Red Moscow

  Chapter 775 The Arrival of Golikov

   Sokov originally planned to wait for the ship transporting the rockets to start unloading before going to the ferry to receive the goods. But at this moment when he heard that the deputy commander Golikov was coming, he changed his mind and said to Zinoviev: "Comrade major, please take me to the ferry."

   Zinoviev looked at his watch and said with some surprise: "Comrade Colonel, are you sure to go to the ferry now, you know it will take another hour for the boat to reach the shore."

   "Comrade Major," Sokov stood up and said to Zinoviev: "The deputy commander of the front army will soon arrive at the ferry. I think you may not have enough guards. I plan to send troops to help you."

  Actually, even if Sokov didn’t mention the matter, Zinoviev planned to borrow some manpower from him to maintain order at the ferry. At this moment, when the other party brought it up, he quickly nodded and said, "That's really great, Comrade Colonel. To tell you the truth, even though I have more than two hundred people in my hand, most of them are unarmed logisticians. There are less than 20 real combat personnel, and it is indeed difficult to maintain order at the ferry with such a small number of people."

   "Seryozha, come in." Sokov yelled outside, and then said to Zinoviev, "I asked Lieutenant Seryozha to send you a platoon to help you maintain order at the ferry."

   Seryosha, who was standing outside the door, heard Sokov's shout, and immediately walked in quickly: "Comrade commander, what instructions do you have?"

  Sokov pointed at Zinoviev with his hand, and said: "The major wants to send people to maintain order at the ferry. There is a little shortage of manpower. You pull out Samoilov's third platoon to assist him."

  Zinoviev originally thought that Sokov would at least allocate half of the manpower to help him maintain order, but when he heard that he only gave himself a platoon, he couldn't help showing a disappointed expression on his face. "Major," Sokov saw Zinoviev's expression, and explained to him: "The guard company that followed me to the pier is a reinforced company, and each platoon has fifty men. Use a The platoon should be more than enough to help you maintain order at the ferry."

After listening to Sokov's explanation, Zinoviev realized that he had misunderstood the other party. As the deputy commander of the front army, if Golikov came to the city, he would definitely bring some guards with him. The platoon that Kefu sent to him should be enough to maintain order at the ferry.

Ten minutes later, Sokov arrived at the ferry and stood by the river waiting for the ship carrying Golikov and the rockets to dock. Irrelevant people are blocked outside.

Seryozha was very curious why Sokov suddenly appeared by the river, so he asked in a low voice: "Misha, what are you doing outside in the major's shelter in such a cold day? Also, You asked me to dispatch a platoon to act as a guard, is there any important person coming to the city?"

   "Yes," Sokov nodded, and said lightly, "General Golikov will take a ship carrying rockets and come to the city for inspection."

"General Golikov?!" Hearing the name Sokov said, Seryozha showed a surprised expression on his face: "Misha, you are talking about the deputy chief of staff and head of the intelligence headquarters, right? What the **** is he doing in Stalingrad instead of staying in Moscow?"

"Seryozha, your information is outdated. He has not served as the head of the intelligence headquarters for a long time." Sokov turned his head and glanced at Sergesha, and said with a wry smile: "In August this year, he served as the head of the guard. Commander of the Army Group responsible for attacking the besieging Stalingrad from the north; now Deputy Commander of our Stalingrad Front."

Seryozha snorted, and then said with emotion: "General Golikov is so low-key. The war has been going on for so long, and I have hardly heard any news about him, so that I mistakenly thought that he was still in charge of the post. pre-war duties."

  Seryozha's words reminded Sokov that his subordinates have been staying in the tunnel for a long time, almost living a life isolated from the outside world, so that they don't know anything about the outside situation. It seems that I have to find a way to change this situation, install some loudspeakers in the tunnels, and timely report the battle situation in the city to the soldiers, so that they can know what they know.

"Comrade Colonel," just as Sokov was thinking wildly, Zinoviev had already walked back to his side, and seeing him staring at the endless river in a daze, he couldn't help asking: "What are you thinking?" what?"

   "I was thinking, what is the purpose of General Golikov's entry into the city this time?" Sokov briefly answered Zinoviev's question, and then asked, "Have the cordons been set up?"

"Yes, it's all set up." Just halfway through Zinoviev's words, he suddenly pointed to the river with his hand and said in surprise: "Comrade Colonel, look quickly, the ship transporting supplies is coming. I really didn't expect that they were much earlier than the notification time."

  After a ferry docked at the ferry, the sailors on board put two springboards on the hull and the shore, and then a team of sailors with live ammunition disembarked and quickly set up a cordon next to the springboard. After all this was done, an army officer wearing a large-brimmed hat and a military overcoat, accompanied by two sailor officers, came out of the cockpit. He stood by the side of the boat and glanced towards the ferry, then stepped off the boat from the diving board.

Seeing the officer disembarking, Zinoviev hurried up to greet him, straightened his body and reported to the other party: "Report to Comrade Deputy Commander, Major Zinoviev of the Logistics Department of the 62nd Army is here to report to you. Welcome to you."

   "Major," Golikov, who had just stepped off the boat, looked around and asked, "Why are there so many residents stranded on the shore?"

"Report to Comrade Deputy Commander," Zinoviev replied with a wry smile, "There are two reasons why so many residents are stranded on the shore. One is that there are not enough ships to evacuate these residents; According to the orders of the superiors, no one can board the ship without a pass issued by the District Soviet."

"Nonsense, this is simply nonsense." After hearing this, Golikov frowned and said: "Thousands of residents are crowded on the shore near the ferry, and they are easy to become the target of German aircraft. A bomb If it falls, it can kill or injure more than a dozen or twenty people. Major, I am now formally informing you that as long as there is space on the boat returning to the east coast, priority will be given to the sick, the elderly, women and children among the residents. As long as the population in the city decreases, we can reduce the pressure on our logistics supply, understand?"

   "Understood, Comrade Deputy Commander." Zinoviev couldn't bear to see the residents stranded on the bank every day crying because they couldn't cross the river and leave the city. But since the orders of his superiors cannot be violated, he can only choose to ignore them. Hearing Golikov's order at this moment, he couldn't help but be overjoyed: "I think those residents who can cross the river to the east bank will always remember your kindness to them."

   "Comrade Major, who is the supreme commander here?" Golikov then asked.

"If I am responsible for maintaining order at the ferry and ensuring the loading and unloading of goods, I am the supreme commander here." After Zinoviev finished speaking, he turned his head and glanced at Sokov who was standing not far behind, adding Said: "But if it comes to military rank, it is Colonel Sokov from Mamayev Gang."

   "Colonel Sokov from Mamayev Gang?" Golikov hurriedly asked after hearing Zinoviev's name, "Where is he?"

"Hello, Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army." Hearing Golikov ask himself, Sokov hurriedly stepped forward, came to the other side, and said respectfully: "I am Sokov, I am Waiting for your orders, please instruct!"

   "Major Zinoviev," Golikov looked at Zinoviev, "do you have a quiet place here, I want to talk to Colonel Sokov alone."

   "Yes, yes," Zinoviev nodded quickly and replied, "My command post is not far from here, and you can talk to Colonel Sokov there."

"Colonel, do you know where the command post is?" After being confirmed by Sokov, Golikov said to Zinoviev: "Major, Comrade Sokov and I will go to the command post, and you will stay at the command post." Command the manpower to unload the ship here. The materials on this ship are very important, and they must all be unloaded before dawn."

   Sokov didn't know what Golikov wanted from him, so he took him to Zinoviev's command post. After calling Golikov to sit down, he stood aside respectfully, waiting for the other party to give him instructions.

   "Colonel Sokov, what are you doing standing up?" Seeing that Sokov did not sit down, Golikov hurriedly greeted him: "There is no outsider here, please sit down first. I have something to talk to you about."

   After Sokov sat down, Golikov went on to say: "Comrade Colonel, I am entrusted by the commander and Comrade Military Commissioner, and I have come to talk to you."

Seeing what Golikov said so seriously, Sokov couldn't help but thump in his heart. He secretly said that the superior was dissatisfied with me and planned to replace me, so he sent Golikov as the deputy commander. Came to talk to me?

   "Don't be nervous, Colonel Sokov." Seeing that Sokov became inexplicably nervous after listening to his words, Golikov quickly comforted him with a smile and said, "It's nothing serious, just chat casually."

After Sokov's mood stabilized a bit, Golikov continued to say: "Some time ago, the superior gave you a problem, asking you to find a way to transport 30,000 troops into the city within three days. Do you remember this?"

"Remember." Sokov thought to himself that it was because of the difficulty of his superiors that I assisted Colonel Tupichev, the engineer director, to create the underwater pontoon bridge. He asked with full of doubts: "Comrade Deputy Commander , I would like to ask, does this have anything to do with today's conversation?"

"There is a connection, of course there is a connection." Golikov nodded, and said in an affirmative tone: "I will not hide it from you now, if it hadn't been for the heavy bombing of the city by the German army a few days ago, the three divisions would have entered the city." After the city, a combat group will be formed in the south of the city and near Mamayev Kurgan."

As soon as Golikov mentioned the battle group, the muscles on Sokov's face couldn't help twitching violently a few times. He thought to himself that under the current situation, even if a so-called battle group was established, there would be no air supremacy, nor enough It doesn't make much sense to simply fight with the Germans in the city for the support of tanks and artillery. After hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Comrade Deputy Commander, does the superior still want to form this battle group again?"

Unexpectedly, Golikov shook his head after hearing this, and said: "After serious consideration, the headquarters decided to shelve this proposal. The three divisions that arrived on the east bank, except for the 45th infantry division that entered the city, the rest remained in the east. Standby."

   After confirming that the superiors would not form any more combat groups, Sokov couldn't help secretly heaving a sigh of relief. He knew very well in his heart that even by setting up a combat group to contain the enemies who attacked the factory area in the north of the city, the effect would be very small. On the contrary, in order to eradicate the threat from the flanks, in addition to indiscriminately bombing the area where the troops are assembled, the enemy may also mobilize elite troops from other places to attack Mamayev Hill, and at that time will make the city The situation became more complicated and confusing.

Sokov felt that he should say a few words. After organizing the vocabulary in his mind, he said, "Comrade Deputy Commander, this decision of the superior is correct. Now the air supremacy of the city is in the hands of the enemy. A division was placed in the south of the city to counterattack, and the enemy's artillery fire and bombing were enough to crush their attack."

"That's right, Colonel Sokov." Golikov said with a smile on his face: "Your idea coincides with that of your superiors. To defend the city, we only need to keep a certain number of troops in the city to contain the German army. The main force, to buy precious time for the assembly of our counter-offensive forces."

  According to Golikov's thinking, after he finished speaking, Sokov could not wait to ask when the counterattack would be implemented. But after waiting for a while, Sokov, who was sitting opposite him, remained silent. This time it was Golikov's turn to be impatient, "Comrade Colonel, I want to ask you, do you think we can hold the city?"

"Comrade Deputy Commander," Sokov replied without hesitation to Golikov's question, "it goes without saying that as long as our people are still in the city, we will never take this The city named after the Supreme Commander himself was delivered to the Germans."

"Not bad, Colonel Sokov, you said it very well." Satisfied with Sokov's answer, Golikov nodded with a smile and said, "Seeing that you are so confident, I am relieved." .”

  From Golikov's tone of voice, Sokov guessed that what the other party wanted to talk to him about was not forming a combat group and whether he had the confidence to defend Stalingrad, because he asked so, it was superfluous. So after a moment of hesitation, he tentatively asked: "Comrade Deputy Commander, I think you must have something important to ask me. Can you tell me what it is?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Golikov couldn't help laughing twice, and said with some embarrassment: "Colonel Sokov, it seems that I can't hide anything from you. To be honest, I came to the city today because I was Commissioned by the commander and Comrade Military Commissioner, I have come to ask you something."

   "Please tell me, Comrade Deputy Commander."

"Rokossovsky proposed to the headquarters that he wants to transfer you to his front army to serve as the commander of the infantry army." Golikov looked at Sokov and asked with a complicated expression: "We want to ask How do you think about it?"

  (end of this chapter)