The hugs of Sokov and Shivakov seemed to have issued an order to attack all the commanders and fighters present. Amid the cheers, two commanders and fighters from different directions rushed into each other's queues and hugged each other tightly. They used warm hugs to express their inner joy.
"Thank you for your hard work, Colonel Sokov." Shivakov, who embraced Sokov, said excitedly: "It is your tenacious battle that prevents the enemy from occupying this heroic city, and we have today's meeting."
"Comrade Colonel, today is our meeting, and tomorrow it will be our turn to attack the enemy." Sokov said loudly: "It is now the day to pay back the blood debt from the enemy."
"Col. Sokov," Sivakov pulled a thin commander after letting go of Sokov and introduced him to Sokov: "I'll introduce you to you. This is my political commissar, Lieutenant Colonel Yegorov."
"Hello, lieutenant colonel." Sokov first raised his hand to salute, then shook hands tightly with the other party. Next, he introduced Ivanov and Anisimov behind him to Sivakov and Yegorov.
"Comrade Colonel," Sokov approached Sivakov's ear and asked loudly, "Should we find a place to have a good talk?"
"Okay, Colonel Sokov." The cheers around made everyone shout at the top of their voices, which was indeed not suitable for talking about important things. "Find a place to talk well."
A few minutes later, five division leaders of the two divisions sat in a German command post. After everyone sat down, Sokov asked straight to the point: "Col. Sivakov, I want to ask, how many troops are there in your division?"
"There are about four thousand people." After Sivakov finished speaking, he might feel that his statement was not accurate enough, and added: "Of course, this is the data counted last night. Today, we have paid a certain price to seize the enemy's position."
When Sokov heard Shivakov say this, he couldn't help but frown. According to his idea, the other party should provide him with at least five thousand troops before, so that he can win when attacking the department store. Who knew that the other party now has only more than three thousand people. In addition to the necessary left-behind forces, it is still an unknown whether he can get enough 3,000 people for him.
Seeing Sokov's frown, Shivakov asked with concern: "Col. Sokov, how many troops are there in your division?"
"I don't know much about the specific numbers." Sokov said carefully: "But there are still six or seven thousand people."
"There are six or seven thousand people?" Shivakov said with a surprised expression on his face when he heard this: "But as far as I know, the infantry divisions evacuated from the city usually have only a few hundred people left. There are still six or seven thousand people in your division, which is simply incredible."
"Comrade Colonel," Ivanov coughed and interrupted, "Because the Mamayev hill that our division has adhered to, built solid fortifications long before the war broke out, so in the battle, we relied on the fortifications to preserve enough troops."
"Col. Sokov, I want to ask." Seeing Sokov's heartfelt look, Yegorov couldn't help asking: "What do you need so many troops?"
"That's right, comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Considering that there is no need to hide some things in the future, Sokov said bluntly: "We discovered the location of the Paulus Command, and planned to join forces with your division to launch an attack there. If there is less force, it may not be easy to break through the German defense."
"What, you found the location of the German headquarters?" Shivakov was startled when he heard Sokov say this, and then he thought to himself whether he needed to report the matter to Commander Batov immediately. But then he thought that the other party had not told him the specific location and had not confirmed whether the matter was true. He reported it rashly, which was also a joke. Don't mess with the 65th Army in the future. Thinking of this, he asked tentatively: "Col. Sokov, are you sure that it is the location of the German headquarters?"
"At least 70% chance," Sokov said without saying too slowly, "I arranged for a reconnaissance team to monitor nearby. Based on the intelligence they kept sending back, it is certain that even if it was not the German command, it was at least an army-level command."
From the outbreak of the war to the present, the Soviet army had only lost some German regiment-level commands at best, and the division-level command was too far from the front line. Once it was found that something was wrong, these German officers would flee in advance. Now that he heard that it was at least an army-level command, Sivakov couldn't help but be moved. He looked at Sokov and asked, "Comrade Colonel, I want to ask when can the attack be launched there."
"Who do you have a map?" Sokov turned his head and asked Ivanov and Anisimov on the left and right: "It will be easier to explain with maps."
Unexpectedly, neither of them brought a map with me. In the end, Shivakov took out a map from his shoulder bag, expanded it and placed it on the table.
"Comrade Colonel, please look here." Although both sides were friendly forces next, considering the possibility of the other party's robbery, Sokov did not directly point out the location of the Paulus headquarters, but pointed to the railway station and said to them: "According to my judgment, the enemy's command should be located here at the railway station. There are a large number of stone buildings and rails and carriages in the station, which can be used to build a complete defense system. To seize such fortifications, we may suffer a lot of casualties."
Although Shivakov, who had never been to Stalingrad, was on the map, he could see that the terrain near the railway station was indeed very conducive to defense, so he frowned and asked, "Col. Sokov, please be honest. Even if our two divisions join forces, it would probably not be easy to take down such a defensive position."
"Comrade Colonel," saw that Sivakov was uninterested in this matter, Sokov raised his voice and said, "Now the troops of the 64th Army have attacked the city from the south of the city and are approaching the Central Railway Station step by step. If we remain still, the honor of capturing Paulus alive will fall into the hands of the 64th Army."
As soon as Sokov finished speaking, he immediately realized something was wrong. He was from the 62nd Army, and Sivakov was from the 65th Army. If the other party wanted the honor to fall on the 65th Army, he might report it to Batov in private. If Batov sent two more divisions over here, he might eventually capture Paulus's troops alive, and they would really belong to the 65th Army.
"Col. Sokov." Sivakov said to Sokov after a moment of silence: "This matter is of great importance. I will report to Commander Batov immediately and wait for his instructions."
Seeing that the other party really wanted to report this to Batov, Sokov couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart, thinking that he had told the other party that Paulus's headquarters was at the Central Railway Station rather than the department store. In this way, even if Batov wanted to win the credit, the troops sent would transfer the attack target to the railway station, which might attract some of the German troops and relieve the pressure for his attack on the department store.
"Okay, Colonel Sivakov." Sokov pretended to be helpless and said to Shivakov: "Then report it to Commander Batov."
When Sivakov and Yegorov left the command center, Anisimov asked in a confused manner: "Comrade Commander, aren't you talking about the German headquarters in the department store? But why did you tell Colonel Sivakov that the enemy headquarters was at the Central Railway Station?"
"Comrade Political Commissar, have you not heard that Colonel Sivakov reported to General Batov because he had the idea of ​​taking the matter into consideration." Ivanov explained to Anisimov: "The division commander told them that the enemy's headquarters was at the railway station. In this way, even if they mobilized enough troops to come over, the target of the attack was the railway station, not the department store. At that time, the honor of capturing Paulus alive might still belong to our division."
"Not bad." After hearing Ivanov's explanation, Anisimov suddenly realized. He quickly gave Sokov a thumbs up and said repeatedly: "It's still a good teacher."
"By the way, I almost forgot something." Sokov only remembered that Cui Kefu said that he wanted to come to the meeting site in person. At this moment, the meeting between the two divisions had ended, and he had not notified Cui Kefu. He quickly called the radio operator and told him: "Get in touch with the Army Command immediately, I want to talk to the commander."
The phone was quickly connected. When Cuikov, who answered the phone, heard that Sokov and the others had already met with the 23rd Infantry Division, laughed coldly and asked back: "Col. Sokov, didn't I tell you that before the two divisions met, should I notify me in advance? Why did you notify me of this after you were over?"
"I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." Seeing that Cui Kov was angry, Sokov quickly admitted his mistake, "It's all my fault. The main reason is that our attack was too smooth. The enemy put down his weapons and surrendered to us without a shot. To be honest, I didn't come back to my senses at that time and didn't believe that the enemy surrendered so quickly."
"Forget it, I won't pursue this matter." Although Cui Kefu felt regretful when he failed to meet the two divisions, he rushed over now, so he changed the topic in time: "How is it, have you talked with the other division commander about seizing Paulus headquarters?"
“It has been mentioned.”
"What is the reaction of the other party?" Cui Koff asked nervously.
"He said that this matter was too important and he could not make decisions by himself. He had to report to General Batov, the commander of the army." Sokov said to the microphone: "He will call General Batov to report now."
"What, did he report this to Batov?" Cuikov heard this and was anxious: "Col. Sokov, have you ever thought about what he would do if Batov knew about this?"
"I think he might have specially drawn two divisions of troops to strengthen the offensive force."
"Since you know, why do you still tell the other party about such an important situation?"
Hearing that Cuikov got angry, Sokov said slowly: "Comrade Commander, don't worry, I did tell the other party that he knew where Paulus's headquarters was. But I told him that the location was at the Central Railway Station. Even if General Batov sent new troops, their target was the Central Railway Station."
"You are so cunning." Cui Kefu laughed loudly when he heard this: "If the troops of the 65th Army can attack the Central Railway Station instead of us, then we can devote more troops to the battle to attack the department store."
"Comrade Commander, I will tell you something bad." Sokov said cautiously: "Based on the information we have, the troops of the 64th Army are progressing smoothly in the south of the city and are approaching the Central District step by step. I am very worried now that if they are really brought to the Central District, then Commander Rokosovsky will be given the task of attacking the department store to them."
Cuikov agreed with Sokov's statement. He was silent for a moment and asked back, "Col. Sokov, do you have any good solutions?"
"There is a way," Sokov said slowly.
When he heard Sokov say there was a way, Cuikov immediately asked: "What's the way? Let's hear it!"
"I plan to let the Belkin regiment launch an attack on the enemy," Sokov said. "Let them drive all the nearby enemies to the south. In this way, if the troops of the 64th Army come over, they must first eliminate the enemies blocking the road. In this way, friendly forces can help us restrain a large number of enemies and make our next attack easier."
"Col. Sokov, this idea you came up with is so unethical. He actually remembered to drive the enemy to the defense zone of a friendly army and let them help us eliminate the enemy." Cuikov said this and paused again. Just when Sokov was uneasy, he suddenly heard him say, "But this is also the most effective method. I agree, so I will implement this plan. If the superior blames it, I will bear all the responsibility."
After finishing the call, Sokov said to Ivanov and Anisimov: "Comrade Commander has agreed to let the Belkin regiment launch an attack." He drew a line on the map on the table with his fingernails, "Let the Belkin regiment attack from north to south, and drive all the enemies entrenched in these buildings to the south, so that they can fight against the commanders and soldiers of friendly forces."
"Comrade Commander is right." Although Ivanov had heard the conversation between Sokov and Cuikov, he waited for Sokov to finish speaking before he spoke out his opinion: "Your approach is really too immoral. However, it is also the most effective method."
"I think it's understandable that the division commander did this." Anisimov expressed his opinion: "Our troops are limited, and it is simply an incomplete task to eliminate enemies who are several times more than us. Now, I feel that there is nothing wrong with driving the enemy through the attack areas of friendly forces and letting them eliminate them."
Just after the three of them discussed the offensive plan, Shivakov and Yegorov walked into the command center from outside. Shivakov said excitedly: "Col. Sokov, I have reported the situation to Commander Batov."
"What did he say?"
Chapter completed!