Red Moscow

"That's right, we're here to help you defend." After giving the captain an affirmative answer, Sokov asked, "Can you tell me how to get to the factory building?"

"Comrade commander, you are going to the factory headquarters building. Please wait a moment. I will find someone to take you there." Knowing that the other party came to help the factory, the captain's face was full of joy, and he turned his head and shouted to the back : "Hey, Genlina, come to me for a while."

Following the shout, a young militiaman in overalls, carrying a rifle, and a bullet belt slung over ran over, and asked, "Comrade captain, what instructions do you have?"

The captain pointed at Sokov and said, "Genlina, the troops are here to help us strengthen our defenses. Comrade commander wants to see the factory director. You take him and his troops to the factory headquarters building." Xiang Gen After Rina explained the task, he turned around and shouted at the militiamen who were still lying on the ground, "Young man, don't lie on the ground, be careful not to catch a cold in your stomach, get up, we have to continue patrolling."

When Briski brought the troops over, the captain had already regrouped the patrol. He raised his hand and saluted Sokov: "Comrade commander, I wish you good luck!" Then he shouted loudly to the patrol: "Stand at attention! Let's go~~!" Amidst his command, the militiamen lined up in a three-way column walked forward with their heads held high and their chests held high.

After the patrol had gone far, Genlina said to Sokov: "Comrade commander, please come with me, and I will take you to the factory headquarters building. When walking, pay more attention to your feet. There are bomb shelters everywhere here. and craters."

"Bunkers?!" Sukov seldom heard this word mentioned, so he couldn't help being cold for a while, and then asked tentatively, "Are there many bomb shelters in your factory?"

"Of course, we are often shelled and bombed by the German army here, so we dug bullet shelters everywhere in the factory area." Genliner explained to Sokov: "If the workers are at work and are bombarded by the German army And bombing, they can quickly run out of the factory building and go to the bunker to avoid shelling and bombing."

Briski was anxious to go to the factory building to accept the task, so when Genlina finished speaking, he asked anxiously: "How far is it from here to the factory building?"

"There are about two kilometers left." Genlina said proudly to Briski: "Our factory is equivalent to the size of a small and medium-sized city. Workers usually go to work, and as soon as they enter the factory gate, they can take a special car to go to their respective places. The workshop where I work.” At this point, the look in his eyes dimmed, “But since the Germans approached the city and began to dig bomb shelters in the factory area, the special car was cancelled. To go from one workshop to another, only Walk on two legs."

"Where are those special cars now?" Sokov heard that there were special cars for workers to move around in the Red October Tractor Factory, so he couldn't help asking curiously: "Was it blown up, or was it handed over to the factory?" A certain army?"

"Part of it was destroyed during the shelling and bombing." Genlina pointed to a distance with his hand, where there were several wrecks of vehicles that were burned to the ground: "The remaining vehicles are all Hidden, and according to the plant director, the vehicles will be used again when the time is right."

As for when would be the right time, Sokov didn't ask, because he knew that at Genlina's level, there was no way of knowing. He planned to inquire about it after he met the factory manager, and if possible, get a few cars back to Mamayev Gang for the transportation of troops and supplies.

Outside the factory building, the deputy factory manager was waiting anxiously. Seeing a group of soldiers walking towards the building led by a militiaman, they hurriedly greeted them and asked, "Excuse me, are the troops from Mamayev Gang?"

Although the deputy factory manager was also wearing overalls, Sokov judged from his temperament that the other party was not an ordinary person, and quickly replied: "Yes, we are troops from Mamayev Gang. I am Brigadier Commander Sokov Lieutenant Colonel Cove."

"Thank goodness, I finally have you here!" The deputy factory manager stepped forward and took Sokov's hand, and said excitedly, "I am the deputy production manager of the factory, and I am here to wait for you."

While shaking hands with the other party, Sokov asked curiously: "Comrade deputy director, how do you know we are here?"

"It's like this, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Although the deputy factory director felt a little bit emotional about Sokov's youth, he still said politely: "We received a call from the Guards Division, saying that the team you led The troops came to the factory building, and the factory manager ordered me to come down to meet you. Please come in with me, comrade factory manager is still waiting for you.” Sokov thanked Genlina who led the way, and followed Briski The deputy factory manager walked into the building.

When Peter saw the deputy director of the factory walking in with two officers, he instinctively walked towards Briski, who was older. After getting closer, he realized that the young officer had a higher rank, so he quickly held onto his hand. He took Sokov's hand, shook it vigorously twice, and said politely: "Comrade commander, we finally have you here. Once you come, we will be more confident in defending the factory."

Sokov briefly exchanged some polite words with the other party, and then asked bluntly: "Comrade factory director, can you tell me about the situation in the factory?"

Peter nodded, and after calling Sokov and Briski to sit down, he said: "The factory originally consisted of five destroyer battalions, which were formed to defend the factory according to the formation of regular troops, from commanders to fighters. All have military ranks. Due to the needs of the war, four of the battalions were transferred to other areas at the beginning of the month. The remaining battalions suffered huge casualties during the daytime battle today, leaving only one incomplete company."

"Comrade factory manager, your defense is really too weak." Sokov couldn't help but twitched the muscles on his face violently when he heard this. He shook his head and said, "The factory has such a large area. Come on defense, it’s fine if the Germans don’t attack, but once they attack, you won’t be able to defend at all.”

"Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you are right." Before Peter could answer, the deputy factory manager rushed to say: "In order to strengthen the defense of the factory area, we have armed the workers in each workshop and formed a militia detachment. Defend the workshop where we are. Considering that most of the workers have not undergone systematic military training and have no combat experience, we have made a request to the Guards Division and asked them to send some officers and combat cadres with combat experience to enrich Our militia detachment."

Hearing the deputy factory manager's explanation, Sokov immediately understood why some of the armed men he saw in the building were wearing military uniforms while others were wearing overalls. Those in overalls were obviously workers in the factory, while those in military uniforms were officers and combat backbones sent by the Guards Division to strengthen the combat effectiveness of the militia.

Sokov knew that there were thousands of female workers in the tractor factory, and if they were added to the militia detachment, they would be a force that should not be underestimated, so he couldn't help asking: "Are there any female soldiers in the militia detachment?" ?”

"We have more than 3,000 female workers." The deputy factory manager explained to Sukov: "But there are only more than 200 people who are incorporated into the militia detachment. Those who were injured in the..."

"Comrades, two factory directors, I think the female workers in the factory can still be competent for more jobs..."

"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, do you still remember the women's anti-aircraft artillery battalion we sent to protect the oil tanks on the northern hill of Mamayev Gang?" Peter didn't wait for Sokov to finish speaking. rushed to ask. Seeing Sokov nodding to express that he remembered this, he said again with tears in his eyes: "Those are the best girls in our factory. Who would have thought that after a battle, almost all of them were wiped out. Many of them's parents were evacuated." When I got to the rear, I still don't know how to tell them the bad news."

Briski stood up and said to Peter: "Comrade factory manager, I am also very sad about the sacrifice of those female soldiers. But in order to protect our motherland and our city, sacrifices are always inevitable."

"I understand, Comrade Captain." Peter nodded vigorously, and replied, "I understand what you said, but I just feel a little uncomfortable. Hundreds of girls, many of whom are under twenty years old, are exactly The best years are all sacrificed like this." He said, raising his hand to wipe away the tears that fell from his eyes.

"Comrade factory director, this is war." Sokov continued to ask, "I want to ask, where is our defense zone?"

Peter raised his hand and wiped his face, and said to the deputy factory director: "Comrade deputy factory director, where do you think Lieutenant Colonel Sokov should be deployed?"

The deputy factory manager thought for a while and replied, "Comrade factory manager, I think they can go to the assembly workshop."

"Assembly workshop?!" Sokov asked after listening to the two men, "Comrades, two directors, can you tell me where this assembly workshop is located?"

"The assembly workshop is near the wall that the Germans broke through today," the deputy director explained to Sukov: "There is a production line for assembling T-34 tanks."

Knowing that there is such an important target at the position where the German army broke through today, Sokov could not sit still. He quickly got up and said to Peter: "Comrade factory director, please arrange a guide for us and take us there as soon as possible." .We must complete the defensive deployment before dawn, so as to resist possible German attacks."

Without Peter's instructions, the deputy factory director volunteered and said: "Comrade factory director, I think I will take Lieutenant Colonel Sokov and the others to the assembly workshop. On the way, I can also introduce him in detail about the The actual situation."

Seeing that the deputy factory manager took the initiative to ask for a job, Peter nodded without objecting, "Okay, comrade deputy factory manager, you sent Lieutenant Colonel Sokov and the others to the assembly workshop, so hurry back as soon as possible, I also need yours here help."