Rokossovsky introduced the current predicament to the two division commanders and assigned them tasks. Then he walked up to Sokov and said to him: "Captain Sokov, judging from the intelligence we have obtained, The German army plans to launch a counterattack against Susinich. After retaking the city, it plans to completely cut off the supply lines of friendly forces to the west of us. The enemies in the north will be defended by the troops of the 324th Division; while in the south, it depends on you. The camp is here, we must hold it firmly and don’t take a step back!”
Sokov had just heard that the German army would launch a counterattack against Sushinich, and he looked indifferent. According to his idea, if the enemy comes, he will fight; if he cannot defeat him, he will retreat. Anyway, there is such a big city of Susinich behind us. But after hearing Rokossovsky's last words, I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. In order to confirm that his guess was correct, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, if I understand correctly, do you plan to let our battalion be responsible for the defense of the south?"
"Yes, that's what I mean." Unexpectedly, Rokossovsky nodded in affirmation as soon as he said his words, "Although you are organized into a battalion, in terms of equipment and number of people, you are better than any other infantry in the city. The corps is strong, so I am very relieved to entrust this arduous task to you."
After figuring out Rokossovsky's true thoughts, Sokov suddenly felt his legs were a little weak. The hundreds of German troops who attacked yesterday had only five cannons to provide artillery support, which made him miserable. If instead of two companies, two battalions came, and tanks and artillery were strengthened, then even if the whole battalion was wiped out, they would not be able to defend the unknown high ground.
He lowered his head and considered whether he should explain his difficulties to Rokossovsky and let other people's troops perform this arduous and glorious defense task; at the worst, he should send several troops to cooperate with him. Suddenly I heard Kazakov's voice: "Captain Sokov, there is one more thing I forgot to tell you."
Sokov looked at Kazakov in surprise, trying to figure out what the other party was going to tell him. Just listen to Kazakov continue: "I just received a female anti-aircraft machine gun company yesterday evening. In order to strengthen the air defense force in the south of the city, I think they will be deployed in the defensive zone of your battalion."
"Women's anti-aircraft machine gun company?" Sokov has been in this time and space for so long. This is the first time he has heard of an organized female unit. He couldn't help but secretly muttered in his heart: "Put a group of women on the battlefield. There won’t be any scandal, right?”
Seeing Sokov's silence, Kazakov thought that he was unwilling to accept this unit, so he quickly explained to him: "Captain Sokov, this may be the first time you have heard of an organic female unit. You Don’t worry, although this unit has just been formed, their company commanders and instructors are all commanders and fighters who have participated in combat. I believe that under their leadership, the performance of the female soldiers on the battlefield will not let you down."
As a person from later generations, Sokov knows better than anyone how much contribution Soviet women made in the Great Patriotic War. He straightened his body and asked Kazakov: "Comrade General, I would like to ask, after this force is deployed in our defense area, will it be under my command?"
"Does this need to be said?" Kazakov turned to look at Rokossovsky, and said to Sokov with a smile: "You have the highest military rank, so naturally you have the final say on the unknown highland in the south of the city."
Sokov couldn't help but feel happy when he heard that the women's anti-aircraft machine gun company was under his command. He quickly asked: "Comrade General, do you know where the women's anti-aircraft machine gun company is?"
Kazakov did not speak, but turned his questioning eyes to Rokossovsky. After seeing the other party nodded slightly, he said to Sokov: "Let's go, Captain Sokov, I will take you there now. I hope they did not suffer any losses in the shelling just now."
Kazakov waved over a three-wheeled motorcycle and swaggered into the sidecar, then waved Sokov to sit behind the motorcyclist. After the two sat down, Kazakov said to the motorcyclist: "Go to the women's anti-aircraft machine gun company."
When he arrived at the anti-aircraft machine gun company's station, Sokov was startled by the scene in front of him. Next to a two-story building that was half destroyed and still burning, a group of female soldiers wearing steel helmets were wailing. There were many craters of different sizes near where they were standing. It seemed that they had also been shelled here.
Kazakov squeezed into the crowd with Sokov and asked loudly: "Where is the commander? What happened here?" Because the female soldiers cried too loudly, his voice was suppressed. Sokov quickly raised his voice and repeated Kazakov's words.
The cries of the female soldiers were much quieter. A slender young female soldier wearing a helmet came over, raised her hand to salute Kazakov and said: "Comrade General, Lieutenant Liuba, commander of the women's anti-aircraft machine gun company, greets you." Report!"
"What happened to you here?" Kazakov asked with some displeasure: "Why are you all crying!"
Lieutenant Lyuba turned her body to one side, pointed to the ground not far away and said to Kazakov: "Comrade General, please take a look."
Kazakov looked in the direction of Liuba's finger and saw a row of corpses lying neatly on the ground. Not far away, a dozen male soldiers were digging a hole with shovels. Seeing this, Kazakov's mouth twitched violently a few times, and then asked: "Comrade Lieutenant, were they all killed in the shelling just now?"
"Yes, Comrade General." Lieutenant Liuba nodded vigorously, and then said: "In the shelling just now, three of our anti-aircraft machine guns were blown up, eleven female soldiers died, and fifteen others were injured. .”
Sokov's heart sank suddenly when he heard what Liuba said. On the way here, he asked Kazakov and learned that the anti-aircraft machine gun company had nine machine guns and nearly a hundred girls. But unexpectedly, before the company entered the battle, it suffered a quarter loss under the enemy's shelling.
Lyuba's report also surprised Kazakov. He looked around and then asked: "Where are the other wounded?"
"People have been sent to the nearby field hospital." When Liuba spoke, she glanced at Sokov, thinking that the captain was Kazakov's adjutant, so she continued to look at Kazakov and asked: " Comrade General, the Germans have killed so many of our sisters, and we want to avenge them. When will you assign us combat missions?"
"Let's get to know each other." Kazakov pulled Sokov in front of Liuba and introduced her: "This is Captain Sokov, the commander of the Istria Battalion. From now on, your company will Officially accept his command."
