Red Moscow

The embrace of Sokov and Sivakov seemed to be an order to attack all the commanders and fighters present. Amid the cheers, the commanders and fighters of the two troops from different directions rushed into each other's queue and hugged each other tightly. They used warm hugs to express their inner joy.

"Thank you, Colonel Sokov." Sivakov, who embraced Sokov, said excitedly: "It is your tenacious fighting that prevents the enemy from occupying this heroic city, and our meeting today. "

"Comrade Colonel, today is our meeting, and tomorrow it's our turn to attack the enemy." Sokov said loudly: "Now it's time to demand blood from the enemy."

"Colonel Sokov," after Sivakov released Sokov, he pulled a skinny commander and introduced him to Sokov, "Let me introduce to you, this is my political commissar, Yege. Colonel Rove."

"Hello, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Sokov first raised his hand in salute, and then shook hands tightly with the other party. Next, he introduced Ivanov and Anisimov, who followed behind him, to Sivakov and Yegorov.

"Comrade Colonel," Sokov leaned closer to Sivakov's ear and asked loudly, "Should we find a place to have a good talk."

"Okay, Colonel Sokov." The surrounding cheers made everyone have to shout at the top of their voices, and it was really not suitable for talking about important things. "Find a place to have a good talk."

A few minutes later, five division leaders from two divisions sat in a German command post. After everyone sat down, Sokov asked straight to the point: "Colonel Sivakov, I would like to ask, how many troops are there in your division?"

"About 4,000 people." After Sivakov finished speaking, he might feel that his expression was not accurate enough, and added: "Of course, this is the statistics last night. Today, we still paid a lot to seize the enemy's position." A certain price."

Sokov couldn't help frowning when he heard what Sivakov said. According to his thinking, the opponent should provide him with at least 5,000 troops before attacking the department store, so that he can be more sure of winning when attacking the department store. Who knows that there are only more than 3,000 people left on the other side. In addition to the necessary left-behind troops, it is still unknown whether they can gather enough 3,000 people for themselves.

Seeing Sokov's frown, Sivakov hurriedly asked with concern: "Colonel Sokov, how many troops are there in your division?"

"I don't know the exact number." Sokov said carefully, "But there are still six or seven thousand people."

"There are still six or seven thousand people?" Sivakov had a surprised expression on his face when he heard this: "But as far as I know, the infantry divisions withdrawn from the city usually only have a few hundred left." Man, it's incredible that you still have six or seven thousand people in your division."

"Comrade Colonel," Ivanov interjected with a cough, "Since the Mamayev Post, where our division is defending, had built solid fortifications long before the outbreak of the war, we relied on the fortifications during the battle." Sufficient troops have been preserved."

"Colonel Sokov, I want to ask a question." Seeing Sokov's preoccupied look, Yegorov couldn't help asking, "Why do you need so many troops?"

"That's right, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Considering that we will fight side by side with the opponent next time, there is no need to conceal some things, Sokov said bluntly: "We have discovered the location of the Paulus headquarters, and we plan to Join forces with your division and launch an attack there. If there are fewer troops, it may not be easy to break through the German defenses."

"What, you found out where the German army's headquarters is?" Sivakov was taken aback when he heard Sokov say this, and then wondered whether he needed to report this matter to Commander Batov immediately. . But after thinking about it, the other party has not told me the specific location, and has not confirmed whether the matter is true, so he reported it rashly, which is also a joke, and I will not be in the 65th Army in the future. Thinking of this, he tentatively asked: "Colonel Sokov, are you sure, is that the location of the German Army Command?"

"It's at least 70% possible." Sokov didn't speak too slowly, but said with some leeway: "I arranged for a reconnaissance team to monitor nearby. According to the information they keep sending back, I can be sure that even if there Not a German command, at least a corps command."

From the outbreak of the war to the present, at best, the Soviet army has only taken away some regiment-level headquarters of the German army, and the division-level headquarters are too far away from the front line. Once they find that something is wrong, these German officers will flee early. Now that he heard that it was at least a military-level command organization, Sivakov couldn't help being moved. He looked at Sokov and asked, "Comrade Colonel, I would like to ask when we can launch an attack there."

"Which one of you has a map?" Sokov turned his head and asked Ivanov and Anisimov on the left and right: "It will be easier to explain with a map."

Unexpectedly, neither Ivanov nor Anisimov had a map on them. In the end, Sivakov took out a map from the satchel he was carrying, unfolded it and put it on the table.

"Comrade Colonel, please look here." Although the two sides will be friendly forces next, but considering the possibility of the other party stealing credit, Sokov did not directly point to the location of the Paulus headquarters, but pointed to the train station and said to them : "According to my judgment, the enemy's headquarters should be set up here at the railway station. There are a large number of stone buildings, rails, and carriages in the station, which can be used to build a complete defense system. If we want to seize such fortifications, I'm afraid we will Casualties will be considerable.”

Although Sivakov said that he had never been to Stalingrad, he could see from the map that the terrain near the train station was indeed very conducive to defense, so he frowned and asked, "Colonel Sokov, please With all due respect, even if our two divisions join forces, it may not be easy to take down such a defensive position."

"Comrade Colonel," Seeing that Sivakov was not interested in this matter, Sokov raised his voice and said, "Now the troops of the 64th Army have entered the city from the south of the city and are approaching the Central Railway Station step by step. If we If we remain where we are, I am afraid that the honor of capturing Paulus alive will fall into the hands of the 64th Army."

As soon as Sokov finished speaking, he immediately realized that something was wrong. I belong to the 62nd Army, and Sivakov belongs to the 65th Army. If the other party wants this honor to fall to the 65th Army, they may report to Batov in private. If Batov sent two more divisions over, maybe the troops that captured Paulus alive in the end would really belong to the 65th Army.

"Colonel Sokov." After a moment of silence, Sivakov said to Sokov: "This matter is of great importance. I will report to Commander Batov immediately and wait for his instructions."

Seeing that the other party really wanted to report the matter to Batov, Sokov couldn't help but smiled wryly in his heart, and thought to himself that it was fortunate that he told the other party that Paulus's headquarters was at the Central Railway Station instead of the department store. In this way, even if Batov wanted to take credit, the troops he sent would shift the attack target to the train station, and maybe they could attract some of the German troops to relieve the pressure on him to attack the department store.

"Okay, Colonel Sivakov." Sokov pretended to be helpless, and said to Sivakov: "Then you report to Commander Batov."

When Sivakov and Egorov left the headquarters, Anisimov asked in a daze, "Comrade commander, didn't you say that the headquarters of the German army is in the department store? But why did you want to Tell Colonel Sivakov that the enemy's headquarters is at the central station?"

"Comrade Political Commissar, haven't you heard that the reason why Colonel Sivakov reported to General Batov is because he wanted to take this matter into his hands." Ivanov explained to Anisimov: " The division commander told them that the enemy's headquarters is at the railway station. In this way, even if they mobilize enough troops to rush over, the target of attack is the railway station, not the department store. At that time, the honor of capturing Paulus alive, Maybe it still belongs to our teacher."

"Not bad." After listening to Ivanov's explanation, Anisimov suddenly realized. He quickly gave Sokov a thumbs up and said repeatedly: "The teacher is still the best."

"By the way, I almost forgot one thing." Sokov remembered at this moment that Chuikov said that he wanted to go to the meeting site to see it in person. At this moment, the meeting of the two divisions has ended, and he has not notified Cuikov. He hurriedly called the radio operator and told him: "Get in touch with the army headquarters immediately, I want to speak to the commander."

The call was connected quickly, and Cuikov who answered the phone heard that Sokov and the others had joined forces with the 23rd Infantry Division, smiled coldly twice, and then asked: "Colonel Sokov, I didn't tell you, in the Do you need to notify me in advance before the two masters meet? Why did you notify me of this matter after the meeting is over?"

"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." Seeing that Chuikov was angry, Sokov quickly admitted his mistake, "It's all my fault. The main reason is that our attack went too smoothly, and the enemy put down their weapons and surrendered to us before firing a single shot. Yes. To tell you the truth, I didn’t even come to my senses at the time, and I didn’t believe that the enemy surrendered so quickly.”

"Forget it, I won't pursue this matter." Cuikov certainly regretted not being able to catch up with the meeting of the two divisions, but it was too late to rush there at this moment, so he changed the subject in time: "How is it?" , have you talked to the opposing division commander about capturing the Paulus headquarters?"

"I mentioned it."

"What's the other party's reaction?" Cuikov asked nervously.

"He said that this matter is too important for him to decide on his own, and he must report to General Batov, the commander of the army group." Sokov said into the microphone: "He is going to call General Batov to report now. .”

"What, he reported this to Batov?" Cuikov became anxious when he heard this: "Colonel Sokov, have you ever thought about what Batov would do if he knew about it? ?”

"I think he may have specially mobilized the strength of two divisions to strengthen the offensive force."

"Since you know, why do you still tell the other party such an important situation?"

Hearing that Chuikov got angry, Sokov said slowly: "Comrade commander, don't worry. I did tell him that I knew where Paulus' headquarters was. But I told him that it was in the central The railway station, even if General Batov sends new troops, their target will be the central railway station."

"You are so cunning." Cuikov laughed when he heard this: "If the troops of the 65th Army can attack the Central Railway Station instead of us, then we can devote more troops to attacking the department store." Go to the battle of the building."

"Comrade commander, let me tell you some bad news." Sokov said cautiously: "According to the information we have, the troops of the 64th Army are progressing smoothly in the south of the city and are approaching the central area step by step. I am very worried now that if they are really allowed to approach the central area, Commander Rokossovsky may hand over the task of attacking the department store to them."

Cuikov deeply agrees with Sokov's statement. He was silent for a moment, then asked back, "Colonel Sokov, what can you do?"

"There is a way." Sokov said slowly.

Hearing that Sokov said there was a solution, Chuikov immediately asked: "What solution, let's hear it!"

"I plan to let the Belgin regiment attack the enemy," Sokov said: "Let them drive all the nearby enemies to the south. In this way, if the troops of the 64th Army want to come over, they must first destroy the enemy." Enemies on the road. In this way, friendly forces can help us contain a large number of enemies, making our next attack easier."

"Colonel Sokov, the idea you came up with is really wicked. You actually thought of driving the enemy to the defense zone of the friendly army, and let them help us destroy the enemy." Chuikov paused again when he said this. Just when Sokov was feeling uneasy, he suddenly heard him say: "But this is also the most effective method. I agree, so let's implement it according to this plan. If the superior blames it, I will bear all the responsibilities."

After finishing the call, Sokov said to Ivanov and Anisimov: "Comrade Commander has agreed to let the Belkin regiment attack." He drew a line on the map on the table with his nails, "Let Commander Belkin's troops attack from north to south, drive the enemies entrenched in these buildings to the south, and let them go to the commanders and fighters of the friendly army to fight desperately."

"Comrade Commander is right." Although Ivanov had heard the conversation between Sokov and Chuikov clearly, he waited for Sokov to finish before expressing his opinion: "You This approach is really immoral. However, it is also the most effective way."

"I think it's understandable for the division commander to do this." Anisimov said: "Our troops are limited. If we want to destroy the enemy several times more than us, this is simply an impossible task. Now drive the enemy out of the friendly army I don't think there's anything wrong with letting friendly forces come and destroy them."

Just after the three discussed the attack plan, Sivakov and Egorov walked into the headquarters from the outside. Sivakov said excitedly: "Colonel Sokov, I have already reported the situation to Commander Batov."

"How did he say?"

"He intends to send two infantry divisions, one tank brigade and two artillery regiments to assist our offensive." Sivakov said happily: "With so many troops, I believe it will be impossible to seize the Central Railway Station." any questions."