Red Moscow

While waiting for the commander of the anti-aircraft artillery battalion to arrive, Sameko also asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade commander, where should we deploy the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion?"

"The air defense force of the headquarters is very weak, so let's deploy them near the headquarters." Sokov said: "According to my past experience, if the enemy sneak attack the headquarters, you can even order the anti-aircraft guns to shoot flat and destroy the enemy. the enemy of crime."

"Comrade Commander, it is said that your troops have been using anti-aircraft guns to attack enemy tanks and anti-aircraft machine guns to shoot enemy infantry a long time ago." Lunev waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and asked curiously: "How did you How did you come up with this idea?"

"The reason is very simple." Sokov said lightly: "At that time, I had no choice but to face the attacking German tanks and infantry. It was difficult for our equipment to resist them. We used anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns to deal with the enemy's tanks and infantry, but unexpectedly the effect was particularly obvious, and the enemy was defeated under the attack of anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns."

Sokov had just explained to Sameko and Lunev why he used anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft machine guns with far-fetched reasons, when he heard a familiar female voice at the door asking: "Can you come in?" ?”

Sokov turned his head and looked towards the door, where two female officers stood.

But after seeing the other person's face clearly, Sokov couldn't help but exclaimed, turned around and walked towards the two of them. Due to some gaffes, he accidentally bumped into the bench beside him, which made him grin his teeth in pain, but he still endured the pain and limped towards the two of them.

"Lida! Ulanova!" Sokov stepped forward, hugged each of the two female commanders, and said emotionally: "I really didn't expect to see you alive."

Captain Lida blushed and said to Sokov, "Me too, General Sokov, I didn't expect to see you alive."

Sokov led the two people to the table by the hand, and after calling them to sit down, he said to Lunev and Sameko: "Comrade Military Commissar, Comrade Chief of Staff, let me introduce you. This is Li Captain Da, I fought alongside me in Sukhinich. That was Captain Ulanova, and we used to fight the enemy hard together in the Red October factory in Stalingrad."

When Lunev saw Sokov hugging the two female commanders just now, he kept wondering whether Sokov knew the two of them. After listening to his introduction, he immediately understood what was going on, and hurriedly asked Lida Stretching out his hand, he said enthusiastically, "Hello, Captain Lida, let me introduce myself. I am Lunev, the Military Commissar of the Group Army."

Lida quickly stood up, raised her hand to salute Lunev, then held Lunev's hand with both hands, and said respectfully, "Hello, Comrade Military Commissioner, it's a pleasure to meet you."

After both parties finished their introductions, Sokov remembered that Lida's original superior was Lieutenant Liuba, so he tentatively asked, "Lida, I remember that your company commander is Lieutenant Liuba. Where is she now?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Lida lowered her head and said sadly: "She died heroically in the Battle of Kharkov at the beginning of the year. The instructor, Lieutenant Sveta, was also sent to the hospital because of serious injuries. Went to the hospital in the rear. Both the company commander and the instructor withdrew from the battle, and the superior was appointed as the company commander of the women's anti-aircraft machine gun company."

Hearing this, Sameko asked in surprise, "Aren't you the anti-aircraft artillery battalion?"

"Yes, Comrade General." Lida glanced at Sameko's epaulettes and replied, "Two weeks ago, the anti-aircraft machine gun company I commanded was incorporated into the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion, responsible for air defense tasks in the Oboyan area. During an air raid last week, the battalion headquarters was unfortunately hit by an aerial bomb from an enemy plane, and both the battalion commander and the instructor died heroically. , and Captain Ulanova will serve as my instructor."

Although Lida said the whole thing in an understatement tone, Sokov was still terrified when he heard it. He thought that if Lida had a little less luck, he might have become a martyr.

"General Sokov," Lida straightened her body and asked Sokov, "What is the mission of our battalion?"

Sokov did not give them an order immediately, but asked instead: "How many people are there in your battalion now?"

"The whole battalion now has 317 people, divided into three companies, including one anti-aircraft machine gun company with 10 anti-aircraft machine guns; two 37mm twin anti-aircraft gun companies with 20 anti-aircraft guns."

After listening to Lida's answer, Sokov felt that their strength was not bad, so he pointed to the map and said to Lida: "Lida, your battalion is deployed to the west of the headquarters. ground defense."

"Understood, Comrade General." Lida nodded upon hearing Sukov's order and said, "I assure you, as long as our battalion is stationed, the enemy, no matter if they come from the sky or from the ground, will be attacked." We strike devastatingly."

"Lida, Ulanova." After assigning the task, Sokov felt that the two female commanders should be given some special care, so he said to them in a slow tone: "Don't look at me as the commander of the group army now, But we have always been comrades in arms who fought side by side. If you encounter any difficulties, please come to me; if you can’t find me, please contact my chief of staff, General Sameko, and he will help you solve the problem.”

After seeing off Lida and Ulanova, Sameko asked Sokov in surprise: "Comrade Commander, if the enemy really launches an attack on our headquarters, do you think the anti-aircraft artillery battalion can stop the enemy's attack? "

"Comrade Chief of Staff, please don't come up with such absurd assumptions." Sokov waved his hand at Sameko, stopping what he was going to say later: "Whether it's Lida or Ulanova, I have fought with them before. I have a lot of confidence in the abilities of the two of them after getting to know each other. As long as there is still one person in the position they hold on to, the enemy will never be allowed to pass through."

"Comrade Commander, I always think that fighting is a man's business, and so many women also wear military uniforms to fight with us." Sameko said: "I find it very awkward."

"On the battlefield, there are only soldiers and civilians, there is no distinction between men and women." Sokov waited for Sameko to finish speaking, and said righteously: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you must not underestimate women, especially the superiors." Women who have been on the battlefield, their performance in battle will definitely not be inferior to any male soldier."

"Comrade Commander," Lunev interjected, "after the Women's Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion enters the defensive position, there will probably be quite a few commanders and fighters in the surrounding troops, who will find various reasons to enter. Look, have we issued an order not to Allow any male soldiers to enter the female soldiers' camp?"

Sokov is well aware of human psychology, the more something is prohibited, the easier it is to arouse everyone's curiosity. If I really issued such an order, even if the male soldiers did not enter the female soldiers' garrison during the day, who knew if someone would slip in at night.

"I don't think it's necessary." It was precisely because of this consideration that Sokov said with a smile: "Comrade military commissar, as the saying goes: men and women are matched, and work is not tiring. It is rare to see young men and women in the army." Girls, there are hundreds of them here at once, and the commanders and fighters in the troops around them will definitely try their best to get close to them. I think everything will just go with the flow, maybe those male soldiers want to make some money in front of the female soldiers. It may be possible to bring out their potential in battle and improve the combat effectiveness of the entire army."

"Okay then, Comrade Commander." Hearing what Sokov said, Lunev did not insist anymore, but said smoothly: "We will turn a blind eye to this kind of thing, as long as the troops If the combat effectiveness does not have a negative impact, we have the right to ignore it."

After talking about the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion, Sokov shifted the topic to the upcoming offensive: "Comrade Chief of Staff, tell me, those troops should be the first echelon of the offensive."

"Landing operations are the speciality of the Marine brigade," Sameko replied. "I think the first attack to seize the German defensive position on the other side of the river should be completed by two marine brigades. Wait for them Successfully captured the enemy's position, and the infantry divisions took over their attack."

"If the marine brigade is the first echelon, what are the second echelon troops?"

"I think the 254th and 384th Infantry Divisions can be used as the second echelon."

After recording what Sameko said in his notebook, Sokov added: "The 84th, 182nd and 188th Infantry Divisions serve as the third echelon."

"I don't think the 182nd Infantry Division is suitable to participate in this offensive." Sameko said to Sokov: "After the division has recruited a large number of old, weak, sick and disabled, the combat effectiveness of the troops has been seriously diluted. I think For a long time, they will not be able to participate in the brutal battle. I think they should be used as the reserve of the whole army."

"Use them as a reserve team?" Sokov waited for Sameko to finish speaking, then turned to look at Lunev, frowned and asked, "Comrade Military Commissioner, what's your opinion?"

"I agree with the opinion of Comrade Chief of Staff." Lunev said solemnly: "The 182nd Infantry Division is not suitable to participate in this offensive. With their current strength, it is very likely that they will be involved in street fighting after the city is broken, because Insufficient combat experience, and paid a heavy price."

Regarding the opinions of the two, Sokov was kind: "Well, since you all think that the 182nd Division is not suitable for combat, then use them as the reserve team of the army."

Seeing that Sokov agreed to his suggestion, Sameko breathed a sigh of relief, and then reported to him: "All the 30,000 assault rifles that the superiors gave us have all arrived, and I wonder if they will be distributed to the troops? "

Sokov pondered for a long time before asking back, "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you think that assault rifles should be issued to troops at this time?"

"The attack on Belgorod has already entered the countdown." Sameko said thoughtfully: "With a large-scale change of equipment dozens of hours before the start of the battle, I am worried that the new troops will Commanders and fighters do not have enough time to adapt to this new type of weapon, and the combat effectiveness may be greatly reduced by then."

"I think it is possible to change the outfits of the assault troops." Lunev said: "The two marine brigades are full, and there are only more than 5,000 troops, and more than half of the commanders and fighters are equipped with assault rifles. If they change their outfits, not only It can maximize the firepower of lightly armed troops during an assault, and at the same time avoid the trouble of ammunition resupply."

Sokov thought to himself, isn't it? If the assault troops occupy the opposite bank and confront the enemy, if they are equipped with a variety of weapons, then it will increase the pressure on the logistics department. Thinking of this, he nodded and said to Sameko: "Chief of Staff, I think what Comrade Military Commissioner said makes sense. In order to ensure the victory of the battle, we should hurry up and re-equip the assault troops."

"I understand, Comrade Commander." Sameko understood what Sokov meant, and quickly replied: "I will immediately contact the logistics department to replace the weapons of the two marine brigades overnight, so that they can carry out assault missions. When it does, it can maintain a sufficiently strong firepower."

"Where's the artillery?" Sokov asked, "Where are they now?"

"Here," Sameko pointed to the map and reported to Sokov: "The First Artillery Division and the Second Artillery Division have entered the designated positions, and when the time comes, they can launch violent attacks on the enemy's coastal positions. shelling."

Sokov looked at the map and nodded, nodded slightly, and said: "Tell General Poluboyarov that after the artillery shelling begins, his tank army will move towards the river. If the assault force can successfully capture Bridge, their tanks can pass through the bridge and rush into the city of Belgorod."

"What should we do if the bridge is blown up by the enemy while the assault force is capturing it?"

"If the bridge is blown up, we can only rely on the engineers to build a pontoon bridge on the river." Sokov warned: "But while the engineers are erecting the pontoon bridge, the tank army's tanks must stop by the river and bombard the other party to destroy them." The enemy's firepower point provides the necessary artillery cover for the assault force to develop in depth."

Sokov and the others made assumptions about the problems that might arise during the attack, and formulated corresponding solutions. Seeing that the discussion was coming to an end, Sokov heard Yakov's voice: "Misha, you came back!"

"Yes, Yasha, I came back from the meeting a long time ago, what do you want?"

"That's right, Misha, I do have something to report to you." Yakov said to Sokov with a serious expression, "Can you talk to me alone?"

"There is a spare room next to him." Sokov knew that Yakov would not propose to talk to him alone if he didn't have something particularly important, so he stood up and said to him, "Come with me."

Yakov smiled apologetically at Sameko and Lunev, followed Sokov, and walked out of the headquarters quickly.