Chapter 91 Gambling
After all, guards are just guards. Although they have a close relationship with the commander, it is impossible for them to know more military intelligence.
Yuri didn't ask any more questions. He shook off the guard and jogged towards the headquarters.
Because of the layout of the defense line, the command of the 32nd Infantry Army is now actually divided into three parts. Polosukhin is stationed in Gorki Village with the division artillery director and several staff officers.
When Yuri rushed to the headquarters, Polosukhin was losing his temper. He was very dissatisfied with the battle of the 635th Regiment. They lost their position in less than half an hour after the battle started. This was a shame for the 32nd Infantry Division.
"What's the situation?" Yuri rushed to the command center and the first thing he asked about the battle situation as soon as he entered the door.
Polosukhin shook his head, threw the map ruler in his hand on the table, and then said: "Not good, it seems that the Germans have placed the main attack direction on the left wing. Antashov is under great pressure and has been forced to abandon his position and retreat to the village."
No matter how angry he was behind his back, as a staff officer of the army headquarters, Polosukhin still had to protect his commanders. What's more, the battle of the 635th Regiment was indeed fierce. The German dive bombers were circling and bombing over his troops like a merry-go-round - this was the most common tactic used by German dive bombers. With a dive, they would first bomb the main target, and while rising, they would bomb or strafe the secondary targets. A formation of German dive bombers came one after another, and no one could stand it in the exposed position.
"Have you discovered the large-scale German tank formation?" Yuri did not ask for specifics. He just wanted to know where the German tanks were and where the Imperial Armored Division had gone.
Polosukhin shook his head. He had asked this question before on the phone. The 635th Regiment's reply was that they had discovered German tanks, but not in large numbers.
"If there is no large-scale tank formation of the German army, then we have reason to suspect that the German army's attack on the Utica direction is tentative, or that it is still not their main breakthrough direction," Yuri said. However, he was just expressing his own opinion, and the specific decision still needed to be made by Polosukhin, after all, he was the division commander.
Polosukhin was also hesitant. Judging from the current situation, it was obviously wise to transfer the artillery to reinforce the left wing, but he also suspected that the German army was deliberately setting up a false formation, using a strong attack on the left wing to attract Soviet troops, while at the same time, the main attack on the right wing broke through, and after achieving the goal, turned around and outflanked the Soviet troops on the right wing. This has always been a typical tactic of the German army, and he couldn't help but think about it.
The atmosphere in the headquarters was very depressing. The trainee staff officers were all looking at Polosuhin eagerly. For them, this was not only an opportunity to learn, but also a matter of life and death.
"I have decided not to use the artillery for the time being," Polosukhin finally made a decision after a long while. He said, "The support for Utica will mainly be provided by the reserve troops."
After hearing that Polosuhin had finally made the decision, Yuri did not feel relieved. On the contrary, he felt even more nervous.
The battle had just begun, but the reserve forces had already been mobilized. Polosukhin was gambling that the German armored forces would take the right wing as the main attack direction. If this prediction was wrong, the German army's main attack direction would be on the left wing, or even choose a breakthrough in the center. Then the 32nd Division would have no reserve forces to use, and the battle situation would deteriorate instantly.
Several divisional staff officers in the command center looked at each other in bewilderment. Some raised objections on the spot, but as the division commander and main commander of the 32nd Infantry Division, Polosukhin did not accept any objections and chose to stick to his own opinion.
The distance of several kilometers is neither close nor far. From the location of Gorki Village, you can even hear the sound of gunfire coming from the back. German planes occasionally fly low over this side. Everyone can feel the tense atmosphere.
The battle started before seven in the morning. In the following hours, the commander in charge of the left wing defense called for help several times. Facing the German attack, the main support they needed was artillery fire, not infantry.
Continuously receiving requests for help from subordinate commanders, Polosukhin must have been under great psychological pressure, which even Yuri could understand. This was also the time when the commander's ability was tested the most. As a commander, the most fundamental quality is the firmness of will. As long as a plan is formulated, stick to it to the end, never relax, and never give up.
From morning till noon, Yuri had the idea of giving up several times, thinking that the Germans might focus on the left wing, but Polosukhin insisted. Every time he received a call for help, he only asked one question: "Have you found a large-scale German armored force?" As long as the other party answered no, his answer was that there was no reinforcement and he had to rely on his own strength to hold the position.
In fact, as time went on, apart from Yuri's wavering confidence, everyone, including many staff officers at the division headquarters, began to have confidence in the prediction that the German armored forces would achieve a breakthrough on the right wing. This was for no other reason than that the German armored forces never appeared in the battle on the left wing.
The waiting time is undoubtedly the most difficult, but the dawn always appears at the last moment.
At 11:40 am, the division headquarters received a call from the artillery chief, saying that a large-scale German tank force had appeared on the road west of the Semyonovka River. They were less than 5 kilometers away from the Soviet hidden defense line. The artillery chief asked for the next combat order.
Upon hearing this news, the entire division was in an uproar, and even Polosukhin's face flushed with excitement. The German armored forces had indeed chosen the right wing as the main direction of attack. Next, relying on the favorable terrain and concentrated artillery power, Polosukhin was confident that he could teach the Germans a good lesson.
"Comrade Yuri Arkhipovich, our prediction was correct," Polosukhin strode up to Yuri, shook his hand, and said loudly, "But it's too early to talk about victory now. Are you interested in coming with me to the position and taking a good look at the upcoming battle?"
Yuri was naturally very excited. He smiled and nodded, then followed Polosuhin out of the command center.
At this time, German planes had appeared in the sky above the Gorki area. There was no doubt that these planes were exploring the way for the armored forces on the ground, but the camouflage nets on the ridges blocked the sight of the German pilots. All they could see was a vast expanse of white snow.
After getting on the well-hidden vehicle, Yuri and his companions certainly did not dare to take the road, but went directly through the woods. When they arrived at the hill where the artillery position was located, they got out of the car and walked for nearly ten minutes.
The artillery director of the division was a young man who was less than 30 years old. His name was also Yuri, but his full name was Yuri Borisovich Antipov. When Yuri and his men arrived at the artillery position, he was hiding in the concealed spot where the No. 11 artillery position was located, observing the situation on the other side of the river.
"Where are the German tanks?" Polosukhin asked impatiently the first time he saw Antipov.
"It hasn't appeared yet," Antipov said, handing the telescope to Polosukhin. "I don't know the specific reason."
Polosukhin took the telescope, looked forward to the front of the position for a while, and then handed the telescope to Yuri.
Yuri raised his telescope and looked at the road below the hill. Just as Antipov said, nothing could be seen on the road now, only a white snow. However, the terrain in the valley was not conducive to long-distance observation. On the west bank of the Semyonovka River, a few hundred meters away from the bridge, there was a forest. The road turned a corner on the west side of the forest, and the line of sight was blocked here. What was behind the forest could not be seen from here.
"Where is the scout?" Polosukhin asked again. "Where is the scout?"
"Scout..." Antipov didn't know what he wanted to say, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Yuri discovered the situation through the telescope.
"The Germans are coming!" Yuri interrupted Antipov and put down his binoculars excitedly, saying, "Two columns, no scouts leading the way!"
After hearing what he said, Polosuhin didn't bother to ask any more questions. He grabbed the telescope and looked into the valley.
Indeed, just as Yuri said, at this moment, at the edge of the jungle on the west bank of the Semyonovka River, two columns of German tanks were driving quickly along the road towards this side. The tracks of the tanks crushed the snow on the road, making the white snow a mess.
"Pass the order!" Polosukhin growled, "Wait until the German tanks cross the bridge and enter the valley before opening fire. First concentrate firepower to destroy the leading and trailing tanks, then focus on attacking their middle positions."
"Yes, I'll give the order right away," Antipov nodded vigorously and turned away.
Yuri watched Antipov walk away, and then turned his gaze to the foot of the mountain again. It was very strange. The German army, which had always been disciplined and experienced in combat, seemed to have taken the wrong medicine today. Two rows of tanks were marching on the road in a column. Not only was there no infantry coordination, but there was no reconnaissance as a leading guard. Could this be the most elite Imperial Armored Division of the German Army? However, in Yuri's memory, in the previous Soviet-German War, the Imperial Armored Division of the German Army also did this. Their unguarded march allowed Polosuhin to take advantage of them. Now it was just history repeating itself.
Hiding in the observation post, everyone seemed very excited. Everyone saw the carelessness of the German army. They crossed the bridge and drove into the valley so brazenly, and also walked into the best strike range of the Soviet artillery fire.
