Red Moscow

The position on the right bank was taken, and the three divisions under the command of Ponegerin, according to Sokov's instructions, raced against time to repair the fortifications and consolidate the defense line to prevent the German counterattack.

As soon as it was dawn the next day, the German army bombarded the Soviet positions. Fortunately, there were a large number of artillery holes built in the position. Although the German bombardment came suddenly, it did not cause much damage to the defenders.

As soon as the shelling here started, Sokov was woken up by Smirnov from his sleep. He sat on the edge of the camp bed, rubbed his face with his hands, tried to make himself more awake, and then told Smirnov: "Chief of Staff, connect me to the command post of Lieutenant Colonel Ponejielin."

After the phone receiver, Sokov clearly heard a booming sound coming from the receiver, and he quickly raised his voice and asked, "Lieutenant Colonel Pornejelin, what happened to you?"

"Report to Comrade Commander." Pornejelin shouted loudly: "The enemy is launching heavy shelling on the positions occupied by our army. It seems that they are preparing to launch a counterattack."

"How is the fortification going?" Sokov heard the heavy shelling, and couldn't help but worry about the safety of the commanders and fighters on the ground: "Do the commanders and fighters have a suitable place to hide?"

"Comrade Commander, you can rest assured about this." Ponegelin replied: "The position on the right bank we occupied already has many reinforced concrete fortifications, which can withstand the bombardment of heavy artillery. In addition, I also ordered people to A sufficient number of artillery holes have been dug in the position. No matter how violent the enemy's shelling is, the damage it can cause to us is still very effective."

"That's good, that's good!" Seeing that Pornegerin faithfully carried out his orders and seized the time to strengthen the fortifications, Sokov felt relieved: "If there is any latest change in the situation, remember to call notice me."

As soon as the phone was put down here, the high frequency phone on the table rang.

Sokov stared at the phone, thinking to himself: This phone can make outside calls, who is calling?

Just as he was thinking wildly, Smirnov had already picked up the microphone and whispered in his ear: "I am Chief of Staff Smirnov, where are you?...What, it's you, Comrade General!...Please Wait a minute, I'll put the commander on the phone right away."

Smirnov covered the receiver with his hand and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, General Moskalenko of the 38th Army, I want to talk to you."

"General Moskalenko?" Sokov couldn't help being taken aback when he heard the name, and said to himself that he belonged to the First Front Army and I belonged to the Second Front Army. The two sides have no affiliation relationship. What did he ask me for? When he stretched out his hand, he asked Smirnov the question in his heart: "Chief of Staff, did he say he wanted something from me?"

Smirnov shook his head, expressing that he didn't know, then let go of the words covering the microphone, and handed the microphone to Sokov.

Sokov put the receiver to his ear and said warmly: "Hello, General Moskalenko!"

"Hello, General Sokov!" Moskalenko on the other end of the phone said politely, "I take the liberty of calling you to check something with you."

"Verify one thing?!" Sokov asked in surprise, "Verify what?"

"Have you sent a small team to go deep into the Vinnytsia area?"

"Send a small team to go to the Vinnytsia area?" Sokov said in an uncertain tone, "It seems not."

"My reconnaissance unit operating in the Vinnytsia area captured a dozen people of unknown origin in the forest yesterday evening." Moskalenko said: "After interrogation, they said that the team you sent, On a special mission."

"Squad for special missions?" Sokov began to think hard whether he had really sent a reconnaissance team to the Vinnytsia area: "General Moskalenko, I can't answer you immediately, I want to know I will give you an answer in a moment."

"Comrade Commander, have you forgotten Second Lieutenant Herus and Corporal Aku?" Seeing Sokov lost in thought, Smirnov quickly reminded him: "They did not go to Vinnitsa under your order. "

After Smirnov's reminder, Sokov immediately remembered that it was indeed a pity that Herus and Aku took a guard squad to look for a commander who died that year near Vinnytsia.

"General Moskalenko, as I think about it, there is indeed such a thing." Sokov worried that Moskalenko would not believe him, and said proactively: "There are 12 people in total, divided into four three-wheeled motorcycles. Car. I don’t know if the number I mentioned is correct?”

"General Sokov, since you sent him, I want to have a good talk with you."

"Okay, if you have anything to say, just say it."

"Vinnitsa is where our army will attack next, and you belong to the Second Front Army. It is wrong to send troops to Vinnytsia for reconnaissance without our permission," Moss said. Kalenko said aggressively: "I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation for this matter."

Sokov was taken aback. You called me because you wanted to ask questions. However, in order not to hurt his temper, he replied politely: "General Moskarenko, my men went to Vinnytsia to perform a special mission, which has nothing to do with your attack on the city."

"Since you sent someone to my attack area, why didn't you greet me in advance?" But Moskalenko still said in a stern tone: "What should I do if there is a misunderstanding and a fight occurs?"

"I'm sorry, General Moskalenko, let me reiterate." Seeing that the other party spoke very rudely, Sokov couldn't help but feel a little angry, but he tried his best to control his emotions and said in a calm tone: "I sent They went to the Vinnytsia area for a special mission, not for reconnaissance. Besides, when they set off, I didn't know which army would be in charge of the Vinnytsia area. How could I contact them in advance? "

"Since your people are in my area now, I hope to get an explanation." Moskalenko said bluntly: "You have to tell me clearly what the special mission is."

Faced with Moskalenko's reaction, although Sokov was very angry, he still politely replied, "Comrade General, in July 1941, a scout captain of the 12th Army was in the national defense. sacrificed in the fortification area. The people I sent were to find the commander's bones."

When he learned that Sokov sent people into the area he was about to attack, it was not for some reconnaissance, to take credit with him, but to search for the regret of a sacrificed commander, Moskalenko's tone softened : "It turns out that, General Sokov, I almost misunderstood."

After a pause, he continued: "Do you need our help? If you need it, just ask, and I will send someone to fully cooperate."

"Thank you, General Moskalenko." Regarding Moskalenko's kindness, Sokov chose to refuse: "Now Vinnitsa is still under the control of the German army. If there are too many people looking for the bones, it will be very difficult It is easy to be discovered by the Germans, and the troops we send may encounter accidents."

"I understand." Moskalenko, who was rejected by Sokov, knew that the tone of his words just now was not calm, which must have made the other party feel uncomfortable, so he quickly apologized and said, "Thank you for your reminder, then I will Don’t send anyone there to add to the chaos. As for the detained people, I will order the troops to release them.”

"General Moskalenko, I would like to ask, where are my subordinates now?"

"They are being held at my headquarters." Moskalenko thought that Sokov was asking for a crime, and quickly explained: "Don't worry, I will have them released right away."

"General Moskalenko, if possible, I hope to speak to the second lieutenant Herus who is leading the team. He is a member of the guard force of our army headquarters, and he is responsible for this mission."

"Yes, yes." After knowing that Sokov sent people only to find the remains of a sacrificed commander, Moskalenko's tone became more polite: "I'll ask Second Lieutenant Herus to call you immediately. .”

A few minutes later, Herus' voice came from the receiver: "Comrade Commander, this is Herus."

"How is your mission going?" Sokov asked tentatively, "Have you found the captain's remains?"

"Not yet, Comrade Commander." Herus sighed, and said with some regret: "In three years, the terrain in many areas has changed. After we arrived at the defense fortification area in Vinnitsa, it took a day I spent a lot of time looking around, but I couldn't find the bunker that Aku was defending back then, let alone the scout captain who died nearby."

Sokov was silent for a moment, and then asked: "Have you expanded the search area? Since the Germans only discovered their bunker after they occupied the entire fortification area, it shows the location of the bunker. It must be very remote."

"You are right, Comrade Commander." Herus replied, "We were expanding our search area and we encountered the reconnaissance troops of the 38th Army when we continued to search."

When Sokov heard this, he immediately became angry: "Second Lieutenant Herus, there are 12 of you, are you easily subdued by the other party?"

"Comrade Commander, you can't blame us." Herus said aggrievedly: "At that time, we were scattered and searched, and we had no time to respond to an opponent who appeared suddenly and had an advantage in numbers."

"Are any members injured?"

"When Aku and two team members resisted, their noses and faces were bruised and swollen. But they were all skin traumas, and there was nothing serious."

"Can the search continue?"

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Herus remembered that the purpose of his visit this time was to find the remains of the captain. As long as he was still alive, the mission must continue: "We will continue to search."

"I wish you good luck!" Sokov finally said: "If it is inconvenient to bring the remains back, you can bury them on the spot and mark them well. After this battle is over, I will send people to relocate the graves."

After Smirnov waited for Sokov to put down the phone, he immediately asked with concern: "Comrade Commander, what happened? Why did General Moskalenko call to ask the teacher?"

"It was just a misunderstanding." Sokov waved his hand at Smirnov, and said, "Second Lieutenant Horus and the others were searching for the remains of the martyrs, unfortunately they encountered General Moskalenko's reconnaissance unit and were all arrested. And General Moskalenko called to ask why I sent a reconnaissance team into the area where they were going to fight without informing him."

"We don't know which troops our superiors will arrange to attack Vinnytsia," Smirnov said a little unconvinced after hearing this, "Don't say we didn't send people to reconnaissance, even if we did send people to conduct reconnaissance, there is no need to notify anyone."

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov said with a wry smile, "Now we are a combat group with two armies under its jurisdiction. If we really want to be interested in Vinnytsia, I am afraid that we will be able to take the lead without waiting for the 38th Army to take action. Take the city. Don’t forget, the 237th Division, which originally belonged to him, is still the reserve team of the group army.”

After hearing what Sokov said, Smirnov found it very reasonable. The last time it attacked Uman, Sokov's 53rd Army was ahead of the 38th Army and entered the city first. If Vinnitsa comes again, Moskalenko will definitely think that Sokov is deliberately targeting him, and it may cause unnecessary trouble at that time.

Sokov remembered that the position on the right bank newly occupied by Ponegerin was being heavily bombarded by the German army at the moment. He must not watch them being beaten passively and must find a way to help them, so he asked Smirnov: "That's right. , where is General Tsarev?"

"He should still be sleeping in his room." Smirnov said in an uncertain tone, "How about I send someone to call him?"

"Hurry up." Unexpectedly, Sokov said smoothly: "We can't watch Ponejielin's troops being bombarded by the enemy without doing anything. We must use the existing firepower of the group army to attack the German artillery positions. Implement suppression fire."

A few minutes later, Tsarev, who was sleepy, came to the headquarters and asked Sokov in a daze: "Comrade commander, do you have any instructions?"

"Comrade Artillery Commander," Sokov looked at him and said, "Now the newly occupied position on the right bank is being hit by heavy German artillery fire. I order you to immediately use the artillery of the army group to suppress the German artillery positions. .How is it? Is there a problem?"

"No problem." Tsarev shook his head, and then said: "But it will take half an hour at the earliest before the suppression of the German artillery positions can begin."

"Can you hurry up?" Sokov said impatiently after hearing Tsarev's words, "I'm afraid the German artillery fire will stop shooting in less than half an hour. How will you treat them then?" Implement fire suppression?"

"Comrade Commander, there is no way around this." Tsarev said with a bitter face: "The artillery is still resting, even if I issue a battle alarm, they will be ready to fire within half an hour. It's pretty fast."

Sokov knew that Tsarev was telling the truth, but he really couldn't wait half an hour later, so he adopted a compromise method: "Comrade artillery commander, I will give you twenty minutes. When the time is up, the army The artillery must open fire on the German artillery positions and suppress them. Understand?"