Red Moscow

"General Sokov," Zakharov said sternly through the receiver, "please tell me the truth, why didn't you report the important news of the retreat of the German troops to the south of the landing site in time?"

Sokov remembered that when Zakharov usually called himself "you", he suddenly used the honorific title today, which proved that the other party had reached a bizarre level of anger at this moment.

"Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army," Sokov waited for Zakharov to finish, and said calmly, "You are right. The enemy on the south side of the landing field is indeed shifting. But their shift is a real shift. It's still a ecstasy formation deliberately set up for us, and we still can't know the truth about this. At this moment, the reconnaissance team we sent is conducting intense reconnaissance, just trying to figure out whether the enemy is really retreating, or a conspiracy. Because I haven't figured out the truth yet, I made my own claim and didn't report the situation immediately, so as not to cause misjudgment to my superiors."

Sokov's seemingly reasonable explanation extinguished the anger in Zakharov's heart, and he asked in a slow tone, "Is that so?"

"Of course." Sukov noticed that the other party's anger had subsided, and quickly said: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, you know me well, and I will not report it casually until I find out the real intentions of the Germans. In order to avoid wrong intelligence, leading to misjudgment by the superiors."

Zakharov still trusted Sokov in his heart, and after listening to his explanation, his anger gradually subsided. He remembered the reason for calling Sokov today, and continued: "According to the information we have obtained, the German army is moving towards the landing field established by the 7th Guards Army, trying to attack the landing field from several directions at the same time, and put our troops on the ground. Rush into the Dnieper. So I called Commander Konev, who was staying at the headquarters of the 7th Guards Army, and prepared to..."

Sokov knew very well what Zakharov was going to say next, so he said before he said it: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, you are not going to let us send troops to contain the enemy, are you?"

Zakharov didn't expect that Sokov would guess what he said before he said it. After hesitating for a few seconds, he said: "From the current situation, you are the troops closest to the new landing site. Besides, the enemy has withdrawn from your defense zone. It is very appropriate for you to attack and contain the enemy. of."

"I don't think it's appropriate, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Seeing what he was worried about happened, Sokov retorted firmly: "Yes, we are the closest to the enemy now, and the enemy is also withdrawing from our defense zone Yes. Logically speaking, it is only natural for us to attack and contain these enemies, and to cover the safety of the friendly landing field. But..."

"but what?"

"But the order given to us by our superiors is to break through the German defenses on the south side of the landing field, quickly advance southward, capture Alexandria and Kirovgrad, and establish an offensive starting point for liberating the right bank of the Dnieper River." Sokov eloquently said Said: "Now my troops are ready to attack. After the 69th Army of General Kryuchenkin takes over the defense, they can attack the German army in the south of the landing field. If we really send troops to attack and divert The German army will completely disrupt our offensive steps. I beg the superiors to carefully consider my suggestion, and use other troops to deal with the enemy flanking the friendly landing field, so that we can concentrate our forces and launch an attack to the south."

Sokov's words reminded Zakharov that according to the original plan, after Kryuchenkin's 69th Army took over the defense of Kremenchug and the right bank landing field, Sokov's troops would move to the south of the landing field. The Germans launched an offensive and did everything possible to liberate Alexandria and Kirovograd in the shortest possible time. If they are ordered to attack the enemies that appear near the new landing site, then the original plan will be completely disrupted.

"What should I do, what should I do?" Sokov's words made Zakharov feel very embarrassed. If Sokov did not send troops, then the landing site of Shumilov's troops might be attacked from both sides. But if Sokov is allowed to send troops, the original plan to develop south will be completely disrupted.

Just when he was in a dilemma, he suddenly heard Sokov asking: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, do you feel quite confused now and don't know what to do, right?"

"That's right, that's right." Now that Sokov had guessed his thoughts, Zakharov didn't hide it, but asked the other party humbly: "Then tell me, what should I do?"

"I suggest you ask the commander of the front army for instructions," Sokov felt that if he wanted to not send troops, he would still follow the original plan to launch an attack to the south of the landing field, so he took the initiative to suggest to Zakharov: "Can you order the first guard of the guards?" The troops on the left and right wings of the 7th Army launched the crossing operation in advance, so that the German forces could be dispersed and they could not concentrate their forces to attack the newly established landing field."

"Let the troops on both sides of the 7th Guards Army launch the crossing operation in advance?" Regarding Sokov's suggestion, Zakharov shook his head with a wry smile and said, "General Sokov, the situation is not as simple as you imagined. This The two armies do not have enough equipment for crossing the river, so they have been unable to launch a river crossing operation for a long time."

Hearing the reason given by Zakharov, Sokov said a little excitedly: "If you just stay by the river and wait for the equipment to cross the river, it will delay the fighter plane."

"But you can't cross the river without waiting for the equipment for crossing the river." Zakharov said with a look of embarrassment: "The river crossing point chosen by the two armies, although the water flow is gentle, but the river is too wide. If it is in summer, it can be organized The troops are swimming, but it is already October, and the river is freezing cold, and the commanders and fighters who enter the water may be frozen to death before they get ashore."

Zakharov's words reminded Sokov that October is almost winter in Russia, and maybe it will snow in two days. Let the commanders and fighters swim thousands of meters in the piercing river, and I am afraid that many people will be frozen when they go ashore. Everyone is frozen, how can they fight when they go ashore, and put them on the shore for the Germans to use as targets?

After thinking about this, Sokov began to beat his heart. If the troops on the left and right flanks of the 7th Guards Army did not cross the river, the task of sending troops to cover the flanks of the new landing site would still fall on his head sooner or later.

Zakharov seemed to have guessed Sokov's embarrassment, and said: "General Sokov, I know what you are worried about. I will call the commander now and ask him what he means, and then consider whether it is up to you Send troops to support the new landing site."

Things have come to this point, what can Sokov say? He could only hum a few times, and then put down the phone.

Seeing Sokov put down the phone, Sameko asked cautiously, "Comrade Commander, what did General Zakharov say?"

"What else can I say?" Sokov replied with a wry smile, "Of course we want us to send troops to cover the flanks of the new landing site, so that the troops of the 7th Guards Army will not be attacked by the enemy."

"Then what about our attack?" Sameko asked anxiously, "Order the troops to cancel?"

"Don't worry, my comrade chief of staff." Sokov comforted the other party and said: "General Zakharov said to call the commander immediately for instructions. Maybe there is still room for change in this matter. Let's wait patiently for news. .”

"I am worried that if the offensive plan is cancelled, the battalion we sent to Pavlish will become a lone army. At that time, we can only watch them being wiped out by the enemy." Sameko After saying this, he asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Commander, before the First Battalion has entered the city, can you send an urgent telegram to Captain Mikhaiev and ask them to withdraw immediately?"

"It's too late, Comrade Chief of Staff." Although Sokov also had this thought in his heart, he thought about it again, and he didn't get in touch with the First Battalion. Maybe they had already entered Pavlish. Giving them an order to retreat at this moment will instead increase their risk of exposure: "We don't know where the first battalion is now. If we rashly send a telegram ordering them to retreat, I'm afraid it will cause some unnecessary trouble."

"But if our offensive is cancelled, this army that is deep behind the enemy will become an isolated and helpless army." Sameko reminded Sokov: "Do you want to watch our troops be wiped out by the enemy?"

"They are all my subordinates, do you think I will die?"

As he spoke, Sokov grabbed the cigarette case on the table, tore open the wrapping directly, and took out a cigarette from the exposed cigarette and put it in his mouth. Throwing the rest of the cigarettes on the table, he picked up the match and was ready to light it. Probably because of being too emotional, I cut several matches in a row, but failed to make the matches burst into flames.

Seeing Sokov's gaffe, Sameko realized that he had wrongly blamed Sokov. The other party, like himself, was worried about going deep into the enemy's first battalion. He reached out and took the match in Sokov's hand, lit a cigarette, and then tried to ask in a calm tone: "Comrade Commander, is there anything we can do now?"

"All we can do now is to wait." After taking a deep puff of his cigarette, Sokov gritted his molars and said, "See what Commander Konev plans. If he decides to let us cover the new On the flank of the landing site, the original attack plan will definitely be cancelled, and then we will find a way to notify the first battalion to withdraw. Of course, before leaving, we must destroy the German army’s material transfer warehouse, and nothing can be left for them.”

"Well, this is a good idea." Sameko was visibly relieved after hearing Sokov's words. He picked up a cigarette scattered on the table, lit it in his mouth, and said slowly : "It seems that this is the only way to go."

While smoking a cigarette, Sokov said to Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, if the first battalion can successfully occupy the material transfer warehouse tonight, then tomorrow morning, order the first artillery division and the second artillery division to bombard the German armor with artillery fire." The area where the troops were concentrated prevented them from sending additional reinforcements in the direction of Pavlish to ensure that Guchakov's infantry brigade could successfully break through the enemy's lines."

"Understood." Sameko knew very well that as long as the attention of the remaining enemies were concentrated on the area where the armored division was located, then when Guchakov's infantry brigade launched an attack, the resistance it encountered would be greatly reduced. : "I will pass on your order to the two artillery division commanders."

Sokov threw the cigarette butt on the ground, crushed it with his toes, looked at his watch and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, it's getting late, you should call now."

Sameko said with some hesitation: "Comrade Commander, I think it's not too late to call the two artillery division commanders after General Zakharov has news."

"No." Sokov said resolutely: "To bombard the German armored division's staging area, the number of shells needed is quite a lot. Are the two artillery divisions prepared to have so many shells now? What if when the shelling starts, it is found that there are not enough shells?" , that would be a big mistake."

"But if the attack is cancelled, the shells prepared for the artillery division can't be transported back to the hiding place, right?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov explained, "even if the attack is cancelled, there is no need to transport the shells back to the hiding place. When the enemy launches an attack on our landing field, the artillery can use these shells to provide the defenders with the necessary Artillery support. With artillery support, we are fully capable of holding our position even if the number of troops placed on the south side of the landing field is reduced."

Sameko went to call the two artillery division commanders, and before he finished the call, Zakharov's call came in again. Hearing that the person who answered the phone was Sokov, he asked straight to the point: "General Sokov, the commander asked me to ask you, do you have the confidence to break through the German defense in the south?"

Hearing the question Zakharov asked, Sokov couldn't help feeling ecstatic, indicating that Konev was also weighing the matter to decide whether to send his own troops to cover Shumilov's flank. He quickly replied: "Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army, as long as General Kryuchenkin's 69th Army can take over the defense as soon as possible, I can concentrate all my strength to attack the enemy in the south."

Zakharov waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and continued to ask: "General Sokov, you haven't told me whether your troops have the confidence to break through the enemy's defense in the south of the landing field?"

"Confident." Sokov said in a firm tone: "Please tell the comrade commander of the front army that as the enemy's strength in the south of the landing field has decreased, as long as we launch an attack, we will be able to break through the enemy's defense and take the opportunity to expand the results of the battle. Occupy planned Alexandria and Kirovograd."

"Very good, General Sokov." Zakharov said in an official tone, "I will truthfully convey your words to Comrade Commander."

After finishing the scene, Zakharov suddenly changed his tone and asked: "General Sokov, I am asking you now as a friend, can you really successfully break through the German defense line to the south of the landing site?" ?”

"Of course, Comrade Chief of Staff of the Front Army." Although it is still unknown when the offensive can start, but in the face of Zakharov's question, Sokov still replied with confidence: "Because the German army has not been transferred, With a small number of troops, their defense on the south side of the landing field has become relatively weak. As long as our offensive starts, it is only a matter of time before we break through their defense line."