The German army from Uman acted quickly and launched an attack on the flanks of the 53rd Army, which was besieging Kirovgrad, at around 2 pm. In order to quickly break through the fortifications built by the 53rd Army, the German army dispatched bombers to bomb violently.

Chisdakov and I stood outside the command center, listening to the rumbling sound from the south, and looking at the gray smoke that could be clearly seen without a telescope, Chisdakov asked me worriedly: "Comrade Commander, the German offensive is very fierce. If we follow this style of fighting, at most one or two hours, the troops of the 53rd Army will be defeated by them."

I turned my head and looked at Chisdakov who was standing next to me. He didn't say anything, cursing Managarov in his heart. Who told him not to pay attention to the information I provided to him? His troops were defeated by the German army, and he deserved it. But these things can be thought of in my heart. If they say them, they will cause trouble. I coughed gently and said insincerely: "Comrade Deputy Commander, don't worry, General Konev's main forces have almost crossed the Dnieper River. I believe that he will immediately dispatch troops to support him when he sees the 53rd Army in danger."

"If our 90th Guard Division attacks at this time, we will definitely be able to repel the enemy." Chisdakov did not hear what I meant, and said to himself: "Although our troops may suffer a lot of casualties, they can buy time for the 53rd Army to build positions."

I snorted softly, and just as I was about to express my opinion, Akhromeev rushed out of the command center. Seeing his appearance, I guess there was something urgent, so I quickly swallowed the words I wanted to say, and then asked Akhromeev, "Major, what's the matter?"

Akhromeev came to me and said hurriedly: "Comrade Commander, the Chief of Staff asked me to inform you that the Front Command has called. It was the Commander himself who wants to talk to you in person."

"I understand, I'll go right away." I followed Akhromeyev to the command center, then stopped, turned my head and looked at Chisdakov, and said bluntly: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I remind you to note: you are the deputy commander of the Sixth Army of the Guards, not the deputy commander of the 53rd Army." After that, I ignored Chisdakov, who was standing in a daze, and walked into the command center without looking back.

I took the microphone from Bezikov and immediately heard Vatutin's voice coming from it: "Comrade Oshanina, the German army really launched an attack on the 53rd Army. In addition to tank assault, a large number of bombers were also used to bombard their positions. In this case, what actions can your army take to prevent the 53rd Army from being defeated?"

"There must be a solution, comrade General. As long as we attack from the flank of the German army now, we can prevent them from continuing to attack the 53rd Army. However," in order to prevent Vatuting from impulsively, I gave us the order to implement a counterattack, which put my army in a desperate situation, I told him what I thought: "The current situation is the 11th Armored Division of the German Army, and the 16th Armored Infantry Division and the Skeleton Division behind it. If I put the troops into battle now, the battle will be in a stalemate. When the German army's successors arrive, our army will also face the fate of being defeated."

After listening to my statement, Watu Jingyu asked dissatisfiedly: "Comrade Oshaninna, if I didn't understand it wrong, would you not plan to send troops to rescue the 53rd Army?"

"Comrade General, it's not that I don't send troops to support friendly troops, but that I'm not going to send troops yet."

"Then tell me, when is the best time to send troops?"

"I think at least we have to wait for the successors of the German army to enter the battle and after being weakened to a certain extent, then put the troops into the battle." I was afraid that Vatujing would deny his proposal, so I quickly added: "At that time, our army will attack from the rear of the German army and can easily defeat them. If we are now in a hurry to enter the battle, there is almost no chance of winning. Even if we barely win, it will be a tragic victory. I guess my army has lost the ability to continue fighting."

After I said this, I held my breath and waited for Vatujing's reply uneasy. Vatujing was silent for a while, and then slowly said: "Comrade Oshanina, I can't make the decision on this matter, I need to ask Marshal Zhukov for advice." After that, I hung up the phone.

When Bijikov saw me, he put down the phone expressionlessly and asked quickly: "What did Commander Vatujing say? Are we going to attack now?"

I looked at Bezikov and shook my head, then replied, "Comrade General said he couldn't make the decision, so he needed to ask Marshal Zhukov for instructions before replying to me."

"Lida," Kirillov stood up from his position, walked to me, and asked with concern: "How do you think the Marshal would answer Commander Vatujing?"

Instead of answering his question immediately, I sat down at the table and gently tapped on the table with my fingers, thinking in my heart how Zhukov would answer Vatujing. Although he agreed with my proposal, he did not rule out that he sacrificed our army for the sake of the overall situation.

"Lida, Lida." Seeing that I was not talking for a long time, Kirillov called me twice again. Seeing that I looked at me blankly, he said a little unhappy: "What are you thinking? I called you for a long time, but you ignored me."

I smiled apologetically at Kirillov and said, "Military Comrade, I am considering how Marshal Zhukov will use our troops."

My statement immediately aroused everyone's interest. Chisdakov, who had just come in from outside, did not blame me for what he had just said to him, but asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, tell me how Comrade Marshal will use our troops."

I smiled apologetically at Chisdakov, and then said to everyone: "I guess there are two situations: first, agree with my proposal, let us hold our troops temporarily, and wait until the German offensive momentum weakens, and then order us to attack from the German side and rear, causing them to suffer heavy blows; second, order us to immediately counterattack against the German army, restrain the German troops in this area, and create an illusion for the enemy, making them think that the battle to attack Kiev from the south will continue, and in order to consolidate the rear, they have to counterattack against them."

After hearing my words, Chisdakov stared at me for a long time, and then said blankly: "Comrade Commander, please forgive me, I don't understand what you mean. Why do you want the Germans to think that our army will continue to attack from the south of Kiev? Aren't we all the time attacking the south of Kiev?"

"The attack we launched from the south of Kiev has lasted for a week. Although the 27th and 40th armies, who served as the main attack, made great sacrifices, but the progress was not great." When telling these contents from history books, in order to avoid arousing their suspicion, I deliberately pretended to have analyzed it based on intelligence. "If I had no analysis errors, Marshal Zhukov might have transferred the main attack troops from the south of Kiev to the north. In order not to let the enemy notice this kind of mobilization, he would definitely carry out some deception actions, such as letting our group of troops launch a counterattack towards the German army regardless of scrutiny. This is one of the means. When the German army saw the counterattack we launched, we would think that we had to take risks in order to cover the rear of the offensive troops, so that they would take care of it and ignore the actions of our quietly mobilizing troops."

After I finished explaining, the room fell into silence again. After a long time, Bejikov spoke and broke the silence in the room: "Comrade Commander, if the second situation really happens, do you think the establishment of our army will remain intact after the battle is over?"

"Chief of Staff, if we really want to be bait to hold the main force of the German army and to keep the establishment intact, this is simply possible." I said helplessly: "According to my estimate, the casualties of the entire army unit will be at least more than half."

"What, more than half?" Hearing this, Chisdakov jumped from his seat, and he said in surprise: "If we cut more than half of the troops, it would be like the entire army to lose its combat effectiveness. In this way, we will not be able to participate in any battle for at least three months."

Not only Chisdakov was anxious, but even Kirillov said helplessly: "If Marshal Zhukov insisted that we attack the German army immediately, there was nothing we could do. We could only leave it to fate."

Several of us sat around the table, staring at the phone on the table, waiting for the call from our superiors in a restless manner. Not long after, the phone on the table suddenly rang. We looked at each other, wanting each other to answer the call. In the end, Berjikov stood up and picked up the microphone. After listening for a while, he raised his voice and said, "Comrade Commander, before receiving the order from the superiors, you should stay in the defensive position honestly and never act rashly."

After putting down the phone, he smiled at us, and said, "The phone was called by Commander Chernov of the 90th Division of the Guards. He could clearly see the German tanks from the observation center, guiding the infantry to attack the defensive positions of the 53rd Army. He wanted to ask, when can they attack?"

If I had made an analysis, I guess Chisdakov would definitely suggest that I send the 90th Guard Division to attack, but now he looked at Bezikov and whispered: "Will you go to attack the Armored Division with infantry? Isn't that going to die?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the phone ringing on the table rang again. Bezikov grabbed the headphones and put them in his ears, and asked impatiently: "Comrade Commander, is there anything else?...ah?! Hello, Comrade Marshal! Please wait, I'll let her answer the phone immediately."

Bezikov handed the microphone to me and told me with his mouth: "It's Marshal Zhukov's phone number!"

"Hello, Comrade Marshal." I asked politely to the microphone: "I am Oshanina, do you have any instructions?"

"Lida, your south is very lively." Zhukov said lightly.

"Yes, Comrade Marshal, the defensive position of the 53rd Army, is being attacked by the German army."

After hearing my answer, Zhukov asked bluntly: "What did you think about it? Did you still keep your troops from holding on and watching your friendly troops be defeated by the Germans?"

I guess Zhukov called me, because Vatuting reported my proposal. I don't know what he plans next, so I don't know how to answer for a while.

"Lida, why don't you speak?" Zhukov couldn't help but raise his voice when he saw that I had not answered him for a long time: "Are you deaf in your ears?"

"Comrade Marshal," I quickly replied, "I think under the current circumstances, my troops should remain in a temporary position. After the German offensive momentum weakens, we will launch a counterattack unexpectedly. If we attack rashly now, it will not only be difficult to repel the German offensive, but will instead attract them to our defense zone, which will have an adverse impact on your next plan."

Zhukov was so happy when he heard me say this: "Tell me, what will the German army's attack on your defense zone affect my plan? If you can convince me, I agree to keep your troops unmoved. Otherwise, I will attack me immediately and attack the German flanks."

"Comrade Marshal, I know that according to your ideas, if you want to take Kiev, it is the best route to attack from the north. But for various reasons, the direction of the attack on Kiev was chosen in the south." In order not to let your troops become the bait to attract the German army, I tried hard to convince Zhukov: "Although our army launched fierce attacks again and again from the south of Kiev these days, it did not achieve ideal results. I boldly speculate that you may transfer the attacking troops from the south to the north. In order not to let the Germans discover your intentions, you may use deception measures against the enemy, so that they think that our main attack direction is still in the south of Kiev."

Zhukov did not deny my guess, but he continued to ask: "Even if I have such an idea, what is the connection with whether you will launch a counterattack against the German army?"

"It's very simple, because we have drawn half of our troops to occupy Korrostviv. If we really attract the attention of the German army, I am worried that our existing troops will not be able to stop their fierce attack. Once they break into our defense zone, they will find that the troops attacking Kiev from the south have decreased. In this case, your intention to draw troops to the north will be discovered by the German army. In the next battle to attack Kiev, many unknown variables will appear..."

Zhukov patiently finished listening to my words. After a while of silence, he finally spoke: "Okay, Lida, I think your reason has convinced me, so you will remain calm for the time being and wait for the right time before launching a counterattack against the German army." (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!