"A German commander captured!"
This amazing good news immediately made everyone in the Observatory cheer.
After the observation center returned to its calm, Sokov asked Merkulov: "Comrade Colonel, have you figured out who was the captured German division commander?"
"I have asked." Merkulov replied: "It was General von der Lebel, commander of the 297th Infantry Division. During the breakout, they were discovered by artillery deployed on the platform. The artillery immediately launched artillery bombardment on the retreating crowd, causing significant losses to the enemy. Von der Lebel was also stunned by the shells and fell into the crater. His subordinates thought he was killed and did not even bother to check his body, so they ran away in a hurry."
"Comrade Commander," Ivanov reminded Sokov: "This good news should be reported to the Army Command immediately."
"Yes, we should report to the Army Command." Sokov walked to the table where the phone was being played without thinking. When he was about to pick up the phone, he suddenly thought of a problem. He shrank his hand back and turned his head to Ivanov and said, "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, it's not right. We are now in a combat cluster and are on the same level as the Army Command. We should not report to General Cuikov, right?"
Seeing Ivanov's confused look, he added: "Think about it, our combat cluster is basically troops from the 65th Army. If we report it to Commander Cuikov, do we need to report it to General Batov?"
After Sokov reminded me, Ivanov immediately remembered this matter. Since the superiors dispatched so many troops to form a Sokov combat cluster, it was like during the defense battle in the past few months that they had also cooperated with several infantry divisions to achieve any results, at most, they should inform them rather than report them. The results achieved today should be directly reported to the Front Command.
Sokov ordered the communications troop to connect with the Front Command and the person who was answering the phone said, "Hello, I am Colonel Sokov, the commander of the Sokov combat cluster. I have important information and I want to report to the commander."
"Sorry, comrade Colonel." The correspondent who answered the phone replied politely: "Comrade Commander is not in the headquarters, so he can let the Chief of Staff answer the phone."
Sokov did not expect that Rokosovsky was not in the headquarters at this moment, but the results he had just achieved had to be reported to the upwards immediately, so he could only choose to report to Malining: "Okay, please let Comrade Chief of Staff answer the phone."
Soon, Malining's voice came from the receiver: "Hello, Colonel Sokov, I am Malining. Do you have anything to repay?"
"Hello, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said respectfully: "The 67th Guard Division, which I belong to, has successfully recovered the Central Railway Station and captured General von de Rebel, commander of the 297th Infantry Division of the German Army alive."
"What, what did you say?" Malining couldn't believe his ears when he heard the unexpected good news: "Didn't you just attacked the station today? So quickly, he took the station down?"
"Yes, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said proudly: "Due to the heroic and tenacity shown by the commanders and fighters of the 67th Guards Division in the battle, they were able to successfully capture this station occupied by the enemy in such a short time."
"Col. Sokov, I congratulate you." Malining said enthusiastically: "On behalf of me and the commander, please convey our gratitude to all the commanders and fighters participating in the war."
"I will, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov was anxious to know where Rokosovsky went, so he asked tentatively: "Also, I want to ask, where did the commander of the Front Army go?"
"In theory, the whereabouts of Comrade Commander must be kept confidential." Malining said with a smile: "But you are not an outsider, so you will not keep them confidential. Comrade Commander returned to Moscow in the morning."
"Return to Moscow?!" Sokov asked curiously: "What are you doing when you go back to Moscow?"
"Col. Sokov, have you not learned the confidentiality regulations?" Malinin's expression became serious when he heard Sokov's question: "I will tell you where the commander is going. It has violated the discipline. Are you still going to let me continue to make mistakes?"
Sokov laughed dryly and explained embarrassedly: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I'm just curious, so I just ask. If you don't have the convenience of telling me, then forget it."
"By the way, Colonel Sokov." Malining, who was calling, opened the record book and found that when Sokov reported the combat plan two days ago, the troops that attacked the department store would also launch an attack at the same time as the attack on the station began. I wonder how the battle was going. "How is the troops that attacked the department store now going?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, the troops originally scheduled to attack the department store are still holding their troops." Sokov thought repeatedly last night and felt that it was not appropriate to launch an attack in two places at the same time. Once Paulus sent reinforcements, he could not take any reserve team in his hand. Therefore, he changed his mind and planned to take one place and attack another: "Since I have taken down the station today, I will let them attack the department store tomorrow."
"Col. Sokov, what's going on?" Malining asked in a stern tone: "Why did you change the combat order without asking for instructions? You must know that if unnecessary chaos is caused, who can afford this responsibility?"
Malining's words made Sokov realize that his decision last night was good, but it was inappropriate. Therefore, on the eve of the offensive, when the attack was suddenly changed, the overall arrangements of his superiors would be disrupted. He did not dare to argue with Malining, but immediately bowed his head to admit his mistake: "I'm sorry, Comrade Chief of Staff, it's my fault. I promise you that you will never make similar mistakes again in the future."
Hearing Sokov's attitude of admitting his mistakes so sincerely, Malining's tone became eased: "Col. Sokov, you are still young and have not been a commander for a long time and have no experience. It is understandable to make such a mistake. Forget it this time, if you make it again next time, I will never tolerate it."
Seeing that Malining was thundering to him, the stick was raised high but gently put it down, Sokov felt much more at ease. He continued: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't worry, we will launch an attack on the department store tomorrow and strive to take it down in the shortest time."
"How long do you plan to take the department store?" asked Malining.
Through the intelligence detected by Sokov learned that the German army not only deployed the 100th Hunter Division near the department store, but also two armored regiments and several artillery regiments. If the department store is attacked, the enemy will pounce from all directions like a shark smelling blood. At that time, he may have to pay some of his troops to plan, thereby weakening the power of attack.
Seeing that Sokov was not speaking for a long time, Malining was a little anxious. He raised his voice and asked, "What's wrong, Colonel Sokov, why don't you speak?"
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I am considering your question." Sokov quickly replied: "Based on the information we have, the enemy has deployed heavy troops near the department store, as well as a large number of tanks and cannons. We will definitely face great difficulties when we launch an attack. Therefore, I cannot tell you exactly how long we can take the department store."
"Give me an approximate time." Malining understood Sokov's difficulties and said rationally: "When the base camp asked, I also knew how to answer."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, if you can help us." Sokov felt that in order to resolve the attack, he was attacked or harassed from other directions, he could only ask for help from Malining: "I think we can take down the department store within three or four days."
"I wonder what kind of help you need?" asked Malining.
"If Paulus's headquarters is really in the department store, once we launch an attack, the enemy will probably rush over from all directions and attack our rear." Sokov said to the microphone: "So I ask you to let nearby friendly forces, such as the 64th and 57th Army troops continue to launch a fierce attack on the German army to attract the enemy's forces so that they cannot draw forces to reinforce while the department store is attacked."
"If we just let these friendly forces fight together, the problem is not great." Malining said thoughtfully: "But I am worried that their attack will not help you very much."
"It doesn't matter. As long as they maintain their attack on the enemy, the enemy will inevitably have a large number of troops, which are bound to their respective defense zones." Sokov said: "Even if the enemy receives Paulus' reinforcement order, they may not be able to draw too many troops."
…………
While Sokov and Malining were talking, Paulus also received news that von derrebel was captured.
Paulus asked Schmidt with a pale face: "Chief of Staff, our army is now retreating under the powerful Russian offensive. Now, a division commander has been captured. This will have a great blow to our army's morale."
"Hiss Commander," Schmidt replied with a wry smile after he finished speaking, "Based on the information I just obtained, the Russian infantry 304th Division seized the station, which was changed to the 67th Division of Guards two days ago, and the division commander was Colonel Merkulov. Although this unit has strong combat power, we used to only need one regiment to successfully block their attack."
"Since a regiment used to be able to block their attack." Paulus asked angrily: "Why did they take the station where General von derrebel's 297th Infantry Division held in just over two hours today? What happened in the middle?"
"Mr. Commander, I've learned about it. Not long ago, the Russians formed a combat cluster, consisting of several infantry divisions, tank brigades and artillery regiments." Schmidt said cautiously: "The commander of this unit is Colonel Sokov, who is a headache for us."
Hearing Sokov's name, Paulus couldn't help but feel moved: "I really didn't expect that the Russians would hand over so many troops to a young officer to command the decision. The superiors who made this decision were really amazing. Chief of Staff, I dare say that if the commander of the Russian troops commanding the attacking the station was not Sokov, but someone else, the station would never have been lost so quickly."
"Yes, Commander," Schmidt said, "The tactics Sokov used are different from the Russian tactics we are familiar with, so they are often beaten to no avail of how to deal with them. I am worried that they will attack the department store tomorrow if they seized the station today. You must know that they are in the ruins seven or eight hundred meters away from us, and no one knows when they will attack."
Paulus was frightened when he learned that Sokov's troops might launch an attack on the department store at any time. He asked Schmidt in a panic: "Chief of Staff, is there any way to deal with him?"
"Mr. Commander, please see." Schmidt pointed to the map and said to Paulus: "Although there are still many troops around us, they are basically entangled by the Russian army. It is unrealistic to expect them to come to rescue when we are attacked. Therefore, we can only use the commanded 100th Hunter Division, several armored regiments and artillery regiments to fight the attacks of the Sokov combat cluster."
"Chief of Staff, see, do we need to make a breakout plan?" Paulus asked Schmidt: "When we find that the department store cannot be held, we can consider retreating to other places."
"Under the current situation, where can we retreat, Commander." Schmidt pointed to the dense red arrows near the al-Fang Command and said to Paulus with a wry smile: "No matter where we retreat, there is a possibility of being attacked by the Russians. It is better to stay here, maybe we can hold on for a longer time."
"So, you don't think about our future?" Paulus looked at his chief of staff and asked with a wry smile: "Are we really failing?"
"Yes, Commander." Schmidt, as the chief of staff, understood very well what state the troops were in. When the supply was cut off, even if the Soviet army did not attack, they might not last long. Therefore, a bold idea came out of his mind: "Or, do you think about Colonel Sokov's opinion and order the troops to lay down their weapons and surrender?"
"No, no." Hearing Schmidt's proposal, Paulus jumped up like a cat with a tail stepped on: "I have asked the head of state for instructions, and he has long rejected our request for surrender. Now we can only fight to the last soldier."
"The Commander, some unnecessary sacrifices are completely avoidable." Schmidt lowered his head and said to Paulus: "Only by surrendering now can we save more lives and allow them to return to their hometown alive after the war."
Chapter completed!