Captain Andre received the call from Sidorin. After being silent for a long time, he said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I have some objections to your arrangement."
When Sidorin heard what the other party said, he asked, somewhat dumbfounded: "Comrade Captain, what do you think?"
"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Andre replied: "Other troops in the division have participated in the counterattack against the German army. But the order our battalion received is to stick to the existing defense area. Soldiers
They are very emotional.”
Sokov heard Andre's voice from the side, and reached out to take the microphone from Sidorin's hand: "Comrade Captain, I think it's not the soldiers who have emotions, but you."
"Hello, Comrade Commander!" Andrei didn't expect Sokov to show up suddenly and couldn't help being startled.
"Tell me about it," Sokov asked politely: "If you have any dissatisfaction with me, just say it."
"Comrade Division Commander, no matter what, there are more than a thousand people in my battalion." Andre said with some disbelief: "If we are allowed to launch a counterattack, I dare not say anything else, I will definitely be able to move the Central Station from Germany
snatched from human hands..."
"What happens after we capture it?" Sokov interrupted him before he could finish his words: "What kind of troops do you plan to use to defend the station?"
"I can concentrate all the troops from other places at the station." Andre said confidently: "This way, even if one or two battalions of German troops attack, I can still hold the station."
"Concentrate all the troops at the station, then the defenses in other places will become empty. If the Germans discover the loopholes in your defense, they will not attack the station, but attack your weakly defended areas." Sokov said nothing.
He bluntly pointed out to him: "Once the rest of the area is lost, the troops holding on to the station will become a lone army. If the Germans cut off the supply, do you think you can hold on in the station for a few days?"
?”
Andrei hadn't really thought about concentrating all his troops behind the station and what to do with the defense of other areas, so he was left speechless by Sokov's series of questions. After a while, he asked awkwardly:
"Comrade division commander, please tell me, what should our battalion do?"
"I'm asking you to stick to the existing defense zone, but I'm not asking you to engage in passive defense." Sokov slowed down and said, "You can still attack appropriately to consume the enemy's vitality."
"So what exactly do we do?"
Sokov considered that in the past few months, the commanders and fighters of the third battalion took advantage of the favorable terrain to deal with the enemy in the old city in the south of the city. However, the tactics at that time were mainly defensive, and now they suddenly needed to
When it switches to offense, the commanders and fighters will definitely not be able to adapt, and someone must guide them.
After thinking about it, I felt that I was the most suitable candidate, so I said into the microphone: "Comrade Captain, I will take the time to come to your camp and instruct you on how to fight in the streets."
When he learned that Sokov was coming to his place, Andre was immediately overjoyed. He knew that Sokov knew a lot of tactics, and when he came to teach his tactics, he would definitely be of use in the subsequent street battles, so he kept saying
: "This is great, Comrade Division Commander, it is our great honor to have you here. On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the battalion, I welcome you."
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin, who was sitting next to him, could hear the conversation between Sokov and Andrei clearly. As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he couldn't wait to ask: "Are you really planning to go to the south of the city?"
The old town?”
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff, I plan to go to the Third Battalion." Sokov was worried about Sidorin's objection, so he took the initiative to explain to him: "Now, whether it is the three regiment positions in front of Mamaev Hill, or
The defense line of the shrinking regiment on the right wing has basically stabilized, and nothing will happen in the short term. I can just go to the third battalion to take a look."
"Comrade Commander." Ivanov was worried that Sokov might encounter danger if he rashly went to the old city, so he reminded him: "The enemy and our defense lines there are uneven. If you go there, I'm afraid you will encounter danger.
.In my opinion, you’d better write down how to conduct street fighting, and I’ll send someone else to send them there, so don’t go there yourself.”
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, thank you for your kindness." For Ivanov's concern, Sokov expressed his gratitude to him, and then said: "Actually, Captain Andrei is right about what he said. Other troops are expressing their concern.
The German army launched a counterattack, but only the commanders and fighters of the third battalion stood still and it was strange that the soldiers were emotionless. I went there this time, firstly to teach them the skills of current street fighting, and secondly, to meet the soldiers and resolve their doubts."
Now that Sokov has said this to this extent, Ivanov knew that it would be useless to persuade him, so he reminded Sokov: "Then when you go, let Samoilov bring more people with you.
Keep you safe."
After nightfall, Sokov, along with Samoilov and the guard platoon, quietly left Mamayev Hill and hurried to the old city in the south of the city where the third battalion was stationed.
Although they had walked this road several times, Sokov and the others almost got lost this time. Some of the buildings that could still be seen when they passed by last time had been reduced to ruins by the German shelling and bombing. If not
By chance, they met the combat team of the Third Battalion. Sokov and the others did not know how long they would wander around in the ruins. Even so, by the time they arrived at the Third Battalion command post, nearly three hours had passed since their departure time.
When Andrei saw Sokov appearing in his command post, he breathed a sigh of relief. He said easily: "Thank God, Comrade Division Commander, you are finally here. The division headquarters has called several times.
They are all asking you if you have arrived safely."
After learning that Sidorin and the others called to inquire about his whereabouts, Sokov felt it was necessary to call them back, so he ordered the communications soldier in the battalion to connect the division headquarters phone. After hearing Sidorin's voice, he
He smiled and said: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I am Sokov. I have arrived at the command post of the third battalion safely."
Sidorin knew that Sokov had arrived at the third battalion command post safely, and he couldn't help but secretly breathed a sigh of relief. However, he was still very curious as to why Sokov was delayed on the road for so long: "Comrade Division Commander, you
Why did it take so long to walk on the road?"
"There were several houses that were used as reference points in the past, but they have been turned into ruins by enemy artillery fire and bombing." Sokov said with a wry smile: "Without these reference points, plus we are marching at night, it is difficult not to get lost.
Weird. Fortunately, we encountered two combat groups from the Third Battalion active, otherwise we would still be wandering around in the ruins. How about it, is there nothing going on in the division?"
"No, Comrade Commander. Everything is normal." Sidorin replied: "I'm just a little worried about your safety because I can't contact you all the time."
After finishing the call with Sidorin, Sokov said to Andre: "Comrade Captain, summon the company commanders together, I want to give you a short meeting."
The command posts of several company commanders were far away from the battalion command post. Although the company commanders of each company set off immediately after receiving the call, they still had to wait for half an hour before they all arrived.
When Andrei called them, he only said that he would hold a short meeting to assign them the next tasks. He did not say that Sokov was also at the battalion headquarters. When the company commanders arrived at the battalion headquarters, they saw him sitting there drinking.
Sokov, who was drinking tea, couldn't help but get excited. After they stepped forward to salute Sokov, they all asked: "Comrade division commander, you came to us in person today, are you planning to let us participate in the attack?"
"Comrades, company commanders," Sokov said hello to everyone with a smile, and continued: "What you said is correct, and it is incorrect to say it is wrong." Looking at the faces of the company commanders, they were all confused.
With an expression on his face, he continued, "Since everyone is here, let's have a meeting."
"Comrades," Sokov said, looking at the company commanders who were sitting at attention: "Looking at the other troops in the division, they launched a counterattack against the German army and achieved good results. But you are standing still here, and you must feel very strong.
Is it uncomfortable?”
"It goes without saying, comrade division commander." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, the first to attack was Lieutenant Yegor, commander of the eighth company. He said unhappily: "In the past few months when the Germans attacked the city, we and
Like other troops in the division, they were all fighting hard and brilliantly against the enemy. We finally waited until we were about to win and launched a counterattack against the enemy, but we had nothing to do. Not only did the soldiers have emotions about this, but I also felt sad in my heart.
Very uncomfortable."
"Lieutenant Yegor," Sokov asked with a smile after the other party finished speaking: "Have you ever thought about why I don't let you take the initiative to launch a counterattack against the German army?"
When Andrei heard Sokov's question, he was about to speak, but Sokov raised his hand to stop him: "Comrade Captain, don't speak. I want to hear Lieutenant Yegor's thoughts."
Yegor frowned and thought for a while, then asked tentatively: "Comrade division commander, is it because there are too many recruits in our battalion that we are not allowed to participate in the counterattack?" Without waiting for Sokov's answer, he continued.
He said, "Yes, we have quite a lot of recruits. Two-thirds of the soldiers in our company are recruits. However, their fighting enthusiasm is very high, and they will never waver in the face of the enemy."
"
"Yes, the large number of new soldiers is a problem." Sokov said: "But more importantly, your troops and equipment are far inferior to the enemy. This is the reason why I will not let you carry out a counterattack."
In order to let the company commanders understand what was going on, Sokov continued: "Your battalion commander once told me that as long as I allow him, he can lead you to seize the central railway station occupied by the enemy.
I have no doubt that you can capture the train station. However, have you ever thought that if you want to hold the station, you must deploy enough troops to defend it. In this way, your defenses in other areas will be greatly affected.
The strength will become weak, and the Germans may defeat you one by one. Once the defenders in the station are surrounded by German troops and become a lone army, what should you do?"
Even Captain Andrei had not thought about the question raised by Sokov just now, let alone these lower-level commanders. After Yegor was silent again for a while, he gritted his teeth and said: "Comrade division commander, don't worry, even if we
Even if our troops are surrounded by the enemy, we will fight tenaciously to the last man."
"I have no doubts about your bravery and heroism." Sokov continued: "But if all the defenders here are lost in the battle, then I will have to mobilize troops from other directions to supplement them.
, This will make our already stretched military strength even weaker."
Yegor felt a little emotional just because his superiors did not arrange a counterattack mission for him, but he did not expect that the matter would be so serious. He could not help but open his mouth in surprise, not knowing what to say.
"I am here today to assign combat tasks to you, so that you can launch a counterattack against the German army." When Sokov said this, he saw joy on the faces of several company commanders, and he quickly said:
He said with a straight face: "But there is a certain difference between this kind of counterattack and the counterattack you understand."
"Comrade division commander," Captain Guchakov, who had been listening as a guest, couldn't help but ask, "I wonder what the difference is?"
"The attack I ask you to launch is not based on how many buildings you occupy or how many streets you control." Sokov said calmly: "I ask you to do your best in the counterattack.
Consume the enemy's vitality in many places."
"During the attack, consuming the German army's vitality?" Hearing what Sokov said, several company commanders, including Guchakov, widened their eyes in surprise. Everyone knew that in the battle, the defensive side
The casualties suffered by the enemy are usually less than those of the attacking side. The division commander allowed himself to consume the effective strength of the German army during the attack. Maybe his own casualties would be even greater. It was really unclear who would eliminate whom.
Seeing the surprised expressions of his men, Andre couldn't help but laugh. When he heard Sokov say this just now, he was also confused, thinking that using an offensive method to consume the enemy's vitality was simply a fantasy.
But after listening to the tactics Sokov said, he unexpectedly discovered that if he really fought according to this tactic, he might actually be able to achieve the goal of consuming the enemy's vitality.
Andrei smiled and said to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, you'd better tell them what you think. You didn't see that they were so anxious that they were sweating."
"Who is so anxious that he is sweating?!" Yegor, who was covered in cold sweat when he heard what the battalion commander said, retorted: "It's because the stove at the battalion headquarters is burning too brightly."
"There is no stove at all in my command post." Andre said with a wry smile: "The coal for heating has been burned long ago."
It is a good thing that the subordinates have a harmonious relationship, but if they keep making jokes, the meeting will not be able to proceed. Sokov slapped his hand on the table twice and said to them: "Quiet, quiet. Next, I will tell everyone that
What new tactics should be adopted in street fighting attacks?"