"Where have Rodimtev and his two regiments gone?" Not only Tanasolov asked, but even Grov, who had just arrived at the new command from across the Volga River, was asking. Since no one knew the answer, Grov had to consider the worst situation: "Comrade Commander, do you think they would all be killed overnight, or have surrendered to the Germans?"
"Anyway, there are thousands of people in the 13th Guards Division. How could it be that they were all killed overnight? This is impossible." After rejecting this speculation, Cui Kefu continued: "As for sneak attacks, it is even more impossible. How could a unit that fought tenaciously with the Germans put down its weapons and surrender to the enemy?"
"Comrade Commander, I'm talking about two worst possibilities. I don't believe that the 13th Guard Division will be killed or surrendered overnight." Seeing Cuikov's unhappy look, Gurov quickly explained to him: "As the defenders of the city, every defender is precious. Now a unit has suddenly disappeared. All we can do is to find out where they are going as soon as possible."
"Comrade Commander," Krelov and others said, proactively made suggestions: "Now the 92nd Infantry Brigade is stationed there. I think they can be responsible for investigating the whereabouts of the 13th Guard Division. Thousands of living people cannot be gone if they say this. There are always clues to be found."
After listening to Krelov's advice, Cuikov nodded and said, "Comrade Chief of Staff, what you said makes sense. Send a report to Tanasolov immediately and ask him to search for the whereabouts of the 13th Guard Division in the defense zone as soon as possible, and be sure to find out where this unit has gone."
When Krelov went to arrange for the radio operator to send a message, Gurov said to Cuikov: "Comrade Commander, after I went to the East Coast this time, I met the commander and the military commissioner, and talked to them."
Cuikov remembers that Gurov was once a military member of the Southwest Front Army. If it weren't for the failure of the Kharkov Battle, he would have lost contact with the Supreme Command when he led his troops to break through. Maybe he is now a military member of the Front Army, instead of being a deputy to himself and serving as a military member at the army level. Since he could sit down and chat with Yelemenko and Khrushchev, he would definitely know a lot of inside information and asked quickly: "Comrade Military Commissioner, what did they say to you?"
"Comrade Khrushchev said that General Rokosovsky's Stalingrad Front will launch an attack on the enemy from the north on September 20." Gurov said: "The purpose of this attack is to break the enemy's siege on Stalingrad..."
"Military Comrade," Cui Kov interrupted his words before the other party finished speaking, saying with some amusement and laughter: "These contents have been mentioned in detail in the telegram given to me by the Front Command. I would like to ask if there is any other content, such as inside information?"
When Grov heard Cuikov's question, he couldn't help but smile and shook his head: "Comrade Commander, I know what you want to know, but those are all chats between me and General Yerhamko and Comrade Khrushchev, and I can't count them."
When Cui Kefu heard this, the other party seemed to have something in his words and hurriedly urged: "Comrade Military Commissioner, even if it's a chat between you, there must be something that I'm interested in. Just tell me."
"Okay, Comrade Commander." Seeing that Cuikov was so persistent, Gurov said openly: "I know if you don't say something you are interested in, you will definitely pester me and ask. General Yeromemko said that Rokosovsky's troops will use armored breakthrough tactics this time to quickly drill through the German defense line and rush to the Orlovka area to meet us."
After hearing this, Cuikov just said lightly "Oh" and said thoughtfully: "The terrain of the Orlovka region is indeed suitable for the development of armored troops. But if we can think of this, then the enemy can think of this. I am worried that even if Rokosovsky's tank troops break through the enemy's defense line, it will be difficult for us to reach our destination."
"Comrade Commander, you are so pessimistic." Gurov said unhappily when he saw Cuikov's reaction indifferently: "I believe that General Rokosovsky and the Supreme Command have taken into account the issues you are worried about, and they should have measures to deal with them."
Krelov, who had arranged the mission, walked back and stood in front of Cuikov and asked, "If the superiors ordered us to send troops to join forces with the comrades of the Stalingrad Front, should we draw the troops there?"
To meet with Rokosovsky's troops, we don't just send any troops to Orlovka. There are heavy German troops deployed there. If they are not defeated in advance, then meeting will be a joke. After a long time of silence, Cuikov spoke and said, "Now we don't even have a battalion reserve team in our hands. Before the new troops enter Stalingrad, we are powerless to attack the enemy."
"There should be many broken troops in the city," Gurov said tentatively: "Can we organize them and form a new force?"
"If these troops are used to defend, it is still okay. After all, we are engaged in street fighting with the enemy, and the role of the small team is no worse than that of a large unit." In response to Gurov's suggestion, Krelov explained to him: "But we should also see that these soldiers come from different troops. Even if they are temporarily pieced together, they have very poor cooperation with each other. If they are used for attack, it may be difficult to break through the German defense."
Just as Cuikov and his friends were discussing how to meet with friendly forces, Tanasolov received a telegram from the headquarters. After reading it, he said to Andreyev: "Comrade Political Commissar, look at this telegram. It was just sent by the Army Command. Isn't the order they issued? It's not a forceful way!"
Andreyev received the telegram and quickly browsed the above content, he said to Tanasolov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, no matter what, a unit of thousands of people disappeared when it says it is missing. If you don't understand the reason, I think the heads of the headquarters will be restless."
"But, how do we find it?" Tanasolov said in embarrassment: "It has been two days since our brigade has been here. If the 13th Guards Division was just broken up, when we see us appear, we should take the initiative to contact us. How could we have lost all information until now?"
He looked around. Although Vrasov and Krimov were not in the command center at this moment, in order to prevent the wall from being heard, he lowered his voice and said, "Comrade Political Commissar, tell me, will the troops of the 13th Division of the Guards rebel and surrender to the enemy?"
"Is this impossible?" Andreyev expressed doubts about Tanasolov's speculation: "Not long ago, the second battalion commander sent us a telegram saying that more than a dozen soldiers from the 42nd Guards Regiment were found in the station. If Rodimtev really ordered the troops to surrender, how could there be still soldiers staying at the station occupied by the enemy?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, do you think this is a conspiracy?" Unexpectedly, as soon as Andreyev finished speaking, Tanasolov said in a shocking manner: "The wounded were just a smoke released by the Germans, which made us unable to detect the fact that the 13th Guards Division had rebelled and surrendered."
"This is impossible." Andreev said firmly: "You know, although the Germans rushed into Stalingrad, they did not successfully occupy the city, but were forced to fight street battles with our army. If the 13th Guards Division really surrendered, they would definitely make a big publicity to disintegrate our army's morale."
After hearing Andreyev's analysis, Tanasolov felt that there was still some reason, so he nodded and said, "Okay, since you said that the troops of the 13th Guard Division were still in the city, I will send people everywhere to search."
…………
In the past two days, Mamayev's hill became the focus of the German army's offensive, and the Soviet and German sides launched fierce battles here. Although Sokov's troops relied on the tunnel fortifications to carry out tenacious blocking, they still paid a huge price.
Military doctor Pavlov came to Sokov for the first time and complained to him: "Comrade Brigade Commander, there are more than a thousand wounded people in the tunnel now, including three or four hundred seriously injured. You also know that the turbid air in the tunnel is not conducive to the recovery of the wounded. If the seriously injured people are not sent to the other side as soon as possible, they will die of wound infection."
As soon as he heard the word wound infection, Sokov immediately thought that the US military should not have provided the anti-inflammatory drug penicillin to the Soviet army. The medicines used for the wounded to prevent inflammation should be sulfonamides with great side effects and less obvious effects. If the seriously injured people are really kept in the tunnel, the next mortality rate will probably be very high.
Thinking of this, Sokov picked up the phone on the table, called Cui Kov, and said straight to the point: "Comrade Commander, there are three or four hundred seriously injured people in our battalion. We need to withdraw to the east bank immediately for treatment. I hope you can help us arrange the ship."
"Arranging the ship?!" After hearing Sokov's request, Cuikov was immediately furious. "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, do you think I can get a ship? You must know that all ships are used to evacuate citizens from the city or transport weapons, ammunition and other supplies. Not to mention you, even if it is me, it is not easy to use a ship."
"But, Comrade Commander, they really need treatment." Seeing that Cuikov was unwilling to help, Sokov couldn't help but feel anxious. "They were injured to protect Mamayev and Stalingrad. I can't watch them die in the tunnel."
"Comrade Commander," Gurov, who was sitting next to Cuikov, heard Sokov's angry voice and said to Cuikov in a low voice: "I think the 73rd Infantry Brigade can be held responsible for the search for the 13th Guard Division. After all, their base is not far from the 13th Guard Division, so it is most appropriate to ask them to inquire about the truth."
Trekov gave Gurov a thumbs up and praised his advice for being good. But if he wanted Sokov to do his best for himself, he would definitely give them some benefits, so he said to the microphone: "Well, Sokov, you won, I have sent the Logistics Minister to discuss with the commander of the Volga River Fleet to bring your wounded men when they return to the east coast."
"Great, Comrade Commander, this is really great." Sokov heard that Zhukov agreed with his point of view, so he hurriedly covered the microphone and said to the military doctor Pavlov: "Military doctor, the superior has agreed to arrange a ship for us and send the wounded to the other side for treatment. You go back to the health team first. If you have any problems, I will send someone to notify you immediately."
After Pavlov left, Sokov let go of his hand covering the microphone and expressed his gratitude to Cui Kov: "Comrade Commander, I would like to express my gratitude to you on behalf of all the seriously injured." Although under the current medical conditions, even if sent to the field hospital on the East Coast, many soldiers will still die, but they are better than staying in the tunnel and all died.
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Cui Kev took the opportunity to say, "Don't hang up the phone first, I have something to tell you."
Sokov couldn't help but feel a little sad when he heard Cuikov say this. He thought I knew Cuikov agreed so readily, and he must have had some intentions. It seems that he guessed correctly. Maybe there was a mistake in the defense line somewhere, so he asked himself, the firefighter captain, to take people to turn the tide. Although he was very whispering in his heart, he still said insincerely: "Comrade Commander, if you have any instructions, please just say it directly, I will definitely work hard to complete the task you assigned me."
Hearing Sokov's voice, there was a hint of tremolo, Cuikov couldn't help but feel funny. He understood what Sokov was thinking, so he gave him a reassurance: "Don't worry, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, although the current situation is very unfavorable to our army, I will not let you take the troops to somewhere to block the Germans, but have other tasks."
Cuikov's words made Sokov feel much more at ease. His subordinates suffered a lot in the past two days. If they mobilized their troops elsewhere, they would weaken the defensive power of Mamayev's gang. This situation was something he didn't want to see.
"That's right, Lieutenant Colonel Sokov." Before Sokov could speak, Cuikov continued: "It has been two days since Rodimtev's troops and the headquarters have lost contact. The task I give you is to send people to the places where they once were stationed to find out where they were going. Do you understand?"
Chapter completed!