced German motorized army, although the 34th Brigade had the support of the city's numerous buildings, making it impossible for the German army to deploy its troops and losing its equipment advantage, no one can deny that the battle commanded by Yuri was fought beautifully, so beautiful that it left people speechless.
Tupikov believed that if Yuri's ability had been questioned before because he was promoted too quickly, then after this battle, he had perfectly proved himself that he was indeed an outstanding commander, and that he was more than capable of at least commanding a brigade of troops, especially in defensive battles.
At present, there is an extreme shortage of capable commanders in the Soviet Army. Tupikov is somewhat worried that Comrade Khrushchev, who is aggressive in attitude and regards himself as a mentor, may take the opportunity to transfer Yuri to the troops under the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs. That would be a pity.
While he was daydreaming, another person came into the command room. Tupikov looked up and frowned. The person who came was the last person he wanted to see. Normally, this guy came late, so why did he come so early today?
That’s right, the person who came was Khrushchev. He was wearing casual clothes today. His face, which had become a little fat, looked gloomy, and the fat on his cheeks was piled up on both sides of his jaw, giving people a feeling that no strangers were allowed to enter.
Without saying hello to anyone, Khrushchev walked to his seat, threw the stack of small black leather notebooks in his hand onto the table with a bang, and then sat down with a sullen face.
Seeing the thick stack of black books on the table, everyone in the command room, including Tupikov, couldn't help but twitch their eyelids. This was an arrest warrant from the Military Commission. No matter who it was, as long as they had such a thing, they would be in big trouble.
"Traitors, all of them are traitors!" Khrushchev, who was sitting in his seat, began to sign in small black books one by one, muttering to himself angrily as he signed, "Muzychenko, Ponederin, Kirillov... and Kachalov, they are all traitors and should all be shot!"
Even Tupikov found it difficult to breathe after hearing his mumbling.
The people mentioned by Khrushchev, Muzychenko, commander of the 9th Army; Ponederin, commander of the 12th Army; Kirillov, commander of the 13th Infantry Army; Kachalov, commander of the 28th Army, were all captured by the Germans in previous battles.
Feeling that the atmosphere was too depressing, Tupikov coughed lightly, took out a document from his hand, stood up and handed it to Khrushchev.
Now, he no longer cared about the feelings of Potekhin and Baghramyan. Anyway, the information sent by the Western Front would be known to Khrushchev sooner or later, and it would not make much difference if it happened earlier or later.
