"Comrades," Sokov stood up, not immediately satisfying everyone's curiosity, but asked first: "Do you know where our army is?"
When everyone heard Sokov's question, they were stunned and thought to themselves that we were not on the east side of Moscow. Although they didn't understand why Sokov asked, they still replied in unison: "I know!"
"Just know." There was a map posted on the wall behind Sokov's seat. He walked to the map, picked up the explanation stick leaning against the wall, and pointed to it to everyone, "Let's take a look at the enemy-to-me situation map first. In the west and southwest of Moscow, there are the German Central Army Group and the Southern Army Group respectively. They have the ability to attack Moscow. But if they want to seize Moscow, they will face our Western Front, Kalinin Front, Voronezh Front and Southwest Front, as well as the Central Front that is heading south to Moscow."
Sokov used an explanation stick to hit the map twice and continued: "In addition to our five major fronts, Moscow also has a large number of troops. It is basically impossible for the German army to break through our army's powerful defensive formation to achieve the goal of occupying Moscow. Since Moscow is fine, how could the enemy appear near the defense zone of our army? Since the enemy will not appear, then what's the point of we wasting a lot of manpower and material resources to build a batch of national defense fortifications that are not very useful at all?"
"Comrade Commander," Fomenko and Sokov finished speaking, immediately expressed their own views: "I agree with your analysis very much, but building fortifications in the defense zone is an order issued by the Front Command. If we stop the construction of fortifications, I am worried that we will be blamed by our superiors."
"General Fomenko is right." As soon as Fomenko finished speaking, Major General Grizenko agreed: "This is disobedience. If the superiors want to pursue the matter, you may be sent to the military court."
"Major General Grizenko, thank you for your concern for me." Sokov looked at Grizenko and said with a friendly attitude: "If my superiors want to hold him accountable in the future, as the commander of the group army, I will bear all the consequences. According to my analysis, the Germans may launch an offensive battle against our army again in two or three months. Although the grassland front is just a reserve force, as the battle progresses, they will definitely be put on the battlefield. The combat effectiveness of each division and brigade, I think all the division commanders and brigade commanders are very clear. If you don't hurry up and conduct military training and improve the combat effectiveness of the troops, you just waste your energy on building fortifications. When we really go to the battlefield, you may not be able to cry."
Since Sokov has already said this, the commanders here understand that since the other party has made up their minds, no matter how they oppose it, the other party will ignore it. Moreover, he is the commander of the group army, and he has the final say in the matters within the group army. Thinking of this, everyone began to express their opinions, firmly obey Sokov's orders, stop the construction of fortifications in the defense zone, and concentrate on carrying out military training of the troops.
Seeing that everyone was willing to obey their orders, Sokov couldn't help but nodded with relief and began to arrange new work for his old subordinates: "Dear commanders, I think there should be still a lack of commanders with rich combat experience in our troops. It's a coincidence that when I came from the Red Army Village this time, I brought forty excellent commanders, and I plan to assign them to your troops."
Although all troops lack experienced grassroots commanders, when they heard Sokov was about to plant people in his troops, everyone was somewhat resistant. However, for the sake of face, no one raised any objections, but just thought in their hearts how to politely reject Sokov when he planned to plant people in his troops.
Sokov saw the expressions of the commanders present, but he did not point them out, but called Belkin to the front and said to everyone: "This is Colonel Belkin. When I was commanding the Istrian Battalion, he was my deputy political battalion commander; when I was the commander of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, he was my brigade political commissar. Later, when I was the commander of the 41st Guard Division, he first served as the commander of the reduction regiment, and then as the political commissar of the 124th Guards Regiment, and made great contributions in the battle to defend Stalingrad."
After briefly introducing Belkin's resume, Sokov's eyes swept over the people present one by one, and asked, "I wonder which division commander is willing to accept him?"
Originally, everyone was worried about Sokov's placement of people into his troops, but I heard that the colonel in front of me had been Sokov's partner, and the attitude of the division commanders made a 180-degree turn. Gricenko first said: "Comrade Commander, please let Colonel Belkin come to our division. I happened to have a regiment lacking the political commissar of the regiment, so please ask him to take this position."
"General Grizenko, Colonel Belkin is an old partner of the commander. Isn't it a bit too shabby to give him only one position as a regiment political commissar?" Colonel Koida, commander of the 188th Infantry Division, refuted Grizenko, asked Sokov in a flattering manner: "Look, can I give him a position as a regiment commander when Colonel Belkin comes to us?"
"I think it's better to come to our division." Formenko said unwillingly: "I can not only give him a position as leader, but also allow him to serve as deputy division commander."
"Col. Belkin," Seeing several division commanders having a dispute over Belkin, Sokov quickly stood up to smooth things out: "The three division commanders, with Colonel Belkin's qualifications and abilities, are indeed a bit in a position as political commissar or commander of a regiment. Then I will formally appoint him as the deputy commander of the 84th Infantry Division and also serve as the regiment commander."
When Fomenko heard Sokov arrange Belkin in his army, a proud smile appeared on his face. He knew very well that Sokov and Belkin had a good relationship and would definitely take care of him in the future, and his troops would also benefit from it.
After arrangements for Belkin, Sokov began to arrange Vanya again. When the Sixth Army was rebuilt, Sokov felt that Vanya's rank was too low, so he took the initiative to promote him from major to lieutenant colonel. At this moment, Sokov introduced to everyone: "This is Lieutenant Colonel Vanya, he was the first subordinate to follow me. He fought with me long before the start of the large counterattack under Moscow city. In the Battle of Stalingrad, he served as the chief of staff of the 122nd Guards and also made many contributions."
As Sokov expected, several other division commanders wanted Wanya to go to their division to serve as the chief of staff. In the end, Sokov made the decision and asked Wanya to go to Colonel Shechtman's 254th Infantry Division.
The other officers brought were also recommended by Sokov to various divisions and serve as battalion company-level commanders. Seeing that each division and infantry brigade were assigned commanders with rich combat experience, Colonel Chuwashov of the 84th Marine Brigade was a little anxious: "Comrade Commander, you have arranged new commanders for several infantry divisions and infantry brigades. You should not be biased towards our navy. Should you also arrange two?"
"Don't worry, comrade Colonel." In fact, at present, there are Naval Major Shamrih from the Marine Battalion, and his teaching Captain Shapovarenko and Naval Captain Yakuda, the deputy battalion commander, did not arrange work. At this moment, when the commander of the Marine Brigade asked about this, he said with a response: "I have three commanders from the Navy in my hands, and I can let them report to your troops."
"Great, Comrade Commander, this is really great." Colonel Chuwashov said excitedly: "Since they are all commanders from the navy, I believe that after they arrive at the army, they will definitely be able to get along with our commanders and fighters."
After the meeting, the other division commanders and brigade commanders left, but Poluboyarov did not leave because Sokov once told him that he would prepare to replace his troops with more advanced T-34 tanks in the near future. He knew that the tank troops of the Southwest Front had encountered the German new tanks in late February. At the same distance, the tanks on the ground could not penetrate the armor of the German tanks at all, while the German tank guns could easily destroy the Soviet tanks. In order not to repeat the same mistakes on the battlefield, he was eager to ask Sokov to update the tanks for himself as soon as possible.
After listening to Poluboyarov patiently, Sokov did not immediately give the other party a positive answer, but smiled and said, "General Poluboyarov, you think you should lose weight and you should put two less sugar cubes when drinking tea. Look at your belly. If you continue to gain weight, you, the tank general, may not even be able to get in."
Poluboyarov was also a smart person. When he heard Sokov avoiding the important points, he immediately understood the other party's intentions. He quickly stood up and said to Sokov and Sameko: "Comrade Commander, Comrade Chief of Staff, if nothing happens, I will go back first. After all, designated troops training plans is a very time-consuming thing."
After Poluboyarov left, Sokov asked Sameko: "Comrade Chief of Staff, can we talk to Moscow with our phone number?"
"If you want to call Moscow, you may need to transfer the switchboard." Sameko knew that Sokov would not ask this for no reason, so he took the initiative to ask: "I wonder which department you are planning to call Moscow?"
Sokov replied briefly: "Weapons and Equipment Department, look for Colonel Yakov."
"I understand, I will immediately order someone to answer the phone." Sameko turned around and said to the director of the communications corps: "Comrade Director, have you not heard the commander's order? Hurry up and connect to the Weapons and Equipment Department and don't delay the main business."
The director of the communications troop took action, and within five minutes, he answered the phone number from the Moscow Weapons and Equipment Department. Sameko held the microphone and approached the duty staff who were on duty who were on the phone and said, "We are at the forefront here, and we have important things to talk to Colonel Yakov."
With Sokov's assistance, Yakov often launched new weapons in the Weapons and Equipment Department, which not only made him famous, but also his position also increased. It may be that there are too many people looking for Yakov, so the duty officer asked cautiously: "Who is looking for Colonel Yakov?"
Sokov heard the question from the duty officer and hurriedly said to him: "Please tell Colonel Yakov, and say Misha is looking for him."
The duty officer was somewhat familiar with Yakov's situation and knew that he had a friend named Misha at the forefront. At this moment, he heard that the person calling was Misha, and he did not dare to neglect and quickly said, "Please wait a moment, and I will connect to Colonel Yakov's office for you immediately."
After the phone was connected, Yakov's somewhat impatient voice came from the receiver: "Hey, who is it?"
"Yasa, it's me." Sokov called the other party's nickname affectionately, "I'm Misha."
"Misha, is it you?" When he heard that the person who called him was Sokov, Yakov asked in surprise: "Why are you free to call me today?"
"Yakov, I have something to ask you."
"Please me?" Yakov said with a smile: "Has the troops used up all the rockets? I heard some time ago that you wiped out all the Imperial Division and severely damaged the Skeleton Division and the Flag Guard Division. It was so exciting. But I know very well that to achieve such results, the consumption of rockets will be huge."
"You guessed it right, the rockets in the troops were all consumed."
"I am arranging the expansion of the production line these days. After the new production line is put into operation, the number of rockets you can obtain will double."
"Yasa, the rocket matter can be temporarily put on. I think my troops will not have the chance to fight with the Germans within two months." Since the other end of the phone was his friend who could be called a life-and-death relationship, Sokov did not go around in circles, but said bluntly: "What I want to tell you today is the matter of changing the tank."
"Tank change?" Yakov asked in confusion: "I don't understand what you mean."
"Didn't my troops seize a new German tank in the Battle of Stalingrad?" Sokov said to the microphone: "Our tank troops had fought with such tanks in late February. Unfortunately, the T-34 tanks we are equipped with today cannot penetrate the armor of this tank at a distance of 500 meters or even more."
"Misha, you are not a military industry, you may not know." Yakov said helplessly on the phone: "It can't be done in one or two months. It may take one or two years, or even longer."
"I understand what you mean, Yasha," Sokov continued: "I call you not to let you develop a new tank, but to tell you that as early as the Stalingrad defense battle, we equipped an improved T-34 tank, with both armor and firepower increased."
"The improved version of the T-34 tank?" Yakov asked in surprise: "How did you make it?"
"It was produced by the Red October factory for us, but due to production capacity issues, the number of T-34/85 tanks equipped with the troops has not exceeded ten."
"Oh, it turns out that it was produced by the Red October factory." Yakov said thoughtfully: "Then I will call the director of the Red October factory immediately and ask him to provide me with the relevant data. Misha, when there is news, I will call you to notify you. I heard that you are now the commander of the Sixth Army, right?"
"Yasha, I regret to tell you that I am no longer the commander of the Sixth Army." Sokov replied: "The superiors have just appointed me as the commander of the 27th Army of the Grassland Front."