Red Moscow

When Sokov came to the table, he saw a map on it. He unfolded it and saw that the latest situation between the enemy and the enemy had been marked by a staff officer. He nodded, and then asked Smirnov who followed: " Comrade Chief of Staff, where are the 49th and 57th Corps now?"

"Here," Smirnov said, pointing to an open space between the cities of Hessing and Teplik, "they will cross the South Bug River from this location and establish a landing site on the right bank. Wait After gathering enough troops and technical equipment, we will advance to Tultin in the west, and after occupying the area, we will be able to obtain a solid support point."

"After our army has completed the operation of crossing the river," Sokov did not express his opinion immediately after hearing this, but continued to ask: "How long will it take to complete the assembly of troops and technical equipment?"

"I think it may take 48 hours." Smirnov said: "This is already the limit of what we can do at present."

"No, 48 hours is too long." Sokov shook his head and said, "If the Germans have been given such a long time to prepare for war, and our army is assembled before launching an attack on Tultsin, it will inevitably pay a heavier price. price."

Hearing what Sokov said, Smirnov knew that he must have his own thoughts, and asked quickly, "Comrade Commander, what do you think about it?"

"After the troops have crossed the river, immediately advance towards Tultsin." Sokov said in an unquestionable tone: "It is necessary to capture this city while marching, so that the enemy has no time to prepare for battle."

"Okay, Comrade Commander." Now that Sukov has given the order, Smirnov, as the chief of staff, can only obey unconditionally: "I will immediately call the two army commanders and ask them to immediately organize the crossing of the river, and as soon as possible, the Establish a landing field on the right bank."

Sokov heard something wrong from Smirnov's words. What the other party said was to organize "crossing the river" instead of "forced crossing". Are there no German defensive positions?"

"There must be defensive positions." Smirnov replied: "But according to the report of the scouts, no defenders were found on the positions at all. In other words, these positions are just decorations and do not constitute any threat to our army." threaten."

Sokov raised his eyebrows when he heard this, and then ordered: "Since there are no defenders in the defense line on the other side, let the engineers build a few more pontoon bridges on the Nanbug River, so that more bridges can be passed in a short time. troops."

"Well, I understand." After Smirnov agreed, he did not call immediately, but continued to say to Sokov: "By the way, Comrade Commander, there is one more important thing that I almost forgot to tell you. gone."

"whats the matter?"

"The women's anti-aircraft artillery regiment drawn from the 27th Army has arrived." Smirnov asked Sokov for instructions, "Where do you plan to place them?"

"Is the head of the regiment Major Lida?"

"The head of the women's anti-aircraft artillery regiment is indeed called Lida," Smirnov replied with a smile, "but she is not a major now, she has been promoted to lieutenant colonel long ago."

"Where is she?" Sokov said emotionally when he learned that the Women's Antiaircraft Artillery Corps had arrived, "I want to see her."

"Her anti-aircraft artillery regiment is in the south of the city, and it hasn't entered the city yet." Smirnov asked Sokov tentatively, "Do you need me to tell her to come over as soon as possible?"

"It doesn't matter, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov always felt that although Lida was a woman, she was quite capable. Since the other party had already arrived outside the city, there was no reason for her to disappear, so he turned to Smir Nove said: "Tell her to come to Army Group Command as soon as possible, and just say I want to talk to her."

Smirnov called the director of the communications corps to the front and asked, "Comrade director, can you send a telegram to the Women's Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment and ask their regiment commander to rush to the headquarters as soon as possible?"

"I'm afraid it's very difficult, Comrade Chief of Staff." The director of the communications corps said awkwardly: "This unit has just been transferred from a friendly army. We haven't got their contact code yet, so we can't send them a direct telegram."

Knowing that it was impossible to send a telegram to the Women's Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment, Smirnov was somewhat disappointed. But he quickly figured out a way, called a staff officer, and told the other party: "Comrade staff, I now give you an important task: rush to the station of the Women's Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment outside the city immediately, and ask the commander Lieutenant Colonel Lida came over and said that Comrade Commander wanted to see her."

"Yes!" The staff officer agreed loudly, turned and walked out of the headquarters.

After the staff officer left, Smirnov asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade Commander, are you familiar with Lieutenant Colonel Lida, the head of the Women's Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment?"

"I have dealt with many times before." Since Smirnov asked about his relationship with Lida, Sokov replied truthfully: "Although she is a woman, she is very capable. If It’s not that there are no women among the senior commanders of our army, maybe she can become a general.”

"She is now a lieutenant colonel." Smirnov said with emotion: "If she wins a few more victories, she still has a chance to be promoted to a general." Maybe it was because Sokov didn't believe what he was telling the truth, or He deliberately added, "As far as I know, there is an excellent female sniper in our army. She killed 307 enemies by herself..."

"The chief of staff is talking about Lyudmila." Sokov knew that Smirnov was talking about the legendary Soviet female sniper Lyudmila. A sniper in the 1980s killed 309 enemies before and after. After being injured by shells in June 1942, it was the Supreme Commander himself who ordered her to be picked up from Sevastopol by submarine.

After recovering from her injuries, she visited the United States with a Chinese youth delegation and was received by President Roosevelt and his wife. After returning home, she was promoted to Major of the Guards, and on October 25 last year, she was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of the Gold Star. "

Smirnov just mentioned Lyudmila casually, but he didn't expect Sokov to know better than himself, he asked curiously: "Comrade commander, how do you know her so well, have you ever met her? "

"No." When Sokov was in Moscow, he really wanted to meet this legendary female sniper, but unfortunately he was lying in the hospital most of the time, so there was no chance of meeting him. The understanding of Lyudmila is only from the information of later generations. He shook his head and said, "I haven't seen her. I read all the news about her in the newspapers."

Smirnov has no doubts about Sokov's statement. After all, the other party has been recuperating in Moscow for several months after being injured last time. It is normal to read news about Lyudmila from the newspapers. of.

"Comrade Commander, I have an idea."

Sokov looked at Smirnov with strange eyes, thinking what would you think, you can't let Lyudmila come to our army as a sniper instructor, right? Even if I make such a request myself, I am afraid that my superiors will not agree.

Unexpectedly, Sokov's speculation soon became a reality. I only heard Smirnov say: "Our army has now shifted from defense to offense, and there are more and more opportunities for street fighting. I think in urban warfare, The role of snipers should not be underestimated, I think this major Lyudmila can be invited here, and let her train the sharpshooters in the group army to become qualified snipers."

What Smirnov said made Sokov fall into deep thought. His chief of staff was right. There will be more and more street fighting in the future, and snipers will be used in many places. There are no decent snipers, and they will suffer a lot when encountering enemy snipers.

He thought for a long time, then nodded, and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, what you said is very reasonable. I will contact my superiors at the right time to see if I can invite Comrade Lyudmila to come to us as a Sniper coach."

Although Smirnov brought up the matter on a whim, he was still happy to see it happen. Seeing that Sokov agreed at this moment, a smile appeared on his face: "Comrade Commander, since you agreed, you must act early, otherwise we will regret it if she is poached by other troops." Too late."

"I know it well." Although Sokov wanted to invite Lyudmila over right now, he knew that he couldn't eat hot tofu in a hurry, and planned to make this request to his superiors at the right time.

After an hour, Lida arrived at the headquarters under the leadership of the staff officer.

Seeing Sokov approaching, Lida stopped, raised her hand to her forehead, and reported to Sokov according to the order: "Comrade Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Lida, head of the Women's Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment, has been ordered to come. I obey your orders, please instruct!"

Sokov raised his hand to return the gift, and said with a smile, "Please rest!" Then he reached out to shake hands with the other party.

"Comrade Commander," Lida asked with concern while shaking hands with Sokov, "Have you recovered from your injuries?"

"Of course I recovered, otherwise how could I return to the front line." Sokov said with a smile: "But unfortunately, I will never be able to return to the 27th Army."

"That's such a pity." Lida said regretfully, "Although you have been away for a long time, the commanders and fighters of the 27th Army miss you very much."

"Miss me?!" Sokov asked jokingly, "What can I miss?"

"Everyone says that as long as you command the troops, we can win great victories under any circumstances."

Facing Lida's compliment, Sokov waved his hand, and said a little embarrassedly: "You guys overrated, what can I do? If I don't have the support of the commanders and fighters, I can't win the battle by myself."

"Comrade Lida," Sokov changed the topic in time: "Who is your deputy now? Is it Captain Ulanova?"

"No, Comrade Commander." Unexpectedly, Lida shook her head and said, "Ulanova has been transferred to the 6th Guards Army and was awarded the rank of major. Now my deputy is from the day care Mill, she was a math teacher before the war."

"Mathematics teacher is a good job." Sokov nodded after hearing this, and said, "After the war is over, she can go back to be a teacher again."

"Yes, I really envy her." Lida said with a sad expression, "But if I leave the army after the war, I don't know what to do."

"Comrade Lida, don't be so pessimistic." Without waiting for Sokov to speak, Smirnov rushed to say: "After the war is over, you are not the only one who will be discharged, but tens of thousands of commanders and fighters. Don't worry, the relevant departments will arrange for you properly so that you will have suitable jobs."

Smirnov's words made Sokov feel emotional: "Comrade Chief of Staff, tell me, if I retire, what can I do?"

Smirnov thought that Sokov was teasing himself, so he laughed and said, "Comrade Commander, if someone says to retire, I still believe it. But given your current age and position, I'm afraid you still need to take two soldiers with you in the army." Thirty years, so you don't even have to think about retiring today."

Sokov thought about it carefully, and what the other party said made sense. He was only in his twenties, and he was promoted to general. Even if you stay in the army for another 20 or 30 years, you still belong to the young and strong faction, and you really don't have to think about whether to retire or not.

"Lida, tell me about the situation in your regiment." Sokov just took over the women's anti-aircraft artillery regiment, so he must first understand the strength of this unit in order to arrange reasonable work for them: "How many anti-aircraft artillery are there now?"

"There are three battalions under our regiment." Hearing Sokov's question about the situation of the troops, Lida quickly replied seriously: "They are the M1939 37mm rapid-fire anti-aircraft artillery battalion, equipped with 12 anti-aircraft guns; the 57mm anti-aircraft artillery battalion , equipped with 12 anti-aircraft guns; the 85mm anti-aircraft artillery battalion, equipped with 9 anti-aircraft guns."

"How is staffing?"

"Because we lost a lot in the early battles, the gunners of each gun are only about half of the standard configuration."

"You have such a huge shortage of troops, how can you do it?" Sokov frowned and said, "You should replenish them as soon as possible."

"But where do the soldiers come from?" Hearing what Sokov said, Lida was also frowning: "I can't make a bunch of people out of thin air, can I?"

"Didn't the army replenish your regiment when it replenished its troops?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Lida nodded and said, "We are the women's anti-aircraft artillery regiment, and the recruits recruited to the army group are all men, so they will definitely not be recruited to us. And we have no right to recruit without authorization." , so the problem of the shortage of troops has never been resolved.”

"Lida, I now authorize you in the name of the commander of the group army to recruit qualified soldiers." Sokov said to Lida with a serious expression: "If there is a shortage of technical equipment, you can also report directly to me. I will arrange for you to supplement as soon as possible."

Lida was overjoyed by Sokov's words. She couldn't help but grabbed Sokov's hand and said excitedly: "Comrade Commander, that's really great. If I can get your authorization, then our regiment will not be able to fight again in the future." Worrying about the shortage of soldiers."

"Comrade Lida," Sokov took his hand out of Lida's palm, and began to assign tasks to her: "The engineering unit of the group army will soon build a pontoon bridge on the South Bug River, and the task of your regiment, It is to establish air defense positions in the area where the bridge is being built to prevent them from being attacked by the Germans. Understand?"

"Understood!" Lida replied loudly, "I promise to complete the task you entrusted to me."