After Sokov waited for Vasilevsky to finish speaking, he was silent for a moment, and then asked respectfully: "Comrade Chief of General Staff, I wonder when my troops should leave?"
"Leave in two days."
Sokov knew that the direct road from here to Stalingrad had been cut off by the German army, and he could only choose other routes to go around it, so he then asked: "Where is our marching route?"
"Since the road from here to Stalingrad has been cut off by the enemy, you need to get to Yelets first. There are cars prepared by your superiors there to take your brigade to the train station in Moscow." Vasilev Ski introduced to Sokov: "When you arrive at the train station, you take the train to Kazan, and then transfer to a transport ship of the Volga Fleet from there, and go down the Volga River to Stalingrad."
Vasilevsky pointed at the map to introduce the route to Sokov. Seeing that he had to make such a big circle, Sokov couldn't help but frowned slightly: "Comrade Chief of General Staff, the distance is not close."
"Yes," Vasilevsky agreed with Sokov's statement: "In such a large circle, you will have to walk almost a thousand kilometers more. I'm worried that when you get to Stalingrad, There will be many soldiers who are exhausted. But fortunately, you are here to rest instead of fighting, so there is enough time for the soldiers to recover."
When he heard Vasilevsky once again mention that his troops went to Stalingrad to rest and recuperate rather than fight, Sokov felt really dumbfounded. He knew very well that not to mention Vasilevsky, even Stalin himself felt that the Germans' approach to Stalingrad was a smoke bomb deliberately released to divert the attention of the Soviet army so that they could successfully seize the Caucasus. The destination of oil.
Sokov knew very well that even if he told Vasilevsky at this moment that the German army was about to launch a major attack on Stalingrad, the other party would not believe it and would instead question his sources. It was out of this consideration that Sokov did not say any more nonsense, but asked dryly: "Comrade Chief of General Staff, do you allow me to return to the army and arrange the transfer task?"
"Permission." Vasilevsky nodded and said to Sokov: "Let the soldiers prepare what they need on the road. Your journey will take at least half a month to a month."
As soon as Sokov returned to his headquarters, he summoned all brigade and company commanders and above and informed them of the news that the troops would be mobilized.
The commanders who attended the meeting had expressions of surprise on their faces after reading the march route pointed out by Sokov on the map. They did not expect that in order to reach Stalingrad, the troops would have to travel thousands of roads. . So as soon as they heard Sokov's customary question: "Does anyone have any questions?" they all raised their hands to indicate they wanted to speak.
After sweeping his eyes across everyone, Sokov pointed at Grisa and said, "Lieutenant Grisa, you speak first."
"Comrade Brigadier," Grisa stood up and asked with a confused look on his face: "If you want to send troops to strengthen the defense of Stalingrad, you can definitely send troops from nearby; even if there are no suitable troops nearby, you can also send troops from Moscow. Go over there. Why do we have to march more than 1,000 and nearly 2,000 kilometers to reach Stalingrad?"
"Comrade commanders," Sokov said bitterly in response to Grisa's question: "Comrade Chief of General Staff said that it was the Supreme Command's intention to send our brigade to Stalingrad to garrison. We transferred to Stalingrad to take a good rest, and when the new counteroffensive begins, our brigade will accept more arduous tasks."
Hearing that the transfer of troops to Stalingrad was an order from the Supreme Command, the room suddenly became quiet, and no one questioned this transfer that wasted people and money. On the contrary, after a period of silence, other commanders began to ask Sokov what kind of transportation the superiors would provide for the troops during the march.
After discussing the issues that should be considered, Sokov suddenly remembered something and said specifically: "Comrades, since our brigade was expanded on the basis of the Istria Battalion, the organization of the army seems a bit chaotic. , I want to make adjustments here. The original numbers of the three companies of the first battalion remain unchanged; the numbers of the three companies of the second battalion are changed to the fourth company to the sixth company; the three companies of the third battalion are changed to the seventh company to the ninth company. ;The three companies of the Fourth Battalion were changed to the 10th to 12th companies..."
After announcing the order to change the designation, Sokov asked again: "Are there any questions?"
"No!" the commanders replied neatly.
"Since there is no problem, everyone should go back to their respective units." Sokov was afraid that some people would not pay attention to this transfer, and he also emphasized: "Our march time this time is about half a month to one month." Within a month, everyone needs to prepare everything they need on the road. Do you understand?"
"Understood!" The commanders replied neatly again, then turned around and walked out of the brigade headquarters.
After all the commanders at the meeting left, Belkin asked tentatively: "Comrade Brigade Commander, since our march is so far away, should we leave the wounded here? After these few battles, the whole brigade has five soldiers." There are more than a hundred wounded, including nearly a hundred seriously wounded."
"Keep the seriously wounded." Sokov waited for Belkin to finish, and then said without hesitation: "As for the lightly wounded, depending on their injuries, we will take them with us if they can move with the troops; if we cannot, we will take them with us. Those who move with the troops will stay with the seriously wounded. When the communication line with Moscow is opened in the future, they will be sent to the military hospital in the city."
"Then shall we leave a few more health workers?" Belkin then asked, "Let them take care of our wounded."
Sokov heard Belgin mention leaving a few health workers to take care of the wounded, and immediately guessed the other party's intention. When Sokov thought about the bloody battle that was about to begin, Sokov's heart beat. He was unwilling to let Asya go on an adventure with him. When he was considering what reason to use to keep her, Belkin said What I just said. Sokov nodded quickly and said smoothly: "Then let the female health workers from the health team stay and let them take care of our wounded."
Belkin picked up the phone on the table and said to Sokov: "Since Comrade Brigade Commander has no objection, then I will call the captain of the health team, Dr. Pavlov, and ask him to keep all the female health workers and not follow us. Let’s go to Stalingrad together.”
Sokov asked Asya and the others to stay because he didn't want them to die in Stalingrad. Unexpectedly, Asiya, who did not know the inside story, did not accept Sokov's love. After learning the news left behind, she immediately took several female health workers from the health team and hurried to the brigade headquarters to seek explanation from Sokov.
As soon as she saw Sokov, Asiya asked with a straight face: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I would like to ask, since the whole brigade is about to set off, why are we female health workers left in Kursk?"
As soon as Asiya finished speaking, several female health workers standing behind her also agreed: "Yes, Comrade Brigade Commander, although we are women, we can carry the wounded off the battlefield just like the male health workers. Why did you leave us all in Kursk?”
"Female comrades," Belgin saw the female health workers getting angry, and quickly came out to smooth things over: "Comrade Brigadier, I keep you here for your own sake. Think about it, we have to march nearly two thousand kilometers next. , he was worried that your body wouldn’t be able to bear it, so he decided to let you stay here and take care of our wounded.”
"Yes, the political commissar is right. The troops have to go too far this time, so you should stay here." Seeing Belgin speaking for him, Sokov quickly continued: "As health workers, The task is to take care of the wounded so that they can return to the front line as soon as possible. It makes no difference whether they are in Kursk or Stalingrad."
Sokov's words left the female health workers speechless. But after a while, Asiya attacked again. She said with a sullen face: "Comrade Brigadier, don't you think I have become a neutral person? War erases people's gender. At least I don't want to Others see me as a woman." Asiya's words aroused another response from the female health workers.
Belkin turned to look at Sokov and said with a wry smile: "Comrade Brigadier, it's up to you to make the decision on this matter."
"Quiet, everyone!" Sokov raised his hand and pressed it down. When the female health workers stopped talking, he continued: "Girls, as long as the war does not wipe out your lives, you will never die. Just a woman. This world is beautiful because of women. I have no right to let my future mother go on adventures with us..."
After Sokov finished speaking, the female soldiers fell silent again, and they secretly recalled what Sokov said in their hearts. Seeing Asiya open her mouth, as if she wanted to say something, Sokov immediately understood in his heart that even if he convinced other female health workers, he could not convince the girl in front of him. Even if he reluctantly stayed, she would He had trouble sleeping and eating for his own safety. Rather than letting her be frightened, it is better to take her to Stalingrad with him. At worst, he can just spend more time protecting her.
Thinking of this, Sokov pointed his finger at Asya: "Okay, Asya. Since you keep insisting, then as a representative of the female health workers, go to Stalingrad with the troops." After learning that he could When heading to Stalingrad with the troops, Asya immediately cheered, but the faces of the female health workers around her showed disappointment.
Sokov thought that after handling the female health workers' requests, there would be no more trouble for him. But not long after, he found that he had thought too much. The troops were leaving Kursk, and there were more headaches for him.
That evening, he received a call from Second Battalion Commander Vasily. Vasily said hurriedly on the phone: "Comrade Brigade Commander, it's bad, something happened to the Fourth Company."
When he heard the number of the Fourth Company, Sokov was stunned for a moment, but he quickly remembered that this was the original First Company of the Second Battalion, and quickly asked: "What's wrong with Grisa's company?"
"Deserts!" Vasily said through gritted teeth on the phone: "There are several shameful deserters in the Fourth Company."
"What, deserters?" Sokov frowned after hearing Vasily's words. He never dreamed that there would be deserters in his army. He thought to himself, deserters have appeared before the war started. If we don't deal with it seriously, won't there be more deserters in Stalingrad in such a tragic battle? He asked viciously: "Has he been captured?"
"Yes, Comrade Brigade Commander, we have captured them all." Vasily continued: "There are five people in total. I would like to ask you for instructions on how to deal with them."
"What else can we do? Of course, shoot them all. Shoot them all." Sokov roared into the microphone: "Immediately, immediately, shoot them all!"
Before Vasily on the other end of the phone had finished speaking, Belgin, who had just walked in, asked in surprise: "Comrade Brigadier, what happened? Why are you so angry?"
Sokov gasped and said to Belkin: "Captain Vasily reported to me that there were several deserters in the fourth company. I asked them to shoot these deserters."
"Wait a minute, comrade brigade commander, don't shoot them yet." When Belkin heard Sokov's order to shoot the deserters, he quickly stopped him: "Why don't we go to the fourth company and let me ask those soldiers? Why be a deserter?"
After Sokov waited for Belkin to finish speaking, he took two deep breaths, and then said into the microphone: "Captain Vasily, keep an eye on them first. Comrade Political Commissar and I will go there immediately."
When Sokov and Belkin arrived at the Fourth Company, it was not completely dark yet. In the distance, hundreds of soldiers from the fourth company were seen forming a neat square formation. In front of the phalanx, there was a group of people standing. In addition to the second battalion commander, Captain Vasily, the fourth company commander, Lieutenant Grisa, and several platoon commanders, there were five soldiers with colorful hair.
Sokov quickly walked up to Vasily, stared at the deserters with a vicious look, and then asked Vasily in a rough voice: "Are they deserters?"
"Yes, Comrade Brigadier." Vasily nodded quickly and replied: "They are those shameful deserters. Their actions have tarnished the glorious title of the Red Army. I recommend that they all be shot immediately."
When Vasily offered to shoot the deserters, the fourth company commander Grisa remained silent. Seeing this, Sokov asked curiously: "Lieutenant Grisa, why don't you speak? Don't you want to shoot them?"
Before Grisa could speak, Belkin said first: "Comrade Brigadier, please wait a moment. Let me talk to these soldiers first and find out why they became deserters."
