Ivanov was very efficient in his work, and the next afternoon, he called back to Mamayevgang.
He reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, we have arrived in Lugansk successfully. I called you from the post office in the city."
Sokov asked, "How many garrisons are there in the city?"
"There is a company of troops affiliated with the Southwest Front." Ivanov said: "They were going to hand over the city's houses to the police station this afternoon, but I stopped them."
"Comrade Deputy Division Commander, you did a good job." Sokov knew very well that the police were okay to maintain order in the city. If they were to fight, they would probably not be much better than the militia. "Before our troops arrived in Lugansk, we should not let this troops go. Although their number was a little smaller, if the enemy rushed to the city, they could still send some uses."
"I understand." Ivanov agreed loudly and continued: "I plan to go around the city tomorrow to survey the terrain and choose a location to build fortifications."
Although Ivanov has not yet surveyed the terrain, Sokov asked: "Comrade Deputy Division Commander, where do you think our defensive position should be placed in the city?"
"It's all right, comrade of the division commander." Ivanov replied: "The most likely direction of the enemy is the west and southwest. I think you only need to place the defensive positions in these two directions."
"The tactics that the Germans are best at are feints on the front and detours from both sides." Sokov reminded Ivanov: "If the superiors order us to stick to Lugansk, then the defenses on other sides should not be relaxed."
Before putting down the phone, Sokov suddenly remembered a key thing and quickly reminded Ivanov: "By the way, Deputy Division Commander, you will ask the commanders of the friendly army later if there are some prisoner-of-war camps nearby that have just been liberated."
"Power-War Camp?" Ivanov was confused when he heard Sokov say this: "Why do you need to inquire about the POW camp?"
"Even if the superiors have replenished our troops, we have only more than 10,000 people." Sokov explained to Ivanov: "If there is a newly liberated prisoner-of-war camp, we can recruit a large number of people from the rescued comrades to enrich the troops. These commanders and fighters liberated from the prisoner-of-war camp are full of hatred towards the Germans. They all hope to wash away their shame and repay their blood debts through their performance on the battlefield."
"I understand." When Ivanov heard Sokov say this, he immediately remembered that the other party was a person who did not play according to common sense. There were many commanders and fighters in the original reduction regiment, all recruited from the prisoner-of-war camps determined by liberation. He quickly stated: "I must find out whether there are newly liberated prisoner-of-war camps nearby in the shortest time."
When Sokov put down the microphone, Anisimov asked curiously: "Comrade Commander, why did you recruit personnel from the prisoner-of-war camp? If your superiors know about your behavior, will you criticize you?"
"Comrades in the political commissar and the commanders and fighters detained in the prisoner-of-war camp have a certain degree of combat experience. As long as they are incorporated into the army, they will soon be able to form combat effectiveness." Seeing that Anisimov had different views on using commanders and fighters rescued from the prisoner-of-war camp, Sokov emphasized to him: "And they have all been inhuman torture by the Germans. Once they pick up their weapons and go to the battlefield again, they will exert their combat effectiveness beyond their previous ones and wash away their shame by hitting the enemy hard."
"Comrade Commander," Sidorin reminded Sokov carefully: "There has not been any new news from the Front Command. Do you call and ask if the transport troops' cars are ready."
If Sidolin asked him to call Cuikov, Sokov would definitely not say anything and immediately ordered someone to connect to the Army Command. But at this moment, he was going to call the Front Command. Sokov couldn't help but hesitate. He was worried that when he called, Rokosovsky was busy and had no time to answer his phone. Therefore, after hesitating for a while, he said to Sidolin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't worry, let's wait a little longer, maybe the news will be available."
After Sokov finished speaking, he saw Sidolin looking unwilling, and added: "Chief of Staff, let's wait for another day. If there is still no news, I will call General Rokosovsky or Chief of Staff Malining. Do you think it's okay?"
Since Sokov's words had reached this point, Cidolin knew that even if he was anxious, it would be useless. He nodded and agreed to his opinion: "Okay, then we will wait for another day to see how the Front Command responded to us."
The next morning, Sokov, who was sleeping soundly in his room, was woken up by the soldiers sent by Cidolin.
Seeing Sokov open his eyes, the soldier quickly raised his hand to salute and said respectfully: "Comrade Commander, Chief of Staff, please go to the command center immediately. Something big happened."
When he heard something big, Sokov was frightened to the point of being sleepy. While lowering his head and putting on his shoes, he asked anxiously: "Tell me quickly, what happened?"
"I don't know very well, Comrade Commander." Unexpectedly, the soldier who came to call him was not aware of it. He could only keep saying: "It was Comrade Chief of Staff who asked me to call you."
"Okay, okay, stop talking." Sokov quickly put on his boots, put on a military coat, and ordered the soldiers: "Let's go, let's go to the command center now."
When he arrived at the command center, Sokov saw Sidolin and Anisimov standing by the table at a glance. Whether it was Sidolin holding the microphone or Anisimov standing next to him, his face was filled with an angry expression.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, what happened?"
Sidolin stuffed the microphone in his hand to Sokov and said in a muffled voice: "Comrade Commander, it was the call from Lieutenant Samoilov. Please ask him to report it in detail."
"I'm Sokov." Sokov put the earpiece in his ear and asked loudly: "Is it Lieutenant Samoilov?"
Samoilov's crying voice came from the receiver: "It's me, comrade in the division commander, I'm Samoilov."
In Sokov's mind, Samoilov was a strong commander. Once, his arm was injured. The military doctor stitched him without using anesthetics. He was so painful that his forehead was covered in cold sweat and he didn't snort. But today he spoke with a crying voice. Something must have happened: "Comrade Lieutenant, what happened?"
"Deputy Commander, Deputy Commander Comrade, he...he died."
"What, the deputy commander died?" When Sokov heard the news, his eyes suddenly turned dark and his body fell down softly. If Sidolin hadn't supported him quickly, he might have fallen to the ground.
Chapter completed!