Since Golikov left, Sokov has cut off important sources of information, so that Sokov knew nothing about whether Wolsky's mechanized 4th Army captured the Don Bridge in Karachi; whether he could join forces with the 4th Tank Army of the Southwest Front that was heading south at the original time.
In fact, let alone Sokov, even Cuikov, the army commander, still knew nothing about the war situation in the Don River Basin. He finally took advantage of the opportunity to report the results and called the Front Command, wanting to inquire about the situation of friendly forces from Yelemenko or Khrushchev, but the Chief of Staff Varenikov, who answered the call, told him in a regretful tone: "I'm sorry, Comrade Cuikov, the commander and the military commissioner are not in the headquarters."
When Trekov learned that Yelyemko and Khrushchev were not there, he couldn't help but ask curiously: "Where did they go?"
"The situation on the battlefield has changed," Varenikov said vaguely: "The commander and military commissioner are now in Tolbukhin's 57th Army."
"What, they all went to the 57th Army?" Cui Kefu was shocked when he heard this. He knew very well that the 57th Army was located on the left wing of the entire Front's counterattack force. Now the two front leaders have rushed over. Did something big happen? He quickly asked carefully: "Comrade Chief of Staff, is there something wrong there?"
"Yes, something happened. It's just a good thing." Varennikov replied with a smile: "General Wolsky's mechanized 4th Army has successfully occupied the Don Bridge and recovered Karachi from the enemy. Now the mechanized 36th Brigade of the army continues to advance westward and rushes to join the friendly forces going south."
"What? General Wolsky's troops have recovered Karachi and occupied the Don River Bridge?!" When Cui Kefu heard this, he couldn't help but raise his voice. The busy staff and correspondents around him heard what Cui Kefu said. Everyone stared at Cui Kefu for a moment and continued their work, but everyone's faces were filled with joy.
Cui Kefu naturally noticed the changes in the expressions of the commanders and soldiers, and quickly coughed gently and said to the microphone: "Thank you, Comrade Chief of Staff, thank you for telling us such good news."
After putting down the phone, Cuikov raised his hand and slapped his hands. After attracting everyone's attention, he said loudly: "Comrades, I want to tell you good news. General Wolsky's mechanized 4th Army has successfully recovered Karachi and occupied the Don River Bridge after a fierce battle. Now the mechanized 36th Brigade of the army is advancing westward and preparing to rush to meet with friendly troops heading south!"
"Ula!Ula!!Ula!!!" As soon as Cui Kefu finished speaking, a deafening shout sounded from the command center. The sound was so loud that it seemed to lift the roof up. The soldiers standing guard outside couldn't help but look into the room when they heard the shouts from the command center.
"Comrade Commander, this is really great news." After calming the shouts in the room, Krelov walked to Cui Kev and said to him: "I will immediately inform the subordinates of the army of the group to make everyone happy, and maybe it will also play a role in boosting morale."
Although the entire army troops have been carrying out counterattacks in recent days, except for the 41st Guard Division, which fought position wars, the rest of the troops fighting for factory and residential areas have made slow progress. The distance they are moving forward every day is in meters.
"I agree." Cuikov nodded and said to Krelov: "Immediately notify all troops of this good news. The first thing to notify is Sokov's 41st Guard Division. In the past two days of battle, their division's performance was the most outstanding."
As soon as Chokov mentioned Sokov's troops, Krelov remembered an important thing: "Comrade Commander, there is one important thing that I almost forgot to report to you."
"What's the matter?"
"According to the scout report, the 24th Armored Division of the German Army stopped its retreat, and there seemed to be signs of going south." Krelov pointed on the map with his hand: "I am worried that they will attack Sokov's right wing."
Hearing Krelov say this, Trekov frowned and asked, "So what about our troops on Sokov's right wing?"
Krelov replied with a wry smile: "Comrade Commander, the problem is here. There are only sporadic small troops and militia units, and there are really no large units in the establishment. Once the German army launches an attack, the Sokov troops will be cut off in half."
"Yes, this is a headache." Cui Kefu said with a wry smile: "From the recent attitude of the Front Command, it is impossible for them to send us new reinforcements in a short period of time, which means that we cannot use any force to strengthen Sokov's empty right wing."
"Yes, Comrade Commander." Krelov nodded and said with a embarrassed look: "I have been thinking about how to consolidate Sokov's flanks to ensure the defensive zone we just seized."
Cuikov slapped the area just occupied by the Sokov troops with his palm and said, "Yes, this place was exchanged for our soldiers' blood sacrifice and their lives. It must not fall back into the hands of the Germans. We must find a way to consolidate Sokov's flank."
If there is still a reserve team, what Cuikov and Krelov are worried about is nothing. Just send the reserve team to Sokov's flank to defend. But the clever wife cannot cook without rice. Now the two of them have no extra troops in their hands, so they can only watch Sokov's weak flank worry.
After a while, Krelov spoke tentatively, "Comrade Commander, can we tell Sokov about the current situation, and then ask him if there is any solution?"
The dreamer woke up. When he heard what Krelov said, Cuikov slapped his hand on the table, nodded and said, "It's right, let's leave this question to Sokov to find a solution. He has many ideas for fighting, and maybe he can really come up with any good solutions."
After the two agreed, Cuikov called Sokov himself. After the phone was connected, Cuikov first informed Sokov of the good news just now, and then mentioned the weak flank defense of the 41st Division of the Guards, and finally asked: "Col. Sokov, do you have any solutions to solve this problem?"
"Comrade Commander." Sokov learned that Wolsky's troops had indeed occupied Karachi and the Don River Bridge. After less than a minute of happiness, he heard Cuikov mentioning his weak flank defense, and now facing attack from the 24th Armored Division of the German Army, so he had to consider it carefully. After some thought, he solemnly said: "Comrade Commander, it is obviously impossible to ask the superiors to dispatch new troops to strengthen the flank defense of our division. This is how I considered, whether the reduction regiment stationed in the barricade factory can be built, and they will be responsible for the flank defense of our division."
When Cuikov learned that Sokov planned to return Belkin's regiment, he was still reluctant to let it go. You must know that it was precisely because of the existence of this regiment that the battle of the Barrier Factory could barely suppress the Germans. If they were transferred, then the Lyudnikov's division would become lonely and it is hard to say what changes would happen to the Barrier Factory.
It was precisely for this reason that Cuikov quickly covered the microphone with his hands and whispered to Krelov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, Sokov wants the Belkin regiment to be built. What do you think we should do?"
"Comrade Commander," Krelov thought for a moment and replied, "We can find other troops to replace the regiment and let them take charge of the flanks of the Sokov Division."
"But once they are transferred, the situation in the barricade factory will become serious again." Cui Kefu was unwilling to give up easily and finally got a good situation, so hesitated: "I am worried that the troops that will take over their defense will probably play a limited role."
"But if the Belkin regiment is not allowed to return to the construction and other troops to strengthen the flanking defense of the Sokov division, I am worried that they will not be able to withstand the offensive of the German tanks." In order to convince Cuikov, Krelov continued: "The commanders and fighters of the Belkin regiment are all Sokov's old subordinates. I believe that they will come up with various solutions to protect the flanking safety of the Mamayev hill."
"Well, since you say that, we will return the Belkin regiment to Sokov." After Trikov said that, he let go of his hand covering the microphone: "Col. Sokov, I agree with your request that the Belkin regiment in the barricade factory will be built in the shortest time, and they will be responsible for the defense of your right wing."
"Great, this is great." Sokov was overjoyed when he heard Cuikov say he was going to let the Belkin regiment return. After thanking him, he expressed his determination to Cuikov: "As long as the shrinking regiment is responsible for the defense of our division's right wing, it will be enough to withstand any attack from the German army."
"By the way, I have one more thing to tell you." Cui Kov said to Sokov before putting down the phone: "According to reliable information, the military rank is being reorganized, and the ranks of political workers will become the same as those of military commanders. When the new rank system is officially implemented, we plan to award him the rank of lieutenant colonel."
"Thank you, Comrade Commander." Sokov said politely after he finished speaking: "On behalf of Commander Belkin, I would like to thank you."
"Comrades," Sokov raised his voice to everyone in the room as he lowered his phone, "I will tell you good news now. General Wolsky's mechanized 4th Army has successfully occupied the Karachi and the Don Bridge. At this moment, the troops they sent are advancing westward to welcome the friendly forces going south. As long as they meet with friendly forces, they can successfully cut off the German retreat and surround the Stalingrad region by the enemy that we have fought with for several months."
After Sokov finished speaking, a burst of cheers suddenly aroused. Sidolin leaned into Sokov's ear and said loudly: "Comrade Commander, this is a rare good news. I think we should inform all the commanders and soldiers of the division immediately so that everyone can be happy."
"Well, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov also approached Sidolin's ear and shouted to him: "You call the commanders yourself and inform them of this good news."
When the indoor calm returned to the ground and everyone continued their work, Sokov said to Anisimov, who was sitting next to him, who was about to become a transparent person, "Comrade Political Commissar, please tell the good news through the radio and tell the soldiers and wounded who were still in the tunnel, so that everyone will be happy."
Just as the commanders and fighters of the 62nd Army were excited to win the capture of Karachi and occupy the Don River Bridge, the 36th Brigade commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Rotionov had successfully broken through the two lines of defense of the German army and advanced twelve kilometers westward.
Rotioff, who was marching, suddenly received a report from the vanguard, saying that a large number of German troops were found in front of him, including about two infantry battalions, one tank battalion, and artillery. When Rotioff heard this, he quickly ordered the vanguard troops to prepare for combat and ordered the follow-up troops to speed up and rush over to reinforce.
However, after waiting for a while, Rodioff not only did not hear the imaginary gunfire sounds coming from the front, but instead cheered: "What's going on?" He frowned and asked himself, and then said to the radio operator beside him: "Call the vanguard immediately and ask them what's going on?"
After the radio operator connected the battalion commander of the vanguard, he handed the headphones and the sender to Rotihonov. Rotihonov said loudly to the sender: "Comrade Captain, what happened there? Why didn't I hear the sound of gunfire, but only the cheers?"
"Report to comrade comrade commander." The vanguard battalion commander on the other end said excitedly: "We have joined forces, we have joined forces with friendly troops!"
"What? What did you say?" Hearing the battalion commander's good news, Rodioff thought he had heard it wrong, so he quickly said loudly to the sending machine: "Repeat again, what happened?"
"Report to comrade comrade commander!" This time the battalion commander tried hard to control his emotions and tried his best to report in a steady tone: "One company of mine has just met with friendly troops heading south at the Soviet farm."
"It's time to meet, it's really time to meet!" This time it was Rodiov's turn to be excited. His lips trembled a few times and he asked with a heavy breath: "Which part of the other party is from?"
"They are troops of the Southwest Front and the vanguard of the 45th Brigade of the 4th Tank Army commanded by General Kravchenko." The battalion commander continued to report: "After we met with friendly forces, the Germans, who originally wanted to fight with our army, saw that the situation was not good, put down their weapons and surrendered to us."
"Great, Comrade Captain, this is great." Rodioff said excitedly: "I'll hurry over and meet with the commanders of the friendly forces."
After the call, the communications soldier asked Rotionov tentatively: "Comrade Brigade Commander, do you need to report this good news to the army immediately?"
Chapter completed!