Red Moscow

The time it took to build the bridge on the ice far exceeded the original idea. The engineers and soldiers from the Front Army and the Army Group worked overtime for a day and a night. It was not until two o'clock in the afternoon the next day that the bridge erection work was completed. .

When Sokov heard the report from the observation post that the bridge had been erected, he was very happy, but just to be on the safe side, he took Yakubov to the observation post on the top of the mountain, and raised the telescope to carefully observe the ice surface to confirm Whether the bridge has been erected. When he saw a bridge crossing the two banks on the ice, he nodded with satisfaction, turned his head and said to Yakubov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, when you get back to the headquarters, send a telegram to your troops immediately. Get them across the river as quickly as possible."

As soon as the two returned to the headquarters, Yakubov sent a report to the commander in charge of his regiment through the telegrapher in the division, informing the troops to cross the river immediately.

Taking advantage of Yakubov's time to send the report, Sokov specifically told Sidolin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, the comrades of the reserve regiment are not familiar with the terrain, so you immediately send a few soldiers to guard the bridge. Wait for them to cross the river." After that, take them to the positions that have already been assigned, and hand them over to the heads of the regiments for the distribution of troops."

After waiting for Sokov to finish speaking, Sidolin nodded and said: "It is a good way to mix the commanders and fighters of the reserve regiment with the original troops, so that they can get familiar with the environment here as soon as possible, so that they can better understand the situation." into battle."

Now that the commanders and fighters of the reserve regiment were about to cross the river, Sokov felt that it was necessary to immediately tell the heads of the regiments the news, so that they could all have a good time, lest they always complain in front of him, saying that the number of troops was seriously reduced. To be supplemented by soldiers. Now that a regiment is supplemented with 800 people, its strength can be improved.

He first dialed the number of the headquarters of the downsizing regiment, wanting to tell Belkin the good news first, and learn about the situation in the barricade factory by the way. After the call was connected, Belkin was the first to ask, "Misha, I have something important to ask you."

"whats the matter?"

"Captain Andrei reported to me that you have arranged for him a deputy battalion commander." Belkin asked on the phone: "I want to ask, what is going on, why did you suddenly equip him A deputy battalion commander, don't you trust him, do you want to send someone to monitor him?"

"I sent someone to monitor Captain Andrei?" Hearing Belkin's statement, Sokov really had a feeling of whether to laugh or cry, and he asked back: "My comrade, who did you hear this from?" , isn’t it incredible?”

"Don't worry about who told me." Belkin's mouth was still quite tight, and he refused to reveal to Sokov who made such an analysis for him. Instead, he asked: "Misha, look For the sake of our former partners, can you tell me the truth, why did you suddenly think of assigning Captain Andre a deputy battalion commander?"

"Comrade my political commissar, I called you just to tell you about this by the way, but I didn't expect you to ask it first." Sokov thought of arranging Zuminte to serve as the deputy battalion commander of the third battalion, but he didn't After ventilating with Belkin, I couldn't help blushing a little, and then said frankly into the microphone: "The superior sent us a reserve regiment with four fully staffed infantry battalions. After my research with the chief of staff and the deputy division commander, It has been decided to divide these four battalions equally among your four regiments to replace the men you have lost in battle."

Hearing Sokov say that, Belkin realized that he might have been wrong about him. Then he asked tentatively: "Misha, so the deputy battalion commander you newly appointed is a member of the reserve regiment?"

"That's right, this deputy battalion commander named Zuminte is indeed a member of the reserve regiment." Sokov nodded instinctively, and replied: "He came to me with the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov I got in touch and was recognized by Colonel Ivanov. The deputy division commander told me that Zuminte was once the best battalion commander under him, with rich experience in command and combat, and was later transferred to General Romanov's The 172nd Infantry Division. He was captured by the Germans during the battle. Although he escaped from the prisoner-of-war camp, he was sent to a punishment camp for special reasons..."

After listening to Sokov's detailed introduction, Belkin said thoughtfully: "Misha, according to what you say, this Lieutenant Zumint should be an excellent commander. Only let him serve as the deputy battalion commander." Isn't it a bit overkill for a long position?"

Sokov looked up at Ivanov who was sitting opposite, and saw that his deputy division commander was looking down at the map in front of him, as if something important attracted him. Sokov knew in his heart that he and Belkin were talking about Zumint, and Ivanov deliberately avoided his gaze to avoid suspicion. He said into the microphone: "Comrade my political commissar, I also know that the position of the deputy battalion commander is a bit low, but if he wants to get a higher position and rank, he needs to perform well in battle. If he can really use Facts have proved that he is an excellent commander, not to mention the deputy battalion commander, even the deputy commander or even the commander, it is not impossible."

Belkin and Sokov used to be partners, and they knew each other's character very well, knowing that as long as he was a commander he liked, no matter what his past status was, he could be reused. He didn't continue to discuss this issue, but asked Sokov cautiously: "Misha, when will the reinforcements you mentioned arrive at our place?"

Seeing Yakubov walking towards him, Sokov said into the microphone: "We just called the troops on the other side. I'm afraid they will start crossing the river within an hour. I think before dark, You will be able to get supplementary troops. By the way, I will also arrange a deputy commander for you, you might as well get to know each other first."

"Deputy commander?!" Belkin asked in surprise, "Misha, where are you going to transfer a deputy commander for me?"

"It's Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov, the head of the reserve regiment," Sokov said into the microphone: "The troops under his command have been scattered among the regiments, and he himself has become a bare-handed regiment commander. Therefore, I arranged for him to go to the Your regiment will be your deputy, I hope the two of you can work together well."

After finishing speaking, Sokov waved to Yakubov and said to him: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, I'm on the phone with Captain Belgin of the downsizing regiment. Come over and have a word with him, and get to know him by the way."

Yakubov took the microphone from Sokov, stuck it to his ear, and said respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Commander, I am your deputy, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov. It is a pleasure to meet you." you."

"Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Belkin heard an unfamiliar voice talking to himself, and after listening to the other party identify himself, he said politely: "On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the downsizing regiment, welcome you and your subordinates Be one of us.  …”

When Yakubov was on the phone with Belkin, Sokov whispered to Sidolin who had just finished the call. He asked the other party to call the other regiment commanders to report the good news that the troops would be replenished soon. Let everyone have fun. Although he was talking to Sidolin, he kept glancing at Yakubov to see how he reacted to Belkin on the phone.

It turned out that he was worried that if Yakubov, the head of the regiment, was to be the deputy head of the regiment under Belkin, he would feel somewhat emotional. However, judging from his conversation with Belkin, he seemed quite satisfied with his arrangement.

After a while, Yakubov put down the phone, looked at Sokov and asked, "Comrade Commander, when will you send someone to take me to the barricade factory?"

"No hurry, no hurry, Lieutenant Colonel Yakubov, don't worry yet." Seeing that Yakubov was in such a hurry to go to the barricade factory, Sokov waved him and said, "Your troops haven't crossed the river yet. After they have all crossed the river, it will not be too late for you to take the Fourth Battalion to the Barricade Factory."

Yakubov heard Sukov's off-screen voice, and knew that it didn't mean much to go to the barricade factory alone at the moment. It would be better to wait for the troops to cross the river, and then lead the fourth battalion to the barricade factory. Seeing such reinforcements arriving, the defenders in the factory could somewhat boost their morale.

The commanders and fighters of the reserve regiment had just begun to cross the river, and the German attack on the barricade factory began again.

Captain Vasily, who was staying at the battalion command post, saw one or two hundred German infantry rushing towards his defensive position under the cover of five assault guns. He quickly dialed Belkin and reported to him that : "Comrade commander, the enemy's assault guns are coming up, I request artillery support."

"Comrade Captain, I'm afraid I can't agree to your request." Unexpectedly, Belkin said unexpectedly: "It is snowing outside, and visibility is limited. The artillery positions deployed in the rear cannot see the enemy clearly."

"Then what should we do?" Vasily asked anxiously: "We can't just watch the enemy's assault gun approach the position and destroy our firepower points one by one with artillery fire?"

"Comrade Captain, why were you smart before, but now you are so confused?" Belkin said, hearing Vasily's distress, a little resentful, "Did you forget the secret weapon in your hands?"

"Secret weapon?!" Vasily repeated Belkin's words, suddenly remembered the new weapon that he almost forgot, and asked quickly: "Comrade commander, you mean the bazooka?"

"That's right." Belkin replied affirmatively: "I heard from the commander that this is specially used to hit enemy tanks. Now that the situation is special, I approve your battalion to use rocket launchers to deal with German assault guns."

Regardless of the fact that the bazooka has been equipped with troops for a period of time, but since they have never participated in actual combat, commanders and fighters are skeptical about whether the bazooka can deal with enemy tanks and assault guns, and Vasily is no exception. He asked Belkin with a wry smile: "Comrade commander, the enemy's assault gun has a 50mm frontal armor, and it has a certain slope. If the rocket hits it, it may form a ricochet."

"I said, Comrade Captain, why are you so wordy." Seeing Vasily chattering in his ears, Belkin became a little impatient: "When will the things invented by Comrade Commander not be useful? Don't forget, The new rockets equipped by your battalion were also invented by the division commander. Since the new rockets can make the Germans cry and howl, then the rocket launchers against the enemy's assault guns will not disappoint us."

Seeing that the enemy's assault guns were getting closer, Vasili didn't dare to neglect. He quickly put down the phone, called a communication soldier, and told him, "Go and inform the anti-tank platoon immediately, and let them go out to the position with rockets." In the bomb crater ahead, choose the right time to attack the enemy's assault gun."

Vasily's first battalion had an anti-tank platoon with five anti-tank teams, each equipped with a rocket launcher. After receiving Vasily's order, the anti-tank teams climbed out of the trenches one after another and hid in the bomb crater tens of meters ahead. Fortunately, the snowflakes dancing in the sky blocked the enemy's sight, preventing them from discovering these anti-tank fighters in time.

Each anti-tank team has five people, a shooter responsible for launching rockets, a deputy shooter, and an ammunition man. What remains is the team leader and a combat veteran armed with a submachine gun who protects the shooter.

Seeing that the enemy's assault gun had entered the shooting range of 100 meters, the leader of the No. 1 team poked his head out to observe the situation, and then gave the shooter an order to shoot. The shooter put the bazooka firmly on his shoulder, looked through the scope, quickly locked the assault gun that entered the range, and decisively pulled the trigger.

A rocket with a tail flame rushed towards the assault gun a hundred meters away. A few seconds later, it hit the target accurately, and there was a loud noise, and then the assault gun was wrapped in flames and thick smoke, and after driving forward for more than ten meters, it stopped in place and burned.

The success of the No. 1 group greatly inspired the fighters of the other four groups. The shooters also stood up one after another, imitating their comrades, carrying the bazooka on their shoulders, and pulling the trigger of the assault gun aimed at the enemy. Four rockets were fired one after another, all of which hit the moving assault gun without exception, turning them into piles of burning wreckage.

The German soldiers who followed the assault gun were dumbfounded. They didn't hear the scream of the shells in the air at all, but saw a few balls of flames emerging from the crater in front of the Soviet position, and then the assault gun that opened the way in front of them They caught fire and exploded one after another. The ammunition in an assault gun exploded, and the flying shrapnel swept away the soldiers following.

The remaining German soldiers hurriedly took cover on the spot to prevent themselves from being injured by flying shrapnel. After a while, they carefully raised their heads and looked in the direction of the Soviet position, trying to figure out what weapon the Soviets used to destroy their assault guns? After watching for a while, they saw that the Soviet army's position was quiet. If it weren't for the five assault guns still burning in front of them, the German officers and soldiers would have thought they were hallucinating.

The German officer commanding behind found that the assault gun was destroyed by the Soviet army. He knew in his heart that without the cover of the assault gun, it was obviously unrealistic to attack again, so he issued an order to retreat. When the panicked German officers and soldiers heard the order to retreat, they crawled off the ground one after another as if they were being pardoned, and fled backwards with their waists down.

Seeing the enemy going away, the anti-tank teams hidden in the crater climbed out of the crater and returned to their positions one after another. As soon as they entered the position, they were welcomed by Battalion Commander Vasily. The captain stepped forward to give each of them a hug, and said excitedly: "Boys, you are so good, you are so good, you just killed the German assault guns so easily, scaring them away in a hurry gone."