Unexpectedly, Khrushchev did not answer his question immediately. Instead, he turned his head and glanced in the direction where the radio stations and communication equipment were placed, and asked casually: "Colonel Sokov, who is the director of your communications corps?"
"Comrade Military Commissar, we are only a brigade-level unit. We do not have the position of communications director, only communications company commander." After explaining to Khrushchev awkwardly, Sokov turned to Maxim, who was sitting in front of an intercom. He shouted: "Second Lieutenant Maxim, please come here!"
Hearing Sokov's shout, Maxim quickly stood up, jogged and stopped in front of everyone, straightened his body and waited for Sokov to give him an order.
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov pointed at Maxim and said to Khrushchev: "This is Second Lieutenant Maxim, the commander of the brigade communications company. If you have anything, you can directly give him orders."
"Comrade Second Lieutenant," Khrushchev nodded and said politely to Maxim: "I want to speak to General Yereomenko. Can you help me get through to the front army headquarters?"
Khrushchev's request put an embarrassed expression on Maxim's face: "I'm sorry, Comrade Military Commissar, I'm afraid I can't complete the task you assigned me. Our communication authority is not enough to communicate with the front army headquarters. Direct call. However, you can send a telegram."
"Comrade Major," Khrushchev saw that Maxim could not get through the phone number of the Front Army Headquarters, so he said to an officer standing at the door: "Please help the second lieutenant, get through the phone number of the Front Army Headquarters. If you have something important to do, please speak to Comrade Commander."
After the major and Maxim returned to the communication area, Khrushchev said to Sokov: "This reserve team was sent from the base camp. There are about 8,000 people, and half of them are commanders and combatants with combat experience. .”
Sokov couldn't help but feel ecstatic when he heard that half of the people were commanders with combat experience. Now that the war is imminent, if they are all new recruits, let alone eight thousand, even if there are twice as many, Sokov will not be optimistic about them. A group of recruits without systematic military training can play a very limited role on the battlefield.
He paused for a moment and asked tentatively: "When can you replenish it for us?"
"Before I got here, I discussed this matter with Comrade Commander." When Khrushchev spoke, he couldn't help but turn his head and glance at the communication area. "I am eager to speak to the Commander because I want to know what happened to him in the end." What is the result of your consideration!”
"Comrade Military Commissar," as soon as Khrushchev said this, the major standing next to Maxim said loudly to him: "The phone call with the front army headquarters has been connected."
Khrushchev nodded slightly, then grabbed the receiver of the phone on the table, put it to his ear and said: "I am Khrushchev! Comrade Commander, how have you considered this matter?" Seeing Khrushchev When my husband talked to Yeremenko on the phone, Sokov and others consciously stood up and walked far away to avoid hearing anything they shouldn't hear.
After talking to the other party for a few words, Khrushchev suddenly covered the microphone and said to Sokov: "Colonel Sokov, Yeremenko will send Colonel Ivanov's 41st Guards Division across the river the day after tomorrow. To take over the defense of Mamayev Heights.”
"Take over our defense?!" Hearing what Khrushchev said, Sokov couldn't help being shocked and asked quickly: "What about our brigade?"
"The 73rd Infantry Brigade will be merged into the division and reduced to a regiment of the division." Khrushchev continued: "Comrade Commander intends to let you serve as deputy division commander. I wonder if you have any opinions. ?”
From brigade commander to deputy division commander, it seemed that he had been promoted one level, but for Sokov, he was unwilling to accept such a promotion. As soon as Khrushchev finished speaking, he shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, I don't want to be the deputy division commander."
"Why?" Khrushchev asked curiously.
"Comrade Military Commissar, you should know that the reason why our brigade has achieved good results everywhere is entirely due to the adoption of different tactics from other troops." Sokov explained: "If I serve as the deputy division commander, I will If you want to continue to use existing tactics, you will definitely encounter many constraints, which will seriously affect the combat effectiveness of the troops."
After listening to Sokov's words, Khrushchev asked with interest: "Then what do you think about it?"
"Either, let me serve as the commander of the new regiment reduced by the infantry brigade, so that my old unit can maintain its original combat effectiveness." Sokov replied without hesitation: "Or, let me serve as the commander of the 41st Guards Division, so that my old unit can maintain its original combat effectiveness." The combat effectiveness of the entire division has reached a new level.”
Khrushchev chuckled, released his hand covering the microphone, and said into the microphone: "Comrade Commander, as you expected, Sokov is not willing to take up the position of deputy division commander. He said that after taking this position, I can no longer command the troops as I like before. Do you think we can use our backup plan?"
Because Sokov was far away, he could not hear what Yeremenko said on the other end of the phone. He saw that Khrushchev was very happy when he spoke, as if he had heard something happy.
After Khrushchev put down the phone, he stood up, called Sokov and others back to the table, and said: "Comrade commanders, I would like to introduce to you the situation of the 41st Guards Division. . The division was adapted from the 10th Airborne Corps and consists of the 122nd, 124th and 125th Guards Regiments. The division commander is Colonel Ivanov, and the political commissar is the battalion political commissar Anisimov. All members of the division are The airborne troops, who have rich combat experience, tenaciously resisted the enemy's attack on the east bank of the Don River in August this year, and were later placed under the command of the First Guards Army. ..."
While Khrushchev kept talking, Sokov couldn't help but keep muttering in his mind: What is Khrushchev and Yeremenko's backup plan? You don’t really want to be the leader of a downsizing group, do you? Thinking of this, he felt somewhat unbalanced in his heart. I remember that when I was a lieutenant colonel, I was still in charge of several colonels. But now that I have become a colonel, I have to accept the command of another colonel. I feel aggrieved just thinking about it.
After Khrushchev introduced the situation of the 41st Guards Division, he couldn't help but smile slightly when he saw Sokov looking distracted, and then said to him: "Colonel Sokov, you don't want to know about the front headquarters How do you arrange your new position?"
Although Sokov was full of complaints, after hearing Khrushchev's question, he still pretended to be nonchalant and said: "Comrade Military Commissar, I obey the arrangements of my superiors. But I want to do my job properly and not do anything inappropriate." As a deputy, even if I am only allowed to serve as the leader of a regiment, I have no objection."
Sokov's words made Belkin and Sidorin's hearts sink suddenly. If the 41st Guards Division is really allowed to be stationed here, the brigade commander will be demoted. I wonder if he will be demoted by then. Affects military morale and morale.
Hearing Sokov say these words seriously, the smile on Khrushchev's face grew wider. After Sokov finished speaking, he looked at Belkin and Sidorin and asked: "Two comrades, commanders, if the superiors really appoint Sokov as the regiment leader, will you agree in your hearts?"
"I disagree!" As soon as Khrushchev finished speaking, Belkin blurted out his reply. But he immediately realized that he was being reckless, and quickly explained: "No matter what new positions our superiors assign to Comrade Brigade Commander, we will resolutely obey orders!"
"Very good! Since you said you must obey orders resolutely," Khrushchev said, "then I officially declare that from now on, Colonel Sokov will be the new division commander of the 41st Guards Division."
"What, let me be the division commander?" Sokov was frightened by Khrushchev's words. He was stunned for a long time before hesitantly asked: "Comrade Military Commissar, if I am worried about the division commander, what about Colonel Ivanov?" ?How do you plan to place him?"
Set a small goal first, such as remembering in 1 second: Shukeju
