Red Moscow

The cave happened to be quiet for a moment at this moment, and Lyudnikov's voice clearly entered everyone's ears. Everyone looked at Lyudnikov first, and then turned their eyes to Chuikov sitting behind the table in unison, waiting for him to give everyone a satisfactory answer.

"Comrades!" Chuikov stood up and said to the crowd, "I think everyone knows a saying: General Zhukov's arrival means an attack is about to begin."

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Krylov echoed from the side: "In our army, there is indeed such a saying."

"Not only we know this statement, but the enemy also knows it." Chuikov continued: "If Zhukov appeared in the Stalingrad area before the big counteroffensive, wouldn't that mean telling the enemy that we are going to take a big military action here? It was out of this consideration that the Supreme Command sent General Zhukov to the west of the city, where he organized troops to launch an offensive against the enemy."

Cuikov's words obviously did not convince everyone. After he finished speaking, a general stood up and questioned: "Comrade commander, this reason is too far-fetched. If you don't want the enemy to know our counterattack plan, General Zhukov can completely attack the enemy without being noticed by the enemy. Came quietly to the Stalingrad area to direct the counter-offensive in preparation for the encirclement of the German army."

Chuikov stared at the other party for a long time, but he did not blame him, but said earnestly: "Filonenko, have you ever thought about how the enemy will react if we launch a major counterattack in Stalingrad?" ?” Without waiting for the other party to answer, he took the initiative to say the answer, “The enemy will definitely deploy troops from other areas to rescue the enemy in the Stalingrad area. At this time, it is necessary to have troops to attack and contain this force. The enemy prevented them from coming to reinforce Paulus, so that we could calmly surround Paulus and his army between the Don and the Volga."

Everyone knows that Chuikov's reason is impeccable. If Paulus's army is under attack, the German High Command will definitely dispatch a large number of troops from other regions to rescue Paulus's army in the shortest possible time. save them from the fate of being surrounded.

"Comrades, let me introduce you." Chuikov pointed to the general and said to everyone, "This is General Filonenko, the new commander of the 112th Infantry Division. He just took over as division commander yesterday."

Sokov once dealt with Colonel Yermorgin, the commander of the 112th Division. Hearing Chuikov say that the major general was the new division commander, he couldn't help but curiously asked Lyudnikov next to him: "Comrade Colonel, the former division commander Where has Colonel Yermorkin gone?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Lyudnikov showed a surprised expression on his face: "What, you don't know that Colonel Yermorkin died in the battle four days ago."

Hearing the news of Colonel Yermorkin's death, the muscles on Sokov's face twitched violently a few times. He really didn't expect that one of his acquaintances died like this when victory was in sight. It's really regrettable . However, he did not ask Lyudnikov about the process of the other party's sacrifice. He was very familiar with the cruelty of the Stalingrad Defense War. Not to mention a division commander, even the commander of the army, Chuikov, was in danger many times and almost lost his life.

"Have you finished asking everyone's questions?" Krylov interjected without losing the opportunity: "If there are no questions, let's all go back to our respective troops. Although we don't have a part in this counterattack, we just need to hold on to the existing positions. In the future, eliminating the enemy will also be a great achievement."

When the commanders in the meeting stood up and walked slowly out of the cave, Chuikov suddenly said: "Colonel Sokov stay here!"

Sokov didn't understand why Cuikov asked him to stay, and felt somewhat guilty. Seeing Belkin pass by him, he grabbed his arm and said to him in a pleading tone: "Comrade Commissar, can you stay with me?"

Belkin glanced at Chuikov's position, then shook his head and said, "There's no order for me to stay, so I'll wait for you outside."

"Colonel Sokov," Gurov greeted quickly seeing Sokov talking to Belkin, "please come to me!"

Sokov squeezed to the table, straightened his body and said to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Sokov, commander of the 41st Guards Division, is ordered to stay, please instruct!"

Chuikov glanced at Sokov, then turned his head to Gurov, and said with a smile, "Military Commissar, I think it's up to you to talk to him." Sokov quickly turned to Gurov, waiting for him to tell him Task.

"Colonel Sokov," Gurov said politely, "we let you stay because you told the commander yesterday that you wanted to study at the Frunze Military Academy. During the call last night, the commander put The matter was reported to General Yelyomenko..."

Hearing this, Sokov asked nervously, "Comrade Military Commissar, how did the Commander of the Front Army reply?"

"He was very satisfied with your desire to study at the Military Academy. Comrade Khrushchev even immediately contacted the director of the Frunze Military Academy, hoping to arrange for you to enter the senior commander training class." Gurov He said with a smile: "With Comrade Khrushchev on board, the whole thing will be much easier. The director has agreed to let you enter the senior commander training course. As for the enrollment time, we need to wait until we have defeated the Stalingrad area." after the enemy."

"Great, this is really great." Knowing that he could enter this famous military academy, Sokov couldn't help being overjoyed, and he quickly expressed his gratitude to Chuikov and Gurov: "Thank you !"

"Comrade Commander!" Seeing that the conversation between Chuikov and Sokov was over, General Lobov walked over and said with a sad face: "Now the river is frozen, ships from the other side can't come over, and our logistics transportation doesn't know anything. It will be time to recover. If we cannot ensure sufficient material reserves, I am worried that if the transportation cannot be resumed before the counteroffensive, the area we are defending may be occupied by the German army."

When Lobov complained to Chuikov, Sokov on the side thought to himself: The pontoon bridge that appeared for his own sake allowed the materials on the east bank not only to be transported by boat, but also transported into the city by caravan. The material reserves in the city should be twice as much as in the real history. How can there be shortages?

"Comrade Minister of Logistics," Chuikov waited for Lobov to finish speaking, and said to him with a straight face: "You first distribute the ammunition and supplies needed by the infantry brigade to them. The commander of the fleet called and told them to try to bring supplies by ship."

"By boat?" Lobov said with his eyes widened in surprise, "Comrade Commander, this is too risky. Now that the river is frozen, ships from the other side will not be able to get through unless there is the help of an icebreaker."

"Now is an extraordinary time, we must take risks." After finishing speaking, he walked to a wooden table by the wall, grabbed a telephone, cranked the crank a few times, and put the microphone against his ear Said: "I am Chuikov, take me to the Volga River District Fleet, and find Rear Admiral Rogachev."

After waiting for about two or three minutes, the call was connected. Chuikov said into the microphone: "Hello, General Rogachev! I am Chuikov."

"I called you to ask, is it possible to resume transportation on the river in a short time?"

"What, you are also thinking of a way? Okay, okay, I will wait for your good news."

Chuikov put down the phone, walked back to Krylov, and said to him, "Comrade Chief of Staff, I just spoke with Rear Admiral Rogachev on the phone. He said that they are trying to find a way to use ships to transport supplies for us."

"Comrade Commander," Krylov glanced at Lobov, who was frowning, and said to Chuikov with a wry smile: "The ships of the Volga River Fleet are all small in size, and they can't break through the ice like icebreakers. .”

"Comrade Minister of Logistics, go get busy first." Chuikov waved at Lobov and said, "When there is good news, I will send someone to notify you immediately."

After Lobov left, Chuikov asked Sokov to sit down and asked, "Colonel Sokov, where do you plan to go back later, the Barricade Factory or the Mamayev Post?"

"Comrade Commander, the current situation of the barricade factory is not optimistic. I think I should stay in the barricade factory for the time being." Sokov saw that Chuikov opened his mouth and seemed to have something to say, so he guessed the question he wanted to ask. So he said first: "But I will return to Mamayev Post on the night of the first day of the big counter-offensive, that is, on the night of the 18th."

The reason why Sokov chose to return to Mamayev Hill before the start of the big counter-offensive was that he wanted to take advantage of the terrain there and look down at the grand counter-offensive.

Chuikov is not a god, so naturally he doesn't know what Sokov really thinks in his heart. When he heard that he said that he would return to the division headquarters on Mamayev Post before the big counterattack, he nodded and said, "Colonel Sokov, you Your troops have held on to Mamayev Post for several months, and now the Battle of Stalingrad is coming to an end, I hope you can continue to persevere, and you must not give up Mamayev Post to the enemy."

"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Sokov quickly assured Chuikov: "As long as I have breath, I will never let the Germans occupy Mamayev Post."

Gurov looked at his watch and said to Sokov: "Colonel Sokov, I think you will stay at the headquarters tonight, and I still have something to say to you."

"But, Comrade Military Commissar." Hearing that Gurov said he would stay, Sokov explained anxiously: "Colonel Lyudnikov and one of my regimental leaders are still waiting for me outside. .”

"Let them go back first." Chuikov said, "You can go back after dawn tomorrow."

Sokov came outside the cave, saw Lyudnikov, Belkin, and Guzman smoking, and walked towards them. Seeing Sokov approaching, Lyudnikov quickly threw away the cigarette butt in his hand and asked, "Colonel Sokov, your conversation with Comrade Commander is over, can you go back?"

"I'm sorry, Comrade Colonel." Sokov said to Lyudnikov with an apologetic face: "The commander asked me to stay here for one night, you go back first." Seeing the guard platoon in the distance, he added One sentence, "Leave me a guard squad, and you can take the rest back."

"I think it's better to let the guard platoon stay." Regarding Sokov's kindness, Lyudnikov declined and said, "The guard squad I brought is enough to ensure the safety of the three of us."

"Comrade Colonel, you still listen to me, take the guard platoon with you." Sokov thought of the high risk factor of walking at night, so he insisted on his opinion: "You may encounter sporadic German soldiers when you go back at night. If there are fewer people around, it will be unsafe."

Seeing that the two were going to have a dispute over this matter, Belgin hurried out to smooth things over: "Misha, I think Samoilov should stay with a guard squad, and the rest will escort me and Colonel Lyudnikov." Go back. What do you think?"

"Okay, let's do it!"

…………

Chuikov left Sokov behind because he wanted his troops to find opportunities to counterattack the enemy in the front after the big counteroffensive started. After all, those stationed near Mamayev Post are all weaker than the German army. Romanian Army.

Just when several people were making a counterattack plan, there were bursts of strange noises outside, as if some monster was hitting the ice. Hearing this voice, Chuikov quickly winked at Krylov, beckoning him to find out what happened outside.

Krylov picked up the phone, contacted the observation post by the river, and asked bluntly, "What's going on outside? What's the sound coming from the river?"

After being silent on the phone for a long time, an excited voice finally came out: "Comrade Chief of Staff, a sailor of the Volga Fleet, is driving two gunboats, hitting the ice on the river."

The words of the observation post left everyone dumbfounded. After a while, Krylov tentatively asked: "What did you say, hitting the ice with a gunboat, did you read it right?"

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." The observation post said in an affirmative tone: "I have observed carefully. It is really the gunboats of the District Fleet hitting the ice on the river. Now they have advanced about 50 meters."

"I see." Krylov put down the phone and reported to Chuikov: "Comrade Commander, the observation post reported that two gunboats from the Volga River Fleet are hitting the ice on the river. It seems that They intend to forcibly open a water transport line."

Hearing that the gunboats of the fleet were hitting the ice on the river and trying to carve out a transportation line, Chuikov couldn't sit still any longer. He stood up and said to Sokov, "Follow me!" He walked a few minutes towards the entrance of the cave. After taking a few steps, he stopped, turned his head and said to Gurov, "Comrade Military Commissar, come along too."