Red Moscow

Sokov wanted to take the 237th Division to the open pit himself, but before he set off, he received a call from Marshal Konev. The other party asked straight to the point: "Comrade Sokov, what are you doing?"

"Comrade Marshal." After hearing Konev's voice, Sokov replied respectfully: "Comrade Marshal, my subordinates have reported to me that they have found the open pit and rescued the prisoners of war inside. We I am planning to take you under my command of my 237th Division and rush there to receive prisoners of war."

"Comrade Sokov, just leave this kind of thing to your subordinates. You have more important work to do."

"Comrade Marshal, do you have any new instructions?"

"According to the air force's reconnaissance report," Konev said on the other end of the phone, "the defenders in Hessing and Teplik show signs of withdrawing."

"What, the defenders in Haixin and Japlick are evacuating?" Sokov couldn't help being surprised when he heard the news: "Comrade Marshal, is this true?"

"After receiving this information, I specifically asked the Air Force to verify and confirm the reliability of the information." Konev said: "Comrade Sukov, you should rush to the above-mentioned area immediately and command your troops to establish a new Take the starting position and wait for the arrival of the main force of the front army."

"The main force?" Sokov asked tentatively, "Is it the 27th and 52nd armies?"

"That's right, it's them." Konev nodded and said, "After the three of your armies join forces, you will be able to form a huge force. Then your task is to cut off the German 8th Army and the 1st Army. The tank army retreated to the road across the Transnistrian River and smashed it with the troops of the 3rd Ukrainian Front."

It has been almost half a year since October 20, 1943, when the numbers of troops on various fronts were changed. This is the first time Sokov heard the designation of the Ukrainian Third Front Army. Since the history books introduced the battle of liberating Ukraine, they all focused on the great achievements established by the first and second front armies, while the third and fourth front armies became a little transparent. Even Sokov from later generations did not know. What achievements did these two front armies make in the later period of the Great Patriotic War?

It was precisely because he did not understand the situation of this army that Sokov felt a little uneasy when he heard Konev say this: "Comrade Marshal, in this Uman campaign we launched, we did not just fight with the first side. Why is there a third front army?

From Sokov's tone of voice, Konev heard that he seemed not interested in the friendly forces of the Third Front Army, so he took the initiative to say: "Comrade Sokov, your eyes may have been fixed on the First and Second Front Army. In the battle in Ukraine, a series of victories have been achieved. But it ignores the troops of the 3rd and 4th Fronts who are also fighting here with us.

The troops under the command of General Malinovsky are attacking Odessa from the Nikolayev area, preparing to regain the sea access occupied by the enemy. "

Sokov was not at all interested in where the troops of the Third and Fourth Fronts would attack and what results they would achieve. He absently listened to Konev's narration, and after the other party paused, he immediately asked: "Comrade Marshal, can I go to the South Bug River now and command the battle there?"

"Yes, Comrade Sokov." Konev told him on the phone: "There may be remnants of the German army along the way. Be careful on the road."

"Understood, Comrade Marshal." Sokov nodded and said, "I will pay attention to safety."

After putting down the phone, he called a staff officer and told him, "Ask Lieutenant Koshkin if his health allows him to travel far away?" Sokov asked because Kosh When Jin entered the city yesterday, he was unfortunately hit by a stray bullet. Although his injuries were not serious, his actions were somewhat affected.

With little effort, Koshkin walked in from the outside. His face was pale, and he staggered a little when he walked, and he covered the wound under his arm with one hand.

"Lieutenant Koshkin, how is your injury?"

"Thank you, Comrade Commander, for your concern. It's just a superficial injury. You'll be fine after two days of rest." Knowing that Sukov called him, he must have an important mission, so he asked cautiously, "Comrade Commander, may I ask you?" Is there any task that you want to give me to complete?"

"Lieutenant Koshkin," Sokov didn't know whether Koshkin's injury was suitable for a long-term long-distance journey with him, so he tentatively asked, "I'm going to immediately go to the Hessing and Teplik areas, where I will command troops to fight .Do you think your body can withstand long-distance bumps?"

I heard that I was going to accompany Sokov on a long trip, but in fact it was not a long trip. It was only 70 to 80 kilometers away. If I drove slowly, it would take three hours. He nodded quickly and said, "No problem, Comrade Commander, I'm only slightly injured, and it shouldn't be a problem to drive for a few hours."

"Okay, since your physical condition allows, come with me to Haixin." Seeing Koshkin said that there is no problem, Sokov shook his head at him and said, "Lieutenant Koshkin, let's start now." .”

After the convoy set off, the driver knew that Koshkin was injured, so he was extra careful while driving, and tried his best to avoid bullet craters or other bumpy locations on the road, so that Koshkin would not suffer.

When Sokov hadn't decided where to go, he unexpectedly received a telegram from Afunin, saying that Hessing had been captured and the troops were building fortifications to prevent possible German counterattacks.

After seeing the telegram, Sokov immediately ordered Koshkin: "Lieutenant Koshkin, tell the vehicles in front to turn to Hessing."

"Go to Haixin?" Koshkin didn't know that Haixin had been taken, and reminded Sokov cautiously: "Comrade Commander, Haixin is far away from Uman. I guess at most there is only the 18th Guards." The vanguard of the army is there, if they are counterattacked by the defenders, we may be in danger if we rush over in such a hurry."

"Koshkin, you are worrying too much." Sokov waved his hand at Koshkin and said, "In the telegram I just received, General Afunin told me that Hessing had been captured and the troops were building What about the fortifications?"

Knowing that Hexin was taken down, Koshkin was very surprised. He opened the door and got out of the car. He stumbled forward and was going to tell the vehicles leading the way to turn to Hexin.

After the convoy was back on the road, Koshkin, who was sitting in the co-pilot's seat, turned around halfway and asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade Commander, how did the troops of the 18th Guards Army liberate Helsing so quickly?"

Sokov combined Konev's information with Afunin's telegram, and immediately guessed the truth of the matter: "The troops stationed in Hessing are probably only the vanguard of the 18th Guards Army. The reason why they are so Taking the city easily is entirely because the enemy chose to abandon the city before they arrived."

"Abandon the city and flee?!" Koshkin asked with some puzzlement: "Why did the Germans voluntarily abandon the city and retreat?"

"Uman only lasted for less than a day before it was occupied by us." Sokov said with a sneer, "I think the German troops who defended Hessing and Teplik must have gone through a fierce ideological struggle. I feel that staying in the city will only result in a devastating blow, so the best way is to abandon the city and retreat in the direction where more German troops are assembled."

After listening to Sokov's words, Koshkin still felt like he was dreaming. According to his thinking, even if Haixin's defenders were in panic, if they wanted to capture the city, they would have to fight a fierce battle. The city was liberated without bloodshed, which is unreal no matter how you look at it.

Sokov saw Koshkin's doubts, and said with a smile: "Lieutenant Koshkin, I think the commander of Haixin's garrison is a very knowledgeable person. How long does it take, it is better to voluntarily abandon the city and retreat to an area with more friendly troops, so as to ensure your own safety."

The question Koshkin considered was different from that of Sokov. He tentatively asked: "Isn't he worried about being punished for retreating without authorization?" If he gave up the city and retreated without the order of his superiors, then there was only one end waiting for him - to be shot.

"No." Sokov shook his head and said, "The way of thinking of the Germans is very different from ours. It is unwise to stay if you know that continuing to stick to it is a dead end. On the surface Look, the Germans seem to have suffered a big loss when they gave up the area for a while, but from the overall point of view, it is not necessarily the case.”

Anyway, there are still two hours to reach Haixin, and Sukov is also idle, so why not give Koshkin a popular science and let him learn something: "Think about it, if we want to take over the positions abandoned by the Germans, It is inevitable that part of the troops will be allocated for defense, and in this way, the troops for offense will be weakened.

As for the Germans, it seems that they have lost a lot of territory, but they have concentrated their effective forces in one place and gained an advantage in some areas. When our army is unable to attack again, they will counterattack unexpectedly, which can completely defeat our attacking force and make the situation develop in a direction favorable to the German army. "

Although there are reliable people in the car, Sokov did not cite specific examples of battles. Apart from letting Koshkin figure it out by himself, it can also avoid inadvertently offending people.

"I understand, Comrade Commander, I understand." Koshkin and Sokov have been together for a long time, and the way of thinking about problems has also changed unconsciously. He only pondered for a very short time, Then I understood what Sokov wanted to express: "For example, we and the German army each have one hundred men. Their one hundred men originally had to defend 10 places, and each place had only ten defenders; and our army, with This hundred-man team, no matter which defensive zone they attack, can win the final victory.

Now the Germans have abandoned nine of these positions and concentrated a hundred men on the last position; and our army has occupied the nine positions abandoned by the Germans, leaving ten men to defend each position, which means , we can only use the remaining ten people to attack the area defended by a hundred Germans. In this way, our offensive will definitely fail, and the Germans will take the opportunity to counterattack and wipe out our scattered defensive troops one by one..."

"That's right, Lieutenant Koshkin." Seeing that Koshkin not only understood his intention, but also explained it so clearly, Sokov felt relieved: "Your analysis makes sense, even if you are arranged to go there in the future If you serve as a staff officer in the regiment, you can quickly gain the respect of your superiors."

But Koshkin didn't seem to have any interest in being a staff officer. He shook his head and said, "Comrade Commander, I would rather go to the front to lead troops to fight than to serve as a staff officer in any command."

Sokov was not at all surprised by Koshkin's reaction, as there was a tradition of belittling staff officers in the Soviet army. For example, Ma Linin, the chief of staff of the Belarusian Front Army, has been engaged in staff work for a long time, but he does not have a high sense of presence in the army. Later, Rokossovsky found an opportunity and recommended him as the commander of the group army to get rid of his status as a staff officer. However, Ma Linin declined Rokossovsky's kindness and continued to stay in the headquarters as the chief of staff.

"Since you don't want to be a staff officer, then I won't force it." Sokov felt that Lunev gave Koshkin to himself out of trust, just to find a good future for this subordinate. Since he is not willing to serve as a staff officer, you can consider placing him in the combat unit: "After this battle is over, I will let you go to the grassroots combat unit to be a company commander or even a battalion commander. I wonder what you have? different perspectives?"

"Comrade Commander." Unexpectedly, Koshkin shook his head at this arrangement for Sokov: "I still hope to stay by your side."

"Koshkin, you have to think about this carefully." Sokov reminded the other party: "If you stay by my side, you may make meritorious deeds, which means that there are very few opportunities for promotion. You can't wait until the end of the war. When all the commanders became majors, lieutenant colonels, or even colonels, you are still aggrieved to carry the rank of lieutenant?"

Sokov's words made Koshkin a little shaken. If he stayed in the headquarters and was responsible for protecting Sokov's safety, then there would be little room for improvement. It was really possible to do what Sokov said. , By the end of the war, he was just an ordinary lieutenant.

But after thinking about it, since Lunev sent himself to Sokov's side, he might have more far-reaching considerations. If I agreed to Sokov on this matter, but the grassroots troops served as commanders, I might have failed Lunev's trust, so the best choice was to stay with Sokov.

Having made up his mind, he said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, I still prefer to stay at the headquarters. I can learn a lot of useful knowledge by your side."

"Okay, Koshkin." Seeing that Koshkin was unwilling to leave, after all some guards like him were hard to find, Sokov nodded in agreement with the other party's choice: "Since you have made the final decision, I respect your choice, just stay by my side."

After the chat came to an end, Sokov leaned back, leaned his head on the back of the chair, and began to close his eyes and meditate. Seeing that Sokov closed his eyes, Koshkin thought he was resting, so he didn't continue the conversation.

Sokov actually didn't sleep. He was just thinking about how many prisoners of war rescued from the open pit could be incorporated into the combat troops. The lack of troops is a problem that puzzles him. If the seriously reduced troops cannot be replenished as soon as possible, they can only be a bystander in the ensuing battle.