"Col. Sivakov," Sokov sneered in his heart, but asked without moving, "I want to ask, who will command so many troops here?"
"I don't know this yet," Shivakov shook his head and said, "I think the commander will definitely take this into consideration and send appropriate candidates to take command."
Sokov was unwilling to get involved with the other party in this matter, so he changed the topic: "Comrade Colonel, since our two divisions have already met, should we re-divided the next defense zone?"
"It should be, it should be." Sivakov nodded repeatedly and said, "Col. Sokov, you are familiar with this area. It is up to you to decide how to divide the defense zone."
Since the opponent handed over the initiative to himself, Sokov naturally would not miss such a good opportunity. He put the map in front of Shivakov, pointed out the defense areas of several regiments and said, "This is the defense areas of each regiment of our division. I can hand over the defense areas of the 122nd regiment to you."
"Well, Colonel Sokov." Shivakov nodded, "I will immediately order the troops to enter and take over your defense."
Sokov left Ivanov to be responsible for the handover of defense, and he and Anisimov returned to Mamayev's hill with the guards. As soon as he walked into the command center, Cidolin came up and asked with concern: "Comrade Commander, why are you and the political commissar back? Where did the deputy commander go?"
"He and the commanders of friendly forces are handing over defense," Sokov said, walking towards the table where the telephone was placed: "I am back, there is something important to report to the commander."
After the phone was connected, Cuikov asked unexpectedly: "Col. Sokov, you called me again so quickly. Is there anything wrong?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander, is a very important thing." Sokov did not go around in circles, but said truthfully: "Col. Sivakov told me that General Batov planned to send two infantry divisions, a tank brigade and two artillery regiments as soon as possible to attack the Central Railway Station."
After listening to Sokov's report, Sokov pondered for a long time before speaking: "Col. Sokov, if Batov's troops come and his superiors order your division to evacuate the existing defense zone, what should you do then?"
"Comrade Commander," Sokov held on for so long in Stalingrad. Seeing that he had the opportunity to capture Paulus himself, he would never watch the opportunity fall. Therefore, he said firmly: "I suggest that you report this matter to your superiors and let our teacher carry out the task of capturing Paulus alive."
Perhaps because he was worried that Cui Kefu would look forward, he added specifically: "All the commanders and soldiers of our army fought bloody battles to defend this heroic city, which allows us to capture Paulus alive and comfort those sacrificed heroes."
"You make sense." Cuikov, who was hesitant at first, immediately made up his mind when he heard Sokov say this: "I will call General Rokosovsky immediately to report this to him."
"Comrade Commander," Sidolin learned the whole story from Anisimov when he was calling Sokov. He felt a little uncomfortable with the behavior of his friendly forces. So as soon as he saw Sokov put down the phone, he immediately asked: "What should we do if the friendly forces really want us to withdraw our existing defense?"
"If the target of the friendly forces' attack was the Central Railway Station, then let them go." Sokov was very satisfied with the "smoke bomb" he released. At least the friendly forces who wanted to win the credit did not know the exact location of the Paulus Command: "I have ordered the 122nd Regiment to move south immediately and rush to meet with the Belkin Regiment."
"But once the enemy discovers the movement of the 122nd Regiment, will our intention be exposed?" Sidolin reminded Sokov: "I think it's better to wait until it's dark before mobilizing the troops."
"No, we have to be mobilized during the day." Sokov sneered, "and we have to be mobilized with great fanfare. I just want the Germans to find that we have increased troops to the south of the city."
Seeing Sidolin's confused expression, Anisimov quickly explained to him: "Chief of Staff, I haven't finished what I just said. The reason why the division commander concentrated his troops was to drive the enemy as much as possible to the south of the city and let them fight head-on with the 64th Army heading north, so that we can use the power of friendly forces to eliminate more enemies."
"Yes, this is a good idea." Sidolin's eyes lit up when he heard Sokov say this: "There are so many enemies near the German command, and if we want to eliminate them one by one, it will take too long, and the losses of the soldiers will be quite large. But if we only drive them away, then the resistance we face will be much smaller. Just do this, and I will immediately notify the Commander of the Regiment of the 122nd Regiment to rush over to join him, so that he can prepare for the response."
As soon as Sidolin picked up the phone, he suddenly remembered an important question and quickly turned his head to ask Sokov: "Comrade Commander, who should be commanded by the troops after the two regiments meet? Is it Lieutenant Colonel Belkin or Lieutenant Colonel Papchinko?"
If Sidolin didn't mention it, Sokov really didn't expect this problem. He thought about it carefully in his mind, and felt that although both of them were regiment commanders, Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko had been the regiment commander for a longer time and had more experience in commanding the large troops than Belkin. So he said decisively: "Let Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko command, Belkin was his deputy."
When Belkin received a call from Cidolin, he was particularly happy to learn that the main force of the division had already met with friendly troops. But then he heard Cidolin say that the 122nd Regiment was moving towards his defense zone, and he said in confusion: "Comrade Chief of Staff, didn't the division commander say that in order not to arouse the enemy's suspicion, shouldn't we take excessive military actions here?"
"That was before, and the situation is different now." Sidolin felt that some important things could not be concealed from Belkin, so he said truthfully: "Now the 64th Army has attacked the city from the south of the city, and the 65th Army, which had just met with us, will also send troops to participate in the attack on the railway station area. If we still follow the original plan, your regiment will be either ordered to evacuate or be assigned to other division commands."
When Belkin didn't want to win, his troops were transferred or assigned to other troops, and hurriedly asked, "Chief of Staff, continue, what should we do next?"
"After the 122nd Regiment and your regiment meet, your two regiments will try to drive the enemies around you to the south of the city and let the troops of the 64th Army destroy them." Cidolin said on the phone: "As for the unified command of the two regiments, the division commander has made clear instructions and handed them over to Lieutenant Colonel Papchinko, and you are his deputy."
Hearing that he became a deputy, Belkin had nothing to be upset, and he quickly replied: "I understand, Comrade Chief of Staff, I will execute your order."
…………
After dark, Sokov received a call from Ivanov from the 124th Regiment position. As soon as he heard the other party's voice, Sokov asked first: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, is there anything wrong?"
"That's right, there are a few commanders from the 65th Army who want to see you." Ivanov asked hesitantly: "Can I take them directly to Mamayevgang?"
What should come, finally came. Sokov sighed softly and said helplessly: "Comrade Deputy Commander, please bring them here, I'll wait for you in the command center."
After waiting for more than half an hour, Ivanov came to the command center with four officers wearing otter-skinned hats. Since they were wearing new styles of epaulettes, Sokov could see their rank at a glance. When he found out that one of them was a major general, he couldn't help but be shocked. He thought that the other party must be the highest commander arranged by Batov, so he quickly sorted out his military appearance and walked over to salute the general: "Hello, Comrade General, I am Colonel Sokov, the commander of the 41st Division of the Guards. Welcome to Mamayev."
"Hello, Colonel Sokov." After the general raised his hand and returned the salute, he introduced himself to Sokov: "I am Major General Makarenko, the commander of the 321st Infantry Division." Then he pointed to a colonel beside him and added, "This is Colonel Duchenko, my division political commissar."
After Sokov greeted Duchenko, he turned his eyes to the other two colonels and asked politely: "Please ask the two colonels, which division leader are you?"
A tall and thin colonel was the first to answer: "I am Colonel Merkulov, the commander of the 304th Infantry Division, and this is my political commissar, Colonel Sheiko."
After Sokov greeted everyone and sat down, he asked curiously: "I wonder how many division commanders and political commissars came to my command center overnight. Do you have any advice?"
"That's right, Colonel Sokov." Major General Makarenko took the lead and said, "We are here to help you seize the Central Railway Station on the order of Commander Batov."
Sidolin keenly heard from the other party's words that the other party was here to assist him in the battle, and couldn't help but interrupt and ask: "Comrade General, I want to ask, since you are attacking the railway station, who will command these troops uniformly? Is it you?"
Unexpectedly, when the other party heard Cidolin's question, he shook his head and said, "It's not me."
"Who is that?" Cidolin continued, "I wonder when the commander in charge of unified command will arrive at Mamayev's hill?"
"He's already here." Major General Makarenko replied with a smile.
"What, he is already here?" Ciedorin was shocked. His eyes swept around the other three colonels, thinking secretly who among them would be the supreme commander of several troops.
"Lt. Colonel, you don't have to guess." Since Sokov introduced Sidolin to Makarenko, he did not know Sidolin's name and position, so he could only call it by military rank: "The person who serves as the supreme commander is far away from the sky and close to you, and is Colonel Sokov, the commander of your division."
When Sokov heard Makarenko say this, he was stunned: "Comrade General, what did you say? I will serve as the supreme commander of several troops?"
"Yes, Colonel Sokov." Major General Makarenko nodded and explained to Sokov: "Before we came here, Commander Batov personally explained to us. It is said that from now on, the 23rd, 304th and 321st Infantry Divisions, as well as a tank brigade, both artillery regiments are under your command, and a new Sokov combat group will be formed."
Makarenko's words surprised Sokov. He never dreamed that Batov would hand over so many of his troops to him for command. He was silent for a long time before he asked tentatively: "Comrade General, are you all true? General Batov really prepared a combat cluster and handed it over to me to command?"
"Yes, Colonel Sokov, that's exactly what it is."
"But you are a general, and I am just a colonel." Sokov quickly glanced at the star on Major General Makarenko's shoulder and said a little embarrassedly: "It's not appropriate to have the colonel command the general, right?"
"There is nothing wrong." Makarenko said carelessly: "As long as it is the order of the superior, let alone a colonel with great military achievements, we will obey even if an unknown captain commands us." At this point, he turned his head and asked his colleagues sitting next to him: "Guys, are you right?"
The other three colonels replied neatly: "Yes!"
However, Sokov was still a little hesitant. The combat cluster he commanded had exceeded one army in size. If he did not get the permission of a higher-level commander, it would be a bit unreasonable. He hesitated for a long time and asked again: "Comrade General, setting up a combat cluster is only General Batov's intention. I still need to report to Commander Cui Kov and obtain approval from the Front Command."
"Col. Sokov, don't worry, these things have been arranged long ago." Major General Makarenko smiled and said to Sokov: "In fact, the matter of establishing a combat cluster and you are the supreme commander is not proposed by General Batov, but by General Rokosovsky, the commander of the Front Army. General Batov just conveys the orders of his superiors to us. And I believe that the Front Army Command also notified General Chokov of this matter."
"Comrade Commander," Sidolin leaned into Sokov's ear and whispered to him: "This matter is of great importance. I will call the commander immediately to verify it."
"Okay, go." Sokov took advantage of the time when Sidolin called and looked at Makarenko and asked, "Comrade General, I want to ask, where is your army?"
"It's still on the way." Makarenko replied: "I guess we will arrive at today's meeting place at 10 am tomorrow. We are here to report to you first."
Chapter completed!