For Sokov, every step he had to take was dangerous. He held the assault rifle in his hand tightly and looked out the grassland that could not be seen outside the window with a warning, fearing that a German army would suddenly appear from somewhere.
But thankfully, what Sokov was worried about did not happen. Before dark, they arrived near the station of Bilyukovsky, where they found a large army.
"Stop, stop immediately!" Seeing that there were a large number of troops in the station ahead, Krimov hurriedly asked the driver to stop the car. After the car stopped, he turned his head and asked Cui Kefu: "Comrade Commander, what should we do next?"
Cuikov looked forward and then ordered his adjutant: "Krimov, take a soldier over and see. If it is our own people, send us a signal."
Krimov agreed, got out of the car and called a soldier in the back car, and carefully moved towards the direction of the Huigang. Because he couldn't figure out the origin of the opposite army, Sokov did not sit here stupidly, but got out of the car and found a place to hide, pointing the gun at the Huigang direction. In this way, even if the Germans occupy the Huigang, he was sure to cover Krimov and the others to withdraw.
After a few minutes, Krimov, who entered the office, waved his hand desperately to this side, indicating that he was his own. After seeing Krimov's signal, Trekov couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and then rushed to Sokov, who was lying on the roadside, shouted: "Get on the car, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov got up from the ground awkwardly and got on the car with a gun.
After the two jeeps drove into the Huijuan Station, Krimov came up and said with a smile: "Comrade Commander, I have figured it out. The commander of the 208th Division is in the Huijuan Station."
"Where is he?" asked Choikov.
Krimov pointed at the bungalows connected not far away: "It's right there."
After Krimov finished speaking, he walked towards the row of houses without saying a word. After approaching, he stopped and looked at the environment, and walked towards a room with sentries standing guard at the door.
"Comrade General," But when Cuikov approached the room, the sentry blocked his way and said embarrassedly: "Comrade Commander gave an order, and he would not want to see anyone!"
"Comrade Soldier," Krimov was a little angry when he saw that Cuikov was stopped by the sentry. He stepped forward and pushed the sentry away, and said angrily: "Didn't you see that you were stopped by a general?"
When the sentry saw the officer in front of him, except for the person who pushed him as a lieutenant, one of the other was a lieutenant colonel and the other was a lieutenant general. He said at a loss: "But, the division commander has issued an order and no one has seen him."
"Okay, comrade warrior." Sokov comforted the sentry and said, "The orders of your division commander are not binding on us. Don't worry, if your division commander wants to blame you, we will explain you." When the sentry heard Sokov say this, he did not dare to say anything else, so he could only take a step back and give up the passage to the room.
Cuikov walked to the door, pushed open the door, and walked into the room. Sokov quickly followed and entered the room. In the middle of the dimly lit room, there was a rectangular office desk. An officer who couldn't see clearly was sitting behind the table. He found someone breaking into the room. He slapped the table suddenly and said viciously: "Didn't I say that no one is allowed to come in?"
"Are you the commander of the 208th Division?" Cui Kefu reached out and pulled the light wire beside the door, but the lights in the house did not light up. It seemed that the power supply here had completely stopped.
"Who are you?" The officer couldn't see the uninvited guest's face clearly. He could only look at the talking Cui Kefu and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I am Lieutenant General Cui Kefu, commander of the 64th Army." After Cui Kefu revealed his identity, he said seriously: "The Front Command has assigned the 208th Division to my command. I am here to find the troops."
Hearing that the person standing in front of him was the commander of the group army, the officer quickly stood up and raised his hand to salute Cui Kov through the desk: "Hello, Comrade Commander. I am Colonel Voskoboynikov, the commander of the 208th Infantry Division. I am waiting for your order, please instruct!"
While Cuikov was talking to his division commander, Krimov took out a candle from his backpack, lit it, and placed it on the table. With the help of the candlelight, Sokov saw clearly that Colonel Voskoboynikov was a bald fat man, about forty years old.
"Please sit down, comrade Colonel." After Cui Kefu called the other party to sit down, he sat down himself and asked, "Why do you refuse to see anyone?"
As soon as Cuikov said, the muscles on Voskoboynikov's face twitched violently. After a long time, he choked and said, "Comrade Commander, I am sad for our soldiers!"
"Sorry for the soldiers?" Cui Kev was stunned when he heard the other party say this, and then he understood what was going on, so he asked tentatively: "Do you know what happened at Chilekov Station?"
Voskoboynikov nodded vigorously and affirmed Cuikov's question: "Our soldiers came here from Siberia thousands of kilometers away. Unexpectedly, they were killed by their own planes before they even saw the enemy. I don't know how to explain the real reason for their sacrifice to my subordinates and the families of the sacrificed soldiers."
In fact, Cuikov was very sad about the accidental bombing at Chilekov station. Especially as soon as the bombing ended, the German ground troops launched an attack. If they had not organized the force to fight back in time, the troops in the area might have been repelled. But at this moment, he saw Voskoboynikov's distraught look and comforted him and said, "Comrade Colonel, when this accidental bombing occurred, I was in a nearby town. When I saw so many soldiers not sacrificing on the battlefield, but were killed and injured by our own planes, I felt very sad. However, it is not the time to be sad. The Germans are about to rush over soon, and there are no fortifications here, so you cannot resist them, so you must transfer to the line of defense we have built as soon as possible..."
When Voskoboynikov heard Trikov say this, he immediately realized the seriousness of the problem and hurriedly shouted outside: "Come, come!"
With his shouting, the sentry appeared at the door and asked timidly: "Comrade Commander, what instructions do you have?"
"Immediately, go and get the political commissar, chief of staff and director of the political department to find here and say I have something important to discuss with them." After Voskoboynikov finished his order, he urged the sentry: "Go quickly."
About five minutes later, there was a burst of chaotic footsteps outside. Soon, someone asked loudly at the door: "Comrade Teacher, what are you doing with us?"
"Comrades," Voskoboynikov stood up from his seat and pointed at Cuikov, who was sitting opposite him, saying, "I'll introduce you to you. This general is General Cuikov, the commander of the 64th Army. From now on, our 208th Division will accept his command."
"Hello, Comrade Commander!" After listening to Voskoboynikov's introduction, the three commanders who had just arrived quickly raised their hands to salute Cui Kov.
After Cuikov stood up and returned the salute to the three of them, he pointed at Sokov and introduced to them: "Let me introduce you, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, the chief of staff of the army's southern cluster, and he is also your superior." Hearing Cuikov say this, the three officers quickly saluted Sokov again.
After everyone sat down, Cui Kefu pointed to the map on the table and said to everyone: "Comrades, from the current situation, there will be no fortifications near the station. Once the German army launches an attack here, you will be unable to resist."
"Comrade Commander," Chief of Staff, waited for Cui Kefu to finish his speech, and immediately asked, "I want to ask, where is the closest line of defense here?"
"Here," Trekov pointed his finger at the location of the Aksai River and said to the chief of staff: "After your division's troops reach the north bank of the Aksai River, they will occupy the defensive positions from the front line of the Antonov town to the village of Jutov, and send enhanced patrols in front of the troops' defense line and on the left."
"Can I ask if I'm willing?" Chief of Staff asked briefly.
Cuikov nodded and explained to everyone: "Analysis from the current battlefield situation, I estimate that the German army is unwilling to get involved with the troops deployed along the railway in the Koternikovo area. They will pass through the towns of Prodovitoye and Jingguta to carry out deep detours. I ask you to strengthen reconnaissance in order to clarify the whereabouts and intentions of the main enemy forces in this area."
The Chief of Staff of the Division continued to ask, "Did all the troops of our division be retreated to the north bank of the Aksai River?"
After Cui Kev finished speaking, he suddenly asked, "If I was not wrong, your division's radio station can contact the troops below?" He asked this, not because he was aimless, but because the accidental bombing happened an hour or two ago. If there were no radio stations, Voskoboynikov would not have known about this in such a short time.
"Yes, Comrade Commander." said the political commissar of the division slowly: "Our radio station can contact the battalion-level units directly, otherwise we would not have learned that our army was bombed by our plane at Chilekov Station in such a short time."
"Since the radio station can still be used, you will immediately send telegrams to the troops below. Orders will be distributed from Nebekovo to the station to Jutovo station and to the front line of Abuganerovo immediately move towards the Aksai River. If the troops cannot be contacted," said Choikov, looking at the political commissar of the division, the chief of staff and the director of the political department: "There are three of you to contact them."
"Comrade Commander," no one objected to Cui Kov's order, but Chief of Staff asked with some concern: "We are not familiar with this area and have no guide. What should we do if we get lost?"
"Don't worry, I'm not familiar with the terrain here, but I still successfully found you." Regarding the concerns of the Chief of Staff of the Division, Cuikov comforted him and said, "You can reach the Aksai River as long as you walk along the railway, where there will be troops to pick you up."
When Sokov heard Cuikov introduce the retreat route to the crowd, he couldn't help but feel a sudden slap in his heart. He remembered that he once told Andrei that he would accommodate more troops, and that as long as the 138th and 157th Divisions were not in the 138th and 157th Divisions would be incorporated. You should know that although the 208th Division had not yet entered the battle, they seemed to be no different from the defeated troops. If Andrei forced them into the sect without saying a word, would Cuikov think he was digging his foot?
After accepting Cuikov's order, the three division leaders stood up and saluted, then turned and walked out of the room. Seeing Sokov's absent-minded look, Cuikov thought he was dissatisfied with the 208th Division's retreat to the north bank of the Aksai River without fighting. He also explained to him specifically: "Comrade Chief of Staff, our southern cluster currently has limited troops, so we must shrink our defense and concentrate all our strength to severely attack the invaders."
When Sokov heard Cuikov say this, he knew that the other party had misunderstood, but he did not correct it, but said according to his meaning: "So that's the case, Comrade General. I think you must have your own considerations when you retreat all your troops to the north bank of the Aksai River. It seems that I am really not wrong."
Trikov raised his hand and looked at his watch, saying to Voskoboynikov: "Comrade Colonel, it's getting late, and we still have a long way to go. You gather the troops right now, and we must set out in the shortest time."
In half an hour, the 208th Division, which had been assembled, left the station and moved towards the Aksai River. Sokov couldn't help but frown when he saw the group of school-level officers walking with Voskoboynikov, and thought it was a real ghost. All regiment-level commanders were acting with the division headquarters. If a fight really happened, the Germans could take the command system at the 208th Division level and above. At that time, the troops scattered in other directions would become a scattered sand because they lost their unified command and were defeated by the Germans.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, what are you looking at?" Trekov saw Sokov's eyes staying at the marching force and asked curiously: "I think you're always looking at the troops."
"Yes, comrade General." Sokov sneered and said, "I think that all the regiment-level commanders of the 208th Division are here, and those troops scattered everywhere are only battalion-level commanders. Once the German army launches an attack on their area, the division commanders and commanders have no soldiers, they will definitely not be able to withstand the German attack at all. And those troops with sufficient troops will not be much better, because without unified command, they can only fight on their own and will soon be defeated by the enemy."
Chapter completed!