"Comrade Commander, where is Klimov?" Sidorin suddenly realized that he had not seen his adjutant Klimov since Chuikov entered the room until now. You must know that as Chuikov's adjutant, the other party has always been inseparable. But now that he has not seen it, there is only one worst possibility, that is, he was sacrificed. Therefore, he asked cautiously: "Was he sacrificed?"
"No, he is still alive." Chuikov stared at Yelena who was sending the report and said casually: "Many of the subordinates who were traveling with me were injured. Klimov took them and Vasily to the health team for bandaging. ”
After Chuikov answered this question, he suddenly realized that Sidorin would not ask this question for no reason. The reason for asking him about the whereabouts of Klimov was nothing more than a pretext. The main reason was to inquire about the whereabouts of his son Little Sidorin, and he quickly added Said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, your son Little Sidorin followed the political commissar Gurov to break out of the siege by water, so he should be fine. Don't worry."
Sidorin handed Chuikov a cigarette, lit it for him, and asked: "Comrade Commander, I also want to ask, how many teams are there in total for the headquarters to break through the encirclement by land?"
"This matter was arranged by Chief of Staff Krylov. I don't know exactly how many teams there are." Chuikov took a puff of his cigarette and replied, "But I think there are at least seven or eight."
"Can they all break through smoothly?" Sidorin asked next.
"Casualties are definitely inevitable." Chuikov's brows knitted into a knot when he thought of what his team encountered with the Germans when they broke through. "Oh, I don't know how many of these teams can successfully reach the enemy." New command.”
"Comrade Commander," while the two old comrades were chatting, Yelena, who had just received the telegram, turned to greet Chuikov: "The front headquarters has called back."
Chuikov quickly put out the cigarette butt in his hand, walked quickly behind Yelena, took the telegram from her hand, quickly read the contents, and said to the female telegraph operator: "To the Front Army Headquarters Send a message, we need two to three divisions of troops to strengthen the defense force in Stalingrad."
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin asked curiously after hearing the contents of the telegram dictated by Chuikov: "Can I ask what telegram the front army headquarters sent you?"
Perhaps out of trust in his old subordinates, Chuikov handed the telegram to Sidorin without hesitation, and said with some laughter: "The Front Army Headquarters informed us that General Rokossovsky's Stalingrad Front Army, An attack will be launched from the north of the city in two days, and we are ordered to actively cooperate."
"Cooperate, how to cooperate?" Sidorin asked with a look of surprise: "Comrade Commander, our existing troops are not enough even to defend the city. How can we allocate forces to cooperate with the friendly forces' attack?"
"No," Chuikov said helplessly: "Currently, I don't even have a complete regiment in hand, so how can I possibly launch a counterattack against the enemy? Therefore, I had to make a request to the front army headquarters to ask them to dispatch more Several divisions are coming to the city to assist in our defense.”
While Chuikov and Sidorin were communicating, Sokov sat and stared at the map in front of him, mentally figuring out how to deal with the next German attack. At this moment, a voice calling for a report came from the door. He quickly raised his head and said to the door: "Whoever is outside, come in."
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, the artillery lieutenant responsible for guiding the east bank artillery strode in. After raising his hand to salute Sokov, he reported in a loud voice: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, all the data have been calculated."
"What data?" Before Sokov could speak, Chuikov interrupted and asked: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, what data did you calculate?"
"Comrade Commander," the artillery lieutenant knew that the speaker was Chuikov, and he immediately and respectfully replied: "I am counting the data of the German army's heavy artillery bombardment of Mamayev Heights."
Chuikov was eager to know how many heavy artillery pieces the Germans had used to bombard Mamayev Heights, so he directly ordered the artillery lieutenant: "Tell me your statistical data."
The artillery lieutenant nodded and said clearly: "According to our statistics, during the daytime battle, there were 3 craters for 305mm heavy artillery and 25 craters for 203mm heavy artillery near Mamayev Heights..."
"Wait a minute, Comrade Second Lieutenant." Chuikov heard this and interrupted the artillery lieutenant's words. He turned to look at Sokov and asked puzzledly: "Why, the enemy's 305mm heavy artillery only aimed at Mamayev?" Gang fired three rounds?"
Sokov could not answer Chuikov's question, so he had to gesture to the artillery lieutenant to explain to Chuikov. Seeing Chuikov's eyes turned back to him, the artillery lieutenant continued: "Yes, Comrade Commander, after our repeated checks, the German 305mm heavy artillery fired only three shells, while the 203mm heavy artillery fired 25 rounds. Since the enemy first bombarded Mamayev Heights with 305mm heavy artillery and at the same time equipped it with artillery of other calibers, we mistakenly thought that the enemy had been using 305mm heavy artillery to destroy our army's fortifications and cause damage to our army. There were a lot of casualties.”
"If the Germans only use 203mm heavy artillery," Chuikov waited for the artillery lieutenant to finish, then said thoughtfully: "In other words, when they are shelling the city or Mamayev Hill, we are on the east coast. Can the artillery completely suppress them?"
"Absolutely correct, Comrade Commander." the artillery lieutenant replied: "The smaller the enemy's artillery caliber, that is to say, the closer their artillery positions are to us, so that the artillery fire from the east bank will have the opportunity to destroy the enemy's artillery positions. "
"Comrade Second Lieutenant," Chuikov asked: "Do you think the tunnel fortifications at Mamayev Hill can withstand the bombardment of the German 203mm heavy artillery?"
"It should be able to withstand it, Comrade Commander." said the artillery lieutenant: "The 203mm heavy artillery can only destroy fortifications with a covering layer of soil below five meters, while the covering layer of the tunnel fortifications in Mamayev Hill is more than ten meters thick. As long as It is simply impossible to destroy the tunnel fortifications unless the enemy's artillery shells are concentrated in one location."
The words of the artillery lieutenant gave everyone reassurance that even if the German heavy artillery blew up the tunnel exit countless times, as long as the tunnel fortifications did not collapse, it would not matter at all. Sidorin picked up the phone and dialed the second battalion, and said into the phone: "Captain Vasily, this is Chief of Staff Sidorin. Those exits on the front slope may still be attacked by the enemy in tomorrow's battle. The heavy artillery has collapsed, I now order you to open new exits on the north and south sides of the hill."
During the day's battle, Second Battalion Commander Vasily organized his officers and soldiers to carry out several civil engineering operations in order to dig out the tunnel exits that had been blown up by the enemy. Because it took so long to open the exit, the German troops rushed to the top of the hill several times. If the first battalion deployed on the reverse slope had not counterattacked in time, the surface position of Nangang would have been occupied by the German troops.
Vasily was having a meeting with several company commanders to discuss how to dig out the collapsed positions in the shortest possible time after the German shelling ended in tomorrow's battle, allowing soldiers to enter surface positions. The fourth company commander Grisa asked Vasily: "Comrade Battalion Commander, is it possible to open new openings on the north and south sides of the hill so that the enemy's artillery fire cannot reach that position. In this way, our commanders and soldiers can bombard When it's over, move into a defensive position quickly."
After listening to Grisa's suggestion, Vasily said hesitantly: "It's a big project to dig new exits on the north and south sides. Although there are hundreds of people in our camp, even if we dig all night, we may not be able to do it. Dig through.”
When everyone was in a dilemma, he received a call from Sidorin, asking him to dig tunnel exits on the north and south sides of the hill. After Sidorin finished speaking, he said awkwardly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I was convening a meeting with the company commanders, and someone proposed to dig tunnel exits on the north and south sides. However, the amount of work involved is too large. Even if our entire battalion is mobilized, we won’t be able to dig it out in just a few days.”
Vasily thought that if he said this, Sidorin would criticize him for saying something like disregarding the overall situation. But as soon as he finished speaking, Sidorin said confidently: "Captain Vasily, you don't have to worry about this. Austrian Major Zoll left us a design drawing of the tunnel fortifications. From the drawing, it can be seen that the soil layer at several locations on the north and south sides is only three or four meters thick. If it is to be dug through, it will not take a night. Drawing , I will send someone to deliver it to you later."
"Understood, Comrade Chief of Staff." Seeing that Sidorin had already said this, Vasily knew that he would have no objection no matter how much he objected, so he bit the bullet and said, "I will organize the manpower immediately and start construction as soon as the drawings arrive. .”
When Sidorin put down the phone, he happened to hear Chuikov asking Sokov: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, the front army headquarters is going to give us an infantry brigade and a tank brigade. Where do you think we should deploy them?" "
"Comrade Commander," Sokov heard Chuikov's question and did not answer immediately. Instead, he asked: "Can I ask what kind of troops are coming?"
"The superiors sent us the 92nd Infantry Brigade and the 137th Tank Brigade." Chuikov said with some pride: "The infantry brigade is fully equipped. The members of this brigade are all sailors from the Baltic Fleet and the North Sea Fleet. They are very good. soldiers."
After finding out that among the troops sent by his superiors, there was an infantry brigade composed entirely of sailors, Sokov suddenly knew that the combat effectiveness of the sailors was much stronger than that of the army, so he pointed at the map and said: "I suggest The newly arrived troops are deployed in the direction of the city, allowing them to cover the left flank of Mamayev Heights."
"Deployed on the left wing of Mamayev Ridge?" Chuikov stared at the map for a while and asked: "Why deploy on the left wing instead of the right wing? You know, fierce fighting is also going on in the factory area now, and we are in The area is also severely undermanned."
"Comrade Commander, the reason why I suggest deploying reinforcements in the direction of the city is because our defense line in this area has been smashed to pieces by the enemy. But the commanders and soldiers who stick to this area are still fighting with the enemy. Fight tenaciously." Sokov said with emphasis: "If we deploy an organized force here, we can reunite the scattered forces and restore the defense line that was separated by the German army."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, what you said makes sense." Chuikov nodded and said: "Actually, we were on the urban defense line. Originally, only the 13th Guards Division, an organized unit, existed. Now its 39th Guards Division The regiment is deployed on your right wing, and the two regiments deployed in the urban area were beaten and lost their structure under the fierce attack of the German army. If we deploy all the newly sent reinforcements in the direction of the urban area, we can gather them and defeat them. Remove the scattered troops and restore the original defense line."
"Do you need me to send someone to lead them?"
"Logically speaking, it is the responsibility of the Army Headquarters to lead the troops into the defense zone." Chuikov tried his best to put a smile on his face and said: "But currently the Army Headquarters is unable to protect itself and cannot send out suitable candidates. Go to the ferry to pick up the newly arrived troops. Therefore, I will leave this task to you." Chuikov slapped the map with his hand, "Bring them to the station and let the sailors move the station away from the enemy. Take it back from your hand."
"When will they start crossing the river?" Sokov then asked.
"It stands to reason that in order to ensure safety, the troops should use the night to cross the river." Chuikov said with a wry smile: "But these two troops are still marching. By the time they arrive at the east bank ferry, it will be almost noon. By then they will Braving enemy bombing and artillery fire, we forcibly crossed the Volga River."
Chuikov's words reminded Sokov of the scene when the 13th Guards Division was crossing the river a few days ago. Many soldiers died in the bombing of enemy planes before they saw what the Germans looked like, and the ships carrying them sank. into the cold bottom of the Volga River. Sokov sighed and said: "Oh, crossing the river in the daytime, I don't know how many soldiers will die in the bombing of enemy planes."
"I have asked the radio operator to send a report to the front army headquarters, requesting them to dispatch fighter planes to provide air support for the reinforcements when they cross the river." Chuikov said: "I hope this can reduce the casualties of the reinforcements crossing the river."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov turned to ask Sidorin: "Who do you think should be sent to the ferry to pick up the reinforcements?"
"Vasily Zaitsev." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Sidorin replied without hesitation: "He is familiar with the station area, why not let him go to the ferry to pick up the reinforcements and bring them Bring it to the combat area." He was deeply afraid that Sokov would oppose his proposal, and before Sokov could speak, he added, "Because the city has been shelled and bombed, there are ruins everywhere, and the streets have become unrecognizable. Except for snipers like Vasily who are lurking everywhere, I think anyone else who enters the city will definitely get lost."
Chuikov agreed with Sidorin's statement: "Yes, if we hadn't met Comrade Vasily today, we would still be wandering around in the maze-like ruins today. I agree to send Vasily to pick him up." Recruit reinforcements and bring them to their designated locations.”
