Although Smirnov knew that Sidorin had been Sokov's responsibilities, he was still skeptical about his appointment as the director of the intelligence department: "Although Colonel Sidorin is an excellent chief of staff, he Is it appropriate to rashly hand over the management of such an important department to him without any experience working in the Army Headquarters?"
"There's nothing inappropriate." Seeing that Smirnov didn't seem interested in his proposal, Sokov guessed that the other party must not know Sidorin's past resume, so he added: "Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, no, now he is Colonel. Before he became my chief of staff, he was General Chuikov’s chief of operations.”
"General Chuikov?!" Smirnov asked in surprise: "Is it General Chuikov, commander of the 8th Guards Army?"
"Yes, that's him." Sokov continued: "At that time, I said that I did not have a suitable chief of staff to assist me in commanding the battle, so General Chuikov sent Comrade Sidorin over."
Since Sidorin once had the experience of serving as the director of the operations department, there would naturally be no problem in letting him serve as the intelligence director of the group army. Smirnov nodded and said: "Okay, Comrade Commander, I agree with your proposal to let Colonel Sidorin serve as the head of the Army Intelligence Division. But there is currently no suitable candidate to replace him. I think he can wait until he is eliminated. After defeating the German troops in the encirclement, it will not be too late for him to take office."
"Okay." Seeing that Smirnov did not object to his proposal, Sokov felt that it would not be a big deal for Sidorin to take office a few days later, so he nodded and agreed: "Then wait until our army annihilates the enemies in the encirclement. , let Colonel Sidorin come and take office."
Smirnov picked up the phone on the table and called the 41st Guards Division stationed at Hill 239.
As soon as the phone call came through, Smirnov introduced himself and said: "I am Smirnov, Chief of Staff of the Army Group. Who are you?"
"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff! I am Political Commissar Afanasi!" A slightly older voice came from the other end of the phone: "Do you have any instructions?"
"Hello, Colonel Afanasy." Smirnov said: "Where is Division Commander Kurishenko?"
"He went to Lieutenant Colonel Duharin's 126th Regiment to inspect the regiment's defenses." Afanasi said with a complaining tone: "Judging from the current situation, it is impossible for the Germans to approach our 239th Highland. , why do we need to build so many fortifications? You know, the weather is so cold now that when a pickaxe is hit, it can only make a white mark on the frozen soil. In order to complete the tasks assigned to us by our superiors, many of our commanders and soldiers are exhausted. Got off."
"Colonel Afanasi," Smirnov said with emphasis after the other party finished speaking: "No matter whether the enemy will reach your defensive area, the fortification targets required by your superiors must be completed without compromise. Do you understand? "
Hearing Smirnov's anger, Afanasi could only bite the bullet and reply: "Understood, Comrade Chief of Staff, we must complete the defense tasks assigned to us by our superiors without compromise."
Seeing that Afanasy did not contradict him, Smirnov slowed down his tone and continued the topic: "I am calling you to inform you of two things. One is that the new army commander has arrived. Some of the original combat deployments may be adjusted, and I hope you can be mentally prepared in advance."
"The new commander has arrived?" Afanasi asked in surprise: "Comrade Chief of Staff, can you tell me who he is?"
Smirnov glanced at Sokov, who was sitting next to him, and said into the microphone: "It's Lieutenant General Sokov." Maybe he felt that his statement was not accurate enough, so he added, "He was in the battle to defend Stalingrad." , once commanded your 41st Guards Division, when Colonel Sidorin was his chief of staff..."
As soon as he said this, Smirnov heard an exclamation from the receiver: "Chief of Staff Sidorin, come here quickly!"
"What's up?"
"General Smirnov said that the new army commander is General Sokov!"
Smirnov soon heard the voice in the receiver change. "Hello, General Smirnov, I am Colonel Sidorin. Is what you said true?" Because of his excitement, Sidorin Lin's voice seemed a little trembling.
"Yes, what I said is true." Smirnov glanced at Sokov again and asked tentatively: "Colonel Sidorin, do you want to say a few words to him?"
"Of course, of course." Sidorin said impatiently: "General Smirnov, can you let me have a word with the commander?"
Smirnov quickly covered the microphone with his hand and asked Sokov politely: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Sidorin would like to have a few words with you. Is that okay with you?"
"Nothing is wrong." Sokov stretched out his hand to Smirnov and said with a smile: "Give me the microphone."
"Hello, Colonel Sidorin. I'm Sokov, it's great to hear your voice again!"
"Hello, comrade division commander." Although Sidorin knew that Sokov was now the commander of the group army, he still used his original title: "I never thought I would have the opportunity to fight alongside you again."
"Colonel Sidorin," Sokov thought that the current military situation was urgent and it was not a good time to reminisce about the past, so he said into the microphone. Although Smirnov knew that Sidorin was once Sokov's responsibilities, he was still in charge of the intelligence department. Regarding the position of director, he was still skeptical: "Although Colonel Sidorin is an excellent chief of staff, he has no experience working in the army headquarters. Is it appropriate to rashly entrust him with the management of such an important department? "
"There's nothing inappropriate." Seeing that Smirnov didn't seem interested in his proposal, Sokov guessed that the other party must not know Sidorin's past resume, so he added: "Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, no, now he is Colonel. Before he became my chief of staff, he was General Chuikov’s chief of operations.”
"General Chuikov?!" Smirnov asked in surprise: "Is it General Chuikov, commander of the 8th Guards Army?"
"Yes, that's him." Sokov continued: "At that time, I said that I did not have a suitable chief of staff to assist me in commanding the battle, so General Chuikov sent Comrade Sidorin over."
Since Sidorin once had the experience of serving as the director of the operations department, there would naturally be no problem in letting him serve as the intelligence director of the group army. Smirnov nodded and said: "Okay, Comrade Commander, I agree with your proposal to let Colonel Sidorin serve as the head of the Army Intelligence Division. But there is currently no suitable candidate to replace him. I think he can wait until he is eliminated. After defeating the German troops in the encirclement, it will not be too late for him to take office."
"Okay." Seeing that Smirnov did not object to his proposal, Sokov felt that it would not be a big deal for Sidorin to take office a few days later, so he nodded and agreed: "Then wait until our army annihilates the enemies in the encirclement. , let Colonel Sidorin come and take office."
Smirnov picked up the phone on the table and called the 41st Guards Division stationed at Hill 239.
As soon as the phone call came through, Smirnov introduced himself and said: "I am Smirnov, Chief of Staff of the Army Group. Who are you?"
"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff! I am Political Commissar Afanasi!" A slightly older voice came from the other end of the phone: "Do you have any instructions?"
"Hello, Colonel Afanasy." Smirnov said: "Where is Division Commander Kurishenko?"
"He went to Lieutenant Colonel Duharin's 126th Regiment to inspect the regiment's defenses." Afanasi said with a complaining tone: "Judging from the current situation, it is impossible for the Germans to approach our 239th Highland. , why do we need to build so many fortifications? You know, the weather is so cold now that when a pickaxe is hit, it can only make a white mark on the frozen soil. In order to complete the tasks assigned to us by our superiors, many of our commanders and soldiers are exhausted. Got off."
"Colonel Afanasi," Smirnov said with emphasis after the other party finished speaking: "No matter whether the enemy will reach your defensive area, the fortification targets required by your superiors must be completed without compromise. Do you understand? "
Hearing Smirnov's anger, Afanasi could only bite the bullet and reply: "Understood, Comrade Chief of Staff, we must complete the defense tasks assigned to us by our superiors without compromise."
Seeing that Afanasy did not contradict him, Smirnov slowed down his tone and continued the topic: "I am calling you to inform you of two things. One is that the new army commander has arrived. Some of the original combat deployments may be adjusted, and I hope you can be mentally prepared in advance."
"The new commander has arrived?" Afanasi asked in surprise: "Comrade Chief of Staff, can you tell me who he is?"
Smirnov glanced at Sokov, who was sitting next to him, and said into the microphone: "It's Lieutenant General Sokov." Maybe he felt that his statement was not accurate enough, so he added, "He was in the battle to defend Stalingrad." , once commanded your 41st Guards Division, when Colonel Sidorin was his chief of staff..."
As soon as he said this, Smirnov heard an exclamation from the receiver: "Chief of Staff Sidorin, come here quickly!"
"What's up?"
"General Smirnov said that the new army commander is General Sokov!"
Smirnov soon heard the voice in the receiver change. "Hello, General Smirnov, I am Colonel Sidorin. Is what you said true?" Because of his excitement, Sidorin Lin's voice seemed a little trembling.
"Yes, what I said is true." Smirnov glanced at Sokov again and asked tentatively: "Colonel Sidorin, do you want to say a few words to him?"
"Of course, of course." Sidorin said impatiently: "General Smirnov, can you let me have a word with the commander?"
Smirnov quickly covered the microphone with his hand and asked Sokov politely: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Sidorin would like to have a few words with you. Is that okay with you?"
"Nothing is wrong." Sokov stretched out his hand to Smirnov and said with a smile: "Give me the microphone."
"Hello, Colonel Sidorin. I'm Sokov, it's great to hear your voice again!"
"Hello, comrade division commander." Although Sidorin knew that Sokov was now the commander of the group army, he still used his original title: "I never thought I would have the opportunity to fight alongside you again."
"Colonel Sidorin," Sokov thought that the current military situation was urgent and it was not a good time to reminisce about the past, so he said into the microphone. Although Smirnov knew that Sidorin was once Sokov's responsibilities, he was still in charge of the intelligence department. Regarding the position of director, he was still skeptical: "Although Colonel Sidorin is an excellent chief of staff, he has no experience working in the army headquarters. Is it appropriate to rashly entrust him with the management of such an important department? "
"There's nothing inappropriate." Seeing that Smirnov didn't seem interested in his proposal, Sokov guessed that the other party must not know Sidorin's past resume, so he added: "Lieutenant Colonel Sidorin, no, now he is Colonel. Before he became my chief of staff, he was General Chuikov’s chief of operations.”
"General Chuikov?!" Smirnov asked in surprise: "Is it General Chuikov, commander of the 8th Guards Army?"
"Yes, that's him." Sokov continued: "At that time, I said that I did not have a suitable chief of staff to assist me in commanding the battle, so General Chuikov sent Comrade Sidorin over."
Since Sidorin once had the experience of serving as the director of the operations department, there would naturally be no problem in letting him serve as the intelligence director of the group army. Smirnov nodded and said: "Okay, Comrade Commander, I agree with your proposal to let Colonel Sidorin serve as the head of the Army Intelligence Division. But there is currently no suitable candidate to replace him. I think he can wait until he is eliminated. After defeating the German troops in the encirclement, it will not be too late for him to take office."
"Okay." Seeing that Smirnov did not object to his proposal, Sokov felt that it would not be a big deal for Sidorin to take office a few days later, so he nodded and agreed: "Then wait until our army annihilates the enemies in the encirclement. , let Colonel Sidorin come and take office."
Smirnov picked up the phone on the table and called the 41st Guards Division stationed at Hill 239.
As soon as the phone call came through, Smirnov introduced himself and said: "I am Smirnov, Chief of Staff of the Army Group. Who are you?"
"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff! I am Political Commissar Afanasi!" A slightly older voice came from the other end of the phone: "Do you have any instructions?"
"He went to Lieutenant Colonel Duharin's 126th Regiment to inspect the regiment's defenses." Afanasi said with a complaining tone: "Judging from the current situation, it is impossible for the Germans to approach our 239th Highland. , why do we need to build so many fortifications? You know, the weather is so cold now that when a pickaxe is hit, it can only make a white mark on the frozen soil. In order to complete the tasks assigned to us by our superiors, many of our commanders and soldiers are exhausted. Got off."
"Colonel Afanasi," Smirnov said with emphasis after the other party finished speaking: "No matter whether the enemy will reach your defensive area, the fortification targets required by your superiors must be completed without compromise. Do you understand? "
Hearing Smirnov's anger, Afanasi could only bite the bullet and reply: "Understood, Comrade Chief of Staff, we must complete the defense tasks assigned to us by our superiors without compromise."
Seeing that Afanasy did not contradict him, Smirnov slowed down his tone and continued the topic: "I am calling you to inform you of two things. One is that the new army commander has arrived. Some of the original combat deployments may be adjusted, and I hope you can be mentally prepared in advance."
