When dozens of soldiers pushed five 76.2 mm artillery guns past the observation post, Shtemenko had a sudden thought: "Comrade Sokov, why don't we also go to the city and have a look?"
"No, no." Shtemenko's suggestion scared Sokov into a cold sweat. He hurriedly waved his hands: "The situation in the city is unclear now and is full of dangers everywhere. If we enter the city at this time, we may be in trouble.
You may encounter danger at any time.”
"Comrade Sokov," once Shtemenko's idea came up, it was not something Sokov could dissuade: "Our commanders and fighters are fighting bloody battles with the enemy in the city. They are not afraid of danger. We as commanders
, can we be afraid of danger?"
"Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, you are the representative of the base camp, and I am responsible for your safety." Sokov said seriously: "You must not be allowed to take risks."
Facing Sokov's repeated persuasion, Shtemenko couldn't listen at all at the moment. He just wanted to go to the city in person to see how the commanders fought with the enemy and how they captured the city. Because of this,
With this idea in mind, he stubbornly said: "Comrade Sokov, please arrange a security force for me. I want to go to the city to have a look."
"Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, the city is too dangerous. I suggest you reconsider..."
Before Sokov could finish speaking, Shtemenko interrupted him: "Okay, Comrade Sokov, you don't have to persuade me anymore. I have already made a decision to go to the city and have a look."
Perhaps because he was worried about Sokov's continued persuasion, he even brought up Stalin: "If I return to Moscow after a while, the Supreme Commander himself asks me if I have personally been to the place where the fighting was fiercest. How do you think I should answer him?"
"
"But you also saw the battle in the observation post with your own eyes." Sokov said anxiously: "If this is not the place where the battle is most intense, then what place can meet your standards?"
"I think the city of Uman, where the fighting is currently going on, is where I should go." Shtemenko looked at Sokov and asked, "You think so, Comrade Sokov."
"I don't think it's appropriate." Sokov knew that the city of Uman was full of dangers at this moment. Whether the 3rd Airborne Division that entered the city could hold on until the arrival of the main force was a question. Letting Shtemenko in at this time was tantamount to letting him in.
He wanted to die, so Sokov tried his best to persuade and try to change the other party's plan. "The city is too dangerous at the moment. Even if we want to go, we still need to wait until the main force of the group army arrives. Most areas in the city are under our control. You
It’s not too late to go.”
"If that happens, it will be meaningless." Shtemenko shook his head and said, "When the main force arrives and controls most areas of the city, what else will I see when I go in?"
After he finished speaking, without waiting for Sokov to speak again, he called Koshkin and told him: "Comrade Lieutenant, call the commander of the other guard company over. I have something to tell him."
Koshkin stood there without moving, but cast a questioning look at Sokov. He didn't know whether he should carry out Shtemenko's order.
Sokov wanted to veto Shtemenko's order, but after thinking about it, if he really did this, it would be a challenge to Shtemenko's status, and the other party would definitely be dissatisfied with him. He grew up
He sighed and nodded to Koshkin, indicating that he could follow Shtemenko's order.
After receiving Sokov's instructions, Koshkin turned around and walked out of the observation post.
Soon, the commander of the security company sent by Afnin walked into the observation post. After entering, he looked at Sokov and then at Shtemenko, wondering who he should report to first.
Sokov pointed his hand at Shtemenko and said reasonably: "Comrade Captain, please report to Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff."
The captain faced Shtemenko, raised his hand to his forehead, and said: "Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff, Commander of the Second Company of the 1st Battalion of the 18th Guards Army Guard Regiment..."
"Okay, Comrade Captain, you don't need to report." Shtemenko interrupted the captain's words and directly ordered him: "Gather your people immediately and follow me to Uman City."
Regarding the order issued by Shtemenko, the captain did not immediately execute it. Instead, he stood there in a daze and instinctively turned his head to look at Sokov, hoping to get an accurate answer from him.
"Comrade Captain, what's wrong with you? Didn't you hear the order from Comrade Deputy Chief of General Staff?"
"heard it!"
"Since you heard it, why don't you hurry up and gather the troops."
Soon, Shtemenko headed towards the city of Uman under the protection of the guard company. Koshkin looked at their backs and asked Sokov cautiously: "Comrade Commander, you just let them go like this."
?Aren't you worried that General Shtemenko will be in danger in the city?"
"What's the use of worrying." Sokov said helplessly: "His position is higher than mine. To me, his words are orders. I can't change them even if I want to."
"If something happens to General Shtemenko in the city, you will not be able to escape the involvement." Koshkin suggested to Sokov: "How about we go into the city too?"
"Wait a minute, we can't enter the city yet." Sokov shook his head and said: "Apart from the guard company taken away by the deputy chief of staff, the only one left is the guard company under your command. Do you think you can rely on us?
Can a company of troops move through Uman City unimpeded?"
"I think it's impossible."
"Yes, instead of dying in vain, it is better to wait a little longer." Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch, "When the other two divisions of the 18th Guards Corps arrive, we will enter Uman."
After speaking, Sokov turned around and told the operator: "Operator, contact General Afnin for me immediately. I want to speak to him."
After contacting Afunin, Sokov asked in a stern tone: "General Afunin, where are your troops?"
"Still on the march, Comrade Commander."
"Still on the march." An unknown fire rose in Sokov's heart: "How long has it been since the 3rd Airborne Division broke into the city, and the main force of your army is still on the march. Have you ever thought about it, if the reinforcements are delayed?
If we arrive, and the troops in the city cannot stop the German counterattack, our plan to capture Uman may fail."
"Comrade Commander, please listen to my explanation." Afunin heard that Sokov was anxious and quickly explained: "Due to heavy snowfall, the road is not easy to walk, so our troops are already trying their best to move on.
"
"I'll give you another half hour." Sokov said in an unquestionable tone: "If the reinforcements cannot reach the outside of Uman, you will lose the general's epaulettes."
Sokov ended the conversation without waiting for Afunin to speak, and asked the radio operator to call Smirnov instead.
"Comrade Chief of Staff." After Sokov got through, he asked what he was most interested in: "Where are the 49th and 57th armies now?"
"They are still about ten kilometers away from Uman." Smirnov said to Sokov with some embarrassment: "Because the road is not easy to travel, it will probably take three hours to get to Uman."
"What, it will take another three hours?" Sokov said in surprise: "Isn't this delay too long?"
"Comrade Commander, this is already the fastest speed." Smirnov explained: "It takes a lot of time to assemble the troops, and the road is not easy to travel. This time is wasted."
He noticed that Sokov seemed very impatient, so he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, is there something wrong?"
"Yes, there is indeed a problem." Sokov sighed and said: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff led a security company into the city of Uman where the battle was taking place."
This shocking news made Smirnov feel his scalp numb. After a long time, he tentatively asked: "Comrade Commander, didn't you advise him?"
"How could I not persuade him?" Sokov said helplessly: "But the deputy chief of staff was stubborn, and I tried to persuade him for a long time but it had no effect."
"This matter is of great importance. I think we need to report it to the front army headquarters immediately." Smirnov reminded Sokov: "In any case, General Shtemenko is a representative sent by the base camp. If he really has anything
Anyway, I’m afraid you and I can’t get away with it.”
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are right." Sokov agreed with Smirnov's words: "I immediately called Marshal Konev and reported the matter to him."
Originally, Smirnov wanted to take the initiative to report the matter to Konev, but now that Sokov has expressed his willingness to report the matter in person, he did not go ahead and do it for him: "Okay, Comrade Commander, then...
It’s up to you to report the matter. What are your plans next?”
"I have given a death order to General Afnin and asked his troops to rush outside Uman City within half an hour." Sokov said: "As soon as the troops arrive, I will lead them into the city. No matter what
"I want to ensure the safety of Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff."
"Yes, yes, you should do this." Smirnov agreed: "I will call General Afnin later to urge his troops to speed up their march and ensure that they reach Uman within half an hour.
"
Sokov then contacted Konev and reported to him the situation here: "Comrade Marshal, I have some bad news to tell you."
"Not good news?" Konev couldn't help but feel a little bit in his heart when he heard what Sokov said. Could it be that the troops who rushed into the city were driven out by the Germans? He quickly asked: "Comrade Sokov
, what happened?"
"Comrade Marshal, the situation is like this." Sokov explained to Konev: "Didn't the 3rd Airborne Division break through the German city defenses and rush into the city? In order to prevent the emergence of strong firepower points in the city, we
We also sent a battalion from the division's artillery regiment to the city."
"Comrade Sokov, you are right." Konev said with some confusion: "But what does this have to do with the not-so-good news you said?"
"When Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff saw the artillery entering the city, he couldn't help but feel a little excited, and he offered to go to the city to have a look..."
"No, this is definitely not possible." Before Sokov could finish his words, Konev raised his voice and shouted: "There is still a melee in the city, why is he, the deputy chief of staff, running in to join in the fun?"
"Yes, Comrade Marshal, I said the same thing at the time, but he couldn't listen at all."
"Where is General Nashtemenko?"
"We have already entered Uman City with a guard company."
"What, he entered the city of Uman with a company?" Konev heard the news and stamped his feet anxiously: "Why didn't you stop him?"
"I tried to persuade him many times, but he wouldn't listen at all."
"Comrade Sokov," learned that Shtemenko entered the city where the fighting was going on with only a few troops. Konev was already on the verge of going berserk, but he knew that Sokov could not be blamed for this and could only suppress him.
He suppressed the anger in his heart: "I entrust General Shtemenko's safety to you. You must protect his safety at all costs. If anything happens to him, just wait to go to a military court."
"Comrade Marshal," Sokov had already guessed this possibility. He quickly expressed his stance to Konev: "As soon as the main force of the 18th Guards Army arrives, I will take them into the city to find Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff.
"Don't worry, even if something happens to me, Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff will not let anything happen to me."
"Wait until the main force of the 18th Guards Corps arrives?" Konev asked: "How long does it take for the troops to arrive?"
Sokov knew in his heart that the other two troops of the 18th Guards Corps would most likely not arrive within half an hour. But in order not to make Konev anxious, he still said bravely: "About half an hour."
.”
"Another half hour?" Hearing this time, Konev became angry: "Comrade Sokov, people die every minute on the battlefield. If you really wait half an hour before entering the city, I'm worried that Shtje
There is already something wrong with General Menko."
"Okay then." Sokov heard what Konev said and knew that he had to enter the city without delay. He could only grit his teeth and said: "I will take people to find the deputy chief of staff."
After ending the call, Sokov said to Koshkin: "Comrade Lieutenant, gather everyone together immediately. We must immediately enter the city of Uman to find the deputy chief of staff."
"What, are you going now?"
"Yes, go now."
"Are our troops too small?" Koshkin thought that he only had a hundred or ten men under his command. If he really wanted to enter the city where the war was going on, he might be wiped out in a short time, so he was cautious.
Di asked Sokov: "After the main force of the 18th Guards Corps arrives, we will enter the city with them."
"It's too late, let's go now."
Koshkin saw Sokov put on the helmet and knew that there was no room for change in the matter. He could only sigh softly and went out to gather the soldiers scattered around and escort Sokov into the city of Uman.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they crossed the gap and entered the city of Uman, a dozen German soldiers suddenly appeared from an alley on the side. The two sides collided face to face, and everyone was stunned.
Sokov's sharp eyes recognized the German army at a glance, and the German army also saw this small force that had just entered through the gap.
"German!"
"Russian!"
The troops who could protect Sokov by his side were naturally elite. Their reaction was a little faster, and more than twenty assault rifles subconsciously opened fire at the same time. The German soldiers in the front row seemed to be pushed violently by something invisible.
A few of them fell down with a crash.
But the remaining soldiers were not slow to respond. With their skilled tactical instincts, they quickly hid behind telephone poles or concrete pillars, raised their weapons and started shooting at the Soviet troops.
This chapter has been completed!