Red Moscow

If someone else said this, Marankin would definitely scoff, but who is Sokov? Although he is young, the army is full of legends about him, saying that as long as the area is defended by his troops, no matter how powerful the German army is, they will not be able to break through his defense line.

Sokov is not a roundworm in Marankin's stomach, so he naturally doesn't know what the other party thinks, and he is thinking about how to defend. After staring at the map for a while, he felt that he could not get more useful information, so he could only ask Marankin for advice: "Comrade General, according to the map, our right wing is the 305th Infantry Division. How's it going?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Marankin did not answer, but turned to look at the chief of staff. The understanding chief of staff quickly straightened his body and replied: "Comrade General, after the battle, the 305th Division has lost a lot of troops. As far as I know, they have no more than 2,000 soldiers left?"

"What, there are less than 2,000 people left?" Sokov couldn't help frowning: "Then how big is their defensive front?"

"Five kilometers."

"Five kilometers?!" Sokov was taken aback by this statistic. An army of less than 2,000 people had to defend a frontal position five kilometers wide, which meant that everyone was responsible for defending a 2.5-meter-wide section. But in this way, he has a more or less clear idea in his mind. In the next battle, he should tell Koida to focus on the defense of the 305th Division on the right wing, and deploy troops there if necessary, so as not to prevent his flanks from attacking. exposed to the enemy.

"Comrade General," seeing Sokov's serious expression, Marankin said cautiously: "Although the 305th Division's strength is seriously insufficient, there are a large number of permanent fortifications in the area they are defending, and there are densely populated areas in front of the position." It is still very difficult for the enemy's armored forces to break through the minefields in this area."

What is the most important thing in a defensive war is fortification? If there are strong fortifications and a complete defense system to rely on, it will undoubtedly increase the chances of successful defense. However, Sokov felt that there was no need to confide in Marankin about how he should deploy his defenses next. He just smiled and said, "Comrade General, thank you for telling me all this. I will arrange my troops according to the specific situation." Defensive deployment."

"Comrade General," the chief of staff said politely to Sokov when he saw an officer bringing in a soldier with breakfast, "You must not have had breakfast yet, right? If you don't mind, you can have some with us. "

Seeing the officer who just came in from the door, Sokov directed the soldiers to put the samovar, cups, saucers with sugar cubes, plates with bread, canned pickles, and canned meat on the table one by one. He jokingly said: "Comrade General, your breakfast is really rich. It seems that if there is a chance in the future, I will ask you to come here to eat."

Sokov's words caused a burst of good-natured laughter, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly became much more harmonious. Several people sat around the table and had breakfast. The chief of staff poured a cup of hot tea and put it in front of Sokov. You drink, you can only drink a cup of hot tea to warm your body."

"It doesn't matter. I never drink alcohol when I am commanding operations." Sokov politely responded: "Drinking tea is good. Although it is summer, the temperature is still too low every morning. Drinking hot tea can just warm you up." Warm up."

Everyone chatted while eating breakfast. In order to get to know the commander of the Guards Division in front of him, Sokov asked politely: "General Marankin, I don't know which unit you have been in since the outbreak of the war. Maybe we have fought side by side?"

"When the war broke out, I was a quartermaster in the 16th Army..."

"Quartermaster of the 16th Army?" Hearing the familiar designation, Sokov said pleasantly, "So, you have always been General Rokossovsky's subordinate."

Unexpectedly, Marankin shook his head after hearing this, and said with a wry smile: "Comrade General, you don't know that the original commander of the 16th Army was Lieutenant General Lukin, and General Rokossovsky was only the Ninth Mechanized Army at that time." He did not become the commander of the 16th Army until General Lukin was transferred to the commander of the 20th Army."

When he learned that the opponent was actually Lukin's subordinate, Sokov suddenly had a ridiculous idea in his mind: During the Moscow Defense War, when the 16th Army was fighting fiercely with the enemy, Konev, who served as the commander of the Western Front, But inexplicably ordered Rokossovsky to hand over the troops to Lukin, and then led his own headquarters members to Vyazma to receive the nonexistent troops. In retrospect, Konev's order is a bit inexplicable, but it saved Rokossovsky and his command from the danger of being captured.

Could it be that Konev and himself are also a time traveler? But as soon as this idea came up, it was rejected by Sokov. This is impossible. If Konev is also a time traveler, with the historical knowledge he has mastered, it is impossible to make no achievements in the early stage of the Great Patriotic War, and even rely on Zhukov's protection to escape the fate of being dismissed.

"Comrade General, Comrade General." Marankin noticed that Sokov was holding a piece of bread in his hand, staring at the canned meat in front of him, and seemed to be thinking about something, so he quickly called him a few times. When Sokov raised his head and looked at himself blankly, he asked with a smile, "I think you seem to have something on your mind. Can I ask, what are you thinking?"

Naturally, Sokov would not tell Marankin that he was thinking about whether Konev, like himself, was a time traveler from the future. If his original order was not given to Rokossovsky but Lukin, maybe the person staying in the prisoner-of-war camp at this moment is Rokossovsky, and Lukin has a chance to become a war fighter. Marshal Shi.

But since Marankin had already asked this question, Sokov could only say perfunctorily, "I heard you mentioned General Lukin, and I was wondering how he is doing now."

"After we were besieged in Vyazma, Commander Lukin ordered us to disperse and break through in order to prevent the troops from being completely annihilated." Marankin couldn't help sighing when Sukov mentioned Lukin and said, "I Breaking out south with a company of guards, we met a guerrilla group in the forest. With their help, we managed to escape from the enemy's encirclement. However, the unit led by Commander Lukin failed to stand out. Come."

Although the chief of staff of the division had partnered with Marankin for more than a year, he had never heard him mention the matter. Hearing what Marankin said at this moment, he couldn't help asking: "Comrade Commander, do you know how General Lukin is doing now?"

"I have inquired through various channels." Marankin said solemnly: "But the information I got is contradictory. Some people say that General Lukin has died, and even vowed that he saw the general breaking out with his own eyes. During the battle, a shell fell on his side and exploded, and he died on the spot. Some people say that Comrade General did not die, but was captured by the German army.”

"Comrade Commander," the chief of staff asked again, "Which one do you think is more likely?"

Marankin was silent for a moment, and then said cautiously: "I think the rumor of sacrifice is more reliable. If he is captured by the enemy, the enemy will definitely publicize the results they have achieved; secondly, with General Lukin's character, even if he He has fallen into the hands of the enemy, and he will try his best to escape. It has been almost two years now, and there is still no news of him. I think he must have been sacrificed."

"General Marankin," Sokov from the future naturally knew that Lukin was fine at the moment, but his leg was blown off by the Germans when he broke through the siege. Even if he wanted to escape from the enemy's prisoner-of-war camp, it would be powerless. Seeing how depressed Marankin was when he mentioned Lukin, he could not help interjecting: "I think General Lukin is still alive, and you may be able to rescue him yourself from the prisoner-of-war camp when our troops enter the enemy's country. come out."

"What, General Lukin is still alive." Marankin grabbed Sokov's arm and asked excitedly, "General Sokov, have you heard some gossip?"

"I don't have any gossip." Sokov shook his head and said, "I just analyzed it based on what you just said. You said someone saw him being knocked down by a shell, but whoever said that Didn't you run over to check?"

Marankin thought for a while, shook his head and denied: "No, according to the person involved, he was busy rushing out with the troops at that time, but he just watched General Lukin being knocked down by the shell from a distance, and didn't go forward to check. "

"That's right." In order to let Marankin know that Lukin was still alive, Sokov began to analyze him step by step: "Since he didn't step forward to check, it can't prove that General Lukin died. Maybe General Lukin was stunned by the shell, or wounded, before he fell to the ground."

"If the Germans captured General Lukin, they would definitely make a big publicity in the newspapers." Hearing this, Marankin said with some doubts: "But I checked a lot of captured newspapers, especially after the Battle of Viazma. newspapers, but have not seen any news about General Lukin at all."

"I think when the general was captured, he must have been seriously injured and even unconscious." Sokov continued: "The Germans were rigorous in their work. Under the premise of living him, they will not report casually. Maybe after the Germans figure out that he is General Lukin, a long time has passed, and even they are retreating from Moscow, so there is no time to report on a wounded man. Soviet general."

Sokov's analysis gave Marankin a glimmer of hope. He said emotionally: "General Sokov, according to your analysis, General Lukin may be staying in a German prisoner-of-war camp now?"

"Comrade General, I think this possibility is very high." Sokov nodded and said, "General Lukin survived after being seriously injured, and is now staying in a German prisoner-of-war camp. , waiting for us to rescue him."

"General Sokov, please forgive me." When Marankin was convinced of what Sokov said, the chief of staff of the division raised a question: "How can you be sure that General Lukin is still alive and is still staying in a certain place?" What about a POW camp?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov looked at the chief of staff in front of him and said with a smile on his face, "My troops have liberated dozens of prisoner-of-war camps and incorporated most of the rescued commanders and fighters into my combat troops. Among these comrades-in-arms who have regained their freedom, we have discovered more than once that many of them were declared missing or even sacrificed. However, before that, both their superiors and family members thought they were sacrificed."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't say any more." Seeing that his chief of staff seemed to want to say something, Marankin immediately stopped him: "I think General Sokov's analysis is very reasonable. Staying in one of the German POW camps." After saying this, he turned to Sokov again, and said in a pleading tone, "General Sokov, if you have an update from General Lukin in the future, you must Let me know in good time."

Sokov only knew that Lieutenant General Lukin was rescued by the U.S. military in a prisoner-of-war camp in Moosburg an der Isar, Germany, a few days before the victory of the war, but he did not know where he was being held now. Therefore, in the face of Marankin's plea, he nodded slightly, and said with a solemn expression: "Don't worry, Comrade General, once there is news about General Lukin, I will definitely notify you in the shortest possible time."

"Thank you, General Sokov." Marankin held Sokov's hand tightly and said emotionally: "On behalf of the surviving commanders and fighters of the original 16th and 20th Army, thank you."

Marankin's words made Sokov realize that if he could provide them with evidence that Lukin was still alive, and even tell them the prisoner-of-war camp where the other party was being held at the moment, he might be able to gain more friendship in the army. Regardless of Lukin being captured, the 16th and 20th armies he commanded were wiped out by the Germans, but there are still many surviving old troops, such as Major General Malankin, the commander of the Guards Division in front of him.

Based on this consideration, Sokov nodded vigorously and said, "Don't worry, Comrade General, I don't think I will let you down."

While chatting, everyone finished this somewhat simple breakfast. The political commissar of the division came back from the outside alone, and he reported to Sokov: "Comrade General, the troops of the 188th Division have arrived. After completing the transfer of defense, Colonel Koida is busy deploying new defenses."

Knowing that the troops had taken over the position of the Guards Division, Sokov felt that he should go back immediately to take a look, so he got up and said goodbye to Marankin: "General Marankin, I'm going to see the situation of the defense, thank you for your hospitality .”

When Marankin sent Sokov away, he smiled and said politely, "General Sokov, please be careful on the road. We welcome you to visit us at any time."