The news that the German army launched an attack on the barricade factory soon reached the Army Command.
When Cuikov heard the news, he frowned and asked Krelov: "Chief of Staff, the German attack on the factory area has been stopped for several days. How could he suddenly launch an attack today?"
Krelov didn't know why the Germans launched a new attack. According to his idea, the Germans' station where the stockpiled supplies was destroyed by the guerrillas. Even if there was a new supplement, it was not enough to support a strong attack. He shook his head gently and said, "I don't know much. Logically speaking, even if they got new supplements from the rear, the amount of ammunition and supplies could not support a high-intensity attack."
Cuikov stared at the map in front of him for a while and asked casually: "How is the situation in the Derrensky factory? How many enemies have attacked them?"
Krelov was stunned at first when he heard Trikov's question, and then replied: "So far, we have not received any reports of attack on the Derzhinsky factory."
"So, the only target of the enemy's attack this time is the barricade factory?" Cui Kefu asked in surprise: "Chief of Staff, tell me, why do they do this?"
Krelov thought for a while and replied: "There are two possibilities. One is that the German army's current ammunition and supplies cannot support them in launching an attack in both areas, and the road bridges leading to the Derzhinsky factory were blown up. They were unable to use various technical equipment in the factory area, so they could only choose the offensive target in the barricade factory that could not be defended."
After hearing Krelov's first possibility, he did not continue talking. He couldn't help but ask curiously: "Chief of Staff, why don't you say it?"
"I have a bold idea," Krelov said tentatively: "The German army launched an attack on the barricade factory to consume our army's inventory of ammunition. After all, among the several troops that were defending the barricade factory, the veterans had been lost, and the rest were newly recruited recruits who had just joined the army. Except for a few militias in the original factory, most of these recruits were temporarily recruited citizens, and they had no combat experience. Once a war broke out, they would shoot at the enemy in panic, causing a large amount of ammunition waste and accelerating the consumption of our army's inventory of ammunition."
Cuikov remembered that after more than two months of fighting, the troops that had been stuck in the barricade factory had almost been completely lost. The only unit with a slightly complete system was the only one left of the 138th Infantry Division of Lyudnikov. Thinking of this, he looked up at Krelov and asked, "Chief of Staff, how many people are left in Lyudnikov's troops?"
"There are about two thousand people." Krelov said bitterly: "They lost 6,000 people. Most of the troops are newly recruited now, and there are very few experienced veterans. If the German army really attacked the barricade factory, I am worried that they might not be able to defend it."
Cui Kefu lowered his head and saw the map, and asked, "Is there any nearby troops that can support them?"
"Col. Sokolov's 87th Regiment of the 45th Infantry Division is closest to the barricade factory." Krelov pointed his hand at the northeast of the barricade factory and said to Cuikov: "When necessary, they can be allowed to enter the factory and assist Col. Lyudnikov's troops in combat."
"No, we cannot use this force." After looking at the map, Cuikov shook his head and denied Krelov's proposal: "The Derzhinsky factory is the focus of our defense, and it is best not to use the troops there easily."
"But once the Germans occupied the barricade factory," Krelov saw the German attempt to attack the barricade factory, and reminded Trikov: "They can turn this place into a place for garrisons. To the north, they can attack the Derzhinsky factory; to the south, they can threaten the flanks of the Red October factory. Therefore, we must do everything we can to protect the barricade factory."
"Isn't there a Sokov group in the Red October factory?" Cui Kov was worried that the Barrier Factory might not be able to defend it, but when he saw the Red October factory below the Barrier Factory marked with the number of the reduced group, his uneasiness and anxiety suddenly disappeared. He gently exhaled a breath of turbid air and said, "Transfer this group to the Barrier Factory and let them help Lyudnikov to defend the factory."
"Comrade Commander!" Learning that Cuikov planned to mobilize Sokov's troops again, Krelov reminded him carefully: "Do you need to say hello to Colonel Sokov in this matter? After all, after the battle of defense of the city began, his troops basically became firefighters. Wherever the situation was tense, they would be transferred. If there was such a big deal, I was worried that he might be emotional."
"This is what it should be." Cui Kov knew very well that if he did not pass through Sokov, he would be a commanding act of transiting the other party. It would probably lead to chaos in the command system of the troops. "I called him personally and asked him to send troops to the barricade factory."
The phone was connected soon. When Cidolin's voice came from the receiver, Cuikov said, "Comrade Cidolin, I am Cuikov, let Colonel Sokov answer the phone."
After a moment, the sound in the earpiece became Sokov: "Comrade Commander, do you ask me to answer the phone? Is there any new combat mission?"
Seeing that Sokov easily guessed his intention, Cuikov nodded and said in a affirmative tone: "Yes, Colonel Sokov, I'm calling you, intending to mobilize your troops deployed in the Red October factory."
Shortly after the enemy launched an attack on the barricade factory, the observation post at the top of the Mamayev hillside reported the situation to Sokov. Sokov was discussing the enemy's intentions with Sidolin, Ivanov and others, as well as whether his superiors would mobilize their troops to reinforce the attacked areas, and Cuikov's phone call came over.
After Sokov finished speaking, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, I want to ask, did the enemy only attack the barricade factory, but not the Derrensky factory?"
"No." Cuikov replied: "We have not received any reports of the attack on the Derzhinsky factory so far. It seems that the enemy is not able to attack two factories at the same time." He paused for a moment and turned the topic back to the mobilization of troops. "When will your troops arrive at the barricade factory?"
"Two hours, Comrade Commander." Sokov calculated the speed of the troops' assembly and advancement in his mind, and gave Cuikov an accurate reply: "My troops will enter the barricade factory on time in two hours."
Considering the importance of this reinforcement mission, Sokov finally asked Cuikov: "Comrade Commander, I plan to lead the troops into the barricade factory myself. Do you allow it?"
Chapter completed!