After Chuikov received the call from Peter, he felt strange. Since Sokov was unclear about the purpose of asking for these explosives, he did not make a rash decision. Instead, he said to Peter: "Director Peter, let me first find out from Lieutenant Colonel Sokov what he wants for these explosives." , I’ll give you an answer again, okay?”
"Okay, Comrade General." Peter replied: "The explosives are all ready. If you agree to allocate them to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I will immediately arrange for manpower to load them."
After Chuikov ended his call with Peter, he turned to Krylov and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Director Peter called me and said that Sokov asked him for five loads of explosives. Do you know what is going on?"
"I'm not sure." Krylov shook his head and said in an uncertain tone: "Does Sokov intend to use this batch of explosives to build fortifications?"
"Although the weather is getting colder day by day, the ground has not yet frozen." Seeing that Krylov did not understand the situation, Chuikov frowned and said: "There is absolutely no need to use explosives to blow up the land and build fortifications. "
"Comrade Commander," Krylov suggested to Chuikov: "Rather than just guessing here, we should send a telegram to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov to find out what is going on."
"Good idea." Chuikov agreed with Krylov's proposal and urged: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you should immediately send a telegram to Sokov and ask about the purpose of this batch of explosives. Director Peter is still waiting. Here’s my reply.”
After about five or six minutes, Krylov returned to Chuikov with Sokov's telegram and said with a serious expression: "Comrade Commander, we understand that Lieutenant Colonel Sokov intends to use this batch of explosives. Come and blow up the fortifications on those lines of defense.”
"What, blow up the fortifications?" When Chuikov heard what Krylov said, he suddenly stood up from his seat and asked in surprise: "Why did he want to blow up the fortifications?"
Krylov glanced down at the telegram in his hand, handed it to Chuikov, sighed and said: "Comrade Commander, according to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's analysis, even if his troops reach Orlovka, He couldn't hold on for long, so he planned to blow up all the fortifications along the way when he retreated so that the Germans wouldn't use them again."
Chuikov took the telegram and carefully read the content written on it, and found that it was basically consistent with what Krylov said. After reading the telegram, Chuikov threw it on the table and said expressionlessly: "Give him these explosives."
"Comrade Commander, why is this?" Hearing what Chuikov said, Krylov couldn't help but asked in surprise: "Why should Sokov be given these explosives to blow up these defenses that are useful to us?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Chuikov looked at Krylov and said seriously: "Actually, you and I both know that this counterattack was launched too hastily and may not last long. Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's troops Even if they reach Orlovka, given their strength, they probably won't be able to hold on for long. Once they retreat, the defensive positions currently occupied by them will definitely fall into the hands of the Germans again, so they must be bombed in advance. The purpose of dropping the fortifications is to prevent the Germans from using these fortifications to resist friendly forces rushing in from outside the encirclement."
"This matter is of great importance," Krylov reminded Chuikov cautiously: "Do you think it is necessary to report to your superiors?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you immediately draft a report to the Front Army Headquarters." Regarding what Krylov reminded him, Chuikov did not refute, but nodded and said: "I will call Director Peter now and ask him to He arranged manpower as soon as possible to provide Sokov with this batch of explosives."
…………
When Bely returned to the temporary headquarters, he heard that the group army headquarters had sent a telegram to learn about the use of explosives. He couldn't help but asked worriedly: "Comrade Brigade Commander, will this not cause you any trouble?"
"Trouble?" Chuikov heard Bely's question and asked with some confusion: "What trouble?"
"According to Order No. 227, no one is allowed to take a step back without receiving an order." Bely said hesitantly: "But what we have to do next is to abandon the positions we have occupied, and we have to use The explosives destroyed all the fortifications on the position. Once your superiors investigate, you may be sent to a military court."
During the war, going to military court and going to the execution ground were synonymous. Although Sokov knew in his heart that he was doing this to better preserve the effective strength of the troops, he still felt a chill in his spine when he heard Bely mentioning Order No. 227. Chills. However, after some weighing, Sokov decided to stick to his plan. After all, in another month and a half, the Soviet army would launch a large-scale counterattack. If these ready-made fortifications were used by the German army, they would cause considerable casualties to the attacking troops.
Sokov raised his hand and looked at it, then raised his head and said to Bely: "Comrade Colonel, I am the commander of the infantry brigade. If my superiors want to hold me accountable in the future, I will be responsible for everything."
"Comrade Brigadier, look at what you said." Unexpectedly, Bely pursed his lips after hearing what Sokov said and said dissatisfied: "I am also a member of the infantry brigade now. If my superiors want to hold me accountable, I will I am willing to share the responsibility with you.”
"Thank you, Colonel Bely." Seeing Bely expressing his willingness to advance and retreat with him, Sokov held his hand tightly and thanked him. Then he said to him: "As soon as the explosives arrive, you will arrange for manpower to install them. Once we withdraw, we will blow up these fortifications immediately."
"By the way, Comrade Brigadier, I have one more thing to report to you." While shaking hands with Sokov, Bely suddenly remembered an important thing and said to him quickly: "The first person we broke through And the second line of defense is now defended by the 120th Regiment of the Guards Division. When our soldiers went to plant explosives, they were stopped by them. Do you think you can communicate with General Guryev and ask their soldiers not to stop them? Interfering with our work of planting explosives."
Sokov did not expect that the work he arranged would be obstructed by friendly forces. He nodded quickly and said: "Then I will contact General Guryev immediately and inform him of this matter."
Bely nodded at a phone on the table and said, "With that phone, you can talk to General Guryev directly, so there is no need to send a telegram."
After the call was connected, Guryev learned that it was Sokov who was looking for him, so he preemptively asked: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I was about to call you, but I didn't expect you to call first."
"Comrade General," when Guryev said he was going to call him, Sokov asked tentatively: "May I ask if you have any instructions?"
"I just received the following report." Guryev said on the phone: "It said that they caught several saboteurs who tried to plant explosives on the defense line controlled by our division. After interrogation, those people all said in unison It's your subordinate."
"That's right, Comrade General." After learning that several of his subordinates were captured by Guryev's men, Sokov quickly replied: "They are indeed my subordinates, and I sent them to plant explosives."
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." After listening to Sokov's words, Guryev asked in an unbelievable tone: "Are these people really sent by you?"
"Yes," Sokov replied decisively, "I sent them."
After learning that the person who planted the explosives was personally sent by Sokov, Guryev asked with some displeasure: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, please explain to me why you planted explosives in these places? Do you want to Accompany the Germans to take Stalingrad?”
"Of course that's not the case." Sokov was worried about Guryev's misunderstanding, so he explained to him: "I estimate that we will soon abandon the current area and return to the original station. In order to prevent the Germans from In order to reuse these fortifications, we sent people to plant explosives everywhere and wait for the enemy to detonate them when they move in to destroy these fortifications.”
"So that's it." After figuring out what happened, Guryev said to Sokov in an apologetic tone: "I apologize to you for the recklessness of my men."
Sokov considered that he had too few manpower and would be too busy with fortifications such as laying explosives, so he planned to ask Guryev to help him, and asked tentatively: "Comrade General, I wonder if you can allocate some of your manpower to help us in the Where are the explosives planted in the occupied positions?”
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Guryev did not immediately agree to Sokov's situation, but asked curiously: "According to the information we have, it is entirely possible that you will arrive in Orlovka today. Why? Suddenly thought of blowing up the fortifications? Also, you just said that the troops will return to their original positions soon, what happened? Do you know any inside information? "
"I don't know anything, Comrade General." Sokov replied with a wry smile: "I only know that with our current strength, even if we barely reach Orlovka, there is no way to defend it, so we must advance Be prepared to retreat.”
Guryev asked calmly: "Did you report this matter to Commander Chuikov?"
"Reported." Sokov replied simply: "But I haven't received any reply yet."
At this moment, the operator stood up, walked to Sokov, and handed a telegram to Sokov. After quickly reading the above content, Sokov showed an expression of surprise on his face. He quickly said into the microphone: "I just received a telegram from Comrade Commander. He agreed to my plan and urged the factory to provide the goods as soon as possible." We send explosives.”
Seeing that this matter had been approved by Chuikov, Guryev no longer persisted in his opinion, but said into the microphone: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I will immediately call the commander below and ask him to report the two people who were wrongly arrested. The comrade was released."
…………
After a lot of trouble, the truck transporting explosives finally arrived in Sokov before dawn. The area where the temporary command headquarters is located. After learning that the explosives had been delivered, Sokov said to Bely: "Comrade Colonel, the attack is about to begin. Please go and receive this batch of explosives and bury them properly at the designated location."
Before Bely could leave, Vanya came in from the outside and asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Brigadier, the time is almost up. Is there a position that can be attacked with rockets?"
Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch. He felt that the time was almost up, so he nodded and said, "Comrade Captain, have your people get into the launch position immediately. Our attack is about to begin."
In order to better observe the scene on the battlefield, Sokov walked out of the command post, went to the top of a hill not far away, raised his telescope and looked forward. It was pitch dark on the German position, with no light visible. It was not known whether the Germans were sleeping in the concealment or hiding somewhere, closely monitoring their direction.
Following Vanya's order, five rockets dragged their long flame tails and flew towards the enemy's position. Sokov first saw a dazzling ball of fire rising from the position, and then heard an earth-shattering explosion. Then five more rockets flew towards the enemy's position...
It took less than a minute for all fifteen rockets to be fired, and the enemy's positions were burning everywhere. At this moment, Sokov saw countless figures jumping out of the grass and rushing towards the position illuminated by the fire.
The Germans thought that the Soviet attack must have been launched with the cooperation of tanks. They waited for most of the night, but did not hear the roar of the tank engine. They thought that the Soviet army would not launch an attack before dawn, so they all hid in the fortifications and slept with peace of mind.
Therefore, when attacked by Soviet rockets, the German soldiers in the bunkers who were directly hit died painlessly in their sleep; while those German soldiers who were not killed were still confused and did not understand their situation. It was under this circumstance that the commanders and fighters of the guard battalion rushed into the German trenches and rushed along the trenches towards those fortifications or bunkers to eliminate the enemies hiding inside.
Seeing the battle starting, Belyy, who had received the explosives, also hurried over and asked impatiently: "Comrade Brigade Commander, how is the situation? Have our troops launched an attack?"
Sokov put down his telescope, turned to him, grinned, and said, "Comrade Colonel, our troops have already charged forward, and some of our commanders and soldiers have entered the enemy's trenches."
"What, our troops rushed forward so quickly?" Bely couldn't help but raised his hand and looked at his watch, and said with some surprise: "It only took five minutes from the beginning of the attack to now, but our troops actually rushed forward. Being in the enemy's trenches was pretty amazing."
"Comrade Colonel, this is normal." Sokov replied: "In the past, our attacks were launched from a few kilometers away. At such a long attack distance, the attacking troops would be intercepted by enemy artillery fire and intercepted by aircraft. The bombing, as well as the minefields and barbed wires blocking the front, naturally cannot go very fast. But now, our offensive troops are lurking under the enemy's nose, and it only takes half a minute to rush in front of the enemy."
