Red Moscow

Andrei waited for Susanna and Zina to leave his battalion headquarters, and asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade commander, who else do you want to see, I will send someone to find them immediately."

"Comrade Captain," Sokov said, looking at Andrei, "I came here at the risk, not to sit in the basement and listen to my work, but to see where the battle is going on." .”

"Comrade commander, this is not very good." The reason why Andrei wanted Sokov to stay at the battalion headquarters to listen to the report was because he was worried that the other party would encounter any danger outside, so he tried his best to persuade him: "Who do you want to see, who do you want to hear?" Whoever reports, I will send someone to find them immediately. Even if they can't come temporarily, they can report to you by phone."

Seeing Andre repeatedly dissuade him not to leave the battalion headquarters, Sokov understood that the other party had good intentions and was afraid that he would be in danger. For such a subordinate who cared about his safety, Sokov was very moved. However, he ventured to the Old City because he wanted to see the battle going on in the Old City with his own eyes. If he just wanted to sit in the command post and listen to the report, he might as well stay at Mamayev Post.

Sokov originally wanted to say that the purpose of his visit this time was to go to the Vasily Building, but he wanted to see how things were going there. But before he opened his mouth, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't heard any news about Rodimtsev and the 13th Guards Division for a long time, so he asked Andre tentatively: "Comrade Captain, I want to ask, is there any information in your battalion?" Are there commanders and fighters from the 13th Guards Division?"

"From the 13th Guards Division?" Andre was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, not a single one. Comrade Commander, they were transferred to the north of the factory area two months ago. ?"

Although he had already guessed that there would be no members of the 13th Guards Division here, but when he heard Andre's affirmative answer, Sokov still couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. Major General Rodimtsev and his troops, who had performed well in real history, became unknown because of their own birth. Even the famous Pavlov Building has become the Vasily Building.

"Comrade Commander, have you forgotten that we once saved the life of General Rodimtsev." Now that Sokov mentioned the 13th Guards Division, it immediately awakened the memories of this unit in Andrei's mind : "At that time, he lost contact with the army headquarters, and the commander ordered us to look for them. You took us to the old city, and after careful searching, we found that they were trapped in the basement because of the collapse of their houses..."

Andre's words reminded Sokov that he wanted to talk about the basement exit from the moment he entered the door. Now that Andrei mentioned it at this moment, he said logically: "Comrade Captain, since you know the lesson of General Rodimtsev back then, why doesn't your command post have a passage leading to the outside of the building? Don't you worry about it?" , the overhead building fell during enemy shelling or bombing one day, and buried you all in the basement?"

"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander, it's all my negligence." Hearing Sokov pointing out the problems in the battalion command post, Andre immediately blushed and admitted his mistake: "I mainly consider that the battalion command post may be transferred at any time. , so some work is not done carefully enough..."

"Lieutenant Andrei, as a commander, even if it's just a temporary command post, you have to consider the way out." Sokov said to him with a serious expression: "You have thousands of commanders and fighters under your command. If you If something goes wrong with the battalion headquarters, the troops in the entire old town will become scattered sand because of the loss of unified command, and there is a possibility that the Germans will break them one by one. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Andrei waited for Sokov to finish speaking, and immediately replied loudly: "I will immediately arrange manpower to dig a passage leading to the trench outside. In this way, even if the entire building collapses Now, the people staying in the basement can be safely transferred."

Sokov waited for Andrei to arrange the manpower and start digging the passage to the outside, he stood up from the table and said to him: "Comrade Captain, I want to go to the Vasily Building, please prepare for us A guide."

Don't see that Sokov has been to Vasily's building many times, but due to enemy shelling and bombing, the buildings along the way have been turned into ruins. Sokov could not accurately locate the Vasily Building without reference objects.

"Comrade Commander, since you are going to the Vasily Building." Seeing that Sokov had made up his mind to go to the Vasily Building, Andrei knew that it was useless to say anything, so he volunteered and said: "If you don't object, why don't you go to the Vasily Building?" Let me be your guide."

"Then what's the job here?" Sokov asked back.

"I can hand over the work to the deputy battalion commander." Andre grinned, and continued: "I haven't been to the Vasily Building for a long time, so I just went with you to see what has become there."

Coming out of the basement, Sokov asked Seryosha to gather the accompanying soldiers, then turned to Andrei and asked, "Comrade Captain, in the order I issued some time ago, I asked you to use the sewers in the old city to mobilize all defensive positions. Connect with the fire support point, have you done it?"

"Report to Comrade Commander," Andrei replied with some embarrassment when he heard Sokov's question, "We only use the sewers in a few areas."

"Why?" Sokov frowned and asked dissatisfied.

"Due to the bombing of enemy planes, the sewers in many places have collapsed." Seeing that Sukov was unhappy, Andre quickly explained to him: "I once organized people to check the sewers in Neil and other places in the defense area. Until the last The result was very disappointing, most of the sewers either collapsed or were flooded by the river, and there were only two or three sewers available to us, and the number of places that could be connected was very limited."

"Then we go to the Vasily building, do we need to enter the sewer?"

"I think it's best not to enter the sewer." Andre continued: "On the way to the Vasily Building, a section of the sewer of more than 800 meters has fallen into the hands of the enemy. I have sent people many times to try to The attempt to retake this section of the sewer from the Germans was unsuccessful, but seventy or eighty soldiers were sacrificed instead."

"If you want to take back the sewers, you don't necessarily have to organize troops to attack." Sokov learned that Andre's organization to seize the sewers failed, so instead of getting angry, he taught him combat experience: "You can send People blocked the two sections of the sewer so that the enemy could not use the sewer for activities. In addition, a few snipers were deployed near the exit of the sewer, and as soon as the enemy came out, they would be killed immediately."

"But if the enemy stays in the sewer and doesn't come out, what should we do?"

"The enemies staying in the sewer are considered to have enough ammunition. But, do they have enough food and water?" Sokov sneered, and continued: "In order to continue to control this sewer, they need to constantly replenish Ammunition, food, and water. And as long as you guard the exit, if the enemy comes out, kill one, and it won’t be long before the enemies in the sewers can’t hold on.”

"I understand, Comrade Commander." After hearing Sokov's tactics, Andrei's face showed a joyful expression: "You don't know, I have been having a headache for the past few days about how to retake the sewers in this area. , and even considered mobilizing a fully organized company to launch a new attack there."

"Comrade Captain, you have to remember that we cannot compare with the enemy in terms of firepower configuration. To attack the enemy's defensive area without strong firepower cover is to let the soldiers die in vain." Soko When the husband said this, he swung his hand down and said firmly: "In my army, such unnecessary sacrifices are absolutely not allowed."

"Comrade Commander," Seryozha trotted over and asked Sokov for instructions: "The troops have assembled, can we go?"

"Set off!"

Under the leadership of Andrey, Sokov and the others carefully walked through the ruins one after another. Although the sound of pulling the bolt of the gun was heard from time to time in the ruins, but soon there was no movement. Hearing these movements, Sokov knew in his heart that the commanders and fighters of the third battalion must be standing firm in the ruins.

After walking for more than half an hour, Sokov and the others finally approached the Vasily Building. With the help of the firelight from a distance, Sokov, who saw the building in front of him clearly, couldn't help being surprised. Half of the whole building had collapsed, leaving only a frame. And the wall that has not yet collapsed is also full of dense fist-sized craters, which shows how fierce the battle here is.

In order to prevent misunderstandings, everyone stopped at a place more than 100 meters away from the building, and then Andre sent someone to get in touch with the defenders in the building and let them come out to respond.

After the sent soldiers left, Andrei explained to Sokov in a low voice: "Comrade commander, in order to prevent the enemy's night attack, Vasily sent people to plant a lot of mines around the building. If there are no people in the building If you lead the way, it will be difficult to pass through this minefield."

Regarding Andre's statement, Sokov didn't think it was alarmist at all. In order to defend the building, Vasily and the others must have planted landmines in different positions on all the roads leading to the building. If there is no person in the building to guide the way, even if you carry a mine detector, you will not be able to open a path through the minefield.

When the soldiers who were going to make contact came to a distance of more than 50 meters from the building, a soldier with a submachine gun suddenly emerged from a trench that had been deformed by the bombing. After a brief exchange, the two sides walked towards Sokov's location together.

It wasn't until the two got closer that Sokov saw clearly that the soldier emerging from the trench was actually Vasily himself. He couldn't help asking curiously: "Comrade Vasily, aren't you a sniper? Why are you hiding in the trench with a submachine gun?"

"Hello, Comrade Commander." Hearing that the commander was asking questions, Vasili quickly replied respectfully: "I came out to check the sentry. The sentry felt a little sick in his stomach and went to the toilet elsewhere. I was temporarily standing in for him for a while, but I didn't expect you to show up."

"Comrade Vasily, the division commander is here to inspect you." Andrei worried that Sokov and Vasily would stand here chatting for a long time. Such a large group of people would be easily discovered by hidden enemies. If they call for artillery fire Bombarding here, the situation will not be good at that time, he hurriedly urged Vasily: "Hurry up and take us into the building."

"Yes, Comrade Battalion Commander." After Vasily straightened his body and answered, he politely said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, please come to us, and I will take you into the building." He specially emphasized, "Please Be sure to follow in my footsteps, or you risk stepping on a land mine."

Although it is only more than 100 meters away from the building, because there are too many mines along the way, everyone followed Vasily carefully and walked for seven or eight minutes before entering the building.

After entering the building, Sokov took off his hat and wiped his sweat, and asked, "Vassily, how many landmines have you planted outside the building?"

Regarding Sokov's question, Vasily thought for a while and replied: "We planted more than 700 mines around the building. The Germans also planted hundreds of mines around the building in order to block us." Landmines, roughly calculated, there are probably more than a thousand mines."

"My God," Seryozha said with a shocked expression on his face when he heard Vasily say this: "You are surrounded by thousands of mines in the building, how can you go out and move around?"

In response to Seryozha's question, Vasily smiled lightly and replied: "Comrade Lieutenant, no matter how many enemy mines there are, they can't trap us. You know, when we go outside, most of the time we go through the sewers."

Vasily took Sokov to a basement and said apologetically: "Comrade commander, we used to stay upstairs, but due to the enemy's shelling and bombing, most of the floors of this building were reimbursed. Normally, you can only stay in the basement, and then come out of the basement after the battle starts, and enter your respective combat positions."

"Master, it's the commander." A soldier sitting at the door of the basement was startled when he saw a group of people rushing towards him. When he saw clearly that the person standing with Vasily was the division commander Sokov, And the battalion commander, Captain Andrei, quickly turned his head and shouted towards the door: "Comrades, it is the division commander and the battalion commander who have come to see us."

After shouting twice, several soldiers rushed out. When they saw clearly that the people standing outside the door were indeed the division commander and the battalion commander, they quickly stood at attention, raised their hands to salute the two, and shouted loudly at the same time. Said: "Hello, teacher! Hello, battalion commander!"

"Hello, comrades, you have worked hard!" Sokov raised his hand as a military salute, then raised his hand and pressed down, and said to the soldiers: "Keep your voice down, so as not to wake up other comrades."

"Comrade commander, please come in." Vasily passed Sokov to the door of the basement, and said after making a gesture of invitation: "This place is relatively spacious, and you can place all the soldiers you brought here."