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Volume 3 Far East Story Chapter 436 The General Offensive Is About to Be Launched

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    The forced crossing of the Domashka River under the sudden attack of the coalition's artillery fire caused the cavalry brigade led by Budyonny to conduct roundabout operations and suffered heavy losses. The two regiments of the first cavalry brigade suffered one-third casualties.  The 1st Battalion of the 1st Regiment of the 1st Brigade led by Xinge across the river was almost unscathed, and nearly 500 cavalrymen successfully crossed the river and escaped the bombardment.

    The 2nd and 3rd Battalions each lost one cavalry company, and the 4th Battalion lost three companies. The four battalions of the 2nd Rybalko Regiment led by Budyonny suffered more casualties, and the 5th Battalion lost one company.  The Sixth and Seventh Battalions each lost two companies, and the Eighth Battalion was left with one company.

    Timoshenko¡¯s First Cavalry Brigade did not fire a single shot. Just because they were crossing the river and were attacked by long-range artillery fire from Buzuluk Town artillery, they lost more than 1,600 cavalrymen. Many of the injured cavalrymen drowned in the rolling waves of the river.

    The only thing to be thankful for may be that Budyonny himself was unscathed, and the brigade commanders such as Timoshenko, Tyurenev, and Rybalko also escaped, but the battalion commander below suffered many casualties. You are welcome.  General, the 1st Brigade of the Special Cavalry Division was basically crippled, and the radio station carried by the division was hit by coalition artillery fire during the forced crossing and sank into the river, temporarily losing contact with the Yegorov Army Group Headquarters.

    "Comrade Budyonny, the radio is gone! What's the next step for our brigade?" Timoshenko hissed, watching his cavalry being hit on the head by the opponent's artillery fire without the ability to fight back.  The young cavalry brigade commander's heart was bleeding, but after leaving the river bank and arriving at a safe area to regroup, Timoshenko's eyes burned with grief and anger and a deep-seated hatred for the coalition forces!

    The regimental commanders Tyulenev and Rybalko lost their political commissars at the same time. At this moment, they also looked sad and angry. They were riding wet and looked at the division commander Budyonny who was no better than themselves.

    Budyonni's heart is also burning with raging anger. The slutty coalition forces. If you don't fire when my cavalry is wandering in front of your position, are you afraid that we will run too fast to fight?  Just now, the cannon shot so accurately from such a long distance, is he really clairvoyant?  I must avenge this hatred!

    "What should we do? The mission of the Special Cavalry Division is to go back to the enemy's rear to attack them! Kick their butts! Now, although we have been bitten by the enemy's artillery who pretended to be pigs and tigers, it is nothing. I will give you this account.  The enemies in the town of Bluzuk have been recorded. When the town is taken, the revenge will be avenged! "

    Budyonny gritted his teeth, raised the saber in his hand, galloped back and forth in front of the cavalry team, shouting while shouting, with a look of perseverance and courage, not at all like a Soviet Red Army commander whose team had just suffered a heavy blow.  !

    The nearly 3,000 remaining cavalrymen of Timoshenko¡¯s Cavalry Brigade looked at the still fierce division commander Budyonny in front of them. The expressions on the cavalrymen¡¯s faces gradually changed from pain and confusion to fanaticism and belief!

    "Special Cavalry Division~~Ula~~~" This is the cry of the division commander Budyonni alone!

    "Special Cavalry Division~~Ula~~~" This is the cry of brigade commander Timoshenko and regiment commanders Tyurenev and Rybalko!

    ¡°Hurrah~~~¡± This was the chorus of the remaining 3,000 cavalrymen of the First Cavalry Brigade shouting in unison, resounding through the sky. This roar and shout represents courage and strength!

    "All cavalry, follow me and let's go!" Budyonny turned his horse's head and galloped to the southwest at the lead. Behind him were 3,000 Soviet Red Army cavalry led by Timoshenko, Tyurenev, and Rybalko.  Head south.

    At the same time, Yegorov and several division commanders rushed to Inza's command position. The sudden attack on the rear by the coalition artillery just now was obviously directed towards the Budyonny Cavalry Brigade crossing the river, but Yegorov did not attack the rear.  Later, we visited the crossing point, but that could not change the situation.

    The medical soldiers and stretcher carriages from the group army field hospital were sent by Yegorov and the scout cavalry to the river beach 4 kilometers behind to clean up the battlefield. The scout cavalry quickly brought back the news that the main force of the 1st Brigade of the Budyonny Cavalry Division  We have crossed the river. There are not many wounded people on the river beach. Most of them are cavalry who died in battle. The river is dyed red and there are many corpses floating in the river. The loss is estimated to be more than 1,500 people. The medical team is still rescuing the wounded.

    Immediately afterwards, the two cavalry division messengers who returned from swimming brought the latest report from Budyonny. He had packed up the team after crossing the river with the main force of Timoshenko's 1st Brigade, and now continued to carry out a roundabout attack southward.  The enemy's battle plan in the town of Buzuluk.

    Then the Political Commissar of the Special Cavalry Division Shatenko, who waded across the Buzuluk River ten kilometers to the north, sent back a telegram. The Second Brigade of the Cavalry Division Gorodovikov led by Comrade Political Commissar had successfully crossed the river without encountering allied artillery fire.  , only a few dozen cavalry were lost due to being dispersed by the water when crossing the river, and they are now continuing to implement the plan of outflanking operations.

    "Comrades! The Special Cavalry Division is a particularly capable and tenacious team. Comrade Budyonny's courage and wisdom will lead the Cavalry Division to complete the mission.To achieve their glorious mission, casualties are always inevitable. Since the coalition has the advantage of artillery, the artillery shells will not hit the heads of the cavalry, but also the heads of our infantry. Now the cavalry division has successfully crossed the river for the first time.  , how is the progress of the infantry division?  "

    Yegorov's voice was a little hoarse. When Budyonny proposed that the cavalry divisions should be waded across the Domasika River and the Buzuluk River in two separate ways, the political commissar of the group army, Knyagnitsky, raised an objection.  If the division doesn't cross the river together, why should the troops be divided into two groups?

    Budyonni¡¯s answer at the time was that eggs cannot be put in one basket. If you only cross the Domashka River or the Buzuluk River, if you can¡¯t find a suitable place to cross the river back downstream, your plan for a roundabout operation will be lost.  Failure, now that the cavalry division is divided into two, doubles the chance, and also reduces the target. If the weather improves and the coalition air force appears, it will be easier to conceal and evacuate.

    Yegorov agreed to Budyonny's roundabout battle plan of dividing his troops into two routes, which meant that no matter whether he succeeded or failed, he, the commander of the group army, had to protect Budyonny from the wind and rain. Of course, at this moment, the political commissar of the group army, Knia  Genitsky had good sense and did not jump out to add salt to the cavalry division's wounds and add insult to injury.

    "Reporting to Comrade Commander, the trench digging is going quite smoothly. We have dug a one kilometer wide and chest-deep offensive starting position 1,100 meters in front of the enemy's position. The heavy machine guns are moving from the heavy machine gun position 1,800 meters to the offensive starting position.  Move covertly, we are going to launch the attack after the heavy machine guns are in place!" Inza, the commander of the 15th Infantry Division, said with a hint of pride.

    Yegorov didn't say anything, turned around and walked out of the tent and took a few steps up the mountain. He could see clearly without a telescope. Inza's command position was only 300 meters behind the heavy machine gun position. Although the spider web-like traffic trenches and trenches were crude, they were  It is a huge project that involved the engineers of the Soviet Ninth Army and the soldiers of the Inza Infantry Division.

    "The amount of work is not small, Comrade Inza. I hope that the sacrifices of your cavalry comrades and the consumption of enemy ammunition will create enough conditions for your attack. The offensive trench has only been dug for one kilometer. Isn't it a bit short? The opponent's position is  It¡¯s 4 kilometers wide!¡± Yegorov asked the commander of the 15th Infantry Division beside him while observing the battlefield with a telescope.

    "Of course you can continue digging, but I'm afraid of not having enough time. This means digging holes under the enemy's gun muzzle with trepidation, and I'm also deeply afraid that as soon as the weather clears up, the opponent's air force planes will come and wreak havoc, and And I suspect that the coalition forces only do this.  Let us dig trenches without engaging in fire interception, maybe it¡¯s just to tire us out!¡±

    Inza answered cautiously. In fact, he was really conflicted. The coalition forces defending Buzuluk Town on the opposite side looked quite calm. They were a typical leader who would not let go of the rabbit before he saw the rabbit. He would either not take action, or he would be ruthless when he took action. The first time  The bombardment knocked out Kulik's artillery battery, and a second bombardment knocked out a tooth of the Budyonni cavalry crossing the river.

    Just the fact that no one has fired randomly on the coalition positions all morning makes the Soviet Red Army infantry here feel guilty and shudder. Damn, what kind of enemy is on the other side? They are the same Russian Cossacks.  The cavalry, this group of mostly illiterate and barbarian cavalry seemed to have a somewhat upscale and worldly appearance once they joined the coalition.

    "Tired you to death? The other infantry divisions have almost rested and can be replaced in turn. You have also seen the sharpness of the coalition's artillery fire. Digging trenches is almost the best way to deal with it now. Let me see, attack the starting position  It¡¯s not enough to dig only 1,100 meters in front of the opponent¡¯s position. It¡¯s better to find a way to dig under the opponent¡¯s nose!¡±

    Yegorov was so blessed that he suddenly came up with such an idea!

    Not only the political commissar Knyagnitsky was confused after hearing this, but also the division commanders Inza, Kikveeze, Sami, Khadinyev and Ust all looked at each other. Now it is time to break out of the encirclement and every second is needed. We are really engaged in civil engineering.  Did the project dig the trenches to the bottom?  How big a project is this?

    "Dig under the opponent's nose? Comrade Yegorov, how far do you have to dig? 500 meters? Or 300 meters?" Usti, the commander of the 23rd Infantry Division, asked.

    "It depends on the situation. If the coalition forces don't open fire, we will dig directly into their trenches!" Yegorov said half-truthfully.

    "What about the Year of the Monkey? Comrade Commander, should we retreat or not? Every minute is precious. If the weather clears up and the coalition air force comes, the losses to the troops will be huge!" Political Commissar Knyagnitsky endured.  Can't stop talking.

    "I think it's okay. Just as the commander said, as long as the coalition forces don't fire, we will keep digging forward until the other side fires!" Inza, commander of the 15th Infantry Division, somewhat understood Yegorov's plan and expressed his support for the commander.  members¡¯ thoughts.

    "That's okay? Comrade Inza, do you think the coalition forces will sit back and watch us dig trenches right under their noses?How is that possible? I think the coalition forces in the town may be stalling for time. The Chinese have an idiom, which is called speed of war. The enemy is ignoring us now. I'm afraid it's a trap!  "Usti muttered.

    Inza frowned when he heard this, and couldn't help but said sarcastically, "Usti, are you afraid that the 23rd Division will have to be rotated to dig in the mud and suffer hardship? Damn it, sweating is better than bleeding right now, right?  Even if the Allied Air Force is coming, it¡¯s better to hide in trenches than to do push-ups on the open ground, right?¡±

    "How much shrapnel can a trench made entirely of mud block? A trench without masonry and log reinforcements is just like paper. If it can prevent a mortar shrapnel, it's a big deal. Who said my 23rd Division can't endure hardship? I  I just don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary to do useless work and make the coalition forces in the town laugh!¡± Usti countered not to be outdone.

    "Okay! Since I said that Inza was the commander of the former enemy when the infantry attacked, then it is up to him to decide. Don't argue. If you think you can launch an attack now, Usti, that's fine. Your 23rd Division will rest until  It's almost done now, you replace Inza's 15th Division and let your 23rd Division attack!" Yegorov said angrily.

    Usti was dumbfounded at this time and had to bow his head obediently, "Hey, Comrade Commander, how can our 23rd Division compete with the 15th Division for credit? After all, these trenches were dug by the Engineer Battalion and the troops of the 15th Division with all their might.  , How can our 23rd Division take away the beauty of others? Of course, the glorious mission of leading the battle must be resisted by an ace like the 15th Division. Our 23rd Division can take over as a reserve force from the 16th Division at any time!¡±

    "Then don't talk nonsense, Comrade Inza. It is estimated that it will take another hour and a half until the cavalry division returns to the enemy's rear, then crosses the river, then takes a rest, and then fights back. After an hour and a half, no matter what your trenches dig,  The whole army launches a general attack!"

    Army commander Yegorov left the stunned political commissars and division commanders behind and went back to his tent.
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