After the two came out of the headquarters, Vitkov asked Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, are you going back to Mamayev Heights or to the Red October Factory?"
"Of course, back to the factory." From the moment they met until now, Sokov has never had the chance to introduce the situation in the factory to Vitkov. Now when he heard him ask about it, he said to him: "There are many walls in the factory area. They were all destroyed during the German bombing. In order to prevent the enemy from entering the factory through these gaps, Director Peter transferred the annihilation battalion that was stationed in the assembly workshop. Now our company, including the militiamen, only has about 300 people. If I were not here If you stare there, you will feel uneasy."
Vitkov was also surprised to learn that Sokov had so few troops. He originally planned to go back to Mamayev Heights directly after the meeting. But when he heard Sokov say this, he changed his mind temporarily: "Comrade Brigadier, I will go with you to the factory to have a look."
Sokov thought that he still had many things to explain to Witkov, so he nodded and said, "Okay, then come with me to see it."
The two of them walked towards the factory with the accompanying soldiers. Although there were no stars or moon in the sky at the moment, the firelight from the burning buildings in the distance allowed them to see the road clearly.
On the way, Vitkov asked Sokov again: "Comrade Brigade Commander, are we really not going to participate in this attack?"
Seeing that Vitkov was still thinking about the counterattack that was about to begin, Sokov said with some laughter and tears: "Colonel, didn't I make it very clear at the meeting that our main task is to hold on to the Mamayev Heights and ensure that it is safe under any circumstances?" They will not be occupied by the Germans. If we devote our limited troops to the counterattack, and once the counterattack ends in failure, what will we use to hold our position?"
"But," Witkov understood what Sokov said, but when he thought that a few days later, other troops were attacking the enemy, but his own troops stayed on the ground, he felt troubled. Not the taste: "Is it appropriate to see friendly forces attacking the enemy, but we are standing still?"
"There is nothing inappropriate." Sokov said: "Guarding Mamayev Heights and ensuring that the defense line in the city is not broken by the enemy plays a decisive role in crushing the enemy's siege of Stalingrad."
The two of them were talking and unknowingly arrived near the factory. Looking at the ruins of the factory, Vitkov asked worriedly: "Comrade Brigadier, the factories have been blown up by German planes, and it is impossible to build strong fortifications. How are you going to hold on here?"
"Although the factory building was blown down, the basement is still basically intact." Sokov said confidently: "In the future, when this place is shelled or bombed by the Germans, I can ask the soldiers to hide in the basement and wait for the enemy's attack. When the infantry launched an attack, we would come out of the basement, hide in the ruins and shoot at the enemy."
"Comrade Brigadier, it is too dangerous here." Vitkov was worried about Sokov's safety. He tried to persuade Sokov to return to Mamayev Heights with him: "I think you should give up the command." Give it to Brisky, and then come with me back to Mamayev Heights."
"Colonel, the troops here are limited now. If I stay here, I can still play a role in boosting morale." Sokov replied: "If I leave at this time, what will the soldiers and workers think? Will it? Do you think I am a greedy person who only sings high-pitched words and runs away when the situation is not good?"
Witkov really couldn't refute Sokov's statement. He even thought that if he were a soldier and saw the commander making excuses to abandon the troops and leave here, he would probably be disappointed with the commander. Therefore, he changed his mind and wanted to go back to discuss with Sidorin and Belkin to see if he could provide some help to Sokov.
A group of people walked into the ruins of the factory, and suddenly an extremely majestic voice came from the crater not far away: "Everyone, stop, command!"
Sokov took the lead and stopped, stretched out his hand to grab Witkov, who was not yet clear about his situation, and said towards the direction of the sound: "I am Sokov, who is where?"
"Brigade Commander, it's the Brigade Commander who's back." As soon as Sokov's voice fell, two soldiers crawled out of the crater and came to stand in front of Sokov and stood at attention, "Comrade Brigadier, we are sentries and we are on guard duty. mission.”
"You are quite vigilant," Sokov praised the sentry and asked casually, "Is there anything going on?"
"No!...No, yes!" the sentry replied in a panic: "To be precise, something happened."
"What happened?" Sokov thought that the Germans had sneaked into the factory area again, so he asked with a hint of doubt: "Have the Germans sneaked into the factory area again?"
"No, Comrade Brigade Commander." The sentry shook his head and said: "Not long ago, a small force of seven or eight people came, led by a major, saying they came to see you. You were not there at the time, but the battalion Comrade Chang received him."
Sokov thought that he had just come from the army headquarters and that this major was definitely not sent by Chuikov. He frowned and asked, "Do you know who they are?"
The sentry shook his head, "No, I don't know. The major did not identify himself."
Seeing that he could not get the answer he wanted from the sentry, Sokov could only hope to see these people soon, and then asked: "Where are they?"
"It's all in the basement."
As soon as Sokov waited for the sentry to finish speaking, he quickened his pace and walked towards the entrance of the basement.
He came to the door of the command post that Cousteau had vacated for himself. With the help of the faint candlelight inside, he saw clearly that Briskey was sitting at the table, talking to the two commanders wearing big-brimmed hats opposite. Sokov coughed loudly, and after everyone's eyes turned to him, he strode in and greeted, "Hello, comrades!"
"Comrade Brigade Commander, you are back!" Briski stood up quickly and said to Sokov with a smile: "They have been waiting for you for a long time."
Sokov turned to look at the two officers. The first thing he saw was a familiar face. He couldn't help but exclaimed: "Yakov, it's you!"
Yakov opened his arms and said proudly, "It's me!" Then he stepped forward and gave Sokov a warm hug.
After the two separated, Sokov asked curiously: "Yakov, why did you come here?" After asking this question, he instinctively turned to look at Vitkov who had followed him in, wanting to ask him why not Tell yourself about Yakov.
Vitkov spread his hands and said helplessly: "Comrade Brigadier, don't look at me. I didn't know that Major Yakov came to Stalingrad again."
"Misha," Yakov affectionately called Sokov by his nickname, "I left Moscow this time to deal with the conflict between you and General Moskalenko."
"Conflict?!" Hearing what Yakov said, Sokov was stunned for a moment, then remembered the last time the rocket was seized by Moskalenko's troops, and asked in surprise: "Yakov, you Is it about General Moskalenko’s seizure of our batch of rockets? But wasn’t this matter resolved after Comrade Khrushchev came forward?”
"Yes, Uncle Khrushchev's intervention did temporarily calm the conflict." Yakov said with a trace of anger on his face: "Who would have thought that Moskalenko actually went to the Supreme Command two days ago? The complaint was made, saying that the people in the Weapons and Equipment Department favored one and the other. If they could equip these new rockets, they would have broken the German siege of Stalingrad long ago.
People's Commissar Ustinov had no choice but to arrange for the military factory below to produce twenty pieces for them in order to appease their anger. After I led people to deliver the rockets to the First Guards Army, I thought that your old friend was still in the city, so I stopped by to take a look. Unexpectedly, when I arrived at Mamayev Kurgan, I heard that you were at the Red October Tractor Factory, so I asked Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin to send two guides to bring me here. "
"Yakov, if nothing happens, leave as soon as possible." Sokov thought of the upcoming counterattack and was worried that Yakov and the others might run into all kinds of trouble if they wanted to leave. However, the counterattack plan is still in the secret stage. Even if Yakov is Stalin's son and his friend, he cannot tell him this matter clearly, so he said euphemistically: "If the German army catches up with a large-scale attack, you have to cross the river to the other side. , but it’s not an easy thing.”
"Misha, I am also a soldier. Since you are not afraid, what do you have to fear from me?" After Yakov said this, he pulled an officer standing next to him and said to Sokov: " Misha, let me introduce to you, this is tanker Lieutenant Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov."
When he first heard that the other party was a tank driver, Sokov didn't take it seriously, but when he heard that the other party's surname was Kalashnikov, he couldn't help but gasped and thought to himself: "Is this the one who is called Kalashnikov?" Kalashnikov, the father of the AK47?”
Seeing Sokov staring at Kalashnikov in a daze, as if he saw an acquaintance, Yakov asked curiously: "Misha, have you known Kalashnikov before?"
Although Sokov once saw Kalashnikov, supported by two honor guards, laying flowers to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier next to the Kremlin palace wall on Victory Day in later generations, he was still the first to do so after coming to this era. I saw this man for the first time. He hurriedly shook his head and said perfunctorily: "I don't know him. I've never seen him before. Yakov, I'm just curious. Why did you bring a tank officer here? You know, there is no such thing in my army." tank."
"Misha, you misunderstood." Yakov explained to Sokov: "Lieutenant Kalashnikov came here with me and has another important mission."
"Important mission?" Sokov looked at Kalashnikov in front of him and thought to himself: "The superiors sent Kalashnikov here. What important mission could he have? Are they planning to let him here?" Are you working on a new rifle?”
Kalashnikov's visit to the Red October Tractor Factory was not a secret, so Yakov introduced it to Sokov with great interest: "After joining the army, Lieutenant Kalashnikov went to the Ordnance Mechanic After studying in technical training classes and tank driving schools, he designed a device that records the number of bullets designed for tank machine guns through the calculation principle of inertial rotation; he also designed a tank fuel consumption meter and new tracks, and received awards.
Since he is a tank soldier and has mechanical knowledge, his superiors sent him here to assist the engineers of the Red October Tractor Factory in improving the existing T-34 tanks. "
When he learned that Kalashnikov was actually here to help the factory improve the T-34 tank, Sokov couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise. He thought to himself: He didn't expect that because of the appearance of his little butterfly, he actually let The father of the later-famous AK47 no longer designs firearms, but instead studies tanks. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat and said insincerely: "Lieutenant Kalashnikov, if you need any help, you can come to me."
Originally this was just a polite comment, but Kalashnikov actually asked smoothly: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I heard that you can also drive a tank. Is there any good advice you can give me?"
"Any suggestions?" Kalashnikov's question made Sokov a little embarrassed. Although he knew how to drive a tank, it was just for fun. He didn’t know how to improve the tank. He quickly waved his hands and said: "I'm sorry, Lieutenant Kalashnikov, I am a layman on tanks, so I can't give you anything good." suggestion."
Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Yakov, who was afraid of chaos in the world, interrupted and said: "Misha, don't be humble. Since you can drive a tank, it is always okay to give one or two opinions based on your experience. Bar."
"Yes, yes, Comrade Major is right." Kalashnikov quickly echoed Yakov's words, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, just say whatever you want."
Now that the matter has reached this point, Sokov knew that if he didn't say a few words, Yakov would definitely not let him go. After hesitating for a long time, he said: "Lieutenant Kalashnikov, the T- 34 tank uses a 76mm gun. If it is only used against the German Panzer III and IV tanks, it will not be a big problem. But if the German army launches tanks with thicker armor and stronger firepower, I am worried that armor-piercing projectiles of this caliber will be Unable to penetrate enemy frontal armor."
Kalashnikov took down what Sokov said with a note, raised his head and asked again: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what caliber of artillery do you think it should be replaced with?"
"I think 85mm is more suitable." Sokov continued: "The current tank only has four members, namely the commander, driver, gunner and loader. The commander also serves as the gunner. I suggest that Adding a gunner will allow the commander to concentrate on directing the battle. What do you think?"
Set a small goal first, such as remembering in 1 second: Shukeju
