Perhaps to reassure Sokov, when the rocket was transported to the other side of the Volga River, Vitkov also called Sokov at the Front Command.
Witkov said on the phone: "Comrade Brigade Commander, we have successfully arrived at the Front Command. However, because the German air force and artillery blocked the river surface very hard, for safety reasons, I plan to wait until it gets dark before transporting the rocket across the river."
"Great, comrade Colonel." Sokov was overjoyed to learn that the rocket could be transported from across the river after dark, but he did not get carried away, but tried his best to control his emotions and said to Vitkov: "When you cross the river, you must pay attention to safety and minimize the casualties of the troops."
"Don't worry, comrade comrade commander." Witkov said with great confidence: "On the way back to the left bank from Kamisin, I negotiated with the commander of the Volga Fleet. They will send the best sailors and the best ships to help us transport these rockets to the other side."
When he learned that Vitkov and his team were receiving help from the Volga River Fleet on their way to transport ammunition, Sokov quickly said in an official voice: "Comrade Colonel, please express your gratitude to the sailors and soldiers of the fleet on behalf of our entire brigade!"
"Comrade Brigade Commander, I know, so don't worry."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he called Sidolin over and said to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, immediately notify the battalions that were ready to be sent behind enemy lines. The original departure time was cancelled and the new departure time was waiting for my notice."
Sidolin looked at Sokov with a blank look on his face and asked, "Comrade Brigade Commander, what happened? Why did he suddenly change the departure time of the team?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff," said Sokov with some smugness: "Col. Vitkov just called and said that the rocket had been transported to the headquarters of the Front Command and could be shipped for darkness."
When Sidolin heard that the rocket had reached the other side, his eyes lit up and immediately guessed the reason why Sokov wanted to change the departure time of the team: "I understand, comrade brigade commander, you changed the departure time of the team to wait for the deputy brigade commander to transport the rockets over, so that each team could bring several rockets."
"You guessed it right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov saw that Sidolin guessed his intention, and said with a smile: "I plan to let each squad bring a launcher and ten rockets, so that they can attack German commands, camps, warehouses and other important targets at a safe distance when they arrive behind enemy lines."
When Sidolin heard Sokov say this, he immediately imagined the scene of Goria and his team using rockets to destroy the German regiment headquarters, and then nodded and said, "Comrade Brigade Commander, if every team that penetrates deep behind the enemy uses rockets to strike important targets in the rear of the German army, the enemy may fall into complete chaos."
"The enemy is in chaos, which is the result we want to see," Sokov said with a smile on his face. "In this way, they have no extra strength to continue to attack Mamayev's hill or other important military facilities. And we can use this precious time to strengthen the fortifications and rest the troops to wait for the next round of counterattack."
When Sokov mentioned the counterattack, Cidolin couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, and then asked tentatively: "Comrade Brigade Commander, have you heard any news that our army is going to counterattack the enemy?"
"I stay in this command center with you every day. Many of the news I hear are conveyed to me by you." Sokov looked at Cidolin and said teasingly: "How could I know something you don't know!"
Sidolin smiled embarrassedly, and then asked Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, when do you think your superiors will launch a counterattack against the German troops in the Stalingrad region again?"
"In early September, three armies commanded by Zhukov launched a counterattack from the north of Stalingrad, but due to insufficient preparations, the attacking troops lacked sufficient artillery support, and there was no air supremacy, so our counterattack ended in failure." Sokov did not directly answer Cidolin's question, but talked about the two failed counterattacks at the beginning of the month: "A few days later, General Rokosovsky's Stalingrad front army launched another attack from the northwest direction, and Commander Cuikov also pieced together several divisions of troops and cooperated with the opponent inside and outside. Unfortunately, this counterattack ended in failure."
Hearing this, Cidolin felt that he had understood something, so he asked carefully: "Comrade Brigade Commander, if I was not wrong, what do you mean if our army launched a counterattack hastily, it would fail due to insufficient preparation. If you want to achieve a successful counterattack, it must take a considerable time to accumulate strength and hoard the materials needed for the combat?"
After Sokov finished speaking, he gave him a thumbs up: "Comrade Chief of Staff, you have a very correct analysis. If our army's counterattack is successful, it will take one or two months to gather troops and hoard the war materials. After being fully prepared, we will launch an attack on the enemy, so that we will have a greater grasp of victory."
"Then how long do you think we will have to wait for a big counterattack to decide the final victory or defeat before it can come?" Cidolin asked in an uncertain tone: "One month, two months, or longer?"
Sokov remembered that the Soviet army launched a counterattack on the German army from different places on November 18 and 19, and there were almost two months left before now. So he pretended to be thinking hard, thought for a long time, and finally said to Cidolin: "I think according to the speed of our army's assembly and the transportation of materials, it may be possible to carry out a powerful counterattack on the German army in late November."
"Ah, we have to wait until late November?" When Sokov said this, Sidolin's face showed a disappointed expression: "I really didn't expect that we would have to wait for that long."
"There is no way. Comrade Chief of Staff, the preparations for the large corps are quite cumbersome and the time it takes will not be too short. I said that it will be considered very fast by late November. If it doesn't go well, it may be delayed until early December..."
"Early December?" Cidolin couldn't help but interrupt and asked, "Comrade Brigade Commander, tell me, will the big counterattack in the Stalingrad area be the same as the time of the big counterattack under Moscow last year?"
Chapter completed!