Lunev was anxious to repair the damaged water supply system in the city, so after negotiating with Sokov, he immediately took Lieutenant Serelkov's security company and local staff to summon the residents of the city and persuade them
Assist your own people in the restoration work.
He worked very efficiently. After only forty minutes, he called Sokov and said: "Comrade Commander, I have gathered more than 300 people at the theater in the city. Please help me."
Come over here."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Lunev said that more than 300 people had been summoned. Sokov was eager to rush over to convince them, so he said to Samyko: "I am going to the theater to see the military commissar. The work here is left to me.
You are responsible."
Seeing that Sokov was about to leave, Samyko stopped him and asked with some hesitation: "Comrade Commander, can you really convince the residents of the city to work for us?"
Although Sokov didn't have much confidence in persuading the residents, in front of Samyko, he still said bravely: "I think the problem shouldn't be big."
Samyko now had a blind trust in Sokov. He felt in his heart that since Sokov said he could convince the majority of residents, he would definitely be able to convince the residents. He nodded to Sokov and said: "Be careful on the road.
Safety!"
"Now that the city is under the control of our army, I don't think there will be any chance of encountering the Germans. Don't worry." After Sokov finished speaking, he said to Samoilov standing aside: "Lieutenant
Comrade, take your men and follow me to the theater."
"Ride or walk?"
Sokov thought that the theater was only one street away from here, and it would be too ostentatious to go there by car. Although it would take more than ten minutes to walk, he could take this opportunity to see the situation in the city: "Let's walk."
Busy residents can be seen everywhere in the ruins of buildings on both sides of the street. They moved some pots and pans that were still usable from the collapsed buildings and put them aside. Sokov and his party appeared in front of them.
When they saw it in front of them, they just looked at it expressionlessly, and then continued to bend down and dig out the household items that could still be used.
Seeing this scene, Samoilov said with emotion: "Comrade Commander, we have liberated so many cities, and this is the first city where the residents are so indifferent to our troops."
"You can't blame them." Sokov smiled bitterly and shook his head: "In addition, this time, our army fought four battles with the enemy in the Kharkov area. The first three times ended in the defeat of our army.
This resulted in some residents who were eager to help us being mercilessly killed after the German army reoccupied the city. These residents were already discouraged and disappointed with us, and maybe they were still thinking that our troops would not be able to stay here for long.
They will be driven away by the Germans again, so they have such an indifferent attitude towards us."
Samoilov knew Sokov's purpose of going to the theater, and he was originally full of confidence. He felt that as long as Sokov took action, the problem would be solved immediately. But when he heard Sokov say this, he couldn't help but feel a layer of sadness in his heart.
shadow.
"Comrade Lieutenant," Sokov raised his hand and pointed at the busy residents in the ruins, and told Samoylov: "Immediately send a soldier back to tell the Chief of Staff and ask him to send manpower to assist the residents in the city.
Excavating household items buried in the rubble.”
"Yes, I will send someone back to report immediately." After Samoilov finished speaking, he called a sergeant and told him to go back and convey Sokov's order to Samyko and send someone to assist the residents in clearing the rubble.
After sending someone to summon him, Sokov and others continued to move forward. Seeing the tattered buildings on both sides, Samoilov couldn't help but sigh and said to Sokov: "Commander
Comrade, the city has been hit so hard, we don’t know how many years it will take to rebuild it.”
"It is easy to destroy, but difficult to build." Sokov also said helplessly: "Not to mention big cities like Stalingrad, Kharkiv and Belgorod, even small cities like Dergach are not
I’m afraid it won’t be possible to complete the cleanup and reconstruction work in three to five years.”
"In order to defend our great motherland, tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians have sacrificed their lives." Samoilov also said with a gloomy face: "If we want to rebuild after the war, I'm afraid we won't have that many manpower."
The speaker was unintentional, but the listener was intentional. Samoylov's grumbling words suddenly gave Sokov a bold idea. He smiled slightly, and then said to Samoilov: "Comrade Lieutenant
,Don’t worry, after the war is over, I think we will definitely be able to obtain enough labor to rebuild our cities that were damaged in the war.”
"Oh, is there enough labor force?" Sokov's words aroused great interest in Samoylov, and he quickly asked: "Comrade Commander, can you tell me where we can get enough labor force?"
Seeing that the theater was not far ahead, Sokov said to Samoylov absentmindedly: "Comrade Lieutenant, I will tell you when it's time for you to know."
Seeing that Sokov was unwilling to elaborate to himself, Samoilov wisely did not ask any more questions, but obediently followed Sokov towards the theater.
There was still a long way from the theater, so Sokov saw four to five hundred people gathered in the square at the entrance. Judging from the situation, they must have been summoned by Lunev. Around the square, Serelkov could also be seen
The company's soldiers are on duty.
Lunev, who was talking with local staff, saw Sokov walking quickly towards the theater, so he stopped talking with the other party and walked quickly towards Sokov.
When Sokov shook hands with Lunev, he found that except for a few young adults in the crowd, the rest were either old men or half-grown children, and there were even a group of middle-aged and elderly women wearing headscarves, so he casually asked: "Military
Comrade committee member, did you summon all these people?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Lunev replied truthfully: "We have managed to gather so many people, but unfortunately there are very few people who understand the water supply system. I am even considering that if it doesn't work, we can
Please mobilize the engineering troops here."
"No, Comrade Military Commissar, this is definitely not possible." Regarding Lunev's proposal, Sokov rejected it without hesitation: "Although it is urgent to restore the water supply in the city, our engineering troops cannot be easily deployed. Once
If they cannot return to work in time and participate in the bridge building work, I am afraid it will have an adverse impact on our next phase of operations."
"Then what should we do?" Lunev pointed his hand at the residents standing not far away with numb expressions, and said with some displeasure: "Are we just counting on these residents who are resistant to us?"
While the two were talking, the local staff member who had just talked with Lunev came over. He came to the two of them and said: "Two comrades, generals, judging from the current situation, these residents are not willing to
Cooperate with us in the reconstruction work. See if you can mobilize engineering troops from the army to solve the water problem for the residents in the city."
"No, Comrade Lyapkin." Before Sokov could speak, Lunev rushed to say: "I just told you that our engineering troops will have important combat missions soon, and they must not do it in this kind of situation.
When the time comes, draw them out to do things that have nothing to do with combat.”
"Then what should we do?" Lyapkin said with anger in his tone: "Are we just going to watch the residents helplessly and have no choice but to bring buckets to the river to fetch water?"
"Comrade Military Commissar," Sokov waited for the other party to finish, then turned to Lunev: "I wonder who this is...?"
"Oh, Comrade Commander, you don't know him yet." Lunev realized that he had forgotten to introduce local comrades to Sokov, so he smiled and said: "Let me introduce to you, this is Lia
Comrade Putin, he is a member of the District Soviet..."
After figuring out the identity of the other party, Sokov reached out his hand and said politely: "Hello, comrade member of the District Soviet!"
"Hello, Comrade General." Lyapkin shook hands with Sokov and said with a sad face: "Tell me, what should we do now? If the water supply cannot be restored as soon as possible, not only the residents in the city will have to deal with the problem of drinking water.
If it is resolved, it may even affect the start of the factory."
"Don't worry, I will definitely convince these residents and let them fully assist you in repairing the water supply system and solving the problems of residents' water supply and factory operation." Sokov said to Lyapkin: "What you have to do now is to get them
Gather them all together, and I will speak to them."
When Lyapkin learned that Sokov was going to speak to the residents, he felt quite dissatisfied. He thought that even Lunev, who specialized in political work, could not convince these residents. Could it be that Sokov, the military chief,
Can he convince everyone? However, out of politeness, he summoned all the residents standing outside the theater door and asked them to listen to Sokov's next speech.
Sokov stood on the steps of the theater, holding a simple speaker made of white aluminum in his hand. His eyes quickly swept across the faces of the numb-looking residents, and then he brought the speaker close to his mouth: "
Hey, comrades, what's wrong with you? Why are you unwilling to help our army rebuild the city? Are you worried that once our army is driven away by the Germans again, the Germans who come back will murder those who helped us? "
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, a voice came from the crowd: "Since you know, why are you still asking here?"
Faced with the doubts from the crowd, Sokov did not get angry, but said calmly: "I know that you really want to help our army rebuild the city, but you are worried that our army will not be able to defeat the Germans, and you are afraid that the Germans will come back again.
After that, we will kill those who helped us.
Comrade residents, what I want to tell you here is that this battle in Kharkov will definitely end with our army's victory. The once arrogant Germans will be completely defeated by us, and they will never be able to return to this place.
The city where you grew up..."
Before Sokov could finish speaking this time, an old lady wearing a flowered headscarf standing in the crowd asked loudly: "Comrade commander, who are you? How can you predict so boldly that the Germans will not
What about coming back here again?”
"Who am I?!" Sokov laughed when he heard this question. He realized that he had not yet explained his identity to the residents present. He turned to look at Lunev and said with a smile:
"Who am I?! Comrade Military Commissar, someone actually asked me who I am?"
Runev didn't know how to respond to Sokov's words, so he could only smile awkwardly.
Sokov turned to face the residents at the foot of the steps, raised his voice and said: "Listen, last year at this time the Germans attacked Stalingrad, and I was the one who led the troops to block their path at Mamayev Hill;
When the Sixth Army was destroyed in Stalingrad, I was the one who personally captured Paulus; in the recently concluded Battle of Kursk, I was the one who commanded the troops to annihilate the German Imperial Division, the Totenkopf Division and the 19th Armored Division.
Because I am a nightmare for the Germans. They will tremble when they hear my name and regret that they have become my opponent. I am Major General Sokov, the commander of the 27th Army. Since my troops can liberate Belgorod
In the battle to liberate Kharkov, the first one to rush into the city will still be my troops."
After Sokov finished speaking emotionally, the old lady who asked the question was so surprised that she could not breathe. She staggered up the steps, came to Sokov, grabbed his hand and kissed him desperately.
He stood up and shouted repeatedly: "Oh my God, you are General Sokov, you are General Sokov. I never thought that I could see you with my own eyes."
Although Dergach has always been a German-occupied area, it did not prevent citizens from learning from various channels what happened on the Soviet-German battlefield. Many residents clearly remember that, as Sokov said, the Germans always
Whenever his name is mentioned, a look of fear appears on his face involuntarily.
After the residents standing at the bottom of the steps learned Sokov's identity, they rushed up to the steps, stretched out their hands to him, and wanted to shake his hand. Sokov did not expect that the residents' reaction would be so great. He faced countless
The hands stretched out in front of him could only be shaken instinctively again and again.
Lunev, who was standing aside, saw the reaction of the residents and realized that the problem that was causing him a headache was completely solved with Sokov's words. He quickly shouted loudly next to him.
He said: "Comrades, be quiet, please be quiet!" But his voice was drowned in the cheers of the residents, and no one heard what he was shouting.
Fortunately, Lyapkin discovered the problem and shouted together. At the same time, he also asked the soldiers standing nearby to maintain order to shout with them. After shouting several times, the cheering residents finally heard
The shouts of Runev and Lyapkin gradually became quiet.
"Comrades," Sokov continued with a loudspeaker after the entrance to the theater became quiet again: "Now that Dergach has been liberated and returned to the embrace of the people, it is time for us to rebuild her.
Is there anyone willing to help us repair the water supply system that was damaged by the Germans?"
As soon as he finished speaking, countless hands were raised in front of him.
This chapter has been completed!