After learning that the artillery fire preparations before the attack had begun, everyone in the headquarters cheered and shouted in unison: "Ula! Ula!!" The sound was so loud that it alerted the soldiers standing guard at the door, making them look around. Peering inside, trying to figure out what had excited the commanders in the room.
"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army," Sidorin asked Golikov tentatively after the calm was restored in the headquarters: "Do I need to inform all the commanders and fighters of the division about this good news?"
"What's wrong with you, Comrade Chief of Staff?" Sokov saw Golikov's expression. As the question changed, he guessed that it was not the time to announce the counterattack news, and he quickly spoke before Golikov. Said: "Our artillery preparations have just begun. If you can't wait to report this news to all the commanders and fighters of the division, aren't you worried about leaking the secret?"
After hearing what Sokov said, Sidorin immediately realized that he was too excited and actually ignored such an important matter. He quickly apologized to Golikov: "I'm sorry, Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, I didn't think carefully, and I almost missed it." It’s a big deal.”
"Okay, okay," Fortunately, Golikov was in a good mood and didn't argue with Sidorin. He just waved his hand and said: "Forget it this time, be more careful in the future."
After Golikov finished speaking, he turned his attention to Sokov again and asked: "Colonel Sokov, if our front army's attack goes smoothly, can your troops take some countermeasures to contain the enemy's attack?" Part of the force?”
Seeing that Golikov brought up old things again and urged himself to counterattack the enemy in front of him, Sokov couldn't help but hesitate in his heart, because he knew very well that he did not have the conditions to counterattack at the moment. If he forced a counterattack, it would be equivalent to hitting a stone with an egg. After a fierce ideological struggle, he felt that he could not risk the lives of his commanders and soldiers, so he said righteously: "I'm sorry, Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, the artillery preparations before the attack have just begun, and we cannot yet conclude that our army Whether the next attack will go smoothly, I think it is inappropriate to prematurely consider such unrealistic things."
Ivanov saw the embarrassment on Golikov's face, and in order to relieve him, he said to Sokov: "Comrade division commander, I think you can give it a try. After all, Paulus's superiors have given him orders. Order, I think the German troops in the city will be empty today, which is a good time for us to launch a counterattack."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you are so optimistic." Despite the smooth progress of the Southwest Front and the Don River Army, and the Stalingrad Front's major counterattack was about to begin, Sokov was always a little uneasy, and he was cautious Said: "When our front troops launch an attack from the south side of the city, we still don't know what measures the enemy will take in response. It is very dangerous to take rash actions everywhere."
"Comrade division commander." Hearing what Sokov said, Ivanov was a little unhappy. He thought about why the division commander was different from usual and became forward-looking and hesitant. This could easily delay the opportunity for fighting, so he specifically reminded: "Our army You have also seen the intercepted telegram. Paulus's superiors ordered him to move his troops to the Don River Basin to stop our offensive. As soon as his troops are moved away, the pressure on the city's defenders will be greatly reduced. , it is absolutely possible to take some actions in local areas to attract the enemy's attention."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, have you ever thought that after Paulus received that telegram, would he really immediately dispatch troops to the Don River Basin to rescue the Romanian army that was defeated by friendly forces?" Sokov retorted: " If he deliberately delayed the mobilization but continued to order the troops to attack the factory area, what fate would befall us if we left the existing defenses and fought against the enemy at this time. Have you ever thought about it?"
When Sokov and Ivanov had an argument, Golikov sat aside and listened quietly, while thinking about who made more sense. When the two of them were almost finished arguing, he raised his hands and pressed them down, then said: "I think what Colonel Sokov said makes sense. The more times like this, the more cautious we must be. If the Germans We really did not follow the order of the telegram to mobilize the troops, but continued to attack the factory area. We allowed the troops to easily leave their positions to carry out the attack, which may have unintended consequences."
Seeing that Golikov actually agreed with Sokov's statement, Ivanov was very surprised: "Why, Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, do you also agree with the division commander's statement? The enemy may still be fighting to the death?"
"It's not the last desperate struggle, but the final madness." Sokov corrected Ivanov: "I think even if they want to attack, it may only last one day. As long as they can resist their attack, the final victory will be It will definitely belong to us.”
Although Sokov had already said this, Ivanov felt that he was alarmist. Just when he was about to retort a few words, the phone on the table rang. Sidorin picked it up and listened for a moment, then reported to Sokov in a panic: "Comrade division commander, Commander Belkin reported that the enemies in the barricade factory launched another attack on them."
Sokov took the microphone from Sidorin's hand and asked straight to the point: "My comrade political commissar, report to me immediately the situation there."
"Misha." Belkin said anxiously on the phone: "The enemy launched a fierce attack on us in the barricade factory. In addition to the enemy's 305th Infantry Division, the troops participating in the attack included the 50th, 162nd, 294th and 336th Engineer Battalion. Several forward positions captured by the 1st Battalion through night attacks last night have now fallen into the hands of the enemy."
Knowing that the enemy had launched an attack, Sokov couldn't help but feel his heart in his throat. He was worried that if Belkin and the others could not hold on, the entire barricade factory would fall into the hands of the Germans, and the situation would change. It has to be detrimental to one's own side. He secretly said in his heart that if the situation at the barricade factory was really critical, then he would order Lieutenant Colonel Papuchenko's 122nd Regiment to rush over for reinforcements.
He calmed down and asked with a solemn expression: "Can you hold on?"
"We can hold it." Belkin replied on the other end of the phone: "No matter our regiment is tenaciously resisting the enemy's attack, the neighboring Lyudnikov Division is also fighting fiercely with the enemy. I believe we will be able to defeat it. Enemy attack."
Belkin said he was confident to hold on, but Sokov did not dare to take it lightly. He said into the microphone: "Comrade political commissar, if you have any difficulties, just call and I will try my best to support you."
Seeing Sokov put down the phone, Golikov couldn't help but asked curiously: "Colonel Sokov, I seem to have heard you call Commander Belkin a political commissar. What is going on?"
"When I was the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, Comrade Belkin was my political commissar." Sokov explained: "Maybe it's because I'm used to calling him. Even if he became the regiment commander, I still used to call him " political commissar."
After explaining to Golikov, Sokov picked up the microphone again and asked the communications soldier to connect to the 122nd Regiment Headquarters. After hearing Papuchenko's voice, he immediately asked: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, how is the situation there? Is there any movement from the enemy?"
"It's very calm, there's no movement at all." After answering Sokov's question, Papuchenko asked: "Comrade division commander, do you think it was yesterday's rockets that hurt the enemy so much that today they There was no movement.”
"The enemy has not moved. This is really good news." Sokov continued: "The barricade factory on your right wing is now under fierce attack by the German army. You immediately mobilize Captain Shamrich's Marine Battalion and rush over for reinforcements."
"What, transfer the Marine Corps battalion to support the barricade factory?" Hearing Sokov's order, Papuchenko became anxious: "Comrade division commander, if the Marine Corps battalion is transferred away, our defense strength will be weakened. …”
Sokov had long expected that Papuchenko would say this, and continued with a sneer: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, the Workers' New Village that your regiment is holding on to, let alone a battalion, even if there is only one battalion left, it will be useless." It can completely block the enemy's attack. Besides, the battalion I want to transfer originally belonged to the Belkin Regiment. Letting them reinforce the barricade factory is just a return to construction."
Papuchenko, who originally wanted to argue with Sokov, immediately became honest after hearing Sokov's last words: "I understand, comrade division commander. I immediately asked Captain Shamrih to take him with him. The troops rushed to the barricade factory, but reinforced the Belkin regiment that was holding on there.”
Golikov waited for Sokov to put down the phone this time, and asked curiously: "Colonel Sokov, I don't understand. There are Lyudnikov Division and Belkin Regiment in the barricade factory, and you still have to mobilize troops." Go to reinforce. But you seem to be a little careless about the Workers’ New Village. Aren’t you worried that it will be occupied by the enemy?”
"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army," Sidorin said proactively before Sokov could reply, "Please allow me to report to you!"
"Permission!" Golikov nodded and signaled to Sidorin: "Keep talking!"
"Although the surface buildings of Workers' New Village have long been destroyed by enemy artillery and bombing," Sidorin said, "our troops have used sewers and ruins to establish new positions. As soon as the enemy enters the defensive zone, they will be attacked. Attacks came from all directions, and after the enemy suffered several losses, they gave up the idea of capturing the Workers' New Village..."
"So that's it." After listening, Golikov said thoughtfully: "I heard that the troops in the city used the sewers to deal with the enemy, but the actual effect was not good. When the enemy attacked , throwing grenades or explosives into the sewer shaft and killing the commanders and fighters hiding inside, causing great casualties to our army."
"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army, you should be talking about other troops." Sidorin said with a smile: "They may have chosen their hiding places close to the exit of the shaft for the convenience of attack, so that once If discovered by the Germans, the enemy would throw grenades or explosives into the shaft to kill the soldiers hiding inside and cause huge casualties to our army. However, our division chose to hide deeper in the sewer. A few people are monitoring the entrance to the shaft, and the rest of the soldiers are hiding far away. Even if the enemy drops bombs, the damage caused to us will be almost negligible."
"So that's it." After Golikov figured out what was going on, he turned to look at Sokov, "This is probably Colonel Sokov's idea again. If other troops also learn from you, they will definitely Can destroy more enemies."
…………
After the artillery preparations carried out by the Stalingrad Front ended, the troops of the 57th and 51st armies gathered in Beketovka, south of the Red Army City, launched a strong attack on the Romanian 6th and 7th armies holding on to this area. The Romanian army, dominated by cavalry, was able to deal with the Soviet infantry in the wilderness without the cover of tanks and armored vehicles. However, in the face of the powerful offensive launched by the Soviet troops reinforced by tanks, these cavalry appeared to be powerless.
The 57th Group Army encountered the Romanian 20th Cavalry Division to the west of the Red Army City. The battle lasted only five minutes. The division completely collapsed with less than 500 killed. The cavalry turned their horses' heads and fled aimlessly. The Soviet commanders and soldiers who had broken through the defense line felt a little confused and did not know which fleeing small unit to pursue.
When the tank troops of the 57th Group Army bypassed the Red Army City and prepared to continue advancing north, they encountered the German 29th Motorized Infantry Division, which was rushing south. Ever since the commander of the Motorized Rifle Division, General Leiser, was captured by Sokov's men some time ago, the officers and soldiers of the division have been holding back their anger and dreamed of competing with Sokov's troops. It is a shame that the commander of the division was captured. It is a pity. Paulus never gave them this chance. Now that they had received Paulus's order to go south to block the large Soviet troops trying to move north, the German officers and soldiers all seemed to be in a state of panic.
When the 129th Battalion, as the vanguard, arrived near the Red Army City, it was catching up with the tank troops of the Soviet 57th Army, which defeated the Romanian cavalry and was trying to bypass the city and go north. The German battalion commander immediately ordered all the tanks in the battalion to form a wedge-shaped battle formation and rushed towards the Soviet tanks.
The Soviet tanks that were advancing north did not expect that a German tank force would rush towards them. They had no time to form a battle formation and were hit head-on. The advancing tanks were destroyed one after another, and the remaining tanks were destroyed. The tank had to make an emergency U-turn and retreat in the direction it came from.
When the tank troops of the 57th Group Army bypassed the Red Army City and prepared to continue advancing north, they encountered the German 29th Motorized Infantry Division, which was rushing south. Ever since the commander of the Motorized Infantry Division, General Leiser, was captured by Sokov's men some time ago, the officers and soldiers of the division have been holding their breath and dreaming of competing with Sokov's troops. It is a shame that the commander of the division was captured. It is a pity. Paulus never gave them this chance. Now that they had received Paulus's order to go south to block the large Soviet troops trying to move north, the German officers and soldiers all seemed to be in a state of panic.
When the 129th Battalion, as the vanguard, arrived near the Red Army City, it was catching up with the tank troops of the Soviet 57th Army, which defeated the Romanian cavalry and was trying to bypass the city and go north. The German battalion commander immediately ordered all the tanks in the battalion to form a wedge-shaped battle formation and rushed towards the Soviet tanks.
The Soviet tanks that were advancing north did not expect that a German tank force would rush towards them. They had no time to form a battle formation and were hit head-on. The advancing tanks were destroyed one after another, and the remaining tanks were destroyed. The tank had to make an emergency U-turn and retreat in the direction it came from.
