What they saw and heard in the police station reminded Sokov that although the German army had not arrived in Stalingrad, the agents they sent were trying to get into the city. And for them, this was not a difficult task. Nowadays, small troops retreating from the front line are entering the city one after another. It would not be surprising if there were several Germans in disguise mixed in it.
As soon as he returned to the brigade headquarters, Sokov sent Asia back to the health team, and then convened all company-level commanders to meet. At the meeting, Sokov first briefly introduced the truth about his detention by the police, and then expressed his gratitude to the commanders who cared about him. Finally, he said: "Comrades in Commanders, there are important tasks to be arranged to call everyone here today."
Seeing that the commanders took out paper and pens and prepared to record, Sokov continued: "Comrades, the fortifications on Mamayev's post have been basically completed. From today on, troops will be sent to the tunnel..."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Wanya couldn't help but interrupt and said, "I think it's better to wait until the German army approaches Mamayev Hill before letting our soldiers enter the tunnel. The air in the tunnel is turbid and the lighting is seriously insufficient. People will feel a strong sense of depression when they stay inside. I'm worried that the soldiers will suffer from mental breakdown if they stay inside for a long time."
What Vanya said was also what many commanders present wanted to say. At this moment, he heard someone who had expressed their thoughts, and he echoed: "That's right, we should wait until the Germans approach Mamayev's hill before letting the soldiers enter the tunnel."
"No." Sokov said firmly after the tent was quiet again: "In order to allow the soldiers to adapt to the life in the tunnel as soon as possible, starting today, the soldiers of each unit will be divided into two groups and will take turns to enter the tunnel, and will be rotated once every 24 hours. After a week, everyone must live in the tunnel for a long time."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," said Vanya anxiously, "I don't understand why you have always insisted on letting our soldiers live in the tunnel. You must know that even if we are shelled by the German army, we will not suffer much loss in the camp behind Mamayevgang!"
"Bombardment may not cause any major losses to the campground behind the hill." Sokov looked at Wanya with a serious expression: "But have you ever thought about it? Once the German army sent bombers to bomb Mamayev hills, our campground behind the hills will become the focus of the bombing. At that time, what kind of casualties will occur in the troops? Even if I don't say it, you can imagine it yourself."
Sokov did not want to get entangled with his commanders on this issue. He said in an orderly tone: "I now announce that the First Battalion and the Second Battalion will enter the South Slope tunnel, and the Third Battalion will enter the North Slope tunnel. As the reserve team of the entire brigade, the Fourth Battalion will continue to stay in the current camp."
"Also, recently, some Germans disguised themselves and mixed up with our troops retreating into Stalingrad. In order to prevent the fortifications in Mamayev Hill from being noticed by the German army, we must strengthen the alert work in the highlands and surrounding areas. Do you understand?"
After everyone agreed unevenly, Andrei asked tentatively: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I want to ask, how big is the warning work we should complete in?"
"Check stations must be set up immediately on all roads leading to Mamayev's Gate to strictly inspect pedestrians and vehicles." Sokov said with a serious face: "Special people must be sent to the fortifications on the north and south slopes to establish machine gun fire points to prevent possible sneak attacks by the German army... The areas and minefields of barbed wire should be set up, and patrols must be sent to conduct 24-hour uninterrupted patrols. If suspicious figures are found approaching, they can be killed directly if the warning is invalid."
Sokov's last words calmed everyone down. After a long time, a company commander asked tentatively: "Comrade Brigade Commander, is this appropriate?"
"There is nothing wrong." Sokov waved his hand at the company commander and said with a striking remark: "Now it is during the war, and those who have approached military buildings without authorization may be destructive elements. After the warning is invalid, you can shoot even if you shoot. If your superiors blame it, I will bear all the responsibility."
After the commanders left one after another, Belkin asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade Brigade Commander, before we got permission from our superiors, we set up checkpoints and alerts to Mamayevgang and surrounding areas without authorization. Is this appropriate?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, a war is imminent. In order to reduce the casualties of the troops in the battle, some things must be prepared for the future." Sokov replied: "Although the German army can find out where our fortifications are as long as it launches an attack on Mamayevgang. But I hope that before the battle begins, the Germans must not be allowed to smuggle into our defense zone."
Hearing Sokov say this, Belkin couldn't help laughing, "Comrade Brigade Commander, you're too worried. I admit that there were Germans who disguised themselves as ours and sneaked into Stalingrad. But the number of people is definitely limited. How do you know that they will definitely come to Mamayev's hill?"
"As long as there are valuable military targets, they are the focus of their reconnaissance." Sokov reminded Belkin: "Comrade Political Commissar, I think you should know that the location of the Mamayev hill is very important. On the high ground, you can look down on the entire Stalingrad and the Volga River. If you control it, you can control a large area, including the Volga transportation line, which is the lifeline of Stalingrad. According to my judgment, the German army will definitely use it as the target of the key attack."
Regarding Sokov's statement, Belkin still said unwillingly: "Maybe the fortifications we built in Mamayev Hill have not been noticed by the enemy at all..."
"Comrade Political Commissar," Sokov interrupted Belkin before he could finish his words: "Let me tell you an inside story. When the German army approached Moscow last year, they once raided the city. Two bombs fell into the Kremlin, one fell into the Weapon Hall and exploded, causing all anti-aircraft gun squads on the roof to be sacrificed; the other fell into the George Hall of the Kremlin, but thankfully, the bomb stuck to the ceiling and did not explode.
The Weapon Hall is opposite Stalin's house and office. The German Air Force's ability to drop bombs is so accurate that it must have been guided by ground personnel. Think about it, where the Kremlin is so heavily guarded, the Germans can lurk nearby and provide guidance for aircraft carrying out bombing missions, not to mention our little Mamayev hill."
The Kremlin was bombed by enemy planes strictly kept confidential, and the number of people who knew it was very limited, and Sokov also learned it through historical materials from later generations. After hearing this news, Berkin widened his eyes in surprise: "Comrade Brigade Commander, are you saying true? Has the Kremlin really been bombed by enemy planes?"
"Yes, Comrade Political Commissar." Sokov nodded and gave Belkin a positive answer: "What I said is true."
Belkin was silent for a moment, and suddenly remembered a topic of interest to him: "Comrade Brigade Commander, do you know why the bomb that landed in George Hall did not explode?"
"When the engineers took apart the bomb, they found that there was no detonator inside, and a note was stuffed inside, which read in German and Russian: 'We are German anti-***ists'."
After hearing Sokov's words, Belkin showed a knowing smile on his face: "It seems that there are also comrades standing on the same front as us in the *** camp."
As the two were talking, the phone ringing on the table suddenly rang. Belkin grabbed the microphone and put it in his ear and said, "I am Belkin, where are you?" After listening for a while, he suddenly showed a surprised expression on his face. After listening quietly for a while, he said to the microphone, "Don't worry, we will send medical staff immediately to the crash site."
After Belkin put down the phone, Sokov asked curiously: "Comrade Political Commissar, what happened? Whose plane crashed?"
"That's right, comrade comrade, comrade," Belkin said, looking up at Sokov, "I just received the City Defense Committee, saying that the plane taken by General Cuikov, the commander of the 64th Army, was intercepted by German fighters on the way to Stalingrad, and unfortunately shot down. According to the report of the observation post, the crash site was three or four kilometers west of Mamayev hill, and the superiors ordered us to send people to find the crashed plane."
When Sokov learned that the plane that Cuikov was on was shot down by a German fighter plane, he couldn't help but feel a sudden slap in his heart. He secretly wanted the general who shined in the defense of Stalingrad and died due to the plane crash. Then the next history might have an unexpected deviation.
Thinking of this, Sokov immediately ordered Berkin: "Comrade Political Commissar, call the health team immediately, ask Pavlov to draw effective personnel, form a medical team, and follow us to the crash site for search and rescue." While Berkin was calling, Sokov rushed outside the tent again, called Selyosha, and ordered him to assemble a guard platoon and carry out the mission with him.
The guard platoon was soon as possible, and the medical team of the health team arrived. Everyone asked in a low voice: "What happened? Why should we send a medical team?"
Sokov heard the chaos outside the tent and knew that the troops had already assembled, so he said to Belkin: "Comrade Political Commissar, I will take people to search and rescue myself, and I will leave the matter here to you." After that, he quickly walked out of the tent.
Chapter completed!