For Sokov, every step of the journey ahead is dangerous. He clenched the assault rifle in his hand and looked warily out the window at the endless grassland, fearing that a German army would suddenly appear from somewhere.
But thankfully, what Sokov feared did not happen. Before dark, they arrived near the Bilyukovsky concession point, where they found a large force.
"Stop, stop immediately!" Seeing a large number of troops appearing in the transfer center ahead, Klimov quickly asked the driver to stop. After the car stopped, he turned and asked Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, what should we do next?"
Chuikov looked forward, and then told his adjutant: "Klimov, take a soldier over to have a look. If it is one of our own, send us a signal."
Klimov agreed, got out of the car and called a soldier in the rear car, and cautiously moved towards the surrender area. Because he could not figure out the origin of the army on the opposite side, Sokov did not sit here stupidly. Instead, he got out of the car and found a place to hide on the side of the road, pointing his gun in the direction of the surrender area. In this way, even if it was the Germans who occupied the concession, he would be sure to cover Klimov and his companions' withdrawal.
A few minutes later, Klimov entered the transfer center and waved his hand desperately to indicate that he was one of his own. After Chuikov saw Klimov's signal, he couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then shouted to Sokov who was lying on the roadside: "Get in the car, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov stood up from the ground with some embarrassment. He got up and got into the car with the gun.
After the two jeeps entered the meeting place, Klimov came up to them and said with a smile: "Comrade Commander, I understand that the commander of the 208th Division is in this meeting place."
"Where is he?" Chuikov asked.
Klimov pointed to several bungalows connected together not far away: "That's right there."
Chuikov waited for Klimov to finish speaking, then walked toward the row of houses without saying a word. After approaching, he stopped and looked at the environment, then walked towards a room with a sentry standing guard at the door.
"Comrade General," but when Chuikov approached the room, the sentry blocked his way and said in embarrassment: "Comrade Division Commander has given an order, and he doesn't want to see anyone!"
"Comrade soldier," seeing Chuikov being stopped by the sentry, Klimov became a little angry. He stepped forward and pushed the sentry away, and said angrily: "Didn't you see that the person you stopped was a general? "
The sentry saw the officers in front of him. Except for the lieutenant who pushed him, the other two were a lieutenant colonel and a lieutenant general. He said at a loss: "But the comrade division commander has given an order. No one can not see."
"Okay, comrade soldier." Sokov comforted the sentry and said, "Your division commander's orders have no binding force on us. Don't worry, if your division commander wants to blame, we will explain it to you." Sentinel Hearing what Sokov said, he didn't dare to say anything, so he could only take a step back and make way for the passage to the room.
Chuikov walked to the door, pushed open the door, and walked into the room. Sokov quickly followed and entered the room. In the middle of the dimly lit room, there was a rectangular desk, and an officer whose face could not be seen clearly was sitting behind the desk. Realizing that someone had broken into the room, he slammed the table and said viciously: "Didn't I say that no one is allowed in?"
"Are you the commander of the 208th Division?" Chuikov reached out and pulled the light cord by the door, but the lights in the room did not turn on. It seemed that the power supply here had completely stopped.
"Who are you?" The officer also couldn't see the face of the uninvited guest clearly. He could only look at Chuikov who was speaking and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I am Lieutenant General Chuikov, commander of the 64th Group Army." After Chuikov revealed his identity, he said seriously: "The Front Army Headquarters has placed the 208th Division under my command. I am here to look for troops."
Hearing that the person standing in front of him was actually the commander of the group army, the officer quickly stood up and raised his hand across the desk to salute Chuikov: "Hello, comrade commander. I am Voskoboini, commander of the 208th Infantry Division. Colonel Koff, I am at your command, please give me instructions!"
While Chuikov was talking to his division commander, Klimov took out a candle from the backpack he was carrying, lit it and placed it on the table. With the help of candlelight, Sokov could clearly see that Colonel Voskoboynikov was a fat, bald man, probably in his forties.
"Please sit down, Comrade Colonel." After Chuikov asked the other party to sit down, he also sat down and asked, "Why do you refuse to see anyone."
As soon as Chuikov's words came out, the muscles on Voskoboynikov's face twitched violently. After a long time, he choked and said: "Comrade Commander, I feel sorry for our soldiers!"
"Feel sorry for the soldiers?" Chuikov was stunned when he heard what the other party said. Then he understood what was going on and asked tentatively: "Do you know everything that happened at Chirekov Station?"
Voskoboynikov nodded vigorously and confirmed Chuikov's question: "Our soldiers came here from Siberia thousands of kilometers away. Who would have thought that they would be killed by our own people before they even saw the enemy's face? The plane was blown up. I don’t know how to explain to my subordinates and the families of those sacrificed soldiers the true reason for their sacrifice.”
Regarding the accidental bombing of Chirekov Station, Chuikov actually felt very sad. Especially as soon as the bombing ended, the German ground troops launched an attack. If they had not organized a counterattack in time, the troops in the area might have been repulsed. But at this moment, when he saw Voskoboynikov's grief-stricken look, he comforted him and said: "Comrade Colonel, when this accidental bombing occurred, I was in a nearby town. When I saw that so many soldiers were not sacrificed on the battlefield, but were killed and injured by our own planes, I felt very sad. However, now is not the time to be sad. The Germans will soon rush over, and here Without fortifications, you cannot resist them, so you must move to the defense lines we have built as soon as possible..."
When Voskovo Boynikov heard what Chuikov said, he immediately realized the seriousness of the problem and hurriedly shouted outside: "Come, come!"
Following his shout, the sentry appeared at the door and asked timidly: "Comrade division commander, what are your instructions?"
"Immediately go find the political commissar, chief of staff and director of the political department here and tell them that I have important matters to discuss with them." After Voskoboynikov finished his instructions, he urged the sentry: "Hurry up and go Bar."
About five minutes later, there was a burst of chaotic footsteps outside. Soon, someone asked loudly at the door: "Comrade division commander, what do you want to see us for?"
"Comrades, commanders," Voskoboynikov stood up from his seat and pointed at Chuikov, who was sitting opposite him: "Let me introduce to you. This general is General Chuikov, commander of the 64th Group Army. , from now on, our 208th Division will accept his command."
"Hello, Comrade Commander!" The three commanders who had just arrived quickly raised their hands to salute Chuikov after listening to Voskoboynikov's introduction.
After Chuikov stood up and returned the salute to the three of them, he pointed at Sokov and introduced to them: "Let me introduce you. This is Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, chief of staff of the Army Group's Southern Group. He is also your superior." Hearing Chuikov say this Said, the three officers quickly saluted Sokov again.
After everyone sat down, Chuikov pointed to the map on the table and said to everyone: "Comrades, judging from the current situation, there are no defenses near the settlement. Once the German army launches an attack here, you will not be able to resist it." .”
"Comrade Commander," the division chief of staff waited for Chuikov to finish and immediately asked, "I would like to ask, where is the nearest defense line from here?"
"Here," Chuikov pointed to the position of the Aksay River and said to the division chief of staff: "After your division's troops reach the north bank of the Aksay River, they will occupy defenses from Antonov Town to Zhutov Village. position, and sent reinforced patrols in front and on the left flank of the force’s defense line.”
"Can I ask if you'd like?" the division chief of staff asked curtly.
Chuikov nodded and explained to everyone: "Based on the current battlefield situation, I estimate that the German army is unwilling to tangle with our troops deployed along the railway in the Kotelnikovo area. They will pass through Prodovito Yehejingguta Town is implementing a deep detour. I ask you to strengthen reconnaissance in order to find out the whereabouts and intentions of the main enemy forces in this area."
The division chief of staff continued to ask: "Are we going to withdraw all the troops of our division to the north bank of the Aksay River?"
After Chuikov waited for the division chief of staff to finish speaking, he suddenly asked: "If I am not wrong, can your division's radio station be in contact with the troops below?" He asked this not out of nowhere, but because of the accidental bombing incident. It happened an hour or two ago. Without the radio, Voskoboynikov would not have known about it in such a short period of time.
"Yes, Comrade Commander." The division political commissar said slowly: "Our radio station can directly contact the battalion-level units. Otherwise, we would not have learned that our army was at Chirekov Station in such a short period of time. News that it was bombed by its own plane."
"Since the radio can still be used, you should immediately send a telegram to the troops below. Order the troops scattered from the Nebekovo transfer station to Zhutovo station and to Abganerovo to immediately go to the Aksay River. "If we can't contact the troops," Chuikov said here, glancing at the division political commissar, chief of staff and director of the political department: "You three will be responsible for contacting them."
"Comrade Commander," no one objected to Chuikov's order, but the division chief of staff asked with some worry: "We are not familiar with this area and we have no guide. What should we do if we get lost?"
"Don't worry, I'm not familiar with the terrain here, but I still succeeded in finding you." Regarding the division chief of staff's concerns, Chuikov comforted him and said: "You only need to walk along the railway to reach the Aksay River. There will be troops there to pick you up."
When Sokov heard Chuikov introducing the retreat route to everyone, he couldn't help but feel a little in his heart. He remembered that he had told Andrei to take in more troops. As long as they were not from the 138th and 157th divisions, they would all be taken in. You know, even though the 208th Division has not yet entered the battle, they look no different from the defeated troops. If Andrei forcibly recruits them without explanation, will Chuikov think that he is poaching him?
After accepting Chuikov's order, the three division leaders stood up, saluted, then turned and walked out of the room. Seeing Sokov's absent-minded look, Chuikov thought he was dissatisfied with the fact that the 208th Division had withdrawn to the north bank of the Aksay River without fighting, and specifically explained to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, currently our southern The troop strength of the cluster is limited, so we must shrink our defenses and concentrate all our forces to severely attack the invaders."
When Sokov heard what Chuikov said, he knew that the other party had misunderstood. However, he did not correct him, but followed his meaning and said: "So that's it, Comrade General. I think you should withdraw all the troops to Afghanistan." The north bank of the Kesai River must have its own considerations, and it seems that I really guessed it right."
Chuikov raised his hand and looked at his watch and said to Voskobojnikov: "Comrade Colonel, it's getting late and we still have a long way to go. You must assemble the troops immediately. We must do it in the shortest possible time." Depart within the time limit.”
Half an hour later, the first unit of the 208th Division, which had completed its assembly, left the transfer center and headed towards the Aksay River. When Sokov saw the group of school-level officers walking with Voskoboynikov, he couldn't help but frowned and thought to himself, what a hell, all regiment-level commanders were moving with the division headquarters. If a battle really breaks out, the Germans can take over the command system of the 208th Division and above at the regiment level. At that time, the troops scattered in other directions will lose their unified command and become a ball of sand, which will be destroyed by the Germans. Everyone effortlessly defeated them one by one.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, what are you looking at?" Chuikov saw Sokov's eyes always staying on the marching troops and asked curiously: "I think you seem to have been looking at the troops."
"Yes, Comrade General." Sokov said with a sneer: "I am thinking that all the regiment-level commanders of the 208th Division are here, and those troops scattered everywhere only have battalion-level commanders. Once the German army If they launch an attack on their area, the division commanders and regiment commanders will definitely not be able to withstand the German attack if they have no troops. And the situation of those troops with sufficient troops will not be much better, because there is no unified command, they can only do their own thing. If we fight, we will soon be defeated by the enemy one by one."
"Chief of Staff, I have also noticed the situation you mentioned." Chuikov said with some helplessness: "The reason why I want to gather them up and deploy them on the north bank of the Aksay River is to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening. "
