After Sokov ended his call with Zhukov, he thought to himself: "We must find a capable commander to command this force behind enemy lines, otherwise it will be difficult to pose any threat to the enemy."
Seeing that Sokov was silent and seemed to be considering some important issue, Sidorin asked cautiously: "Comrade Brigadier, does General Zhukov have anything important to do with you?"
Sokov lowered his head and saw a pack of cigarettes on the table. He casually picked one up and put it in his mouth. After lighting it, the CIA said slowly: "Comrade General, you have approved our sending a small team deep behind enemy lines."
Definitely. However, he also proposed that if the small teams dispersed, the results they could achieve were limited. It was better to concentrate them. In addition to posing a greater threat to the enemy, they could even use the rockets in their hands to attack the Germans.
Attack areas where heavy troops are concentrated to reduce the pressure on our army's frontal defense."
After learning that Zhukov advocated merging the small teams behind enemy lines, Sidorin seemed a little impatient. He stood up and said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, I will ask the radio operator to send reports to several small teams and ask them to go to the designated location."
They gathered at a certain location and merged into a large force to move behind the enemy's rear."
"Chief of Staff, don't be anxious. You sit down first. It won't be too late to send a report to the squad after we have discussed the details." After Sidorin sat down again, he continued: "It's just a matter of merging the squads.
It's a small matter, just send a few telegrams. What we need to discuss now is who will take command once the troops behind enemy lines are integrated."
"The first battalion is commanded by Second Lieutenant Fisher." Hearing Sokov express his concerns, Sidorin said disapprovingly: "Since he is the highest-ranking commander, he can directly hand over the troops.
Give him the command, will it be over soon?"
"No, I don't think we can give the troops to his command." Before Sokov could speak, Vitkov had already taken the lead in raising objections: "Although he is the highest-ranking commander, this unit consists of soldiers from several battalions.
Whether he can command the troops composed of soldiers well is still a question."
"The deputy brigade commander is right." Seeing that Witkov's ideas coincided with his own, Sokov agreed: "Except for the soldiers of the first battalion, the soldiers of several other squads are not familiar with him. I
I also feel that it is inappropriate for him to command this force. We need to reconsider new candidates."
"Comrade Brigadier," as soon as Sokov finished speaking, Vitkov smiled and said to him: "Since you also think that you need to send someone else to command this army, why not let me go? What do you think?"
Vitkov's words shocked Sokov. Just kidding, although you are the deputy brigade commander, your military rank is the highest in the whole brigade, and you are also the deputy chief of staff of the group army. How can you do such a mission where you may be sacrificed at any time?
Can you be allowed to carry out it? After Sokov made the draft, he said to Vitkov: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, don't be ridiculous. How can you be allowed to take risks on such a dangerous mission? What if something happens to you?
It’s an accident, how should I explain it to Comrade Commander?”
The troops that penetrated behind enemy lines only had 60 people at full strength. There was absolutely no reason to let a colonel take command. Therefore, Sidorin and others expressed their opinions as soon as Sokov finished speaking: "Comrade colonel, what the brigade commander said
Yes, you can't take risks behind enemy lines, so let other commanders do it."
"Do you have a suitable candidate?" Vitkov glanced at Sokov and Sidorin and said carelessly: "If you can't find a suitable candidate, then let me take the initiative."
Hearing that Vitkov had said this, Sokov knew very well that if he could not select suitable candidates, then Vitkov could justifiably ask to go to command the troops behind enemy lines. No matter what,
His military rank and prestige are higher than Fisher's. If he commands the troops, the soldiers will obey his orders willingly. If you want to prevent him from taking risks, you can only select a reliable commander as soon as possible.
Sokov went through all the brigade commanders at company level and above in his mind, and felt that two people were more suitable candidates, so he raised his head and asked Sidorin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I have two candidates, can you help me?"
Let me check where they are now."
Sidorin nodded, and then asked: "Comrade Brigade Commander, who are the two commanders?"
"Lieutenant Grisa, commander of the fourth company, and Lieutenant Guchakov, commander of the ninth company." After Sokov stated his ideal candidates, he urged Sidorin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, get to know them immediately.
Where are you now?"
While Sidorin was on the phone, Sokov introduced the two candidates to Vitkov: "When I was still a platoon commander in Khimki town, I knew Lieutenant Grisa.
A commander with a very fighting spirit, and during the war, he knew how to seize the opportunity to destroy more enemies at the minimum cost; and Lieutenant Guchakov, who I rescued from the prisoner of war camp, was very important to ***
The invader had a deep-seated hatred, and in order to wash away the humiliation he had experienced, he acted very bravely in all previous battles."
After listening to Sokov's comments about the two candidates, Vitkov nodded slightly and said reasonably: "Okay, Comrade Brigadier, since you already have suitable candidates, let them command the troops behind enemy lines.
Bar."
Seeing that Vitkov no longer insisted on going to command the troops behind enemy lines, Sokov's heart finally returned to his stomach. He happened to see Sidorin put down the phone and asked quickly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, it's all clear."
Where are the two of them now?" When asked this, Sokov felt a little unsure. He was deeply afraid that the candidates he was optimistic about had been injured or even died in the battle, and he would need to choose new ones.
Chosen.
Sidorin first introduced the situation of Ninth Company Commander Guchakov: "Ninth Company Commander Lieutenant Guchakov is currently setting up defenses with Third Battalion Commander Andrei in the area of the Expert Building and may not be able to return within a short period of time."
Knowing that the ninth company commander could not go behind enemy lines, Sokov felt a little disappointed, but fortunately there was still a candidate. He then asked: "What about Lieutenant Grisa? Where is he now?"
"Lieutenant Grisa is now at Mamayev Heights, and the troops under his command have been fighting the enemy." Sidorin asked Sokov tentatively: "Do I need to call him here?"
"Ask Grisa to hand over the command to his deputy and rush to the headquarters as soon as possible." After Sokov gave the order, he suddenly remembered that he had transferred a company commander from the front line. At least he needed to communicate with the other party's commander.
The superior said hello and added: "Remember to inform the second battalion commander, Captain Vasily, about this."
While waiting for Grisa's arrival, Sokov asked Vitkov and Sidorin: "The merger of the squad will be completed soon, and the commander will be selected. Next, we should discuss
Their activity area. If you have any ideas, you can tell us."
"I think the troops should turn around and head north to harass the German troops attacking the factory area." Vitkov first expressed his opinion: "The factory area we usually call actually includes the Yerman District, Dzerzhinsky District
Base Area, Red October Factory Area, Barricade Factory Area, and Tractor Factory Area. No matter how many divisions the attacking German army has, but they have to attack so many areas at the same time, their forces will inevitably become scattered. If we send small teams to attack them
Their rear will inevitably plunge them into chaos, forcing them to weaken or even stop their attack on the factory area."
"Comrade Deputy Brigadier, I have a different view." Regarding Vitkov's seemingly safer choice, Sidorin raised objections: "Everyone knows that the city south of the city has been mostly occupied by the enemy.
Occupation. In order to prevent accidental damage, the German army will no longer use tanks and artillery on a large scale when attacking the remaining blocks and buildings. We can let the troops behind the enemy move south to eliminate these areas without artillery and tank cover.
enemy."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, you are wrong. We sent troops to the south of the city, and the results achieved are definitely not as good as those in the factory area in the north of the city." Vitkov emphasized: "I still recommend using the troops in the north of the city.
direction, as long as they can contain the enemy's effective forces, then our troops standing in the factory area can take a breath and even launch an effective counterattack if necessary."
"Comrade Deputy Brigadier,..."
"..."
In the face of the dispute between the two, Sokov did not interrupt. His mind was repeatedly weighing the pros and cons of going north and south. He was so engrossed in thinking that when did the two men stop arguing?
He didn't even notice.
When he found that both of them were staring at him intently, he grinned quickly and asked with some embarrassment: "I wonder if the two of you have reached a unified final opinion. Should the troops behind enemy lines go north or south?"
"You are the commander of a brigade." Vitkov did not make decisions on his behalf because he had a higher military rank than Sokov. Instead, he said in a respectful tone: "It is up to you to decide in which direction the troops should move.
It’s up to you.”
Seeing that the two men finally kicked the ball to him again, Sokov couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. He coughed lightly, cleared his throat and said: "I agree with the deputy brigade commander, the troops behind enemy lines should be in the northwest
directional activities so that they cannot concentrate their efforts on attacking the factory area."
When Sokov said this, he saw Sidorin opening his mouth and seemed to want to say something. He quickly raised his hand to stop him and continued: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't interrupt yet, listen to me.
Since all the factories in the factory area are still producing, the tanks and artillery they produce can not only be used for city defense, but can also be transported to various fronts through the Volga River to support our friendly forces in striking hard at the enemy.
Therefore, we must do everything possible to prevent the enemy from occupying our factory area."
Sidorin originally wanted to stick to his opinion, but when he heard Sokov say that the factories in the factory area produced products every day, they could not only support the defenders in the city, but also support friendly forces on other fronts.
He obediently kept his mouth shut and acquiesced to Sokov's arrangement for the troops to move north of the city.
Not long after, Grisa arrived at the headquarters.
After Sokov waited for Grisa to report to him, he nodded to him and said bluntly: "Lieutenant Grisa, I called you here today because I have an important task for you."
When Grisa received the notice, he guessed that Sokov was calling him because he must have some important mission. Therefore, when he heard Sokov say this, the expression on his face did not change at all: "Comrade Brigadier, please
Give the order."
"Comrade Lieutenant, come to the table." Sokov called Grisa to the table, pointed to the map spread out on it, and said to him: "According to the orders from our superiors, we will move the small units operating behind enemy lines.
Merge and hand over the command to a very capable commander to carry out raids in the enemy's rear, hitting the enemy hard so that they cannot concentrate all their strength and launch a full-scale attack on the factory area. Come and see,
This is the gathering point of the troops. When it gets dark, you can rush there with two soldiers to receive the troops."
"Comrade Brigadier," Grisa asked calmly after hearing Sokov's arrangements, "I would like to ask in what area we should operate and how to attack the enemy.
What about the battle?"
Facing a series of questions raised by Grisa, Sokov replied calmly: "Comrade Lieutenant, logically speaking, I should not specify the area of activity for you, because we don't know much about the situation behind the enemy's rear.
If I rashly designate an area for you, I might send you into the enemy's encirclement. But this time the situation is different. The enemy is launching a fierce attack on the factory area. In order to contain their effective forces, I hope you can lead your troops in the area.
Move to the north, that is, the rear of the enemies who attack the factory area. Use the rockets carried by the troops to hit them hard, consume their effective strength, and prevent them from concentrating superior forces to seize our factory area."
After Grisa waited for Sokov to finish speaking, he nodded first, and then asked: "Comrade Brigadier, the mission has been clear. I also want to ask, how long do we have to stay behind the enemy's rear?"
Grisa's question silenced Sokov, because the length of stay is related to the survival rate of this unit behind enemy lines. If you stay for a short time, you can naturally retreat; if you stay for a long time, the entire army may be destroyed.
Therefore, after thinking for a long time, Sokov finally gritted his teeth and said: "Comrade Lieutenant, how long you want to stay behind enemy lines depends on the specific situation. Remember, you must find a way to let
The soldiers all came back alive, do you understand?"
