Sokov just came to the outside of the combat room, but he was blocked by a staff officer who came out of it. Seeing Sokov following the major, the staff officer guessed that he must be the person the commander and the military commissioner wanted to meet, but he still said apologetically: "It's Lieutenant Colonel Sokov? Unfortunately, the commander and the military commissioner have important things now and cannot see you for the time being. Please go to the room next to you for a while."
After the major and the staff officer finished speaking, they immediately said to Sokov: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, please come with me, I will take you to the room next door."
When he arrived at the next room, Sokov found that the benches in the room were full of people. He was wondering who these were and was about to ask the major for advice, but the other party had already approached his ear and said, "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, these are people waiting for the commander and military commissioner to meet. You can sit here and wait for the commander and his friends to finish their work. I will come to you later."
After Sokov left, he saw a seat on the bench near the door, so he walked over and sat down to rest. As soon as he sat firmly, a lieutenant colonel sitting next to him stretched out his hand and said friendly: "Hello, let's get to know me, I am Lieutenant Colonel Lu Sufu, the chief of staff of the 76th Infantry Division."
"Hello!" Seeing that the other party was so proactive, Sokov naturally did not want to be polite. He quickly stretched out his hand, held the other party's hand, shook it twice, and reported to his home, "I am Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade."
After the two of them loosened their hands, Lu Sufu asked casually: "Comrade Sokov, where is your troops stationed?" Now the 76th Infantry Division is stationed a few kilometers away from the Front Command. Lu Sufu took it for granted that Sokov's troops should also be nearby.
Lu Sufu's question really stopped Sokov. His troops are now divided into two, and almost all his old subordinates are sticking to Mamayev's post; while the newly added sailors are still in the Red October Town. For a moment, Sokov really didn't know how to answer Lu Sufu's question.
Seeing Sokov not speaking for a long time, Lu Sufu thought he was worried about leaking military secrets, so he smiled and said to him: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, everyone here is his own people, and what we are talking about is not a military secret. Don't worry and boldly say it."
Hearing Lusufu say this, Sokov nodded and said, "My original troops are still stationed in Mamayev's hill; and the newly added troops are currently in Red October Town."
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, Lusufu jumped out of his seat and shouted in surprise: "What, the heroic troops that are holding onto Mamayev's hill are you commanding?"
"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel Rusuf." Sokov nodded and said in a modest tone: "Before the Germans attacked Stalingrad, my troops were stationed in Mamayev. We did repel many fierce attacks from the Germans, but when it comes to heroic troops, I think we are not qualified."
"Look at what you said," Sokov said as soon as he finished speaking, a major next to him stood up and walked over to shake hands with Sokov, saying in a worshipful tone: "If your troops are not considered heroic troops, then which troops are worthy of the title of heroic troops."
"That's right, right." As soon as the major finished speaking, the other commanders in the room said in a verbal manner: "I heard that the Germans used planes, tanks and cannons, as well as more than two divisions of troops in order to seize the Mamayev hill, but they still failed to occupy the Mamayev hill."
"The current battle situation in the city can maintain this stalemate in front of us all rely on the troops guarding Mamayevgang. If the enemy is allowed to occupy Mamayevgang, then our defenders in the city will be completely divided by the enemy!"
After everyone praised Sokov, a commander suddenly asked: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, shouldn't you command the troops in the city? Why did you appear here?"
The commander's words aroused the curiosity of everyone. Everyone focused their attention on Sokov and wanted to hear how he explained it. Sokov considered that what he had experienced should not be considered an important military secret, so there should be no problem explaining these intermediate commanders. So he ordered himself to go north to pick up friendly troops. After waiting for friendly troops for a long time, his retreat was cut off by the enemy and forced to break out to the north, he said it in detail.
"It turns out that the German position north of Orlovka was broken through by your troops." Lusufu said with emotion: "Before you came here, I was still discussing with you which unit was so brave that it could break through the enemy's solid defense so easily."
Sokov thought that he had just left the Don River Front Army for half a day, but everyone here knew that the position north of Orlovka had been occupied by our army. He was about to ask, but he heard a commander say: "When I came to meet the commander, someone happened to report to him that the enemy had noticed that the position was lost and was organizing troops to counterattack. The commander was anxious to handle the affairs there, so he sent me here."
From the words and words of the crowd, Sokov roughly learned about the current situation. The 98th Division, which took over his defense, had been noticed by the enemy and was attacked fiercely. However, what puzzled him was that the Don River Front was now fighting fiercely with the enemy. What was the matter with his Stalingrad Front?
Lusufu raised his hand and patted Sokov on the shoulder twice, saying, "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, you may not know that the division commander sent me here to accept the task."
"Accept the task, what task?" Sokov asked curiously.
"Don't you understand yet," Lusufu explained to Sokov with a confused look on his face, "According to the information I have received, the superiors are planning to send our division into the city, attack Orlovka, and join the friendly forces there."
If it were in the past, Sokov was not optimistic about the meeting in the Orlovka area, but since friendly forces had already set a wedge in the north, it would be possible for the two troops to join. Thinking of this, Sokov asked curiously: "Lieutenant Colonel Lusufu, I wonder when your division will enter the city?"
"I don't know." Lu Sufu shook his head and said, "The enemy is attacking friendly positions north of Orlovka. Once the enemy consolidates the defense in that area, our division will not be of use even if it enters the city. Therefore, I think the superiors will postpone our division's entry into the city."
Sokov was talking to Rusufu, and the major who led him walked in from outside again and said politely to him: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, Commander and Military Commissioner, please come over!"
When everyone learned that the commander and military commissioner were going to summon Sokov, they all cast envious eyes at him. Lu Sufu also pulled the major's clothes and asked, "Comrade Major, I don't know when the commander and military commissioner will see me."
"The commander and the military commissioner are very busy." The major replied impatiently, "They will naturally meet you when they have time. Just wait patiently here."
As soon as he walked into the war room, a major general came over and asked with a smile: "Is it Lieutenant Colonel Sokov?"
"Yes, Comrade General." Sokov quickly stood at attention and straightened his body and replied: "I am Sokov!"
"Hello!" The general stretched out his hand to Sokov and introduced himself: "I am Major General Varennikov, the chief of staff of the Front Army. I am very happy to see you."
"Same!" Sokov asked straightforwardly, "Would you have any important instructions to ask me to come here?"
Varennikov pointed to the room with the black curtain hanging down and said, "The commander and the military commissioner are in the room. They are waiting for you. Go and meet them quickly."
Sokov followed the direction of Valennikov's finger and came to the curtain and shouted loudly: "Report!"
"Come in!" Khrushchev's familiar voice came from the room.
After lifting the curtain and walking in, Sokov found that the room he was in was very small, with only a small wooden table in the room. There was one person sitting on both sides of the table. The one on the left was wearing a military uniform and four Venus stars on the diamond collar; and on the right was a bald man in gray casual clothes. Sokov recognized at a glance that these two were General Yermenko, the commander of the Stalingrad Front, and the military commissioner Khrushchev.
After he raised his hand to salute, he reported according to the regulations: "Report to the commander, military committee member, and Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, came to report, I obey your orders, please give instructions!"
"Lieutenant Colonel Sokov," Khrushchev, on such occasions, still formally called Sokov's surname and military rank. He stood up and walked to Sokov, held his hand and said, "Our hero, welcome you back!"
"Hero?!" Sokov was confused when he heard Khrushchev called him that. He quickly said modestly: "Comrade Military Commissioner, I can't afford this title!"
"There is nothing you can't afford. The merits you have made and the achievements you have achieved can be fully worthy of this title." Yeliaumko stood up, supported his body with his cane and walked a few steps towards Sokov, handed over a brocade box in his hand, and said with a smile: "Hold it, this is the medal awarded to you by his superiors!"
"Medal?!" Sokov took the brocade box from Yeliaumko in surprise, opened it and saw a shiny red flag medal lying inside. Although Sokov had two medals, it was the first time he received the Red Flag Medal. He hurriedly thanked Yeliaumko and Khrushchev for awarding such honors.
Unexpectedly, after hearing this, Khrushchev waved his hand and said, "We originally applied to our superiors to award you the title of "Soviet Hero" and the Venus Medal, but unfortunately our superiors failed to pass, so they only gave us this Red Flag Medal. Put it away, this is the honor you deserve."
Chapter completed!