Red Moscow

As more and more troops entered Uman City, the battle situation basically showed a one-sided trend. By 4 pm, most of the city had fallen into the hands of the 53rd Army.

Sokov and Stemenko sat in the newly established army headquarters and began to discuss the next military action: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, if you are in command of the troops, what do you plan to do next?"

Shtemenko said in a deep voice: "Comrade Sokov, since most of the city is occupied by your troops, shouldn't we do the thing that was put on hold?"

Smirnov next to him was confused: "I can't understand what you are talking about."

Sokov chuckled and said, "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, you are right, the time is ripe for all units to take action."

After saying this, he turned to Smirnov and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the situation is like this. During the battle in the morning, I asked the offensive troops not to put the red flag on the top of the municipal building for the time being, lest some offensive troops see When the friendly forces occupied the municipal building, there was a situation of slack.

Now that most of the city is in our hands, it's time to plant a red flag on top of the city hall. Comrade Chief of Staff, tell the division commanders immediately, whichever unit will plant the red flag on the upper floor of the municipal building first, will have a chance to win the honorary title named after the city after the battle is over. "

When Smirnov conveyed Sokov's order to the divisions, the Soviet commanders who valued honor volunteered one after another, wanting to lead their troops to capture the municipal building and plant the flag representing victory on the top of the building. Of course, only four battalion-level units were finally allowed to participate in the offensive. They will simultaneously launch the final attack on the municipal building occupied by the German army from four directions: southeast, northwest, and four directions.

The troops attacking the municipal building from the west were a battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Grushiko, deputy head of the 126th Regiment of the 41st Guards Division. Before the offensive began, Grushiko said to the commanders and fighters of the whole battalion: "Comrades, comrade commander issued an order not long ago, let us launch an attack on the municipal building occupied by the German army. Whoever is the first to plant the red flag On top of the municipal building, that unit will be given the honorary title of being named after the city after the battle is over!

As far as I know now, the troops ordered to attack the municipal building are four battalion-level troops. We are going to be the first to rush into the municipal building, do you have confidence? "

After hearing what Grushiko said, the commanders and fighters couldn't help their blood boiling, and they said in a hurry: "Comrade deputy head, please give an order, we will definitely take down the municipal building."

"That's right, Comrade Deputy Commander. Although there are several troops attacking from different directions at the same time, we must be the first troops to rush into the municipal building."

"The defeated enemies in the nearby blocks are almost all concentrated in the municipal building." Grusko worried that the commanders and fighters underestimated the enemy, and specifically emphasized: "So the offensive battle later will be extremely cruel. Everyone must remember, Although we want to be the first to rush into the building, it doesn't mean that we have to brave the enemy's bullets and charge regardless of the tenacious defense of the German army, which will only increase unnecessary casualties."

"Comrade deputy head," the first battalion commander asked on behalf of the commanders and fighters of the whole battalion: "Then how should we fight?"

"When the troops attack along the street, don't crowd in the middle of the street. That will make everyone a target for the intensive firepower of the German army." Grusko said: "Therefore, when we attack, we should spread out and stick to both sides of the street. The wall, using short leaps, quickly approached the municipal building occupied by the enemy.

If you encounter the firepower of the German army, don't rush forward blindly, that will only increase unnecessary casualties. Instead, use the bazooka to destroy them one by one, and then rush forward after the firepower point is unplugged. "

When assigning tasks, the three company commanders all rushed to request the task, hoping that their company would be the first unit to rush into the municipal building.

After learning that four troops were attacking the municipal building at the same time, Sokov nodded slightly, and then asked Smirnov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, do you have any news about the Uman Open Pit Mine?"

"No." Smirnov shook his head and said, "We have not obtained any information related to this matter." He even asked with some doubts, "Comrade Commander, is this open-pit mine a rumor? Does it not exist?"

Hearing what Smirnov said, Sokov couldn't help but thump in his heart, thinking that if there really wasn't such a so-called open pit where tens of thousands of Soviet prisoners of war were held, he would be happy for nothing.

"Comrade Commander," Ponedelin, who had been silent all this time, interrupted suddenly, "my old friend Kharitoev first mentioned the open-pit mine, and I'm sure he won't lie to me. Moreover, Comrade Chief of Staff also said that he had heard of this place before, I think as long as we search more, we should be able to find that place.”

"The open-pit mine in Uman does exist." This time the person who spoke was Shtemenko: "But the specific location, I am afraid that only the local person in charge and the miners who have been there know. But I think we should speed up The speed of the search, otherwise, when the Germans perceive our intentions and kill our soldiers in advance, we will be wasting our time."

"But we don't know the location of the open-pit pit at all now." When talking about this open-pit mine where a large number of prisoners of war were held, Sokov was very anxious. He knew very well that what Stemenko said was very reasonable. If the Germans saw The situation is not good for me. Before retreating, I will definitely kill the unarmed prisoners of war: "I don't even know where it is, so even if I want to save it, where can I save it?"

Seeing Sokov blushing in anxiety, Shtemenko couldn't help but fell silent. After a long time, he said, "I can contact Moscow immediately. I should be able to find someone who knows the location of the open pit."

"Then I will trouble you, Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff." In order to find out the location of the open pit as soon as possible and save the lives of those prisoners of war, Sokov called the director of the communications corps and told him: "Comrade director, help the deputy chief of staff." The chief of the general staff is on the phone from Moscow. Be quick, understand?"

Don't see that the army headquarters has just moved into the city, but because the director of the communications corps cleverly used the original telephone lines in the city when laying the communication lines, the communication system of the army headquarters can communicate with multiple cities. call.

After the director of the communications corps helped Shtemenko connect to the General Staff in Moscow, he connected Sokov to the Front Army Command so that he could report the progress of the troops to his superiors in a timely manner.

When Sokov heard Konev's voice through the earphones, he immediately told him happily: "Comrade Marshal, I am Sokov. I have some important news for you."

"Oh, tell me some good news?" Konev said with a smile: "Is it related to Uman?"

"That's right, Comrade Marshal, the good news I said is indeed related to Uman." Sokov said: "After the hard work of our army, most of the city has now fallen into the hands of our army. The remaining enemies retreated In the north of the city, my troops are further expanding their achievements."

"Good job, Comrade Sokov." After complimenting Sokov, Konev asked tentatively, "Then when did you plant the flag on the top of the municipal building?"

"Comrade Marshal, we haven't planted the flag on the municipal building yet."

"Why?" Konev asked inexplicably: "After you captured the city center, you should have planted the flag on the roof of the municipal building. Why haven't you planted the flag yet?"

"The reason is very simple, Comrade Marshal." Sokov replied: "The current municipal building is still occupied by German troops, and our troops are attacking from four directions at the same time."

He guessed what Konev would ask, so he told Konev in detail the original intention of his arrangement before the other party opened his mouth.

After hearing this, Konev nodded slightly, and said approvingly: "Comrade Sokov, you are really thoughtful. To be honest, if I was commanding the troops to fight, but if I saw the top of the municipal building, a friendly army was promoted." Raising the red flag has somewhat affected my mood, and it does have a certain negative impact on the next battle."

After saying this, he coughed heavily, and then said: "Then Comrade Sokov, please tell me, when will you be able to take Uman?"

"If everything goes well, it shouldn't be a big problem to liberate the entire city before seven o'clock in the evening." After finishing his estimate, Sokov continued: "However, I would like to ask, when will the friendly forces on the right wing arrive in Uzbekistan?" Man?" He specifically mentioned that his troops had lost too many soldiers after a long battle, "My troops have lost nearly half of their casualties. If no friendly troops rushed to Uman to take over the defense, I am afraid that after we liberate the city , unable to continue to expand the results of the war.”

"Don't worry, Comrade Sokov." The troops on the right advanced slowly, which greatly exceeded Konev's expectations. He only saw Sokov's troops advancing rapidly, and thought that the German army's strength had weakened, but when he switched to other troops, the fight was extremely difficult. Thinking of continuing to expand the results after occupying Uman, he assured Sokov: "Before dark, I think the friendly forces on the right should be able to arrive."

As soon as Sokov put down the phone, Shtemenko, who had finished talking with Moscow, came over and said excitedly, "Comrade Sokov, I have found out the location of the mine."

"Where is it?"

"Here!" Shtemenko pointed to the northwest of Uman and said to Sokov, "This is a forest, and the open pit is in the forest."

Knowing the location of the open-pit mine is certainly a happy thing, but Sokov is still full of doubts: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, if the open-pit mine is really at this location, then why is our Air Force's The reconnaissance has never found this location?"

After hearing this, Shtemenko shrugged his shoulders, spread his hands, tilted his head and said, "I don't know the reason."

After confirming the location of the open pit, Ponegerin hurriedly took a ruler to measure the distance there. He quickly came up with the answer: "Comrade Commander, the distance from us to the open pit is about 17 kilometers."

"Comrade Commander," Smirnov asked, "how are you going to rescue them?"

"The only troops that can be deployed now are the guard regiment of our army headquarters." Sokov said, "I plan to draw a battalion and rush to the area to perform rescue missions."

"If only one battalion is sent, the number of people will be too small?" Smirnov also specifically reminded him: "You must know that there are tens of thousands of prisoners in the open pit, and the number of German guards should be quite a lot."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, my thoughts are just the opposite." Sokov said: "Facing the two attacks of our two front armies, the Germans must have deployed all the troops that could be deployed nearby to the area where the fighting was most intense. The open pit The nearby troops should be weaker than ever before, so if we send an elite guard battalion to rescue them, we will surely succeed."

"To complete this task, you need a capable commander." Smirnov reminded Sokov: "The battalion commanders in the guard regiment do not have the ability of Zhehong to be alone. Whether they can complete the task , I have reservations."

"Comrade Commander, Comrade Chief of Staff." Upon hearing this, Ponegerin offered to Sokov, "I am willing to lead the guard battalion to liberate all the commanders and fighters imprisoned in the open pit."

Sokov took the initiative to say: "Among the staff officers in the headquarters, you can take whoever you like to be your deputy."

Pornegerin was not hypocritical, and directly named the names of three staff officers to join his army, and finally said: "Comrade Commander, I want another person."

"who?!"

"Harrytoyev!" After Ponejelin named the person, he quickly explained his reasons: "In any case, it was Kharitoyev who provided us with the information about the open-pit mine. I think we should go to To liberate the comrades in the mine, Kharitoev must go."

"Okay, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Sokov replied readily, "Then let Kharitoyev follow you. But I still hope that you will need more time to liberate the captured commanders and fighters." Watch out for your own safety."

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander, I will pay attention."

"Comrade Ponegerin, I have something to say." Smirnov stopped Pornegerin and said to him: "We have quite a few reconnaissance teams and sabotage teams outside Uman. They are all contained, which can make your strength stronger."

"Well, I understand, it's all as it should be." Ponegerin said, "Scouts are active nearby and are familiar with the terrain. They can also act as guides for us, so that we can avoid unnecessary mistakes."

"After you drive away the German guards in the open pit, remember to send us a telegram in time." Sokov told Ponejelin, "If this battle is won, I will apply to my superiors for a reward for you."

"It's getting late, Comrade Ponejielin." Smirnov reminded from the side: "Hurry up and take the troops out."

Shortly after Ponederin left with a battalion of guards, Sokov received a call from Sidolin, in which the division chief said excitedly: "Good news, good news, Comrade Commander. Nearly A battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Grushiko, deputy commander of the 126th Guards Regiment, has successfully captured the municipal building and planted our flag on the roof."