After receiving Sokov's counterattack order, Belkin picked up the phone and wanted to call Lyudnikov and tell the other party about the counterattack. After all, the defenses of the two troops intersect. If he didn't say hello, it would be bad that a misunderstanding occurred during the operation at night.
But when he picked up the phone and heard the voice from the messenger coming out of the receiver, he changed his mind again, feeling that it would be better to go there in person.
When they arrived at the headquarters of the 138th Division, Belkin found that in addition to Lyudnikov, the political commissar of the division, Titov, were also there. The two were sitting at the table, staring at the map on the table, and talking in a low voice.
Belkin stopped, held his hand to his ear, and said politely: "Hello, two commanders."
"So it's Captain Belkin." Hearing Belkin's voice, Lyudnikov turned his head and headed towards the door. After seeing clearly that Belkin was coming, he immediately stood up to greet him. He reached out to Belkin from a distance: "Why are you free today? Come to me?"
After Belkin and Lyudnikov shook hands, they shook the hand from Titov who had reached over, and then spoke to Lyudnikov: "Comrade Colonel, I just received a call from the division commander. He ordered us to launch a counterattack against the enemy tonight, seize as many positions as possible from the enemy, and establish new fire support points."
"Captain Belkin," Liudnikov said nothing, but sat there thinking about the problem. After Titov glanced at him, he said to Belkin: "To be honest, we have also received orders from our superiors to attack tonight, waiting for an opportunity to seize some of the enemy's positions, and tightly restrain the enemy in the factory area, so that they cannot retreat smoothly."
When he learned that Lyudnikov had received a similar order, Berkin did not say his own arrangement, but asked, "Comrade Colonel, I want to ask, what are you planning to act?"
"Captain Belkin," said Lyudnikov, "When I received this order from my superior, my first reaction was that they made a mistake. Think about it, how fierce the enemy's offensive against us during the day, we almost lost all the only position in the barricade factory. But just a few hours later, we ordered us to launch a counterattack. If we can achieve results, there is naturally no problem; but if the counterattack is not smooth, the enemy will take the opportunity to pounce on our position, can we still defend this last position?"
Faced with Lyudnikov's doubts, Belkin said tactfully: "Comrade Colonel, I think the superiors will give us such orders for no reason, but the current situation has developed in a direction that is beneficial to our army."
"The situation is developing in a direction that is beneficial to our army?" Lyudnikov sneered: "Although bridges were built on the Volga River, the superiors did not supplement us with troops and technical equipment, and our forces were already exhausted. If the Germans launched another round of attack, whether we could defend it is a question, let alone launching a counterattack."
"Captain Belkin," continued Titov, "Before you come, we are discussing the order of our superiors. We feel that even if we want to fight back, we need to wait until dawn to figure out the movements of the enemy opposite us before we talk about it."
Hearing Titov say this, Belkin yelled at him: "Don't you know that our army has launched a fierce attack from the German side and rear, and many of the enemy's defense lines have been broken through." However, as for the results achieved by the counterattack troops on the south side of the city, Belkin did not ask Sokov for advice, and did not know whether he could disclose it to Lyudnikov and the others, it seemed very difficult.
Lyudnikov and Titov were considering how to delay the counterattack time, so they did not see the embarrassment on Belkin's face. Since there was something that could not be said, Belkin knew that he would not have much intention to stay any longer, so he stood up and said to the two: "Two commanders, our regiment will launch a counterattack against the enemy's occupied positions tonight at the right time. Since the defense areas of our two troops overlap, please say hello to the troops below to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."
Seeing that Belkin was going to do it alone, Lyudnikov readily agreed: "No problem, Commander Belkin, I will call the commander below immediately and notify them of this matter so as not to have unnecessary misunderstandings."
Belkin returned to his command center with anger, called the three battalion commanders to his command post, and assigned tasks to them.
"Captain Vasily, the first battalion commander, your battalion's mission is to attack the enemy on the southwest side of the defense zone."
"Captain Brisky, the second battalion commander, your battalion's mission is to attack the enemy directly west."
"Captain Shamrich of the Marine Battalion, your battalion's mission is to attack the enemy in the northwest direction."
After a clean and neat task, Bellkin looked at the three battalion commanders and asked, "Do you have any questions?"
"Comrade Commander," as soon as he finished speaking, Vasily raised his hand and asked in confusion: "I want to ask why the three battalions have to take action in three directions at the same time. Can't they all concentrate in one direction?"
"Concentrating all forces in one direction can indeed form an advantage in the situation." After Berkin and Vasily finished speaking, he explained slowly: "But if the attack is frustrated, all troops will be trapped at a little bit and cannot continue to advance. Once the German army deviates from both wings, our troops will be in danger of being surrounded."
"Comrade Commander, aren't there any comrades from the 138th Division?" Vasily heard that Belkin did not mention Lyudnikov's troops at all, so he reminded him: "They can completely cover our flanks."
Berkin waved his hand at him and said, "I forgot to tell you that Colonel Lyudnikov's troops will not participate in tonight's counterattack?"
"Ah?!" The three battalion commanders were stunned by the words of Belkin, and then asked in unison: "Why?"
In front of several subordinates, Belkin couldn't tell the right and wrong of other troops, so he could only say vaguely: "Col. Lyudnikov may have his considerations, but since we can't command them, we don't have to worry about him. You just need to do our business well. Do you understand?"
"I understand!" the three battalion commanders replied in unison.
"I'm emphasizing two points," Berkin emphasized again before letting the three battalion commanders leave: "Because the situation is developing in a direction that is beneficial to our army, in the night attack tonight, you will give me the greater your ability. As long as you can seize the position and eliminate the enemy, you don't have to worry about the casualties of the troops."
"Comrade Commander," some time ago, the first battalion was supplemented by its soldiers, but the second battalion did not. Therefore, Captain Brisky always had a thorn in his heart. When he heard what Belkin said, he said sourly: "If our battalion's troops were all fighting and we could not be supplemented, can we abolish the establishment?"
"Not that serious, Captain Brisky!" Belkin did not hear the sourness in Brisky's words, and comforted him, "Don't worry, the division commander promised me that he would supplement us how many soldiers we lost in the battle."
Brisky and Vasily, who were born in the infantry brigade, had a look of surprise on their faces when they heard Belkin say this. They knew Sokov's character and would definitely count as long as they said it. Since the division commander said that they would replenish their troops, it would definitely not be wrong, so in the battle tonight, there was no need to consider the casualties of the troops.
"There is another point," continued Belkin, "In order to avoid unnecessary casualties, in the early stage of the night counterattack, sneak attack tactics should be adopted. Unless the enemy discovers our actions, do not easily turn from sneak attack into strong attack. Captain Shamrich, do you understand?"
The reason why Berkin reminded Shamrich alone was because he knew very well that this naval battalion consisting of sailors was famous for his good fighting tough battles. If they were not reminded in advance, they might be shouting slogans and rushing towards the enemy's position in the rain of bullets. Even if they barely win, it would be a tragic victory.
Belkin's guess was right. After receiving the combat order, Shamrich did think in his heart that after fighting for so long, he finally had the opportunity to counterattack. When the counterattack began, he took all the commanders and fighters of the battalion, shouting lipsticks of "going forward at full speed", and charged towards the enemy's position, overwhelming the enemy in momentum.
However, when he heard Belkin specifically pointing his name and emphasizing the need to use sneak attack tactics to approach the enemy's position, Shamrich hesitated for a while and replied, "I understand, comrade Commander, we will be trapped in using sneak attack tactics to approach the enemy's position secretly, and then launch an attack unexpectedly."
Seeing that Shamrich understood his intention, Belkin nodded, raised his hand to look at his watch, and said to the three of them: "It's getting late, you all go back to their respective troops to prepare. Our counterattack will start at 2 a.m., when it is the most exhausting moment for the enemy, we will definitely catch them off guard."
Shamrich returned to his battalion command post, and several commanders who were waiting here came up and asked curiously: "Comrade Battalion Commander, what combat mission has the regiment commander assigned us?"
"The regiment commander said that we will launch a counterattack against the enemy in the barricade factory tonight, and our battalion is responsible for the northwest direction of the factory." Shamrich said: "The operation time is two o'clock in the morning."
"Comrade Battalion Commander, let us take the lead." As soon as Shamrich finished speaking, Captain Agranov, the second company commander, couldn't wait to say: "I promise you that we will rush into the enemy's position in the shortest time."
Unexpectedly, after he finished speaking, he saw Shamrich wave his hand at him, and then heard the other party say: "Captain, you are wrong. Our counterattack this time will adopt the tactic of sneak attack. Before being discovered by the enemy, it cannot easily turn into a strong attack."
Deputy Battalion Commander Yakuda asked cautiously: "Comrade Battalion Commander, I want to ask why the superiors suddenly issued such an order? You must know that they are still launching a fierce attack on us during the day, but at night, they ask us to launch a counterattack on them. We have been in the workers' new village for so long and have never encountered such a move."
"From the expression of the leader, he seemed to be very confident in the counterattack tonight." After Shamrich said these two sentences, he said first without waiting for everyone to ask: "But he didn't tell me what the specific reason was."
"Comrade Battalion Commander," said Shapovarenko, deputy political battalion commander, "As far as I know, before serving as the commander, Commander Belkin was once the political commissar of the division commander, and the two had a close relationship. He may have received some rumor from the division commander that he was so confident in this night's counterattack."
Shapovalenko's words were even more alert, and he nodded and said, "Comrade Political Deputy Battalion Commander, you are right. I remember that after the regiment commander assigned the mission, he once told us that the current situation on the battlefield is developing in a direction that is beneficial to our army."
Agranov asked in confusion: "But judging from the enemy's daytime offensive, it doesn't look like he was defeated. How could the situation develop in a direction that is beneficial to our army?"
"Captain, you only see in front of you, and your eyes should be far away." Shapovarenko continued to say: "You and I know that on the periphery of Stalingrad, there are three front troops launching counterattacks towards the enemy. Maybe the battle in those directions has made progress. Therefore, the regiment commander said that the situation is developing in a direction that is beneficial to our army."
"But, Comrade, Deputy Political Battalion Commander." Agranov said dissatisfiedly: "If our army really made great progress on the periphery, why would the enemy's offensive be so fierce during the day? You know, our company alone defeated the German army's seven attacks."
"Okay, stop talking." Shamrich interrupted Agranov's later words, "In the early morning night attack, let's use your second company as the vanguard. Let's go back and prepare first."
Not only Shamricht was confused about Belkin's order, but even Vasily and Brisky were confused. After the two left the command center, Vasily asked Brisky in a low voice: "Comrade Captain, tell me why did the division commander order us to launch a counterattack against the enemy tonight? You know, now is not a good time to fight back."
The Brisky Camp also fought several hard battles with the enemy during the day. He naturally agreed with Vasily's statement: "Captain Vasily, you are right, and I also think the division commander's combat order came too suddenly. I am not optimistic about the counterattack carried out in the early morning."
"Since you are not optimistic, why didn't you raise the mission when the commander was assigning the mission just now?" Vasili asked in confusion: "What's the use of talking about these now? You can't let the commander revoke the order, right?"
"Captain Vasily, I want to remind you of a word. Orders are orders. We can only execute them unconditionally, but discuss them here." Brisky stretched out his hand to Vasily and said kindly: "I wish you victory in advance!"
Chapter completed!