"Sewer, what sewer?!" Chuikov may be too tired, and seemed a little distracted by what Sokov said: "What does it have to do with us mobilizing troops..."
Before Chuikov finished speaking, his whole body was shaken, and then he suddenly woke up. He asked into the microphone: "Colonel Sokov, what did you just say? We can use the sewers in the city to mobilize troops?"
"That's right." Sokov said in a positive tone: "If we cleverly combine the existing defenses with the city's sewers, it will be very helpful to our defense."
"Tell me more details."
"Comrade Commander, let me give you an analogy." When Sokov saw Chuikov asking him to continue speaking, he spoke his true thoughts without hesitation: "For example, a building occupied by our army. Occupied by the enemy. In the past, troops would have been organized to counterattack. Even if the building was recaptured, the casualties of the troops would have been very heavy. But if we make use of the sewers, it will be a different situation. We can send small teams Pass through the sewers, enter the building occupied by the enemy, launch a surprise attack, and retake the lost building with minimal cost."
Chuikov was suffering from a headache due to the casualties suffered during the counterattack and defense of the troops. When he heard Sokov's words, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he began to picture the scene in his mind: the German army occupied a building, and just as they were facing When defenses were deployed in the direction of the Soviet position, a group of commanders and fighters emerged from the exit of the sewer and beat them with grenades and bayonets until they fled in panic.
"Colonel Sokov, your suggestion will be very helpful for our next operation." After Chuikov completed the picture in his mind, he smiled and said into the microphone: "On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the group army, thank you."
"This is what I should do." After Sokov said this, he asked Chuikov tentatively: "Comrade Commander, I also want to ask one thing. Can the 138th Division come to replace us on time after dark? Defense?"
"I think there should be no problem." Chuikov replied in an uncertain tone: "In any case, the troops we defend at the barricade factory have two divisions. We will dispatch hundreds of people to take over your defense. There should be no what is the problem."
Although Chuikov did not give himself a definite answer, Sokov felt much more at ease in his heart. As long as all the troops combine the sewers with the existing defenses, they will be much more confident in blocking the enemy. At that time, Lyudnikov will be able to send people to take over his defense on time.
Seeing Sokov put down the phone, Seryosha quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, you asked us to come here, what's the matter?"
Sokov did not answer him immediately, but looked at Aglanov and said: "Comrade Captain, I think your subordinates should have told you that he found me coming out from under the ruins of a bombed-out building. ?"
"Yes." Aglanov did not deny it. After nodding, he frowned and asked: "Comrade division commander, I would like to ask when you entered that building and why my people didn't notice it. ?You know, I have placed observation posts on the roofs of several nearby buildings, but none of them found out when you entered."
"Because I didn't get there from the ground," Sokov said proudly, "No matter how many observation posts you set up, you can't find my whereabouts."
"Didn't it pass through the ground?" Hearing Sokov's words, Aglanov and Seryosha couldn't help but look at each other. "Could it have passed through the ground?"
Hearing Aglanov's question, Sokov nodded and said affirmatively: "Yes, I went there from underground!"
"Comrade Commander, please stop joking." Aglanov thought Sokov was joking, so he said with a smile: "We have only been here for a few hours, how can we have time to dig tunnels..."
"It's not a tunnel, it's a sewer." Sokov corrected him: "For a long time, we have ignored the crisscrossing sewers under the city and failed to integrate it with the existing defenses. Let's go, I'll take it You guys go and take a look.”
Sokov led the two of them to the entrance of the sewer downstairs, pointed towards the hole with his hand, and said: "Every building has an entrance to the sewer. We can completely use the sewer to mobilize our troops. Just think about it, When the enemy discovers that troops are rushing out of one of our buildings in a steady stream, what kind of psychological pressure will it cause them?"
Aglanov stared at the entrance of the sewer in a daze for a while, and then asked a question in his mind: "Comrade Commander, the temperature in the sewer is unpleasant and there is no ventilation. If too many people enter, will there be suffocation?" What’s the situation?”
"The weather is getting colder and colder now. As the temperature drops, the sludge in the sewers will be frozen, and then there will be no choking temperatures." Regarding Aglanov's concerns, Sokov told He explained: "You should have heard my report to the commander just now. I believe he will soon order the entire army's troops to rationally use the sewers to mobilize troops or launch attacks on the enemy. As long as more entrances are opened, Then the ventilation conditions in the sewer will be better, and no matter how many people enter, there will be no need to worry about so-called suffocation accidents."
"Comrade Commander," Sokov had just finished speaking, Seryosha also raised his own question: "If the enemy discovers our sewers, use a flamethrower to spray fire into it, or throw grenades, explosives, or even How should we deal with sending people into the sewers?”
Seryosha's words stopped Sokov, and for a moment he didn't know how to answer. He could only say to the two of them with a straight face: "I called you here to ask you to go back and search for the sewer entrance in each building, and let the soldiers go down to familiarize themselves with the terrain. One is for the next battle, and the other is Soldiers can hide there during enemy shelling or bombing."
When the two were about to leave, Sokov thought that Guchakov was leading people to rescue the residents buried in the basement, so he reminded Aglanov: "Comrade Captain, Guchakov is leading people to rescue the residents who were buried in the basement when I came out." In that building, rescue the resident trapped in the basement, you’d better send someone to help him.”
"Yes!" After hearing Sokov's order, Aglanov quickly agreed: "I will arrange the manpower right away."
After Aglanov left, Sokov asked Seryosha for a cigarette, lit it and asked him: "It will get dark soon, and the troops coming to take over the defense should arrive soon. Have you thought about it?" What to do with an anti-tank gun in a basement?”
"Dispose of the anti-tank guns in the basement?" Seryozha asked with a puzzled look on his face: "Why do we need to dispose of them?"
"Almost all the shells of those anti-tank guns have been fired, and there is no way to get them back to Mamayev Heights without a towing vehicle." Sokov took a puff of cigarette and continued: "It can't be done Leave these anti-tank guns to the Germans and let them use them against us."
"Aren't friendly forces coming to take over the defense soon? I think we can hand over these anti-tank guns to them."
Regarding Seryosha's proposal, Sokov immediately waved his hands and rejected it: "No, there is only one infantry battalion here to defend. Do you think they can find artillery among them? Besides, whether they can defend here is still a question. , so before we evacuate, we must blow up all the anti-tank guns."
"Blow it up?!" Seryosha couldn't help but tremble when he heard this, and then reminded Sokov: "Misha, are you going to stop thinking about it carefully?"
"There is nothing to consider," Sokov said in an unquestionable tone: "When you see Lieutenant Porochenko later, you will tell him my intention and immediately remove those anti-tank guns that have exhausted their shells. Blow them all up and leave not a single door open to the Germans.”
"But we don't have the explosives to blow up the cannons." Seryosha said awkwardly: "Besides, in order to blow up the cannons, they must be moved out of the building, otherwise the explosion may cause the house to collapse."
"It doesn't have to be so troublesome," Sokov said lightly: "Let Lieutenant Porochenko stuff a grenade into the barrel of each anti-tank gun and the artillery can be blown up. Even if the Germans occupy this place, If they want to use these anti-tank guns again, they must repair them first."
After dark, Ataman came with his troops to take over the defense of Liumian Street.
Before the official handover, Sokov saw the seemingly small team, frowned and asked: "Captain Ataman, how many people are there in your battalion?"
Ataman turned his head and glanced at the troops standing in the open space, and replied with some embarrassment: "Comrade Colonel, there are still 115 people in our battalion."
"Why are there only so many people?"
"We have just withdrawn from the battlefield, and there are only so many people left." Ataman said with a painful expression: "Many comrades have died in the battle, and the battalion commander and three company commanders were also killed."
Hearing that the battalion commander and three company commanders were killed in action, Sokov's muscles on his face twitched violently twice, and then asked: "What kind of equipment does it have?"
"There are two light machine guns and a dozen submachine guns, and the rest are rifles."
"Captain Aglanov," after listening to Ataman's words, Sokov turned and shouted to Aglanov who was standing not far away: "Come to me."
When Agranov heard Sokov calling him, he trotted up to him and asked respectfully: "Comrade Commander, what are your instructions?"
"Didn't you just capture a lot of weapons and ammunition?" Sokov pointed at Ataman with his hand and ordered Aglanov: "Leave four captured MG34 general-purpose machine guns to Captain Ataman and the others. Fifty submachine guns and matching ammunition.”
Agranov did not expect Sokov to be so generous and wanted to give so many weapons and ammunition to friendly forces at once, and he couldn't help but have a troubled expression on his face. Seeing that he was standing still, Sokov glared and said in a stern tone: "Comrade Captain, what are you still standing here for? Didn't you hear my order?"
"Yes!" Aglanov could only agree reluctantly, turned back to his subordinates, and told them about handing over weapons and ammunition to friendly forces.
"Thank you, Comrade Colonel!" Seeing that Sokov actually gave him so many weapons at once, Ataman quickly held Sokov's hand with both hands and said gratefully: "With the weapons you provided, our soldiers Then we can better attack the enemy."
When Aglanov handed over weapons to Ataman's men, Sokov told Ataman about the sewers again, and finally emphasized: "Captain Ataman, in addition to mobilizing troops, the sewers can be used to mobilize troops." , you can also use it as an air raid shelter when you are shelled or bombed by the enemy. Even if the building is blown down, don't be afraid, you can choose to escape through other exits."
"Understood, Comrade Colonel." After Ataman waited for Sokov to finish, he nodded quickly and said, "I will send soldiers to get familiar with the sewers here as soon as possible, so that they can be used in the next battle. "
After handing over the defense and weapons, Sokov led the guard company and the Second Company of the Marine Battalion to leave Liumian Street and headed towards the gully. He planned to join Shamrih's troops there and return together. Mamayev Heights.
On the way, Seryosha asked Sokov in confusion: "Misha, I don't understand why you are so generous to the friendly forces and gave them so many weapons and ammunition at once?"
In fact, not only Seryosha had this question, but also Aglanov who was following him had the same puzzlement. He heard Seryosha asking questions and turned his attention to Sokov, wanting to hear his explanation.
Sokov did not answer the question directly, but asked instead: "Seryozha, do you still remember the Marine Corps battalion fighting the enemy with bayonets, right?"
"Remember!" When Seryosha heard this question, he first glanced at Aglanov beside him, and then continued: "The commanders and fighters of the Marine Corps battalion performed very bravely, using bayonets to eliminate enemies who were much more numerous than them. .”
"If our army hadn't been short of ammunition, bayonet fights could have been safely avoided, and we wouldn't have sacrificed so many good comrades." Sokov sighed and said, "I just asked Captain Aglanov to hand over The weapons of the friendly forces consume terrible amounts of ammunition. If we keep them in our hands and use them, it won't be long before these weapons become fire sticks because they have no ammunition. Do you understand?"
Hearing Sokov mention the tragic hand-to-hand battle, Agranov couldn't help but show a painful expression on his face. Although his company did not participate in the battle at the time, seeing so many familiar comrades fall, his My heart is still bleeding. At this moment, after Sokov's explanation, he finally understood why Sokov wanted to hand over so many repeating weapons to friendly forces because he was worried that unnecessary hand-to-hand combat would happen again due to lack of ammunition.
