Red Moscow

After officially confirming that he will command a combat group to launch the final general attack on Paulus's headquarters, Sokov's mood suddenly became joyful. He hurriedly greeted Sidolin: "Chief of Staff, why haven't you served tea to the commanders and comrades?"

Siduo Lin smiled knowingly, and immediately arranged for someone to bring black tea, bread, cheese and dry sausage to several division heads. After the soldiers put all these things on the table one by one, he greeted everyone with a smile: "Commanders, you must be hungry, eat something first."

"Is there any wine, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel?" Duchenko, the political commissar of the 321st Division, said a little embarrassedly: "It was too cold on the way we came, and we sat here for a long time, but we couldn't warm up. So it's best I can get some vodka and drink a couple of sips to warm myself up."

Sokov knows that Russians like to drink, and the so-called drinking to keep out the cold is just an excuse. In the headquarters right now, it's so hot that you can't even wear a military coat, how could it make people feel uncomfortable. But considering that these people in front of him are all assistants of his new combat group, he didn't expose them, so he said to Sidolin again: "Chief of Staff, since Colonel Duchenko said so, go find two bottles of wine. Let everyone drink something to warm up."

Soon, two unopened bottles of vodka were brought over. Duchenko lifted the lid, poured a small cup in front of everyone, and then said with a smile: "It's cold, everyone should drink to warm up."

When Duchenko poured wine for Sokov, Sokov waved his hand and refused: "Thank you, Colonel Duchenko, I never drink, so there is no need to pour me wine."

After everyone drank two small cups, Makarenko asked, "Colonel Sokov, what plan do you have for capturing the Central Railway Station occupied by the enemy?"

Sokov's troops had also engaged in a tug-of-war with the Germans at the station, and Sokov was quite familiar with the situation at the station. Therefore, when he heard Makarenko's question, he replied: "From all indications, the headquarters of the German army is set up in the central area of ​​the city. What we have to do now is to separate the enemies in this area from those in other areas. Quarantine."

"Isolate the enemy?" Makarenko couldn't help frowning slightly when he heard this: "Colonel Sokov, we only have four infantry divisions, one tank brigade and two artillery regiments..."

"No, it should be two tank brigades." Sidolin corrected him and said, "There is also a tank brigade attached to combat in our division, and they should also be included in the combat group."

"Well, even if we have two tank brigades, we don't have any advantage in terms of technical equipment." Makarenko continued: "It is necessary to use four infantry divisions to divide hundreds of thousands of enemies. This is simply an impossible task.”

"Comrade General, you are too pessimistic." Sokov waited for Makarenko to finish speaking, and said with a smile: "In fact, if our actual strength is counted, it is far more than four infantry divisions."

"Far more than four infantry divisions?" Makarov asked curiously, "I would like to ask, except for our three divisions and your one division, where are the rest of the troops?"

"Comrade General, please take a look at this map." Sokov retreated his frequently used map to Makarenko, and said to him: "Our joint forces successfully divided the enemies trapped in Stalingrad. The north and the south are two parts that are not connected to each other. What we have to deal with now is only the enemy group in the south. The ones who will fight them are not only our newly established battle group, but also the 64th Army Group that invaded the city from the south. , and the 51st and 57th Armies in the southwest."

"Yes, we do have a lot of troops." Makarenko agreed with Sokov's statement, but he also raised his own doubts: "But there is no coordination between us and them, I am afraid there is no A way to disperse the enemy's forces."

"I now have two regiments, which are placed in this position." Sokov pointed to the positions of the Belgin regiment and the 122nd regiment, and said to Makarenko: "I have ordered them to attack the enemy and do everything possible to attack the enemy." Possibly drive the enemy south and let the 64th Army, which has entered the city, deal with them."

Hearing Sokov's statement, Makarenko couldn't help but shine. After carefully checking the map, he raised his head and said to Sokov: "Colonel Sokov, you really have it. This is a good idea. Drive the enemy to the attacking area of ​​the friendly army and hand it over to the friendly army to destroy it, so that we can It can reduce unnecessary loss of soldiers and gain more advantages in the following battles. I wonder when these two regiments plan to launch an attack on the enemy?"

"Before you came here, I have given orders to the two commanders to start operations against the enemy." Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch, and continued: "They should be fighting the enemy right now. "

"The strength of the two regiments is too small." Duchenko interrupted and asked, "Do we need to send troops to reinforce?"

"How to reinforce?" Duchenko just finished speaking, but was refuted by Makarenko, "Our troops are still on the way, even if we have to send reinforcements. When they arrive at the place, at least it will be noon tomorrow."

"It doesn't matter. These two regiments are extremely powerful. I believe they are fully capable of driving the enemy away from the existing area." In order to make the facts more convincing, Sokov emphasized: "One of the regiments, I have been to many places with me, not only have rich combat experience, but also have made many meritorious deeds, I have great trust in them."

Now that Sokov had already talked about this, Duchenko could no longer raise the issue of sending reinforcements, but instead asked: "Then where should our division be deployed after it arrives?"

"Look," Sokov picked up the red and blue pencils on the table, tapped twice on the map, and continued: "This is the defense area of ​​the 124th Regiment, which is defended by the 321st Infantry Division; The defense area of ​​the regiment will be defended by the 304th Infantry Division."

"Colonel Sokov, I want to ask." Merkulov, who was blushing, asked inarticulately: "Where do you plan to deploy the troops you have replaced?"

"Where else?" Sokov tapped a pencil to see where the Belkin Regiment and the 122nd Regiment were located, and added: "Of course, the two regiments that have switched defenses are deployed here. In this way, We have enough troops to drive the enemy south from the existing defensive area, and let the 64th Army troops going north to destroy them."

Considering that the artillery and tank units would play a huge role in the ensuing battle, Sokov tentatively asked Makarenko: "Comrade General, do you know the situation of the tank brigade and artillery regiment?"

"The two artillery regiments are both 76.2mm cannon regiments. The total number of artillery pieces is about 42, and each is equipped with two basic ammunition." Makarenko is familiar with the data asked by Sokov, and he opened his mouth: "As for the tank brigade, they are all equipped with T-34 tanks, and there are about 49 of them."

After listening to the data reported by Makarenko, Sokov silently calculated in his heart, and felt that although the number was a little small, it was better than nothing. "Comrade General, after the tank brigade and artillery regiment arrive, they will temporarily settle in your division's defense area. As for when and how they will participate in the battle, I will inform you specifically at that time."

"Comrade Colonel, I want to ask." Merkulov asked again: "Can such a number of artillery suppress the German artillery positions?"

"I don't think it's a big problem." Sokov's original intention was to use the "bayonet on the cannon" tactic to let the cannons approach and shoot at close range, so the suppression of the German firepower was more effective than imagined.

…………

At noon the next day, Sokov received reports from the division commanders one after another, and they all reported that their troops had taken over the defense of the original troops and were hurrying to repair the fortifications.

"Let the soldiers have a good rest," Sokov thought of the cold weather today, and even bombing some parts of the permafrost would only leave a blank mark. It would be more appropriate to rest in their respective bunkers. "No one is allowed to go into battle without my order."

"Understood." The division commanders who received Sokov's order accepted the order unequivocally. "I immediately asked the soldiers to stop building fortifications and return to their shelters to rest."

While Sidolin was on the phone, Anisimov tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade commander, I don't understand, why don't you let the soldiers build fortifications?"

"It's very simple," Sokov explained to the other party: "The temperature outside is too low now, and the ground is already frozen. If the soldiers are to build fortifications, they must use shells to blow up holes one by one. Think about it, our soldiers If you waste the necessary physical strength to repair the fortifications, you may not be able to repair the fortifications."

"You are right, Comrade Commander." After Sokov explained, Anisimov felt that this was really the case, so he nodded and replied truthfully: "It is true that there is no need for soldiers to build fortifications." time, wasting their energy."

At this moment, the phone on the desk rang again. Sokov picked up the phone and found that it was Chuikov who called. He hurriedly said respectfully, "Hello, Comrade Commander, what instructions do you have?"

"Colonel Sokov, I am calling you to inform you of two things." Cuikov said slowly: "One is that the battle group you command was formally established and named after you, and you are in charge of it. The commander of the group, Sidolin as your chief of staff; the second, and good news, about the 304th Infantry Division. The headquarters of the Supreme Command established in recognition of the division in the Great Patriotic War, The great feats, and the bravery and tenacity shown, have changed them into the 67th Guards Division."

"Comrade Commander, this is really exciting and good news." Sokov knew very well that the more this kind of news, the more morale the commanders and soldiers had, and he thanked Chuikov repeatedly: "Thank you, Commander. Comrade, I will immediately tell the commanders of the entire battle group the good news."

As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he quickly said to Sidolin: "Chief of Staff, get in touch with Colonel Merkulov immediately, I have good news for him."

"What good news?" When Sokov and Chuikov were on the phone, Sidolin was burying himself in sorting out the received battle reports. He didn't know what the two had talked about. After listening to Sokov's instructions, he dialed the phone Asked: "Mr. Comrade, is this exciting news?"

"Yes, of course it's exciting and good news." Although the 304th Infantry Division has just been assigned to his command, such good news is very helpful to improve the morale of the troops. Without waiting for Sidolin to ask further, he took the initiative to say, "Comrade Commander has just informed me that in order to commend the division for its bravery and tenacity in combat and the great results it has achieved, the headquarters of the Supreme Command has decided to award the division The honorary title of the Guards Division was changed to the 67th Guards Division."

"Comrade commander, this is great news." After figuring out what was going on, Sidolin said excitedly: "I will call Colonel Merkulov immediately and tell him the good news."

After the call was connected, Sidolin said into the microphone: "Comrade Colonel, I am still Chief of Staff Sidorin."

Merkulov asked with some displeasure: "Is there anything else you want to add?"

Sidolin didn't care about the attitude of the other party, but said with a smile: "I called you because I have some exciting and good news, and I want to tell you immediately."

"Exciting good news?" Hearing Sidolin say this, Merkulov looked very happy: "Comrade Chief of Staff, tell me quickly and listen."

"We have just been notified by our superiors." Sidolin said with a smile on the phone: "In order to commend your division's bravery and tenacity in battle, as well as the results achieved. The Supreme Command has decided to award you guards Division, and officially reorganized into the 67th Guards Division."

"Great, great, this is really great." Hearing this unexpected good news, Merkulov excitedly said three "great", "Comrade Chief of Staff, thank you. I On behalf of the commanders and fighters of the whole division, thank you, thank you for bringing us such good news."

After Sidolin put down the phone, he asked Sukov with some puzzlement: "Mr. Comrade, it seems a little strange?"

"Strange, why is it strange?"

"According to the usual practice, any unit that is changed to a Guards division, and the division commander is a colonel, will be promoted to major general." Sidolin asked with some doubts: "Since the 304th Infantry Division has been reorganized into the 67th Guards Division, why? The division commander has not been promoted to the rank of major general?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff, who told you that the commander of the Guards Division must be the rank of major general?" Sokov heard Sidolin say this, and said dissatisfiedly: "Colonel Ivanov and I are both commanders of the Guards Division." , and only the colonel."

After being reminded by Sokov, Sidolin immediately found out that the two commanders of the Guards Division, no matter whether they were in office or the current one, were both colonels and not even a general. Comrade, when do you intend to launch an attack on the Central Station?"