The German army was about to attack, so Sokov naturally would not sit still and wait for death. He quickly summoned all the cadres above the platoon for a meeting. Since the space of the battalion command post was too small and could not accommodate so many people, he arranged the meeting location in a cover department next to him.
Seeing that the company and platoon-level commanders were all here, Sokov nodded at Belkin and signaled that the meeting could begin. Belkin stood up, put a hand-painted map on the wall, turned around and said to everyone, "Comrades, the reason we informed everyone to come here for a meeting was because we received a report from the reconnaissance team behind the enemy not long ago: the enemy dispatched two artillery companies, an infantry battalion and a tank company to try to seize our nameless highland..."
When they learned that the enemy was about to launch an attack, before Belkin finished speaking, the commanders below began to whisper and whisper. Although their voices were very small, the whole room was still filled with buzzing noises.
"Quiet, give me peace of mind!" Sokov saw this situation and slapped the table hard and said angrily: "Look at how you look now, are you still like a Red Army commander? You are simply a vendor selling vegetables in the vegetable market. If you have any questions, it will not be too late to ask questions after the deputy political battalion commander finishes his talk."
Seeing Sokov getting angry, the commander sitting below quickly closed his mouth. Several female commanders, including Liuba, stuck out their tongues in embarrassment. Seeing that the room had calmed down again, Sokov turned his head and said to Berkin: "Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, you continue talking!"
Belkin nodded, pointed to the map and continued: "Our nameless highland is far away from the main roads and railway transportation lines, but since it is the only commanding height in the south of the city, it will inevitably become the target of the German army.... In order to provide supplies to the troops that controlled this commanding height, the Germans specially built a simple road to connect their base and the nameless highland..."
After Belkin finished speaking, Sokov stood up and continued, "Comrades, through the story of the deputy battalion commander, I believe everyone understands that if the Germans want to reach Sucinic from this simple highway, they will be killed by fire from the highlands. In other words, as long as we guard the nameless highlands, the enemy will not want to pass here... Okay, here is the time to ask questions. Anyone with any questions can ask!"
The first person who stood up to ask the question was the third company commander Saviev, who had been sticking to the high ground. He looked at Sokov and asked: "Comrade Battalion Commander, although the position on the top of the mountain has been reinforced, it is not a permanent fortification of reinforced concrete. How can my company reduce casualties when under artillery attack?"
Sokov felt very uncomfortable when he heard Saviev's question. He pointed to the map behind him and said to Saviev with annoyance: "Comrade Lieutenant, I remind you to pay attention that the reason I ordered you to build fortifications on the northern slope of the highland was that considering the fortifications on the top of the mountain, it could not withstand the German heavy artillery bombardment. When the German army began shelling, what you had to do was leave two observation posts on the position, and the rest of the soldiers retreated to the fortifications on the north slope to hide, and wait for the enemy's shelling to finish, and then re-enter the position."
After saying this in one breath, Sokov thought of the air defense problem of the position. According to his understanding of the Germans, before the attack, the enemy would not only use heavy artillery bombardment, but also launch air force bombardment. Therefore, he said in the direction where Liu Ba was sitting: "Lieutenant Liu Ba!"
"Come!" Liuba, who was sitting upright, heard Sokov's name click, and quickly stood up from his seat and waited for the other party to give him an order.
"Comrade Lieutenant, if the enemy wants to seize our nameless highland, it will not only carry out bombardment, but also launch air force bombing." Sokov stared at Liuba and said, "Therefore, I will give you the important task of air defense."
"Comrade Battalion Commander, please rest assured!" Since he had made a record of shooting down a German reconnaissance plane after entering this place, when Liuba heard Sokov's order, he replied confidently: "As long as we have an anti-aircraft machine gun, we will definitely not let the German planes bomb our positions unscrupulously."
"And!" Seeing Liuba ready to sit down, Sokov hesitated for a moment, but still resolutely called out to her: "If the German army broke through the third company's position and rushed down from the high ground, I hope you can suppress them with machine gun fire."
"What, let's use machine guns to hit the enemy's infantry?" Liuba thought Sokov's words were ridiculous. Anti-aircraft machine guns were used for air defense, so how were they used to fight infantry? It was a joke. But considering that the other party was her superior, she still explained patiently: "And it is a violation of the regulations..."
"Comrade Lieutenant," Sokov stopped her words before she could finish her words: "Our current priority is to defeat the Germans. Even if there are any practices and regulations, the regulations should be put aside for the time being. Anti-aircraft machine guns can not only be used to attack aircraft, but also to deal with enemy infantry, passenger cars and even armored vehicles. They are also a very effective weapon. Do you understand?"
Seeing Sokov acting so stubbornly, the muscles on Liuba's face twitched violently for a few times, trying to refute, but considering the identity of the other party and others, he opened his mouth and did not say what he wanted to say. He could only bite the bullet and say, "I understand, Comrade Battalion Commander, I firmly obey your orders."
After the meeting, Liu Ba brought three platoon leaders back to the company. Seeing that he returned to his territory, the leader of the rank, Sergeant Kajia, saw Liu Ba's depressed look, asked with concern: "Comrade Lieutenant, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"It's not that you feel uncomfortable," Liu Ba shook his head and said with a wry smile: "At the meeting just now, did you hear that the battalion commander actually asked us to use anti-aircraft machine guns to attack enemy infantry, even trucks and armored vehicles. You must know that doing this is a violation of the regulations. If the superiors blame it in the future, who will bear the responsibility?"
"Comrade Commander," as soon as Liu Ba finished speaking, the third platoon commander Lida said, "I think there must be his reason for the battalion commander to make such arrangements. Let's follow his orders."
"Lida, what are you saying?" As soon as Lida finished speaking, Kajia retorted: "We cannot do things that violate the regulations. If the superiors hold him accountable, Captain Sokov will not admit it. The person who will be criticized at that time will not be our company commander. Comrade Corps, am I right?" She said the following words to Liu Ba.
Liu Ba did not answer her words, but asked Yunya, the second platoon leader who had been silent, and said: "Yunya, what do you think?"
"I'll listen to everyone." Yunya answered ambiguously about the question that Liuba had thrown to herself, "Everyone can do whatever you say."
Chapter completed!