"I know." After learning that Starcha had eliminated the enemy, Sokov said as usual: "If there are a small number of enemies in the future, there is no need to ask for instructions. After they are eliminated, they will report to the division headquarters. Do you understand?"
From Sokov's tone of speaking, Starcha heard the other party's dissatisfaction, and seemed to have doubts about his ability. He quickly replied: "I understand, comrade, division commander. In the future, if an enemy appears behind us, I will immediately organize troops to destroy them."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander," Sokov put down the phone and looked at Ivanov with some helplessness: "Your old subordinates are brave in fighting and have rich command experience. Unfortunately, they lack subjective initiative and do not know how to adjust and deploy in time according to the situation on the battlefield before receiving the orders from superiors. Fortunately, the enemy has no choice but to defend our defense in Mamayev. If the commander does not have the ability to make a decision in another area, it is easy to suffer a great loss."
If Sokov said this when the Guards Division and the Infantry Brigade had just merged, Ivanov would definitely argue with him. But at this moment, he blushed and replied: "Comrade Commander, you are right. My original subordinates all had such problems. However, during the past ten or twenty years in the army, they had to obey the education of their superiors unconditionally. They suddenly changed to a superior commander with a very different style. They also needed a process of adaptation."
"I understand, comrade of the deputy division commander." Sokov knew that Ivanov was talking about the truth. It was a taboo in the army to take action without permission before receiving the orders from his superiors. The consequence of this phenomenon was that in the early stage of the Patriotic War, the enemy was about to rush in front of him, but some troops did not take any measures. They just stayed there stupidly waiting for the orders from their superiors. As a result, they were annihilated by the enemy before they could wait. Therefore, Sokov said rationally: "The war will continue for a long time, and I can give them time to adapt slowly."
After chatting for a few more words, Ivanov suddenly remembered the small team operating behind enemy lines and asked Sidolin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Guchakov, who is operating behind enemy lines, have any latest news?"
"No." Sidolin shook his head and replied, "I have received no news about them since yesterday's daylight." He said this, paused for a moment, glanced at Sokov, and saw that the latter was staring at the map on the table, and continued, "Since they attacked Gumlak Station, there seemed to be no great results. I guess Lieutenant Guchakov might be looking for valuable targets behind enemy lines."
"Comrade Commander, I want to ask." After Ivanov finished speaking, he looked at Sokov and asked tentatively: "Do you need to send a telegram to Lieutenant Guchakov to urge them to take action as soon as possible?"
After hearing Ivanov's proposal, Sokov pondered for a long time, and finally shook his head and said, "No, comrade, we don't know what the situation behind the enemy is. If we make any instructions rashly and interfere with Guchakov's command, it may be detrimental to their next battle."
…………
Guchakov, who was beloved by Sokov and his friends, led his squad to wander behind the enemy for two days and entered a small village. This place is about twenty kilometers away from the German mobile supply point. In addition to more than forty households in the village, there is also a German corporal and twenty soldiers under his command.
When the German corporal learned that three armored vehicles had entered the village, he came over to ask in person. After saluting Taflin, who had just gotten off the car, he asked politely: "Mr. Lieutenant, which part of you are from? Is there anything wrong with you here?"
"We are from the 100th Hunter Division's search team, and we are ordered to come here to search for nearby guerrillas." After answering carelessly, Taflin raised his chin to the soldiers standing not far away, and asked, "Corporate, why do your subordinates look so lazy? How can they deal with guerrillas like this?"
"Mr. Second Lieutenant, please forgive me." Hearing Tavlin's questioning, the corporal quickly blushed and explained: "Don't look at them wearing our uniforms, they are actually Ukrainians from the Oriental Camp."
"What, is it Ukrainian?" Tavlin was shocked and sweated in a cold sweat. He never dreamed that he would meet a Ukrainian scum who was a lackey for the Germans here. He thought to himself that he would secretly remind everyone later, and never show any flaws. He pretended to be calm and asked: "Corporate, are you not afraid of danger when you stay with a group of Ukrainians? What if the guerrillas hit you and they shot your black gun behind you when they came over?"
"Don't worry, Mr. Lieutenant." The German corporal thought that Tavlin really cared about his safety, so he said carelessly: "These Ukrainians have been strictly identified by the Gestapo and are completely trustworthy people. What you are worried about will definitely not happen."
"Corporate, we have to stay in the village for two days." Guchakov felt that in such cold weather, letting the squad stay overnight in the forest could easily cause frostbite to the soldiers. Therefore, before entering the village, he agreed to Tavlin to settle everyone in the village without revealing his identity. Tavlin asked the corporal: "Can we find a suitable place?"
"Mr. Lieutenant." The corporal replied respectfully: "You have many people and can live in the barn. As for you, there is a small wooden hut next to you, which can serve as a place for you to rest."
Seeing that except for the armored vehicle driver, the other officers and soldiers got out of the car, Taflin winked at Guchakov and Samoilov, and said to the German corporal: "Okay, corporal, hurry up and take us there."
The corporal did not dare to neglect, so he personally served as a guide to Tavlin and the others, guiding them to the place where the barn was.
Tavlin walked into the barn and looked at it. It was quite spacious, with hay on the ground. There was no problem with forty or fifty people living there. Then he walked out and said to the corporal, "Okay, corporal, we will live here. There is nothing you have to do here, you can leave. If we have any needs, I will send someone to find you."
Although Tavlin's move was a bit like destroying bridges across the river, the German corporal dared not speak out. He also said to Tavlin with a smile: "Mr. Lieutenant, I am willing to serve you at any time. If you have any questions, just send someone to call me."
After the German corporal left, Taflin quickly called Guchakov and Samoilov to him and said to them with a serious expression: "The two commanders, things are a bit troublesome. Except for the German corporal just now, the rest of the troops stationed in the village are Ukrainians."
Guchakov and Samoilov didn't understand German. When they saw Tavlin chatting with the German corporals, they were anxious like ants on a hot pan because they couldn't understand what the two of them were talking about.
"What, the enemies at the entrance of the village just now were all Ukrainians?" Guchakov and Samoilov had a shadow on their faces after hearing Tavlin's statement.
After a long time, Samoilov asked Guchakov: "Comrade Lieutenant, in order to prevent exposure, should we kill all the enemies in the village?"
"No." Guchakov immediately rejected Samoilov's proposal: "The number of enemies is similar to ours. If we want to take action, not only will the team suffer casualties, but our identity will also be exposed."
"What should I do?"
"We stay here for the time being, let the soldiers be careful when speaking, and don't let the Ukrainians find flaws." After considering, Guchakov replied: "If there is anything to deal with them, let Sergeant Taflin come forward. Remember, if we have no choice, we must not reveal our identity, do you understand?"
Chapter completed!