Red Moscow

"Comrade Sokov," Konev waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and said to him: "You are the commander of the 27th Army, and now Kremenchug is your defense zone. If you find a suitable fighter, You have the right to act on the fly, so you don’t have to ask me for everything, so as not to delay the battle. Do you understand?”

"Understood, Comrade Commander of the Front Army." With these words from Konev, Sokov's heart suddenly became more at ease. The following situation means that the battle situation is changing rapidly. If you want to blindly rely on asking for instructions to fight, it will definitely cause delays. warplane. If you have full command of yourself, you can firmly grasp the opportunity: "I will never trust you."

Before putting down the phone, Sokov suddenly remembered another matter, and hurriedly asked: "There is one more thing, that is, our army will cooperate with the 53rd army to defend Klemenchug. I don't know who will be in charge of the unified command." ?” He asked this because he was worried that Konev would hand over the command to the commander of the 53rd Army, Managarov. After all, others were lieutenant generals, but he was only a major general.

After listening to Sokov's question, Konev immediately guessed what he was thinking, and deliberately teased him: "Comrade Sokov, who do you think should be in charge of the two armies?"

Sokov didn't expect Konev to kick the ball back to his feet. After hesitating for a moment, he replied: "Comrade Front Army Commander, if the decision is made according to military rank, it should undoubtedly be General Managarov. Unified command, after all, he is a lieutenant general and I am a major general. But if according to command ability..."

"According to the command ability, naturally you should be in charge of the headquarters." Konev said Sukov's thoughts in one breath: "Am I right?"

"That's right." Now that Konev guessed what was on his mind, Sokov didn't hide it, but replied truthfully: "If you want to hold and expand the landing field on the right bank of the Dnieper River, I think it's up to me." Commanding two armies should be very appropriate."

Unexpectedly, Konev unexpectedly replied: "I don't think it's appropriate, Comrade Sokov."

Sokov was stunned by Konev's words, inappropriate, why? You must know that since the Battle of Kursk, your troops have repeatedly made outstanding achievements. Even in the battle to attack Belgorod, it was only with the assistance of your troops that the 53rd Army successfully broke through the German army's border. The river defended, storming into the city. Why would Konev say that he is not suitable for the post of joint command?

Before Sokov could ask the question in his heart, Konev had already said: "Comrade Sokov, I know that you are very wronged when I say this. Whether it is the battle of Kursk or the liberation of Belko In the battle of Rhodes and Kharkov, your army troops have achieved great results, which is unmatched by other armies of the Front Army.

But the reason why you can achieve such a huge battle result is because you have obtained weapons that other armies cannot obtain, and a large number of soldiers with rich combat experience. If these weapons and soldiers are supplemented to any group army under the front army, they can also achieve the same results. "

Hearing this, Sokov couldn't help muttering to himself: Wars depend not only on equipment and soldiers, but more importantly on tactics. Even if the weapons and soldiers obtained by their own troops are handed over to other group armies under the front army, at best they can only provide their combat effectiveness, but it is basically impossible for them to achieve so many records of their own.

But Konev is his superior. If he wants to say this, he really can't argue with him on the phone, so he can only bite the bullet and stop.

Fortunately, Konev quickly changed the topic and continued: "...But considering the special situation there, after the 53rd Army arrives at the designated location, I can temporarily assign the 1st Mechanized Army to your command .The main force of the 53rd Army remains on the left bank of the Dnieper River."

"No problem, Comrade Front Commander." Knowing that Konev planned to hand over a mechanized army to his command, Sokov couldn't help being overjoyed. Although the mechanized army at this moment does not have thousands of armored vehicles like it did at the beginning of the war, the armor is still very strong, which will be very helpful for expanding the landing field in the future. He hurriedly said gratefully: "With the support of this army, our hope of victory is even greater."

Knowing that a mechanized army would soon be assigned to his command, Sokov felt very relieved. After he put down the phone, he said to Sameko and Lunev: "Chief of Staff, Military Commissar, I have some good news for you. General Konev just told me that he intends to replace the 1st Mechanized Army under the 53rd Army. The Army was assigned to our command. In this way, the strength of our troops holding on to the landing site has been greatly enhanced."

"But, Comrade Commander." After Sokov finished speaking, Sameko frowned and reminded him: "The troops of the two armies are crowded in the same area. If there is no unified command, I worry that it will cause unnecessary trouble." confusion."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, don't worry." Sokov waited for Sameko to finish his worries, and comforted him, saying: "After our main force and the 53rd Army arrive at Kremenchug, I plan to keep two The division sticks to Klemenchug and the left bank area, and the remaining troops and the 1st Mechanized Army are deployed on the landing field on the right bank.

As for the main force of the 53rd Army, let them be deployed near Klemenchug. We are each responsible for a certain area, even if there is no unified command, it will not affect the overall situation. "

Seeing that Sokov had already thought carefully, Sameko stopped saying anything, but asked Sokov, "Comrade Commander, when will the headquarters be moved to Kremenchug?"

Sokov considered that although there are already three infantry divisions, some tank units and artillery stationed in Klemenchug, the strength there is still a little weaker. If the headquarters of the group army is moved there in a hurry, once it is attacked by the German army, the possibility of the headquarters being taken away by the enemy cannot be ruled out.

Thinking of this, he said to Sameko: "Chief of staff, don't worry, we don't have many troops in Klemenchug now, at least some more troops should be passed, and we will consider moving the headquarters forward. "

When Sameko heard it, Sokov made sense. So far, the 4th Guards Tank Corps and the two artillery divisions are still staying at the Meriefa Fortress, and their transfer will take a lot of time. Then he nodded and echoed: "Comrade commander, what you said is very reasonable. I think we should wait until the tank army and artillery division have entered Kremenchug before following Major Guchakov's infantry 1st 73rd Brigade, go to Klemenchuk."

The two had just reached an agreement when the phone rang suddenly, and Lunev reached out to grab the receiver: "I'm Lunev, what's the matter?"

After a while, Lunev showed a shocked expression on his face, and he repeatedly asked: "Where is it?...Have you sent troops to search?...Understood, I will report to the comrade commander immediately."

Sokov stopped talking with Sameko and asked Lunev curiously: "Comrade Military Commissar, you look so serious, is something wrong?"

"Comrade Commander," Lunev reported to Sokov with a serious expression: "The call is from Colonel Khokhlov, the commander of the 182nd Division. While bathing in the river on the north side of the fortress, they were killed by German snipers and all died on the spot..."

Before Lunev could finish speaking, Sokov jumped up from his seat: "A German sniper killed our four female signal soldiers. Is this news reliable?"

"It's completely reliable," Lunev nodded, and replied in an affirmative tone: "After the incident, Lieutenant Colonel Golyachkin, the head of the 546th regiment, has sent a battalion to search the ruins of the nearby fortress and prepare to send the Find the German snipers hidden inside."

"It's been several days since we liberated the fortress," Sameko asked suspiciously, "Where did the German snipers come from?"

Sokov thought to himself that when the Brest Fortress fell for such a long time, Major Gavrilov, the commander of the 44th Infantry Regiment, persisted in the fortress for a month before being captured by the German army because of injuries. It's only been a few days since my own troops liberated the fortress, and it's not surprising that there are a few German soldiers left in the ruins of the fortress.

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov said in a low voice, "we only have a few days to take down the fortress, so it is not surprising that a few German soldiers are hidden in so many ruins." He saw Lunev's hand Still holding the microphone, he ordered him to say, "Comrade Military Commissar, please tell Colonel Khokhlov that after the German snipers finish their kills, they will definitely shift their targets. It is far from enough to send a battalion to search. Let the commanders and fighters of the entire 546th regiment participate in the search work, and the German sniper who killed the female signal soldier must be caught."

"Comrade Colonel," Lunev said into the microphone: "Comrade Commander has an order to immediately send the entire 546th Regiment to search the area. Be sure to catch the German snipers who fired... huh?! Please wait." For a moment, I need to ask Comrade Commander about this matter..."

"Comrade Commander," Lunev looked at Sokov and asked, "Colonel Khokhlov asked for instructions. After capturing the German sniper, what should we do with him?"

"Bring him to the remains of the four female soldiers and shoot him." Sokov replied resolutely, "We will never accept his surrender."

"Understood." Lunev said into the microphone again: "Comrade Colonel, did you hear that? Comrade Commander ordered that once the German sniper is caught, he should be taken to the body of the sacrificed female soldier and shot immediately. We will absolutely not accept his surrender if he voluntarily puts down his arms and surrenders."

If the German snipers killed other commanders, Sokov might not have issued such an order. But the other party actually shot and killed four young girls in their prime, and shot them when they went to the river to take a bath. This kind of two-legged beast must not be tolerated.

Sokov turned to Sameko and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you immediately call the commanders of the divisions and brigades and order them to conduct a comprehensive search of the ruins of the nearby fortresses to check whether there are any Germans who slipped through the net. Even if you dig three feet into the ground, you must find all the enemies for me."

Following Sokov's order, in less than ten minutes, tens of thousands of troops in the fortress immediately started searching for the ruins. There are also some civilians who stayed in the fortress and participated in the search. Their familiarity with the fortress far exceeds that of the commanders and fighters of the 27th Army. With their selfless help, they found seven or eight wounded German soldiers in less than half an hour, but these wounded soldiers were already dying. Even the activity is a problem, so naturally it won't be the murderer who killed the female signal soldier. Out of humanitarian considerations, Sokov specially sent military doctors to treat them. As for whether they can survive, it depends on their personal fate.

After searching for an hour, the commanders and fighters of the 546th regiment finally found the traces of the German snipers. But the opponent was very cunning, hiding behind a pile of bricks and rubble, and shot at the Soviet commanders approaching him. In just two minutes, five more soldiers fell under his guns.

Captain Gelia, the company commander, saw his subordinates fall one after another under the guns of the German snipers, and quickly called in an anti-tank team to attack the snipers' hiding places with rocket launchers.

As the rocket flew out and hit the position where the sniper was hiding, the whole time fell silent. But Gelia rushed up with a dozen soldiers, and found that the German sniper's hands were blown off, one eye was also blinded, and his face was covered with blood. It looked really scary.

But Gelia didn't have the slightest sympathy for him, so he turned around and told the soldiers behind him, "Come here, drag him to the river, and shoot him next to the bodies of those female signal soldiers."

A soldier took two steps forward, and instead of bending down to help the sniper, he raised the bayonet in his hand and stabbed it hard. His actions immediately aroused the imitation of the surrounding soldiers, and everyone rushed forward one after another, stabbing the sniper with bayonets without thinking. At the beginning, the screams of the sniper could still be heard, but soon the sound became weak, and finally there was no sound at all.

Regarding what the soldiers did, Gelia chose to ignore it. For such an executioner who killed nine Soviet soldiers in a row, it was too cheap to just shoot him. Letting the soldiers stab him to death was what he deserved.

When the soldiers dispersed, the German snipers had already lost their vitality. Gelia looked down for a while, and then told the soldiers: "Okay, drag his body to the remains of those female soldiers, and let the sacrificed sisters see, you have avenged them."

When Sokov learned that the sniper had been killed, he got up and said to Sameko and Lunev, "Chief of Staff, Comrade Military Commissar, stay here. I'll go and see the female signal soldiers who died."

"No, Comrade Commander, you can't go." Unexpectedly, Sameko tried his best to stop Sukov: "Maybe there are hidden snipers. If you go, you will become their target."

"Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said confidently: "I believe that my subordinates, after such a rigorous search, will definitely not survive any enemy. It should be the safest for me to go out now."

Hearing Sokov's self-confidence, Lunev's hesitation disappeared without a trace. He stood up and said to Sokov, "Comrade Commander, I am your deputy. I must be with you in this matter." Go, I hope you don't refuse my request."

After staring at Lunev for a while, Sokov nodded slightly: "Okay, Comrade Military Commissar, since you insist so much, let's go together, and the chief of staff will be responsible for the affairs here."