Red Moscow

After reporting Vasily's results to Krylov, Sokov was silent for a moment, then said cautiously, "Comrade Chief of Staff, I want to talk to Comrade Commander, is that okay?"

Chuikov's voice quickly came from the receiver: "I'm Chuikov, what do you want?"

"Comrade Commander, I would like to ask." Sokov asked in an uncertain tone: "Is the artillery of the Army Group now in the city or has it moved to the east bank?"

"The rest of the army's artillery has been transferred to the east bank, under the command of the artillery commander, Major General Khogarsky." After a brief introduction of the situation, Chuikov asked, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, why are you asking this?"

"Comrade Commander, I think about it this way." Sokov felt that to hold on to the Mamayev Post, he must get artillery support, so he said into the microphone: "The front of the Mamayev Post is a plain. If the Germans were able to use cannon fodder to stop the Germans from attacking the high ground, they would have suffered huge casualties."

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, I have also considered asking the artillery on the left bank to provide us with artillery support." Regarding Sokov's request, Cuikov said with some embarrassment: "But many commanding heights in the city have been occupied by the Germans. , our artillery observers could not find a suitable position to indicate the direction of artillery fire for the artillery."

"Comrade Commander, have you forgotten that Mamayev Hill is the commanding height of the whole city. Standing on the top of the hill, you can have a bird's-eye view of the whole city." Sokov, who was eager to get artillery support, couldn't wait to remind Chuikov: "Artillery Observers can use the observation post on the top of the South Hill, or the remaining water tower on the top of the North Hill, to indicate the direction of artillery fire for the artillery on the east bank."

The reason Cuikov moved the artillery to the east bank was because he was worried that the army's artillery would be wiped out after the enemy rushed into the city. Therefore, not only the artillery was transferred, but even Major General Khogarsky, the artillery commander of the army, also went to the other side of the river. At this moment, when he heard Sokov's reminder, his eyes immediately lit up: Yes, if it comes to commanding heights, where else in the whole city can compare with Mamayev Hill? Mamayev Hill is equivalent to Mount Lenin in Moscow, where you can have a bird's-eye view of the city.

So he only hesitated for a moment, and then said into the microphone: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, what you said makes sense, we can definitely deploy the artillery on Mamayev Hill, and use them to indicate the artillery target for the artillery on the other side, and consume The vital force of the German army."

After Chuikov finished talking with Sokov, he immediately called Yulin, the director of communications, and asked bluntly, "Comrade Colonel, can we talk directly to the other side now?"

Yulin hesitated for a moment, then replied: "Comrade Commander, the wired telephone may not work. All the telephone lines leading to the other side have been blown up, and it cannot be repaired in a short time. If you want to get in touch with the other side, It can only be through telegrams or wireless calls. But I need to remind you that the effect of wireless calls is not ideal, and it is often difficult to hear the other party clearly."

"I have an urgent matter to get in touch with General Khogalsky," Chuikov urged Yulin, eager to let Khogarsky send a few artillery observers from the opposite bank to the city: "Comrade Colonel, get me through the phone on the other side immediately." Telephone."

Yulin and his men struggled for a while before they established contact with the artillery headquarters on the other side. Khogarsky heard Chuikov's voice coming from the earphones, and hurriedly asked, "Comrade Commander, what instructions do you have?"

"General Khogarsky," Chuikov yelled into the microphone, "immediately send artillery spotters to Mamayev Kurgan, set up observation points there, and direct the artillery on the east bank. Got it. ?"

When the artillery was transferred to the east bank, Khogalsky was 10,000 reluctance in his heart, because in this way, he would have to leave the Army Group Headquarters, and he would not be able to share weal and woe with Cuikov and the others. During the time he came to the east bank, he also had nothing to do all day long, giving instructions every day to maintain the artillery deployment. Even if he wanted to provide artillery support to the opposite bank, he could not order the firing without the guidance of the artillery observer.

At this moment, when he heard that artillery observers would be sent back to Mamayev Post, he immediately replied excitedly: "Comrade Commander, please rest assured that I will arrange manpower as soon as possible to return to Mamayev Post and establish our artillery there." Observation point."

After Khogarsky came to the east bank, he established a good friendship with the logistics chief of the Front Army Command, in order to let the artillery observers go to Mamayev Post as soon as possible. He found the other party and said that a small speedboat was coming, so that two groups of artillery observers could take the boat back to Mamayev Post in the shortest time.

Sokov, who was in his headquarters, was taken aback when Seryozha reported to him that artillery observers had arrived on Mamayev Kurgan, thinking that he would have to wait until the second day. Day, it turned out that the artillery spotters arrived that evening. He hurriedly ordered Sergey Sha: "Sergeysha, invite the comrades in charge here."

A few minutes later, an artillery lieutenant followed Sergesha and walked quickly into Sokov's headquarters. After raising his hand to salute Sokov, he said politely: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, we were ordered to go to Mamayev Post to establish an artillery observation point. Please send someone to assist us."

"How many people are here?" Sokov asked with concern while shaking hands with the other party: "What kind of communication equipment are you bringing?" He asked because there was no telephone to the other side on Mamayev Hill. line, and the effect of wireless calls placed in the tunnel is not ideal.

"We have ten people here, and we plan to divide them into two groups. We will set up observation points on the south and north sides of Mamayev Kurgan." The second lieutenant of artillery replied, "We carry walkie-talkies with special channels, so we can directly communicate with the other side. The Artillery Corps is calling."

"Ten people?" Sokov asked in surprise, "So many people?"

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel," the second lieutenant of artillery explained to Sokov: "Because we want to establish observation points on both the north and south hills of Mamayev Kurgan at the same time, we have come in two groups, one group of five people, two There are exactly ten people in the group."

Sokov nodded half-understood, and then told Seryozha who was standing aside: "Comrade Lieutenant, you send someone to take the artillery comrade to establish an artillery observation point, maybe it will be useful at dawn."

Seryozha nodded, then walked up to the second lieutenant of artillery, and said politely: "Comrade second lieutenant, please follow me, and I will serve as your guide." The second lieutenant of artillery straightened his body and raised his hand to salute Sokov Afterwards, he turned around and followed Seryozha out of the headquarters.

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