Sokov's mood became happy immediately after formally confirming that he would command a combat cluster and launching a final general attack on Paulus's headquarters. He hurriedly greeted Cidolin: "Chief of Staff, why haven't he served tea to the commanders yet?"
Sidorlin smiled understandingly and immediately arranged for someone to bring black tea, bread, cheese and dried sausages to several teachers. After the soldiers put all these things on the table one by one, he smiled and greeted everyone: "Dear commanders, you must be hungry, eat something first."
"Do you have any wine, lieutenant colonel?" Duchenko, political commissar of the 321st Division, said embarrassedly: "It was too cold on the way we came. We sat here for a long time, but we couldn't get warm. So it's better to get some vodka and drink a few sips to warm up our body."
Sokov knew that Russians like wine, and drinking to keep warm is just an excuse. At the moment, the command center is so hot that it can't even wear military coats, so how can it make people feel unwarm? But considering that these people in front of him are assistants to his new combat cluster, they did not expose them, so they said to Cidolin again: "Chief of Staff, since Colonel Duchenko said that, then go find two bottles of wine to let everyone drink some warmth."
Soon, two bottles of vodka that had not been opened yet came over. Duchenko uncovered the lid, poured a small cup in front of everyone, and then smiled and said, "It's cold, everyone can drink some and warm up."
When Duchenko poured wine for Sokov, Sokov waved his hand and refused: "Thank you, Colonel Duchenko, I never drink alcohol, so I don't have to pour wine for me."
After everyone had two small cups, Makarenko asked, "Col. Sokov, what are your plans for seizing the Central Railway Station occupied by the enemy?"
Sokov's troops had also fought tug-of-war with the German army at the station, and Sokov was quite familiar with the situation at the station. Therefore, when he heard Makarenko's question, he replied: "From all signs, the German command center is set up in the central area of ​​the city. What we need to do now is isolate the enemies in this area from other areas."
"Isolate the enemy?" Makarenko couldn't help frowning slightly when he heard this: "Col. Sokov, we now have only four infantry divisions, a tank brigade and two artillery regiments..."
"No, it should be two tank brigades." Cidolin corrected him and said: "We have a tank brigade in our division that is equipped with combat, and they should also be counted into the combat cluster."
"Well, even if we have two tank brigades, we don't have any advantage in technical equipment." Makarenko continued: "I think this is an incomplete task to use four infantry divisions to separate more than 100,000 enemies."
"Comrade General, you are too pessimistic." Sokov smiled after Makarenko finished speaking, "In fact, if our actual troops were calculated, there were far more than four infantry divisions."
"Far more than four infantry divisions?" Makarov asked curiously: "I want to ask, where are the remaining troops besides our three divisions and one of your divisions?"
"Comrade General, please look at this map." Sokov retreated to Makarenko's face and said to him: "Our meeting successfully divided the enemies trapped in Stalingrad into two disconnected parts north and south. What we have to deal with now is the enemies of the southern cluster. What we are going to fight against is not only our newly established combat group, but also the 64th Army that attacked the city from the south direction, and the 51st and 57th Army in the south direction."
"Yes, our troops are indeed quite a lot." Makarenko agreed with Sokov's statement, but he also raised his own question: "But there is no coordination between us and them, and I'm afraid there is no way to disperse the enemy's forces."
"I have two regiments now, arranged in this position." Sokov pointed to the location of the Belkin regiment and the 122nd regiment and said to Makarenko: "I have ordered them to attack the enemy, and do everything possible to drive the enemy south, so that the 64th Army entering the city will deal with them."
When Makarenko heard Sokov's statement, he couldn't help but lit up. After carefully checking the map, he raised his head and said to Sokov: "Col. Sokov, you really have it. This method is really good. Drive the enemy to the attack area of ​​friendly forces and give it to the friendly forces to eliminate it. In this way, we can reduce unnecessary losses of soldiers and gain more advantages in the next battle. I wonder when these two regiments plan to launch an attack on the enemy?"
"Before you come here, I have given orders to the two regiment commanders to carry out their actions against the enemy." Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch, and continued: "They should be fighting against the enemy at this moment."
"The two regiments have too few forces." Duchenko interjected and asked, "Do we need to send troops to reinforce?"
"How to reinforce?" As soon as Duchenko finished speaking, he was refuted by Makarenko. "Our troops are still on the way. Even if they want to send reinforcements, they will arrive at the place, at least it will be noon tomorrow."
"It doesn't matter, these two regiments have extremely strong combat power. I believe they are fully capable of driving the enemy out of the existing area." In order to make the facts more convincing, Sokov emphasized: "One regiment has followed me to many places. Not only has rich combat experience, but also has made many achievements. I trust them very much."
Since Sokov has already put it to this point, Duchenko is not able to ask about sending troops to reinforce, but instead asked: "Then where should our division be deployed after it arrives."
"Look," Sokov picked up the red and blue pencil on the table, knocked it on the map twice, and said: "This is the defense zone of the 124th Regiment, which is controlled by the 321st Infantry Division; this is the defense zone of the 125th Regiment, which is controlled by the 304th Infantry Division."
"Col. Sokov, I want to ask." Merkulov, with a flushed face, asked in a slight verbal question: "You change the troops you have put down, where are you going to deploy them."
"Where else?" Sokov tapped the location of the Belkin regiment and the 122nd regiment with a pencil, adding: "Of course, the two regiments that were replaced were deployed here. In this way, we have enough troops to drive the enemy from the existing defense area to the south, so that the 64th Army troops heading north would destroy them."
Considering the huge role played by artillery and tank troops in the subsequent battle, Sokov asked Makarenko tentatively: "Comrade General, do you know the situation of the tank brigade and artillery regiment?"
"The two artillery regiments are 76.2mm cannon regiments, with a total number of artillery of about 42, each equipped with two base ammunition." Makarenko was very familiar with the data asked by Sokov, and said: "As for the tank brigade, they are equipped with all T-34 tanks, with about 49."
After listening to the data reported by Makarenko, Sokov calculated silently in his heart, feeling that although the number was a little less, it was better than nothing. "Comrade General, after the tank brigade and artillery regiment arrived, he would temporarily settle in your division's defense zone. As for when and how they would participate in the battle, I will notify you specifically at that time."
"Comrade Colonel, I want to ask." Merkulov asked again: "Can such a number of artillery be suppressed on the German artillery positions?"
"I think it should be no big problem." Sokov's original intention was to use the "bayonet on cannons" tactic to allow these cannons to close to fire, so the suppression of German firepower was better than expected.
…………
At noon the next day, Sokov received reports from the commanders of each division, and they reported that their troops had taken over the defense of the original troops and were speeding up the repair of fortifications.
"Let the soldiers rest well," Sokov thought that as cold as today, some frozen land areas were blown up with shells, and even if they were bombed with shells, they could only blow up a white mark. Instead of letting the soldiers starve and freeze, it would be more appropriate for them to rest in their respective sheltering departments. "No one is allowed to go into battle without my order."
"I understand." The commanders of each division who received Sokov's order received the order without any ambiguity. "I immediately asked the soldiers to stop building fortifications and return to their respective shelters to rest."
Anisimov took advantage of the time when Sidolin called and asked Sokov tentatively: "Comrade Commander, I don't understand why you didn't let the soldiers build fortifications?"
"It's very simple," Sokov explained to the other party: "The temperature outside is too low now and the land is frozen. If the soldiers are asked to build fortifications, they will have to use shells to blow up holes. Think about it, if our soldiers waste the necessary physical strength to repair fortifications, they may not be able to repair the fortifications."
"You are right, comrade of the division commander." After Sokov explained, Anisimov felt that this seemed to be true, so he nodded and replied truthfully: "It is indeed no need for the soldiers to waste their physical strength when building fortifications."
At this time, the phone on the table rang again. Sokov picked up the phone and heard it. He found that it was from Cuikov. He quickly said respectfully: "Hello, Comrade Commander, do you have any instructions?"
"Col. Sokov, I call you to inform you of two things." Cuikov said slowly: "First, the combat cluster you commanded was officially established and named after you, with you as the commander of the cluster, and Cidolin as your chief of staff; second, it is also good news, about the 304th Infantry Division. In order to commend the great achievements and bravery and tenacity that the division has established in the great Patriotic War, they have changed them to the 67th Guard Division."
"Comrade Commander, this is really exciting and good news." Sokov knew very well that the more this kind of news, the more it would encourage the morale of the commanders and soldiers. He thanked Cui Kov repeatedly and said, "Thank you, Comrade Commander. I will immediately tell the commander of the entire combat cluster."
As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he hurriedly said to Cydolin: "Chief of Staff, get in touch with Colonel Merkulov immediately. I have good news to inform him."
"What good news?" When Sokov and Cuikov were talking, Sidolin was busy sorting out the battle reports he received. He didn't know what they were talking about. After listening to Sokov's orders, he called and asked, "Is it exciting good news for comrades in the division?"
"Yes, of course it is good news." Although the 304th Infantry Division had just been assigned to its own command, such good news is very helpful in enhancing the morale of the troops. Before Sidolin asked again, he took the initiative to say, "Comrade Commander just informed me that in order to commend the division's bravery and tenacity in the battle and the great achievements it achieved, the Supreme Commander's headquarters decided to award the honorary title of Guard Division of the Division and change it to the 67th Guard Division."
"Comrade Commander, this is great news." After figuring out what happened, Cidolin said excitedly: "I will call him Colonel Merkulov immediately and tell him the good news."
After the phone was connected, Cidolin said to the microphone: "Comrade Colonel, or I, is Cidolin, the Chief of Staff."
Merkulov asked with some displeasure: "Is there anything else to add?"
Cidolin did not care about the other party's attitude, but smiled and said, "I call you, there is some exciting news, I want to tell you immediately."
"Good news for inspiration?" Merkulov seemed particularly happy to hear Cidolin say this: "Comrade Chief of Staff, then please speak quickly."
"We just received a notice from our superiors." Cidolin said with a smile on the phone: "In order to commend your division's heroic and tenacity in the battle and the achievements it has achieved, the Supreme Command decided to award your Guard Division the title and officially adapt it into the 67th Guard Division."
"That's great, it's great, it's great." Hearing this unexpected good news, Merkulov said excitedly three times in a row, "Comrade Chief of Staff, thank you. On behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the division, I thank you for bringing us such good news."
After Sidolin put down the phone, he asked Sokov with some confusion: "Comrade Commander, it seems a bit strange?"
"Strange, why is it strange?"
"According to the convention, any unit that is changed to a Guard Division and the division commander is a colonel will be promoted to major general." Cidolin asked in confusion: "Since the 304th Infantry Division has been adapted to the 67th Guard Division, why is the division commander not promoted to the rank of major general?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, who told you that the commander of the Guard Division must be of the rank of major general?" Sokov said dissatisfiedly when he heard Cidolin say this: "Col. Ivanov and I are both commanders of the Guard Division, and they are just colonels."
Chapter completed!