Red Moscow

  Chapter 476 Reinstatement

  Beginning in mid-September, the German army's attack on the city seemed a little weak. Two months ago, they advanced at a speed of a few kilometers, a dozen kilometers or even dozens of kilometers every day, but now the distance they advance every day can only be calculated in meters. The reason for this situation is that in the early battles, a large amount of their vitality was consumed, and the Soviet army has successively entered the city with several divisions in the near future. The ebb and flow of the strength of the two sides caused the Soviet and German sides in the city of Stalingrad to fall into a stalemate.

  After lying on the hospital bed for half a month, Sokov's injuries have basically healed. With the support of a soldier, he came to the observation post on the top of the hill. Vanya, the first battalion commander who was observing the terrain here, couldn't help being surprised when he saw Sokov walk into the observation post, and hurried forward to salute him.

"Comrade Captain," Sokov said with a smile while extending his hand to Vanya, "When I saw you saluting me, I wondered in my heart, is my battalion commander fighting for the Germans? point the hand to the target, so that I may be the fruit of the enemy's victory."

  Sokov's words caused a burst of laughter in the observation station, and the tense and depressing atmosphere suddenly became relaxed. After Vanya helped Sokov to sit down, he asked curiously, "Comrade Brigadier, your injury hasn't fully healed yet, why did you come up here?"

   "No way, the air in the ward is too stale." Sokov looked up at Vanya and said, "I came here specially to get some fresh air."

"Comrade Brigadier," Vanya saw that Sukov's injuries had largely recovered, and now the acting brigade commander Witkov was in command of the troops, so he tentatively asked, "I wonder when you will be able to return to command. ?”

When Sokov was recovering from his injuries, several battalion commanders visited him and complained to him that they did not adapt to Witkov's command style. In the past, everyone relied on fortifications for defense, but since Witkov served as the brigade After a long time, he likes to use the tactics of short assault and attack against attack. As a result, within two weeks, the casualties of the troops exceeded 3,000. ,

  Hearing Vanya ask this question at this moment, Sokov knew in his heart that Vanya might not be too satisfied with Witkov. His injuries were almost healed, but Chuikov's permission was needed to regain the command of the infantry brigade, so he could only shake his head and said, "I don't know too well, it depends on how comrade commander arrange."

"You all want to go out." Vanya waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and immediately said to other commanders and fighters in the observation station: "I have something to discuss with the brigade commander." When the commanders and fighters heard Vanya say this, He hurriedly stood at attention on the spot, and then walked towards the outside of the observation post.

After only himself and Sokov were left in the observation post, Vanya spoke again: "Comrade Brigadier, please forgive me, if Colonel Witkov's style of play is followed, there will be no more than one week at most. Our troops will be wiped out."

Regarding Vanya's statement, Sokov did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he reached out and took out a pack of cigarettes from Vanya's pocket, took out one in his mouth, and lit a match while lighting the cigarette. , while asking back: "Comrade Captain, how many people are still left in your battalion?"

   "Three hundred!" Vanya replied without hesitation: "Now there are only three hundred soldiers in the battalion who can still take up arms and fight, including the wounded."

  Hearing the number Vanya said, Sokov's hands couldn't help trembling. The cigarette didn't light up, but he burned himself. He took out the cigarette from his mouth, threw the extinguished matches on the ground, and asked angrily, "Why are there only so few people left? What about the other battalions?"

"It's not good, Comrade Brigadier." Vanya said hesitantly: "The battalions have suffered huge casualties in the past two weeks. According to my estimation, there are no more than one soldier in the whole brigade who still have combat effectiveness. Fifteen hundred people."

  There were 6,000 troops when they entered Mamayev Gang, but in more than two months, there were only less than 1,500 left. Thinking of this, Sokov felt that someone was stabbing his heart up and down with a small knife. He grabbed Vanya's arm, stood up with difficulty, and then said through gritted teeth: "This battle can no longer be fought like this, otherwise all my men will die before the enemy is driven out of Mamayev Gang." gone."

  Leaving the observation post, Sokov returned to the tunnel with the support of the soldiers. After entering the tunnel, the soldier supported Sokov and was about to walk towards the ward, but Sokov stopped him: "Help me to the headquarters."

  Regarding Sokov's order, the soldier supporting him said with some embarrassment: "But, Comrade Brigadier Commander, your injury has not fully healed..."

"Help me to the brigade headquarters." Seeing that the soldier did not obey his order, Sokov emphasized, "If you don't help me, I will go by myself." In desperation, he could only support him and walk towards the brigade headquarters.

Belkin, who was sitting at the table listening to Vitkov and Sidolin discuss the next battle plan, saw Sokov walking in from the door with the support of the soldiers, he couldn't help but exclaimed, and hurried forward to help him. Sokov stopped, and asked with concern: "Comrade Brigadier, your injury is still not healed, why did you come here?"

   "Comrade Commissar, I've been lying on the hospital bed for too long." Sokov replied angrily, "If I don't come again, my troops should be wiped out."

Hearing Sokov's voice, Witkov turned around, and after he saw clearly that it was Sokov, he hurriedly said enthusiastically: "So it's Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, how is your injury?" Already? Sit down quickly."

"Comrade Colonel, I would like to ask you." After sitting down, Sokov looked up at Vitkov, unaffected by the opponent's higher rank than himself, but asked straight to the point: "Since our task, is Hold on to the Mamayev Post and prevent the enemy from dividing our defenses, so why do you want your troops to take the initiative?"

Faced with Sokov's questioning, Vitkov said calmly: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, when the commander appointed me as the acting brigade commander of the infantry brigade, he once told me that if you want to keep the horses Yevgang, you can't just defend for the sake of defense, but you should choose the right time to counterattack the enemy."

"Comrade Colonel, let me ask you," Sokov snorted coldly, and said bluntly: "Compared with the enemy, we are at a disadvantage in terms of strength and equipment. Isn’t launching an attack against a stone with a pebble? More importantly, this kind of meaningless attack will exhaust our only effective strength. When the German army launches a fierce attack on Mamayev Post again, what will we do? block them?"

"Comrade Brigadier, please listen to my explanation." As soon as Sukov finished speaking, Sidolin came out to smooth things over for Vitkov: "All orders issued by the acting Brigadier were negotiated with me. I I think his approach is correct. Although our army's equipment and strength are temporarily at a disadvantage compared with the enemy, the enemy has also been weakened after a long period of fighting. I think as long as we continue to maintain an offensive posture, they will soon Will be kicked out of the city by us..."

"Confused, simply confused." Before Sidolin finished speaking, Sokov broke out: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you think that the German army's recent offensive strength is much worse than before, and the enemy has become vulnerable? I Let me tell you, they are re-gathering their strength and preparing to give us another thunderous blow at the right time. Today, there are less than 1,500 defenders left on Mamayev Hill. If the German army is about to launch an attack The intensity of the new offensive far exceeds that of early September, do you think we can hold Mamayev Post? You answer, can we hold it?"

  Sokov's series of questions stopped Sidolin from asking. He was silent for a long time, and said unwillingly: "Comrade Brigadier, I think you are too pessimistic about the situation of the battle. The enemy has been severely weakened, and our reinforcements are continuously entering the city. I believe there will be more troops soon." Launch a powerful counterattack against the enemy and drive them from this heroic city."

"Has the power of the Germans really been weakened?" Sokov pointed up with his finger, and said bluntly: "But I saw that the German army's shelling and bombing of the Volga River did not stop for a moment; The city is still shrouded in gunpowder smoke, and even without binoculars, you can still see the burning buildings..."

After finishing his opinion, Sokov asked Belkin for a cigarette, lit it and said to Vitkov: "Comrade Colonel, my injury should be almost healed, and I plan to return to my post. Continuing to command the troops defending Mamayev Konk, do you have any objections?"

Witkov didn't expect Sokov to say so directly that he wanted to be the brigade commander again, he hesitated for a moment, and replied with a little embarrassment: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I need to report this matter to the commander immediately. to make a decision."

   Sokov did not speak, but made a gesture of invitation to the phone, indicating that Witkov could call Chuikov and ask for his opinion. He thought to himself: No matter what, I will take back the command of the army today. If Witkov continues to command, then the 73rd Infantry Brigade will be revoked either because it has lost all casualties or because it has lost combat effectiveness. Was transferred to the rear for a full patch. If Stalingrad is now immediately, then all the efforts I have made before will be in vain.

Vitkov picked up the phone and dialed the army headquarters. After briefly reporting the battle situation to Chuikov, he said with some embarrassment: "Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov is by my side. I just said that I hope to resume my command of the 73rd Infantry Brigade starting today."

   After listening to Witkov's report, Chuikov couldn't help being taken aback, and then ordered: "Colonel Witkov, hand over the microphone to Sokov, I want to talk to him."

   "Hello, Comrade Commander." Sokov took the microphone and immediately greeted politely: "I am Sokov."

   "Hello, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I heard that you want to return to the post of brigade commander." Chuikov asked on the other end of the phone: "Are your injuries healed?"

   "Thank you for your concern. They are almost recovering." Sokov replied, "I don't think my physical condition will affect my command of the troops."

   "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Chuikov asked with surprise when he heard Sokov's straightforward answer, "I don't understand why you are so eager to return to the command post because your injury has not healed yet."

Sokov turned his head and glanced at Vitkov, who was standing next to him, and felt that he should tell the truth to Chuikov, otherwise the other party would not allow him to serve as brigade commander again: "Comrade Commander, I think Colonel Vitkov's command style, Not suitable for the 73rd Infantry Brigade. If he continues to serve as brigade commander, the troops may be wiped out before a new round of powerful German offensive begins."

  Sokov's words aroused Chuikov's curiosity: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I think Colonel Witkov commanded well during this period, why do you think he is not suitable to command your troops?"

"Comrade Commander, although Colonel Witkov repelled many enemy attacks during his tenure as acting brigade commander, the casualties of the troops were also very alarming." Sokov explained his own considerations to Cuikov in detail After repeating it, he finally emphasized: "If you want to ensure that Mamayev Post is still in our hands before the end of the battle, then please let me return to the post of brigade commander."

Sokov's request made Chuikov feel very embarrassed. He did not reply immediately, but covered the microphone and asked Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov intends to return to the post of brigade commander. What do you do?" watch?"

Krylov had just approached Chuikov and heard everything Sokov said. Seeing Chuikov ask for his opinion at this moment, after a moment of silence, he replied: "Comrade Commander, speaking from the heart, Vitkov During his tenure as the acting brigade commander, the colonel also performed very well on the Mamayev post, repelling the enemy's attacks again and again. However, as Sokov said, the situation did exist. The 73rd infantry brigade was in half The casualties within the month are really too great. If the fighting continues like this, we will have to consider using new troops to take over the defense of Mamayev Gang."

  Although Krylov did not explicitly say whether to let Sokov return to the position of brigade commander, what he expressed was that he agreed to allow Sokov to return to the post of brigade commander. After Chuikov understood the other party's opinion, he nodded, let go of the hand covering the microphone, and said decisively: "Lieutenant Colonel Sukov, after the research of the chiefs of the army group, from now on, you will resume the post of the 73rd Infantry Brigade. The post of commander in charge of commanding the troops defending Mamayev Kurgan."

  (end of this chapter)