"But, Comrade Commander, I think you should know very well what the current situation of the army is." Krylov waited for Chuikov to finish speaking, then said with a grimace, "Where else can we allocate troops to strengthen the barricade factory?" And what about the defense of the Dzerzhinsky plant?”
"Colonel Batrakov's 42nd Infantry Brigade, as soon as it entered Stalingrad, started a tug-of-war with the Germans in the Voroshilov area. Later, the troops suffered heavy casualties and had to retreat. Now they should be at The family area of the barricade factory." Chuikov looked at Krylov and asked, "How many troops are left in the brigade now?"
"According to statistics from the past two days, there are still 630 people left in the brigade, including less than 200 infantrymen." Krylov opened his notepad and took a look, then looked up at Chuikov and continued, "But these two days They have been fighting and there are probably even fewer left."
"Can we contact them?" When Chuikov asked this, he was still thinking about it. If telegrams and telephone calls failed to contact the 42nd Brigade, he would have no choice but to send communications troops to convey the order.
Fortunately, what he was worried about did not happen. Krylov replied, "We usually communicate with each other through telegrams. If you have any orders, I can ask the telegraph operator to send them a message."
"First send a telegram to Colonel Batrakov and ask him how many troops he still has." Chuikov was deeply afraid that after issuing the combat order, the brigade would have been wiped out in the battle, and major events would be missed." After I figure out their current strength, it won’t be too late for me to assign tasks to them.”
After Krylov understood Chuikov's intention, he immediately walked to the telegraph operator and dictated the contents of the message to him: "Send a message to Colonel Batrakov, commander of the 42nd Infantry Brigade, and ask them to report the remaining strength of the army as soon as possible. We There are important combat tasks to be assigned."
Five minutes after the message was sent, Colonel Batrakov received a call back. After reading the contents of the telegram, Krylov walked back to Chuikov and said to him, "Comrade Commander, Colonel Batrakov said they have more than 500 people left, including about 100 infantry."
"Why do we only have this small number of troops?" Chuikov couldn't help but frowned after listening to Krylov's report. "Except for a hundred infantry, the rest are agency logistics personnel, with no combat effectiveness at all..."
"Comrade Commander, I feel that if this unit is allowed to fight alone, it may not be of much use." Krylov waited for Chuikov to finish and quickly added, "But if they are allowed to command the annihilation battalion, it may be possible to improve the militia." combat effectiveness."
"Increase the combat effectiveness of the militia?" Chuikov was stunned at first by Krylov's statement, and then understood what the other party meant. "That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right. If the command of the brigade is Enriching the militia members into the annihilation battalion and letting them command the militia in combat can indeed improve the combat effectiveness."
Seeing that Chuikov agreed to his proposal, Krylov struck the iron while the iron was hot and asked, "Do I need to recruit Colonel Batrakov to the headquarters?"
"Okay." Chuikov nodded and said, "Let him come to the headquarters as soon as possible. I will personally assign combat missions to him."
After solving the defense problem of the barricade factory, Chuikov asked Krylov, "Chief of Staff, are there any of our regular troops near the Dzerzhinsky factory?"
"As far as I know, there are two regular troops." Krylov replied. "One is a company of the 35th Guards Division. They were dispersed and regrouped. The company commander is a second lieutenant; and The other one is the 244th Infantry Division, the division commander is Colonel Afasiyev, and the political commissar is named Zarikov."
"The 244th Infantry Division?" Chuikov repeated the number and asked in confusion, "There should be no such unit in our army's structure, right?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander, you remember correctly." Krylov waited for Chuikov to finish, and immediately nodded and said, "This infantry division does not belong to the organization of our army."
"Hell, why is a division that does not belong to our army appear in the factory area?" When Chuikov asked this, he was still thinking secretly that this division came from the three armies commanded by Zhukov?
"The division belongs to the 57th Group Army and was originally ordered to withdraw to the east bank of the Volga River. However, before crossing the river, they received orders from their superiors to stay in the city and continue fighting. In this way, they separated from the 57th Group Army The establishment remained in the factory area.”
"How many people are there in this division now?" Chuikov learned that there was such a team in his defense zone. His heartbeat could not help but quicken, and he quickly asked, "Can we continue to fight?"
"There are currently 1,500 people left in the division, including a full infantry battalion of combat soldiers."
"Call Colonel Afasiyev here too." Chuikov raised his voice and said, "Without their help, just relying on some militia annihilation battalions would not be able to defend the Dzerzhinsky Factory."
After Krylov finished sending the telegram to the two colonels, Chuikov continued to say to him, "Comrade Chief of Staff, I think it is necessary to remind you that as long as Mamayev Heights is still in the hands of our army, the enemy will It is impossible to completely separate our army's troops in urban areas and factory areas. In this way, they have to fight on two fronts at the same time, so that our army will not be besieged by superior forces. Therefore, not only can we not Instead of allocating troops to Sokov, we must find ways to replenish his troops so that he has enough troops to firmly hold Mamayev Heights."
Hearing what Chuikov said, Krylov smiled bitterly and replied, "Comrade Commander, you just said that we don't have any reserves at all, so how can we replenish his troops?"
"In the urban area, our army has at least a dozen troops active." Chuikov said, "But after a long battle, there are not many troops left in these troops, so they cannot pose a big threat to the German army." Threat. But if these troops are given to Sokov to command, I believe he will be able to reintegrate these troops and turn them into a force with super combat effectiveness."
"Okay," Krylov did not contradict Chuikov on this matter, because he understood that if all the stragglers in the city direction were really handed over to Sokov's troops, the situation in that direction might become worse. It was more beneficial to him, so he replied very readily, "I will send a telegram to the commanders of those troops and ask them to obey Sokov's command."
But as soon as the words came out of his mouth, Krylov realized that he had made a mistake. He quickly asked Chuikov, "Comrade Commander, didn't you just hand over the command of the troops near Mamayev Ridge to the 13th Guards last week?" General Rodimtsev, division commander? It has only been a few days and you have handed over command to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov. Will it cause chaos in the troops?"
"I don't think so." Chuikov said, staring at the map in front of him. "Rodimtsev and his 42nd Guards Regiment are now on the right wing of Mamayev Hill and cannot command the troops in the city at all. Therefore. , I think it might be more appropriate for Sokov to command the troops in the city."
While Chuikov and Krylov were waiting for the two colonels, Lieutenant Colonel Sokolov, the director of the logistics department who was staying at the ferry, called. On the phone, he wanted Krylov to report: "Comrade Chief of Staff, there has just been an incident." The ferry docked and a batch of weapons and ammunition was taken off the ship..."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokolov," Krylov interrupted him before he could finish his words, "You are responsible for the army's ordnance supply. Since there are new weapons and ammunition shipped from across the river, you can directly send People can just take over, why bother calling me to report?”
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Lieutenant Colonel Sokolov replied with some embarrassment, "When I sent someone to take over the arms, I was stopped by the major leading the other party and said that these arms were for the 73rd Infantry Brigade."
"What, arms for the 73rd Infantry Brigade?" Krylov heard what Lieutenant Colonel Sokolov said and couldn't help but said angrily, "Where is the officer leading them? Give him the phone. I want to ask what the hell is going on!”
Soon a strange voice came from the receiver: "Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff, I am the officer escorting the arms. What are your instructions?"
"Major, let me ask you." Krylov said fiercely into the microphone, "Whose order did you follow to send the arms directly to the 73rd Infantry Brigade? Don't you know that they belong to our 62nd Army? Directed?"
"I know, General Krylov." The major who answered the phone obviously knew Krylov's identity, so he replied in an unassuming manner, "I was ordered by the base camp to send this batch of arms directly to the 73rd Infantry Regiment. Brigade, no one is allowed to stop it.”
When Chuikov, who was standing next to Krylov, heard this, he immediately stretched out his hand and said solemnly, "Comrade Chief of Staff, give me the phone. I want to know which superior actually wants to bypass our army and directly Send the arms to one of the troops below."
When Krylov heard what Chuikov said, he didn't dare to neglect and quickly handed the microphone to him. Chuikov took the microphone and put it to his ear, and said in a stern tone, "I am Chuikov, commander of the 62nd Army. Major, please state your name."
"My name is Yakov Dzhugashvili, from the Weapons and Equipment Department in Moscow." The officer's voice came from the receiver. "On the order of Comrade Ustinov, the People's Commissar, I sent the arms directly to the infantry corps. Lieutenant Colonel Sokov of the 73rd Brigade.”
"What, what did you say?" Chuikov was startled when he heard the name announced by the other party, and asked hurriedly and cautiously, "You said you are Yakov Dzhugashvili?"
"Yes, I am Yakov Dzhugashvili." Yakov on the other end of the phone said calmly, "General Chuikov, since you already know my identity, can I continue to perform my mission?" ?”
"Of course, of course." After Chuikov figured out the identity of the other party, his attitude became more respectful. "Yakov, please hand the phone to Comrade Sokolov next to you. I will explain this matter to him personally."
When Sokolov's voice came from the receiver, Chuikov immediately said to him, "Lieutenant colonel, listen, the major next to you was ordered by his superiors to serve as an infantry soldier of the 73rd Infantry Division guarding Mamaev Hill. The brigade is sending arms. You must not stop them, and at the same time, you must send people to help them transport the arms to Mamayev Heights. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Seeing Chuikov telling him so, Sokolov still didn't understand the identity of the major beside him, so he quickly replied, "I will immediately send someone to escort them to Mamayev Heights. "
After Sokolov put down the phone, he immediately helped Yakov find two trucks, loaded the dozens of wooden boxes they had piled on the dock into the truck, and sent a squad of troops to escort Yakov and the others. Arrive at Mamayev Hill smoothly.
A battalion stationed on the reverse slope of Nangang saw two trucks coming towards their defense area. They quickly sent people to inquire and learned that they were sending arms to themselves, so they led them to the entrance at the foot of the hill.
When the soldiers of the first battalion were helping to unload the wooden boxes from the truck, Yakov walked up to a second lieutenant and asked him, "Comrade second lieutenant, I want to see your brigade commander. Can you send Can anyone be my guide?"
When the second lieutenant heard Yakov's question, he quickly replied, "Comrade major, please wait a moment. I will immediately arrange for someone to take you to see the brigade commander." After that, he called a soldier and asked him to take Yakov with him. Go to the tunnels to meet Sokov.
When Sokolov's voice came from the receiver, Chuikov immediately said to him, "Lieutenant colonel, listen, the major next to you was ordered by his superiors to serve as an infantry soldier of the 73rd Infantry Division guarding Mamaev Hill. The brigade is sending arms. You must not stop them, and at the same time, you must send people to help them transport the arms to Mamayev Heights. Do you understand?"
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Seeing Chuikov telling him so, Sokolov still didn't understand the identity of the major beside him, so he quickly replied, "I will immediately send someone to escort them to Mamayev Heights. "
After Sokolov put down the phone, he immediately helped Yakov find two trucks, loaded the dozens of wooden boxes they had piled on the dock into the truck, and sent a squad of troops to escort Yakov and the others. Arrive at Mamayev Hill smoothly.
A battalion stationed on the reverse slope of Nangang saw two trucks coming towards their defense area. They quickly sent people to inquire and learned that they were sending arms to themselves, so they led them to the entrance at the foot of the hill.
When the soldiers of the first battalion were helping to unload the wooden boxes from the truck, Yakov walked up to a second lieutenant and asked him, "Comrade second lieutenant, I want to see your brigade commander. Can you send Can anyone be my guide?"
When the second lieutenant heard Yakov's question, he quickly replied, "Comrade major, please wait a moment. I will immediately arrange for someone to take you to see the brigade commander." After that, he called a soldier and asked him to take Yakov with him. Go to the tunnels to meet Sokov.
.
