Red Moscow

  Chapter 765 Reinforcements (2)

After Chuikov finished talking with Zoludev, he did not call Sokov immediately, but said to Krylov who was holding a microphone in one hand and was too busy: "Chief of Staff, can you spare a few minutes?" Is it? I want to talk to you."

   Krylov knew that what Chuikov said must be something important, so he quickly said a few words into the microphone, then put down the microphone, walked up to Chuikov and asked, "Comrade Commander, what's the matter?"

   "The Germans stormed into the Dzerzhinsky factory and occupied the position of the 109th Guards Regiment." Chuikov said with a serious expression: "General Zholudev felt that he might not be able to support himself, so he called me specifically for help."

   Krylov knew very well about the shortage of defenders at the Dzerzhinsky factory, and even if he lost the defense, he was already mentally prepared. But at this moment, when Cuikov mentioned Ruoludev's request for help, he couldn't help frowning: "Comrade Commander, we don't have any reserves in our hands, how can we support him?"

   "General Zholudev proposed that we come forward and ask Sokov to send troops to support them."

"Comrade Commander, this might not work." As soon as Chuikov finished speaking, Krylov shook his head like a rattle: "The troops of the 41st Guards Division have such a large defense area, how can there be any extra troops to go to the battlefield?" To support the Dzerzhinsky factory?"

"No way, the current situation is very unfavorable to our army. If no reinforcements are sent, the factory may be lost." After a short thought, Chuikov said in an uncertain tone: "I will call Sokov Make a phone call and ask him how many troops he can deploy to support Ruoludev and the others."

After the call was connected, as soon as Chuikov heard Sokov's voice, he said straight to the point: "Colonel Sokov, General Rudev called me just now, saying that they have reached the most difficult time there, and asked me to let you send Troops to support them. Did you know about that?"

   "Yes, Comrade Commander." Sokov knew that Chuikov would call him a long time ago, and he had already figured out how to answer: "I asked him to call you."

From Sokov's mouth, after learning that what Rudev said was true, Chuikov asked tentatively: "Colonel Sokov, I would like to ask, how many troops can you send to reinforce the Dzerzhinsky factory?" ?”

"Comrade Commander, our division's defense area is too large. I'm afraid we won't be able to deploy too many troops to reinforce General Zholudev for the time being." Sokov replied briefly: "I plan to draw from the troops standing in the archives building. Two companies to reinforce."

   Knowing that only two companies were going for reinforcements, Chuikov couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He thought to himself, if Ludev's regiment can't stop the enemy's attack, what effect would it have if you sent two companies. But he knew that Sokov's situation was not much better than his own, and he probably didn't have a mobile reserve team in hand. So he replied casually: "Well, you should send troops over there as soon as possible."

  Krylov saw Chuikov put down the phone, and immediately asked impatiently, "Comrade Commander, what does Colonel Sokov say, how many troops can he send for reinforcements?"

"He can only dispatch two companies, and they are still drawn from the troops guarding the archives building." Chuikov sighed, and said to Krylov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, doesn't the headquarters still have a guard company? They also sent reinforcements to the factory. In today's situation, one more person is more strength."

Hearing that Chuikov planned to transfer the troops of the guard headquarters, Krylov couldn't help being surprised: "Comrade commander, this is the only remaining formed guard unit. If they are transferred away, the security of the headquarters will be affected." Cannot be guaranteed."

"If the Dzerzhinsky factory is occupied by the Germans, our headquarters will become their next attack target." Chuikov looked at Krylov and said helplessly: "At that time, rely on this company to block the enemy's attack." Vigorous attack?"

  Seeing that Chuikov had made up his mind, Krylov couldn't say anything more, so he could only nod his head, and planned to call the guard battalion commander, Major Gladshev, and ask him to personally lead people to the Dzerzhinsky factory for reinforcements.

Seeing Krylov's dejected look, Chuikov said to him again: "Chief of staff, you can send a telegram to the headquarters of the Front Army and answer our current plight to Commander Yeremenko, saying that our soldiers It is already facing exhaustion, if we don’t send reinforcements into the city, I’m afraid we won’t be able to defend the city.”

   Sending reinforcements to Dzerzhinsky and asking for help from the Front Army Command are equally important events for Krylov. He first called the guard battalion commander, Major Gladshev, and ordered him to immediately lead the only formed guard company to the Dzerzhinsky factory for reinforcements. Then he ordered the operator to send a report to the Front Army Command, reporting the situation in the city, and at the same time making a request for help.

   After receiving Krylov's telegram, Yeremenko fell into deep thought. After a long time, he opened his mouth and said to Khrushchev sitting across from him: "Comrade Military Commissar, the situation in Stalingrad is very dangerous now. If we don't send reinforcements as soon as possible, the factory area in the north of the city is in danger of falling. "

"But the base camp asked us to temporarily stop sending troops to the city, and prepare to cross the river to launch a counterattack after we complete the assembly of troops and technical equipment on the east bank." Khrushchev said with great concern: "If we send reinforcements to the city at this time , will it be blamed by the headquarters?"

"I can't take care of so much." Yeremenko said with a solemn expression: "If we hold back, once the Dzerzhinsky factory is implemented, it means that the largest tank production base in the country has completely fallen into the hands of the enemy. , we will lose most of our tank production capacity. I think this is something that the base camp does not want to see."

   Khrushchev is a man who knows how to adapt. Hearing what Yelymenko said, he immediately realized the seriousness of the problem, and asked tentatively: "Comrade commander, which troops do you plan to send into the city?"

"How about Colonel Sokolov's 45th Infantry Division?" Although Yeremenko is the commander, he will still seek Khrushchev's opinion when making some major decisions: "This division is currently fully equipped. After entering the city, they can immediately take charge of the defense tasks of important areas.”

   "When are you going to let them cross the river?" After Khrushchev asked this, he paused for a moment, and added, "Cross the river by boat, or cross the river by an underwater pontoon?"

"The speed of crossing the river by boat is too slow. I think it is better to cross the river on the underwater pontoon." Yeremenko replied simply: "I have carefully checked. After they reached the other side through the pontoon bridge, they were not far from the Dzerzhinsky factory. It takes four to five kilometers to reach the designated location in an hour. If you cross the river by ferry, not only will the distance be longer, but it will take a lot of time to get on and off the boat."

"Since you have considered the problem, let's issue an order." Khrushchev said: "It will take a lot of time to get from where they are stationed to the river. Let them start early so they can arrive early." destination."

  When the head of the front army began to dispatch troops, Lieutenant Golia, the deputy commander of the new second battalion, left the archives building with the fifth and sixth companies, and headed for the Dzerzhinsky factory where the fighting was fierce.

  After ten minutes of rapid march, they merged with the remnants of the 109th Regiment. The head of the regiment, Colonel Omelchenko, came out to greet Golya in person. After seeing the reinforcements, he asked Golya in surprise, "Comrade Captain, are you a regiment?"

   "No, Comrade Colonel." Seeing that it was a colonel who brought people out to greet him, Goria felt a little flattered, and he quickly replied: "This is just two companies."

   "What, just two companies?" Omelchenko's jaw almost fell to the ground after hearing Golia's words, "My God, your two companies have more troops than our regiment."

  Golia did not discuss the issue of troop strength with Omelchenko, but asked: "Comrade Colonel, I wonder where you plan to deploy us?"

"Comrade Captain!" With reinforcements of six or seven hundred people at once, Omelchenko immediately felt more confident, and he said to Goria: "Come with me, and I will take you to survey the terrain. "

   Goria first called the two company commanders, and after giving him a few instructions, he followed Omelchenko, passing through the ruins one after another, and headed for the place where the fighting was most intense.

"Comrade Colonel," their whereabouts may have been discovered by the enemy, and a few shells landed not far from them and exploded. Omelchenko was worried about danger, so he took Golia to hide in a room that was not far away. In a hut that was completely blown down. Listening to the shells whistling overhead, Goria asked Omelchenko loudly: "I want to ask, do you have any anti-tank weapons?"

"No, there is nothing left." Omelchenko shook his head and said angrily: "Our regiment's anti-tank guns, mortars and anti-tank rifles were all damaged in the battle. We must blow up the enemy The only way for the tanks is to rely on soldiers to rush up and use anti-tank grenades or cluster grenades.”

  Goria’s heart suddenly turned cold when he heard this. Without heavy weapons and long-range anti-tank weapons, the only way to kill the enemy’s tanks is to rely on the soldiers to risk their lives. If you are lucky, it will be one-on-one; if you are not lucky, it may take more than a dozen lives to blow up an enemy tank.

Omelchenko didn't notice Goria's strangeness. After re-starting the road, he pointed to the position occupied by the German army in the distance, and said to Goria: "Comrade Captain, have you seen that position? You The task is to take the position back from the Germans."

  (end of this chapter)