There were still a few hours before dawn, so Sokov naturally would not sit here doing nothing. He ordered the accompanying radio operator: "Send a report to the 39th Guards Division, saying that we were ordered to reinforce them, and now we are lost halfway. Please ask them
Send a guide to meet you."
While the radio operator was sending the report, Belkin said with emotion: "Misha, if General Guryev really sends us a guide, maybe we can start again without waiting until dawn."
"If we arrive at the Archives Building before dawn, we will have enough time to rebuild the fortifications." Sokov said thoughtfully: "After the enemy's bombing, it is estimated that there are not many defenses around the building left.
In such a defensive area, there are no solid fortifications. Even if we fill it with human lives, we may not be able to hold the position."
"Misha, I want to ask you a question." Belkin was startled by Sokov's words. As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately looked around and saw that the soldier closest to him was also around.
Five meters away, he lowered his voice and asked: "Do you think we can hold the archives building?"
"Don't you have confidence, Comrade Political Commissar?" Sokov looked at Berkin and said: "You know, the troops we lead are the elite of the division. If they can't hold it, then who else will
Can you hold it there?"
"You are right, Misha." Sokov's words strengthened Belkin's confidence. "The predecessor of the drawdown regiment was the 73rd Infantry Brigade. This is a unit with outstanding results. We have never lost a battle.
.As long as we hold on to the archives building, the enemy will not be able to capture it."
"Comrade Political Commissar," Sokov said, seeing that Belkin had regained his confidence, he was certainly happy, but considering that when he partnered with him, he was mainly engaged in political work and was somewhat unfamiliar with military command, it was necessary for him to help him.
He took the initiative and said: "After the troops arrive at the Archives Building and arrange their defenses, I will stay there for a while. If you have any questions about military command, just ask me."
"It's great that you want to stay for a while." Belgin was originally worried that Sokov would leave the archives building immediately after settling the troops. Now when he heard what he said, he was overjoyed: "I don't
I have been a military commander for a long time. Without your help, I really don’t know how to command the troops to fight the enemy in street battles."
"Division Commander!" The telegraph operator returned to Sokov and Bergin with a telegram and reported to him: "General Guryev calls back and he will send a guide immediately. He will be able to reach us in half an hour at most.
here."
Less than twenty minutes later, Captain Vanya, chief of staff of the regiment, came over with a few people. He came to Sokov, straightened his body and reported: "Comrade division commander, the guide sent by the 39th Guards Division
arrive."
"Oh, the guide is here!" Sokov glanced at the few people behind Vanya. Although the light was too dark to see the faces of these people clearly, he still took a few steps forward, reached out his hand, and said enthusiastically:
"Comrades from friendly forces, welcome!"
"Hello, Colonel Sokov!" A man stepped forward and held Sokov's hand, shook it vigorously a few times, and said excitedly: "I'm glad to have you here to support us."
Sokov heard that the man's voice was very familiar, so he used the nearby firelight to get closer and look at the other person's face carefully. After seeing clearly, he couldn't help being surprised: "Commissar Chernyshev, why is it you?"
It turned out that the man shaking hands with him was actually Chernyshev, the political commissar of the 39th Guards Division.
"The division commander heard that you personally led the team to come for reinforcements. He was very happy and wanted to come to greet you personally." Chernyshev explained to Sokov with a smile: "But there are too many things at the division headquarters, and he can't get away.
He entrusted me to greet you on his behalf."
After Sokov introduced Belkin to Chernyshev, he called him by his job rank and asked: "Comrade regimental political commissar, I wonder how far this place is from your division headquarters?"
"It's not far, the straight-line distance is only two kilometers." Chernyshev replied: "But due to the enemy's bombing, the buildings along the way collapsed, so that the entire terrain changed. If you are not familiar with the troops here at night,
It’s easy to get lost when you’re marching. That’s why I brought five guides to you this time.”
"Comrade Commander," in front of Chernyshev, Sokov could no longer call Bergin a political commissar, so he could only say in an official tone: "Since the guide has arrived, let your troops set off immediately."
On the way to the archives building, Sokov asked Chernyshev about the situation: "Comrade regimental political commissar, how is the situation there?"
"It's not good, Colonel Sokov." Chernyshev shook his head and said: "As soon as we took over the defense of the 308th Division, the German army launched a fierce attack on us. Under the cover of the air force, they used
All the positions to the west of the building were captured in forty minutes. Seeing that the situation was not good, the division commander quickly mobilized the 120th Regiment from the direction of the stadium to counterattack the enemy and regained the lost positions before dark."
"Comrade regimental political commissar," through Chernyshev's narration, Sokov realized that the situation of the 39th Guards Division was worse than he knew. He quickly asked: "How much is left of your division now?
people?"
"Together, the number of wounded soldiers who can still fight is probably less than a thousand." Chernyshev said with a bitter look on his face: "With this small number of troops, we have to defend two places at the same time, which is a bit inadequate.
"
"Don't worry, comrade regimental political commissar," Sokov pointed to the troops in front and behind him, and said to Chernyshev: "The regiment I brought has more than 1,600 people. It is not only used to defend files.
The building is more than enough, and if the situation at the stadium becomes tight during the coming battle, we can send people there to support us."
Chernyshev looked at the troops in front and behind him, and then asked Sokov in a low voice: "Comrade Colonel, are there many new recruits in this army?"
"Why do you ask this, comrade regimental political commissar?" Sokov asked curiously.
"How should I put it? The fighting in the factory area was much more brutal than that at Mamayev Hills." Chernyshev said hesitantly: "I'm worried that the recruits will encounter this kind of situation when they go to the battlefield for the first time.
, will be frightened into panic.”
"Don't worry, comrade regimental political commissar." After figuring out what was going on, Sokov gave Chernyshev reassurance: "This regiment has been adapted from my old army, and almost all the commanders and fighters have
With rich combat experience, even if you face the same number of enemies, you will not fall behind."
If someone else had said this, Chernyshev would probably have slapped him in the face, even one-on-one. It was simply bragging. The six Soviet divisions standing in the factory area were facing the German army.
Two infantry divisions and one armored division were still on the defensive. They were still beaten to a pulp by the enemy and were overwhelmed.
However, when Sokov said this, Chernyshev actually believed it. Because he knew Sokov’s commanding troops’ combat experience in areas such as the Red October Factory and Orlovka, let alone a pair of
In this case, even if the troops and equipment are at a disadvantage, victory can often be achieved.
Under the leadership of the guide, the troops passed through various ruins and bomb craters, and it took almost half an hour to arrive near the archives building. Since it was still dark at the moment, in order not to cause unnecessary misunderstandings, we walked at the last
Captain Vanya in front ordered the troops to stop advancing, and then sent a battalion commander, Captain Vasily, to follow a guide to get in touch with friendly forces.
The sentry outside the archives building saw a troop passing through the ruins and heading towards him. He thought it was an enemy coming. When he was about to issue a battle alarm, he found that the other party had stopped. Then, he saw someone
Several people walked towards him, and then he heard a familiar voice calling him. He immediately recognized that it was one of the soldiers who had just left.
When the commanders and fighters of the downsized regiment entered the outer position of the archives building, although no one spoke, their footsteps still woke up some of the Guards soldiers who were waiting for warning. When they rushed out of the concealment with weapons, they found this unknown force.
Troops who appeared anywhere excitedly ran back to their shelters, woke up their sleeping comrades, and said excitedly: "Reinforcements, our reinforcements are here!"
Those sleepy-eyed soldiers, when they heard that the reinforcements were coming, they had already disappeared. They asked: "Where is it, where is it?" while quickly rushing out of the shelter to see this army, which was no different to them.
To the reinforcements falling from the sky.
The headquarters of the 39th Guards Division was located in the basement of the building. When he learned that the troops led by Sokov had arrived, Guryev personally greeted them. After the two met in the spacious hall filled with bricks and rubble,
, Sokov first stepped forward, saluted, and said friendly: "Comrade General, Colonel Sokov, commander of the 41st Guards Division, has been ordered to come and take over your defense."
"Hello, Colonel Sokov!" After Guryev raised his hand and returned the salute, he grabbed Sokov's hand and said excitedly: "Our superiors ordered us to stick to the archives building and the stadium. I am worried about the strength of the troops.
It's not enough. Now that you are here to take over the defense, I feel relieved."
After speaking, he turned around and said to Chief of Staff Zaldyuk, who was standing behind him: "Chief of Staff, immediately hand over the defense to the friendly comrades and hand over our defense plans to them."
Zaldyuk, whose name was called, quickly agreed, and then tentatively asked Sokov: "Comrade Colonel, I wonder who I should hand over the defense to?"
Sokov quickly pushed out Belkin who was standing next to him and said to him: "Lieutenant Colonel Zaldyuk, this is the head of the drawdown regiment who is here to take over your defense, Comrade Belkin, deputy battalion political commissar, you
Just hand over the defense to him."
Knowing that the political worker in front of him was the military commander who came to take over the defense, Zalijuk couldn't help showing an expression of astonishment on his face. But fortunately, he knew that these were extraordinary times, and a political worker would serve as the military commander.
The officer was not surprised. He quickly made a gesture of invitation to Belkin and said politely: "Comrade commander, please follow me to the division headquarters, and I will formally hand over the defense to you."
After Zaldyuk left with Bergin, Vanya, Dmitri and other leaders of the downsized regiment, Sokov took the initiative to propose to Guriyev: "Comrade General, if you have any difficulties in the future, just feel free to ask for help."
Put it forward, and I will ask Captain Belkin to help you then."
Guryev glanced at the troops standing outside the building and saw only a large area of darkness, and asked curiously: "Colonel Sokov, how many people did you bring?"
"More than 1,600 people... No, if you include the guard platoon that escorted me, there should be 1,700 people." After Sokov finished telling the specific strength of the troops, he asked Guryev with a smile: "General
Comrade, I wonder if so many people are enough?"
"Enough, enough." Guryev was shocked when he learned that Sokov had brought 1,700 people, and then said a little embarrassedly: "Colonel Sokov, to be honest with you, I
The entire division does not have as many troops as your regiment."
"Comrade General," Sokov said, worried that Guryev would ask the same question as Chernyshev again, "these troops are all veterans of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, and almost all of them have rich combat experience.
veterans. Although there is only one regiment, they can definitely play the role of a division."
"I very much agree with what you said, Colonel Sokov." When Guryev learned that the people who came were all veterans, he felt confident: "With your troops holding the archives building, I will
All troops can be concentrated in the direction of the stadium to resist the German attack with all their strength."
The two chatted for a while, and then saw Zaldyuk coming out of the basement. He came to Guriyev and said respectfully: "Comrade division commander, the defense has been officially handed over. We can move the division headquarters to the new one."
The place has gone."
Guryev stretched out his hand to Sokov and said with a smile: "Colonel Sokov, then we will see you again. I hope to hear more good news from you. I wish you good luck!"
…………
After Guriyev and a group of commanders from his division left, Sokov took Samoylov into the basement and came to Guriyev's original headquarters.
Seeing the busy scene in the headquarters, he asked: "Commander Belkin, since you have officially taken over the defense, why haven't you sent troops to take over the defensive positions of friendly forces?"
"I'm sorry, comrade division commander." After hearing Sokov's question, Chief of Staff Vanya quickly stepped forward to talk: "It was my negligence. I was discussing how to deploy defenses with the regiment commander."
"What is there to discuss?" Sokov said impatiently: "Order your troops to enter the outer positions and buildings respectively, and rely on the existing fortifications to deploy defenses. If the fortifications have been destroyed by the enemy's bombing
If it is destroyed, we must seize the time to repair it, otherwise when the enemy launches an attack, we will suffer a big loss without reliable fortifications to rely on."
"Yes!" Vanya quickly replied: "I will assign tasks to the two battalion commanders and ask them to bring their respective troops to the designated defensive positions and seize the time to repair and strengthen the fortifications."
This chapter has been completed!