Bely opened his arms and gave Sokov a warm hug. He patted Sokov's back hard with both hands and said excitedly: "Misha, I really didn't expect that I could still see you alive.
.So, are you planning to launch a counterattack against the enemy?"
Although his back was slapped so hard that Sokov almost burst into tears, he could only grit his teeth and endure it. After all, this kind of hug is the most passionate expression between friends. He finally waited for Biely to let go.
After that, he immediately took a step back, pointed at Golikov who was not far away, and said: "Colonel Bely, let me introduce you. This is the deputy commander of the front army, General Golikov.
He came to us to designate counterattack work."
Bely knew Golikov, so he quickly stepped forward to salute and prepared to report to the other party in accordance with the regulations. Unexpectedly, Golikov raised his hand to pull down his hand that was raised to his forehead, and shook his hand vigorously.
While saying enthusiastically: "Hello, Colonel Bely, welcome to Mamayev Heights."
After inviting Bely to sit down at the table, a clever staff officer quickly brought a cup of hot tea and placed it on the table. After nodding his thanks to the staff officer, Sokov said to Bely: "Comrade Colonel
, it must be quite cold on the road, drink some tea to warm yourself up."
After Bely picked up the teapot and took a sip, he looked first at Sokov and then at Golikov, not knowing who to talk to first. Fortunately, Golikov saw his dilemma and spoke with
He pointed his hand towards Sokov and said: "Colonel Bely, it was Comrade Sokov who asked Chuikov to transfer you here. If you have anything, just ask him."
Hearing what Golikov said, Bely put down the teapot in his hand, stood up and faced Sokov, and asked respectfully: "Colonel Sokov, I wonder how you plan to have my troops cooperate with you in your counterattack?"
You know, basically all the tanks in our brigade have been lost, and the few remaining ones are now buried in the Dzerzhinsky factory to serve as fixed firepower points."
"Don't worry, Colonel Bely." Hearing Bely's final question, Sokov replied with a smile: "I still have more than 20 tanks, which are hidden in the ruins of Workers' New Village. They can all be handed over to me."
You use it. There is also a new T-34/85 tank among them."
"A new T-34/85 tank?" Bely heard Sokov mentioning a new tank and couldn't help but asked in surprise: "So, Director Peter gave you all the tanks with 85mm guns that were just produced.
?”
"Yes." Sokov nodded affirmatively, and then asked: "How many troops do you still have?"
"There are still 139 people. Except for a dozen logistics personnel, the rest are combatants." Bere emphasized to Sokov specifically: "By the way, your original tank company commander is still alive. If it weren't for my subordinates,
There are so few people that when we rebuild the tank brigade, I even want him to be the battalion commander."
"Since we don't have enough troops, let him be the company commander first." Sokov said reasonably: "It won't be too late to make him the battalion commander after the tank brigade is replenished."
"General Golikov," Bely looked at Golikov and said with some embarrassment: "I have participated in the counterattack in the Mamayev Hills area, and I know that if the number of tanks is too small, it will be difficult to achieve the desired results in the counterattack.
The results of the battle. Even if Colonel Sokov hands over all the tanks to me, I will only have more than 20 tanks in my hands. If I want to break through the German defenses, I am afraid..."
Bely stopped mid-sentence, but Golikov already understood what he wanted to express, so he waved his hand and said: "Okay, okay, Colonel Bely, stop complaining in front of me."
.The superiors have decided to send two tank battalions to Sokov, and then I will put these two tank battalions under the command of your tank brigade. Is that okay with the headquarters?"
Bely complained in front of Golikov just because he wanted to get some supplements. Unexpectedly, Golikov was so generous and actually gave him two tank battalions. In this way, the tank brigade was reorganized.
He quickly saluted Golikov and said gratefully: "Thank you, General Golikov, I promise you..."
"Colonel Bely, don't promise me anything." Golikov interrupted Bely before he finished speaking, "No matter how beautiful the words are in words, if they cannot be put into practice, then
They are all empty words. I know that your brigade performed very well in the battle to defend the Dzerzhinsky Factory. I hope you can continue to do so and achieve more brilliant results in the next counterattack."
"General Golikov, I want to ask a question." Bely waited for Golikov to finish and asked tentatively: "Is it okay?"
"If you have any questions, just ask." Golikov waved his hand and said carelessly: "As long as I can answer it, I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer."
"According to the deployment some time ago, the troops on the periphery of our army should have launched a counterattack against the enemy." Bely asked cautiously: "I would like to ask, what was their result?"
"Shortly after launching the counterattack, the Southwest Front Army and the Don River Front Army successfully broke through the enemy's defense line in the Don River Basin and defeated the Romanian troops deployed there." Golikov guessed that Bely may not be aware of the results of the battle outside.
, and then said carelessly: "Our front army launched a counterattack from the south side of the city yesterday. Although the counterattack time was repeatedly delayed due to weather conditions. But after the battle started, Major General Volski's Mechanized 4th Army launched a counterattack at 13 noon.
At 16:00, Colonel Tanahishin's 13th Tank Corps rapidly developed into the depth of the enemy's defenses in its own area. At 22:00, Lieutenant General Shapkin's 4th Cavalry Corps, followed closely
Advance with the 4th Mechanized Army and develop the offensive westward..."
"Great, this is really great." Hearing the series of good news from Golikov, Beley was so excited that he cheered: "Since our army is in the west and south, it has dealt heavy blows to the enemy.
, then the counterattack after dawn, I believe, will be able to successfully break through the frontal defense of Mamayev Heights."
"Comrade Deputy Commander of the Front Army," Sokov asked Golikov again after waiting for Bely to finish speaking: "I would like to ask, when will the two tank battalions given to us by our superiors be able to enter their designated positions?"
If it had been yesterday or the day before yesterday, Sokov would have been laughed at by Golikov if he had asked this question. But at this moment, Golikov could no longer laugh. The time for the two tank battalions to cross the river was delayed again and again, and even
Even whether they can get to Mamayev Heights before the counterattack starts is also a question. Golikov was silent for a long time, and finally said: "I think they should be able to get there before your counterattack starts.
"
Bely sensed something bad in Golikov's tone, and quickly interrupted: "General Golikov, tanks are prone to malfunctions when marching in such cold weather. Even if they arrive before the counterattack,
It also needs dedicated personnel to maintain it before it can be put into battle."
"What, the tank needs to be maintained before it can be put into battle?" Golikov asked in surprise.
"That's right." Bely nodded and said in a positive tone: "According to the regulations, after the tank has traveled fifty kilometers, it should be inspected and maintained to avoid malfunctions and breakdowns. If it is summer, we can do it after driving for one day.
After a hundred kilometers, they will be maintained again, but the weather is too cold now, and the chance of tank failure is greatly increased, so after the tank battalion crosses the river, it must be inspected and maintained."
"So that's it." Golikov raised his hand and looked at his watch and said thoughtfully: "If I let the tank battalion cross the river now, we should be able to reach Mamayev Hill by seven o'clock in the morning.
If you spend another hour or two doing inspections and maintenance, I think it’s still time.”
"It will take at least five hours for two tank battalions to cross the wide river." Bely continued: "Even if we order them to cross the river now, it will probably take around nine o'clock when they arrive at Mamayev Hill for inspection.
In terms of maintenance and maintenance, it will take at least 11 o'clock before they can all be put into battle."
"You can't go into battle until eleven o'clock?" Not only Golikov was dissatisfied with the time Bely said, but even Sokov was dissatisfied. Although he had barely put together a tank battalion, it still needed to be used to break through the German army.
The position may not be enough. So he shook his head and said: "In that case, the action will be too slow. We cannot let the tank troops enter the battle so late."
When Golikov heard what Sokov said, he nodded first, and then asked: "Colonel Sokov, do you have any ideas to shorten the attack time of the tank troops?"
"There is a way." Sokov had just thought about a way in his mind. Now when he heard Golikov ask, he said it directly: "Let the tank troops cross the river one after another in company units. Once a company comes over, they will
Let the maintenance workers inspect and maintain the tanks of this company. I think that by the time the counterattack begins, all the tanks should be ready to attack."
After listening to Sokov's proposal, Golikov couldn't help but smile. He nodded and said: "Colonel Sokov, you really have many ways. In this way, we can solve the problem of tanks. After completing the crossing of the river,
It’s a problem of not being able to fight for a long time. So let’s do this, I immediately called Commander Yereomenko and asked him to order the tank battalion to cross the river.”
While Golikov was on the phone to the front army headquarters, Sokov said to Bely: "Colonel Bely, I will send someone to take you to Workers' New Village later to receive the tanks. Now, I will tell you to attack first.
Route." After seeing Belly nod, he continued, "There are two routes to attack: one is to attack from Workers' New Village and break through to the west; the other is to attack from the north and south of Mamayev Hill.
Attack in the canyon in the middle of the hill, try to advance to the southwest, cooperate with the troops in the central city, and encircle the enemies in the city..."
…………
In the evening of the 20th, Paulus received the news that the Romanian army and German reserves in the Don River Valley had been completely annihilated by the Soviet Southwest Front Army and the Don River Front Army. When he first heard the news, Paulus did not believe it. According to him,
The idea was that the offensive launched by the Russians was nothing more than a diversionary operation to prevent him from concentrating his forces to capture the city.
But after repeated verification by Chief of Staff Schmidt, Paulus finally found out that this was not a rumor but a fact. Paulus seemed a little panicked. He quickly ordered someone to take over the call from von Weickers, commander of Army Group B, panicking.
He said: "Mr. General, the situation here seems not to be good. The Romanian army and our reserves deployed in the Don River Basin have been annihilated by the Russians."
When Weeks answered Paulus' call, he thought the other party was reporting to him on the execution of the order, but he heard such bad news. He asked in surprise: "General Paulus, didn't you see that I
Is the order given to you late? I asked you to stop all offensive operations against Stalingrad and deploy troops to protect your flanks. Didn't you execute it?"
"No, Mr. General." Paulus replied in panic: "My officers reported to me that the Russians' strength was almost exhausted, so I felt that we should continue the offensive so that we could defeat the enemy in the shortest possible time.
Take this damn city."
"Stop the attack immediately and withdraw the troops from the city." Weeks said in a stern tone: "And use these troops to counterattack in the direction of the Don River. Be sure to drive away those damn Russians, so as to protect your army.
Security of the flanks. Do you understand, my General Paulus?"
"I understand, Mr. General." At this time, Paulus still dared to defend himself, and he quickly said obediently: "I immediately issued a retreat order to the troops and asked them to withdraw from the city overnight."
Paulus immediately issued an order through Schmidt to the troops responsible for attacking the factory area, asking them to withdraw from the city overnight and ensure that the retreat was not discovered by the Russians.
However, the plan could not keep up with the change. Soon after the 305th Infantry Division and four engineer battalions stationed in the barricade factory began to retreat, they exchanged fire with the Soviet troops in the factory. The news soon reached Paulus's headquarters.
Paulus grabbed Schmidt's arm and said in panic: "Chief of Staff, it seems that the Russians had expected that we would retreat overnight, so they ordered the defenders in the factory to launch a counterattack at this moment."
"Then what should we do?" Schmidt asked.
"Order the troops to stop retreating and organize resistance on the spot." Paulus raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead and told Schmidt: "Also, those areas that have not been attacked for the time being must also be vigilant to prevent possible attacks by the Russians.
attack."
"Understood, I will immediately convey your order to the division commanders." After Schmidt said this, he reminded Paulus: "Now the troops in the Don River Basin are basically finished, but our location is actually
The Russians are no more than ten kilometers away, and once they launch an attack, they will probably reach the army headquarters in less than two hours."
Paulus, who had fallen into panic, didn't know what to do for a moment, so he could only ask Schmidt for help: "Chief of Staff, tell me, what should we do next?"
