In order to understand the situation on the battlefield in a timely manner, Sokov explained to Sidolin and Vetkov a few words, and then took the two soldiers to the observation room on the top of the hill. It was strange that when he walked, he always felt that his abdomen was so painful that he had to slow down his walking speed and even needed help from others. But today he was walking vigorously in the tunnel, but he did not feel any pain from his abdomen.
When he came to the observation center on the top of the mountain, he found that the first battalion commander Wanya was also here. Sokov couldn't help but ask curiously: "Comrade Captain, what are you doing here?"
"Comrade Brigade Commander," when he saw that the person who walked into the observation site was Sokov, Vanya quickly stood at attention and said, "I saw that the defense zone on the left and right wings of Mamayev Gorge was bombarded by the German army, but our place was calm. It felt so strange, so I came here to take a look."
After hearing this, Sokov nodded and asked the observation post standing next to him: "How is the situation?"
The observation post quickly replied: "Report to the brigade commander, although the friendly defense areas on our left and right wings were bombarded, the enemy's shells tilted towards the factory area of ​​the right wing seemed to be more dense."
After listening to the observation post, Sokov walked to the observation post and raised his telescope. He looked at the city on the left. Although there were black smoke columns everywhere and many buildings burning, judging from the sound of cannons, the scale of the shelling should not be large. He turned the telescope to the factory area and found that there were dark red fireballs everywhere here, and the density was far greater than the direction of the city. It seemed that the German army invested a lot of artillery in this direction.
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Wanya saw Sokov holding up a telescope and watching it, and said carefully: "I want to ask, why are friendly positions on both sides of the left and right wings being shelled by German troops, but we are calm here?"
Sokov put down his telescope and turned his head to Vanya and said, "Comrade Captain, the reason why we were not bombarded here is because several small teams that penetrated deep behind the enemy caused huge losses to the enemy last night. The Germans naturally seemed unwilling to accept this loss, so they drew troops from the front to clear our team. In this way, they did not have enough troops to launch an attack on Mamayevgang."
"So that's it," after hearing Sokov's explanation, Wanya looked suddenly enlightened: "I said why didn't the enemy launch an attack today? So that's what happened. It seems that the active actions of the team attracted the attention of the enemy, forcing them to draw troops from the frontline to destroy our team."
When Sokov mentioned the squad, Vanya immediately thought of his subordinates and asked: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I don't know what kind of results did the squad in our battalion achieve?"
If Vanya hadn't asked about it, Sokov hadn't thought that the results of the team should be promoted to the commanders and soldiers of the entire brigade to achieve a morale boost. Thinking of this, he smiled and said to Vanya: "Comrade Captain, is the captain of the team Lieutenant Fisher?"
"Yes, it's Lieutenant Fisher!" Although seeing Sokov smiling, Wanya still asked with some confidence: "Comrade Brigade Commander, can you tell me what their results were last night?"
"No problem, Comrade Captain, even if you don't ask, I'm going to tell you." Sokov said immediately as soon as Wanya finished speaking: "In the early morning of this morning, they attacked a German convoy with rockets, destroyed seven or eight trucks and two armored vehicles, and eliminated hundreds of German soldiers. This was a pretty good result."
Wanya was overjoyed to learn that the squad had achieved such brilliant results behind enemy lines: "Comrade Brigade Commander, are you all saying true? Did Lieutenant Fisher and others really wipe out so many enemies overnight?"
"Comrade Captain, you are wrong, not overnight, but in just a few minutes." Sokov smiled and corrected Vanya, saying, "The new rockets they carried made great contributions in this operation."
"That's great, this is really great." After verifying the results of the team, Wanya spoke with excitement and trembled a little. He took two deep breaths and tried his best to ask Sokov in a calm tone: "Comrade Commander, are you allowed to go back now and inform the entire battalion of this good news?"
"Of course, Captain Vanya." Sokov said rationally: "Such good news must be shared with the commanders and soldiers in the battalion. You will go back now and make your comrades happy."
After Sokov waited for Vanya to leave, he held up his telescope and observed for a long time. He found that the German army had completely forgotten the Mamayev hill in the middle of the two except for shelling the factory area in the north of the city and the city area in the south of the city. Even on the German positions a few kilometers away, there was no sign of people, and it didn't seem to be launching an attack at all.
As soon as Sokov returned to his command, Vitkov immediately came up and asked with concern: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what's going on outside? Tell us quickly."
Witkov and his team stayed in the command center, and although they could learn about the situation outside through the observation post at the top of the hills, there was always a difference between what they heard and what they saw with their own eyes. Therefore, as soon as Sokov came back, Witkov wanted to learn more about the situation from Sokov.
Sokov sat down at the table first, then poured himself a cup of hot tea, held it in his hand and said to Vetkov: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, I just went outside to take a look. Although our friendly positions on the left and right wings were all bombarded by German troops, according to my observation, the number of shells falling in the factory area seems to be much more."
"This is normal, comrade comrade commander." As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Cidolin interrupted: "Now, the defense lines between the enemy and us in most areas of the city are intertwined, so that when the enemy bombarded this area, their shelling density was much weaker than that of the factory area."
"The Chief of Staff is right." Witkov echoed: "It is precisely because the enemy dare not use artillery fire in the city and the role their tanks can play is greatly reduced, so our remaining troops in the city can stick to this day."
"Deputy Brigade Commander, Chief of Staff, I have a feeling." Sokov said after Vetkov finished speaking, "I think after the German artillery fire stopped, he would definitely concentrate his superior forces to launch a fierce attack on the factory area. You all know that the terrain on the factory area is open, which is conducive to the development of armored forces..."
"If this is the case, it would be bad." Before Sokov finished speaking, Vitkov said hurriedly: "Although there are several defensive troops in the factory area, they are deployed within a radius of dozens of kilometers, and the overall defensive power seems weak. The German army really launched a large-scale attack, and I am worried that they may not be able to defend it."
"Comrade of Deputy Brigade Commander," Sokov remembered that before Vetkov came to Mamayevgang to act as Brigade Commander, he had always been responsible for the defense of the factory area. Now that he knew that the next focus of the German offensive was the factory area, he felt it was necessary to remind the other party and tell Cui Kov his judgment: "I think you should report this situation to Commander Cui Kov so that they can make corresponding arrangements."
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Vitkov showed a wry smile on his face: "Even if I tell the commander about this situation, what can he do? You know, he can't even take out a battalion's reserve team in his hand."
Seeing that Vitkov was unwilling to call Cuikov, Sokov was a little anxious. He said with a serious expression: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, even if the commander does not have any reserve team, if he knew that the focus of the German offensive was the factory area, he could adjust the deployment according to the actual situation."
"Adjust the deployment?!" Weitkov couldn't help but sneer when he heard Sokov say this: "How to adjust? You can't draw troops from one place to strengthen another place, right?"
Witkov's angry words reminded Sokov. He nodded vigorously and said, "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, you are right. If the defense forces in the factory are insufficient, you can only weaken the troops in secondary areas to strengthen the defenses in important areas."
Witkov's face showed a surprised expression: "Comrade Brigade Commander, even if it is a secondary location, if troops are drawn to support other locations, then the defense line here is in danger of being broken through by the Germans."
"Under the current situation, there is no way to do this." Seeing that Vitkov still did not mention calling Cuikov, Sokov continued to explain to him: "If we do not find ways to strengthen important areas, but still use this method of using troops in an average manner, then when we are attacked by the German army, not only the secondary positions may be lost, but even the main positions may not be able to be defended."
Sokov's words made Vitkov fall into deep thought. He knew very well that Sokov was talking about the truth. He wanted to inform Cui Kov, and he was worried that after this matter was reported to the Front Army Command, someone would say that he was "panic elements" and spread "defeatist arguments" everywhere.
Seeing that Vitkov was not speaking for a long time, Sokov guessed the reason for his embarrassment, so he did not continue to force him to call Cuikov, and then took the initiative to express his opinion: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, I am the brigade commander of the Infantry Brigade, so I will call this call. If the superiors want to hold him accountable in the future, I will bear the responsibility."
Seeing Sokov reaching out to grab the microphone, Vetkov finally made up his final decision in his heart, thinking that as long as he guarded Stalingrad, even if he suffered a little grievance, it would be worth it. Therefore, he held down Sokov's hand on the microphone and said with a firm expression: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I'll call this phone. Even if the superiors want to blame him, I'm willing to take all the responsibilities with you."
Witkov said to the microphone: "I am the deputy brigade commander Colonel Witkov. I immediately pick me up the stairs classroom and find Commander Cuikov. I have important information to report to him." The wiring communications soldier did not dare to neglect and helped him connect to the Group Army Command as quickly as possible.
Hearing Cuikov's voice coming from the receiver, Vetkov hurriedly said, "Comrade Commander, I am Vetkov, I have important information to report to you."
Because the shells fell near the headquarters and exploded, Cuikov had to shout at the top of his voice: "I am Cuikov, Colonel Witkov, are you doing anything?... Say it louder, I can't hear it clearly!"
"Comrade Commander," Witkov heard the rumbling cannons from the other end of the telephone line from the receiver, and quickly raised his voice and said: "According to our judgment, after the shelling is over, the enemy may concentrate their superior forces and attack the factory area. Please prepare early."
"Wait a minute, Colonel Vitkov." Amid the sound of cannons, Cuikov couldn't hear clearly what Vitkov was saying, so he could only say to him: "I'll go to the underground shelter to answer your phone, and I can't hear anything here."
After a few minutes, when Cuikov's voice came out of the receiver again, Vitkov could hardly hear the explosion from the receiver. It seemed that he had arrived at a hidden place underground: "Col. Vitkov, what do you have to report to me?"
"It's like this, Comrade Commander, according to Lieutenant Colonel Sokov's judgment, the enemy may concentrate their superior forces after the shelling is over and attack in the direction of the factory." Weitkov was afraid that Cuikov would not hear clearly, so he said loudly: "He beg me to remind you to appropriately adjust the defense deployment of the factory area."
"Adjust the defense deployment?!" Cuikov asked with some amusement when he heard Vitkov say this: "Comrade Deputy Chief of Staff, are you not sure about the current situation of the army? Adjusting the deployment is quite light, but where should I go to find the troops? You know, I can't even take out a battalion reserve team."
"Comrade Commander," said Vitkov carefully after he finished speaking: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov suggested to draw troops from those secondary defensive areas to strengthen the defense of major areas."
"It's simply nonsense!" Cui Kefu couldn't help but get angry when he heard this. He said loudly: "Is Sokov by your side? I'll give him the phone immediately. I want to ask him what is the main defensive area and the secondary defensive area. If I can't explain it clearly, I will definitely not let him go."
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Witkov looked at Sokov with sympathy and handed over the microphone in his hand, "Comrade Commander wants to talk to you!"
Chapter completed!