"What, Misha's wife?" Hearing what Belkin said, Yakov's jaw almost hit the ground: "Misha is married?" Seeing Belkin nodding vigorously in affirmation, he added One sentence, "When did you get married?"
"Comrade Major," Asiya learned that Yakov knew how Sokov was injured, so she quickly grabbed him again and asked anxiously: "Tell me quickly, how did Misha get injured?"
"I'm sorry, Comrade Asiya." Yakov looked at Asiya in front of him and said guiltily: "Misha was injured because he was trying to save me..." He told Asiya the situation at that time. After simply repeating it, he said apologetically, "Misha and I grew up together. I have always regarded him as my brother. Seeing him injured makes me feel very sad..." Asiya was anxious. Knowing the extent of Sokov's injury, Yakov opened the door and rushed in before he could finish speaking.
Military doctor Pavlov, who was operating on Sokov, noticed someone breaking in and frowned. He was about to say something to blame the other party, but when he looked up, he saw that it was Asiya who came in. He swallowed everything he wanted to say and said instead: "Asiya, you came just in time, help me fight." Let’s start.”
"Comrade Medical Doctor," Asiya asked urgently, "Where is Misha injured?"
Seeing Asiya's eager expression, Pavlov suddenly remembered that Asiya was the brigade commander's wife, and it was natural for him to be so concerned about Sokov's injury. He quickly replied: "The injury is in the abdomen."
Asiya glanced at the open wound and continued to ask: "What caused the injury?"
"Pistol bullets."
"Isn't it life-threatening?" Asiya asked with a tearful voice.
"Asia, don't you believe in my medical skills? If I say it's okay, then it will definitely be okay." After Pavlov said this, he said to Asiya in a commanding tone: "Come over quickly and help me. One, I need to take out the bullet as soon as possible."
The conversation in the operating room was also heard by Belkin and Yakov standing outside the door. Yakov, who was originally worried about what happened to Sokov, after hearing this, quickly turned around and asked Belkin in a low voice: "Comrade political commissar, the military doctor who performed the operation said that Misha is fine. He will be fine." ?"
"Major Yakov," Belkin learned that Sokov was punished for saving Yakov. In his heart, Belkin was somewhat dissatisfied with Yakov, but considering his special status, he still greeted him politely. He replied: "I trust the skills of military doctor Pavlov. He said it was fine. I believe the brigade commander will be fine."
After saying this, Belkin raised his hand and looked at his watch, then walked to the nearby room where the phone was placed, picked up the phone on the table and called Sidorin who stayed in the headquarters. After Sidorin heard Belkin's voice, he immediately asked: "Comrade Political Commissar, how is the brigade commander's injury?"
"According to Major Yakov, he was shot in the abdomen with a pistol." Belkin said into the microphone: "Now Comrade Brigade Commander is undergoing surgery in the operating room. You should immediately report this matter to Report from Army Group Headquarters.”
"Is this appropriate?" After hearing Belkin's instructions, Sidorin said with some embarrassment: "Last time the brigade commander was injured and fell into coma, the commander was very unhappy and said that as the commander of a brigade, he had no right to take Risking his own life. Just a few days later, he was injured again, and I really don’t know how to explain it to comrade Commander."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," seeing that Sidorin was unwilling to report the matter, Belgin said with some displeasure: "Judging from the current situation, the brigade commander will not be able to command the troops for a long time. Even if we don't do this, Report it, and the army headquarters can also use its own news channels to learn that the brigade commander has been injured again, and you and I may be in trouble by then."
"Okay, Comrade Comrade Political Commissar." Since Belgin had already said this, Sidorin also realized that if he concealed the news of Sokov's injury from his superiors, Chuikov might really blame him in the future, so he reluctantly said Say, "Since you think this should be reported, I'm going to call the commander immediately."
When Krylov received Sidorin's call, he thought there was something wrong with the defense line here on Mamayev Hills. He asked uneasily: "Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, is there something wrong with the defense line here on Mamayev Hills?" question?"
"No, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sidorin replied on the phone: "The attacks launched by the German army against us were successfully crushed."
Knowing that the Mamayev Heights defense line was safe, Krylov suddenly felt more at ease. He asked tentatively: "Then why did you call here...?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, Brigade Commander Lieutenant Colonel Sokov accompanied Major Yakov to the city last night." Sidorin said with difficulty into the microphone: "On their way back, they were approached by the German army. During the battle, Comrade Brigade Commander was unfortunately shot and wounded in order to cover Major Yakov..."
"What, Sokov is injured?" Krylov was startled by the unexpected news: "When did this happen? Is his injury serious?"
Before Sidorin could answer, Chuikov, who was bending down next to Gurov to discuss how to improve the morale of the troops, heard the news that Sokov was injured. He straightened up and asked Krylov with a look of surprise: "What? Sokov is injured again? What is going on? How could he be injured?"
Sidorin's report was not over yet. Krylov didn't know what happened specifically. He shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands to indicate that he didn't know the specific situation. But seeing Chuikov reaching out to him, he quickly handed over the microphone in his hand.
"Is it Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin? This is Chuikov." Chuikov put the receiver to his ear and asked, "Tell me, how did Lieutenant Colonel Sokov get injured?"
Sidorin did not expect that before he had finished reporting the situation to Krylov, the person who answered the phone was Chuikov. After a moment of panic, he quickly stabilized his emotions and answered clearly: " Report to Comrade Commander that after dark last night, Comrade Brigade Commander and Lieutenant Colonel Yakov went to Soviet Street to inspect a building there that was recaptured by our army."
"I know that building was captured by sniper Sergeant Vasily. Due to the special geographical location of that building, Sokov also deployed a lot of manpower and equipment to strengthen the defense there." Chuikov took the lead. After talking about the situation in that building, he continued to ask: "Tell me, how did he get injured?"
"After Comrade Brigade Commander personally inspected the power of the new rockets this morning, he and Major Yakov returned to Mamayev Hill." Sidorin said: "They were only a few hundred meters away from Mamayev Hill. , encountered several lost German soldiers, and fought. The enemy was quickly eliminated, but Sokov was unfortunately shot and wounded while covering Major Yakov."
After Chuikov figured out the reason for Sokov's injury, he frowned and asked, "Is his injury serious?"
"Currently still undergoing surgery." Sidorin did not directly answer the severity of the injury, but said euphemistically: "As far as I can see, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov will no longer be able to command the troops for a long time."
Chuikov knew very well in his heart that the reason why Mamayev Heights could stand firm under the onslaught of the German army was entirely due to Sokov's solid preparations before the war, and various countermeasures were also very effective during the battle. If the commander of other troops was injured, Chuikov would definitely appoint a deputy to take over his position without hesitation, but at this moment he did not do so immediately, but fell into deep thought. He knew very well that with Sidorin's ability , At best, he can only be a chief of staff, but cannot become a sole military officer.
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin heard that there was suddenly no sound in the earphones. He thought Chuikov had hung up the phone, so he quickly said into the phone: "Are you still there?"
"Yes, Comrade Sidorin, I'm still here." Chuikov considered that Mamayev Heights is an important area. As long as Sokov is still alive, he is not willing to give up the command of this area easily. Give it to others. Thinking of this, he said into the microphone: "I will rush to Mamayev Heights as soon as possible and have a talk with Sokov. Before I arrive, you will be temporarily responsible for the defense of the Mamayev Heights area. .”
"Understood, Comrade Commander." Sidorin quickly agreed.
After Chuikov put down the phone, he said to the confused Gurov: "Comrade Military Commissar, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov exchanged fire with several lost enemies on his way back to Mamayev Heights from the city. During the battle, , he was unfortunately shot and wounded and is now undergoing surgery. Judging from various signs, he will definitely not be able to command the troops in a short period of time. It is absolutely necessary for me to go to Mamayev Heights myself and designate a suitable person to replace him. command authority."
"Comrade Commander, whether we can hold Mamayev Heights is related to whether our army can hold Stalingrad." Gurov, who once served as the military commissar of the Southwest Front Army, had a very good understanding of the battlefield situation. He was embarrassed. Said: "We currently have no more suitable commander than Sokov."
"Comrade Commander," Krylov looked at the two men and asked cautiously: "What do you think of sending General Rodimtsev to take over Sokov's command?"
"General Rodimtsev, commander of the 13th Guards Division?!" As soon as Gurov heard Krylov mention Rodimtsev's name, he thought that there was only one Colonel Yelin left in the division. The 42nd Guards Regiment, still continuing to fight, while the other two regiments and divisional units had been defeated by the Germans, he hesitated and said: "Is he qualified for this job?"
In normal times, it would be just a matter of words for a major general to take over the command of a lieutenant colonel, but at this moment, Chuikov seemed very hesitant. After Rodimtsev entered the city, he ordered him to take charge of commanding all the troops near Mamayev Heights. However, judging from the actual situation, the other party was obviously not qualified for such a position. At such a critical moment, is it a wise choice for him to take over Sokov's 73rd Infantry Brigade?
Seeing Chuikov's delay in expressing his position, Krylov couldn't help but feel a little anxious. He coughed twice quickly, and after attracting Chuikov's attention, he cautiously asked: "Comrade Commander, let General Rodimtsev go." Do you agree to take over Sokov’s forces?”
After Chuikov waited for Krylov to finish speaking, he stared at him for a while, then shook his head and said: "No, Comrade Chief of Staff, I think even if General Rodimtsev is allowed to take over Sokov's troops, he It may not be possible to hold Mamayev Heights. Let me think about whether there are other candidates."
"Other candidates?!" After listening to Chuikov's statement, Krylov couldn't help frowning and thinking to himself: There is a lack of commanders everywhere nowadays, where can I find you a commander who has the ability to take charge of his own job? ? While he was in trouble, he suddenly saw Colonel Vitkov, the deputy chief of staff of the group army, walking in from outside, his eyes lit up.
Krylov waved to Vitkov, motioning for him to come to him, and then suggested to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, if you have no objection, I propose that Colonel Vitkov temporarily act as the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade. Brigadier position.”
"Ask me to act as the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade?" The sudden appointment confused the deputy chief of staff who had just walked in. His eyes swept back and forth between Chuikov and Krylov. Xie Di asked: "Comrade Commander and Chief of Staff, why did you suddenly ask me to serve as the acting brigade commander of the infantry brigade? What happened? Where is Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, where did he go?"
After Chuikov looked at Vitkov up and down, he silently recalled his resume and felt that although his deputy chief of staff had been engaged in staff work most of the time, he had never commanded an army alone. He is extremely cautious, so if he were asked to act as Sokov's deputy, he might still be a suitable candidate.
Although he had listed Vitkov as the best candidate in his heart, he did not announce the appointment immediately. Instead, he said to Vitkov: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, the situation is like this. Lieutenant Colonel Sokov returned from an inspection in the city. On the way, he encountered the enemy and was wounded in the battle. Judging from his injuries, he may not be able to command the troops for a period of time, so we plan to send a suitable candidate to take over his command and temporarily act as the infantry brigade brigadier."
After listening to Chuikov's story, Vitkov quickly waved his hands and said: "Comrade Commander, you must know that from the outbreak of the war to now, I have been engaged in staff work and have never commanded an army alone. I feel that I may not be qualified. For this position, you should find a more suitable candidate to replace Lieutenant Colonel Sokov."
If Vitkov had agreed to act as brigade commander without hesitation, Chuikov might have hesitated a little, but when he heard that the other party was shirking the position, he instead made up his mind. He said in a tone that left no room for doubt: "Deputy Chief of Staff. Comrade, this is my order, there is no room for bargaining and it can only be carried out unconditionally, do you understand?"
