Red Moscow

  Chapter 493 Factory Area (Part 1)

  In order to keep abreast of the situation on the battlefield, Sokov explained a few words to Sidolin and Witkov, and then took the two soldiers to the observation post on the top of the hill. Strange to say, when he usually walks, he always feels a burning pain in his abdomen whenever he takes a step, so that he has to slow down his walking speed, and even needs help from others. But today he walked briskly in the tunnel, but he didn't feel the pain from his abdomen at all.

  When he came to the observation post on the top of the mountain, he found that the first battalion commander Vanya was also staying here. Sokov couldn't help asking curiously: "Comrade Captain, what are you doing here?"

"Comrade Brigadier," seeing that Sokov was the person walking into the observation post, Vanya quickly stood up to attention and said, "I saw that the defensive areas on the left and right flanks of Mamayev Kurgan were being bombarded by the Germans, and we Here it is calm and calm, it feels really strange, so I came here specially to take a look."

  Sokov nodded after hearing this, and asked the observation post standing next to him: "How is the situation?"

  The observation post quickly replied: "Reporting, Comrade Brigadier, although our friendly defense areas on the left and right flanks have been bombarded, it seems that the enemy's artillery shells leaning towards the factory area on the right flank seem to be more and denser."

After listening to the report from the observation post, Sokov went to the lookout and raised his binoculars. He first looked at the city on the left wing. Although there were black smoke columns everywhere in the city and many buildings were still burning, the sound of gunfire Judging, the scale of the shelling should not be large. He turned the binoculars to the factory area, and found that there were dark red fireballs everywhere, and the density was much higher than that of the urban area. It seemed that the German army had invested a lot of artillery in this direction.

"Comrade Brigadier," Vanya said carefully seeing Sokov holding up the binoculars, "I want to ask why the friendly positions on the left and right flanks were all bombarded by the Germans, while our Is it calm?"

Sokov put down his binoculars, turned his head and said to Vanya: "Comrade Captain, the reason why we have not been shelled here is because several small units that went deep into the enemy's rear caused huge losses to the enemy last night. The Germans ate this It was a big loss, and naturally it seemed unconvinced, so they mobilized troops from the front to wipe out our squad. In this way, they did not have enough troops to launch an attack on Mamayev Post."

"So that's how it is." After listening to Sukov's explanation, Vanya suddenly realized: "I said why the enemy didn't launch an attack today, so that's what happened. It seems that the active actions of the squad have attracted The enemy's attention forced them to draw troops from the front to destroy our small detachment."

  Hearing Sokov mention the squad, Vanya immediately thought of his subordinates, and hurriedly asked: "Comrade Brigadier, I don't know what kind of results the squad of our battalion has achieved?"

  If it wasn't for Vanya's question, Sokov would not have thought that he should publicize the results of the squad to the commanders and fighters of the brigade in order to boost morale. Thinking of this, he smiled and said to Vanya: "Comrade Captain, the team leader is Second Lieutenant Fisher, right?"

   "That's right, it's Second Lieutenant Fisher!" Although seeing Sokov smiling, Vanya still asked with some confidence: "Comrade Brigadier, can you tell me what their results were last night?"

"No problem, Comrade Captain, even if you don't ask, I'm going to tell you." Sokov waited for Vanya's voice to fall, and immediately said: "They attacked a German army with rockets in the early hours of this morning. A convoy destroyed seven or eight trucks and two armored vehicles, and wiped out hundreds of German soldiers, which is a pretty good result."

Knowing that the squad had achieved such brilliant results in the enemy's rear, Vanya couldn't help being overjoyed: "Comrade Brigadier, is what you said true? Second Lieutenant Fisher and the others really wiped out so many soldiers overnight. Enemy?"

"Comrade Captain, you are wrong, not overnight, but in just a few minutes." Sokov corrected Vanya with a smile and said: "The new rockets they are carrying, in this time In action, it has made great achievements.”

   "Great, this is really great." After verifying the team's results, Vanya was so excited that his voice trembled. He took two deep breaths, and tried his best to ask Sokov in a calm tone: "Comrade Brigadier, allow me to go back now and report the good news to the whole battalion?"

   "Of course, Captain Vanya." Sokov said reasonablely: "Such good news must be shared with the commanders and fighters in the battalion. You can go back now and make the comrades happy."

   After waiting for Vanya to leave, Sokov held up his binoculars and observed for a long time. He found that the German army seemed to have completely forgotten about Mamayev Post, which was in between, except for bombarding the factory area in the north of the city and the urban area in the south of the city. Even on the German positions a few kilometers away, there were no figures to be seen, and it didn't look like they were about to launch an attack.

  As soon as Sokov returned to his headquarters, Witkov immediately greeted him and asked with concern: "Comrade Brigadier, how is the situation outside? Tell us quickly."

  Vitkov and the others stayed in the command post, although they could learn about the situation outside through the observation post on the top of the hill. But there is always a difference between what you hear and what you see with your own eyes. So as soon as Sokov came back, Witkov wanted to learn more from Sokov.

Sokov sat down at the table first, then poured himself a cup of hot tea, held it in his hand and said to Vitkov: "Comrade Deputy Brigadier, I just went outside to take a look. Although the friendly positions on our left and right wings , were all shelled by the Germans, but according to my observations, the number of shells that fell on the factory area seems to be much higher."

"This is quite normal, Comrade Brigadier." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Sidolin interrupted: "In most parts of the city today, the defense lines of the enemy and ours are intertwined, so that the enemy is bombarding this area. At that time, because they were afraid of hitting their own people, their shelling density was much weaker than that of the factory area."

"The chief of staff is right." Witkov echoed: "It is precisely because the enemy dare not use a large amount of artillery fire in the urban area, and the role of their tanks is greatly reduced, that our remaining troops in the urban area can hold on until Now."

"Deputy brigade commander and chief of staff, I have a feeling." Sokov waited for Witkov to finish speaking, and then said, "I think that after the German bombardment stops, they will definitely concentrate their superior forces to launch a fierce attack on the factory area. You all You know, the factory area is open, which is conducive to the deployment of armored troops..."

"If this is the case, it would be terrible." Before Sukov finished speaking, Vitkov said hastily: "Although there are several divisions of defense troops in the factory area, they are deployed in a radius of tens of kilometers. If the German army really launches a large-scale offensive, I am worried that they will not be able to hold it.”

"Comrade deputy brigade commander," Sokov remembered that before Vitkov came to act as brigade commander at Mamayev, he had been in charge of the defense of the factory area. Now that he knew that the German army's next attack would focus on the factory area, he I feel the need to remind the other party and tell Cuikov my judgment: "I think you should report this situation to Commander Cuikov so that they can make corresponding deployments."

Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Witkov had a wry smile on his face: "Even if I tell the commander about this situation, what can he do? You know, he can't even get a battalion of reserves in his hand now." .”

Seeing that Vitkov was unwilling to call Chuikov, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little anxious. He said solemnly: "Comrade Deputy Brigadier, even if Comrade Commander doesn't have any reserves in his hands, if he knows about the German attack The focus is on the factory area, so he can adjust the deployment according to the actual situation."

   "Adjust deployment?!" Hearing what Sokov said, Witkov couldn't help but sneered and said, "How to adjust? You can't draw troops from one place to strengthen another place, right?"

Vitkov's angry words reminded Sokov. He nodded vigorously and said, "Comrade deputy brigade commander, you are right. If the defense force in the factory area is insufficient, the only way to weaken it is to weaken it." The troops in the secondary areas are used to strengthen the defense of the important areas."

  Vitkov showed a surprised expression on his face: "Comrade Brigadier, even if it is a secondary area, if troops are deployed to support other areas, then the defense line here is in danger of being breached by the Germans."

"Under the current circumstances, there is no way around it." Seeing that Vitkov still did not mention the matter of calling Chuikov, Sokov continued to explain to him: "If we don't want to strengthen important areas, and If we still adopt this method of evenly using troops, then when the Germans attack, not only the secondary positions may be lost, but even the main positions may not be defended.”

   What Sokov said caused Witkov to fall into deep thought. He knew very well in his heart that what Sokov said was the truth. If you want to report it to Chuikov, he is also worried that after this matter is reported to the front army headquarters, someone will say that he is a "panicked person" and spread "defeatist arguments" everywhere.

Seeing that Vitkov was silent for a long time, Sokov guessed the reason for his embarrassment, so he stopped forcing him to call Chuikov, and took the initiative to say: "Comrade deputy brigade commander, I am the brigade commander of the infantry brigade. This Let me make the call, and if the superior wants to pursue any responsibility in the future, I will bear it."

   Seeing Sokov reach out to grab the microphone, Vitkov finally made up his mind, thinking that as long as he defends Stalingrad, even if he suffers a little grievance, it is worth it. So he held Sokov's hand on the microphone, and said with a firm expression: "Comrade Brigadier, let me make this call. Even if the superior wants to blame, I am willing to bear all the responsibilities with you .”

Vitkov said into the microphone: "I am Colonel Witkov, the deputy brigade commander. Immediately connect me to the lecture theater and find Commander Chuikov. I have important information to report to him." As quickly as possible, he was connected to the group army headquarters.

  Hearing Chuikov's voice coming from the receiver, Witkov said quickly: "Comrade Commander, this is Witkov, and I have important information to report to you."

  Because a shell fell near the headquarters and exploded, Chuikov had to shout at the top of his voice: "I am Chuikov, Colonel Witkov, what do you want?...Speak louder, I can't hear you clearly!"

"Comrade Commander," Vitkov heard the rumble of guns coming from the other end of the telephone line through the receiver, and quickly raised his voice, "According to our judgment, after the shelling is over, the enemy may concentrate their superior forces to attack the enemy. The factory area is launching an attack, please prepare early."

"Wait a minute, Colonel Witkov." Amidst the sound of gunfire, Chuikov couldn't hear what Witkov was saying at all, so he could only say to him: "I'll go to the underground bunker to answer your call. There is nothing here. I can not hear you."

A few minutes later, when Chuikov's voice came out of the receiver again, Vitkov could hardly hear the explosion from the receiver, and it seemed that he had gone to an underground hideout: "Colonel Witkov, what do you need?" Want to report to me?"

"That's right, Comrade Commander, according to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's judgment, after the shelling is over, the enemy may concentrate superior forces and launch an attack in the direction of the factory area." Witkov was afraid that Cuikov could not hear clearly, so He said loudly: "He begged me to remind you to adjust the defense deployment of the factory area appropriately."

"Adjust the defensive deployment?!" Chuikov heard what Witkov said, and asked with a bit of a smile: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, don't you know what the current situation of the group army is? Adjusting the deployment is quite easy to say, but Where am I going to find troops? You know, I don't even have a battalion of reserves in my hands."

   "Comrade Commander," Witkov waited for Chuikov to finish speaking, and said cautiously: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov suggested that troops be drawn from those secondary defensive areas to strengthen the defense of the main area."

"It's just nonsense!" Cuikov couldn't help being a little angry when he heard this, and he said loudly: "Is Sokov by your side? Give him the phone immediately. I want to ask him what is the main defensive area." , What is the secondary defensive zone? If you don’t know clearly, I will never spare him lightly.”

   "Comrade Brigadier," Vitkov looked at Sokov sympathetically, and passed the microphone in his hand, "Comrade Commander wants to speak to you!"

   "Hello, Comrade Commander, I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." Sokov put the microphone behind his ear, and said respectfully in accordance with the regulations: "I am waiting for your orders, please instruct!"

  (end of this chapter)