After it was officially confirmed that he would command a combat group and launch the final general attack on Paulus' headquarters, Sokov's mood suddenly became happy. He quickly called to Sidorin: "Chief of Staff, why haven't you served tea to the comrades in command?"
Sidorin smiled understandingly and immediately arranged for people to deliver black tea, bread, cheese and dried sausage to several division leaders. After the soldier put all these things on the table one by one, he greeted everyone with a smile: "Comrade commanders, you must be hungry. Eat something first."
"Do you have any wine, comrade Lieutenant Colonel?" Duchenko, the political commissar of the 321st Division, said with some embarrassment: "It was too cold on the way here. We sat here for a long time and couldn't warm up. So it's best Can I get some vodka and take a few sips to warm myself up."
Sokov knew that Russians loved wine, and the so-called drinking to keep out the cold was just an excuse. It's so hot in the headquarters right now that you can't even wear a military coat. How can you not feel warm? But considering that these people in front of him were assistants of his new combat group, he did not expose them and said to Sidorin again: "Chief of Staff, since Colonel Duchenko said so, then go find two bottles of wine. Let’s all warm ourselves up with a drink.”
Soon, two unopened bottles of vodka were brought over. Duchenko opened the lid, poured a small cup in front of everyone, and then said with a smile: "It's cold, let's drink some to warm ourselves up."
When Duchenko poured wine for Sokov, Sokov waved his hand and refused: "Thank you, Colonel Duchenko. I never drink, so there is no need to pour me wine."
After everyone had drank two small glasses of wine, Makarenko asked: "Colonel Sokov, what are your plans for seizing the central railway station occupied by the enemy?"
Sokov's troops also had a tug-of-war with the Germans at the station. Sokov was relatively familiar with the situation at the station. So when he heard Makarenko's question, he replied: "From various indications, the German command headquarters is set up in the central area of the city. What we have to do now is to separate the enemies in this area from other areas. Isolate.”
"Isolate the enemy?" Makarenko couldn't help but frown slightly when he heard this: "Colonel Sokov, we now only have four infantry divisions, one tank brigade and two artillery regiments..."
"No, it should be two tank brigades." Sidorin corrected him: "There is also a tank brigade assigned to combat in our division, and they should also be included in the combat group."
"Well, even if we have two tank brigades, we don't have much advantage in technical equipment." Makarenko continued: "It takes four infantry divisions to separate hundreds of thousands of enemies. I think This is simply an impossible task.”
"Comrade General, you are too pessimistic." Sokov waited for Makarenko to finish and then said with a smile: "In fact, if our actual strength is calculated, it is far more than four infantry divisions."
"Far more than four infantry divisions?" Makarov asked curiously: "I would like to ask, except for our three divisions and your one division, where are the remaining troops?"
"Comrade General, please take a look at this map." Sokov retreated his commonly used map in front of Makarenko and said to him: "Our alliance has successfully divided the enemy trapped in Stalingrad. It forms two disconnected parts in the north and south. Now we only have to deal with the enemies in the south cluster. Those who will fight them are not only our newly established combat group, but also the 64th Group Army that attacks the city from the south. , and the 3rd Army to the southwest.”
"Yes, we do have a lot of troops." Makarenko agreed with Sokov's statement, but he also raised his own questions: "But there is no coordination between us and them. I'm afraid there is no Ways to disperse the enemy's forces."
"I now have two regiments, deployed at this location." Sokov pointed to the location of the Belkin Regiment and the 122nd Regiment, and said to Makarenko: "I have ordered them to attack the enemy and do everything possible. It is possible to drive the enemy south and let the 64th Army enter the city to deal with them."
Hearing Sokov's statement, Makarenko couldn't help but his eyes lit up. After carefully checking the map, he raised his head and said to Sokov: "Colonel Sokov, I really have yours. This is a good idea. Drive the enemy to the friendly attack area and let the friendly forces destroy it, so that we can It can reduce unnecessary losses of soldiers and gain more advantages in the following battles. I wonder when these two regiments plan to launch an attack on the enemy?"
"Before you come here, I have given orders to the two regiment commanders to start operations against the enemy." Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch and continued: "They should be fighting the enemy at the moment. "
"The two regiments have too few troops." Duchenko interrupted and asked: "Do we need to send troops to reinforce?"
"How to reinforce?" As soon as Duchenko finished speaking, he was retorted by Makarenko, "Our troops are still on the way, even if we need to send reinforcements. By the time they get there, it will be at least noon tomorrow."
"It doesn't matter, these two regiments have extremely strong combat effectiveness. I believe they are fully capable of driving the enemy away from the existing area." In order to make the facts more convincing, Sokov emphasized: "One of the regiments, They have followed me to many places, not only have rich combat experience, but also accomplished many feats, I have great trust in them."
Now that Sokov had spoken to this extent, Duchenko could no longer raise the issue of sending reinforcements, but asked instead: "Then where should our division be deployed after it arrives."
"Look," Sokov picked up the red and blue pencils on the table, tapped twice on the map, and continued: "This is the defense area of the 124th Regiment, which is defended by the 321st Infantry Division; this is the defense area of the 125th Infantry Regiment. The regiment's defense area will be defended by the 304th Infantry Division."
"Colonel Sokov, I want to ask." Merkulov, whose face was red, asked with some slurred speech: "Where do you plan to deploy the troops you replaced."
"Where else?" Sokov tapped with a pencil to see where the Belkin Regiment and the 122nd Regiment were, and added: "Of course, deploy the two regiments that have been replaced here. In this way, We will have enough troops to drive the enemy southward from the existing defensive positions and let the 64th Army troops heading north to destroy them."
Considering the huge role that artillery and tank troops would play in the coming battle, Sokov tentatively asked Makarenko: "Comrade General, do you know the situation of the tank brigade and artillery regiment?"
"Both artillery regiments are 76.2 mm cannon regiments. The total number of artillery is about 42, and each is equipped with two basic ammunition." Makarenko was very familiar with the data Sokov asked, and he opened his mouth: "As for the tank brigade, they are all equipped with T-34 tanks, about 49 of them."
After listening to the data reported by Makarenko, Sokov calculated in his mind and felt that although the number was a little less, it was better than nothing. "Comrade General, after the tank brigade and artillery regiment arrive, they will temporarily settle in your division's defense area. As for when and how they will participate in the battle, I will inform you specifically at that time."
"Comrade Colonel, I would like to ask." Merkulov asked again: "Can such a number of artillery fire suppress the German artillery positions?"
"I think it shouldn't be a big problem." Sokov's original intention was to use the "bayonet on the cannon" tactic to let these cannons fire at close range. Therefore, the fire suppression effect on the German army was better than imagined.
…………
At noon the next day, Sokov received reports from the commanders of each division one after another. They reported that their troops had taken over the defense of the original troops and were seizing the time to repair the fortifications.
"Let the soldiers have a good rest," Sokov thought of the cold weather today. Even if some areas of frozen ground are bombed with artillery shells, they can only leave white marks. Instead of letting the soldiers starve and freeze, they should not be allowed to It is more appropriate to rest in their respective shelters. "No one is allowed to fight without my order."
"Understood." The division commanders who received Sokov's order all accepted the order unequivocally. "I immediately asked the soldiers to stop building fortifications and return to their respective shelters to rest."
Anisimov took advantage of Sidorin's phone call and asked Sokov tentatively: "Comrade division commander, I don't understand, why don't you let the soldiers build fortifications?"
"It's very simple," Sokov explained to the other party: "The temperature outside is too low now and the ground has frozen. If the soldiers are allowed to build fortifications, they will have to use artillery shells to blow holes. Think about it, our soldiers If you waste the necessary energy to repair the fortifications, you may not be able to repair the fortifications."
"You are right, Comrade Commander." After Sokov explained, Anisimov felt that this was really the case, so he nodded and replied truthfully: "There is indeed no need for soldiers to build fortifications. time, wasting their energy.”
At this time, the phone on the table rang again. Sokov picked up the phone and found that it was Chuikov. He quickly and respectfully said: "Hello, Comrade Commander, what are your instructions?"
"Colonel Sokov, I'm calling you to inform you of two things." Chuikov said slowly: "First, the combat group under your command has been formally established and named after you. You will be in charge of it." The commander of the group, Sidorin, is your chief of staff. The second, and good news, is about the 304th Infantry Division. The headquarters of the Supreme Command was established in recognition of the division's achievements in the Great Patriotic War. Due to their great achievements and the bravery and tenacity they displayed, they were specially converted into the 67th Guards Division."
"Comrade Commander, this is really exciting news." Sokov knew very well that the more news like this, the more morale he would boost the officers and soldiers, so he thanked Chuikov repeatedly and said: "Thank you, Commander. Comrade Comrade. I will immediately tell the commanders of the entire combat group this good news."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he quickly said to Sidorin: "Chief of Staff, get in touch with Colonel Merkulov immediately. I have good news to inform him."
"What good news?" When Sokov and Chuikov were talking on the phone, Sidorin was immersed in sorting out the battle reports he received. He had no idea what the two of them were talking about. At this moment, after listening to Sokov's instructions, he dialed the phone. Asked: "Comrade Commander, is this exciting news?"
"Yes, it's exciting news."
"Understood." The division commanders who received Sokov's order all accepted the order unequivocally. "I immediately asked the soldiers to stop building fortifications and return to their respective shelters to rest."
Anisimov took advantage of Sidorin's phone call and asked Sokov tentatively: "Comrade division commander, I don't understand, why don't you let the soldiers build fortifications?"
"It's very simple," Sokov explained to the other party: "The temperature outside is too low now and the ground has frozen. If the soldiers are allowed to build fortifications, they will have to use artillery shells to blow holes. Think about it, our soldiers If you waste the necessary energy to repair the fortifications, you may not be able to repair the fortifications."
"You are right, Comrade Commander." After Sokov explained, Anisimov felt that this was indeed the case, so he nodded and replied truthfully: "There is indeed no need to let the soldiers build fortifications. time, wasting their energy.”
At this time, the phone on the table rang again. Sokov picked up the phone and found that it was Chuikov. He quickly and respectfully said: "Hello, Comrade Commander, what are your instructions?"
"Colonel Sokov, I'm calling you to inform you of two things." Chuikov said slowly: "First, the combat group under your command has been formally established and named after you. You will be in charge of it." The commander of the group, Sidorin, is your chief of staff. The second, and good news, is about the 304th Infantry Division. The Stavka headquarters was established in recognition of the division's contribution in the Great Patriotic War. Due to their great achievements and the bravery and tenacity they displayed, they were specially converted into the 67th Guards Division."
"Comrade Commander, this is really exciting news." Sokov knew very well that the more news like this, the more morale he would boost the officers and soldiers, so he thanked Chuikov repeatedly and said: "Thank you, Commander. Comrade Comrade. I will immediately tell the commanders of the entire combat group this good news."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he quickly said to Sidorin: "Chief of Staff, get in touch with Colonel Merkulov immediately. I have good news to inform him."
"What good news?" When Sokov and Chuikov were talking on the phone, Sidorin was immersed in sorting out the battle reports he had received. He had no idea what they were talking about. At this moment, after listening to Sokov's instructions, he dialed the phone. Asked: "Comrade Commander, is this exciting news?"
"Yes, it's exciting news."
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