Red Moscow

Sokov received a telegram from Popov and learned that they would break out to Luhansk where he was located after dark, so he told Vitkov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, General Popov has made an order to break out of the siege." We must be ready to respond. Immediately deploy a tank brigade to the west of the city, ready to respond at any time."

"Comrade Commander," Vitkov raised his own doubts about Sokov's arrangement: "We are now two hundred kilometers away from General Popov's fast cluster, and there are many German troops in the middle." Defense line, are you just sitting here and waiting?"

"Chief of Staff, do you have any disagreement?" Sokov asked calmly.

"I think we should take the initiative to attack." Witkov said: "If we stand still, those enemies will concentrate their efforts to block General Popov's troops. But if we attack at the same time, we can attack at the fastest speed. Break through the enemy's defenses and join forces."

"I think Comrade Chief of Staff is right." After Witkov finished speaking, Bely echoed: "The German army between our two armies does not have any decent fortifications. As long as we attack each other, it is very It is easy to break their siege and join General Popov."

"It's not that we don't support General Popov, but the time is not yet ripe." Seeing everyone's puzzled look, Sokov explained to them: "Although General Popov has made up his mind to break through, after all, he The implementation has not yet started, which has caused the entire operation to be full of variables. If our troops have just been dispatched, General Vatutin will force him to give up the breakout, then the troops we rush to cooperate may plunge into the enemy's middle."

Speaking of this, Sokov turned to Bely and Sidolin: "I think you should still remember that in the counterattack carried out in early September last year, a tank brigade of the Don Front Army successfully broke through the German army after a fierce battle. They bravely rushed to Orlovka, but because the follow-up troops did not keep up, and the troops in the city were unable to send troops to meet them, their entire army was wiped out."

After being reminded by Sokov, Bely and Sidolin both remembered this matter. Bely nodded and said, "Misha, what you said is also reasonable. If General Popov's breakout operation is canceled after our tank brigade goes out, then this tank brigade will become a lone army and go deep at any time. The possibility of being wiped out by the Germans."

As the deputy chief of staff of the 62nd Army, Vitkov naturally had an impression of what Sokov said about the past. After hesitating for a long time, he finally expressed his attitude: "Okay, I agree with Comrade Commander's opinion, first deploy the tank brigade to the west, and wait until the time is right before attacking."

"Misha, I think you should hand over the task of supporting the friendly forces to my tank brigade." Bely proposed to Sokov, "The two new tank brigades have just been deployed. If the defense zone is transferred to the west of the city, it may cause unnecessary confusion. And my tank brigade has been deployed to the west, so it is very advantageous if we want to attack."

Sokov stared at the map and thought for a while, and found that transferring the two tank brigades in the city to the west of the city would indeed cause confusion to a certain extent. After repeated thinking, he agreed with Bely's proposal: "Then All right, I will not mobilize the tank brigade in the city for the time being, and let your tank brigade prepare to meet the friendly forces."

"It is two hundred kilometers from the Red Army Village to here. If you walk, it will take three to four days at the fastest." Sidolin reminded Sokov: "Comrade commander, please see if you should arrange some vehicles so that these troops can move quickly." come out?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Sidolin is right." Witkov said: "After such a long battle, there must be a large number of wounded in General Popov's troops. The existence of wounded will inevitably slow down the marching speed of the troops. , if there is a vehicle instead, then they can get rid of the enemy faster."

"Chief of Staff, what you said is very reasonable." Sokov didn't understand this truth, but he is now a clever woman who can't live without rice, and he has no means of transportation in his hands. How can he help the friendly army to move quickly? "But in our combat group, there are no transport vehicles at all. How can we help General Popov?"

"Comrade Commander," Sidolin suddenly said when Witkov was also in a dilemma, "Do you still remember the 379th Infantry Division that came to support us when we were fighting the Germans in the town of Bile a few days ago?"

"I remember." Sokov said dumbfoundedly: "By the time they arrived, the battle in Bilie Town had already ended. Why, Lieutenant Colonel Sidolin, why did you think of mentioning this?"

"I remember that their troops came for reinforcements by taking advantage of trucks." Sidolin reminded Sokov: "Although we don't have trucks, our friendly forces have them. We can borrow them from them."

"That's right, that's right." The words awakened the dreamer, Sokov only thought that he had no means of transport in his hands, but he forgot that there were a large number of transport vehicles in the 21st Army deployed on his left wing. He hurriedly turned his head and said to Vitkov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you have worked with General Krylov the longest, and you should come forward to borrow a truck from him. Presumably he will not refuse you."

"Borrowing trucks is not a problem." After Witkov agreed to accept the task, he tentatively asked Sokov, "But if he asks me what to do with these trucks, how should I answer him?"

"In order to prevent the enemy from being aware of our intentions, I think it is still necessary to control those who know about it." Sokov emphasized to Vitkov: "If General Krylov asks about the purpose of these vehicles, you must Find a suitable reason to prevaricate, and absolutely not let him know the real purpose of the vehicle."

"There will be a big battle soon," Vitkov suggested to Sokov, "See if you can call the division commanders together for a meeting so that everyone can be mentally prepared."

"Chief of Staff, you are quite right. It is true that a combat meeting should be held so that everyone can fully prepare for the upcoming war." Sokov said to Witkov: "Then immediately give the division commanders Call and tell them to come here for a meeting."

"The commander of the tank brigade and the commander of the artillery division, do you need to call them together?"

"You can let Colonel Miyakotin, the commander of the artillery division, come over, and the commander of the tank brigade will forget it."

…………

Half an hour later, the division commanders, political commissars, and chiefs of staff of the three guards and artillery divisions all came to Sokov's headquarters.

Seeing the commanders gathered in front of him, Sokov stood up and said to them: "Commanders, I have summoned you here today because I have something important to announce to you. Soon, there will be a big battle. Let’s start here, I wonder if everyone is ready?”

After Sokov finished speaking, none of the commanders present said anything. They just looked at each other and asked each other what was going on. Why did they suddenly mention the big battle? But none of the division leaders who came here one after another had an answer. Finally, Miyakotin asked: "Comrade Commander, can you tell us why there is a big war?"

"Analysed from the information we have obtained so far, the Sixth Army and the Popov Rapid Group, which are closest to us, are being destructively attacked by the German army. They should not last long."

Everyone was stunned by Sokov's words. After a while, Colonel Gorishny asked tentatively: "However, I heard from the intelligence agency's battle report that our army has successfully captured Zaporozhye. If Manstein hadn't run fast, he would have already been a prisoner of our army."

Hearing this obviously beautified report, Sokov didn't even want to refute it. After reorganizing the vocabulary in his mind, he said: "Commanders, you have been in Luhansk for a while. I think everyone should know what the situation here is. And what I just said Those two troops have now fallen into the encirclement of the German army, and their situation is very difficult.

The Sixth Army is too far away from us, even if we want to rescue, we are powerless. The only one who can help now is General Popov. His troops are now staying near the Red Army Village, only two hundred kilometers away from us. Not long ago, he sent me a telegram, intending to lead troops to break out in the direction of Luhansk, and asked me to send troops to rescue them. "

"Two hundred kilometers is not close." Sivakov said with emotion: "Under the current road conditions, my troops can only advance forty kilometers a day at most. That is to say, even if General Popov implements The breakout operation went well, and it will take them at least four or five days before they can enter Luhansk."

"It's not bad to enter Luhansk in four or five days." As soon as Sivakov finished speaking, his political commissar Yegorov added: "To get here from the Red Army Village, I don't know how many German troops we have to break through. A line of defense. If the Germans encounter tenacious resistance, they may not be able to break through for two or three days, so it may take ten days for them to reach Lugansk."

Sokov did not speak, but sat in his seat, quietly listening to his subordinates express their opinions. After the room became quiet again, he stood up again and said, "Comrades, we cannot just watch General Popov's troops be wiped out by the enemy, so we will go to rescue them when necessary."

"Comrade Commander," Merkulov stood up and asked, "I would like to ask, when and which troops do you plan to send to rescue General Popov?"

"Although General Popov has informed me that he plans to start the breakout operation tonight." Sokov said to everyone: "However, I don't know for the time being whether there will be uncertain variables, so what we can do now Just stand still. After determining the direction of General Popov’s breakthrough, I will send troops to rescue. I plan to send Colonel Bely’s tank brigade and a regiment of the 41st Guards Division to carry out this rescue mission.”

"Comrade Commander, I ask you to let my troops participate in this rescue operation." Merkulov said confidently: "At present, our division is fully staffed and morale is high. If the soldiers can participate in the rescue mission , I believe everyone will be very happy."

Seeing that Merkulov volunteered, Sokov did not agree to him immediately, but turned his face sideways to discuss with Vitkov in a low voice to see if he would agree to Merkulov's request. "Comrade General," Vitkov stood up and said, "I have already contacted General Krylov, commander of the 21st Army Group, and he agreed to lend us a hundred trucks. If your division wants to participate in rescue operations, please Receive these trucks first, and drive to meet General Popov."

"Okay, I will receive these vehicles as soon as possible." Merkulov said happily: "With these trucks, our division's speed of action can be greatly improved. It would take four or five days to walk , we can finish it in a day at most.”

"Comrade General," Sokov reminded Merkulov: "The trucks I borrowed from the friendly army are mainly for the purpose of transporting the wounded in General Popov's army. Speed ​​up and take the wounded to Luhansk by truck."

After arranging the rescue troops, Sokov continued: "Once we retreat to Lugansk with the troops that received General Popov, the main force of the German army will definitely swarm in, and there will be a fierce battle. During this period, hurry up to repair the fortifications, consolidate our defense zone, and ensure that we can block them when attacked by the enemy."

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." The first person to respond to Sokov was Sivakov, the commander of the 71st Guards Division. When Sokov said this, he immediately stood up and said: "I assure you, when the enemy attacks our division's defense area again, we will be able to resolutely block them."

Seeing that the meeting was almost over, Sokov glanced over everyone and asked, "Anyone have any questions?"

"Comrade Commander, I have a question." Colonel Miyakotin, commander of the 11th Artillery Division, saw that Sokov had arranged a half-day mission, which seemed to have nothing to do with his troops, so he couldn't help getting up. Asked: "What is the mission of our division?"

"Comrade Colonel," Sokov replied, looking at the other party, "didn't I tell you a few days ago that the task of your division is to establish artillery positions as soon as possible to provide artillery cover for the defenders when they are attacked by the enemy? "

"However, our division can do more work." Miyakotin said unconvinced: "I think we can also participate in this rescue. When the troops attack, if they can get the support of artillery fire, they can Break through enemy defenses faster."

Myakotin's words reminded Vitkov, who said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I think Colonel Myakotin is right in saying that the attacking force can break through the enemy's defenses faster if it is supported by artillery fire. .”

"No." Sokov shook his head and rejected Vitkov's proposal: "The artillery divisions are all towed artillery, and their mobility is not strong. I don't want these heavy artillery to fall into the hands of the enemy." With a disappointed look on his face, he added, "However, we can transfer a Guards Rocket Battalion to accompany them, and use their powerful firepower to blast away the German defensive positions."