After dawn, Sokov asked Samoilov to take him to see Ivanov's appearance, and then ordered him to be buried in a cemetery outside the city.
Sokov handed over the task of burying Ivanov to Samoilov. He also specifically told Samoilov: "After burying the deputy division commander, remember to make a mark. This way, when the war is over, his family can find his grave smoothly."
"Understood, Comrade Commander." After Samoylov finished his answer, he was silent for a moment, and then said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I have a request."
"What request?" Sokov didn't know what Samoylov meant when he said this to him at this moment, so he asked curiously: "Tell me and listen."
"Comrade division commander, although you did not blame me for anything, I bear a great responsibility for the sacrifice of the deputy division commander." Samoilov said with a serious expression: "I request that I be sent to the combat unit. I want to use the enemy's Blood, wash away my shame.”
"Okay, Lieutenant Samoilov, you are thinking too much." Sokov felt that Samoilov's most suitable job is to be responsible for his own security work, rather than fighting face to face with the enemy on the front line. , so he rejected the other party's request without hesitation: "Of course no one wants to see the sacrifice of Comrade Deputy Division Commander. But since it has happened, you don't need to carry any mental baggage. You can just stay here honestly." Be sure to provide security around me. Do you understand?"
After Samoilov left, Sokov told Seryosha: "Seryosa, get the soldiers ready. I want to go to the west of the city to survey the terrain."
"What, you are going to the west of the city to survey the terrain?" Seryosha said nervously: "Misha, don't you know that there are many enemy stragglers outside? Now that they are desperate, they hide in the dark and attack us. A cold shot. For them, killing one person will save their capital, but killing two people will make a profit. In this case, you can't take risks."
"Seryosa, I am the commander of the Guards Division. It is necessary to understand the surrounding environment so that we know where to deploy the troops." Sokov knew that Seryosha was worried about his own safety, so he asked him Explained: "If my guess is correct, in a few weeks, there will be a brutal battle nearby. If we don't take precautions in advance, our division may be annihilated."
"What, is it possible that our division will be annihilated by the enemy?" Hearing Sokov's statement, Seryosha couldn't help being stunned: "Misha, now the enemy is being suppressed by our army. In this case , do they still have a chance to turn around?"
"Seryozha, as long as the battle is not over for one day, the outcome of the battle is still unknown." Sokov said to Seryosha: "As commanders, we must not take it lightly."
Under the cover of the guard company, Sokov spent most of the day inspecting the terrain in the west and north of the city, and felt that the location chosen by Ivanov was very correct. There are many hills in the west, suitable for building field fortifications to prevent German attacks.
As soon as he returned to the Workers' Cultural Palace, he called the communications soldier and ordered the phone call to be connected to Mamayev Heights. When he heard Sidorin's familiar voice coming from the receiver, he asked into the phone: "Comrade Chief of Staff, when can the troops set off?"
"Report to Comrade Division Commander," Sidorin replied: "The superiors have sent us one hundred and twenty trucks. The 122nd Guards Regiment is loading the trucks now. We should be able to set off before dark. We can arrive at the earliest tomorrow afternoon. Lugansk.”
"That's good, that's good." Sokov learned that the troops could set off before dark, and said to Sidorin: "I didn't know until I arrived in Lugansk that there were actually fifteen warehouses in the city. There are a lot of arms and supplies we need. But the force protecting the warehouse is too weak. If the Germans sabotage it, it will be all over."
"Don't worry, comrade division commander." Sidorin comforted Sokov: "The situation will improve when the troops of the 122nd Guards Regiment arrive. In any case, a reinforced regiment of more than 4,000 people is enough to maintain Good order in the city.”
The infantry can take trucks in batches and rush to Lugansk, but Colonel Bely's tank brigade can't drive in along the road, right? You know, tanks usually need to be maintained after traveling dozens of kilometers. If Bely really leads their tank troops along the road tracks, it is estimated that 90% of the tanks will break down on the way before reaching their destination. , then the tank brigade will lose its combat effectiveness in a short period of time.
"What about the tank brigade?" Sokov asked into the microphone: "We can't let them drive in along the road tracks, right?"
"The intention of the Front Army Headquarters is to have the tanks of the Tank Brigade take the train to Luhansk." Sidorin said awkwardly on the phone: "But, Comrade Division Commander, you should know that the defense battle of Stalingrad has just ended. A lot of work is not yet completely on track. The railway department’s personnel sent from other places are nervously repairing the railways that were damaged by the Germans. It will take about a week to restore limited traffic functions. By then, we will be able to let the tanks The brigade’s tanks are headed to Luhansk on flatbed trucks.”
A week later, Sokov couldn't help but shake his head and smile bitterly when he heard the data Sidorin said. According to his idea, in another week at most, the Soviet army would begin to retreat steadily under the German counterattack. If you don't have tank troops in your hands by then, it will be very difficult to block the fierce German offensive. Even if he barely blocked the enemy's attack, I'm afraid the casualties of the troops would not be a small number.
Hearing the sudden silence from Sokov's side, Sidorin thought Sokov had hung up the phone and shouted twice: "Comrade Commander, Comrade Commander, are you still there?"
"Of course I'm still here, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sidorin's voice woke Sokov out of his thoughts, and he quickly continued: "Chief of Staff, I have an idea that can get the tank brigade to Lu faster. Ganske.”
"What's your idea?" Sidorin knew that Sokov had always been resourceful. When he heard what he said, he suddenly became excited: "Tell me quickly, what are your ideas?"
"If you want to wait for the comrades of the railway department to restore the railway line to Mamayev Kurgan, I am afraid that one or two weeks is not enough time." Sokov said to Sidorin: "The war is critical now, and it is not possible to wait blindly. Realistically. Therefore, I ask you to tell Colonel Byre that you can drive the tank to the station closest to Mamayev Heights, board the train from there and drive to Luhansk."
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin expressed doubts about Sokov's statement: "Is this possible?"
"I think it is completely feasible." Sokov continued: "The tank brigade starts from Mamayev Heights and can reach the railway stations that are still operating within ten or twenty kilometers at most. Our tanks can definitely Board the train at these stations and get to Luhansk as quickly as possible.”
"Comrade Division Commander, I have a question." Sidorin asked cautiously: "The current situation is very favorable to our army, but you said that the enemy may launch a counterattack against our army at any time. Is this really the case? ?”
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." In order to dispel the feeling of underestimating the enemy in Sidorin's mind, Sokov said seriously: "It is not possible, but a certainty. According to my analysis, the Germans will defeat the enemy in the shortest possible time. Launch an attack on Luhansk. If our defense forces lack technical equipment such as tanks and artillery, we will not be able to stop the enemy's ferocious attack."
The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad and the surrender of Paulus and his hundreds of thousands of soldiers gave the defenders of the city a feeling of underestimating the enemy. What Sidorin didn't know was that because of Sokov's emergence, not only were more German prisoners captured than in real history, but the destruction of the Paulus Group was also advanced by about a week.
Only Sokov, who came from later generations, knew all of this. He was even thinking that his appearance had made Rodimtsev and his 13th Guards Division, who had been so brilliant, become unknown. The number of prisoners under Paulus increased by tens of thousands, and even the destruction of the Sixth Army was advanced. In this way, as long as you work hard, you may be able to turn the tide when the Southwest Front Army suffers a counterattack and is defeated.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, not only the tank brigade must find a way to quickly move to Lugansk, but also the infantry must find a way to speed up the march." Sokov told Sidorin: "If we rely solely on car transportation, at least It will take half a month to deploy all the infantry in Luhansk."
Sidorin knew that what Sokov said was true. After the trucks carrying the commanders and fighters arrived in Luhansk and dropped off the troops, it would take a day to return to Mamayev Heights for the second batch of combat troops. Get on board. This back and forth wastes time.
"Comrade Commander, do you have any good ideas?"
"After the 122nd Regiment set off in a car, the 124th Regiment was ordered to march on foot in the direction of Lugansk."
"What? Let the 124th Regiment march to Luhansk on foot?" Sidorin was shocked when he heard Sokov's order. He quickly reminded Sokov: "Comrade Division Commander, in the current bad weather, the troops You can only walk twenty or thirty kilometers a day, and it will take at least a month to reach your destination."
Seeing that Sidorin did not realize his intention, Sokov quickly explained to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I did not ask the 124th Regiment to walk to Lugansk. I asked them to stay somewhere and wait for their return. car, so that you can catch the return car to Luhansk in the shortest possible time.”
"This is a good idea." After Sokov explained, Sidorin understood what was going on. He nodded quickly and said: "Comrade division commander, I think both the 124th and 125th regiments can do this. Transporting troop vehicles in this way can save time on the road and at the same time transport troops to their destination in the shortest possible time.”
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." In order to dispel the feeling of underestimating the enemy in Sidorin's mind, Sokov said seriously: "It is not possible, but a certainty. According to my analysis, the Germans will defeat the enemy in the shortest possible time. Launch an attack on Luhansk. If our defense forces lack technical equipment such as tanks and artillery, we will not be able to stop the enemy's ferocious attack."
The victory in the Battle of Stalingrad and the surrender of Paulus and his hundreds of thousands of soldiers gave the defenders of the city a feeling of underestimating the enemy. What Sidorin didn't know was that because of Sokov's emergence, not only were more German prisoners captured than in real history, but the destruction of the Paulus Group was also advanced by about a week.
Only Sokov, who came from later generations, knew all this. He was even thinking that his appearance had made Rodimtsev and his 13th Guards Division, who had been so brilliant, become unknown. The number of prisoners under Paulus increased by tens of thousands, and even the destruction of the Sixth Army was advanced. In this way, as long as you work hard, you may be able to turn the tide when the Southwest Front Army suffers a counterattack and is defeated.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, not only the tank brigade must find a way to quickly move to Lugansk, but also the infantry must find a way to speed up the march." Sokov told Sidorin: "If we rely solely on car transportation, at least It will take half a month to deploy all the infantry in Luhansk."
Sidorin knew that what Sokov said was true. After the trucks carrying the commanders and fighters arrived in Luhansk and dropped off the troops, it would take a day to return to Mamayev Heights for the second batch of combat troops. Get on board. This back and forth wastes time.
"Comrade Commander, do you have any good ideas?"
"After the 122nd Regiment set off in a car, the 124th Regiment was ordered to march on foot in the direction of Lugansk."
"What? Let the 124th Regiment march to Luhansk on foot?" Sidorin was shocked when he heard Sokov's order. He quickly reminded Sokov: "Comrade Division Commander, in the current bad weather, the troops You can only walk twenty or thirty kilometers a day, and it will take at least a month to reach your destination."
Seeing that Sidorin did not realize his intention, Sokov quickly explained to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I did not ask the 124th Regiment to walk to Lugansk. I asked them to stay somewhere and wait for their return. So that you can catch the return car to Luhansk in the shortest possible time.”
"This is a good idea." After Sokov explained, Sidorin understood what was going on. He nodded quickly and said: "Comrade Division Commander, I think both the 124th and 125th Regiments can do this. Transporting troop vehicles in this way can save time on the road and at the same time transport troops to their destination in the shortest possible time.”
"This is a good idea." After Sokov explained, Sidorin understood what was going on. He nodded quickly and said: "Comrade Division Commander, I think both the 124th and 125th Regiments can do this. Transporting troop vehicles in this way can save time on the road and at the same time transport troops to their destination in the shortest possible time.”
