Red Moscow

Seeing the 180-degree turn in the attitude of the residents present, Liapkin narrowed his smile so much that he took over the loudspeaker in Sokov's hand and raised his voice and shouted: "Comrades, We need two hundred people to repair the water supply system in the city that was damaged by the Germans. If you are willing to participate, please go to the small table on the left and line up. Our comrades will group you according to your specialties and arrange corresponding arrangements. work."

Seeing the residents flocking towards the small table, Liapkin continued: "Comrades, our work is not free of charge. Every person who participates in the restoration work can be allocated 500 grams of Bread, and two pickled tomatoes..."

Sokov saw that the problem here had been resolved, so he had no time to listen to what Liapkin was saying, but walked up to Lunev and asked him in a low voice: "Comrade military commissar, are you talking to me?" Shall we go back to the headquarters together, or stay here and assist local comrades to continue their work?"

Lunev glanced at the beaming Liapkin, thought for a moment, and then said decisively: "Comrade Commander, I know that the war is coming, but I can't help you by your side. In my opinion, I still Stay here, restore the water and electricity supply in the city as soon as possible, let the factory resume work and the store open this morning..."

Sokov was not in a difficult situation, so he said smoothly: "Okay, Comrade Military Commissar, then you can stay." He looked around, and then beckoned to Serelkov who was standing not far away. , ordered him to say: "Comrade Lieutenant, I entrust the safety of the military commissioner to you, and you must assure me that you must ensure the safety of his life just like protecting your own eyes."

"Comrade Commander, please rest assured." Serelkov glanced at Lunev quickly, and then said in a firm tone: "We will definitely protect the safety of Comrade Military Commissar."

After explaining the task to Serelkov, Sokov held out his hand to Lunev: "Comrade Military Commissar, then we will see you after Kharkov is liberated. Good luck!"

…………

As soon as Sokov returned to the headquarters, Sameko greeted him and reported excitedly, "Good news, Comrade Commander."

"Good news?!" Sokov raised his eyebrows and asked casually, "Have you caught the German pilot?"

"You guessed it right, Comrade Commander." Sameko replied with a smile, "Our soldiers finally found the pilot who parachuted after repeated searches in the forest."

"Didn't he try to fight back?"

"No, he was seriously injured and had lost the ability to resist." Sameko reported: "When our soldiers found him, he was lying unconscious under a tree. After our soldiers carried him back to the station, , After examination by the military doctor, his legs have been broken, a broken rib has been inserted into the lung, and he has lost a lot of blood. Our military doctor is giving him first aid, and it is still unknown whether he will survive."

"Oh, he was seriously injured?" Sokov frowned slightly, and continued: "Where did our soldiers find him?"

"Here," Sameko said to Sokov, pointing to a location on the map, "it's only one kilometer away from the starting position of the 384th Division."

"Are there any Germans looking for his whereabouts?"

Unexpectedly, Sokov's words actually stopped Sameko from asking: "This... this is not clear, I guess... probably not."

Sokov stared closely at the map on the table, and said with frowning eyebrows: "Comrade Chief of Staff, let me ask you, if our plane was shot down by the enemy in the defense zone, would you send someone to look for it?"

"It goes without saying, of course we need to look for it. Your plane was shot down last time, and we didn't send personnel to search it in time..." Sameko blurted out the words, and when he said this, he stopped abruptly. He suddenly realized that he said It was an embarrassment for Sokov that he was shot down by a German plane while flying to check the terrain on the battlefield. If he said it now, it might make the other party angry. So Sameko quickly argued: "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, I didn't mean to target you..."

Unexpectedly, Sokov's mind is not on this matter. He is considering that the German army will definitely send troops to search if they find that the reconnaissance plane has been shot down. If the pilot's whereabouts cannot be found, the German army may become suspicious. Bad things might happen, so some action must be taken in other areas to divert the attention of the Germans.

Thinking of this, he raised his head and asked Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, where is the main force of the 98th Guards Division now?"

"They have already reached the banks of the Oud River and are stationed in the forest on the west bank." Sameko didn't know why Sokov suddenly thought of asking about this, so he asked in amazement: "Comrade commander, what are you asking about? "

"Is the phone line connected?"

"Yes, the telephone line is connected."

"Put me through the headquarters of the 98th Guards Division immediately. I want to speak to Colonel Chuvashov."

Although Sameko didn't know why Sokov was in such a hurry to talk to Chuvashov, he still ordered the messenger to quickly help Sokov get through to the headquarters of the 98th Guards Division.

Sokov put the microphone to his ear: "Hello, is this Colonel Chuvashov? I'm Sokov!"

"Hello, Comrade Commander." Colonel Chuvashov's respectful voice came over the phone: "Do you have any instructions?"

"Comrade Colonel, I would like to ask, can your troops go into battle now?"

"Going into battle now?" Chuvashov asked in surprise: "Didn't Chief of Staff Sameko give us the task of temporarily resting by the river and attacking the enemy when the time is right?"

"Yes, I did ask Sameko to give you such an order." Sokov said blankly: "But now the enemy situation has changed, and you need to launch an attack from the direction of the landing field and scout the German defenses. Condition……"

Chuvashov did not have any doubts about the order issued by Sokov. He waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and immediately replied: "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will immediately issue an order to the 299th Guards Regiment." Combat orders, let them go into battle."

"Comrade Colonel, I will send the 85th Battalion of Independent Tanks to assist you in your offensive." Sokov said into the microphone: "Now you are ready to attack, and when the time comes, you will launch an attack on the enemy."

Sameko waited for Sokov to put down the phone, and asked somewhat unexpectedly: "Comrade Commander, the 296th Regiment of the 98th Guards Division is fighting against the German attack on the east bank of the Ud River. Is it right to attack the enemy at this time?" Isn't it a bit inappropriate?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, I know that this order of mine is a bit sudden, but I also have my own considerations for making such a decision." Sokov explained to Sameko: "Look, the position where the German pilots parachuted , only one kilometer away from the starting position of the 384th Division's night attack, the enemy will definitely have doubts. Why did our fighters shoot down their reconnaissance planes in this airspace?

If the enemy becomes suspicious because of this matter and strengthens its defenses in the area, it will have an adverse effect on the 384th Division's operations tonight. In order to divert the enemy's attention, it is necessary for us to make some noise in other areas to attract the enemy's attention. "

"Comrade Commander," Sameko expressed his own disagreement with Sokov's consideration: "It is common for a reconnaissance plane to be shot down by an enemy plane. Do you want to launch an offensive operation here on the bridge? You must know that the consequences of doing so will lead to the loss of our vital strength."

"Comrade Chief of Staff." Now that Sokov had made a decision, he naturally wouldn't change his mind just because of Sameko's words. In addition to attracting the attention of the German army, more importantly, he wanted to scout the German army's defense forces near the bridge in order to decide whether to adjust the next battle plan. "My order cannot be changed. You immediately notify the commander of the tank battalion to prepare him for the attack of the 299th Guards Regiment."

Those who questioned Sokov's order were not only Sameko, but even Lieutenant Colonel Uzakov, the chief of staff. When Chuvashov assigned him a task, he immediately stated his Concern: "Comrade commander, I think it is very unwise to attack the enemy at this moment."

In order to persuade Chuvashov, he pointed to the map and said: "The enemy has already formed an arc-shaped encirclement on our landing field on the east bank. If we only use one regiment to carry out the assault, the enemy is fully capable of cutting off the attacking force and the landing field." If there is no connection between them, our troops will be in danger of being wiped out."

Then, Uzakov deduced Chuvashov on the map, trying to make him understand how stupid it is to use a regiment of troops to attack the enemy. He finally said: "Comrade Commander, I strongly recommend that you immediately report to Comrade Commander and ask him to cancel this offensive operation."

Chuvashov seemed very hesitant. He didn't know whether he should call Sokov and ask the other party to allow him to stop the attack. He just stared at the map in front of him and thought hard.

Seeing that Chuvashov didn't respond for a long time, Uzakov couldn't help feeling a little anxious: "Comrade commander, don't hesitate any longer, even if our attacking troops can get the cover of tanks, they still can't escape the name of being encircled and wiped out by the enemy. In the name of the division chief of staff, I implore you, please, comrade commander, stop this wrong attack order."

Chuvashov weighed again and again, slapped the table with his hand, and said decisively: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, I will call Comrade Commander and ask him to stop this attack."

Unexpectedly, after the call was connected, it was Sameko who answered the call. After listening to Chuvashov patiently, Sameko said to him: "Comrade Colonel, I understand what you mean, and I know the dangers that this attack may encounter. But you have been in the army for twenty years. Don’t the commanders in the coming year know that orders from superiors can only be executed, not discussed?”

"But, Comrade Chief of Staff, shall we just watch our soldiers die?..."

"That's enough, Colonel Chuvashov, don't say any more." Before Chuvashov could finish speaking, Sameko interrupted him in a stern tone: "You think that Comrade Commander and I will stand by Watching your soldiers go to die? To tell you the truth, when the 299th Guards Regiment attacks, not only can it get the cooperation of the 85th Independent Tank, it will also get artillery support from the 1st Artillery Division, and even the Front Army Command will send an air force , to provide air cover for your attacking forces."

Chuvashov, who was already trapped, couldn't help being overjoyed when he heard Sameko's words: "Comrade Chief of Staff, are the artillery support and air cover you said true?"

"Of course it is true." Sameko said, "When do you think Comrade Commander's words don't count?"

"I see, Comrade Chief of Staff." With the support of the air force and artillery, the attack of the 299th regiment seemed less dangerous. Chuvashov quickly replied: "I immediately ordered the 299th regiment to enter the attack position, ready to attack the enemy at any time."

…………

As Sokov predicted, when the Luftwaffe combined the downing of a reconnaissance plane with the intelligence that Sokov's troops were moving towards the bridge they occupied, an immediate conclusion was drawn: The Soviet army has established a landing field on the shore, and is about to launch a powerful offensive.

Kenff called together several division commanders who were currently fighting against Sokov's troops, and after briefing them on the situation, he asked, "Gentlemen and Gentlemen, what do you think the Russians will do next?"

The commander of the 320th Infantry Division, who was fighting against the 98th Guards Division on the banks of the Oude River, heard this question from General Keff, and quickly got up and replied: "Your Excellency, I think the Russians will definitely break through from our division's defense zone. Please send me reinforcements to strengthen our frontal defense."

But as soon as he finished speaking, several division commanders immediately agreed with him, thinking that Sokov's troops would definitely try to achieve a breakthrough near the bridge, and quickly rushed into the city of Kharkov.

However, Lieutenant General William Stemmerman, the commander of the 11th Army, who had just taken office for two days, raised his own doubts: "Gentlemen, I think the direction of the Russians' attack is not near the bridge, but in other places. location."

"General William," Kenfe couldn't help asking curiously when he heard William Stemmelman say this: "Can you tell me, what did you use to come to such a conclusion?"

"Your Excellency General," William Stemmelman bowed slightly to Kenff, and said politely: "Several divisions of my 11th Army have set up an arc defensive position near the bridge. No matter which direction the Russians attack, they will All the offensive forces are likely to be intercepted by us, or even surrounded.

If it were other Russian troops, it would be very possible for them to do such a stupid thing. But what we have to face is Sokov, who hurts us the most. Compared with other Russian generals, his tactics are the most difficult to figure out. At least so far, I haven't heard of any officer who can take advantage of him against him.

Therefore, I think it is unlikely that he will attack from the front. And the greatest possibility is to contain our troops near the bridge, while the quietly dispatched troops launch attacks in our other areas, catching us by surprise. "