Red Moscow

  Chapter 328 Battle in the Suburbs (Part 1)

   As Chuikov's chief of staff, there are many things to do.

  The first thing to do is to let Captain Andre's third battalion serve as a guard on the south bank of the Aksay River, and cover the two infantry divisions on the north bank to build fortifications.

  Secondly, Sokov found a group of engineers and ordered them to place explosives on the road bridge and railway bridge over the Aksee River, and immediately blow up the bridge when the Germans rushed over.

   When Andrei was about to take people across the bridge to the opposite bank, Sokov stopped him. Based on Andre's understanding of Sokov, he guessed that he must have thought of something else, and asked quickly, "Comrade Brigadier, what instructions do you have?"

"Captain Andrei," Sokov looked left and right and saw that they were all commanders and fighters of the third battalion, so he boldly said to Andrei: "The battle to defend Stalingrad will last for a long time. For various reasons, we may not be able to get supplementary troops. Therefore, before the defense of Mamayev Post begins, we must rely on our own ability to supplement troops.”

   "Supplementary troops?" Andrei was taken aback when he heard what Sokov said, and then asked back: "Comrade Brigadier, what you mean is that we recruit a group of new soldiers from nearby villages and small towns."

Hearing what Andrei said, Sokov kicked him angrily, and said angrily: "What do we recruit recruits who have no combat effectiveness? Let them stay in our tunnel fortifications, and a few When I was young, I was frightened into a nervous breakdown, and it would also affect the morale of the troops."

   "Comrade Brigadier," Andrei, who had somehow been kicked by Sokov, asked aggrievedly, "Then where should we replenish enough troops?"

Sokov raised his hand and slapped Andrei's helmet, and said angrily: "You idiot, you are guarding the south bank of the Aksai River, there must be many small troops retreating from the front line. If you ask carefully, as long as they are not members of the 138th and 157th Infantry Divisions, they will all be incorporated into the Third Battalion. Do you understand?"

Hearing what Sokov said, Andrei suddenly realized, and he quickly said with a smile on his face: "Understood, Comrade Brigadier. Don't worry, as long as my third battalion is on the south bank, I will accommodate at least a thousand people a day." ..."

"Get lost! The combined number of other infantry divisions is less than 5,000. You can accommodate 1,000 people a day. Are you planning to turn the third battalion into a third division?" Before Andre finished blowing Cowhide, Sokov raised his hand again as a gesture to slap him, and Andre quickly jumped to the side, avoiding Sokov's slap: "Hurry up and take your subordinates to the other side for vigilance."

   When Sokov returned to Chuikov, he found that he was talking to a sailor officer in a black uniform. Seeing Sokov approaching, Chuikov quickly waved to him and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, let me introduce you. This is Colonel Smirnov, commander of the 154th Marine Brigade."

   "Comrade Colonel, this is my chief of staff, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov. He is also the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade. I left him here to help out on my own initiative."

   Seeing that the opponent had a higher rank than himself, Sokov raised his hand first to salute: "Hello, Comrade Colonel!"

   "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff." Smirnov also quickly raised his hand in return.

"Now that you all know each other, I will continue to introduce the situation." Chuikov waited for Sokov and Smirnov to finish their ceremony, and then continued: "Hoth's Fourth Armored Army has broken through the defense of the 51st Army. , and occupied Lemunnaya on August 1, approaching Kotelnikovo. So far, the left flank of the 64th Army and the entire Stalingrad Front has been gradually surrounded by the enemy from the south.

  The purpose of our formation of the Southern Group is to cover the left flank of the Group Army and the Front Army, and to slow down the speed of the German army advancing towards Stalingrad. "

  Smirnov waited for Chuikov to finish speaking, and immediately asked for instructions: "Comrade General, I wonder where you plan to deploy our brigade?"

Chuikov pointed to the map spread out on the ground and said: "There are no organized troops in front of us now, so I plan to send Lyudnikov's 138th Infantry Division and Kuropatenko's 157th Infantry Division Placed on the north bank of the Axe River, blocking Huot's Fourth Armored Army.

  The defensive position of your brigade is five kilometers behind these two divisions, as the second echelon. And the headquarters of my southern group is located in the town of Upper Kumskaya, one kilometer away from you. "

"Comrade General," said worriedly after looking at the map in Kumskaya Township: "Your command position is too far ahead. If the Germans bombard my brigade's defense area, it is entirely possible that you will be accidentally injured. We It is recommended that you move the headquarters back."

   "Move back?!" Chuikov looked at Smirnov and asked, "Comrade Colonel, where do you think I should move the headquarters?"

Smirnov had long seen that there were Soviet troops behind Chuikov's temporary headquarters, so he pointed to the map and replied: "Comrade General, look, this is the 118th fortification area. In their In the rear, there is also the 29th Infantry Division, I think you should put the headquarters with them."

"Comrade Colonel, thank you for your kindness." Chuikov smiled and said to Smirnov: "I think the commander should stay with his soldiers, so as to stabilize the morale of the army and boost morale." Mirnov seemed to want to persuade, so he raised his hand to stop him and said, "Okay, you don't need to say anything, just carry out the order."

   Sokov and Chuikov drove to the town of Upper Kumskaya, and the headquarters was located in a windmill outside the town. Chuikov saw that the communications soldiers had already set up the antenna, so he ordered his accompanying adjutant: "Klimov, immediately establish contact with the headquarters of the army group and tell General Shumilov that I am on the north bank of the Aksay River. Build up the defensive line, here we are ready to stop the enemy who threatens the army group and the left flank of the front army."

   Unexpectedly, after about ten minutes, Klimov hadn't gotten in touch with Shumilov at the army headquarters. Cuikov couldn't wait any longer, and asked dissatisfiedly, "Comrade adjutant, why haven't you contacted the army headquarters yet?"

  Klimov stood up from the radio and said aggrievedly: "Comrade Commander, our radio operator has been calling, but for some reason, we have not been able to establish contact with the Army Group Command."

"What the **** is going on here?" Chuikov walked back and forth in the mill with his hands behind his back, and said to himself, "Since yesterday, I have been unable to get in touch with the army headquarters, what is going on here? After walking back and forth a few times, he stopped and said to Klimov, "Then ask the radio operator to call the Front Army Command to see if you can get in touch."

  (end of this chapter)