Red Moscow

When Sokov walked into the headquarters, he happened to see Chuikov sitting shirtless at the table, and a military doctor was applying medicine to him. Seeing Sokov coming in, Krylov, who had just finished answering the phone, greeted with a smile: "Colonel Sokov, you are here!"

"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov quickly straightened his body and reported to Krylov according to the order: "Colonel Sokov, commander of the 41st Guards Division, reports to you, I am here under orders, please give instructions! "

"Colonel Sokov, we are all acquaintances, you don't need to be so polite." Chuikov, who was still applying the medicine, said without looking back, "Why did you come so late?"

"I just encountered a sneak attack outside. I helped Major Gladshev eliminate the enemy, so I came late." Seeing Cuikov who had been applying medicine, Sokov thought he was injured, so he asked with concern. : "Comrade Commander, what's wrong with you, are you injured?"

"It's eczema, Colonel Sokov." Chuikov said with a hint of helplessness: "We stayed in the damp underground for a long time, and over time, we got eczema. Because the symptoms were too severe, I had to ask a military doctor to give me medicine." .”

Sokov glanced at the military doctor who was applying medicine to Chuikov, worried that what Chuikov wanted to discuss with him would involve confidentiality, and the military doctor was obviously not high enough, so he didn't speak rashly, but looked at the military doctor quietly The process of dressing Chuikov.

After more than ten minutes, the military doctor finally finished applying the medicine for Chuikov. While packing his things, he said to Cuikov: "Comrade Commander, I will change your medicine in two days. If possible, you should go outside to dry yourself." The sun, nestled in such a humid environment every day, even the best medicine can't effectively relieve your symptoms."

After dismissing the military doctor, Chuikov put on his military uniform, called Sokov to sit down, and said to him, "Colonel Sokov, I don't want to tell you what the current situation in the city is, but you should know it very well. "

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Sokov quickly stood up and replied, "It is said that the enemy is storming the Barricade Factory and the Dzerzhinsky Factory. The fighting in those two places is quite fierce."

"I will discuss with the chief of staff about taking some action to ease the situation there." Chuikov asked Sokov to sit down again, "Colonel Sokov, what can you do in the future?"

Facing the situation at the Barricade Factory and the Dzerzhinsky Factory, Sokov really had no good solution. There are not enough artillery, tanks, and no aircraft cover. Even if you lead your troops to reinforce, you must be mentally prepared to be wiped out at any time. So Sokov shook his head and replied truthfully: "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, I don't think there is anything else to do but to boost the morale of the soldiers and keep them fighting there."

"Comrade Gurov, the military commissar, has been staying in those two factories recently, and has been conducting political propaganda to the troops in order to strengthen their determination to defend the factories." Krylov sighed and said: "But it's just that It is not enough to do it, what they need is reinforcements and more technical equipment, but it is difficult for us to provide them now."

Hearing this, Sokov thought to himself: Without reinforcements, if he wanted to hold the two factories, he could only continue to politically agitate the soldiers and workers to inspire their fighting spirit. Otherwise, it is possible for the Germans to capture the two factories and further the entire city.

Chuikov saw that Sokov hadn't spoken, but just listened quietly, and he was somewhat dissatisfied. He called people from a long distance, but he didn't say a word. What is it like? After coughing heavily, he said, "Colonel Sokov, according to our observations, the enemy is now concentrating its main offensive forces on the factory side of the new city, while in the old city to the south, the attacking force is much weaker."

Sokov agrees with Chuikov's statement. Regardless of the earliest lost part of the city, it is the old town in the south of the city, but there are still scattered troops of the Soviet army and troops composed of local residents there. fighting the enemy. However, the offensive launched by the Germans in the old city was indeed not too violent. Otherwise, it would be impossible to defend the building known as the "Vassili Building" with Vasily and the others.

"After my research with the chief of staff, we decided to launch an offensive in the old city. The offensive force will be your 41st Guards Division as the main force." Chuikov pushed the map on the table in front of Sokov and said to him : "Because the enemy's defense lines in the old city are intertwined and uneven, in order to prevent accidental injury during the battle, the enemy must not be able to use planes and artillery. With the combat effectiveness of your division, it should not be a problem to drive them out of the old city."

According to Chuikov's idea, Sokov should ask when the attack will start next. Unexpectedly, after waiting for a while, he found that Sokov didn't speak, just staring at the map in front of him in a daze. He knocked heavily on the table a few times, and said dissatisfiedly: "Colonel Sokov, why don't you speak, don't you have the confidence to drive the enemy out of the old city?"

Hearing that Chuikov got angry, Sokov quickly raised his head, looked at him and said, "Comrade Commander, please forgive me. If I just drive the enemy out of the city, my troops can barely do it. But once the enemy attacks the old If the city launches an attack, not only will the troops standing in the city be wiped out, but even the entire old city will be in danger of being lost."

"Why do you say that, Colonel Sokov?" After hearing what Sokov said, Krylov asked puzzledly, "Since you can drive the enemy out, why can't you defend the city?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Sokov explained to Krylov's question: "The commander just said that due to the defense line in the old city, the enemy and the enemy are intertwined. The Germans are afraid to use aircraft and artillery. , so the battles in these places are mainly light weapons. But if we drive all the enemies out, then the Germans can use artillery fire and bombing to destroy the old city with impunity, and the troops in the city will not be complete If the army is destroyed, it will also pay a heavy price."

Sokov's words silenced Chuikov and Krylov. They only thought about launching an offensive in the old city south of the city to divert the attention of the Germans and relieve the pressure on the Barricade Factory and the Dzerzhinsky Factory. , but neglected that once the Soviet army wins in the direction of the old city, it will inevitably attract the crazy protection of the German army. Under the intensive bombing and shelling of the enemy, no matter the troops who stick to the old city will suffer heavy losses. At the same time, the buildings there It will also be destroyed.

Although Sokov's words have proved that it is not advisable to launch an offensive in the old city south of the city, Chuikov asked unwillingly: "Colonel Sokov, since you said that you want to divert the attention of the German army by launching an offensive in the old city south of the city?" The plan is unacceptable, but do you have any means to ensure that the enemy cannot occupy the two factories?"

Sokov lowered his head again, staring at the map on the table, and began to think quickly in his mind. He tried to think of a way to achieve the best of both worlds. It will make its own defense zone a new focus of the German offensive.