After Yeremenko took over as the commander of the front army, he did have plans to set up the headquarters in Mamayev Heights. After all, this is the commanding heights of Stalingrad. Once the battlefield approaches the edge of the city, he can watch the fighting in many areas from the observation post on the hillside.
But when Sokov mentioned the city department store, his thoughts were shaken again. Although the view there is not as good as Mamayev Heights, the buildings are strong and can stand even if they are shelled and bombed by the Germans.
Khrushchev obviously thought of this possibility and quickly said: "Comrade Commander, I think Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's proposal is good. We can definitely locate the headquarters in the department store. The buildings there are solid. The space inside is spacious and can accommodate enough people.”
"Comrade Military Commissar, since you said so, let's go and have a look later." Seeing that Khrushchev also said the same thing, Yeremenko felt that he should put the safety of the headquarters first and put it aside. On the unobstructed Mamayev Heights, an enemy bomb might knock out your own headquarters. Without the unified command of the troops, you will definitely fall into chaos: "If the location is appropriate, , we will set up our headquarters there.”
Seeing that the two men gave up the idea of setting up a headquarters at Mamayev Heights, Sokov secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and then said: "Comrade, Comrade Military Commissar, I would like to make a suggestion to you."
"What advice?" Yeremenko asked.
"On the northern slope of Mamayev Hill, there are more than a dozen huge oil tanks. According to my observation, they should be filled with fuel." Sokov thought of the documentary he had seen in later generations, Mamayev The oil tank on the post was hit by a German bomb, and the entire northern slope turned into a sea of flames. The fuel also flowed down the hillside into the Volga River, causing the entire river surface to burn. In order to avoid this situation from happening again, he suggested to the two of them: "Once the area where the oil tank is located is bombed or shelled by the Germans, it will cause huge losses."
After Khrushchev waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he asked: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, you can report this situation to the Stalingrad City Defense Committee. You know, these important facilities in the city are all They are responsible for it. What we are responsible for is military and local work, and it is not convenient for me to interfere."
Sokov thought that after he reported this problem to Yeremenko and Khrushchev, they immediately arranged manpower to empty the fuel tanks as quickly as possible. Unexpectedly, Khrushchev actually said that this matter was not his responsibility and asked him to report it to the City Defense Committee. Sokov thought with some laughter and tears: "I would have reported this to the City Defense Committee a long time ago, if it had any effect, even those procrastinating staff would not pay attention to me at all."
Khrushchev may have noticed Sokov's strange expression, so he asked with concern: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, have you reported this matter to the City Defense Committee?"
"Yes, Comrade Military Commissar." Sokov nodded and said, "I will first ask Major Ozor, who is here to help us build fortifications, to convey the problems I discovered to the head of the City Defense Committee. Who knows if the other party will not I ignored it. Then, I went to the City Defense Committee twice in person, but the person in charge always avoided me."
"I already know about this matter." Khrushchev came over, patted Sokov gently on the shoulder twice, and then said to him: "I will personally talk to the responsible person of the City Defense Committee later. Contact someone and ask them to send someone to handle the matter."
After Yeremenko and Khrushchev left in an armored vehicle, Ozor walked into Sokov's tent from the outside and reported to him: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the artillery bunker you asked me to build has been completed. Six Each cannon has been hidden. If you want to use it, only four or five people are needed for each cannon to push the cannon to the top of the hillside along the special slope."
"Great, this is really great." The last time the German army rushed to Mamayev Heights in a rapid column, Sokov once wanted to use a cannon to block the enemy. However, because the road uphill was difficult, although soldiers from the third battalion were sent to help, the cannon had not been dragged to the top of the mountain until the end of the battle. After learning that lesson, Sokov realized that if the artillery could not be dragged to the top of the mountain quickly, they would not be of much use in the subsequent battle, so he asked Ozor to build it on the hillside. A specialized artillery bunker fortification can not only protect the artillery from being damaged by German shelling or bombing, but also can be quickly dragged to the top of the hillside and put into battle in the shortest possible time.
…………
Early the next morning, Sokov, who was sleeping in the tunnel, was awakened by a phone call from Fourth Battalion Commander Briski. Hearing that the call was from Briskey, he asked impatiently: "Comrade Captain, what happened?"
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Briski said on the phone: "An anti-aircraft artillery unit has appeared in front of our high ground!"
"Anti-aircraft artillery unit?!" When he learned that an anti-aircraft artillery unit appeared in front of the northern slope where Briski Camp was stationed, Sokov first thought: Could it be that the 1077th anti-aircraft artillery regiment moved from the dock to the northern slope? ? Thinking of this, he quickly asked: "Have you figured out the number of the anti-aircraft artillery unit?"
"The anti-aircraft artillery unit is all female soldiers." Briski said on the phone: "I sent someone to ask, they are female workers from the Red October Tractor Factory, their task is to protect the top of our heads. Those oil tanks were not destroyed by German bombers."
"Nonsense, this is simply nonsense." Hearing this, Sokov couldn't help but feel anxious: "What role can a group of female anti-aircraft gunners with little combat experience play if they are deployed at your place? When the enemy bombers swoop down, they Can we save those tanks filled with fuel?”
After putting down the phone, Sokov started to get dressed, preparing to rush over to take a look. Belkin, who was lying on another camp bed, saw Sokov planning to go out and asked curiously: "Comrade Brigade Commander, where are you planning to go?"
"Comrade Political Commissar." Sokov said to Belkin while sitting by the bed and putting on his boots: "The City Defense Committee sent a group of female anti-aircraft gunners with little combat experience to station next to the north slope, saying they were preparing to secure the hillside. Regarding the safety of oil tanks, isn’t this nonsense? No, I have to go and take a look.”
"Wait a minute, Comrade Brigadier." Belkin sat up from the cot and said to Sokov, "I'll go with you."
The two came to the north slope and met Briskey waiting here. Sokov first looked around and saw that on the open ground in front of the defensive position on the north slope, there were fifteen anti-aircraft gun positions surrounded by sandbags, all equipped with 85mm anti-aircraft guns. After seeing the distribution of anti-aircraft artillery positions, Sokov asked Briski bluntly: "Comrade Captain, where is their commander?"
"In the tent over there." Briski pointed to a tent dozens of meters away and said, "The commander is a female lieutenant. It seems that she has participated in combat and has some combat experience."
The three of them talked and came to the tent. Worried that the female commander was sleeping or changing clothes inside, Sokov motioned to Briski to come forward and say hello. Briski came to the door of the tent and shouted inside: "Comrade commander, are you there? Our brigade commander is here to visit you."
After saying it for the first time, there was no movement in the tent. So Briski shouted a second time. As soon as his voice fell, the tent was opened from the inside, and a thin female officer walked out of the tent. She looked at Belinsky and asked angrily: "Comrade Captain, I wonder where your brigade commander is?"
"There!" Briski pointed to the positions of Sokov and Belkin and said, "Not only is our brigade commander here, but also the political commissar."
The female officer saw Sokov and Belkin standing aside, quickly adjusted her military appearance, walked over to salute the two, and reported: "Two commanders, comrades, artillery battalion commander Lieutenant Ulanova Report to you!"
"I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and this is my political commissar Belkin." Sokov raised his hand and returned the salute: "The defense area of our brigade is here."
"Comrade Lieutenant," Belkin asked curiously, "I would like to ask you why you established an air defense position here?"
"Comrade Deputy Battalion Political Commissar," Ulanova glanced at Belkin's political worker rank and replied, "Our battalion followed the order of the City Defense Committee and drove here overnight to garrison. Our mission is to defend. The oil tanks at the top of the hillside would not be bombed by the Germans.”
"Lieutenant Ulanova," Sokov said coldly after the other party finished speaking: "Do you think your existing fifteen guns can stop the German bombing? Not to mention the anti-aircraft artillery battalion you lead. , are new recruits without any combat experience.”
Perhaps Ulanova was irritated by Sokov's contemptuous tone. She frowned and said dryly: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, our battalion came here to set up defenses under the order of the City Defense Committee. As long as If an anti-aircraft gun can still shoot, we will never let the enemy get close to the oil tank on the top of the hillside."
"Courage is commendable, but stupidity is extremely stupid." Sokov continued: "Your position is on the defensive front of the northern slope. If the German army only has the air force to bomb Mamayev Heights, your anti-aircraft artillery fire can still cause damage to them. There is a certain threat. But if the enemy deploys ground troops while bombing, wouldn't you become a target for German tanks or artillery if you deploy in this open and unobstructed area?"
Sokov's words made Ulanova silent for a moment, but she quickly said plausibly: "As long as we can prevent the Germans from bombing the oil tanks on the hillside, it will be worth it even if we all die."
Regarding Ulanova's words, Sokov felt a little bit dumbfounded: "Lieutenant Ulanova, have you ever thought about it, if you all died in the German artillery fire, then who would be responsible for the oil on the north slope?" Does the tank provide air defense?"
Sokov tried to persuade the opponent to move the anti-aircraft artillery position to a safer place, at least in a position where the enemy's tanks and artillery could not shoot directly, but Ulanova was stubborn and said that she did not get the city defense. No changes of any kind may be made to the anti-aircraft positions without the permission of the Commission.
Sokov's worries were realized in the evening. A German tank unit appeared two or three kilometers away from the northern slope. Upon learning that German tanks had appeared, Sokov was worried that something was wrong with the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion. He quickly ordered his subordinates to drag the artillery hidden in the bunker to the top of the mountain in an attempt to destroy the approaching German tanks.
The women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion was deployed in front of the position on the north slope and was immediately discovered by the Germans. The German tanks quickly drove to a place seven or eight hundred meters away from them, stopped and began to bombard them with tank guns. For German tank soldiers who are skilled and have rich combat experience, it is not difficult to accurately hit a fixed target several hundred meters away. Under their artillery fire, the gun positions of the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion were destroyed one after another, and the female soldiers staying on the gun positions were also blown to pieces.
Sokov stood in a trench on the south slope, raised his binoculars and looked towards the location of the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion. He saw that the gun emplacements surrounded by sandbags were destroyed one by one by German tank fire, while the girls No fight back was made. Seeing that the girls were all staying at the gun emplacement and being beaten, but did not fight back, Sokov couldn't help but jump to his feet: "These fools, why don't you fight back!"
He dialed Briskey's phone and asked angrily: "Comrade Captain, please send someone to ask the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion what exactly they are going to do, and why the enemy's tanks and artillery are constantly bombarding, but they are not fight back!"
"Don't worry, Comrade Brigadier." Briski heard what Sokov said and quickly replied: "I will send someone to find out what happened."
"Comrade Brigadier," Sokov had just put down the phone when a soldier ran over and reported: "The artillery battery is in position. Lieutenant Alitai asked for instructions if he should fire on the enemy immediately!"
"Why are you hesitating? Fire immediately and knock out all the enemy tanks!" Sokov saw that the girls in the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion were suffering casualties every minute, and he was particularly anxious. He saw that the soldiers who were delivering the order were moving too Slowly, he was so anxious that he kicked him on the waist: "Hurry up, if you don't fire again, the girls will die."
About two minutes later, several mud pillars rose into the sky next to the tanks lined up. Sokov knew that it was the artillery battery that had opened fire. In order to facilitate the command, he called a communications soldier and asked him to immediately connect a telephone line to the artillery position. He wanted to keep in touch with Lieutenant Alitai.
The German tanks may never have dreamed that while they were bombarding the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion, they would also become the target of others' attacks. The artillery battery fired only three rounds and hit two tanks. Seeing that their comrades were hit and turned into burning torches on the battlefield, the remaining tanks quickly turned around and drove toward the distance, trying to escape the Soviet shelling area as quickly as possible.
