After settling General Popov, Zhukov said to Sokov: "Misha, you have rescued Popov's remaining troops. You may face crazy retaliation from the German army next, so you need to be prepared in advance."
"Comrade General, we are ready to meet the enemy." Sokov replied: "The enemy will have to pay huge casualties before they have a chance to break into the city."
Zhukov was still dubious about Sokov's statement. He asked tentatively: "If the enemy adopts a frontal feint attack and double-sided roundabout tactics, how are you going to deal with it?"
"There is the 379th Infantry Division of the 21st Group Army to the south of the city. They now control the town of Bile and can severely attack the flanks of the enemy forces attacking south of the city." Sokov said confidently: "And there are friendly forces to the north of the city.
If we are attacked, we can call on them for help and let them attack from the enemy's flank."
"What would you do if you went to ask them for help and the commander of the Guards told you that they had not received any orders from their superiors and were unable to provide you with assistance?"
To prevent Zhukov from asking such a picky question, Sokov thought for a while and replied: "Comrade General, if the troops north of the city do not receive support from friendly forces, I will mobilize Colonel Gorishny's 75th Guards Division to reinforce it.
Defense in the north direction of the city." At this point, Sokov deliberately paused for a moment and then said with a smile, "But as long as you are stationed here and the nearby friendly forces find that Luhansk is being attacked by the enemy, even if there is no order from their superiors, they will
They will also take positive actions to support us."
Zhukov couldn't help laughing at Sokov's statement. He felt that the other party was right. As long as he was still in Luhansk, when the city was attacked by the enemy, the nearby troops would not dare to leave the city alone.
"Also, Comrade General, if the city is attacked by the enemy, I am afraid that it can only last for about ten days just relying on the material reserves in the city." Considering that once the city's offensive and defensive battle begins, I am afraid that the consumption of various ammunition will be a huge one.
The astronomical figures cannot be sustained for long by relying on the little reserves in Luhansk. Therefore, Sokov took the opportunity to ask Zhukov: "I wonder if you can contact your superiors and ask them to allocate supplies to us as soon as possible?"
"Misha, you think of me as your logistics minister. Whatever you want, just give the order." Zhukov shook his head and said jokingly: "But you are the top commander of this city. Since you have given the order,
I will resolutely implement the order. I will contact Moscow as soon as possible and ask them to transport the supplies you need via railway."
After dark, Colonel Bely called Sokov and reported to him: "Misha, a very strange thing happened. The German troops who were fighting us during the day are retreating."
"What, the German troops are retreating?" Sokov was very surprised when he heard what Bely said. He quickly asked: "Comrade Colonel, are you sure?"
"It's completely confirmed." Bely continued: "I was worried that it was the enemy's conspiracy. I also sent people to conduct reconnaissance and found that the enemy was really retreating. Not only the armored units were retreating, but also the infantry."
"What the hell, what's going on?" Sokov was a little confused. Logically speaking, his troops had just broken through the German siege and rescued Popov's troops. The Germans had suffered such a big loss, why?
If you are willing to give up, you will definitely take crazy retaliatory actions, but the other party chooses to retreat. This is too illogical. "I understand, monitor the enemy closely, and report to me immediately if there is any latest movement."
After putting down the phone, he said to Vitkov: "Chief of Staff, call the commanders of each division and ask them to immediately contact the teams operating behind enemy lines to understand the enemy's movements."
After doing all this, Sokov came to Zhukov's residence and reported the abnormal situation to him.
After Zhukov walked back and forth around the room a few times with his hands behind his back, he stopped and asked, "Tell me, how do you analyze this matter?"
"Comrade General, although our comrades saw that the enemy was retreating." Sokov said in an uncertain tone: "But it is still difficult to judge whether the enemy is truly retreating or whether it is a conspiracy."
Zhukov sat down at the table, looked up at Sokov and asked: "Misha, tell me again, why did the enemy retreat at this time?"
“I think the German battle plan should be to first defeat General Vatutin’s Southwest Front Army, and then turn around to attack General Golikov’s Voronezh Front Army and retake Kharkov, Belgorod and other places.
Sokov replied: "Once they achieve this campaign goal, they will be able to take the initiative on the battlefield and continue to threaten Moscow's security from the south."
"Then what is the reason for the enemy's false retreat?" Regarding what Sokov said, Zhukov did not express his position, but continued to ask.
"The enemy's retreat may be a conspiracy. In fact, they did not go very far, but used the terrain to hide, preparing to catch us by surprise when our army relaxed its vigilance."
"Misha, your analysis is very reasonable." Zhukov nodded slightly and said: "But as the top commander of the city, you have to find a correct answer from your own judgment before you can make plans accordingly.
Come up with a correct battle plan. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Understood, Comrade General."
Sokov does not have much intelligence at the moment and cannot judge the German army's intentions for the time being. As soon as he returned to his headquarters, he asked Vitkov: "Chief of Staff, is there any news about the small teams behind enemy lines?"
"The enemy behind-the-enemy team of the 75th Guards Division reported that they saw an armored column moving northwest along the highway. The total length of the column is about ten kilometers. It should be that the enemy is retreating."
"Where is the serial number?" Sokov asked: "Have you figured out the enemy's serial number?"
"They captured a prisoner and after interrogation, they confirmed that he was the German 7th Armored Division."
"Then where did they find the enemy's armored division?"
"Here." Vitkov pointed to a location on the map and said in a positive tone: "It's about seventy kilometers away from the city."
Knowing that the enemy's armored divisions had withdrawn, Sokov realized that the battle to defend Luhansk would not be fought. Without the support of the armored divisions, even if the Germans dispatched two infantry divisions, they might not be able to capture Luhansk.
. He held his chin with his hand and said thoughtfully: "So, the Germans really retreated."
"That's how it should be."
"Although the probability of the enemy retreating is very high, we cannot take it lightly." Sokov said to Vitkov: "We still need to make the troops more vigilant to prevent the enemy from turning around."
"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Witkov replied: "Our soldiers have long been on guard against this move by the Germans. As long as the Germans have any trouble, they will be able to detect it in time."
Early the next morning, Sokov received another call from Bely.
Bely said excitedly on the phone: "Misha, it is now completely certain that the Germans have retreated, really retreated."
"is this real?"
"Of course it's true." Bely continued: "The scouts I sent carefully searched the area within a radius of 20 to 30 kilometers. No Germans were found, which proves that the enemy is really retreating.
Already."
After ending the call with Bely, Sokov called Sivakov, commander of the 71st Guards Division, and asked: "Comrade Colonel, how is the situation there?"
"Everything is normal, Comrade Commander." Sivakov replied on the phone: "Everywhere is quiet, not a single enemy has been noticed."
