Red Moscow

  Chapter 758 War Reporter (Part 2)

  After Asya left with the children, Sokov asked Sidolin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, did the commander call and mention the underwater pontoon and the reinforcements on the east bank?"

   "No," replied Sidolin, shaking his head vigorously, "No, never mentioned it."

   "Strange," Sokov said to himself, "I clearly saw that the pontoon bridge has been erected, why didn't the commander tell us about it? Did something happen?"

  In order to find out what was going on, Sokov personally called the headquarters, planning to ask Cuikov about it. He said into the microphone: "Comrade Commander, this is Sokov."

   "Oh, it's Colonel Sokov." Cuikov was a little surprised that Sokov would take the initiative to call him. He quickly asked, "How's the battle going on in the Archives Building?"

"The enemy launched four attacks on the archives building, all of which were repelled by us." Although Sokov had personally experienced the battle, he did not see the specific results of the battle, so he could only report to Chuikov in general: "We defeated About three or four hundred Germans were killed, and one enemy plane was shot down and wounded."

"The results are pretty good." Chuikov is very satisfied with the results obtained by Sokov's troops: "If you continue to fight like this, you will be able to **** a regiment of the German army in a short time. By the way, Have the war correspondents from Moscow come to your division headquarters?"

"No, Comrade Commander." Sokov originally wanted to ask about the pontoon bridge, but Chuikov inadvertently brought the topic to war reporters. He shook his head and said, "So far, I haven't seen Until the political commissar and war reporters show up."

"What, haven't you arrived at your division headquarters yet?" Hearing Sukov's answer, Chuikov said in surprise, "But they should have arrived at your division headquarters three hours ago. Didn't show up, did something happen?"

Fortunately, Sokov just asked who Anisimov set off with, so he was able to answer Chuikov's question: "Comrade commander, I don't think so. He went with the political commissar to meet the reporters in the field. It is Major Tenev, the commander of the guard battalion, and a hundred soldiers. With their fighting power, even if they encounter a company of the German army, they can protect the journalists and political commissars from danger."

"No, if you're not afraid of 10,000, just in case, you should send someone to look for it along the way to find out what happened." Cuikov said solemnly: "These two reporters are from Moscow. Flaw."

   "Okay, Comrade Commander." Seeing that Chuikov insisted on sending people to find them himself, Sokov could not contradict him, so he could only bite the bullet and agree: "I will immediately send people to find their whereabouts."

"Call me immediately if you find them." After Chuikov finished speaking, he was about to hang up and nodded, but when Sukov said to wait, he asked impatiently, "Comrade Colonel, is there anything else?" ?”

"That's right, Comrade Commander. I was in the archives building today and saw that the underwater pontoon bridge on the Volga River seems to have been erected." Sokov asked cautiously, "I want to ask about the three infantrymen who are about to reach the east bank. Master, when can I enter the city?"

"So that's what happened." Chuikov sighed after hearing what Sokov said, and said, "Colonel Sokov, the situation has changed, and the superior has adjusted the plan accordingly. Three divisions have been sent out of the city."

   "Ah, they don't enter the city anymore?" Sokov's heart sank suddenly, and then he asked in surprise: "Comrade commander, why is this?"

"It's all because of the bombing by the Germans," Cuikov said helplessly, "The base camp felt that even if all three divisions were sent into the city, it would not be of much help to the overall situation due to lack of air supremacy and sufficient technical equipment. If these troops are lost in the enemy's bombing, it will have an adverse effect on the future counter-offensive."

  Knowing that it was an order from the base camp, Sokov's heart immediately turned cold. Although he has always opposed the establishment of a new combat group in the south of the city, once there are three more divisions of defenders in the city, there will be some changes in the balance of forces between the enemy and us. But if they don't enter the city, in the next few days, their troops will become fire brigades, and they will be transferred in any direction wherever the situation is unfavorable.

  Chuikov told Sokov once again that once the war reporters arrive at the division headquarters, they must call him and report to him. After finishing speaking, without waiting for Sokov to say anything else, he hung up the phone directly.

   Seeing Sokov put down the phone, his face was livid, and Sidolin knew something was wrong. Quickly asked: "Comrade commander, what did the commander say?"

  Sokov sorted out his thoughts in his mind, and said: "The commander said that the political commissar and field reporters should have arrived at our place three hours ago. He is worried that something is wrong with them, so let us send someone to look for it immediately."

   "I'll arrange it right away." Considering that Seryozha was Sokov's friend, Sidolin cautiously asked for instructions: "I think it's better to send Seryozha's guard company to carry out this task."

   "Let's send Seryozha." Sokov did not express any objection to Sidolin's arrangement. But after he sighed, he continued: "The commander also told me that the superior has changed his mind, and the three divisions that were originally scheduled to enter the city will not come again."

"Why?" Ivanov jumped up from his seat when he heard the news: "Comrade commander, what happened? Why did the superior change his mind? You must know that the strength of the city is tight. A division may be able to reverse the unfavorable situation in front of us."

"The enemy holds the air supremacy of the city, and almost all the technical equipment we need for a major counterattack stays on the east bank." Sokov smiled wryly and explained to Ivanov: "Even if three infantry divisions enter the city, The role they can play is also very limited."

  After Sidolin finished calling Sergesha, he reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have given an order to Lieutenant Sergesha. He said that he can lead the troops to set off in just a quarter of an hour."

But before Seryozha's guard company set off, Anisimov appeared at the door of the division headquarters. When he saw Sokov pacing back and forth in the room, his eyes lit up, and he hurriedly said loudly: " Comrade Master, when did you come back?"

"Political commissar?!" Sokov followed the voice and saw Anisimov standing at the door. He couldn't help being overjoyed. He quickly walked over, held the other's hand, and asked nervously: "Comrade political commissar , where have you been, why did you come back now, I am worried about your safety, and I plan to send someone to look for you."

"I'm sorry to make you worry, Comrade Division Commander." Anisimov replied, "I received field reporters from Moscow who wanted to check the division's defense zone, so I took them around. I didn't bother to say hello to you. This is my fault, I'm really sorry."

   "Where is Comrade Reporter?" Sokov asked.

  Anisimov turned around and shouted towards the door: "Please come in!"

   Following his shout, two middle-aged men in military uniforms walked in from outside.

  (end of this chapter)