After the second lieutenant confirmed Klimov's identity, his attitude immediately became enthusiastic: "It turns out that he is the adjutant from the group army headquarters. Please come on board quickly. The commanders are all in the cabin."
Klimov, led by the second lieutenant, came to a cabin. The light inside was very dark, and it took him a while to get used to the light inside. He saw several commanders sitting around a table, and the second lieutenant who had brought him here was reporting something in a low voice to one of the army colonels.
After the colonel waited for the second lieutenant to finish his report, he stood up and walked over, stretched out his hand to Klimov, and said politely: "Hello, comrade adjutant. I am Colonel Tanasolov, commander of the 92nd Infantry Brigade. This is next to me. My commissar Andreev.”
"Hello, Comrade Colonel." Since he was in the cabin at the moment, Klimov did not have to worry about enemy snipers nearby, so he raised his hand and saluted Tanasolov and Andreev: "Hello, Comrade Political Commissar!”
"There is also this commander from the Baltic Fleet," Tanasolov waited for Klimov to put down his hand, then pointed to the only political worker in the room wearing a navy uniform and introduced to Klimov. : "He is Comrade Vlasov, director of the brigade's political department."
"Hello, Comrade Vrasov." Klimov quickly saluted the sailor's political worker again.
"Comrade Adjutant," Tanasolov asked after waiting for Klimov and everyone in the headquarters to get to know each other, "What do you want when you come here?"
"That's right, Comrade Colonel." Klimov quickly replied: "Comrade Commander is at Mamayev Heights at the moment. He ordered me to ask the commander of the 92nd Infantry Brigade to see him."
Before Kerimov arrived, several commanders at the brigade headquarters were discussing where the headquarters should be located. At this moment, when he heard that Klimov said that the commander wanted to see him, he temporarily shelved the proposal and followed Klimov to Mamayev Hill to meet Chuikov.
When Chuikov saw that among the three commanders brought in by Klimov, two were army officers and one was a naval officer, Chuikov couldn't help showing a look of astonishment on his face. Colonel Tanasolov walked quickly to Chuikov, raised his hand in salute, and reported loudly: "Comrade General, Colonel Tanasolov, commander of the 92nd Infantry Brigade, is reporting to you that I have been ordered to come, Please advise!"
"Colonel Tanasolov, welcome to Stalingrad!" After Chuikov shook hands with Tanasolov, he asked with some confusion: "Comrade Colonel, if I am not mistaken, the 93rd Infantry Brigade should be composed of The Baltic Fleet and the North Sea Fleet are composed of sailors, but why is the commander an army officer?"
"That's right, Comrade General." In response to Chuikov's question, Colonel Tanasolov smiled and replied: "The superiors may be worried that the sailors will not know how to fight when they get to the shore, so they appointed us army officers to guide them. How should they fight the Germans on the shore. But don't worry, except for the brigade headquarters, everything from commanders at all levels to soldiers is composed of sailors."
Sokov, who was standing aside, heard Colonel Tanasolov saying that sailors did not know how to fight, and saw the political worker in navy uniform behind him with a look of dissatisfaction on his face. Seeing this situation, he couldn't help but secretly worry. It seemed that there was a certain conflict between the sailors and the army. Is it really reliable to let such a force cover his left wing?
"Comrade Commander, I am Vrasov, director of the political department of the 92nd Infantry Brigade." The naval political worker standing behind Tanasolov stepped forward and said to Chuikov with a solemn expression: "I disagree with the brigade commander. According to the statement, even if the sailors go ashore, their combat effectiveness will definitely not be worse than that of the army."
"Comrade Vlasov, I just said that casually." Tanasolov said with some embarrassment: "I know that the sailors are a great force, but except for the attack on the Winter Palace that year, you It seems that we have never fought on land, so you still need our guidance on how to fight on land."
Chuikov was worried that the two of them would quarrel, so he quickly came out to smooth things over: "It's useless for us to just argue here about whether the sailors can fight on land. We still have to look at their performance on land. Come to the map, and I'll give it to you. Please introduce the situation."
When Tanasolov and the three of them came to the map, Chuikov pointed at it with a wooden stick and said to them: "...the German army occupied the central railway station and split our defense line into two non-connected parts. , your brigade’s mission is to drive out the enemies in this area and restore our army’s defense line.”
After Chuikov finished speaking, he put down the wooden stick in his hand, looked at Tanasolov and the others and asked: "How are you doing, are you confident in restoring our army's position?"
"Comrade General," as soon as Chuikov finished speaking, Colonel Tanasolov expressed his position: "Please rest assured, as long as there is still one person in my 92nd Infantry Brigade, we will resolutely implement your order and send all The Germans were driven out of the area.”
Regarding Tanasolov's statement, Chuikov nodded with satisfaction, and then said: "Comrade Colonel, I believe what you said, and I hope you can achieve great feats in the battle to defend Stalingrad." Klimov ," he called his adjutant in front of him and ordered, "You take Colonel Tanasolov and others to the designated location, and help them choose a suitable location to serve as the brigade headquarters, do you understand?"
"Understood," Klimov replied loudly.
After Sidorin waited for Colonel Tanasolov and the others to leave, he asked Chuikov tentatively: "Comrade Commander, what do the superiors think? They actually sent the army to command the sailors. Aren't they afraid that there will be conflicts between them?"
"Perhaps the superiors are worried that the sailors do not know how to fight street fighting, so they are handed over to the command of the army." Chuikov said somewhat helplessly: "If we want to restore our defense line in the city, they are our only hope." In his words, he did not mention a word about the Stalingrad Front that was about to launch an attack on the outside of the encirclement. It is estimated that he was not optimistic about this attack at all.
After Chuikov finished speaking, he raised his hand to look at his watch, then walked behind the female telegraph operator and ordered her: "Yelena, contact the army headquarters immediately to see if the new headquarters has been built!"
"What, Comrade Commander, are you planning to go to the new headquarters at this time?" Sidorin was shocked when he heard what Chuikov said: "According to our observation post report, the enemy is shelling the factory area. Are you planning to go to the new headquarters at this time?" In the past, it was just too dangerous.”
"As soon as the new headquarters is built, I need to rush there immediately." Chuikov said resolutely: "We must readjust the defense deployment in the city before the friendly forces launch an attack outside the encirclement, and strive to crush the enemy and occupy Stalings as soon as possible. Le’s intention.”
Fortunately, Yelena did not wait long and walked up to Chuikov with a telegram and handed him a telegram: "Comrade Commander, this is a reply from the Army Headquarters and was personally signed by the Chief of Staff. "
Hearing that the telegram was personally signed by the chief of staff, Chuikov couldn't help but be overjoyed: "What, Krylov has arrived at the new headquarters safely." Unexpectedly, after he took the telegram and looked at it for a few times, the smile on his face gradually disappeared. .
Seeing his expression, Sidorin walked over and asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, what happened?"
Chuikov raised his head and looked at Sidorin and said: "According to incomplete statistics, when the group army headquarters was transferred, three detachments led by the deputy directors of the artillery, engineering and armored forces encountered the enemy. After a fierce battle, they all All sacrificed heroically.”
Everyone present could not help but be shocked when they learned that three heavyweight commanders had been lost during the transfer of the headquarters. Sokov stood up, walked to Chuikov, and asked cautiously: "Comrade Commander, have all the other commanders arrived at the new headquarters safely?"
"There is also Military Commissar Gurov who has not arrived at the new headquarters, but he should be on the east coast at the moment and will not be in any danger." Chuikov stuffed the telegram in his pocket and continued: "Since the new headquarters It has been established, so I will rush there immediately."
"Comrade Commander, don't you have to wait for Klimov?" Seeing Chuikov insisting on leaving, Sidorin quickly reminded him: "He took the 92nd Infantry Brigade to a new combat area. You can wait for him to come back. After the report, it’s not too late to leave.”
"No need. Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, if you see him, ask him to go directly back to the new headquarters to find me." Chuikov turned to Sokov and said: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I have to rush back to the command as soon as possible. Ministry, please send someone to accompany me."
Sokov was still very concerned about Chuikov's safety. He quickly called Second Lieutenant Samoilov, the third platoon leader of the guard company, and ordered him: "Comrade Second Lieutenant, I now order you to escort the commander to the new location." Command. I leave his safety to you, and you have to promise me that you will ensure the safety of your comrade commander just like you protect your own eyes."
"Don't worry, Comrade Brigade Commander." Second Lieutenant Samoilov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, then straightened up and replied: "As long as there is one person alive in our platoon, the commander will never be harmed in the slightest. "
Before Chuikov left the headquarters, he shook hands with everyone one by one and said goodbye. He finally held Sokov's hand and told him: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, whether we can hold Mamayev Heights is related to whether our army can hold Stalingrad. Everything depends on you."
"Comrade Commander, please rest assured." In order to reassure Chuikov, Sokov assured him: "Our entire brigade commanders and combatants will rely on the existing defenses to fight the enemy tenaciously. Unless our entire brigade is killed. , the enemy can occupy Mamayev Heights on our corpses."
