Two weeks later, Sokov received a call from Malinin, asking him to take members of the headquarters to the location of the front army headquarters to attend the upcoming military meeting.
On the way, Sidorin curiously asked Sokov: "Comrade Commander, tell me, what are the topics discussed in this military meeting? Is it related to the next combat plan?"
"That's for sure, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov, who knew it well, nodded and replied affirmatively: "We have stayed here for too long, and we really should consider moving."
"What about the active direction?" Sidorin asked: "Will it be the Ilic direction?"
Regarding Sidorin's question, Sokov smiled and said nothing. He felt that it was more appropriate to wait for Malinin to announce the main direction of attack at the meeting.
But Ponedelin is an old commander after all. He has rich command experience and knows how to watch people's actions. He looked at Sokov's expression and said to Sidorin who was sitting in the co-pilot's seat: "Comrade Chief of Staff, is it possible?
You still don’t understand that our next main attack direction has been told to you by Comrade Commander some time ago.”
"The commander told me the direction of the attack some time ago?" Sidorin was stunned for a moment when he heard what Poniejlin said, and then a shocked expression appeared on his face: "Oh my God, I wouldn't really choose the swamp.
area, launch a main attack on the enemy? That would be incredible."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, since you feel incredible, the enemy will be even more unimaginable." Ponejelin said thoughtfully: "I think attacking from this direction, no matter whether it is successful or not, can at least have the effect of surprise."
The effect was to catch the Germans off guard."
Sidorin still felt dubious about Ponedelin's statement. He turned to look at Sokov and asked: "Comrade Commander, is everything the deputy commander said true?"
"I didn't say anything. It's all your own wild guesses."
Although Sokov did not admit that the direction of attack he mentioned some time ago was the main attack direction of the front troops, Sidorin could confirm from the tone of his words that this must be true. But before making an official announcement, continue
Discussing the front army's next battle plan involves leaking secrets. Naturally, Xidorin would not make such a stupid mistake, so he said nothing.
Entering the venue, Sokov saw a long table facing the door. Rokossovsky sat in the center of the table, Malinin sat on his right, and Military Commissar Lieutenant General Telekin sat
left.
Since the station was too far away from the front headquarters, when Sokov and others arrived, the conference room was almost full. The three of them finally found seats for themselves and sat on the bench in the last row facing the table.
superior.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Ma Lining stood up, with a smile on his face, and said in a loud tenor: "Hello, comrades commanders!"
Sokov felt that Malinin was very excited, maybe because of the large-scale military situation that was about to unfold, which made him a little unable to control his emotions, so that his voice became trembling with excitement.
"I am very happy, comrades, commanders of the First Belarusian Front." Malinin did not say any nonsense, but said bluntly: "I can summon you here for a meeting today. It is to announce to you the next step of the Front.
Combat plan..." He picked up the document on the table, unfolded it and read it to the commanders present.
When he heard that the battle plan read out by Malinin was roughly the same as the battle plan Sokov had assumed some time ago, Sidorin couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise. The next moment, he touched Sokov with his elbow and waited.
When the latter turned his head towards him, he asked in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, have you known about this battle plan for a long time?"
"I am also listening to the Chief of Staff of the Front Army read out the specific combat plan." Sokov replied in a low voice: "But the original idea of this combat plan was proposed by me."
"Oh, that's it, that's it." Sidorin's heart was filled with shock. He never dreamed that such a huge combat plan was actually proposed by Sokov first. He thought that the other party came from Rokoso.
Fsky heard some rumors here, so he knew some of the contents of the battle plan, but he didn't expect that he was the initiator of the plan.
On the side, Ponejelin showed a knowing smile when he learned that Sokov proposed the attack plan. He felt that following such a commander was indeed his most correct choice.
After assigning combat tasks to each group army, the military meeting was declared over.
When the three Sokovs walked outside, they were stopped by someone from behind: "General Sokov, Colonel Sidorin!"
Sokov and Sidorin turned around and looked back, and found that the person calling them was actually Chuikov, the commander of the 8th Guards Army. Both of them were Chuikov's subordinates during the battle to defend Stalingrad. Don't look at it.
Now Sokov's military rank is the same as Chuikov's, but he still showed due respect to his former superior.
Ponejelin said to the two people standing against the wall: "It seems that you have met an old friend. I will wait for you in the car. You can stay and slowly reminisce with General Chuikov."
Sokov originally wanted Ponedelin to stay with him, but then he thought about it. Ponedelin's current status is rather embarrassing. I'm afraid that when he sees Chuikov, he has nothing to say. It's better to let him go first.
He went back to the car and waited to avoid embarrassment for him, so he readily agreed to leave.
Chuikov followed the crowd and came to Sokov and Sidorin. He shook hands with them one by one and said with a smile: "General Sokov, I really didn't expect that in less than two years, your level will be improved."
Just like me."
"General Chuikov," Sokov replied with a smile: "You know, after the Battle of Stalingrad, I almost always commanded operations on the battlefield and made some achievements, so the promotion speed was naturally faster."
"You, you," Chuikov pointed at Sokov and said, "You basically direct operations on the battlefield. Do I just stay in the rear and sleep?"
He turned his eyes to Sidorin and stretched out his hand: "And you, Comrade Sidorin. It has been more than a year, and you have not thought of returning to the army. Every time your son sees me,
, I have to ask you if you have been here. Tell me, how should I answer him?"
Hearing Chuikov mention his son, Sidorin asked curiously: "How is little Sidorin doing now? Is he still serving as an orderly for you?"
"During the Battle of Stalingrad, little Sidolin was only 16 years old and still a child." Chuikov said with emotion: "Now he is 18 years old and is the youngest company commander under my command."
Don't see that Sidorin has been the chief of staff of the 41st Guards Division for two years, but he has lost contact with his son. At this moment, hearing Chuikov mention his son, his eye circles suddenly turned red: "I really didn't expect that.
After two years of not seeing each other, this guy has become the company commander."
"Colonel Sidorin, I think your son must have inherited your military genes, so he became a company commander because of his outstanding performance in just two years." After Chuikov finished speaking, he felt that this was not the case.
It was not a suitable place to talk, so he said to the two of them: "This is not the place to talk. Let's talk somewhere else."
Chuikov took the two of them to the place where he parked his vehicle, asked his subordinates to set up a small table, and found some folding chairs. He greeted the two of them and said, "It's a rare opportunity to meet each other. Let's sit here and drink."
Let’s have tea later.”
While Chuikov was calling his men to prepare the samovar, Sidorin asked Sokov in a low voice: "Comrade Commander, do you need to call the deputy commander over?"
"There is no need." Sokov knew that Ponedelin probably didn't want to deal with Chuikov, so he just found an excuse to leave first. Even if Sidorin went to call him at this moment, I'm afraid he would also find an excuse not to come: "
Let’s just relax and chat with General Chuikov.”
Chuikov's men quickly brought the samovar and placed it next to the table. They poured a cup of hot tea for each of the three people, placed it on the table, and then quietly stepped back a few steps so as not to disturb the three of them.
The commander speaks.
"Sidolin," Chuikov said after putting two sugar cubes in Sidorin's tea cup: "I originally thought that you were still serving as chief of staff of the 41st Guards Division and planned to report to General Rokossovsky.
I made a request and asked him to transfer you to my army. Unexpectedly, when I mentioned this to him when we met today, he told me that you are now the chief of staff of the 48th Group Army. When I heard it, this was really amazing.
Well, I asked you to join my army, and at best I would let you serve as the chief of staff of the army, but I didn’t expect that you would now become the chief of staff of the group army.”
Sidorin turned his head and glanced at Sokov, and said feelingly: "Actually, the fact that I can hold my current position is the result of the commander's recommendation to General Rokossovsky. Otherwise, I might still be serving as the division chief of staff.
Position."
"Misha, do you mind if I call you Misha?"
"do not mind."
"Misha, look, Sidorin is now the chief of staff of the group army, why is he still a colonel?" Chuikov smiled and said to Sokov: "Should we make a request to the superiors and let them put Sidorin in the army?"
Lin's military rank will also be raised one level."
How could Sokov not have considered what Chuikov said? Since the other party asked, he replied: "General Chuikov, in fact, I have already applied to my superiors for this matter. You also know that from the major to
It may be easy to be a colonel. But it is a hurdle to go from colonel to major general. Many people stay in the army for a lifetime and end up with the rank of colonel."
"That's true." Chuikov agreed very much with Sokov's statement: "If you don't make great achievements or get special appreciation from your superiors, it is very difficult to complete the step from colonel to major general. Now it is
The military chief is a little easier to handle. As you know, our army has always had a tradition of despising staff officers, so Sidorin cannot be promoted quickly, and it is also a matter of cleanup."
Chuikov took a sip from the tea cup and continued: "But I think it will be difficult for other staff officers to become generals, but it shouldn't be a big problem for Sidorin to become a general."
"Oh, why do you say that?" Sokov asked in surprise.
"It's very simple, because he is your chief of staff, Misha." Chuikov said with a smile: "I don't know about other people's situations, but how can I not understand the achievements that Misha has made? I believe that at the latest
When this battle is over, Sidorin's colonel's epaulettes will be replaced by general's epaulettes."
Hearing what Chuikov said, Sidorin didn't know how to respond. He could only smile bitterly and said: "I hope so."
After a brief pause, he continued: "The scale of this battle is very large, and the fighting situation should be extremely tragic. If I can survive, I may have hope of becoming a general."
"Sidolin, you are too pessimistic." Chuikov said: "The scale of this battle is indeed very large, but as the chief of staff of the group army, as long as the headquarters is not attacked by the enemy or bombed, you should not
There will be no danger. I believe that it will be a matter of time for you to become a general."
As he was talking, a major wearing a red armband ran over and said to Sokov: "Thank God, General Sokov has not left yet, otherwise you would have to come back again even if you returned to the headquarters."
Sokov recognized the major as being from the front army headquarters. Seeing that he came specifically to find him, he asked tentatively: "Comrade major, is it comrade general who wants to see me?"
"That's right." The major nodded and said affirmatively: "In addition to you, I also want to see Colonel Sidorin."
"What, Comrade General, you want to see me again?" Xidorin heard the major say this, with a surprised expression on his face: "Comrade Major, do you know what is going on?"
"I don't know." The major answered simply: "I was just ordered to come to you."
"General Chuikov, I'm sorry, Comrade General wants to see us, so we have to excuse ourselves."
"It's okay." Chuikov said magnanimously: "If you have anything to do, go and do your work. I'll sit here and drink tea."
Sokov and Sidorin followed the major to Rokossovsky's office.
Not only Rokossovsky was in the office, but Telekin and Malinin were also there.
Seeing Sokov walking in from the outside, Rokossovsky said with a smile: "Misha, I thought you were going back and discussing with the chief of staff whether to call your headquarters and ask your subordinates to
Notice will be returned as soon as possible."
After Sokov raised his hand to salute the three, he cautiously asked Rokossovsky: "Comrade Commander, I wonder if you asked me to come back. Do you have any important tasks?"
"There is no important task," Rokossovsky said with a smile: "I'm just telling you that the application you submitted some time ago has been approved."
"The application I made some time ago?!" Sokov asked in surprise: "What application?"
"What, you forgot?" Seeing Sokov's confused look, Rokossovsky deliberately straightened his face and pretended to be unhappy and said: "Don't you make many applications to me every day?
"
Sokov was thinking in his mind that he didn't seem to have made any application to Rokossovsky recently. What did the other party mean when he said that?
Fortunately, Malinin was more enthusiastic and took the initiative to say: "Comrade Sokov, have you really forgotten that the application submitted to us two weeks ago said that in view of the bravery shown by Colonel Sidorin in the great war to defend the motherland,
and bravery, as well as outstanding staff skills, it is recommended that he be awarded the rank of general."
He paused for a moment and continued: "Your application has been approved!"
This chapter has been completed!